Sheng Tang: What is Liu Jianjun going to do today?

Chapter 175 Xue Ne and Liu Jianjun's Subsequent Plans: A Battle of Wits
Seeing that Liu Jianjun did not immediately refuse, a glimmer of hope flashed in Manager Xue's eyes. He quickly bowed and said, "I will follow Manager Liu's instructions. I will await good news."

After saying that, he followed one of the waiters out.

Only Liu Jianjun, Li Xian, and Wang Bo remained in the accounting office.

Liu Jianjun's smile vanished instantly. He pulled out the letter, examining the Pegasus wax seal repeatedly, his brow furrowed: "The north wind is strong, thick clothes are needed... Full payment in advance, price doubled? Damn it, this isn't business, it's burning money to buy life! Xianzi, what do you think?"

Li Xian's expression was equally grave. He slowly said, "Such a generous and hasty move, coupled with such vague words, suggests that their intentions are far from ordinary trade. 'North wind' often refers to troubles on the northern border or pressure from the north, while 'thick clothing' is for keeping warm. Winter is approaching, and the north... could it be military supplies?"

"Border troops?"

Liu Jianjun stroked his chin. “The border troops’ procurement of military supplies is handled by the imperial court’s laws and the Ministry of War and the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Why would they need to go through a mysterious merchant and use such sneaky methods to privately purchase supplies from our state-run workshops at high prices?”

"This doesn't make sense, unless..."

Li Xian interjected, "Unless their needs are extremely urgent and they can't wait for the imperial court's allocation, or... there's a problem with the imperial court's allocation, or they simply can't use the imperial court's channels!"

Wang Bo whispered from the side, "Chief Secretary, Your Highness Prince Pei, although that Manager Xue is dressed as a merchant, his steps are steady, his knuckles are thick, and his eyes are sharp. He looks more like a soldier."

"Moreover, he seemed quite familiar with the geography of Hedong and the situation on the border."

“A soldier?” Liu Jianjun narrowed his eyes. “A soldier from Hedong, surnamed Xue, who is so extravagant and even thought of using something as novel as cotton cloth… I think I know whose people he is.”

Li Xian's heart skipped a beat, and a name came to mind: "You mean... Xue Ne?"

"It's probably him!" Liu Jianjun slapped his thigh. "Xue Rengui's son! No wonder he's so magnanimous! If it's him, then this 'tight north wind' is probably no small matter."

“It’s already late autumn and winter is coming soon. There might really be some big commotion in the north, or some troops may be in dire need of clothing, forcing him to find a solution in private.”

Li Xian pondered for a moment and said, "If this is truly what General Xue needs, it is a matter of course for the country and the people, and we should help him."

"But... such a large-scale private transaction of military supplies would be a serious crime if it were leaked. Besides, how can we be sure he's really Xue Ne's man?"

Liu Jianjun waved the letter in his hand: "Isn't this confirmation? Old Wang, go and invite that Manager Xue in again, be polite to him."

Wang Bo accepted the order and left.

Soon, Manager Xue was invited into the accounting room again, this time with an even more respectful expression.

Liu Jianjun didn't beat around the bush and stared directly at him, asking, "Manager Xue, let's not beat around the bush. Is your husband Xue Shenyan?"

Manager Xue shuddered, took a deep breath, and bowed solemnly again: "Manager Liu is very perceptive! I am Xue Yong, and I am indeed a squad leader under Lord Xue Ne. I was ordered to come in disguise this time, which was truly out of necessity. Lord Xue Ne repeatedly instructed me to be careful."

Once their identities were confirmed, the atmosphere in the accounting office changed completely.

Li Xian and Liu Jianjun's doubts lessened slightly, but their mood became even heavier.

The fact that Xue Ne sent people to make purchases in this way itself illustrates the seriousness and sensitivity of the issue.

Liu Jianjun opened the letter, quickly glanced through it, and his expression grew increasingly serious.

He handed the letter to Li Xian.

Li Xian quickly glanced at the letter. The letter was brief, only reiterating the urgent need for a large quantity of thick cotton cloth, at least several thousand bolts, for border defense against the cold, and promising to bear all consequences, with price being no problem.

The Pegasus seal at the end of the letter was the mark of Xue's troops.

After reading the letter, Li Xian put it away and said in a deep voice, "We understand what General Xue said in his letter. The soldiers on the border are working hard, and the supplies to keep warm are a matter of life and death."

