You can't only love the Qing Dynasty when you're eating the fruits of others' labor.

Chapter 292 The Emperor of the Qing Dynasty has already paid for you!
From the conversation, Jiang Qingyun sensed an extremely dangerous atmosphere.

The fact that the Chahar envoys chose the longer route to Chifeng instead of the closer and more established Zhangjiakou route when entering the capital speaks volumes.

Zhangjiakou was the territory of Shanxi merchants.

Abu Nai, this ambitious but incompetent Mongol nobleman, was likely to bet on both himself and the Shanxi merchants.

The Shanxi merchants had been operating in the grasslands for a long time, and they had a great influence on the grasslands.

Therefore, Abu Nai would not easily fall out with the Shanxi merchants.

Unless, he can offer a temptation that he cannot refuse!
……

2 days later.

The envoy was summoned to the Forbidden City once again.

Jiang Qingyun had a beaming smile.

“Your Excellency, I have made my decision. I will share the world equally with the Great Khan, starting with our joint efforts to divide Shanxi.”

"Your Excellency, Shanxi has a strategically important location, and its cities are easy to defend but difficult to attack. The Chahar tribe mainly consists of lightly armed cavalry, so attacking fortified positions would be very difficult..."

"It's alright. Let the Eight Banners troops tackle the tough challenges. It's not too late for the Great Khan to march south when the time is right."

"Yes Yes."

Jiang Qingyun sneered inwardly. He had easily tested Abu Nai's little schemes with a small demonstration of his abilities. A man with great ambitions but little talent indeed.

Siege?

That's a skill that only Mongols possessed hundreds of years ago.

……

Jiang Qingyun decided to take the deception to the extreme and let Chahar and Shanxi see what a mature politician looks like!

With a few words and a laugh, the enemy is annihilated!
"The Emperor of the Great Qing Dynasty, out of compassion for the Chahar tribe's difficult livelihood, has personally paid off the usurious loans owed by all the Chahar herders to the Shanxi merchants. From this day forward, you will not have to repay a single penny, because the Emperor of the Great Qing Dynasty has already paid it for you."

"real or fake?"

The messenger's eyes widened in surprise.

"How could the glorious imperial edict be false? Take the edict back with you and spread the news to every felt tent on the grassland, so that every Chahar herdsman may be blessed by the Emperor of the Qing Dynasty."

"Thank you, Chief Minister."

The envoy left the capital in high spirits.

He knew it was fake, and so did Abunai, the Khan of Chahar, but they both "firmly believed the news was true."

Trust the Qing Dynasty, and you won't have to pay your debts.

Those who do not trust the Qing Dynasty will have to pay their debts for generations.

The debts of Shanxi merchants are so deep that they could not be repaid even after 500 years.

……

In the Chahar Grassland, at a herder settlement, dozens of felt tents are scattered along the riverbank.

A caravan of Shanxi merchants traveling deep into the grasslands passed by, and the shrewd driver stood on the cart and shouted loudly.

"Come on, come on."

"One sheep can be exchanged for five bowls."

"Two sheep for one iron pot."

"A pony for a piece of coarse cloth."

"A strong horse can be exchanged for twenty catties of tea."

The market was bustling, with herders scrambling to buy and sell.

The Shanxi merchant caravans that roamed the grasslands were their only channel for trading essential goods with the outside world, and they had no bargaining power whatsoever.

After the goods transaction was completed, little girls kept sneaking into the tents of the Shanxi merchants' assistants.

Soon after, cheerful sounds came from inside.

Such scenes are commonplace on the grasslands.

The next morning.

The sound of a whistle-receiving arrow came from afar, and everyone rushed out.

It turned out to be a group of Khan's knights carrying a large banner with a wolf's head, escorting the envoy from the capital.

The angel spoke only of extremely good news.

"Brothers of the Chahar herdsmen, I have some great news for you. From today onwards, you don't have to pay back any of the usurious loans you owe to the Shanxi merchants. The Emperor of the Qing Dynasty has already paid for you."

The herders were so excited that their eyes welled up with tears, and they knelt down, unable to get up.

