Chapter 080: The Strange Crow of the Western Regions (2/2)

In the second month of the second year of Jian'an, Yuan Shu, believing in the talisman and mandate presented by the sorcerer Zhang Xiong, thought that he was destined by heaven, and thus proclaimed himself emperor in Shouchun, self-styling as Zhongjia.

He appointed himself as the Yin of Huainan, with the governor of Jiujiang, and established hundreds of officials and ministers.

In early March, Yuan Shu observed the imperial rituals, sacrificing to heaven and earth, and formally declared himself the solitary one and referred to others as the widowed.

Yuan Shu was a nephew of the Yuan family of Runan and a younger brother of Yuan Shao. But because he was the legitimate son, he never quite respected Yuan Shao.

The two brothers dominated the north and south, with little contact between them.

Upon learning that Yuan Shu had proclaimed himself emperor, Yuan Shao immediately expressed opposition and declared a clear boundary with Yuan Shu, with a sense of righteousness eliminating family ties.

After all, dividing a territory could still be accepted, but proclaiming himself emperor was like rebellion. The Yuan family’s four generations serving as Three Excellencies would be utterly destroyed by Yuan Shu. If Yuan Shao did not take a position, he would be abandoned by the world. Although the Han court was in decline, its fortune still remained. Although everyone harbored treacherous intentions, no one dared to be the first to step out. The principle that the first bird shot by the gun was clear to all. At this time, when Yuan Shu proclaimed himself emperor, he instantly became a rebel in the eyes of the world.

In earlier years, Cao Cao and the Yuan brothers had good relations.

Upon receiving the news of Yuan Shu's proclamation, Cao Cao immediately sent people to Shouchun to try to persuade Yuan Shu to withdraw his decision.

Cao Cao used the emperor's decree to command the feudal lords, and Yuan Shu's actions were like rebellion, so naturally Cao Cao could send troops to quell it. However, just after the defeat at Wan City, Cao Cao really did not dare to send troops at this time. Whether he could persuade Yuan Shu, Cao Cao did not know. This was merely a means for him to delay time.

Late spring, in the third month, with continuous drizzle.

For more than ten days without seeing the sky clear, the peach blossoms and apricot blossoms outside Xudu city were all blown down by the wind, scattered in a mess.

The winding main road extended wetly, spreading red and pink-white. Outside the city gates and moat, there was a scene of twisted pines, exuding a heroic air in the hazy rain.

A team of carriages came from the end of the main road, the carriage wheels grinding on the muddy ground, making creaking sounds.

As they got closer, when they reached outside the Xudu city, the gate guards came forward to block...

"Who are you?"

The leader was a one-armed young man, born quite handsome.

He dismounted from the horse, slightly bowing and saying, "We are here on the orders of the Langzhong Dian, to purchase and return."

Saying this, the one-armed young man took out a token and handed it to the guard. The token was cast from bronze, engraved with fierce tiger patterns, appearing very bold and majestic.

On the front was a 'Dian' character, and on the back was engraved 'Huben' two characters.

The gate guard looked at the inscription on the token and couldn't help but be startled.

The attitude towards the young man became much more respectful, even somewhat fawning, respectfully saying, "Please wait a moment, sir. I will go and come right away."

He took the token and walked to the gatekeeper's side, handing it over.

After the gatekeeper examined it clearly, he also quickly came over...

This time, he did not want to make things difficult for the other party, but to count the carriages and prepare to release them.

However, when he saw the carriage wheels almost sunk into the mud, he couldn't help but wonder strangely in his heart. What was loaded in the cart?

Instinctively looking over, he found that the carriages were covered with black cloth.

Thirty in total...

Dian Wei in Xudu was known for his integrity, and had no property at home. Besides one mansion in Xudu city, he only had three hundred mu of land outside the city and one fort. Buying so many things at once? Was the Langzhong Dian going to engage in business in Xudu?

"Sir, what are these on the carts? Why do they look so heavy?"

The one-armed young man smiled slightly, "Just some ordinary mountain goods."

Pff!

Can your mountain goods press the cart into this shape?

The gatekeeper muttered to himself in his heart, but did not have the courage to go check.

