In the thirteenth year of the Tianbao era: I became Yang Guozhong's eldest son.

Helan Jin's wicked scheme quickly transformed into a series of cold military orders, which were rolled out across Yaozhou.

The Tang Dynasty military's execution capabilities were on full display at this moment.

In just three days, all the major official roads leading to the heart of Sichuan, the core area of ​​Jiannan Road, and Jiangnan from Yaozhou were blocked by the heavy troops of Zhechong Prefecture.

Those once bustling post roads are now filled with sharpened barricades, deep trenches, and rows of cold-blooded border soldiers armed with powerful bows and crossbows.

Any vehicle attempting to pass would be subjected to extremely strict inspection, and any slight disturbance would result in being shot dead by a hail of arrows.

Lei Laohu's caravan was the first to suffer a devastating blow.

"Boss, this road is blocked!"

A caravan man, his face covered in blood, stumbled back to a secluded gathering point outside Yanjing County, riding a lame mule.

"Thirty miles ahead in the Black Pine Forest, the military governor's office has set up three checkpoints. Our men had barely approached, before they could even utter a word, when they opened fire! Three brothers died, over a dozen mules were stolen, and all the salt was confiscated!"

Lei Laohu stood there, his face ashen, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

"Change route! Take the waterway! Go around to the Jinsha River!" Lei Laohu roared through gritted teeth.

"It's blocked too!" Another man who had been scouting the way ran back, panting, and shouted desperately, "All the ferry crossings on the Jinsha River have been blocked by the warships of the Zhechong Prefecture. They've even laid iron chains across the river; not even a fishing boat can cross!"

"South? Through the back road?"

"The situation is even worse in the south. The people from Zhechong Prefecture have blocked off the few common trails leading into the mountains, claiming it's to guard against the barbarians of Nanzhao. Several of our carts of salt tried to sneak out through those open routes, but they pushed us and the carts off a cliff!"

A sense of despair quickly spread among the caravan men.

They weren't afraid of bandits, because bandits were also after money, and paying them a toll would get them through.

But the Zhechong Prefecture was determined to cut off their escape route; this was an unreasonable and devastating military attack.

Faced with the absolute blockade by the regular army, these caravans, who had made their way in the underworld, were as fragile as paper toys.

The inability to transport the salt out meant that their livelihood was completely cut off.

……

The household registration office of Yanjing County Government.

Looking at the mountain of account books and the pile of return slips in the yard outside, Cui Shen was so worried that his hair almost turned white.

"My lord, the situation is ten times worse than we anticipated."

Cui Shen handed a newly compiled statistical list to Yang Xuan, who was sitting in the main seat, his voice filled with barely concealed anxiety.

"This time, Zhechong Prefecture is serious. In the name of the military, they have completely cut off all trade routes from Yaozhou to the outside world. Not only can Lei Laohu's caravan not leave, but even those big merchants from other places can't get in at all."

Yang Xuan took the list and quickly scanned it.

"In just five days, all 30,000 dan of refined salt that had already been ordered were stuck in the warehouses of Qing'ao Well and the county government. Those out-of-town merchants, unable to receive the goods, not only demanded a full refund of their deposits, but some even clamored for compensation for their losses," Cui Shen said with a wry smile. "Moreover, because the salt couldn't be transported out, the prices of rice and medicine in the city have started to skyrocket."

How much cash flow is left?

Yang Xuan put down the list, his tone remaining calm, but the slight furrow in his brow betrayed the gravity in his heart.

"Reporting to my lord," Cui Shen took a deep breath and reported a chilling figure, "In order to appease those merchants and return their deposits, plus the daily expenses of the salt protection army these past few days, as well as the wages of thousands of workers in Qing'ao Well, our cash on hand has been running out like water."

