Chapter 621: Inspiration

Editor: Atlas Studios

Qi Haoran was just speaking of Chen Jiacai with Fan Zijin when they received an invitation from the stockade. This time, they were going to have fun on the surface, but there were actually many things to discuss. Only by knowing one’s enemy could one be at an advantageous position. Hence, Qi Haoran had already gotten someone to check on the situation of the stockade.

Because Ji’an’s Miao stockade was in Ju Prefecture, it received the most attention from Qi Haoran. Among them, the person who received the most attention from Qi Haoran was Chen Jiacai.

Chen Jiacai was a Han Chinese, but he had grown up in the Miao stockade. Now, he had even married Ji’an’s eldest daughter, Hanlan. Ji’an trusted him very much and was even more willing to entrust him with some matters than his son, Ji’an Yong. It could be seen how much faith he had in Chen Jiacai.

“What’s interesting is that Chen Jiacai’s parents are still alive.” Qi Haoran said, “According to the information we obtained, Chen Jiacai was sold by his parents. Unable to withstand the beatings and scoldings from his new family, he escaped. While fleeing, he was saved by Ji’an and brought back to the Miao stockade. Not only did Ji’an raise him, but he also let him learn to read Chinese characters with his son. Unfortunately, Ji’an Yong wasn’t cut out for studying and barely learnt enough to not be illiterate. On the other hand, Chen Jiacai can be considered to be well-accomplished in his studies. From the age of 12, he has been giving advice to Ji’an. In the beginning, Ji’an’s Miao stockade only had more than 3,000 people and wasn’t even ranked top three in the Ju Prefecture. However, after Chen Jiacai became the Military Advisor for ten years, the number of people in Ji’an’s Miao stockade has increased by two times. Moreover, in the previous dynasty, the Miao people generally had a bad relationship with the Han Chinese as well as the Imperial Court. In comparison, located outside of Ju Prefecture, Ji’an’s Miao stockade had a somewhat decent relationship with the Imperial Court. This was largely thanks to Chen Jiacai.”

Qi Haoran praised, “After the war subsided this time, all the Miao stockades in Qiannan were weakened to varying degrees. However, most of the people in Ji’an’s Miao stockade managed to survive. Other than the soldiers who died on the battlefield, no old, weak, women, and children died from the war and hunger.”

Fan Zijin sat up straight and asked, “Where did they get the food and money?”

“Trade.” Qi Haoran said, “Chen Jiacai brought the Miao stockade people to trade with Dali. He sold their medicinal herbs and some precious gems to Dali’s merchants and bought grains and other supplies from Dali.”

“Smuggling?” Fan Zijin was very displeased. He was considered lawless and relied on Qi Xiuyuan’s influence to do business, but even he did not dare to smuggle.

However, Qi Haoran admired Chen Jiacai’s courage and strategic insight. He said, “If I didn’t ask the scouts to keep an eye on the stockade, we might not have discovered it. But even so, we only managed to mark out half of the route.”

Qi Haoran was not too angry about Chen Jiacai’s smuggling because Great Qi had just been established. Even if someone were to smuggle, they would be smuggling private property from the Great Zhou Dynasty. In such chaotic times, Qi Haoran admired him for being able to use this method to protect the people he cared about.

However, admiring him did not mean that he would continue to indulge him. Hence, Qi Haoran instructed someone to find the smuggling route and seal it.

“What do you plan to do?” Fan Zijin frowned and said, “Seeing as you cut off their source of income the moment you arrived, I’m afraid it will cause a backlash.”

Although Fan Zijin did not like Chen Jiacai, he had no choice but to look at the problem objectively. He did not want Qi Haoran to have a conflict with them now.

Qi Haoran said with a smile, “Who said I was going to cut off their source of income?”

“They can do business with other people, no? The reason why they took the risk to do business with Dali was to avoid heavy taxes and exploitation. Let’s not talk about the heavy taxes first. With me here, who would dare to exploit them? As for business taxes, the Miao and Han people currently pay the same taxes. As long as Chen Jiacai isn’t stupid, he won’t take the risk to do such a thing again.”