Everyone knew that Dian Wei was deeply trusted by Cao Cao, newly promoted to Huben Zhonglangjiang, a proper confidant of Cao Cao. Even those from aristocratic families did not receive the favor that Dian Wei did. Moreover, Dian Wei was known for his violent temper, beating with fists anyone who provoked him. Who would dare to provoke him?

Forget it, do as he pleases, it's not my concern as a small person.

Thinking of this, the gatekeeper waved his hand and prepared to release them.

The thirty carriages creaked their way into the city, and the one-armed young man took out a money bag and threw it into the wooden box at the city gate.

This box was used to collect the city gate tax.

The main purpose of the city gate tax was to increase revenue. After Cao Cao welcomed the emperor to Xudu, he repaired the capital, paid officials' salaries, and provided for the Han emperor's various needs, which cost a lot. Relying on past taxes alone could hardly balance income and expenditure.

So Cao Cao established the city gate tax, whose main targets were large-scale commercial goods.

The more goods entering and exiting, the greater the tax collected. And those small merchants were not greatly affected.

The one-armed young man paid almost twenty strings of cash. His behavior also indicated that the purpose of these thirty carts of goods was for commerce.

I don't know what was loaded inside.

People are like this, the more they don't know, the more curious they become.

The gatekeeper chatted with the young man, looking at the convoy entering the city.

Creak, creak, the carriage wheels grinding the ground, making piercing sounds. The gravel on the road, unable to withstand the weight of the vehicles, cracked and flew.

Suddenly, a carriage collapsed with a rumble.

The axle couldn't bear it anymore and suddenly broke...

The goods on the cart immediately scattered on the ground.

The gatekeeper widened his eyes because he discovered that the goods loaded on this carriage were all black stones.

"This is..."

The one-armed young man's expression changed, and he hurriedly came forward to loudly scold.

The carriage drivers hurriedly cleared the mess, and someone brought three more carriages from the carriage station outside the city gate, reloading the black stones.

"Sir, what are these?"

"This... is called dark iron stone, collected by the Langzhong Dian."

"Dark iron stone? What is it used for?"

"Of course, it's to make swords!"

The gatekeeper's expression changed again.

Making swords, this was a sensitive topic.

At this time, the world was in chaos, and Cao Cao strictly controlled salt and iron.

Dian Wei, making swords?

"This matter, you know in your heart and must not spread it."

The young man warned sternly, and the gatekeeper nodded repeatedly.

"Langzhong Dian, making swords?" However, the gatekeeper couldn't help but ask more.

The young man looked around mysteriously and whispered, "The Langzhong Dian has brought a reclusive master craftsman from Nanyang to make swords for him... According to the Langzhong Dian's instructions, it seems to have great use. You must keep your mouth shut about this matter, otherwise the Langzhong Dian will hold you accountable."

The gatekeeper was startled and nodded repeatedly.

In his heart, he secretly cursed: If you had an accident at the city gate, as I said, probably Xudu city has already spread the news by now.

"Has the Langzhong Dian bought many black stones?"

In the commercial district of Xili Xu, several literati sat by the window, whispering to each other.

This Xili Xu, in later generations, should belong to the nature of a commercial area, with many merchants and wine houses connected. The entire Xudu was divided into four districts, the eastern and southern districts adjacent to the imperial city, belonging to officials and aristocratic families, where imperial relatives and ministers lived.

Xili Xu was the commercial district, and Beili Xu was where ordinary people lived.

"Wengong, you say, what is the purpose of the Langzhong Dian buying so many black stones?"

The speaker was a literatus, dressed in green shirt, holding a fan, lightly shaking it while asking.

Looking at his age, about forty-something, white-faced, black-bearded, sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, elegant bearing and extraordinary appearance.

This person was Kong Rong, the famous literatus of Lu State.

And the person he was asking about, looking younger than Kong Rong, about thirty-something, not yet forty. He was tall and burly, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, standing out among the literati. Thick eyebrows and big eyes, bronze skin, and a short beard under his chin.

"This... I can't know?" Wengong scratched his head and smiled, answering, "Perhaps the Langzhong Dian wants to add some elegance to his family?"

