“Brother Fan, this is Yingsuo River.
In the twelfth month of the first year of Xianqing, the Tang Army once fought with Turkic cavalry here.
The Front Army Commander-in-Chief, Su Dingfang, personally led five hundred cavalry to charge forward and attack, defeating over forty thousand enemy troops, killing or capturing over fifteen hundred people, and seizing countless horses and weapons.
Magnificent!
Tang Dynasty's might extends for ten thousand li!”
A young scholar in a green robe spoke and laughed loudly with a similarly young merchant, as if no one else was around.
His demeanor was like that of Gongjin in his prime, only lacking a feather Fan.
This person's surname is Liu and given name Haogu.
He is a xiucai of the Great Ming Dynasty.
His grandfather was Liu Minkuan, who participated in the 'Three Victories at Huangzhong' and rose to the rank of Hong Chengchou, Governor-General of the Three Borders of the Great Ming Dynasty.
Liu Haogu's heroic spirit was inherited from his grandfather.
Back then, his grandfather went to Yulin to patrol the border and, remembering the iron horses and golden spears of the past, composed the poem 'Zhenbeitai', saying: 'The heavy garrison opens with autumn sounds and clear colors, the patrol is not for ascending the tower.
A thousand mountains stretch far towards the clouds, one river still comes from the desert.
The garrison tower is towering, near the heavenly palace, the border wall winds around, returning the earth's dimension.
Looking far from the heights, the wolf smoke is quelled, it is as if wandering freely, leaning against the Langyuan.'
That spirit was just like his today.
The accompanying merchant was not old, but looked mature with dark skin, likely due to years of traveling and doing business in various places, exposed to the wind.
Fine wrinkles had even appeared at the corners of his eyes.
He wore ordinary fur coats and hats, appearing unremarkable.
But the occasional flash of shrewdness in his eyes showed that this person was extraordinary.
He was called Fan Yongdou, his ancestral home was Jixiu, Shanxi.
The Jiexiu Fan Clan had been merchants for generations.
As early as the beginning of the Great Ming Dynasty, their family did business in Zhangjiakou and the Mongol region.
By the time of Fan Yongdou, it was the seventh generation.
Because of their good reputation, the Fan clan had become a major wealthy merchant group in the Zhangjiakou region for trade with the Manchu and Mongol.
People at the time said of them, 'They trade in the border city, renowned for their trustworthiness and integrity.'
In these times, doing business in the Great Ming Dynasty required having connections above, otherwise, one could not grow large.
The Fan clan deeply understood this principle, befriended powerful figures, and constructed a dense network of protection.
Liu Haogu's ancestral home was also Shanxi, and his grandfather was once the Governor-General of the Three Borders of the Great Ming, naturally making him an object of the Jiexiu Fan Clan's efforts to win over.
In recent years, the Fan clan's business had been somewhat unfavorable.
Their former major client, Nurhaci of Jianzhou, for some unknown reason, suddenly rebelled against the Qing Dynasty.
Not only did he establish something called the Jin Dynasty, but he also raised an army against the Ming Dynasty based on the Seven Great Grievances.
Most surprisingly, he repeatedly defeated government troops and plundered Eastern Liaoning like a tiger.
The Qing Dynasty placed him on a blacklist, imposing an embargo on various strategic materials such as ironware and grain.
The old Fan family's business in Eastern Liaoning was affected.
Although they could still engage in smuggling through bribing officials, the cost and risk of doing business had increased significantly.
To compensate for the losses in Eastern Liaoning, there was an urgent need to expand trade with the Mongol and open new trade routes.
Fan Yongdou turned his gaze towards the Oirat, wanting to visit Tarbahatai, the trade center of the Oirat.
He and Liu Haogu were good friends.
During the time Liu Haogu's grandfather served as Garrison Commander of West Ning, his father had taken him to visit the Khalkha and Oirat tribes, so he volunteered to be the guide.
“This Yingsuo River is indeed magnificent.
I did not expect the Mongol Huit local chief to actually farm and build a city here.
Young Master, look, they even planted this thing,” Fan Yongdou said with interest, pointing at the melons in the melon field and laughing.
“It is said this melon comes from Hami, named ‘Qionglong’.
I didn't expect the Mongols to introduce its cultivation here at Yingsuo River.
How interesting, how interesting!”
Liu Haogu frowned.
“This city, as well as these farmland, vegetables, and fruits, have only appeared in recent years.
The Huit Tribe is unlike other tribes that move according to water and grass; instead, they are semi-nomadic and semi-settled.
Their ambition is not small, and in the long run, they might become a problem for China.”
As the two spoke, they entered the city.
Although the city was not large, there were many traveling merchants coming and going, as well as many craftsmen forging and selling various daily necessities, making them secretly marvel.
South of the city was a long row of wooden houses, surrounded by a wall with watchtowers at the four corners.
It occupied a considerable area, with a large shooting range in the middle.
This was where the Huit Tribe had set up their weapons workshop in Yingsuo River City of Da Yu Leidus County.
