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

Soon, as Zhang Shiping and Su Shuang were led into the hall by their personal guards, their hearts were filled with unease.

Although the two men were well-known horse merchants in Zhongshan County and had considerable wealth, and had traveled to the north for many years and had met many county officials, there were simply too many rumors about this Prefect of Zhuo County, Ji Xuanyuan.

A brilliant student of Master Shui Jing, his poetry astonished Luoyang, and at a young age, he firmly held his position in Zhuojun, repeatedly thwarting the schemes of powerful families.

Such a person, suddenly invited, could bring unpredictable fortune or misfortune.

In the main seat of the hall, Ji Xuanyuan was not wearing official robes, but only a plain white robe.

Seeing the two men enter, he raised his hand and smiled, "Master Zhang, Master Su, you've come a long way, please have a seat and some tea."

The two men politely declined the seats, and servants served them hot tea.

Zhang Shiping, being slightly older and with a square face, spoke first, probing: "We are humbled and do not know why the Prefect has summoned us. Is it for the purchase of horses? If the Prefect needs anything, we two will do our best to provide it."

Ji Xuanyuan picked up his teacup, gently blew on the steam, and said unhurriedly, "Purchasing fine horses is indeed an important task. Our army wants to expand its cavalry and needs a considerable number of top-quality You and Bing warhorses. This matter will depend on the two of you."

Upon hearing this, Su Shuang felt somewhat relieved and quickly replied, "This is our duty. May I ask how many horses the Prefect needs? When do you need them? Do you have any specific requirements for the horses?"

"The specific amount and requirements will be discussed with you two by Chief Minister Guo later."

Ji Xuanyuan changed the subject, put down his teacup, and glanced at the two men: "However, the reason I invited you two here is only one of the reasons for buying horses. There is another, much bigger business deal that I would like to discuss with you two, as well as all the ambitious people in Youzhou."

"A bigger deal?" Zhang Shiping and Su Shuang exchanged a glance, both looking puzzled.

"Road construction."

Ji Xuanyuan uttered two words, and seeing the two of them looking blank, he continued, "Build one, no, build a network of cement roads that will be smooth and impassable by rain or snow, covering all the counties of Youzhou."

"Cement...road?" Su Shuang murmured repeatedly, completely unable to understand.

Zhang Shiping also frowned: "Prefect, please forgive my ignorance. Building bridges and paving roads is a good deed of the government, but... how can this be turned into a business? Moreover, Youzhou is a vast area, with counties often hundreds of miles apart. The mountains rise and fall, and rivers crisscross. The cost of building roads is probably as high as the sea, which cannot be borne by a single county."

Ji Xuanyuan had anticipated this and calmly explained, "Ordinary dirt roads are naturally very expensive and unsustainable, but the cement I'm referring to is a new product from the Zhuojun Academy of Natural Sciences. It is made by burning and grinding lime, clay, and other materials. When mixed with water and sand, it becomes as hard as a rock and as smooth as a mirror. Roads built with this material can withstand the constant wear and tear of carts and horses, and are not afraid of wind and rain. Once the road is completed, the travel time for merchants will be reduced by more than half, the transport of grain and fodder will be greatly reduced, and the mobilization of troops will be able to proceed from morning to evening. It will bring countless benefits to the people, the military, and commerce."

He paused briefly, observing their expressions. Seeing their skepticism, he continued, "As for how to turn this into a business... After the road is completed, a road maintenance fee can be set up, charging a small fee to passing caravans to cover maintenance costs. More importantly, with a smooth road comes wealth, and post stations, warehouses, and inns along the route will surely prosper, land prices will increase, and logistics will be accelerated. You two horse traders know best what a smooth road means: less horse wear and tear, faster turnover, and profits will more than double. This is not wasteful; it is the foundation for investing in the future."

Zhang Shiping pondered, "What the prefect says seems reasonable... but this is truly unheard of. Is this cement really that magical? And where did the huge sum of money for road construction come from? With only Zhuojun and a few merchants, I'm afraid..."

"Therefore, my intention is not to do this alone," Ji Xuanyuan said.

"I have sent letters to invite wise men and far-sighted merchants from all counties of Youzhou to gather in Zhuojun to discuss this matter. I intend to unite everyone's efforts, raise funds, and establish a Youzhou Transportation Group."

"group?"

Ji Xuanyuan explained, "The group operates on a shareholding basis, sharing profits and risks. The specific rules and regulations can only be agreed upon when everyone is present. We invited you two here today to give you a heads-up. Young Master Zhen will also be arriving soon. He is quite skilled in business operations, and we can discuss this in detail then."

Su Shuang still had many doubts; the idea was too big and too ahead of its time.

Road construction has always been a government-run corvée or a charitable act; it has never been done as a business partnership.

He cupped his hands and said, "I admire the governor's grand vision. However, this matter is of great importance and requires a considerable investment. Please allow us to return and consider it carefully, and also to discuss it with the elders in our families."

Ji Xuanyuan knew that things couldn't be accomplished overnight. These traditional merchants needed time to digest the situation and also needed to see more people participate to reduce the risks. So he nodded and said, "That's the way it should be. You two can take your time to consider it. We'll proceed with the horse purchase as usual. Once the other guests arrive and the situation becomes clearer, we can discuss it again later."