"But... how will such a huge quantity of cloth be transported? And where will it be delivered? How can we ensure it goes undetected?"

Seeing that the other party had already made it clear, Xue Yong no longer concealed anything and whispered, "My lord has already made arrangements. Can the cloth be mixed with the ordinary goods being sent to Hedong and shipped in batches? After arriving in Puzhou, someone will meet us and we will head north."

"The young master has already made arrangements for the passes along the way, so there should be no problem. We only need your shop to supply the goods as soon as possible, the sooner the better!"

Liu Jianjun and Li Xian exchanged a glance and instantly reached a consensus.

Liu Jianjun slammed his fist on the table: "Good! General Xue is defending the border for the country, we accept this sentiment! The price will be the market price, no need to double it! Although we are not saints, we know the greater good and cannot profit from this national crisis! But we must accept the full prepayment, as our workshop also needs working capital to expand production!"

Upon hearing this, Xue Yong was immediately thrilled and clasped his hands in a fist salute, saying, "Manager Liu is truly righteous! Young master was right to choose you! The deposit... no, the full amount can be paid today!"

"Great!" Liu Jianjun said. "Old Wang, take Team Leader Xue... oh no, Manager Xue, to handle the formalities and gather the first batch of goods! Remember, this is the highest priority. All the manpower in the workshop should be put on top of General Xue's order! Tell everyone that Manager Zhao from Henan urgently needed the goods!"

"Yes!" Wang Bo accepted the order and quickly left with Xue Yong, who was extremely grateful.

The accounting office fell silent again.

Looking out the window at the still bustling purchasing point and the distant roaring workshops, Li Xian slowly said, "These are turbulent times... If Lord Liu were here, I wonder what he would think."

Liu Jianjun sighed, his usual smirk gone: "Yes, cotton was originally meant to benefit the people and help them survive, but I never expected it would be used to help the army and defend the border so soon. What a damn world... But it's a good thing that Xue Ne is looking for us."

"Good news?" Li Xian pondered for a moment.

Having spent so much time with Liu Jianjun, he already understood the meaning behind some of Liu Jianjun's words, and asked, "You mean... he can also be won over?"

“It’s not about winning them over, it’s about them surrendering to us.” Liu Jianjun shook his head and said, “Your mother will ascend the throne one day. Have you thought about what we should do then?”

Li Xian was stunned.

Liu Jianjun walked to the window, his voice lowering: "My dear son, you and I both know that the Empress Dowager's lust for power is growing stronger every day, and her methods are ruthless. Deposing the emperor and establishing a new one is just a matter of a thought for her."

"The current situation appears calm on the surface, but undercurrents are surging. If she really wants to take another step forward... then, how will you, the son of the late emperor and a member of the Li Tang imperial family, find yourself?"

He turned around, his gaze intense. "We must make plans early. The world will eventually belong to her, and she will have connections to the highest levels. Our little schemes in Chang'an will eventually be discovered."

"If we want to protect ourselves, and even... achieve something in the future, we must break free from this cage!"

Li Xian hesitated and said, "You mean..."

"Head north!" Liu Jianjun declared resolutely. "Under the guise of engaging in commerce, supervising the transport of cotton cloth, and even assisting the border troops in procuring supplies, we will gradually transfer our forces out to Hedong, Hebei, and even beyond the Great Wall!"

"There, the emperor is far away, the land is vast, the people are fierce, and there are generals like Xue Ne who may still have some lingering affection for the Li Tang dynasty, but are not of one mind with the Wu clan!"

He approached Li Xian, lowering his voice even further, yet each word was clear: "Xue Ne is the son of Xue Rengui, a scion of a military family, highly respected in the border army, and his father had received great favor from the late emperor."

“Look at his actions today. He would rather risk making purchases privately than rely entirely on the court. This shows that he has his own concerns and stance. If we can establish this good relationship with him and gain his trust, then in case of any changes in the future, we will have a strong support in the north!”
"At that time, we can use the pretext of training troops, cultivating land, and engaging in trade to accumulate money and grain, and train manpower. This is the real long-term plan!"

Finally, he said meaningfully, "One must be strong to forge iron. Even your mother knew that she needed to control the military, so how could I not have considered it? I just didn't expect Xue Ne to come to me first."

Li Xian remained silent for a long time, knowing that Liu Jianjun was right.

Under the increasingly tight grip of her mother's power, merely seeking peace in Chang'an was by no means a good strategy.

