While a few individuals in Xuzhou had some leads, Liangzhou, thousands of miles away, was in imminent danger. General Xiao Ji stood against the wind on the impregnable city walls, exuding a sense of desolation.
His stern face gazed at the vast, dark expanse of the Northern Di army in the distance, showing no sign of wavering.
"General, all the traps have been set. The grain supplies in the city are guarded by trusted brothers, enough for everyone to last two months. The citizens have also been informed to stock up on food at home. We will surely hold out until the reinforcements arrive."
The speaker was He Qiu, who had followed him for many years and was now his deputy.
The northwest wind and sand had roughened his skin, etching deep lines on his face. He recalled that over a decade ago, before coming to Liangzhou with General Xiao Ji, he had been a pampered young master with a complexion like a peach blossom. Now, if he were to return to the capital, he doubted his old friends would recognize him.
The reinforcements from the Eastern Capital were over a thousand miles away from Liangzhou. With at least a hundred thousand cavalry, such a long journey would take at least two months. Despite his confident words, He Qiu’s heart was filled with apprehension.
However, ever since he joined the army, he had long cast aside thoughts of life and death, only worrying about his wife and children at home.
For their sake, he had to defend this city with all his might. Otherwise, given the brutal nature of the Northern Di, if this city were to fall, the people of Liangzhou would likely face a massacre!
"You've worked hard. This battle will undoubtedly be perilous. Tell the brothers to be on high alert. Reinforcements cannot easily save those far away; in the end, we must rely on ourselves."
"Yes, General."
Turning to look at the bustling Liangzhou city, both men harbored the same resolve to defend this peace with their lives.
Inside Liangzhou city, the Feng family, having received the news earlier, had gathered many wealthy merchants and dignitaries in their front hall for tea.
The pretense was tea, but in reality, it was a call for voluntary donations: money for those with wealth, grain for those with provisions.
"The Northern Di have always been dishonorable. Their dealings with us are often deceitful. Last year, more than half of the horses my son brought back from the Northern Di were infected with plague, causing heavy losses to my Ma family. Hmph! This year, they dare to dream of breaking through Liangzhou city. It's pure folly! Patriarch Feng, you need not say more. My horse farm still has over four hundred well-trained steeds. I will send them to General Xiao Ji right away!" said a discerning merchant who had been running a horse farm in Liangzhou for decades. He understood the principle of interdependence, knowing that if Liangzhou fell, his own prosperity would be threatened. In recent years, it was General Xiao Ji's troops who had protected Liangzhou like an iron fortress, allowing them to live and do business in peace.
Beside him, the patriarch of the Huo family, a major grain merchant, was also deeply moved. "Half a month ago, General Xiao Ji sent someone to notify my Huo family to prepare ample grain in anticipation of the Northern Di army's arrival. I never expected it to be true. Fortunately, my Huo family's granaries are large enough. We've collected grain from over a dozen surrounding counties. Half has been sent to the military camp, and the other half has been largely sold. I estimate that every household now has sufficient grain."
"Old Huo, the price you sold your grain at was quite reasonable. But Old Zhu's oil and flour are excessive, increasing by more than thirty percent from usual. Tell me, are you profiting from the national crisis!"
The Zhu family patriarch, who had been named, was so angry he was puffing out his beard and glaring. He cursed at the Tie family patriarch, who had "accused" him, "Bah! Your Tie family is the one profiting from the national crisis! Who here doesn't know that last year's wheat harvest was poor? The current price is something I discussed with General He. I've already taken a twenty percent loss. You still find it expensive? Then don't buy it, and I won't have to worry about losing money. My old mother is still scolding me at home for being a spendthrift."
Old Madam Zhu, the matriarch of the Zhu family, had a fiery temper in her youth. Despite being a widow, she raised her children single-handedly, and all of them turned out to be successful. Some were wealthy merchants, others were upright officials. Now, her youngest son was the Tongpan in Liangzhou city, holding considerable prestige among the populace.
Thinking of her standing with her hands on her hips, yelling at the Zhu family patriarch at home, the Tie family patriarch couldn't help but chuckle.
"Alright, you are all over fifty years old, and you still bicker like this!" spoke up the elder of the Hua family, the father of the second mistress of the Feng family. The Hua family held as much prestige among Liangzhou's merchants as the Feng family. Now that he had spoken, the younger generation naturally dared not utter another word.
Feng Shan, the younger brother of Feng Hai, the patriarch of the Feng family, looked at everyone with a grave expression. The storm was brewing. General Xiao Ji had notified the Feng family first. Regardless of their personal relationship, the three iron ore mountains owned by the Feng family were enough to attract envious eyes.
When the Great Jin was founded, three ore mountains were specially granted to the Feng family as private property to reward their meritorious service. Over the years, although the imperial court was wary, the Feng family was not greedy. Each year, they contributed nearly sixty percent of their iron ore resources to the army for the forging of weapons. Otherwise, before the Feng family's reputation as a centuries-old noble clan could spread, they would have been regarded as a thorn in the side by the imperial family and dealt with. How could they have the prestige they held today?
If Liangzhou city were to fall, other merchants might still have a slim chance of survival, but the Feng family, holding the iron ore, would be in a difficult position. If they surrendered to the Northern Di to preserve their clan, the condemnation of future generations would make it impossible for the Feng family to hold their heads high. Their elder brother's family in the capital would likely also be implicated by Emperor Qi. But if they refused to surrender, it would be a path to annihilation.
With infants still at home, how could he, the patriarch, make such a decision?
Therefore, compared to others, he had no inclination for jokes.
Elder Hua beside him, seeing his contemplation, comforted him, "The Feng family has sent ten thousand dan of lamp oil to the army. Regarding the iron ore, General Xiao Ji said that four to five thousand sets of armor have already been forged. We have done all we can. If it still fails, then it is fate, and we cannot force it."
Feng Shan took a deep breath and said to Elder Hua, "Father-in-law, you are right. I was overthinking. Instead of sighing here, it is better to consider if there is anything else that is not perfect and discuss how to address it."
The other patriarchs nodded. Their livelihoods were tied to Liangzhou city. If the city stood, their families stood; if the city fell, their families perished. Even the usually stingy Tie family had contributed a significant amount of cotton this time, sending twenty thousand sets of clothing to the army, fearing that the soldiers would freeze.
The fifty thousand defending troops, along with the three thousand garrison troops of Liangzhou, were now all under General Xiao Ji's command.
No one knew when the Northern Di army would attack, only that more preparations were always better.
"When do you think the reinforcements from the capital will arrive?" the usually jovial Zhu family patriarch also asked worriedly.
Among those present, the Feng family had the closest ties to the capital, so everyone looked to Feng Shan.
"In previous years, when sending New Year's gifts to my elder brother's family, even with a relatively fast carriage journey, it took nearly two months. If a large army is on the march, it will likely take even longer."