Daqian Night Emperor

Chapter 284: The Western Desert Army is going to rebel?
"Thank you stepfather!"

Zhao Nishang suddenly became happy.

What could make workers happier than having a long vacation?

Zhao Qi'an asked with a smile: "Where does Xiu Mu want to go? Or stay in Kyoto?"

Zhao Nishang seemed to have an idea in mind and replied, "I'm going to Jizhou."

"Jizhou?"

When Zhao Qi'an heard her decision, he was a little confused: "The war is still going on over there, and the situation is tense. What are we going there for?"

Zhao Nishang sighed and said, "Let's go check on Ah Wu. Ah Wu is not as devious as Guan Xiang. He is honest and straightforward. I'm afraid he has suffered at the hands of Marquis Weiwu, so I have to go check on him."

Zhao Qi'an shook his head: "Marquis Weiwu is not that kind of person, you can rest assured about that."

"Things are different now. Before, Marquis Weiwu needed Zhao's firm as backup, and he had no choice. But now the war situation in the south is stable. Once the Southern Buddhist Kingdom is conquered, Fotu Linhu will be able to lead the army back to the court. The pressure on the court will be relieved, and there will be troops to support Jizhou. I am worried that at this critical juncture, Marquis Weiwu will have some inappropriate thoughts."

As the head of the Xiaowei, Zhao Nishang was in charge of matters such as intelligence gathering. All the information from the Tianji Pillar passed through her hands. Naturally, she knew everything that had happened in the past few days and had her own opinions.

She looked at Zhao Qi'an and said worriedly, "Once that time really comes, Awu will be in danger."

Zhao Qi'an shook his head and said, "Don't worry too much. Jizhou has the Zhao family's secret support. Although there may be constant war, it can still maintain stability."

"And if the Southern Buddhist Kingdom is destroyed and the imperial court's troops are freed, they will not go to Jizhou first, but will march to the northwest. The hidden dangers of the Western Desert Army are much greater than those of Jizhou."

"Before, the Western Desert Army disguised themselves as foreigners, plundered the border, and sold innocent people as private slaves. It seemed that a big thing was reduced to a small thing, and it was suppressed by Wu Yong. But that was because the court was short of troops and the treasury was empty. They could not afford to be tossed around, so they made such compromises. But once the southern troops are liberated, the first to be repaid will be Zhou Tiansheng, the old fox's Western Desert Army!"

In addition to considering the overall situation, there are actually some personal factors that Zhao Qi'an did not mention.

That is Buddha Tu Lin Hu and Blue-eyed Fox Zhou Tiansheng. They have accumulated grievances since the time of the previous emperor. They are really old enemies. Although Lin Hu is known as a "scholar general", he will never miss the opportunity to beat a drowning dog!

As he was thinking about it, Zhao Qian'an suddenly had an idea in his mind.

Zhou Tiansheng was ill and did not come to Kyoto. Could it be that he knew about the changes on the southern border in advance?

If this is true, he should leave immediately and come to Kyoto to confess his crime in front of the emperor. If he goes to extremes, he should hand over the military power of the Western Desert in order to save the Zhou family.

But now I am sick and can’t come…

Is the Zhou family going to rebel?
Now is the time when the Zhou family is competing for the throne. If the Zhou family wants to rebel, the third prince will definitely not get any support from the Zhou family. Can he only sit and wait for death?
Zhao Qi'an thought of Ji Yunrui's various actions at the birthday banquet, as well as the special birthday gift he presented...

Perhaps Ji Yunrui has already started to save himself?
"Father, what's wrong?"

Seeing that Zhao Qi'an was lost in thought with a serious expression, Zhao Nishang couldn't help but ask a question.

Zhao Qi'an came back to his senses and looked at Zhao Nishang with a hint of apology in his eyes: "Nishang, I'm afraid your vacation plans will have to change."

Zhao Nishang immediately put on a mask of pain.

But she knew that Zhao Qi'an would not do this without a purpose. If he had made such an arrangement, it must be something extremely important for her to do, so she asked, "What does my godfather want me to do?"

Zhao Qi'an frowned, thought for a moment and said, "You need to go to Yongzhou West Desert to find out something for me."

"What's the matter?" "I need all the information about the Western Desert Army, including how many soldiers and horses they have, their food and weapons, and the generals of each unit... I have to do my best to find out."

Zhao Nishang frowned: "Godfather, why are you suddenly so concerned about Ximo?"

"Because the Zhou family might rebel!"

"really?!"

Zhao Nishang was very surprised when she heard this, and her expression was stunned.

But then, she lowered her head and became embarrassed again: "But the Zhou family has been entrenched in the Western Desert for many years, and has already run it like an iron barrel. Others can't get involved at all. If we put our people in the Western Desert Army, it will take at least ten years to occupy a high position and obtain useful intelligence. It's not enough time. And if we bribe the Western Desert generals... the risk is too great."

She thought over and over, but couldn't come up with a good way to infiltrate the Western Desert.

You know, the profits from the Hu merchants in the northwest are huge, and it is impossible for the Zhao's Trading Company not to be jealous. But until now, the Zhao's Trading Company has not been able to extend its reach to the northwest of Daqian, because the Western Desert and even the entire Yongzhou are controlled by the Zhou family, which almost monopolizes the Hu merchants' business.

The Zhao Company has been operating in the northwest for so many years, but it has only been doing small business. Now they have to find out all the secrets of the Western Desert Army... This seems to be an impossible task.

But Zhao Qi'an pondered for a moment and thought of a breakthrough point: "The occurrence of a major event must have its signs. The Western Desert cannot grow crops, nor does it have iron mines. Even if the Zhou family has accumulated a huge amount of wealth over the years, that wealth must be turned into food, horses, armor on the soldiers, and spears in their hands... Otherwise, mountains of gold and silver will just be waste."

"The imperial court has strict control over grain and salt and iron. Foreign tribes outside the northwest are even more scarce in these two things. It is impossible for the Zhou family to trade with foreign tribes to obtain them..."

He paused, turned sideways to look at Zhao Nishang, and said to her: "Follow me to the Treasure Pavilion."

Zhao Nishang did not dare to neglect it and nodded seriously: "I will arrange a carriage right away."

……

Without any delay, the two of them came out of the gate of Fuxiang Tower, got on the carriage and headed towards Zhao's Trading Company in the west of the city.

After arriving at the Treasure Pavilion, Zhao Qi'an and Zhao Nishang quickly came to the fourth floor.

"My boss."

"Dong Zhao's family!"

The staff on the fourth floor stood up and saluted Zhao Qi'an.

Zhao Qi'an waved his hand, looked around at everyone, and said in a deep voice: "I need all the major transactions of salt, iron, and grain in Daqian in the past five years, especially those flowing to Yongzhou, to be brought out for me to review."

"Yes, boss!"

As he gave the order, the fourth floor of the Treasure Pavilion suddenly became lively, and all the staff, regardless of rank, began to look through documents from previous years.

About half an hour later, Zhao Qian'an took over the official documents from his staff and started to look through them.

"Half a year ago, large quantities of food were being transported to Yongzhou?"

This was even earlier than the news that the Zhou family pretended to be a foreign race and plundered the border!

Zhao Qi'an's pupils suddenly contracted. This news was really beyond his expectations.

That means the Zhou family...may have had rebellious intentions for a long time!
(End of this chapter)