To put it bluntly, once the Empress Dowager ascends the throne and becomes all-powerful, the vast foundation of Chang'an will no longer be an asset, but rather a deadly weapon.

Li Xian said with heartfelt admiration, "Xue Ne... is indeed a talent that can be relied upon."

“That’s right!” Liu Jianjun patted Li Xian on the shoulder heavily. “So, we not only have to do this deal with Xue Ne, but we have to do it brilliantly, so that he owes us a huge favor! This is our first step north!”

Li Xian nodded: "Then... what should we do?"

"This is my business, I'll take care of it," Liu Jianjun said with a grin.

Li Xian pursed his lips, feeling a little guilty.

Liu Jianjun helped me a lot; in every aspect, he was always the one who charged ahead.

"What's wrong? Are you touched?" Liu Jianjun suddenly asked teasingly.

Li Xian glared at him, annoyed, knowing that Liu Jianjun was about to tease him again.

Sure enough, Liu Jianjun grinned and said, "How about adding two more girls?"

Li Xian was about to say that he was so young and already eating tiger penis, but suddenly he saw Liu Jianjun's face turn serious and his eyes staring at him sincerely: "Xianzi, you have done everything you promised me, and I also promised you that I would get busy...aren't I busy right now?"
"So, don't always feel indebted or guilty. You've already done a great job." Li Xian felt a surge of emotion for no reason.

Liu Jianjun suddenly said, "But right now there is something I need you to do."

"what's up?"

"Xianzi, he should go back."

Liu Jianjun paused, seemingly considering how to begin: "Chang'an and Dayi Valley no longer need him, but Fangzhou still needs him. A substitute is ultimately just a substitute; it can't be hidden forever. I know you and Xianzi have a deep relationship..."

Before Liu Jianjun could finish speaking, Li Xian nodded and said, "I know what's important."

Liu Jianjun initially brought Li Xian to Chang'an to win over Su Liangsi. Now that Su Liangsi has successfully taken over Liu Rengui's position, Li Xian should return.

While it may sound mercenary, Chang'an was clearly not a place for Li Xian to stay for long.

If the Fangzhou incident occurs, it will implicate everyone.

only……

Li Xian was unsure how to bring it up with Li Xian.

……

After finishing his business at the cotton ecological park, Li Xian finally came to Li Xian's quiet courtyard to recuperate.

Li Xian was sitting on a stone bench in the courtyard, with an unfinished chess game in front of him, playing against himself. He was clearly very bored.

Hearing footsteps, Li Xian looked up and saw that it was Li Xian. He immediately smiled sincerely and said, "Second brother, you've come? With everything so busy up front, I thought you wouldn't have time to come today."

As he spoke, he casually poured Li Xian a cup of freshly brewed tea.

Li Xian sat down opposite him, took the teacup, but didn't know how to start the conversation.

He looked around the small courtyard. Every plant and tree here recorded Li Xian's peace and recovery over the past few months. To break this peace and push him back into the cage of Fangzhou filled Li Xian with reluctance and guilt.

"Brother Xian," Li Xian took a sip of tea, carefully choosing his words, "How have you been feeling lately? Are you feeling much better?"

"Thank you for your concern, Second Brother. Everything is fine now."

Li Xian smiled and even patted his chest lightly. "I'm eating well and sleeping soundly. It's much more comfortable than when I was in Fangzhou. Speaking of which, I have to thank my second brother and Liu Jianjun for giving me this peaceful time."

His smile was frank, clearly showing he had no idea of ​​the impending separation.

But the more Li Xian looked at him like this, the harder it was for him to say anything.

He was silent for a moment, his gaze falling on the chessboard, where black and white pieces were intertwined. Suddenly, he said, "Brother Xian, shall we play a game of chess?"

Li Xian was somewhat surprised, but quickly agreed: "Alright! Playing against oneself is always a bit less fun." He then began to put the pieces back in their places on the chessboard.

The game begins, with Li Xian playing black and Li Xian playing white.

At first, the two brothers played chess with lightning speed, as if they had returned to the carefree days of playing chess in the palace many years ago. But gradually, Li Xian's chess moves became more serious.

He did not deliberately yield, nor did he launch a fierce attack. He occupied key points and consolidated his external forces, but he was not in a hurry to kill the dragon. Instead, he placed pieces next to Li Xian's seemingly precarious dragon several times, seemingly attacking but not attacking, seemingly surrounding but not surrounding.

Li Xian's forehead was already slightly sweaty.

