Regardless of whether he believed it in his heart, Marquis Changxiang Wang Yong still slowly unfolded the map Han Qian had handed him. It was far more detailed than the military maps used by the Shu army. He secretly felt that before this map, the officials of the Ministry of Territory in the Privy Council of Great Shu should be ashamed enough to throw themselves into the river.
The map not only clearly marked the distribution of three hundred seventy-six mountain stockades along the Qianjiang River and its major tributaries, primarily inhabited by the Wu Liao people, but even indicated the Ba southern well salt and several route maps of salt flowing out from the Ba southern region through the hands of the Liao people, passing through the southern Sichuan mountains to Qianzhong, southwestern Hunan, and circulating back into the interior of Sichuan-Shu.
Han Qian hadn’t deliberately concealed the existence of the Wuling Trail. This couldn’t be hidden from those truly familiar with Ba southern affairs, and moreover, because the Wuling Trail involved Xu Prefecture’s interests, Han Qian’s strategy offering appeared more authentic and credible.
Marquis Changxiang Wang Yong was secretly alarmed, not expecting that Han Qian, relying on the Jinyun Tower, had grasped the situation in the southern Sichuan mountains more clearly and thoroughly than the Shu army.
Though the southern Sichuan Liao people were fierce and difficult to tame, they normally retreated into the mountains and wouldn’t constantly go crazy and leave the cities to enter the plains on both banks of the Yangtze River. But aside from not tolerating others sleeping soundly beside one’s bed, another main reason was that many salt wells in the Ba southern region were controlled by the Wu Liao people, resulting in large quantities of private salt circulating back into the interior of Sichuan-Shu through the hands of the Liao people—no matter how they tried to block it, they couldn’t stop it.
Sichuan-Shu well salt at its peak during the previous dynasty produced four hundred thousand dan annually. With a salt tax of two strings of cash per dan, this meant that well salt alone contributed as much as eight hundred thousand strings of cash in salt profits to Sichuan-Shu each year.
Affected by warfare and other factors, currently Sichuan-Shu had three hundred eighty-plus salt wells remaining that were still drawing brine and boiling salt, with annual production and sales of well salt less than two hundred thousand dan. However, because the Salt and Iron Bureau had substantially raised the salt tax, the salt profits were only slightly lower than during the previous dynasty’s peak.
At this time, Shu’s Imperial Guards numbered one hundred sixty thousand troops, with nearly half of their military resources coming from salt profits. The heavy dependence on salt profits was evident.
However, the heavier the salt tax, the higher the salt price, and the more rampant private salt became. Even cutting off hundreds of heads annually couldn’t prohibit it.
Private salt flowing down the Qianjiang into Hunan-Guizhou and Nanzhao regions was naturally beyond Shu’s reach and wouldn’t greatly harm Shu’s interests. But large quantities of private salt circulating back into the interior of Sichuan-Shu directly impacted the Shu army’s provisions, which neither the Shu sovereign nor his ministers could tolerate.
The mountain Liao forces, while reaping huge profits from trafficking private salt, also used this to strengthen their power, building strong stockades and large fortresses, relying on the险ous terrain of mountains and rivers to increasingly resist Shu army rule. All these factors made the situation in southern Sichuan increasingly severe in recent years.
Currently among the three to four hundred salt wells in all of Shu, though the Ba southern region in southern Yu Prefecture didn’t account for even one-fifth, most of these salt wells fell into the hands of the Wu Liao people and were the main source of Sichuan-Shu’s private salt.
Although the Ba southern region was the source of Sichuan-Shu’s private salt, unfortunately the terrain of the Ba southern region was even more precipitous and dangerous, with the Wu Liao people’s stockades hidden even deeper. Therefore, they usually wouldn’t directly threaten Yu Prefecture city.
In comparison, the mountain Liao in the mountains of southern Yan Prefecture and Rong Prefecture posed a more direct and obvious threat to the plains—in the fourth year of Tianyou, the mountain Liao chieftain of Yan Prefecture once led his forces to directly capture Yan Prefecture and even fought intensely with the Shu army’s main forces in southern Lu Prefecture, only being forced to withdraw from Yan Prefecture after killing or wounding five to six thousand elite Shu troops.
Therefore, in recent years Shu had mainly concentrated forces on clearing out the mountain Liao in southern Yan Prefecture and Rong Prefecture, while showing higher tolerance toward the Wu Liao people in the Ba southern region.
