My brothers are all warriors capable of taking on ten thousand men; I'll roam freely in the Thr

Two months passed quickly amidst the intensive preparations for the army, the investigation of things, and the spring plowing in Zhuojun.

On this day, several ordinary-looking but reinforced carriages, escorted by elite cavalry, quietly drove into the residence of the Prefect of Zhuojun.

When the crates were unloaded and opened, they gleamed with golden light, dazzling the eyes.

Those were neatly stacked gold ingots, as well as a large quantity of high-quality medicinal herbs and brocades that were in short supply in Youzhou.

Despite his travel-worn appearance, Zhen Yan's face betrayed barely suppressed excitement and awe as he presented Ji Xuanyuan with a thick volume of accounts: "General Ji, I have not failed you! The auction in Luoyang was a resounding success!"

The accounts were detailed and clear. The nearly two-foot-tall glass horse alone was auctioned off for a sky-high price of five thousand gold coins by a royal relative with close ties to the palace!

The remaining hundred or so items, including large and small glassware, jewelry, and precious mirrors, were also snapped up by the wealthy and powerful in Luoyang, with prices ranging from tens to hundreds of gold coins.

After deducting the 20% profit due to the Zhen family, the expenses for bribing officials, and the transportation losses, the net profit was nine thousand taels of gold.

"Nine thousand gold pieces..." Even though Ji Xuanyuan had some expectation, he was still shocked by this number.

Cao Cao's father, Cao Song, spent all his family's wealth to buy the position of Grand Commandant, but it only cost him ten thousand gold pieces. Cao Cao himself has already earned almost the position of one of the Three Dukes with just the first batch of glass!

"General's brilliant strategy is truly admirable!" Zhen Yan bowed deeply to the ground, his tone extremely sincere.

"That auction method was truly unpredictable! The highest bidder won, and everyone competed, causing the price to skyrocket. The scene was... absolutely insane!" Even now, recalling it still stirs his emotions.

The Zhen family not only profited immensely from this, but also gained significant exposure within Luoyang's elite circles, expanding their network of connections.

What alarmed Zhen Yan even more was that this matter had even reached Emperor Ling, Liu Hong, who lived deep in the West Garden.

Although no official decree was issued to inquire about it, according to scattered rumors circulating in the palace, His Majesty was quite interested in the "Western Regions crystal glass" and had casually inquired about its origin.

This inadvertently bestowed upon the glass a mysterious aura of "being nominally associated with the emperor," further elevating its value and scarcity in the eyes of the powerful and wealthy.

"General Ji."

Zhen Yan pressed his advantage, his eyes gleaming with the shrewdness of a businessman: "Now the name of crystal glass resounds throughout Luoyang, and countless people covet it. I wonder if the general... still has any in stock? If one's influence were greater and the business were managed properly, the profits could be far more than this!"

Ji Xuanyuan picked up his teacup and took a sip: "Young Master Zhen, such rare treasures are not easily obtained. This acquisition has already exhausted my luck, and I currently have no more in stock."

Seeing the disappointment on Zhen Yan's face, he said slowly, "However, I have already sent people to keep an eye out. If another caravan comes with treasure, there may be an opportunity. At that time, I will inform Lord Zhen first."

Upon hearing this, Zhen Yan felt regret but also understood.

Such a treasure, if it could be continuously supplied, would be suspicious.

He cupped his hands and said, "Then we will await your good news, General. The Zhen family is willing to work hand in hand with you for a long time to seek common interests."

After seeing Zhen Yan off, Ji Xuanyuan returned to his study.

Guo Jia had already slipped in, holding a gold ingot up to the windowlight, marveling, "Good heavens, five thousand gold for a horse! Senior brother, I'm truly impressed by your ability to turn stone into gold. We're really rich now!"

Ji Xuanyuan smiled slightly: "We have the money, but we must use it wisely. Expanding the army, equipping it, rewarding those who have rendered meritorious service, providing relief to the wounded and the injured, supporting the research at the Academy of Natural Sciences, and even providing relief to refugees in the future—where can we not need huge sums of money? What we have gained this time is merely to solve our immediate crisis and lay a solid foundation for our future."

He immediately ordered that, keeping his promise, Hu Che'er be promoted to centurion of cavalry under Lü Bu, and was generously rewarded for his meritorious service in escorting the enemy.

When the news reached the military camp, Hu Che'er was moved to tears and vowed to serve the army to the death.

Lu Bu had personally witnessed Hu Che'er's bravery. Although he was unhappy that his subordinate had made it onto the candidate list before him, he was still convinced. He secretly resolved to train his troops even harder so that they could come out on top in the future border training.

The joy of the huge sum of money entering the treasury had not yet dissipated when the latest intelligence from the northern border made the atmosphere in the prefect's mansion tense once again.

The Wuhuan are experiencing intense power struggles and widespread unrest.

Qiuliju, the leader of the Wuhuan tribe in western Liaoning, united various tribes with his formidable strength and prestige, and his power grew day by day.

After the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the Eastern Han Dynasty was exhausted and its control over the borders was greatly reduced.

To quell the rebellion of the Qiang people in the northwest, the imperial court conscripted Wuhuan cavalry to go to Liangzhou.

However, the Wuhuan people traveled to a harsh and cold land, where they were not used to the climate and water. In addition, due to the arrears in military pay and unfair treatment, many of them fled.