Finally, Li Xian's move did not directly cut off the path of Li Xian's large dragon, but instead placed it far away on a crucial point in the center of the map that determined the balance of power between the two sides.

This move, seemingly slow, was actually a well-intentioned one, subtly controlling the overall situation and ensuring that no matter how much Li Xian struggled, he remained under Li Xian's control.

Li Xian held a white chess piece, which hung in mid-air, unable to be placed for a long time.

He stared at the chessboard, then looked up at Li Xian, whose face was calm but whose eyes were deep, and seemed to understand something.

"Second brother," Li Xian slowly put down the chess piece, his voice somewhat hoarse, "this game... it seems I have no way out? No matter where I go, I'm under your control."

Li Xian did not answer directly, but pointed to a piece of chess in the corner of the board where Li Xian had first made a living group, and said softly, "Brother Xian, look here. Back then, you were alone and in a perilous situation. You went to great lengths to make a living group here, seeking a sliver of hope and occupying this small piece of land so that you could catch your breath."

He then pointed to the black piece he had just placed, as well as several other key points on the board: "If we stubbornly defend this small piece of land, it may seem safe, but in reality, we are like turtles in a jar. Once we are surrounded from all sides, we will have no room to maneuver."

"At that time, even the part that has been worked so hard to survive may be affected by the overall collapse and ultimately find it difficult to remain unscathed."

Li Xian's face gradually turned pale, revealing a struggling expression.

Li Xian stopped making moves, knowing that Li Xian had already understood.

"You...should go back to Fangzhou."

Li Xian spoke with difficulty, his gaze fixed on Li Xian's reaction.

As expected, Li Xian's face paled slightly upon hearing this, and his fingers holding the teacup tightened unconsciously.

The light in his eyes quickly dimmed, replaced by an obvious fear and resistance. For him, Fangzhou was not only a place of exile, but also the source of countless nightmares and humiliations.

"Why...why so suddenly?" Li Xian's voice was a little dry. "Is it the Empress Dowager...or has something else happened in the court?"

His first reaction was still to feel pressure from the highest authority.

"It's not the Empress Dowager's decree, nor is it due to a change in the court," Li Xian quickly reassured her, his heart aching even more. "It's necessary for our plan."

"Although Chang'an may seem peaceful at present, it is actually the center of a whirlpool. You and I, brothers, are both in the eye of the storm. The Empress Dowager has sharp eyes. We can hide our actions here for a while, but not forever."

Li Xian took a deep breath and carefully explained to Li Xian the key points of Liu Jianjun's analysis of the situation after Wu Zetian's ascension to the throne, as well as the long-term plan to accumulate strength in the north.

He discussed the risks to Chang'an's future, the importance of the North, and the potential opportunities that Xue Ne might bring...

“You need to go back and stabilize the situation there. That substitute will not last long. Your presence in Fangzhou is not inactive. Instead, it is to preserve a way out for us, a base away from the eye of the storm. If things succeed in the north in the future, Fangzhou, Hedong and Hebei can also form a mutually supportive relationship.”

Li Xian listened quietly, his fear gradually replaced by deep thought. Months of recuperation and observation had transformed Li Xian from the trembling Prince of Luling into a much more mature man.

This time, Li Xian remained silent for a long time before his gaze returned to the chessboard, his fingers unconsciously stroking a cold, white jade chess piece.

"Second brother," after a long while, he raised his head, his eyes still showing struggle, but with a newfound resolve, "I understand. I... will go back."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was very clear.

Li Xian felt a pang of pain in his heart, but at the same time, he also felt a sense of relief.

His younger brother has really grown up.

"Xiandi, you've suffered." Li Xian reached out and pressed heavily on Li Xian's shoulder. "When you return to Fangzhou, Wu Sansi's men will definitely make things difficult for you again, but things are different now. You must be careful and prioritize your own safety."

"Don't worry, second brother."

Li Xian forced a smile, which, though somewhat strained, was more reassuring than tears.

“These past few months of quiet recuperation have not been wasted. I now know the magnitude of what my second brother and Chief Secretary Liu have done. Although Fangzhou is harsh and dangerous, it is the only place where I can find peace and do my best. I will no longer live in constant fear as before.”

……

As Li Xian left the courtyard, he looked back and saw Li Xian still sitting on the stone bench, his figure appearing somewhat lonely in the twilight.

The autumn atmosphere in Chang'an seems to be getting stronger.

……

(End of this chapter)