Donghai Commandery, Xu Province, also known as Tancheng.
Once, during Tao Qian’s rule, this commandery served as the seat of Xu Province.
At this moment… ten miles outside the west city gate, the convoy of the Dragon Soar Camp sped to a halt. Lu Yu slowly descended from a four-horse carriage.
Just then, a group of officers quickly stepped forward, clearing a path. Immediately… from this path, four figures emerged simultaneously.
The four appeared to be around forty years old, but facing Lu Yu, they lowered their heads, assuming the posture of subordinates greeting a superior.
“Prefect of Donghai Commandery, Hou Cheng, pays his respects to the Marquis of White Horse!”
“Prefect of Langya Commandery, Wei Xu, pays his respects to the Marquis of White Horse!”
“Grand Administrator of Guangling Commandery, Song Xian, pays his respects to the Marquis of White Horse.”
“Prefect of Dongguan Commandery, Cheng Lian, pays his respects to the Marquis of White Horse!”
Four voices sounded in succession…
Lu Yu was slightly surprised, but as he looked up, he recognized them all… weren’t these four of Lu Bu’s Eight Valiant Generals from the White Gate Tower in Xiapi City?
Earlier, the knight had reported that Hou Cheng would welcome him ten miles outside the city!
Who would have thought it wasn’t just Hou Cheng, but all four of them gathered here!
Of course… this wasn’t what surprised Lu Yu the most. What astonished him was that all four had become Prefects of Xu Province!
A moment’s thought would reveal this was a case of “huddling for warmth,” and given their natures, they had likely spent quite a bit of effort to achieve this.
Lu Yu mused inwardly, if only Gao Shun and Zhang Liao weren’t still at Guandu, then all eight of Lu Bu’s Valiant Generals would have had a reunion today!
“My Lords, please rise quickly…”
Lu Yu was indeed courteous, helping up the four men one by one. “I did not expect my arrival in Donghai would cause such trouble for all four of you!”
“Marquis of White Horse, you are too kind!” Hou Cheng spoke up. “When the Marquis of White Horse sent Commander Cheng to Xiapi City, my brothers and I speculated that the Marquis of White Horse was likely already in Xu Province. We sent scouts and learned that the Marquis of White Horse was nearing Donghai. Therefore, we gathered here, firstly to escort the Marquis of White Horse, and secondly, to offer our humble strength! To assist the Marquis of White Horse in the matter of grain procurement!”
“Exactly… helping the Marquis of White Horse procure grain is helping Chancellor Cao pacify the northern territories. We are honored to be a part of this!”
Wei Xu, Song Xian, and Cheng Lian echoed his sentiments. Despite being burly warriors, their tones were exceedingly gentle and their faces full of smiles when addressing Lu Yu.
It was known that these four among Lu Bu’s Eight Valiant Generals were polar opposites to the other four.
Zhang Liao, Gao Shun, Zang Ba, and the others were straightforward, preferring action over words.
While these four, however, were more worldly and astute… veritable schemers, knowing perfectly well who to align with and who to recognize as a leader.
Previously, with their status, they could not have aspired to attach themselves to someone like Lu Yu. Now, with such an opportunity presented, they naturally wished to make a good impression.
“Then… I thank you four Prefects.” Lu Yu cupped his hands in return.
“Oh…” Hou Cheng remembered something and spoke up, “Right, the three Taixuesheng sent by the Marquis of White Horse previously have been properly accommodated… the large ships and vast ponds requested by the three Taixuesheng have also been prepared in advance according to their instructions.”
Hou Cheng paused here.
“Currently, the three Taixuesheng are unaware of the Marquis of White Horse’s arrival. They are likely still inspecting those ships and ponds… does the Marquis of White Horse require us to send someone to invite them?”
Heh…
Lu Yu’s eyes narrowed. Hou Cheng had truly excellent intelligence, not only detecting the arrival of the Dragon Soar Camp.
But also preemptively discovering the arrival of “Zhuge Liang,” Huang Xu, and He Yan, the three Taixuesheng.
Not only that, but they had also prepared the ships and ponds Lu Yu needed, demonstrating remarkable efficiency, which earned Lu Yu a favorable impression!
Of course…
The ships and large ponds mentioned here!
These were arranged by Lu Yu for “Zhuge Liang,” Huang Xu, and He Yan to prepare in advance. As for the large ponds, Lu Yu intended to use them for salt evaporation. For this purpose, he had even written down various methods of salt evaporation on paper and sent them ahead to Zhuge Jun and the others!
To have these three Taixuesheng discuss them and gain a general understanding.