Fan Zijin raised his eyebrows and looked at Qi Haoran. Then, he leaned back in his chair and slowly took a sip of tea, all the while ignoring Qi Haoran who was staring at him eagerly. Qi Haoran could not help but say, “Zijin, since you’re already involved in so many businesses, why don’t you just open a few more medicinal shops?”

“Pfft.” Fan Zijin spat at him and said, “I knew you were up to no good. Do you think running a medicinal herb business is so easy? Qiannan does have many precious herbs, but you want to run a medicinal herb business with just those few herbs? Are you planning to use my money to fill the stomachs of the Miao clansmen?”

Although Fan Zijin had never been in the medicinal herb business, he knew a lot about it and more or less knew some tricks. After he quoted a few examples and analyzed the cost with Qi Haoran, the latter instantly dismissed the idea. To outsiders, he was much more petty than Fan Zijin now.

Qi Haoran said, “I only suggested it because I thought that the medicinal herb business is profitable. Since it isn’t, we won’t do it. Considering Great Qi occupies such a vast land, can’t we find someone who’s willing to buy the herbs?”

Qi Haoran originally thought that if they could control the lifeline of their business, they would be able to control the Miao stockade in the future. However, if the medicinal herb business was not profitable, they naturally could not use their own money to make up for the losses.

Qi Haoran clapped his hands and said, “I’ll get someone to investigate the medicinal herb merchants in the city later and see if I can help them find a sales route.”

Fan Zijin nodded. “There aren’t many medicinal herb merchants in the city, but it shouldn’t be a problem to find some who are willing to cooperate with the Miao stockade.”

Qi Haoran had been thinking about this question the entire time. During dinner, he also pondered it. Then, it occurred to him that the Miao people’s medicinal herbs were picked directly from the mountains, and he wondered what would happen if they finished picking them one day.

Moreover, there were too many miasma, poisonous insects, and ferocious beasts in the mountains. Now, regardless of whether it was the Han people or the Miao people, they were all citizens of Great Qi. He mustn’t let his Big Brother’s citizens die easily.

Qi Haoran was vexed. “Why do these herbs have to grow in the mountains?”

“Who said that all the medicinal herbs grow in the mountains? Aren’t there also some on the edge of the fields? There are also some fields that specially plant medicinal herbs. Little Bear is at a stage where he absorbs knowledge quickly. Don’t mislead him.” Mu Yangling answered Qi Haoran while tearing some chicken meat for Little Bear to eat.

Only then did Qi Haoran realize that he had unknowingly blurted out the question. When he heard Mu Yangling’s answer, he immediately slammed the table and laughed out loud. “That’s right. We can plant medicinal herbs of various types—such as ginseng, lingzhi, and knotweed. Won’t Zijin be able to start a medicinal herb business if there are more varieties?”

Mu Yangling asked curiously, “Zijin wants to run a medicinal herb business? Seeing as he’s so busy now, how would he have the time to think about running this business?”

“I was the one who suggested it to him.” Qi Haoran whispered his thoughts to Mu Yangling and said, “Think about it. The Miao people have always lived in poverty. The land here is barren, and it’s mostly high mountains and dense forests. Not much grain is grown here. Since those herbs can survive even in the deep mountains and old forests, we can consider planting them? When the time comes, we’ll buy the herbs after they’re harvested. It won’t be much, but it can at least make their lives a little better. Besides, it won’t take long. In two to three years, the Miao people will be relying on us. At that time, they won’t be able to disobey us.”

Mu Yangling frowned. “There are so many medicinal herb merchants in the world. As long as they successfully plant the herbs and make a name for themselves, they won’t have to worry about having no takers for their harvests. Why do they have to sell them to you?”

Qi Haoran’s excited expression froze. He tilted his head and said, “We can forbid them from selling it to others?”

Without Mu Yangling’s objection, he knew that it wouldn’t do. He wanted to be on good terms with the Miao people, not oppose them. Scratching his head, he said, “Let’s ask Zijin, the expert at doing business.”

Mu Yangling nodded.

Chapter end