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

In the front courtyard of the county government office, the merchants' shouts and curses had reached their peak, and it looked like they were about to escalate into a riot that would storm the county government office.

"Creak—"

The tightly closed second door was suddenly pushed open.

Surrounded by a group of fully armed salt guards, Princess Yanhe, dressed in her finest attire and exuding elegance, appeared before everyone as if a deity had descended.

That innate royal air and the majesty of a superior instantly silenced the noise in the room.

The merchants involuntarily stopped shouting and stared in disbelief at the noblewoman who seemed to have stepped out of a painting.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Three rosewood chests were placed heavily on the steps, their lids open, and the rare treasures inside reflected a dazzling, almost frenzied, wealth in the sunlight.

The entire venue was deathly silent.

Only heavy breathing echoed in the air.

"I know what you want." Yanhe stood on the steps, looking down at the group of greedy merchants. His voice was cold and authoritative. "You're afraid the county government will go bankrupt, afraid your deposits will go down the drain. Now, open your eyes and see clearly."

Yanhe casually picked up a luminous pearl, played with it in his hand for a moment, and then tossed it back into the box without a second thought.

"These are treasures bestowed by the Tang Dynasty imperial family. Any single item here is worth more than your entire cartload of salt!"

Yanhe's gaze swept over the crowd like a sharp sword. Those merchants who had been shouting the loudest just moments before all lowered their heads in the face of this immense wealth and oppressive aura, not daring to even breathe loudly.

"The county government is not bankrupt, and it doesn't owe you a single penny!" Yanhe's voice suddenly rose. "Now, I'm giving you two choices."

"First, those who want their money back, immediately take your contracts to Registrar Cui to register. I will use these imperial treasures as collateral and return every single penny to you! However, once you've taken the money and left this door, from this day forward, you will not receive a single grain of refined salt from Qing'ao Well in Yaozhou!"

"Secondly," Yanhe paused, his tone softening slightly but still full of persuasive power, "leave the deposit at the county government office. The county magistrate has personally gone to open up a new trade route. As long as you're willing to wait, once the new route is open, all the merchants who stay will have their order volume doubled, and the price will be reduced by another ten percent!"

Give a beating, then give a sweet treat.

This is the simplest way to manage subordinates, but when backed by absolute wealth and power, it unleashes its most perfect power.

The merchants looked at each other, their eyes filled with struggle and greed.

The wealthy merchants from Jiangnan were the first to grasp the situation.

They recognized at a glance that the jewelry was genuine and priceless.

With these treasures as a foundation, the county government could never go bankrupt.

Moreover, the profits from Qing'ao Well refined salt are too tempting. "Double the delivery volume and reduce the price by 10%"—it's like a pie falling from the sky.

"Madam, please calm down! We are willing to wait!" a wealthy merchant from Jiangnan shouted. "The county magistrate has personally gone to great lengths for our business; how can we kick him when he's down? We are not refunding our deposit!"

"I'm not returning it!"

"I trust the county magistrate, and I trust your wife!"

The wind direction reversed instantly.

Faced with an overwhelming display of power, fear was replaced by greed and trust.

The merchants who had initially caused trouble not only stopped demanding refunds, but also expressed their willingness to continue supporting the county government.

Upon seeing the large chests of treasure, the doubts in the hearts of the salt protectors vanished instantly.

With so much money in hand, why would they be worried about not being able to pay their soldiers?

They immediately straightened their backs, their eyes regaining their resolve.

A food shortage crisis that could have devastated Yanjing County was thus forcefully and extravagantly suppressed by Yanhe.

……

Half an hour later.

Outside the south gate of Yaozhou City, in a secluded grove of trees.

Yang Xuan changed into a neat black outfit, with a horizontal sword at his waist and a repeating crossbow on his back.

Pei Zhao, Lei Laohu, and twenty carefully selected salt-protecting soldiers were already leading mules and horses laden with goods, ready to set off.

Yanhe stood under a big tree, watching Yang Xuan, who was about to leave.

"I've settled things at home. The military pay and wages will be distributed this afternoon." Yanhe's voice was calm. "Just go do what you need to do. As long as I'm still alive, Yaozhou won't descend into chaos."

Yang Xuan looked at her intently, and all his unspoken words ultimately boiled down to a weighty promise.

"Wait for me to come back." Yang Xuan mounted his horse and pulled hard on the reins.

"drive!"

Twenty-odd riders, like a black dagger, plunged headlong into the fog-shrouded, perilous Ten Thousand Mountains.

......

South of Yaozhou City lies the Ten Thousand Mountains.

Thick white fog rolled through the valley like a tangible substance, completely blocking out the sunlight overhead.

The road beneath our feet could no longer be called a road; it was a narrow path made of mud, decaying leaves, and bones of unknown animals.

On both sides are towering primeval forests, with the gnarled roots and vines of old trees twisting and coiling like giant venomous snakes in the dark corners.

The air was filled with a pungent miasma smell, mixed with the sour stench of rotting plants. Every breath felt like a handful of damp cotton stuffed into your chest, making you feel suffocated.

This is the Nanzhao Ancient Road, a remote road that only the most desperate bandits and the most greedy merchants dare to tread.

Lei Laohu walked at the front of the group, holding a thick-backed machete in his hand. He struggled to cut through the thorns blocking his way while constantly looking back.

The head of the caravan who had been terrorizing Yaozhou for over a decade now had his facial muscles taut and his forehead covered in a fine layer of cold sweat.

His eyes were like those of a frightened wildcat, warily scanning every dark bush around him.

"Your Excellency, this road is truly treacherous." Lei Laohu stopped, panting heavily, his voice filled with barely concealed fear. "In these Ten Thousand Mountains, poisonous insects and ferocious beasts are secondary; the most terrifying thing is those untamed Miao people (referring to unincorporated natives). They consider us Tang people as enemies. If we encounter them, there's no place to reason with them."

Yang Xuan, riding a small but extremely stamina-rich Yunnan horse, merely raised his head slightly upon hearing this, glancing at the almost impenetrable canopy of trees overhead.

Today, instead of wearing his striking scarlet official robes, he donned a neat black short-sleeved outfit, with a hundred-refined steel horizontal sword hanging at his waist and a military crossbow slung across his back.

Although he no longer possessed the majesty of official robes, the composure and ruthlessness he exuded from the blood-soaked court of Chang'an made him seem even more out of place in this desolate land.