In Lu Yu’s opinion, these three were the most “dexterous” among the Taixuesheng.
The most crucial factors were their persistence, their dedication to research, and their proficiency in the crafts related to “Various Craftsmen.”
From the wood-carved horse-drawn vehicles, trebuchets, Zhuge repeating crossbows, and white phosphorus seen previously, one could discern some of their capabilities.
To Lu Yu, these qualities were even more precious than the bravery of Cao Ang, Xiahou Ba, and others!
Of course…
Salt was not unfamiliar in the Han Dynasty, but due to the prevalent methods of extraction such as “boiling seawater salt” or the “well salt method,” most of the salt produced was coarse. There was even poisonous salt from Longxi!
Not to mention the low quality, the key issue was the high price!
It consumed a large amount of firewood and labor!
The method Lu Yu had written on paper was one that began in the Northern Song Dynasty and was only fully perfected by the late Qing Dynasty – the sun-evaporation salt method.
Simply put, it involved filtering seawater through sun-dried beach mud and sand to produce brine with high salt content, then storing this brine in ponds to evaporate and crystallize into salt under sunlight.
Of course, while it sounded simple, each step, such as… seawater needing to be sun-dried twice, once for the evaporation pond and once for the crystallization pond!
There were also… minor designs within the evaporation and crystallization ponds, concentration, saturation, and the quality of sea salt crystals all required repeated experimentation and refinement!
This was precisely where Zhuge Jun, Huang Xu, and He Yan excelled!
As for… the ships?
Lu Yu had asked “Zhuge Liang” and the others to arrange for a large ship and recruit nearby fishermen… because he intended to undertake a significant endeavor!
He hadn’t expected Hou Cheng and the others to be so perceptive and have already made arrangements.
“No need to inform them. Since the ships and ponds have been prepared by you four Prefects, then… let’s not delay. We shall head directly to the seaside!” Lu Yu commanded. “And let my three unworthy Taixuesheng go to the seaside as well!”
This…
Hou Cheng, Wei Xu, Cheng Lian, and Song Xian exchanged glances. “We had also prepared a banquet for the Marquis of White Horse to welcome him! This…”
“We can forgo the banquet for now,” Lu Yu waved his hand. “The urgent matter is to resolve the issue of dry rations for the six hundred thousand soldiers at Guandu! Their hunger is more important than our banquet!”
Uh… Hou Cheng paused for a moment upon hearing this.
“The Marquis of White Horse speaks the truth, but… our reserves in Donghai are not plentiful. Six hundred thousand people’s provisions… how much reserve is needed? Donghai, besides being by the sea, seems…”
Before Hou Cheng could finish speaking, Lu Yu interrupted directly. “Being by the sea is enough…”
He blinked his eyes. “Just as one lives off the mountains when by the mountains, one can naturally live off the sea when by the sea!”
Speaking of which…
Lu Yu thought of the abundant marine resources. Although shipbuilding and fishing were not yet developed in this era, the concept of deep-sea fishing was practically impossible. However… near-shore fishing was achievable.
Furthermore, there were no maritime prohibitions during the Han Dynasty. Therefore… many fishermen relied on the sea for their livelihood, and they possessed rich fishing experience!
And these were the foundations for “undertaking a grand endeavor” to resolve Cao Cao’s pressing issue!
With this thought, Lu Yu directly boarded the four-horse carriage.
“Lead the way ahead!”
As these words were spoken…
Hou Cheng, Wei Xu, Cheng Lian, and Song Xian exchanged glances again, as if their eyes held a meaningful depth.
It was Song Xian who couldn’t hold back.
Seeing Lu Yu board the carriage…
He muttered softly, “Will our dealings be discovered by the Marquis of White Horse?”
Upon hearing this…
“Shh,” Hou Cheng immediately raised a finger. “If you don’t say, and I don’t say… how will the Marquis of White Horse find out?”
Uh… this…
Wei Xu, Cheng Lian, and Song Xian all fell silent, but they couldn’t shake off a vague sense of foreboding.
Hou Cheng continued to reassure them, “The Marquis of White Horse is here to procure grain, not to oppose us brothers. We just need to serve him well… once he leaves, the coast of Xu Province will still be our money tree!”
With that said…
Hou Cheng turned around, his face splitting into a smile as he mounted his horse.
“Brothers of the Dragon Soar Camp, follow me… follow me!”
“Brothers of the Dragon Soar Camp, are you all thirsty? We have water and wine prepared here. Let’s wet our throats before continuing our journey!”
Throughout history…
Those who smile the brightest are often the most insidious!
