Madam, don't do this!

Chapter 599 Three Immortals Replenish Yang (7,000 words)
Yu Shuang fled the bedroom as if escaping, completely forgetting about the note on the table.

The cold wind wrapped around her body, and Song Yan shivered and finally woke up. She blinked and saw that the beauty beside her was gone.

Slightly disappointed, of course, this did not mean that Song Yan had actually fallen for Yu Shuang, but was purely out of curiosity. If the two of them woke up at the same time in the morning and their eyes met, what kind of expression would Yu Shuang have? He also did not get to see the beauty getting ready. With Yu Shuang's figure and appearance, combing her long black hair in front of the bronze mirror would probably be a beautiful sight.

The door was wide open, and a cold wind whistled in through it.

Early in the morning, the chill was truly refreshing, and Song Yan couldn't help but shiver again. Yu Shuang was really inconsiderate; she left without even closing the door, and he wanted to go back to sleep. Song Yan wanted to go and close the door, but he couldn't bear to leave his warm bed. He decided to just endure it, but the cold wind on his face was really uncomfortable, leaving him in a dilemma.

Just then, another gust of wind suddenly swept in, and amidst the clanging of doors and windows, a piece of paper on the table was also swept up by the cold wind, fluttering and swaying in mid-air, and just happened to land in front of Song Yan... Although a little reluctant, Song Yan still reluctantly stretched out two fingers, pinched the paper, and gave it a shake. In a daze, several lines of text instantly came into Song Yan's view.

The next instant, Song Yan's pupils suddenly dilated, the haze in his eyes vanished completely, and he didn't even care about the warm bed. He sat up straight with a strange light in his eyes.

The twenty-seven tiger penises that had been stolen from the house finally came in handy at this moment.

But what was written on the paper was:

Three Immortals Nourishing Yang Wine!
Take one tiger penis, remove the head, claws, and scales; a pair of geckos; a pair of dog kidneys; plus red ginseng, epimedium, dodder seed, deer antler, seahorse, polygala, cnidium fruit... Soak in strong liquor for a season, drink a small cup before bed, and you can maintain your vigor and be able to seduce nine women a day!

This isn't the tiger penis wine recipe that Song Yanxin had been longing for, but just look at the name—it sounds incredibly sophisticated, even more potent than tiger penis wine.

Who sent this?
What a good man.

In this way, Yunhai Zhenren had been categorized as a good person in Song Yan's mind.

Could it be Yu Shuang?
After all, it was just the two of them in the bedroom last night, and Song Yan had clearly seen before falling asleep that there was nothing like this on the table. Yu Shuang came from Yunhai Mountain, which was a Taoist sect. Taoists were most skilled in alchemy and medicine, so it wasn't surprising that they had some strange and unusual prescriptions. But what Song Yan was suspicious of was why Yu Shuang would give him something like this.

Could it be that Yu Shuang felt that since she had shared a bed with her last night and had been completely obedient without touching her, she felt inadequate and therefore deliberately left behind this medicinal wine recipe to nourish her kidneys... cough cough, nourish her body?
How can this be?

Although the Three Immortals Yang-Nourishing Wine was indeed something he urgently needed, wouldn't it be a loss of face for a man to be looked down upon by a woman?
Or, when you're alone with Yu Shuang in the future, could you move your fingers a little?
Strange thoughts raced through Song Yan's mind. She quickly memorized the recipe and then carefully hid it close to her body, preparing to try it out when she returned.

The weariness that had originally made her want to take a nap had long since vanished. Song Yan got up, tidied her clothes, washed up, and headed to the front yard.

However, Song Yan did not notice that on a large tree still covered in snow, there was an old man with white hair and beard, dressed in a pure white Taoist robe, who almost blended into the surrounding snow scene. Looking at Song Yan's back, he couldn't help but shake his head... This kid really does have some hidden illness.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so excited to see the Three Immortals Nourishing Yang Wine.

I've heard that people with hidden illnesses often have twisted personalities. Maybe that's where the Prince of Yan's penchant for building mounds of skulls comes from.
……

A sneeze!

A sneeze!

A cold wind blew, and Song Yan felt a chill on her nose, then sneezed twice in a row.

He rubbed his nose, guessing that someone was probably talking about him behind his back... Anyway, there are plenty of people who talk about him, so Song Yan didn't really care.

Upon reaching the front yard, one sees a woman standing under the plum tree.

