Volume 1 Nightfall Border City Chapter 48 Exchange

  From noon to nightfall, although there was no sword drawn or bow stretched in the city of River Bend, a tense atmosphere still pervaded. Wang Jiaxin ordered each battalion of personal guards to enter the city and take up defensive positions immediately, closing the North City Gate.

  The refugees in the city were in a state of panic, Xiao's words had just brought his own clan brothers to Hequ City yesterday, and they were thinking about how to escape. They soon learned about the situation outside the city. But now the city is heavily guarded, and he didn't dare to make any rash moves either.

  The county government office in Hequ City is now the venue for the People's Revolutionary Army to discuss matters, and Wang Jiayun sits on the governor's chair.

  "The refugees are exchanging their war horses! A double gain in one move!" Gao Yingxiang stepped forward and said: "Now the refugees from all over Shaanxi are rushing to the Yellow River bend, we can't afford to support these people anyway. Moreover, recently the government troops have been attacking fiercely, if the Yellow River bend cannot be defended, the cavalry can quickly retreat, everyone has seen the ferocity of the Guanning Iron Cavalry."

  "I've always felt that the Mongolian cavalry outside the city is a bit off," Wang Jiayin furrowed his brow, "How can they make deals with us with their strength as Mongolians?"

  Seated below Wang Jia Yun was his brother Wang Ziyong, who interjected: "If the Mongols really cooperate with the imperial court, we will be attacked from both front and back!"

  "Each camp should be on guard tonight, I will go to negotiate the transaction again tomorrow, and see what kind of tricks the Mongolians have up their sleeves!" Wang Jiayin's mind was made up.

  As night fell, Di Zhe led his troops back to the edge of the mountain valley, arranged sentries and had the men and horses camp.

  Both sides spent the night in cautious vigilance.

  At dawn, when the sun first rose, Di Zhe led two hundred cavalrymen in a swift ride under the city walls.

  Wang Jiayin also led 500 cavalry out of the city after receiving the report.

  Mongolian cavalry galloped back and forth ten miles outside the city, waving curved knives in the air while making strange cries. Wang Jiaxin, a seasoned veteran of many battles, could tell at a glance that this cavalry was no ordinary bandit gang.

  Di Zhe urged the big black horse to rush out from among the cavalry, shouting: "How is Da Tou Ling's consideration?"

  Wang Jiayin urged his horse forward and said: "One horse can only be exchanged for five refugees, no more!"

  "Ten of them, if they were craftsmen, could be exchanged for one!"

  "Deal!"

  One horse for fifty vagrants was just a joke by Di Zhe, but after haggling, the two sides reached an agreement. The current predicament of the Tumote tribe can't support that many people, but craftsmen are really needed. The Ming dynasty strictly managed craftsmen, and their profession was passed down from generation to generation, but later, due to heavy labor imposed by the government, many craftsmen escaped and fled into civilian life.

  For two days, Di Zhe has been showing off his military prowess outside Hequ City. What he saw was the northeast corner of Hequ City, where black smoke rose straight into the clouds, never stopping, and a strange, nauseating smell filled the air. It was the refugees burning corpses. But this is a chaotic world, and he can do nothing about it.

  After the transaction is confirmed, both parties start discussing the details.

  "I only want refugees under 40 years old; if it's a family, five people can bring one elderly person!"

  Business is business, Zhai Zhe never thought that such a ruthless remark would come out of his own mouth, but he couldn't afford to support so many Han people, and the Tumet people would absolutely not accept an old and feeble Han slave.

  "No problem! We'll drive the refugees out of the city to the northeast corner, and you can take them away yourself!"

  "Four hundred horses for four thousand refugees! The deal is set for dawn tomorrow!"

  "There's more we can exchange!" Representative Gao Yingxiang, who came on behalf of Wang Jiayun, was still unsatisfied.

  Di Zhe snorted and said: "For now, we only need this much. If you want war horses, you can buy them with silver!"

  Gao Yingxiang was slightly surprised, as Mongolians usually didn't use silver for transactions, mostly they bartered. Then he thought of the Han person who had negotiated with him and asked: "How much silver per horse?"

  Di Zhe stretched out four fingers, he sold it to Killer Hu Kou Nei De Xiang Ge for twenty-five taels of silver per piece.

  "Thirty-five, I want two hundred more, but all must be fine grassland horses!" Gao Yingxiang hesitated for a moment before making up his mind. Ever since he saw the power of the Guanning Iron Cavalry, he was infatuated with the power of heavy cavalry and couldn't extricate himself.

  Di Zhe didn't think that a poor and destitute bandit could have so much silver, he nodded in agreement while suddenly asking: "A few days ago, there was a Xiao Zhongyan who entered Hequ City, do you know about it?" This was a question he had been planning to ask for a long time.