…
…
Guandu, Cao’s camp, the central military tent.
Gu Shao</span> A fast horse swiftly arrived. The armored guards on horseback dismounted and quickly entered the tent.
At this moment, Cao Cao was seated at his desk. Before him were Xun You, Jia Xu, and Xi Zhicai, discussing Yuan Shao’s troop mobilization.
They had just concluded that Yuan Shao’s movements indicated his southward destination would inevitably be Cangting, or Pingqiu!
Using Pingqiu as a springboard, he would bypass Guandu and directly attack Chenliu, thereby advancing towards Xudu!
Logically, Cao Cao’s response would be simple: deploy troops at Cangting for a direct confrontation!
Currently, Cao Cao held a distinct advantage in troop numbers. Opening multiple battlefronts would be even more disadvantageous for Yuan Shao…
However…
Grain… it was always grain!
Yuan Shao was currently holding his position, but both Cao Cao and Xun You, Jia Xu, and Xi Zhicai knew that Yuan Shao was waiting… waiting for the grain reserves at Guandu to be depleted!
Six hundred thousand troops, six hundred thousand mouths, the daily consumption of grain was terrifyingly immense!
Yuan Shao was confident that Cao Cao’s grain reserves would not last much longer!
And Cao’s army’s lack of grain was almost a universally known secret.
Yuan Shao undoubtedly knew this, and he intended to wait for the moment Cao’s army ran out of provisions before advancing south from Cangting, leaving Cao’s army unstoppable and unhindered!
Yuan Shao’s current actions were undeniably calculated!
This was his last remaining strength, his final stubborn defiance. Yuan Shao dared not be careless!
“Reporting to Chancellor Cao, urgent dispatch from Xiapi City, Xu Province…”
At this moment, the armored guards bowed before Cao Cao…
“Does it concern Minister Lu?” Cao Cao appeared anxious. Lu Yu’s procurement of grain in Xu Province was of immense importance.
One could say… for the decisive battle between Cao and Yuan, victory or defeat?
Whether Cao Cao would launch a northern expedition to annihilate the Yuan clan, or whether Yuan Shao would rebound and deliver another fatal blow to Cao Cao, the key lay not with Cao Cao himself, but in Xu Province, and in the quantity of grain Lu Yu procured.
It was for this very reason that Cao Cao was extremely eager for every urgent report from Xu Province, and every update on Lu Yu’s movements.
“Reporting to Chancellor Cao, Minister Lu is not in Xiapi City,” the armored guard reported truthfully. “However, he dispatched the Dragon Soar Camp’s Military Commander Cheng Yu to Xiapi to meet with the Governor of Xu Province, Chen Deng!”
Hmm…
Lu Yu went to Xu Province? Didn’t he go to Xiapi, the seat of Xu Province, first? Cao Cao was slightly surprised.
But… before he could ponder further, the armored guard’s words continued.
“It seems that Minister Lu instructed Commander Cheng to collaborate with Governor Chen to sell the ‘Han Dynasty Welfare Lottery.’ Every citizen can spend one jin of grain to choose seven numbers. If all seven numbers match, they win the grand prize of ten thousand jin of grain!”
The armored guard detailed the rules of the ‘Han Dynasty Welfare Lottery.’
Hoo…
As the armored guard spoke, the entire central military tent fell silent.
One jin of grain? Exchanged for ten thousand jin of grain?
This… wasn’t this a huge loss!
Instinctively, everyone thought this, but then… they reconsidered. No, there was a trick here. Everyone gathered in the central military tent was exceptionally intelligent!
With a little thought, they could realize that to select all seven numbers correctly, and in order, was something that not one, but a hundred, a thousand, or even ten thousand tickets might not achieve. The element of chance was too great!
Then…
Xi Zhicai’s eyes flickered rapidly. Such a simple logic, as soon as they thought about it, they understood. While ordinary people might not think that far ahead, faced with such novelty, they should be cautious, right? How would they dare to try?
“What is the sales volume?” Cao Cao asked the question that concerned everyone.
“On the first day, only five hundred jin of grain!”
Hoo… everyone let out a soft sigh, seemingly finding it within reason.
Who would have thought, before everyone could speak, the armored guard’s next sentence was earth-shattering. “However… even though only five hundred jin of grain was sold on the first day, there was one winner who earned ten thousand jin of grain. On the second day, the number of buyers surged, exceeding thirty thousand, and the grain exceeded two hundred thousand jin! In the end, there was only one winner.”