Upon closer inspection, Song Yan realized that the woman was none other than Qingluan… However, Qingluan was no longer dressed as a scholar as usual, but had changed into women's clothing. Her emerald green long skirt reached all the way to her insteps, and the cold wind blew the hem of the skirt, gently lifting it to reveal a section of her calves. Qingluan was probably not afraid of the cold, as there were no thick trousers or other warm clothing underneath the skirt. In an instant, her calves were revealed to be snow-white, delicate, shapely, and long, with rounded curves.

When it came to her waist, the belt tightly bound her waist, making her waist appear even more slender, her chest upright, and her hips full, outlining a graceful curve.

When they first met, Song Yan already knew that Qing Luan was quite beautiful. However, having gotten used to her men's clothing, she suddenly changed into a long blue dress, which surprised even Song Yan.

The plum blossoms have already fallen.

But at this moment, the Azure Phoenix was like a brightly blooming plum blossom on a branch, becoming the most eye-catching splash of color in the winter snow.

Perhaps sensing Song Yan's gaze, Qingluan, who was standing quietly, turned her head and glanced at him. Seeing that it was Song Yan, she moved gracefully and walked lightly to Song Yan. Her figure was as graceful as a willow branch swaying in the wind, exuding a charming allure.

Perhaps unaccustomed to dressing up as a young lady, her originally neatly combed hair and accessories now appeared somewhat disheveled, with a few strands playfully falling beside her cheeks, adding a touch of charming allure. A gentle breeze blew, causing her hair to dance lightly, stirring the surrounding scenery.

"Your Highness is awake." Upon arriving before Song Yan, Qingluan curtsied, her tone not much different from usual, still indifferent, as if she were the most exquisite doll in the world, devoid of much emotion.

"Yes, you're awake." Song Yan nodded slightly. Qingluan in front of him always gave him an indescribable feeling. She was still the same person, and her temperament was still the same. She had only changed her clothes, but for some reason, he always felt that she was a little closer to him. "Why are you up so early? You have been accompanying me on the sea voyage these days. You must be tired from the journey. You should get some rest."

Perhaps unsure how to broach the subject, Song Yan casually found a pretext to express her concern.

History records it this way: a superior's occasional words of concern can make subordinates grateful and sworn to serve him to the death. Qingluan is an extremely important talent under his command. In the future, Song Yan plans to hand over the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Night Watchmen to Qingluan and Liu Yisheng for joint command, so he naturally needs to think of ways to win Qingluan's loyalty.

As soon as she finished speaking, a slight smile appeared on Qingluan's face. Her face was already pretty, but this smile made her even more charming.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. But it's nothing. I was originally a member of the Imperial City Guard, and there have been many times when I was in much more difficult circumstances." Qingluan shook her head slightly and said casually, "Moreover, Your Highness's safety is of paramount importance. As the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, I must always put Your Highness's safety first."

"Therefore, after entering Huangqiao County yesterday, my subordinates activated the spies they had planted there and obtained some information. Just after the banquet at the Hong residence yesterday, Hong Qidong once again hosted a banquet at a restaurant for many local gentry in Huangqiao County, preparing to pull off a big heist."

Song Yan raised an eyebrow, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes.

Do something big?
Could it be that they're planning to assassinate him, the Prince of Yan? Who gave Hong Qidong the audacity?

Then Song Yan shook his head, suppressing such a guess in his heart. Hong Qidong seemed to be a smart man, and he couldn't possibly not know how slim the success rate of assassinating him was. Not to mention the tens of thousands of soldiers stationed in various parts of Huangqiao County, even Yu Shuang and Qing Luan by Song Yan's side were not people that ordinary assassins could deal with.

If the assassination fails, the entire Hong family, and even all the gentry in Huangqiao County, will likely be slaughtered. These people, unless they are stupid, would never risk their entire clan's lives for a sliver of hope.

"Do you know what Hong Qidong really wants to do?"

“My subordinates were incompetent. Most of the Jinyiwei in Huangqiao County were newcomers, and their eavesdropping techniques were not yet proficient. Because Hong Qidong lowered his voice, we couldn’t hear the details, and we don’t know what happened afterward.”

"It's alright." Song Yan waved his hand, not caring at all: "I'll have to meet Hong Qidong today anyway, and I'll find out then."

Song Yan didn't blame Qingluan. Firstly, the Jinyiwei was a plan established by Song Yan and orchestrated by Liu Yisheng. Neither of them had specific experience in training intelligence personnel, and the organization hadn't been established for very long, less than two years at most. A truly excellent and efficient intelligence organization couldn't be built in just two years. As for Qingluan, she had only taken over temporarily, so such things couldn't be blamed on her.

