Wang Chong only smiled. The Eagle had clearly understood.
In this campaign to the south, Wang Chong had carefully considered and researched every one of his strategies. If he had not been certain that the sheep plague would be effective, he would never have made such an arrangement.
Turning around, Wang Chong slowly vanished from the summit.
Although Li Siye's surprise army had been effective, the Mengshe – Ü-Tsang army had not retreated. As long as the problem of water was not resolved, Wang Chong would not be able to relax. No one could help him in this matter. The Imperial Court could not help him, nor could Xu Yi-qin. No one could help him.
He could only rely on himself to think of a solution.
… …
"Let me tell you, my words are an order! If I say that you're not allowed to get close to the people of the Wang Clan, then you're not allowed to get close to them! If you don't listen to my advice, be careful that I don't become merciless! "
The palm of a middle-aged man slammed heavily on the table with great force. Wang Chong could never have imagined that while he was in trouble in the southwest, in the distant capital, Xu Yi-qin, the future King of Logistics that Wang Chong had predicted, was also in trouble.
"By the way, I've already ordered for those people sent by the Wang Clan to be driven out. You're forbidden from leaving for three months! "
The middle-aged man had a stern expression, the veins on his forehead bulging. It was clear that he was in a state of rage.
"Big Uncle!"
Xu Yi-qin raised her head to look at the middle-aged man, her expression as cold as ice.
"The matter between me and the Wang Clan is my personal matter. It has nothing to do with the Xu Clan, and it has nothing to do with you. Don't meddle in my business! "
"Bastard thing! Even at a time like this, you're still saying such things! "
Xu Henian was infuriated, his hand raised and ready to strike.
"You dare!"
Xu Yi-qin was unafraid. She was not her big uncle's person. No matter what, today's matter had gone too far.
"Xu Zhongnian, look at the fine daughter you raised. King Qi has already visited twice. Han 'er and Rong' er were stripped of their official titles because of you. Xu Zhongnian, is this daughter of yours trying to destroy our Xu Family? "
Xu Henian suddenly turned his head and harshly cursed the ashamed middle-aged man behind him.
This person was naturally Xu Yi-qin's father, Second Master Xu Zhongnian, as well as Xu Henian's second brother.
Although they were both stewards of the Xu Clan, Xu Zhongnian's personality was the complete opposite of Xu Henian's. Xu Zhongnian hadn't learned the slightest bit of the Xu Clan's abilities. He hadn't been able to help the clan in the slightest, but he had caused quite a few disasters and slip-ups back then.
If she hadn't given birth to a daughter, Xu Yi-qin, she wouldn't even be able to sit in her position.
"Qin 'er, listen to your uncle. The Wang Clan isn't related to us in any way. There's no need to offend His Imperial Highness Prince Qi for them! "
Xu Zhongnian looked at his daughter, his voice soft and almost pleading.
"Big Uncle, you dare speak of King Qi?"
Xu Qiqin paid no attention to her father, Xu Zhongnian. Instead, she turned to her big uncle, Xu Henian.
"Hmph, you still don't know. Many of the Xu Clan's descendants have been inexplicably stripped of their official titles or kicked out of the Bureau of Revenue, Bureau of Personnel, and Bureau of Agriculture. All of our Xu Clan's power is here. Do you know what this means?
"Not only that, ten of the clan's eighteen major trade routes have been severed, and twenty-three of the sixty-eight branch trade routes have been severed. Have you looked at the clan's accounts? In just this month, the clan's income has shrunk, and it's still dropping. All of our income isn't even forty percent of what it used to be.
"How many people does the Xu Clan have? Do you think that the daily expenses and the various trade routes don't need to be spent? Such a large clan can't even stop for a single day. You've actually reduced it by sixty percent. Take a look at these accounts for yourself! "
As Xu Henian spoke, he took out a large stack of accounts from his sleeve and slammed them down in front of Xu Yi-qin.
"Our Xu Clan rose to prominence during the Sui Dynasty. We experienced the fires of war and the various political storms of the Imperial Court. It was not easy for us to reach this day. We have truly experienced all sorts of tribulations. Do you not know what kind of person King Qi is? So now, do you really want to destroy our Xu Clan for the sake of an outsider? "
Xu Henian's eyes blazed with fury, making no attempt to conceal his emotions.
At any other time, the entire Xu Clan would have wanted nothing more than to pamper this proud daughter of the Xu Clan. Moreover, she was doted on by the Old Master.
But this time, he had gone too far.
Han-er and Rong-er were his two most beloved sons, and also the ones he had placed the greatest hopes on. In order for them to enter the Bureau of Personnel and Bureau of Revenue, he had paid an enormous price.
But in a single day, for no reason at all, they had been stripped of their official titles and kicked out of the Bureau of Personnel and Bureau of Revenue.