"Haha, you are joking. Can a few black stones make it elegant?"

Kong Rong couldn't help but laugh, with a hint of contempt for Dian Wei in his words.

"Mr. Wenju's words are not wrong. This Dian Wei never values these things, and is known for his boldness and courage. What need is there for elegance?"

The speaker was a young scholar, about twenty-six or seven years old.

His figure was slender, slightly thin.

His face was somewhat pale, and his eyes were like stars, extremely spirited.

"Fengxiao, what do you think?" Kong Rong asked.

The handsome young man smiled upon hearing, "I am afraid that the Langzhong Dian is preparing for the duel between the two tigers in July."

Cao Cao appointed Dian Wei as the Huben Zhonglangjiang and had him organize the Huben army.

At the same time, he issued an order that the Huben army and Xu Chu's Tiger Guards should have a competition.

Everyone knew that Xu Chu's Tiger Guards were a elite force mainly composed of Xu clan members, while Dian Wei was the one who petitioned Cao Cao, determined to select elite soldiers from the Cao Wei army to organize the Huben. But in terms of combat effectiveness, Dian Wei's Huben might not lose to Xu Chu's; but since it was temporarily organized, and to compete with the Xu clan Tiger Guards who had been drinking for a long time, there seemed to be some time shortage. So many people in Xudu began to discuss who would win in four months, the Huben or the Tiger Guards.

Kong Rong smiled, "In my opinion, even if the Langzhong Dian organizes the Huben, he will not beat Xu Zhongkang."

"So, the Langzhong Dian has to make preparations."

Wen Gong was stunned for a moment, suddenly thought of something, and clapped his hands, "Could it be that the Langzhong Dian wants to make swords?"

"Making swords?"

"I read a book when I was young, saying that there are strange stones in the Western Regions, dark in color... after a hundred refinements, they can become divine weapons, able to cut iron like mud. Could the black stones that the Langzhong Dian bought be the strange black ones from the Western Regions? If he can refine a batch of good swords, Xu Zhongkang may not necessarily be his opponent..."

Kong Rong was slightly stunned, showing a contemplative look.

"Weird black stones from the Western Regions?"

The young man flashed a glint in his eyes, "But there is only four months, can Ming Jun forge divine weapons?"

Wen Gong thought about it and smiled!

"Then it must be impossible... even if there are strange black stones from the Western Regions, it is impossible to make good swords. The conditions for making a good sword are very strict. Not only material conditions, but also require the casting master to have exceptional memory. As far as I know, even if Ouyeye is reborn, it may not be possible to forge a batch of good swords in three months. In my opinion, the Langzhong Dian is desperate and has lost his composure."

The young man said, "Then if the Langzhong Dian has a high person by his side?"

"Impossible. Of the current major casters, I mostly know their names. These people are either controlled by various feudal lords or affiliated with high gates and great clans. As for Xudu, the best casters are all concentrated in the various smelteries. Even if the Langzhong Dian hires those people, it is impossible to succeed in four months."

The young man's eyes turned, and he untied the white deer skin pouch at his waist.

"Inside are three taels of gold, twenty strings of copper coins... I bet with everyone that the Langzhong Dian can forge good swords, how about it?"

Kong Rong laughed loudly, "Fengxiao, you are giving money to us."

"Wenju Gong, are you betting?"

"Bet!" Kong Rong immediately responded, "How can I not bet on money that is sure to win?"

But Wen Gong did not speak.

The young man drank a few cups of wine and then rose to take his leave.

After the young man left, Kong Rong pulled Wen Gong, "Wen Gong, are you really sure that the Langzhong Dian can't forge good swords?"

Wen Gong thought about it, "As far as I know, it is difficult to make a good sword without more than a year's time. Not to mention making a batch of good swords in four months. However, I see that Fengxiao is quite determined, but I am a bit hesitant. Wenju Gong, in these years there are many strange people and high scholars. If the Dian Wei really..."

He didn't finish, but the implication was very clear.

Kong Rong frowned slightly, murmuring to himself, "Could it be that the Langzhong Dian really invited a high person?"