Hong Qidong had also prepared breakfast.

After quickly filling his stomach, Song Yan gathered the soldiers in Huangqiao County and marched in a grand procession toward the banks of the Cangshui River. Today, they were to set off to return to Pingyang.

Yu Shuang finally returned, but her expression seemed somewhat unnatural, perhaps unsure how to face Song Yan. She would occasionally steal glances at him, and when Song Yan turned to look at her, she would immediately move aside.

Such a commotion naturally attracted the attention of the people of Huangqiao County. Knowing that His Highness the Prince of Yan had killed many Japanese pirates and barbarians, many of these people, who had previously been bullied and plundered by the pirates, spontaneously came out of the city to see him off. Some people saw from afar the densely packed heads on the warships, their eyes seemingly spitting fire, cursing incessantly; others had moist eyes and tears streaming down their faces, presumably because their relatives had perished at the hands of the Japanese pirates.

Seeing this scene, Song Yan felt a heavy weight on his chest. In those days, the lives of ordinary people were really too hard. They were exploited by corrupt officials, forced into military service and corvée labor, and often robbed by foreign tribes. For them, every day they could live required their best efforts.

He was trying very hard to do something, but it was still far from enough for these people.

Yesterday, the wealthy and gentry from the Liu, Liu, and Wang families naturally accompanied them. Hong Qidong stayed by Song Yan's side, repeatedly seeming to want to say something but hesitating to speak. Finally, as they reached the banks of the Cangshui River and Song Yan's entourage was about to board the boat, Hong Qidong couldn't hold back any longer: "Your Highness..."

Song Yan stopped and turned to look at Hong Qidong.

Under Song Yan's watchful gaze, Hong Qidong became even more nervous and momentarily at a loss for what to do.

"Is there anything else, Lord Hong?"

Hong Qidong gritted his teeth, deciding to go all out: "Your Highness, I have another request. Would Your Highness be willing to sell me all the heads on this warship?"

Huh?
Song Yan was stunned. He had considered all sorts of possibilities, but he never expected that Hong Qidong would want to buy all the heads: "Lord Hong, why is that?"

"If you just want to offer sacrifices to your relatives, you can buy a few. There are over 40,000 Jurchen and Japanese pirate heads on this warship. What do you need so many heads for?"

This isn't a pig's head, so you can't make pig's head meat or anything like that.

Now that he had spoken, Hong Qidong no longer concealed anything and completely let go, his expression turning somewhat bitter: "Does Your Highness know what things in Pingyang and Anzhou, within Your Highness's fiefdom, are most attractive to merchants and tourists from other places?"

Before Song Yan could answer, Hong Qidong spoke again: "What attracts merchants from other places the most are some things produced in the Prince's workshop, such as white sugar, tea, soap, snow salt, perfume and the like. These things are only produced by the Prince's workshop. In particular, the perfume is packaged in glass bottles and has almost become a symbol of status for the powerful and wealthy in the four Central Plains. As long as you can get the goods from the Prince, the price will increase depending on the distance outside Pingyang. If it is in the border city of Ningguo, it can probably double. If it is in Chuguo or Zhaoguo, the price can be four or five times, or even ten times."

"Therefore, a large number of merchants flocked to Pingyang." Song Yan nodded.

He naturally understood this situation, but most of these caravans were also their own people.

The supply of goods that outside merchants can obtain is actually very limited.

"The people around Pingyang City also receive daily wages because the prince recruits a large number of workers. Looking at the whole Ning Kingdom, their lives are probably among the best of the common people."

Hong Qidong continued, "And what attracts tourists from other places the most is... the Jingguan (a mound of stones).

Song Yan couldn't help but cough violently.

He had assumed that tourists from the south came to Pingyang and Anzhou to enjoy the snow scenery and experience the northern customs, but who would have thought they were there to admire crowds of people.

No, it's just a bunch of dead heads, what's so interesting about that?

Are these tourists out of their minds? Aren't they afraid of having nightmares tonight?
Once the conversation started, Hong Qidong couldn't stop: "Your Highness may not know, but outside Dehua County, 70,000 charred heads have been used to build a Jingguan (a mound of corpses). The people of Dehua County are really too cunning... no, they are clever. They actually built a stone tablet next to the Jingguan, recording Your Highness's great achievements."

"They even built temples and Taoist monasteries nearby, and constructed shops to sell incense, candles, and paper money."

