Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Xiaobei and the others had a good idea. They couldn't wait to serve the people. They had to take the initiative.
Since they had just arrived in Kun Province and didn't have any contact with the locals, they set up camp next to Dianchi Lake.
When the nine of them walked out under the protection of the guards, they heard from the inner courtyard that if they walked southeast along Dianchi Lake, they would see people after walking for about ten miles.
When Xiaobei and the others heard that, they first observed the terrain. Ten miles didn't sound far and could be reached in an instant if they rode a horse. However, it depended on where they were. They were now next to Dianchi Lake and in the mountains. Was there a road? Yes, there was a road that people or animals could vaguely walk on.
The weather was good and the vegetation was lush. The grass on this road was a little different from the grass on the other side. It was relatively sparse, but it was definitely not suitable for riding a horse.
The nine of them estimated that it would take about an hour to reach the place. What if they ran? It wouldn't take more than three minutes, but it was easy to fall.
"Are there many people at the place we're going?" Xiaobei asked. It wasn't worth it to spend a lot of time and end up meeting dozens of people.
The inner courtyard seemed to know a lot about this place before they came. He immediately replied, "The one we're going to is a tribe. The chief's surname is Cuan. Of course, everyone in the tribe has the surname Cuan."
"Are there any other surnames around?" Xiaobei asked again.
"Yes, and some people have the surname Meng. If we go there, the language communication won't be very smooth. We need to translate. The most important thing is that their etiquette is different from ours."
"Oh, you don't understand? What else is there? "Xiaobei didn't know anything about this place.
"Further west is the Six Zhao."
"What? So close? No wonder they're not heading west anymore. What if Big Brother and Big Sister remember how they were in Japan and how the cannibals harmed us? They might not be able to hold themselves back and destroy them first. Then … is it safe here now? "
Xiaobei had always heard about the Six Zhao, but he never thought that he would be so close one day. He faintly felt that the situation was different from what he imagined. Perhaps the locals wouldn't treat him like the people in Yizhou.
A gentle smile appeared on the Inner Yard's face as he said, "Everywhere is safe. As long as you want to go, you will be safe. If someone dares to make you feel unsafe, we will make them feel unsafe."
"Oh, I believe you. What I mean is, if you don't protect me, will we be safe?" Lil 'Bei was depressed. They were here to investigate the people's lives, but they were here to start a war. These were two different things.
They won't hurt you. They have a good impression of you and belong to a farming tribe. The Meng tribe is a livestock tribe. If you go to the Meng tribe, it will be less safe. However, I believe that if they don't want to be exterminated, they will know how to treat you.
Previously, the people with the surname Meng were the rulers of this generation, so the surname Cuan was naturally the ruled. Farming people normally preferred peace and fought with nature because they could obtain more food. Horseback people were more aggressive and did not build. Instead, they followed the laws of nature to plunder.
Therefore, I suggest that we go to the Cuan Tribe. It will be more convenient for us to communicate. Even if you write, other people will recognize you and share many of the same habits as us. "
The Inner Yard's introduction was also a kind of knowledge instilling. It was not enough to just stay by their side. When the little guys had questions, they had to explain it.
Lil 'Bei and the others listened very carefully. They cherished the words of the Inner Yard in their daily lives. It seemed that every sentence was very simple and contained countless meanings. There was no other family in the Great Tang.
"It means that the people with the surname Cuan are bullied, right? How pitiful! "Lil 'Bei began to feel sad for others.
The Inner Yard replied, "It used to be so, but not now. Since the Great Tang began to support the surname Cuan many years ago and pushed King Cuan Gui to the position of the vassal king, the people with the surname Cuan were no longer bullied. Now, no one dares to bully them because the local government is formed by them.
The other purpose of the young master and young lady's visit this time is to build a few projects. One is a dam, and the other is an artificial river. Otherwise, the local area will always be flooded. Almost every year, there will be a situation where the inflow of Dianchi Lake is greater than the outflow. As a result, the water overflows and washes away the fields and houses of the people with the surname Cuan.
Another purpose is to leave 200 people behind to add to the local government and not let the people with the surname Cuan continue to rule. Now, there is no need to control one with another. "
After hearing this, Lil 'Bei and the others began to walk in the direction of the Inner Yard. As they walked, they thought and discussed with each other.
After a while, Lil 'Bei looked at the scenery of Dianchi Lake and said, "We understand. We really can't give them too much power. In the past, they were bullied. Now that they have power, they will definitely want to bully back. It's okay to bully them before, but they are a tribe that raises livestock and are good at fighting.
If they can't beat them, they will be beaten by them. Then, the Great Tang will send troops. After the war is over, the people who died can't come back to life. How sad will that be? Moreover, the people with the surname Meng are also part of the Great Tang and know how to raise livestock. Isn't it better for the two sides to unite? Each takes what he needs.