"If there are no further problems with the accounts, we can hold on for at most ten more days," Cui Shen said in an extremely heavy tone. "But tomorrow is the day Qing'ao Well pays its workers, and those merchants outside are already pressing for their deposits back. If they force us to hand over another sum of cash, we might not even be able to hold on for three to five days, let alone ten. By then..."

Cui Shen didn't continue, but Yang Xuan and Pei Zhao and the others present all knew what that meant.

Without money, the three hundred fierce salt protectors would turn into a mutinous army; without money, the thousands of salt workers and laborers at Qing'ao Well would riot.

An ironclad camp will collapse in an instant without money as its lifeblood.

Zhechong Prefecture's move to "block the salt route" was like cutting off the fuel supply, directly striking Yang Xuan's most fatal weakness.

This is no longer an assassination, nor is it bureaucratic buck-passing; it is a naked act of war.

The warlords used their absolute military force to demonstrate to local officials what unreasonable tyranny truly meant.

"My lord, we can't wait any longer!" Pei Zhao's eyes were bloodshot as he suddenly knelt on one knee. "These soldiers are going too far! I'm willing to swear a military oath and lead three hundred salt-protecting soldiers to tear a gap in the Black Pine Forest! Even if we all die in battle, we absolutely cannot let them suffocate us like this!"

"What are you going to use to tear this open?" Yang Xuan coldly stared at Pei Zhao. "At least five hundred elite troops from the Zhechong Prefecture are stationed in the Black Pine Forest, occupying a strategic location and fortified with defensive works. You're going to lead three hundred infantrymen to attack uphill? That's not tearing an opening, that's suicide!"

"What's more," Yang Xuan stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the gray sky outside, "Helan Jin is more than happy for you to go and attack the military camp now. As soon as you make a move, he will have a legitimate excuse to suppress the rebellion. Then, he can lead his army directly into Yanjing County and kill us all without any justification."

"So, are we just supposed to wait here to die?" Pei Zhao clenched his fists in frustration.

A deathly silence fell over the study.

Everyone felt a deep sense of powerlessness.

Faced with the military's unreasonable blockade, all their previous plans and preparations seemed to have been rendered useless.

"Wait to die? Even the Right Chancellor in Chang'an can't take my life, so what right does a mere border guard have?"

Yang Xuan suddenly turned around, his eyes flashing with an almost insane, resolute light.

"The main roads are impassable, and the waterways are impassable. Cui Shen, I ask you, besides the official roads of the Tang Dynasty, is there no other way to connect Yaozhou to the outside world?" Yang Xuan stared intently at Cui Shen.

Cui Shen was taken aback for a moment, then his expression changed drastically: "My lord, do you mean... to go south?"

"What's to the south?" Pei Zhao asked, puzzled.

"The Nanzhao Ancient Road, also known as the 'Tea Horse Road' by those lone bandits," Cui Shen swallowed, his voice trembling slightly. "It's a wild road that winds its way through the Ten Thousand Mountains. There were no Tang Dynasty government offices there, only countless brutal barbarian tribes, poisonous miasma, and wild beasts."

"That place is a lawless land beyond the reach of Tang law and the army." Cui Shen looked at Yang Xuan, his eyes filled with fear. "My lord, that road is too dangerous. Those natives are extremely hostile to us Tang people. Going there to do business is a near-certain death!"

"Even a near-death experience is better than sitting here and waiting to die."

Yang Xuan slammed his hand on the table, having made up his mind.

"Since the official roads of the Tang Dynasty won't let us travel, then we'll take the wild paths of the barbarians! Since the Tang army won't let us live, then we'll make deals with those chieftains who even the Tang army finds troublesome!"

"Pei Zhao!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

"Immediately select twenty of the most elite salt guards. They should not wear armor, but carry short swords and repeating crossbows. Inform Lei Laohu to prepare thirty of the best mules, loaded with the finest salt."

A burning ambition blazed in Yang Xuan's eyes.

"I want to personally lead the team into the mountains to meet the chieftain!"