The leisurely life of the Qin people

Chapter 141 The Cunning Rong Merchant

Wu Shi Luo is currently in Xianyang City. He entered the pass through the pass with the help of documents introduced by Meng Tian.

The Wu clan was actually a branch of the Western Rong, active in the northwest. Fusu never expected that Meng Tian would encounter this person when he was building sheep and horse farms in the north.

Wu Shi Luo was the leader of a tribe, but he was not a Xiongnu; he was a Western Rong. Therefore, Meng Tian did not make things difficult for him.

Moreover, the current situation in the Hexi Corridor is delicate, and the Qin people and the Western Rong people still want to live in harmony for the time being.

When Meng Tian's horse farm clashed with Wu Shi Luo's sheep pen, Wu Shi Luo readily gave all of his sheep to Meng Tian, ​​totaling 10,000 sheep and 3,000 cattle.

Not only that, he even gave land to Meng Tian, ​​saying that the invincible Qin army had driven away the Xiongnu people and that the Qin army was a great benefactor to the Western Rong people.

Meng Tian also mentioned that this Wushi Luo had private soldiers from the Western Rong tribes, who were mostly used to escort goods.

This time, Wu Shi Luo came to Xianyang as an envoy from the Western Rong.

Hearing the child crying again, Fusu realized that it was already late at night.

The following day, Fusu saw off his father, the emperor, outside Xianyang City as he was about to perform the agricultural ceremony at Shanglin Garden. This time, Chancellor Li Si and Right Chancellor Feng Quji accompanied him.

He himself was to remain in Xianyang, and Wang Taiwei was appointed as the General Who Guards Xianyang City.

The emperor's agricultural rituals usually lasted for half a month, and perhaps during this time the emperor would also go on a trip for a few days.

With both the Prime Minister and the Right Chancellor out of Xianyang, a mountain of state affairs will fall on my shoulders.

Fusu met the Western Rong envoy, Wushi Luo, at the Prime Minister's residence.

The Western Rong envoy wore a woolen cloak, and he had a characteristic that other Western Rong people did not have: cleanliness. Even his woolen cloak was shockingly white.

It even reflects light in the sunlight.

The other person was not tall and was very thin.

Few Western Rong people would groom themselves so well.

Wu Shi Luo entered the Prime Minister's residence and bowed respectfully in the manners of the Western Rong people, saying, "Luo thanks Prince Fusu for protecting my people."

The man's first words were to express his gratitude, to which Fusu replied, "What is there to thank me for?"

Wu Shi Luo said, "My people are all in the Qilian Mountains. If it weren't for General Zhang Han moving them to Longxi, they would all have died under the swords of the Xiongnu."

He kept his body bent and head down while speaking.

"To express my gratitude to you, young master, I have brought a horse as a gift."

Fusu first nodded to Cheng Miao.

After Cheng Miao understood, the horses were led to the outside of the Prime Minister's residence.

As Fusu walked from the Prime Minister's residence into the sunlight, everyone saw the tall warhorse, its strong limbs exuding power.

Wu Shilu smiled obsequiously and said, "Young master, these are warhorses raised at the foot of Tianshan Mountain. They are the best warhorses among cavalrymen. Even at the foot of the snow mountain, they are one in ten thousand."

“Such a fine warhorse should be on the battlefield,” Fusu said softly.

Wu Shi Luo then lowered his head.

The warhorse snorted, seemingly uncomfortable with so many people watching from the Prime Minister's residence. It repeatedly stamped its hooves, quite uneasy.

Wu Shilu hurriedly stepped forward to comfort the warhorse.

Fusu said, "The general who protected the Western Rong was Zhang Han. If you want to thank someone, thank Zhang Han, not me."

Wu Shi Luo frowned. Did he think he had given the wrong gift?
Fusu then said, "Wouldn't it be better to let this warhorse be on the battlefield?"

Wu Shilu hurriedly replied, "Of course it's the best."

Fusu nodded and said to Wang Ben beside him, "I trouble Grand Commandant Wang to arrange for someone to send this horse to Zhang Han."

Wang Ben nodded in response and led his warhorse away.

Fusu continued, "I have some questions for you."

Wu Shi Luo respectfully replied, "I know a lot about the Western Regions and the Xiongnu people; you may ask me anything, young master."

His Guanzhong dialect was a bit rusty, but still understandable.

Cheng Miao led the officials back to the Prime Minister's residence to continue their work.

Winter in Guanzhong ends late, so spring in Guanzhong is very short. It's a rare treat to have warm sunshine in spring, so enjoy it a little longer.

Originally, today was supposed to be a discussion with Zhang Cang about how to incorporate the new 24 solar terms into the teaching program.

The envoys of the Western Rong people had to be taken seriously, especially the wealthy ones.

Fusu asked, "Did you used to make a living by selling horses?"

Wu Shi Luo replied, "The people of the Western Regions at the foot of Tianshan Mountain will sell me warhorses. I will transport the warhorses to the north and then sell them to the Qin army. I have been selling warhorses for a long time."

"long, long ago?"

Wu Shi Luo then said, “The man who traded warhorses with me was a man named Lü Buwei. You Qin people call him the Chancellor. Fortunately, he is dead. He was truly a despicable merchant.”

Fusu watched the other party's explanation with great interest. He probably only learned of Lü Buwei's fate after arriving in Xianyang City, and now he was trying his best to distance himself from Lü Buwei.

When Meng Tian recommended Wu Shi Luo, he wrote that this person had had dealings with Lü Buwei.