Brother and sister arranged for people to stay behind to be officials. The purpose is to combine the two surnames into one. The effect will be greater than the two. Also, we don't believe that King Cuan Gui is better than our people in all aspects.
The people we left behind will quickly figure out the situation of the local resources and use them to help the locals develop as quickly as possible. Because brother and sister will continue to send troops to the west, the local area will become the rear very close to the front line, right? "
The Inner Yard squatted down and kissed Lil 'Bei on the face.
He praised, "Our Lil 'Bei is so amazing."
"Hehe, we all thought about it together. The little bit of achievement we have is also because of your constant tutoring, the love of our brothers and sisters, the expectations of our parents, and the protection of our guards. That's how we can learn and achieve it. Aiya, what about the Six Zhao? They are closer to the front line in the future. "
Lil 'Bei was modest and treated it as her diplomatic practice. Suddenly, she thought of the Six Zhao. Back then, her brother and sister had left a lot of ways to retreat for the Six Zhao. They said that they would first fight Duoshi, then deal with Xinluo and Japan. Finally, they would target the Six Zhao.
Moreover, the early strategy was to help plunder. It could be said that they were being kind. The help plunder could be changed at any time. If the Six Zhao saw the results of others and came to their senses, then the real follow-up method would be to cooperate with the early method to help. If they were still stubborn, the follow-up method would be another one that could immediately put the Six Zhao into eternal damnation.
"It depends on Zhen La's actions. If they fight, they will be destroyed. If they fight, they will pass. If they fight, they will pass. If they fight, they will pass. If they fight, they will pass. If they fight, they will pass. If they fight, they will meet the leader of the Six Zhao and give him a warning. At the same time, we will let the caravan follow. We will enter India from the north of the Piao Country and seek an opportunity there. After that, no matter what choice we make, we will have to take a boat home before next summer."
The Inner Yard explained their strategic intentions. Right now, they still couldn't make perfect arrangements for this elite force on their side, because there was no certainty in war.
Because they did not understand the local situation, Lil 'Bei went back to discuss with the others as they walked. When they could see smoke rising in front of them from afar, Lil' Bei and the others also discussed.
"We just thought about it and felt that it was not cost-effective to transport supplies through this route. The journey is long and the terrain is complicated. We should transport from Yizhou and the further north."
Lil 'Bei said to the Inner Yard.
The Inner Yard smiled and did not say anything. Another one spoke.
"Yes, it is long and the consumption is high. But if we transport from here, we can pass through the Six Zhao. The things we transport are dried fish, canned food, salt, all kinds of cloth, medicine, and firearms."
Lil 'Bei nodded as he listened. "There are also musical instruments, drawing papers, brushes, cooking tools, and seasonings that are convenient to carry. Since they are for the army, there is no need to worry about the quality.
So many good things were brazenly transported from the Six Zhao's territory. They are looking and they want to have it. Is this the last chance for them? "
"More or less." The Inner Yard replied.
Lil 'Bei exhaled. "Well, when the things are transported in the Tang Empire, the people along the way will find a way to repair the road and provide some porridge, hot soup, tea, and small pickles. When it comes to the Six Zhao, if they want to live the same life as the people of the Tang Empire in the future, they don't need to follow suit, as long as they don't rob.
Just like the small bridge in front of my home, Zhuangzi, good and evil are determined by the heart. One thought to heaven, one thought to hell. Not everyone has this opportunity. Not even Duoshi, Japan, and Xinluo. "
With that, everyone continued on their way. What Lil 'Bei and the others couldn't figure out was why their brother and sister showed mercy.
"Wow, look, look, there's a big hairy head on the tree. It's so interesting. Why does it look so familiar?" As they got closer and closer to the tribe in front, Da Nan and Xiao Nan shouted at the same time as if they had read each other's minds.
Everyone looked at the tree and saw an oak tree in front of them. There was a furry ball at the height of a person.
The Inner Yard went over to cut the thing and showed it to Lil 'Bei and Xiao Nan. Da Nan and Xiao Nan recognized it. No wonder it looked familiar. It was a Monkey's Head mushroom. They had eaten it before, but they didn't know that it grew on trees.
"How did it climb up?" Xiao Yuan wondered. After thinking for a while, he said, "Why does it grow on the trunk? There are Monkey's Head mushrooms here? It's amazing. "
"There are the most Monkey's Head mushrooms in this area. There are also other mushrooms. Due to the climate, there are more in the south, next to Zhenla. The 200 people left behind will help the locals grow these things. The young master and young lady said that they can be grown, unlike the red mushroom, which is the pine mushroom. It can't be fully cultivated manually, and the semi-artificial yield is not high.