The caravan was stunned, and someone stood up.

“I am the manager of a caravan under Fan Yongdou’s family in Zhangjiakou. How come I don’t know?” “How dare you! The Emperor of the Qing Dynasty has given 5000 million taels of silver to various Shanxi merchants. You have been away for too long and do not know about your family’s affairs.”

"May I ask, Your Majesty, why is the Emperor of the Qing Dynasty paying for them?"

Yes.

The impoverished herders were taken aback. Why would they pay for us?

The angel's expression was solemn and dignified as he bowed to the south.

"Manchus and Mongols are one family! It is only right and proper for the Manchu emperor to repay the debts of his Mongol family."

"Long live His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Qing Dynasty!"

The herders were ecstatic. Debts they had accumulated over generations were suddenly paid off. Only singing and dancing could express their joy.

"The Qing Emperor has already paid for it on our behalf."

A crazed herdsman said this to the dazed Shanxi merchant manager.

……

Taiyuan.

The merchant corps' armed forces are conducting drills.

The entire force consisted of young men, armed with matchlock guns, dressed in black uniforms, and adorned with black flags. Their military drills were well-organized and disciplined, making them a qualified army.

General Gang Atai of Xuanfu bowed slightly.
"Gentlemen, our Jin army already has 30,000 regular soldiers and 20,000 auxiliary soldiers. Shanxi is situated on high ground, and with such a strong army, why not launch an eastern expedition?"

"No rush. Fighting a war is like doing business; we should try to do the most profitable business possible."

"Yes."

The other owners all echoed this sentiment.

"Master Fan, are you just going to keep tens of thousands of soldiers around for nothing?"

"Shanxi is a good place. It is surrounded by mountains and rivers, and has a commanding position, making it difficult for the enemy to invade. It is very simple for us to fight our way out. Shanxi has grain, mines, silver, and is not lacking in warhorses and leather. We can just sit back and watch the world fall into chaos, and then do the biggest business deal."

Okay~

Everyone cheered in unison.

Gang Atai shook his head and sighed. He had no say in the army's affairs because the family members and business associates of the eight major imperial merchants firmly controlled the positions of lower-ranking officers in the Jin army.

Initially, the Jin army was mainly composed of Green Standard Army soldiers.

Gradually, the merchant militia attracted Green Standard Army officers by offering double pay, and gradually absorbed the Green Standard Army, forming the New Jin Army as it is today.

"General, rest assured. Your brother's revenge will surely be avenged. For now, we must be patient, patient and patient. I entrust the training of the troops to you."

"Rest assured, gentlemen, training troops is my duty."

……

suddenly~
A flying horse approached from afar.

A knight, covered in sweat, rushed up the city wall and delivered an urgent report.

"Reporting to the master, something has happened on the grasslands."

"What serious thing could have happened? It can't be that wolves ate someone, can it?"

Fan Yongdou was in a good mood. He opened the envelope and shook out a piece of paper. After reading just two lines, the smile on his face froze.

"The shameless, despicable, vile, and deserving-to-be-killed Jiang Qingyun, I am irreconcilably opposed to him."

"what happened?"

After everyone read the urgent report, they all cursed Jiang Qingyun, calling him a bastard.

Wang Dengku wiped away his tears while cursing.

"This debt is no small amount. With interest compounding, it has now accumulated over four generations. Those poor bastards could never pay it off even in ten lifetimes."

"This is a business that can be passed down for 500 years."

"We do not acknowledge it."

"Yeah, what? The Qing emperor paid for them? That's bullshit. If those poor bastards don't pay back their money, we'll slaughter them until their heads roll."

……

The imperial merchants cursed so loudly that their mouths were dry.

Fan Yongdou was so angry that he felt dizzy.

“Quickly send someone to see the Chahar Khan and tell him that this matter is completely fabricated and that we have not received a single tael of silver from the Qing Emperor.”

"Paying back debts is a matter of course. They must repay their debts on time. Otherwise, I will cut off their trade, their salt, their iron pots, and I will take their lives!!"

(End of this chapter)