Fusu then asked, "Are you willing to become a Qin citizen?" Upon hearing this, Wu Shi Luo replied in fear, "I don't know how to farm; I only know how to raise cattle and sheep and trade warhorses."

"So, you're saying you're unwilling to serve Qin?"

"No!" Wu Shi Luo quickly changed her mind, "I can serve Qin."

Merchants who travel between the Western Regions and the Northern Lands must have mastered the art of trade, and this art of trade is the source of their wealth.

Whoever controls the trade routes controls the management. Today, there are thirty-six kingdoms in the Western Regions, including Loulan, Wusun, Jingjue, and Ronglu. These ancient kingdoms of the Western Regions occupy various key crossroads.

For example, the Ferghana horses presented by this person, how many important roads and how many small Western Region kingdoms would he have to pass through to bring such warhorses from the heart of the Tianshan Mountains to Guanzhong? And how did the rulers of these Western Region kingdoms allow him to pass through?
Fusu looked at this person as if he had found a treasure.

Of course, Fusu valued this person not because of his knowledge of business. While business principles are good, Fusu felt that the returns would be too slow and too meager compared to the way he operated his business.

If he could serve as a guide to help the Qin army attack those smaller states, the wealth accumulated by those smaller states would also belong to the Qin Dynasty.

In this way, the profits come quickly and in large quantities.

With a kind smile, Fusu said, "If you can become a Qin person, then those people in Longxi can also become Qin people."

Wu Shi Luo bowed and said, "Thank you, young master."

"What? You're willing now?"

Wu Shilu hurriedly lowered her hem and said, "Your subject is willing, but I have a request for you, sir."

Fusu stood up and said, "You speak."

"My words alone cannot persuade all the Western Rong people to submit. If there are any who do not submit, may I kill them?"

"No."

Wu Shi Luo remained prostrate on the ground, not daring to make any further demands.

Zhang Han seized the Hexi Corridor, and the Western Rong people who were relocated to Longxi were left with only two choices: either accept becoming Longxi people who farmed for a living, just like the Yiqu people of that time.

Otherwise, they would be forced to leave the Hexi Corridor and become homeless.

After Chen Ping helped Zhang Han completely control the Hexi Corridor, those Western Rong people no longer had the right to negotiate.

Although Chen Ping's plan was not aesthetically pleasing, it was indeed the most effective and the most useful.

Wang Ben returned, looked down at the Western Rong man, and said, "How many more warhorses like those are left? Our Qin army will take them all."

Wu Shi Luo hurriedly said, "Young master, general, those were sold to me by people from the Western Regions, they are not mine."

He didn't know that Wang Ben was the Grand Commandant; he only knew that the man in front of him was very imposing and had armored soldiers by his side, so he must be a general, hence the title.

Fusu entrusted the man to Wang Ben's care, and then returned to the Prime Minister's residence to continue his work on state affairs.

Although Wu Shi Luo is like a sheep waiting to be slaughtered here, once he arrives in the Western Regions, even the Qin army will probably have to act according to his wishes.

Half a day later, someone came to the Prime Minister's residence and delivered a scroll.

Grand Commandant Wang Ben was indeed taking care of that Western Rong envoy, but his care was somewhat like torture.

Fusu took the record handed to him by the other party; the record contained what looked more like a confession.

This describes Wu Shi Luo's trading methods over the years.

Every year he bought and sold countless warhorses, and even slaves. Wu Shi Luo especially loved the silk from the Central Plains.

This is something Wu Shi Luo didn't say at the Prime Minister's residence. He said that one bolt of silk could be exchanged for twenty sheep in the Western Regions. He used these sheep to exchange for warhorses, and then used the warhorses to exchange for silk from the Central Plains states.

He knew how to pass through each checkpoint and how to bribe soldiers in the Western Regions when he was a merchant there.

In his confession, Wu Shi Luo expressed his deep hatred for the Western Region soldiers, believing that they were becoming more greedy year by year.

"They are a group of insatiable people." This was Wu Shilu's assessment of the Western Region soldiers.

His caravan transported treasures from the Western Regions to the Northern Prefecture. After traveling thousands of miles, he ended up with very little wealth left for himself.

In response, Fusu thought of the scale of his ranch in the north and could tell at a glance that he was a liar. You can't believe a word that such a person says.

The Western Regions are still a very dangerous place. The rulers of the various kingdoms in the Western Regions are not kind people. Only those who are good at lying and cunning can live well.

Wu Shi Luo did mention a person, namely Maodun, who proclaimed himself King of the Xiongnu.

Maodun was originally the son of Touman, the Xiongnu king. Later, Touman Chanyu sent Maodun to the Yuezhi as a hostage.

Wu Shilu also said that Modu was an extremely cunning Xiongnu king, even more cruel than Touman Chanyu. He once led three hundred slaves through Modu's territory.

At first, Wu Shi Luo handed over a bag of gold dust to Maodun, who pretended to let him pass. But after the caravan had gone far away, Maodun led his men back to kill him and robbed him of all his goods and three hundred slaves.

All those slaves were killed, and from then on he never dared to go into Modu's territory again.

After reading this, Fusu's impression of this shrewd businessman deepened, and he thought that perhaps he even wanted to use the Qin army to destroy Modu.

This person is cunning and treacherous. Even if every word he says is true, you cannot easily believe him, or you will fall into his trap.

Wang Ben was, after all, a seasoned general well-versed in military strategy. He simply recorded Wu Shilu's words and added a reminder, hoping that the young master would discern the truth.

Fusu asked, "Cheng Miao, what do you think of this person?"

Cheng Miao replied, "In my opinion, it would be a pity to kill him, but he is useless to keep him alive."

(End of this chapter)