"If the Monkey's Head mushroom is artificially cultivated, it's slightly worse than the wild ones. People who don't eat it often won't be able to taste it at all. It's an extra benefit for the locals. In the future, it will be sold at a high price."
The Inner Yard continued to explain to the little guys.
Lil 'Bei and the others had already begun to fantasize. In the future, the locals would grow many Monkey's Head mushrooms with the help of their families. They could sell them directly to the restaurants at home. When the cultivation technology was mature, ordinary people would be able to eat them if they wanted to.
"The locals produce Monkey's Head mushrooms. In that case … the tribe we're going to will definitely have some in stock, right?" Lil 'Bei licked his lips and asked with a slanderous look.
"Yes. Occasionally, merchants will come to buy them. The price they give is quite fair. The people with the surname Cuan will keep the good things they find and exchange them with the merchants. I've already brought gifts to exchange for their goods. You can taste the food."
The Inner Yard said to Lil 'Bei. This was also another purpose of coming here.
Lil 'Bei heard the key words in his words. "Quite fair?"
"Yes. When the local goods are sold, it's one-third of the normal price. When you exchange your goods with the local people, it's three times the normal price. When you exchange goods with the local people, it's nine times the normal price."
"It's not considered bullying. In the past, it was even lower. You can't even imagine what a kilogram of salt can be exchanged for. It can be exchanged for all kinds of fungi. For example, seventy kilograms of dried mushrooms can be exchanged for eighty to ninety Python Gallbladders. It's a hundredfold profit.
Three years ago, our caravan made a trip here. Since then, it's only nine times the profit. Because the journey is long, this ratio is still acceptable. When we return, the profit is only about three times. "
"That's called three hundred percent. So this is what it means to be backward. If our caravan doesn't come, the local people will be even more upset. I reckon that many merchants who take this route will hate our family. Haha, we set the price once we come. When the local people see, ah, it turns out that we sold too cheaply in the past. Is there no salt here? Do we have to ship it from somewhere else? "
Lil 'Bei immediately understood. He had been the bad guy once. Fortunately, he had left a profit margin of three times for others.
The Inner Yard replied, "There is. The young master and young lady said that there is, and there's a lot of it. It's enough for the local people to eat. But the local people can't find it, and they don't have the means to deal with the salt mines. The people we've left behind will help to explore and mine.
In the future, the merchants who come here won't be able to exchange for anything with salt. They'll have to transport other goods that the local people don't have. This will improve the quality of life of the local people. This time, we've brought a lot of salt. It's a half-trade, half-gift. We don't expect to make much profit. "
"No wonder you said that it's safer for us to come here. Our efforts three years ago have paid off at this moment." Lil 'Bei knew where the Inner Yard's confidence came from.
*****
When the team arrived in front of the tribe, there were many people in the tribe. They were holding ordinary knives, bows and arrows, and spears made of pure bamboo. There were no iron spearheads.
Clearly, the people in the tribe had already seen a large group of people coming. Without knowing whether they were friend or foe, they gathered together to intimidate and alert.
Lil 'Bei looked at the bows and bamboo spears and shrank back. She couldn't estimate the range of the other party's long-range weapons.
The group stopped. Someone ran over to negotiate. After some discussion, the people in the tribe threw their weapons to the ground. It looked like they were surrendering.
Then, the people in the tribe put on their small faces. Some people ran back and sprinkled water on the ground. Normally, they didn't have such etiquette.
They probably wanted to learn the behavior of the officials of the Great Tang when they traveled. But they didn't learn it completely because they didn't have yellow sand to pave the way.
Lil 'Bei and the others were very satisfied with this. It didn't matter if they didn't learn it well, as long as they had the heart. They all knew that it was very difficult to get the approval of a minority. It wasn't that they were purposely estranged, but that it was mainly because of the knowledge they came into contact with. Many merchants wanted to take advantage of them, but when they found out, they would naturally be on guard.
Before they could confirm whether you were trustworthy, they wouldn't interact with you too much. Otherwise, they would be deceived again. Rather than calling it estrangement, it was better to call it self-protection.
At this time, four people stepped forward, one hand on the gun by their legs and the other on the firing mechanism of their revolvers.
"Don't be impulsive. Don't fire at 0.03 or 0.05 seconds. You can judge the time." Lil 'Bei hurriedly gave the four people instructions. These four were the most formidable gunmen in the Great Tang, and they were specially assigned to protect them. They didn't even have a brother or sister.
Lil 'Bei asked the Inner Yard, "I'll be going up to speak in a moment. How should I introduce myself?"
"Zhang Xiaobei of Between the Clouds and the Water," the Inner Yard said.
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