After seeing off Zhang Shiping and Su Shuang, who had different thoughts, Ji Xuanyuan said to Guo Jia, who was standing to the side, "Fengxiao, in my name, send a letter to the prefects and prime ministers of each prefecture in Youzhou, as well as the well-known wealthy merchants in each prefecture. Make the words earnest and state that in order to promote the prosperity of commerce in Youzhou, facilitate the people's livelihood, and strengthen the border defense, I hereby invite them or their representatives to come to Zhuojun in mid-October to discuss the foundation for the prosperity of Youzhou for a hundred years."

Guo Jia's peach blossom eyes flashed, and he laughed, "Senior brother, you're trying to cast a wide net and catch them all at once. However, we are only the prefects of Zhuojun. The other prefects, prime ministers, and local powerful families may not be so willing to listen to us."

"It's alright."

Ji Xuanyuan walked to the window and looked at the high autumn sky: "The letter must be delivered, and the gesture must be appropriate. Whether they come or not is their business. If they come, it means they acknowledge that this matter is profitable, or at least give me, Ji Xuanyuan, some face."

"Not coming... won't cause any harm. The benefits of road construction are far-reaching and immense, beyond the comprehension of those with short-sighted vision. In the future, when we are more powerful, Youzhou... will ultimately need more efficient control. Road construction is not only a business, but also the lifeline for future policy implementation and the people's loyalty. Those willing to get on board now and share in the benefits are naturally the best, but those who are unwilling..."

His tone was calm, yet carried a hidden strength: "In a few years, times will change, and the price won't be the same if you want to get on the bus again. The road will always need to be repaired, but by then, who will set the rules and who will share the profits will be very different."

Guo Jia understood immediately and said no more, then went to arrange the correspondence.

He knew that his senior's move was ostensibly to attract investment, but in reality, he was already laying the groundwork for the future.

By bringing together powerful prefects and merchants from across Youzhou and initially linking them together through shared interests, a potential alliance centered around Zhuojun was formed.

This is far more sophisticated and less strenuous than conquering and appeasing them one by one later.

In mid-October, Zhuojun was indeed much more lively than usual.

Although not all invitees came in person, representatives from each county were present.

The prefect's office specially set aside the largest meeting hall and set up seats.

Among those who came, the officials mostly adopted a wait-and-see attitude, while the officials sent were mostly assistants such as prefectural magistrates and chief clerks.

On the merchant side, many of the people in charge have arrived.

Based on the intelligence gathered by Guo Jia and the intelligence gathered by his secret guards, Ji Xuanyuan memorized the main guests.

The Guangyang Commandery sent Liu Dun, the Prefect, but the Prefect Liu Wei was still shaken by the Yellow Turban Rebellion and feigned illness to avoid going out.

Kou Qi, the Chief Clerk of Shanggu Commandery.

Wang Men, the five officials of Yuyang County, whose area is rich in salt and iron, has a rather ambiguous attitude towards Ji Xuanyuan.

The person from Youbeiping County was Li Yi, the chief secretary.

No one from Liaodong Commandery came, as the journey was long and the governor's attitude was unclear. The person from Liaoxi Commandery was Gongsun Fan, the chief clerk of the commandery. This man was Gongsun Zan's cousin. His brother had already been appointed to lead the Youzhou cavalry on a western expedition under the "Commander-in-Chief's Biography". His visit was of great significance.

Xuantu Commandery and Lelang Commandery are located east of Liaodong, and are too far away to reach.

Wealthy merchants from neighboring counties and kingdoms in northern Ji Province, such as Zhuojun, Zhongshan, Hejian, and Bohai, also came upon hearing the news.

The Tian family, wealthy salt and iron merchants from Yuyang; the Wang family, prominent border traders from Shanggu; the Zhang family, the leading horse trader from Daijun; the Chen family, a major timber merchant from western Liaoning; and the grain and silk merchants from Guangyang and Jicheng.

Representatives of merchants from Zhongshan, Hejian and other places, specializing in silk, porcelain and bronze ware, also came.

Zhen Yan arrived as scheduled, sitting at the front of the merchants, his expression calm and composed.

Inside the council chamber, the room was packed with people, and a lively discussion ensued.

Most people pointed at the brochures distributed by the servants, which contained a general map of Youzhou and samples of "cement," and their faces showed a variety of expressions, including surprise, doubt, disdain, and calculation.

Accompanied by Guo Jia, Tian Feng, and Ju Shou, Ji Xuanyuan entered the main hall, where the atmosphere gradually quieted down.

He stood before the main seat, dressed in official robes, his gaze sweeping across the entire room, exuding a calm and composed demeanor that suppressed the clamor of the hall.

"I thank you all for your long journey and hard work."

He began, “I have invited you all here today for one purpose: to weave a smooth bloodline for the vast land of Youzhou, and to pave an immortal path to wealth for the generations to come for the people present here.”

He pointed to the huge sketch behind him, on which several routes were roughly outlined in cinnabar, connecting the main prefectures of Youzhou, the border passes, and the northern part of Jizhou.

"To accomplish great things, one must first have the right tools, and then clear the way. I have already made some progress with the tools, but the way still requires the concerted efforts of everyone. This is not just a matter for Zhuojun, but a grand plan concerning the rise and fall of the entire Youzhou, the peace of the border, and the vitality of commerce. Today, I wish to work with you all to draw up this blueprint, share this heavy responsibility, and share this glory."

Below the hall, Zhang Shiping and Su Shuang exchanged a glance. Recalling what the prefect had said a month ago, and looking at the scene today, they realized that this young prefect's ambitions were far greater than they had initially imagined.