However, from the perspectives of Shu’s internal dependence on salt profits and the mountain Liao people’s economic sources, strengthening control over the Ba southern region was the more fundamental solution.
“In the past, Shu’s forces in southeastern Sichuan were limited, stationed mainly east of Wu in Xia Prefecture. Taking advantage of the marriage alliance between our two nations and the reduction of troops stationed at Xia and Jing, the Marquis submitting a memorial strongly arguing for shifting southern strategy eastward to manage Ba south would be a natural development.”
Han Qian, glimpsing the doubt in Marquis Changxiang Wang Yong and Jing Qiongwen’s eyes, could vaguely guess what they were worried about. He also knew that building trust between people was the most difficult thing, especially since Marquis Changxiang Wang Yong and Jing Qiongwen came from the Divine Mausoleum Bureau lineage—they were calculating and secretive, making it even harder to trust others.
Han Qian didn’t care what they were thinking, only speaking his thoughts aloud.
“And when your Master develops a rift with Marquis Qingjiang, if the Marquis appears extremely familiar with Ba southern affairs, combined with Master Jing’s years of groundwork in softening attitudes, the Marquis managing Ba south and establishing meritorious achievements would be within reach, wouldn’t it!”
Marquis Changxiang and Jing Qiongwen exchanged glances, their expressions lifting slightly as they said, “Relying solely on this map, trying to scheme for managing Ba south may be insufficient. We humbly request Master Han not spare his teachings.”
Han Qian nodded. Now the timing from all aspects was ripe, but even if Shu Master Wang Jian became dissatisfied with his eldest son Wang Hongyi and wanted to use his second son Wang Yong to manage Ba south, at minimum Wang Yong still needed to demonstrate sufficient vision and capability for managing Ba south.
Wang Jian couldn’t directly tell his eldest son Wang Hongyi: “Father is dissatisfied seeing your wings growing full, so I must use the second son to divide power and create balance,” could he?
At this time, if Shu wanted to pacify southern Sichuan and thoroughly dissolve the controlling rule of chieftains and headmen over the Liao people, there were many strategies available. Han Qian wouldn’t teach Marquis Changxiang and Jing Qiongwen the most fundamental ones, only focusing on discussing two strategies: using barbarians to control barbarians, and dissolving clans to promote loyal subjects. Finally, he added, “If the Marquis seeks to scheme for Ba south, sharing salt profits, you might collaborate with Yang Xingfeng of Si Prefecture!”
Si Prefecture was located in the upper reaches of the Chen River, spanning the Qianjiang and Yuan River basins. Its territory was even more extensive than Xu Prefecture and Chen Prefecture. At this time it nominally submitted to Great Chu, but Prefecture Administrator Yang Xingfeng hadn’t claimed the title of King—truly because Si Prefecture’s mountains and waters were险ous and remote with sparse population. Claiming kingship wasn’t as comfortable as submitting to Great Chu and being a local hegemon.
Si Prefecture was a relatively thorough protectorate prefecture. Besides symbolically paying some tribute to Jinling annually, all military and political affairs were decided by the Yang clan—Jinling couldn’t interfere. It could be viewed as an independent force separate from Chu and Shu.
Yang Xingfeng controlled the western Si Prefecture region in the middle and upper reaches of the Qianjiang. If the Shu army wanted to manage Ba south, allying with Si Prefecture and jointly attacking from north and south the Wu Liao people occupying the middle and lower Qianyang region was undoubtedly the best method.
Of course, to get Si Prefecture to dispatch troops naturally required providing sufficient benefits.
Allowing Sichuan salt to flow openly and legitimately through Si Prefecture into Qianzhong and Nanzhao would greatly benefit the Yang clan, while Shu could also obtain a portion of salt profits—it could be called a win-win matter.
As for whether he and his father could profit from it, whether some Sichuan salt would flow through Si Prefecture into Xu Prefecture, Han Qian thought Marquis Changxiang Wang Yong probably wouldn’t investigate deeply.
Moreover, when all under heaven bustle about, all for profit’s sake; when all under heaven rush about, all for profit’s destination. If Han Qian offered plans and strategies but gained nothing himself from the effort, it would also be difficult to win the trust of Wang Yong and Jing Qiongwen.