A child of eight or nine, followed by over ten attendants, walked in.
Seeing it was him, Buyechuke, the Uruut (the official responsible for managing blacksmiths and weapon production), bowed and walked in.
“Taiji, you have come,” a peach-blossom-like smile appeared between his eyebrows and eyes.
“Mm, how is the forging of weapons and armor progressing?”
The child's voice carried a maturity inconsistent with his age.
This child was Sultan, the young master of the Huit Tribe.
“Reporting to you, since the Great Taiji brought back quite a few blacksmiths from Yarkand, the weapon output has increased significantly.
Currently, the monthly output is one hundred sets of armor, three hundred swords, three hundred shields, one thousand spears, three hundred lances, and three hundred bows.”
“Not bad,” the child smiled slightly, raising an eyebrow.
“What about firearms?”
“Reporting, Taiji, this workshop is currently unable to manufacture cannons, and can only produce seven muskets per month, all of which are local muskets that cannot shoot far.”
“I heard that the country of Rumi (Ottoman Turkey) is rich in musket-like firearms, which are very effective.
Many craftsmen in Bukhara know how to manufacture them.
Why not send people to Bukhara to invite some craftsmen?” the child said after thinking for a moment.
“Yes, Your servant will send people to Bukhara immediately,” Buyechuke said humbly.
“Mm,” Sultan nodded in satisfaction, then inspected the arsenal again before leaving to walk around the marketplace.
In the marketplace, he met two people, two Han: Fan Yongdou and Liu Haogu.
“Oh?
Han,” the little fellow chuckled.
Fan Yongdou had traveled extensively and was knowledgeable.
As soon as he saw the child's entourage, he knew he was the son of a powerful and influential family.
Since commoners do not contend with officials, he immediately smiled at him in a friendly manner.
“Insolent brat!”
Liu Haogu, however, was angered by the little fellow's presumptuous laughter.
He composed a couplet to satirize him, saying: “The silkworm is the insect of the world,” implying, do not be complacent, even if your ancestors' power shakes the world, you are still just an insect.
“The swan is a bird by the river,” the little fellow's counterattack came instantly.
Even if you are a swan, you are still just a bird by the river.
“Oh?
Barbarians also know how to compose couplets?”
Liu Haogu was greatly surprised.
“How about trying another couplet?”
“If I cannot match it, I am willing to offer one hundred swift horses to Grand Secretary; if I can match it, what about Grand Secretary?” the child asked slyly.
“What do you want?” Liu Haogu asked back indifferently.
“If I can match it, please ask Grand Secretary to stay at Yingsuo River for three years and accept me as a disciple.”
“This...” Liu Haogu hesitated slightly.
The child's tone was very dismissive.
“What, is Grand Secretary afraid?”
After all, being young and spirited, Liu Haogu felt that being afraid of a child was too humiliating.
Alright then, I'll just give him a difficult couplet to stump him.
“You, child, do not provoke me.
Listen carefully.
“Zou Mengzi, Wu Mengzi, Eunuch Mengzi, one male, one female, one neither male nor female.”
“Hiss~”
After listening, Sultan took a sharp breath.
This first line is too difficult!
Zou Mengzi refers to Mencius, a male; Wu Mengzi is the wife of Duke Zhao of Lu, a female; Eunuch Mengzi is the author of 'Xiaoya · Xiangbo' in the Book of Poetry, a palace eunuch, neither male nor female.
Three famous people, three sexes.
Must find figures with three different relationships to match it!
The little fellow thought for a long time, pondering in silence.
“Don't rush, little one, think slowly,” Liu Haogu suddenly felt a little ashamed.
Giving such a difficult couplet to such a young child felt like an unfair victory for himself.
“Grand Secretary, I have it,” Sultan's face broke into a bright smile, and he replied loudly: “Zhou Xuanwang, Qi Xuanwang, Sima Xuanwang, one a ruler, one a minister, one neither ruler nor minister.”
Zhou Xuanwang was the Lord of the Zhou Dynasty, a ruler; Qi Xuanwang was a feudal lord of the Zhou Dynasty, a minister; Sima Xuanwang refers to Sima Yi, who was posthumously titled King Xuan during the Cao Wei period, and Emperor Xuan during the Jin Dynasty period, hence it is said: neither ruler nor minister.
“Oh my, this young master is so intelligent!” Fan Yongdou praised repeatedly.
He felt that a child so proficient in Han studies must be the son of a noble, and he developed a desire to befriend him.
“Please follow me to the Taiji's residence, to formally perform the ceremony of acknowledging me as a disciple,” Sultan put away his naughtiness from just now and said respectfully.
“Hmph, rest assured, you are a disciple of a sage, and I shall naturally keep my word and teach you for three years,” Liu Haogu said in a deep voice, but he was muttering to himself, this child wants to become a disciple at the local chief's residence, so he must be the son of the local chief.
This local chief here, proficient in Chinese, is not to be underestimated!