One could easily imagine the fury in Xu Henian's heart.
Xu Yi-qin said nothing, only solemnly picked up the Xu Clan's account books and began to flip through them one by one. She had always been intelligent and had long since begun to examine the clan's accounts for her father. She was no stranger to these things.
Time slowly passed. Xu Henian stood to the side, his face ashen, while Xu Yi-qin's father, Xu Zhongnian, wore an uneasy expression.
Xu Qiqin was the only one who slowly flipped through the account book. Slowly. Xu Yi-qin's complexion grew more and more grave.
"How could this be? This is too despicable. "
Xu Yi-qin's complexion was pale, her entire body trembling. Her big uncle had said that ten of the Xu Clan's eighteen major trade routes had been severed, and twenty-three of the sixty-eight branch trade routes had been severed. Their income had been reduced by sixty percent, but Xu Yi-qin was skilled in accounting. She discovered that the situation was even more serious than her big uncle had described.
These accounts involved at least eleven major sales contracts, all of which were recorded in the Court of Judicial Review. If they were breached, the Xu Clan would have to pay an enormous price.
This involved millions of taels of gold.
Not only that, the Xu Clan's accounts clearly showed that someone had tampered with them. This matter could be concealed from others, from her big uncle, but not from Xu Yi-qin.
Xu Yi-qin smelled the thick scent of a conspiracy.
There was no doubt that someone was planning to move against the Xu Clan. And the only person Xu Yi-qin could think of was King Qi.
"How about it? You have nothing else to say, right? Let me tell you, in three months, if you dare to walk out of this gate and have any dealings with the Wang Clan, don't blame me for turning my back on you. When the time comes, the clan will be enraged, and not even the Old Master will be able to save you. "
Xu Henian saw that Xu Yi-qin's complexion had turned pale and knew that his words had an effect. Throwing down these words, he flicked his sleeve and left.
"Haaa!"
Xu Zhongnian glanced at his daughter, gave a long sigh, and turned to leave the room.
Only Xu Yi-qin was left standing in front of the window, stunned and speechless.
"Hualala!"
The moment Xu Henian and Xu Zhongnian left, a flapping of wings came from outside the window. A sliver of clarity returned to Xu Yi-qin's eyes. Raising her head, she saw that a gray messenger pigeon had at some point landed on the open window lattice.
On the pigeon's leg was a familiar golden leggings. But unlike usual, there was a thin red string tied to the golden leggings.
"This is …"
Xu Qiqin's expression changed slightly when she saw the thin red string that had appeared. In the agreed signal, this was a signal that would only appear in an emergency. Xu Yi-qin undid the leggings and quickly opened the message. A line of words immediately entered her eyes.
[Urgent matter. All supplies within three hundred li of the capital are being detained and intercepted!]
It was a simple sentence, but it made Xu Qiqin's heart sink.
Big Uncle! King Qi! … …
Plagued from within and without, countless pressures surged at her. In all her life, Xu Yi-qin had never encountered such a situation. On one side was the clan that had raised her, and on the other side was Wang Chong, who had trusted her and entrusted his life to her.
Xu Yi-qin had to make a choice.
Xu Yi-qin's heart was wracked with agony. She knew that King Qi would not give her too much time.
"Young Miss, what do we do? Are we really going to offend King Qi for Wang Chong and send our clan to its doom? "
The delicate maid Huan Yan 'er, who had been serving Xu Yi-qin this entire time, worriedly said. She knew of her young miss's feelings for Wang Chong, but the nature of this time was different.
King Qi was an imperial prince of the Tang dynasty, and his influence in and out of the court was deeply rooted. The Xu Clan could not afford to offend him. As a logistician family, the basic way to protect themselves was to build a good relationship with the royal family, not to antagonize them.
In the past, there had been too many such examples.
"Yan 'er, you can leave first. I need some peace and quiet."
Xu Qiqin slumped back into her chair. She rested her forehead on one hand and remained motionless. For the first time, a trace of haggard expression appeared on that icy and beautiful face.
… …
"Splash!"
Large streams of cold spring water poured out of the water bags without any hesitation. The Tibetan soldiers at the base of the mountain were even laughing heartily as they used the drinking water to wash their highland steeds and their armor.
Large amounts of clear water flowed to the ground and even converged into small streams.
"Hahaha, so comfortable!"
Mengshe Zhao's cavalry carried buckets of water and poured it over their heads.
This scene played out at the foot of the mountain every day from morning to night. But every evening, the water on the ground would be buried or sprinkled with poison, leaving no chance for the Annam Protectorate.
On the mountain range, a restless atmosphere was pervading.
"Young Master, Dalun Ruozan is too despicable. He knows that we lack water, so he sends people to the foot of the mountain every day to disturb the army with water. If this continues, I'm afraid we will collapse without a fight. "
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