“On the third day, the public’s enthusiasm did not wane… in fact, even more people purchased lottery tickets. On this single day, over three hundred thousand jin of grain was sold, with three winners! When I returned from Xiapi City on the fourth day, even in the early morning, long queues formed at all lottery ticket outlets, more enthusiastic than the previous three days, with large numbers of people flocking from surrounding commanderies and counties to participate!”
This…
The armored guard’s voice was loud enough for everyone in the tent to hear clearly.
But… for four consecutive days, from losing ten thousand jin of grain on the first day, to netting nineteen thousand jin of grain the next day, to netting twenty-seven thousand jin of grain on the third day, the speed at which grain was acquired… was terrifying!
Of course… this was not the most astonishing thing. What shocked Cao Cao, Xi Zhicai, Xun You, and Jia Xu the most was – the eagerness of the common people. What were they seeking?
Hoo…
Long sighs echoed throughout the tent, and everyone fell into deep thought.
Jia Xu smacked his lips, his eyes constantly rolling, and finally, he shook his head repeatedly, lamenting, “Chancellor Cao… I seem to understand Minister Lu’s scheme this time!”
As Jia Xu spoke.
Everyone’s gaze turned to him…
Jia Xu said softly, “The lottery that the common people are flocking to, in essence, sells the human heart, the desire of every buyer to win.”
“On the first day, although not many lottery tickets were sold, there was a winner, and someone went from penniless to affluent. This… would plant a seed in the hearts of every commoner. One jin of grain is too insignificant for the people of Xu Province, the ‘granary of the empire.’ The seed planted in every commoner’s heart would continuously sprout, continuously fantasize, and continuously give rise to the hope of sudden wealth!”
At this point, Jia Xu paused. “All of this is merely a ‘trap’ meticulously prepared by Minister Lu, only this ‘trap’ appears too beautiful and too delicious on the outside. The poor… or rather, the common people at the bottom, are willing to pay a negligible jin of grain for a fleeting hope! This is likely Minister Lu’s business acumen!”
As these words were spoken…
Cao Cao’s eyes revealed a look of realization.
He had never done business, so naturally, he didn’t understand this so-called “business acumen”!
However, Jia Xu had explained it in sufficient detail, and it was clear enough for Cao Cao to understand.
“Haha…”
He immediately burst into laughter. “So… all of this is Minister Lu’s calculation! However…”
Suddenly, Cao Cao’s laughter abruptly stopped.
“Such grain procurement? Procuring grain from the common people? The speed might not be very fast, right?”
It wasn’t that Cao Cao said this unreasonably…
Xu Province, and indeed the Han Dynasty, still followed the terrible “two-eight law.” Eighty percent of the grain in the entire empire was held by twenty percent of the people.
Even, without exaggeration, ninety percent of the grain in Xu Province was held by the powerful clans or wealthy merchants!
This Han Dynasty Welfare Lottery, earning grain from the common people, although not a bad method, was limited in quantity. Even if it were promoted and implemented throughout Xu Province, how could it procure enough grain for six hundred thousand soldiers for two to three years of northern expeditions?
“Chancellor Cao, do not overthink…” Jia Xu waved his hand slightly, comforting him. “Perhaps what we are seeing now is merely what Minister Lu wants us to see!”
“Minister Lu has always acted unconventionally and often finds opportunities in desperate situations… if his thoughts were so easily deciphered by us, would he still be worthy of being called the Hidden Dragon?”
Heh…
To be honest, Jia Xu’s words were truly pleasing to Cao Cao!
Which father wouldn’t like others to praise his son? This was even more gratifying than praising himself.
Yes…
Yu’er had never disappointed him in his actions. This was just the beginning… perhaps the real show was yet to come!
With this thought…
Cao Cao asked, “Where is Minister Lu? Where has he gone now?”
“Donghai!” The armored guard blurted out. “Two days ago, Minister Lu arrived at Donghai Commandery, Xu Province. It seems… Minister Lu intends to go out to sea!”
Go out to sea?
As soon as these words were spoken, Cao Cao’s eyes narrowed. Yu’er… why would he go out to sea? Could it be for fishing?
This seemed a bit…
Cao Cao shook his head slightly. Setting aside how much fish could be caught? How could it possibly be enough for six hundred thousand troops?
Even if enough fish were caught, could… could fish be preserved?
Let alone the two to three years of provisions needed for the northern expedition, even… transporting fish from Donghai to Guandu, how long could it remain fresh? In such hot weather, it would likely spoil!
This…
This…
For a moment, Cao Cao couldn’t understand why Yu’er was going to sea? What was his objective?
…
…