novelhk Chapter 1120 Training in Advance, Preparing for the New Year's End!
Chapter 1120 Training in Advance, Preparing for the New Year's End!
Gao Yao turned to face the assembled officials, his voice resounding: "If this matter succeeds, all of you present will be unparalleled heroes, your names etched in history, revered for generations to come. I hope you will all work together to create this great undertaking that will last for millennia!"
"Your Majesty, we will do our utmost to live up to your trust!" The ministers responded in unison once again, their voices echoing in the hall as if they had pierced through time and space and reached that mysterious otherworld.
The flickering candlelight cast the shadows of the crowd onto the walls, weaving together an ambitious picture. That night, the Qin cabinet remained brightly lit until dawn, and a grand plan spanning the world was about to begin.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Kunlun Mountains, the people of the world below are unaware that a silent war, spearheaded by silk and porcelain, armed with gold and silver, and with martial arts manuals as its ultimate goal, is about to quietly descend upon their world.
Merchants in Nanqing were still calculating profits for the next season, warriors in Beiqi were still honing their newly learned techniques, and politicians in Dongyi City were still weighing their choices of sides. Little did they know that the gears of fate had already begun to turn, and a vast empire from another world was slowly extending its tentacles into their accustomed lives.
Three days after the cabinet meeting, Di Renjie sat alone in a secret room at the headquarters of the Green Robe Society, a detailed map of the world before him and hundreds of personnel files laid out before him. The flickering candlelight made his furrowed brows appear even more deeply.
"My lord, this is the preliminary list of three hundred people selected." Li Yuanfang, a trusted confidant, pushed open the door and placed a stack of documents on the table. "As per your requirements, these people are all outstanding individuals cultivated by the Qingyi Society in the past five years. They have clean backgrounds, are loyal and reliable, and each has their own strengths."
Di Renjie did not immediately flip through the map, but pointed to three points on the map: "Yuanfang, look. The capital of Nanqing, Lin'an; the capital of Beiqi, Yanjing; and the main city of Dongyi City, these three places are the key locations we must establish a foothold in. One hundred people in each place may seem like a lot, but scattered throughout such a large city, they are just a drop in the ocean."
Li Yuanfang nodded and said, "Exactly. Therefore, I believe that these three hundred people should not all appear as merchants. They should be divided into two lines: the overt line opens shops and runs businesses; the covert line blends into the streets and becomes craftsmen, servants, or even beggars to gather intelligence from all levels."
“I agree with your words.” Di Renjie finally unfolded the personnel list. “Nanqing values commerce over martial arts. The hundred people sent to Lin’an should be mainly those who are proficient in arithmetic and familiar with commerce, supplemented by a small number of skilled martial artists as guards. Beiqi values martial arts, so half of the troops in Yanjing should be skilled martial artists. Dongyi City is a mixed bag, so the most quick-witted, flexible and adaptable people should be sent.”
His finger paused on a few names: "Zhang Qing, originally the son of a silk merchant from Jiangnan, joined the Qingyi Society after his family's decline. He is skilled in textile trade and can serve as the head of the Lin'an caravan. Zhao Hu, a martial arts disciple, is familiar with the rules of the northern martial arts world and can be responsible for guarding Yanjing and gathering martial arts intelligence. As for Dongyi City..."
Di Renjie's gaze fell on the name Liu Ruyan: "This woman was originally a wandering entertainer, skilled in ventriloquism, disguise, and social skills. She is shrewd and meticulous. The situation in Dongyi City is the most complicated, and it is precisely this kind of person who is needed to take charge of the overall situation."
Li Yuanfang said with some concern: "It is true that Liu Ruyan is very capable, but she is a woman after all. The various forces in Dongyi City are deeply intertwined, and I am afraid that she will have difficulty dealing with them."
Di Renjie smiled slightly: "Precisely because she is a woman, she is less likely to arouse suspicion. Do you remember the salt smuggling case three years ago? It was she who disguised herself as a salt merchant's favorite concubine and exposed the internal corruption within His Majesty's merchant guild. This mission is perfect for her."
Fifty miles outside Xianyang City, in what appears to be an ordinary manor, an unprecedented special training program is actually underway. Three hundred carefully selected members of the Qingyi Society are receiving a two-month intensive training program covering all aspects of the world below, including language, customs, currency, weights and measures, and basic martial arts knowledge.
On the training field, a group of trainees were practicing the daily etiquette of the Lower World. The instructor was an elderly man who had dealt with merchants from the Lower World on the border.
"Remember, the way people in the lower world greet each other is subtly different from that of my Great Qin." The old man demonstrated, "When people in Nanqing cup their hands, the right hand is on top and the left hand is on the bottom, which means 'civilian is superior'; people in Beiqi do the opposite, with the left hand on top and the right hand on the bottom, which means 'martial is superior'; and people in Dongyi City have their left and right hands at the same level, which symbolizes 'equality among merchants'."
One of the young trainees couldn't help but ask, "Are these details really that important?"
"Important!" the old man said solemnly. "Last year, a caravan was trading on the border when their manner of greeting was deemed provocative by the Northern Qi warriors, nearly sparking a conflict. You must remember that any slight mistake could lead to total defeat."
In another room, a language instructor was teaching the common language of the younger world. Unlike the elegant language of Qin, this language had a melodious tone and contained many martial arts terms.
"Pay attention to the pronunciation of the word 'qi'. In the world of the young, there are seven different tones, each corresponding to a different meaning." The instructor explained patiently, "The first tone of 'qi' refers to breathing, the second tone refers to internal energy, the third tone refers to anger, and the fourth tone refers to the weather... If you use it incorrectly, you may make a fool of yourself at best, or expose your identity at worst."
The most secret training takes place in an underground chamber. Here, several masters of disguise are teaching camouflage techniques.
"Disguise is not just about changing one's appearance." The chief disguise artist displayed various materials, "but more importantly, it's about changing one's temperament, habits, and even subtle movements. For example, martial artists in the younger world, due to long-term cultivation of internal energy, walk with a 30% lighter pace than ordinary people, and their center of gravity is two inches lower when standing. If these details are not imitated properly, a discerning person can tell at a glance."
Liu Ruyan stood in front of the mirror, letting the makeup artist apply special clay to her face. A moment later, a still charming middle-aged woman appeared in the mirror, with lifelike fine lines around her eyes and white hair at her temples.
"From now on, you are Su San Niang, the proprietress of 'Jinse Fang'. You are a native of Dongyi City. Your husband died early, and you have been running the silk business alone for twenty years." The disguise master handed over a thick identity document. "This is your life story, which you must memorize within three days."
Liu Ruyan took the documents, her eyes gradually becoming weary and shrewd. Even her tone of voice took on the soft, gentle accent characteristic of Dongyi City: "I understand. This fabric is from Nanqing, and the pattern is the most fashionable in Lin'an this year..."
The disguise master nodded in satisfaction: "This young man is teachable."
While the Qingyi Society intensified its training, Xiao He and Zhang Juzheng were also preparing supplies for their upcoming commercial infiltration.
Outside the Ministry of Revenue's warehouse, carriages and horses came and went in an endless stream. Zhang Juzheng held a list and checked them one by one: "Three hundred bolts of Shu brocade, five hundred pieces of Suzhou embroidery, one thousand pieces of Jingdezhen porcelain, five hundred catties of Longjing tea, three hundred catties of Wuyi rock tea... These are all the first batch of goods."
Xiao He stroked his beard and said, "Lord Zhang, have you estimated the value of these goods in the current world?"