  "Ah!" Gao Yingxiang's heart hung up, thinking that Xiao Zhishan had done something wrong to the Tumet people on the grassland again. It is said that three years ago, Xiao Zhishan was killed by the Tumet people for robbing them, and there were rumors among the horse bandits in Shaanxi.

  "Tell him to come out of town and meet me!"

  Gao Yingxiang wanted to speak but stopped, Xiao Zhi's words now seem to be under his command. If he were to betray his subordinates without reason, the brothers would not be able to put their hearts at ease in the future.

  "You tell him what I said, if he doesn't want to, then forget it!" Di Zhe deliberately spoke unclearly.

  "Alright, I will definitely bring the words back!" Gao Yingxiang cupped his hands and led his personal troops away.

  Taking advantage of the leisure time, Di Zhe let Ge Rile Tu quickly send someone to Hu Suo Grassland Tumute tribe to borrow horses. Before that, he had borrowed horse skins and quickly sent the traded goods to the hands of Tumute herdsmen, leaving a good reputation behind.

  An hour later, Xiao Zhiyan rode out of the city alone and rushed straight to the Mongolian camp.

  "My brother and our clansmen number over four hundred, all within the city of Riverbend!" Xiao Zhi's expression was somewhat tense, his usual nonchalance nowhere to be seen.

  "Will Wang Jiayun let you leave the city?"

  Xiao Zhiyan raised his head, and the bright sunlight in the sky was dazzling.

  "I don't know!"

  "Tomorrow morning during trading hours, you'll find an opportunity to break out of the city, will you?"

  Xiao Zhiyan let out a bitter laugh and said: "The brothers of the Yu Lin Guard are fine, but not all members of my family are strong young men!"

  Di Zhe rarely saw Xiao's words so anxious, patted his chest and said: "Brother Xiao doesn't have to worry, it's all up to me!"

  "Thank you!" This was his first time saying thank you to Di Zhe, and for someone like him to say those words, it must be an extremely solemn favor.

  On that day, both sides made their own preparations. Gao Yingxiang personally led people to select and drive refugees from the city to the northeast of Hequ City. The refugees were confused and did not know that their fate had been used as a transaction. In fact, leaving the pass was not necessarily a bad thing for them.

  The Tumet people drove six hundred war horses into the mountains overnight, and Di Zhe was worried that Wang Jiaxin would secretly resort to tricks, so he first pulled three hundred horses to the camp.

  As agreed, the Tumed cavalry rushed to the northeast corner of the refugee camp before dawn, whipping the refugees with long horse whips and driving them into the mountains under the threat of knives and arrows. The refugees cried out to heaven and earth as they were driven away.

  Inside the city of Hequ, people could hear clearly that Wang Jiaxun ordered Gao Yingxiang to go out of the city to meet Ma, and others were not allowed to make any rash moves. Selling refugees to Mongolians was also not suitable for publicity, so as not to ruin one's own reputation.

  The two teams met and Zhai Zhe ordered Che Feng to drive over the war horses.

  "There are three hundred horses here, after the refugees have all entered the mountain, I will send another three hundred horses over!"

  Gao Yingxiang personally inspected them, and each one had a robust physique, shiny coat, and was far superior to the horses of the Great Ming. After confirming that there were no problems, Gao Yingxiang was extremely satisfied, pointed to the two large packages on the back of his personal soldier, and said: "Those are 7,000 taels of silver!"

  Di Zhe urged his horse closer, lowering his voice to say: "Xiao Zhishen has a favor for me. Now his brothers and family are all in Hequ City. I want to bring them to the grasslands. If you can accomplish this matter, these two hundred horses will be my gift to you!"

  "What?" Gao Yingxiang was stunned and asked: "Is this his own idea?"

  Di Zhe nodded and said: "I am in charge of the Han Department in Tumote, many transactions have to go through my hands. In the future, if you want a good grassland horse again, just look for me!"

  "He had just entered the River Bend City, and his Yulinwei border army still had some combat effectiveness. The Grand Commander would definitely not let him go!" Gao Yingxiang was in a dilemma, deliberating for a long time before saying: "Alright, I'll take this risk. These silver coins won't be taken out or brought back either. You find me another two hundred horses from the grasslands." Xiao Zhi's words were directed at his subordinates, and after releasing Wang Jiaxin, he would definitely not be happy, but also wouldn't blame him heavily.

  "Deal!" Zhai Zhe stretched out his right hand.

  "One day, if there's a chance, I hope to cooperate with Brother Chui again!" Gao Yingxiang also stretched out his own rough big hand. He sold a favor to Xiao Zhishen, and was able to get a good horse from the grasslands for him, leaving a way out. Even if he was really forced into a desperate situation by the government troops in the future, perhaps he would still have to flee to the outer regions.