Local Han officials mishandled the situation, often resorting to harsh punishments and severe laws to suppress dissent, which caused resentment to boil over among the various Wuhuan tribes.

Disillusioned Han Dynasty border officials, resentful Wuhuan nobles, and a weak central authority were like piles of dry tinder, just missing a spark.

And Mars appeared very soon.

In order to deal with the unstable situation of the Wuhuan, the court urgently needed to select a capable minister with sufficient prestige to win over the people, who was knowledgeable in military affairs and good at governing, to go to Youzhou to pacify the frontier and suppress any possible rebellions.

Zhang Chun, the governor of Zhongshan State, believed himself to be familiar with border affairs and took the initiative to write a letter of request, hoping to obtain the power to guard the region.

However, the court's final choice was Liu Yu, a renowned minister from the imperial clan.

Liu Yu, a descendant of the Prince of Donghai, served as the Chancellor of Ganling and the Director of the Imperial Clan Court. He was known for his benevolent and thrifty governance, and was highly regarded by both Han and non-Han people.

He was indeed an excellent choice to pacify the Wuhuan.

Upon receiving this appointment, Zhang Chun was greatly disappointed and filled with resentment. All his years of hard work were worth less than a mere "honest reputation"?

Meanwhile, the situation in Yizhou was also deteriorating.

Xi Jian, the governor of Yizhou, levied exorbitant taxes, which sparked a popular uprising. The rebel army led by Ma Xiang once captured the prefecture, and the imperial court's control over Yizhou was almost paralyzed.

Deep within the palace of Luoyang, Emperor Ling, Liu Hong, faced a map, his finger slowly tracing the borders of Youzhou and Yizhou.

He transferred Liu Yan, who had been seeking a post as governor of Yizhou, back to Luoyang.

Ostensibly, he was to be entrusted with the important task of quelling the rebellion in Yizhou, but in reality, there was another hidden meaning.

First, Liu Yu succeeded Liu Yan as the governor of Youzhou and took up his post immediately.

Liu Hong wanted to see if this virtuous relative could truly quell the restless Wuhuan and stabilize the overall situation in Youzhou.

At the same time, he also wanted to observe how Liu Yu and Ji Xuanyuan, who had caused such a commotion in Zhuojun, would get along. Would they cooperate? Would they maintain a balance of power? Or...?

Secondly, recalling Liu Yan to Luoyang for "observation" was itself a form of warning.

Even though Liu Hong is "playing it off," he hasn't abandoned his imperial mindset.

Ji Xuanyuan has been too prominent lately. Although he secretly condones his actions, he still needs to be wary of him becoming too powerful.

Liu Yan was Ji Xuanyuan's mentor and early patron. By transferring him away from the core of power in Youzhou, he was telling Ji Xuanyuan that he could remove his patron at any time and that all he could rely on now was his tacit approval.

Be a loyal tool in my hands, tear apart powerful families, and fight the northern barbarians to prove your worth. Only then will you have a way to survive and a future.

As for Yizhou, which Liu Yan longs for... let's see how the situation develops and then see if he is truly loyal and usable.

"Ji Wenlie, Liu Bo'an..." Liu Hong leaned against the soft couch.

"I entrust Youzhou to you now. Do not disappoint me."

The imperial edict caused a stir in the court, and undercurrents surged in various parts of Youzhou.

Inside the study of the prefect's mansion, Ji Xuanyuan looked at the secret report sent by his guards about the instability of the Wuhuan and Liu Yu's upcoming appointment, his eyes as deep as an ancient well.

The "opportunity" he was waiting for seemed to be quietly approaching as the situation in Wuhuan deteriorated and Zhang Chun's disappointment grew.

The conditions were already in place for the "Zhang Chun's collusion with the Wuhuan to rebel" incident that led to the great chaos in Youzhou and the rise of Gongsun Zan in history.

But he cannot say it outright, much less do anything that suggests he has some kind of precognitive ability.

Everything must be done in accordance with the trend.

"Liu Yu." Ji Xuanyuan looked north.

"A benevolent elder may be worth cooperating with, but we must also be wary of his interference. As for Zhang Chun..." A cold glint flashed in his eyes.

"Senior brother."

Guo Jia pushed open the door and entered, his usual languid expression replaced by a hint of seriousness: "Liu Yu will be arriving soon, how should we deal with him? Also, the Wuhuan are becoming increasingly agitated, should we send troops to suppress them?"

Ji Xuanyuan withdrew his gaze and said calmly, "Liu Yu is appointed by the imperial court and is highly respected. We should naturally fulfill our duties as his subjects and do our best to cooperate with him in pacifying the border regions. As for the Wuhuan..." He paused.

"Strengthen border scouting and closely monitor the movements of all units."

"Also, how is the replacement of our military's equipment progressing?"

"The cavalry's three-piece set of equipment has been completed, and the soldiers are well-trained, resulting in a significant improvement in combat effectiveness. The Academy of Natural Sciences is still working on the repeating crossbow, wooden oxen and flowing horses, and has already made some progress," Guo Jia replied.

"Very good." Ji Xuanyuan nodded.

"Order all units to intensify preparations for war, but do not act rashly for the time being. Everything... will be decided after Liu Yu takes office and assesses the situation."

He walked to the window. The late spring breeze already carried a hint of warmth, but his voice was calm and firm: "The winds of the northern frontier are rising. We must prepare, both to welcome our new superior and... to prepare for the impending upheaval."