“Both banks of the Qianjiang are sheer cliffs. Though the mountain stockades built by the Wu Liao people are beside the river, they mostly occupy high cliffs. Warships approaching them are difficult to strike. Besides being able to manufacture whirlwind cannons, our Great Chu can also manufacture a type of scorpion cannon that can be placed on warship decks. If Shu purchases two hundred scorpion cannons from Xu Prefecture, I might request the Third Prince to grant special permission to sell the scorpion cannon diagrams to Shu as well!” Han Qian continued. “Of course, the scorpion cannon diagrams and antimalarial medicine formula are things the Marquis must strive hard to possibly obtain—they’re not on this diplomatic gift list…”
Ba south had high mountains and dense forests with severe miasma epidemics. Additionally, warships found it difficult to attack steep cliffs. These were all obstacles the Shu army must overcome when managing Ba and Shu.
Han Qian specified that only Marquis Changxiang could obtain the corresponding manufacturing technology and finished products from him, also to ensure that at least part of Shu’s management of Ba south would require Marquis Changxiang’s participation. As for other matters, Marquis Changxiang and Jing Qiongwen would have to find ways to secure them themselves.
When Marquis Changxiang sought strategies, the solutions Han Qian now provided could be said to have thoughtful suggestions from strategy to specific tactics. Next it would depend on how they themselves performed, or rather, how much actual capability they had to perform!
Having said this much, Han Qian feared that dragging time out further would arouse others’ suspicions. Pointing at the Mystery Pot, he said, “We can’t let Wei Qun and the others detect anything abnormal. Master Jing and the Marquis must return greatly drunk no matter what. As for me, naturally knowing the depth of the Spring Plum wine, drinking less won’t make people suspicious.”
Marquis Changxiang Wang Yong and Jing Qiongwen exchanged glances, knowing that no matter what, at this moment they couldn’t show distrust of Han Qian. With anxious hearts, they drank two large cups of Spring Plum wine before being supported out of the elegant room in thoroughly drunken states by Princess Qingyang, each returning home greatly intoxicated…
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Returning to the marquis’s estate, Marquis Changxiang Wang Yong didn’t dare be negligent. He had someone bring a wooden bucket and vomited out all the food and wine he’d just consumed. Then he drank a full cup of warm water. Feeling the drunkenness slightly reduced and his body’s discomfort also lessened, he confirmed that the Spring Plum wine Han Qian had them drink was indeed merely strong liquor without anything else mixed in.
“How did you get so drunk?” Marquis Changxiang’s consort Liang Wan didn’t know why her husband, who usually had an enormous capacity and could drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, had staggered when walking back. She asked with concern.
Qingyang related the circumstances of tonight’s meeting and secret discussion. Liang Wan also worried whether there was something wrong with the Spring Plum wine and Mystery Pot, asking, “Do you feel any discomfort?”
“From what I can tell currently, it’s merely strong liquor.” Marquis Changxiang Wang Yong shook his head, feeling his head still ached somewhat.
“Besides worrying that great chaos will erupt in Jinling, do the various strategies Han Qian offered conceal other schemes?” Liang Wan had only met Han Qian once, but after hearing her husband and Qingyang’s descriptions, she also determined this person was calculating and secretive. She felt receiving Han Qian’s strategy offerings was too easy.
In fact, they had only just learned that shortly after Han Qian departed from Yueyang, his father Han Daoxun had been transferred to Jinling by imperial order to assume the position of Capital Governor.
Liang Wan and the others hadn’t realized this matter had actually completely exceeded Han Qian’s expectations.
Measuring others by themselves, they couldn’t comprehend the kind of resolve and sentiment of serving country and people, proceeding without hesitation, that existed in Han Daoxun. Viewing the father and son Han Daoxun and Han Qian from a conspirator’s perspective, they naturally would think Han Daoxun must have a certain grasp of the situation before going to Jinling to assume the post of Capital Governor.
In this way, Han Qian’s stated worry that the Jinling situation could undergo dramatic changes at any time appeared in their eyes highly likely to be a pretext, making Han Qian’s strategy offerings seem even more sinister and unfathomable.
“When I was in Jinling, before the feudal reduction campaigns there were rumors in Jinling that the Chu Emperor would grant the Han father and son hereditary rule of Xu Prefecture—the strategies Han Qian offered involve Xu Prefecture’s interests considerably. I currently see no doubtful points. After Master Jing returns, he’ll also think deeply and carefully. Let’s wait a few more days for now,” Marquis Changxiang Wang Yong said. “I’m extremely dizzy now. Everything can wait until tomorrow.”