"They even commissioned some educated people to compile dozens of thrilling, intricate, and even fantastical stories about that war, which were then passed on to the people of Dehua County."

Song Yan blushed slightly.

He was somewhat aware of these rumors.

For example: The Prince of Yan personally entered a burning pit to save the people of Dehua, suffering burns all over his body and killing several warhorses.

For example: Just as the defeated Xiongnu army was about to be completely annihilated, a strange phenomenon suddenly appeared in the sky, and a divine voice from the clouds said: "The sins of killing are too great, and you may suffer calamity." Wang Li stood amidst the raging flames and roared at the heavens: "The Xiongnu wolves have slaughtered the Han people. I am Song Yan, and Your Majesty has personally bestowed upon me the title of Marquis of Champion. I swear to cut off their heads to avenge this blood feud. Even if there is divine punishment, I will bear it myself!" Thunder shook the universe, and Heaven, moved by his virtue, sent down sweet rain, and his virtue extinguished the fire.

It must be said that when these scholars get shameless, everyone has to admit defeat.

I blushed every time I heard Song Yan's words.

Then he personally signed his name on the stone tablet sent by the magistrate of Dehua County.

Then look at Hong Qidong, he's someone who can't speak properly. What does "editing" even mean? He's just done a little bit of artistic embellishment.

Can art be called fabrication?

"Ahem." Song Yan coughed lightly twice: "The people from Dehua County have indeed gone a bit too far."

"No, no, Your Highness misunderstands. That's not what I meant." Hong Qidong quickly shook his head. "It's normal for the merits of Your Highness to be exaggerated. What I meant was that the magistrate of Dehua County required the people of Dehua to remember these things by heart. Whenever tourists came, someone would step forward to act as a guide, leading the tourists around the city and telling them about the merits of Your Highness. They would receive dozens of coins a day."

So it all comes down to money.

Song Yan's lips twitched. Damn, isn't this the tour guide?

The magistrate of Dehua County is a talented man!
"That's not all. The magistrate of Dehua County also designated dozens of places within the city, such as the place where the prince and his many generals deployed their troops, the prince's residence, the place where the prince captured the Xiongnu prince Abalu, and so on. Whenever tourists arrive, these places are the must-visit spots."

"And all around these areas are shops selling mountain products."

Song Yan suddenly felt a toothache, but after hearing what Hong Qidong said, he felt as if he had arrived at a scenic spot in the future.

Admission is free, but once you're here, you can't very well not light some incense, can you? Once you're in the city, you can't just leave on the same day, can you? You'll need to stay overnight and have a couple of meals, right? After visiting the place where the Prince of Yan once lived, you can't very well not buy some local products from the shops nearby, can you? Most people who can travel around are not short of money, and before you know it, the money will be left in Dehua.

"I understand now." Song Yan sighed. "Did Magistrate Hong buy these heads because he wanted to build a mound of heads in Huangqiao County as well?"

“That’s right.” Hong Qidong sighed. “Huangqiao County is poor. The land is barren, and the annual grain production is only half that of other counties. It’s not enough to fill our stomachs. There are no workshops like those of the Prince of Pingyang City. The only way to make a living is by fishing at sea. However, the sea is stormy, and there are Japanese pirates causing trouble. If you are not careful, you will be buried at sea. Therefore, I also want to build a Jingguan in Huangqiao County to attract tourists.”

Tourists spend money, and Huangqiao County gains money, which may even help alleviate the county's poverty.

"Is this what you were discussing yesterday, about pulling off a big heist?"

Upon hearing this, Hong Qidong and some local gentry were first stunned, then shocked and horrified. They all felt their scalps tingle. The things they had secretly discussed last night had now been discovered by His Highness the Prince of Yan.

Isn't the prince's control over his fiefdom a bit too terrifying?
In Pingyang and Anzhou, what could possibly escape the prince's notice?

"Gentlemen, please do not worry." Song Yan smiled and said, "Pingyang in Anzhou is adjacent to the Jurchens and the Xiongnu. It is a strategic military location. Spy from foreign tribes often sneaks in to gather military intelligence. As I am stationed in the north, I must protect the peace of this region. It is normal for some spies to help me gather military intelligence, isn't it?"

Sweat poured down Hong Qidong's forehead, but he managed a weak smile: "Your Highness is right, that's normal, that's normal."

“Magistrate Hong, don’t worry. As long as you are fair and law-abiding, diligent and caring for the people, I will naturally know about your achievements.” Song Yan smiled and patted Hong Qidong on the shoulder: “Work hard, build up your seniority, and you will naturally have the opportunity to realize your ambitions in the future.”

Originally, Hong Qidong was somewhat resistant to Song Yan's method of planting spies everywhere, which was normal; even an honest official wouldn't want to be watched every day. But upon hearing these words, his resistance vanished instantly. What did the prince mean by this? Was he implying that the Prince of Yan knew about his daily hardships and that once he had enough seniority, he would be promoted?

Even the dozen or so local gentry behind him looked on with envy.

Song Yan is becoming increasingly adept at using the tactic of making empty promises.

He mentally berated himself, then changed the subject again: "Magistrate Hong, I am very curious. There are already quite a few Jingguan in Pingyang and Anzhou. Not to mention the Jingguan in Dehua County, there are also Jingguan outside Pingyang City and outside Xinhou County."

"How can Magistrate Hong guarantee that by purchasing human heads and spending a large sum of money to build a mound of heads, you can attract guests?"

"You might end up losing everything after throwing a lot of money at it, so you should think it through."

Hong Qidong's face flushed slightly. He could tell that the prince's tone did not mean to refuse, and a glimmer of hope immediately rose in his heart: "Your Highness, I intend to build a different kind of Jingguan, taller and more magnificent."

"Besides visiting temples and Taoist monasteries to offer incense and pray for blessings, I also plan to find skilled craftsmen to design the Jingguan (a mound of corpses) in the shape of a pagoda with steps. All visitors can step on the heads of Japanese pirates and Jurchens and climb to the top of the Jingguan step by step."

"In addition, they also plan to erect a stone statue in the likeness of the prince and place it on top of the Jingguan (a mound of corpses) as a symbol of suppression."

"However, even if tourists climb the Jingguan, it won't take too much time. Therefore, I am also planning to renovate the area outside the west gate of Huangqiao, from the mouth of the Cangshui River, to see if we can create a garden with a northern style to entertain tourists."

"At the same time, we will recruit fishermen to receive guests from the inland. Most inland tourists have never seen the sea, and they may also have the idea of ​​rowing a boat or casting a net to catch fish on the sea. If all goes well, it may allow tourists to stay in Huangqiao County for a few more days."

The longer you stay, the more expensive it will be.

In Huangqiao County, from government officials to merchants to ordinary people, everyone can earn a little more income as a result.

Song Yan's eyes flickered, and he looked at Hong Qidong with admiration. This method had a touch of the style of the tourism industry in later generations. No wonder even Jia Yifei praised this person for being intelligent... It seems that being sent down to the grassroots level to be a county magistrate has really worn down Hong Qidong's arrogance a lot. The current Hong Qidong is no longer like an ordinary scholar who speaks of classical Chinese and the merits of education.

He has learned to put himself in the position of a local official and rack his brains to think about how to make Huangqiao County a better place.

Who said Ningguo has no talented people?

Aren't they everywhere?
These people have managed to make something out of a mere Jingguan (a mound of deadly inhabitants).

Song Yan was overjoyed, even more so than when tens of thousands of Jurchen pirates were killed, because he finally saw a change in the officials of Ningguo, even if it was only one for the time being.

Song Yan suddenly realized that selling heads might be a lucrative business. There were countless people in Ningguo who hated foreign races, and there must be quite a few who would be willing to buy heads. Half of the money could be distributed as bounties to his soldiers, and the other half could be confiscated and used for military expenses and provisions. Surely, the morale of his soldiers would be high.

After all, when that time really comes, these soldiers will look at the Jurchens, the Xiongnu, and the Japanese pirates not with the eyes of people, but with the eyes of people eyeing piles of silver.

Just like at the end of the Ming Dynasty, when Li Zicheng confiscated tens of millions of taels of silver from the homes of the Jurchens, if Emperor Chongzhen had had that amount of money, he could have directly distributed it to the soldiers. With ten taels of silver for each Jurchen head, the border troops could have wiped out the Jurchens, and there would have been no massacres like the Yangzhou Massacre, the Jiading Massacre, or the Jiangyin Massacre; there would have been no 100,000 vengeful souls in Guangzhou, no million corpses in Sichuan, and no tragic scene of only five survivors in the entire city of Datong.

When it comes to the crimes committed against the Central Plains, the Jurchens were no less wicked than the Xiao Rizhi.

At that moment, Song Yan suddenly had another goal in mind!
He wanted every city in the Central Plains to have a mound of skulls made of foreign heads.

He wanted this land to be free of foreign tribes!

(End of this chapter)