Chapter 57: Because—She’s Entering the Game!

Chapter 57 Because—She Wants to Join the Game!

The royal tent was still in deliberation, but Jiang Congyan was in no rush. She asked A Mao to call Gan Luo over.

Gan Luo was one of her managers and an old retainer of the prince's household, having always been by her side, but she was somewhat different from Ruo Lan.

Ruo Lan couldn't bear to part with her. Over the years, she mainly took care of Jiang Congyan's health and daily needs within the household, occasionally managing external affairs, assisting with inspections, and conveying orders, but she didn't handle specific tasks. Gan Luo had also been by her side before. A few years ago, when Jiang Congyan established workshops and opened shops, she sent Gan Luo out to gain experience. After several years of training, Gan Luo had gained a lot of expertise, becoming efficient and detail-oriented. Now, she was one of Jiang Congyan's key managers.

The other managers were scattered across various regions, but Gan Luo happened to be in Chang'an at the time and volunteered to accompany Jiang Congyan on the journey north. Jiang Congyan indeed needed someone to oversee the workshops, so she agreed to Gan Luo's decision.

Throughout the arduous journey from Chang'an, Gan Luo had always kept her subordinates in line, never stirring up trouble, and was self-sufficient, barely noticeable. It wasn't until a few days ago when they arrived at the royal court and settled in that she stayed here daily, maintaining tools and mapping out potential industries. To outsiders, she seemed like just an insignificant servant.

Jiang Congyan didn't need many people to attend to her daily life—a handful sufficed. Besides, there were palace maids and eunuchs assigned by the court who could handle miscellaneous tasks. With dozens of servants, it was natural to make good use of them.

"My lady, you called for me?"

Outside the tent, a young woman around thirty years old entered.

She wore a green knee-length narrow-sleeved shirt paired with black pleated pants, her hair neatly tied up and wrapped in a headscarf, giving her a very efficient appearance.

Gan Luo had delicate features, with slightly high eyebrows that gave her a serious demeanor, but her eyes softened when she saw Jiang Congyan.

"Yes, sit down first."

Jiang Congyan had A Fei bring paper and pens from the study, spread them on the table, and picked up a brush. She roughly sketched out three locations she thought were suitable, marking the areas she had visited that day and noting who lived in each place.

"...I think these three locations are all worth considering, but I'd like to hear your opinion. You can also go and see for yourself which place is more suitable for building a workshop. You can decide then, as you're more familiar with the practical operations than I am."

Jiang Congyan explained the pros and cons of each location and waited for Gan Luo to make a choice.

After listening, Gan Luo said, "My lady, you're not just planning to develop the sugar industry in the future, are you?"

Jiang Congyan looked at her for a moment, then suddenly smiled. "You really understand me."

Gan Luo also smiled. "Then there are only two choices left."

"Not necessarily."

Gan Luo: "Hmm?"

"Perhaps... I want them all!"

Gan Luo was stunned for a moment. Jiang Congyan blinked at her: "You have the priority to choose now. Make sure to pick the one you like. You won't get this chance again in the future."

Gan Luo conceded, looking at Jiang Congyan with admiration. "Then I thank you, my lady, for giving me this opportunity. I will choose carefully."

Jiang Congyan continued, "The industry is just starting now. It will take time to purchase raw materials like glutinous rice and wheat from the Central Plains, so you won't be too busy for a while. But once we expand, we'll definitely need more hands. I have a preliminary idea: we should hire some Xianbei people to work in the workshops. But we need to carefully consider how to balance and manage our relationship with them."

"And communication is crucial."

Hearing this, Gan Luo also lowered her head helplessly and sighed.

None of them were prodigies. How could they easily learn a foreign language? Especially since the Xianbei language had no written form, relying solely on memory would tie their brains in knots.

Seeing her dejected, Jiang Congyan comforted her: "Don't worry. Language is learned through speaking. As long as you communicate more with the locals, you'll pick it up quickly. There's no rush."

Even if two people couldn't understand each other's language at all, they could still communicate roughly through expressions and body language, though complex matters might be difficult to handle.

Hearing this, Gan Luo made up her mind to learn the Xianbei language as soon as possible. Otherwise, communication breakdowns and conflicts would be troublesome.

Rest assured, I will take care of the matters you’ve entrusted to me.

Jiang Congyan shook her head. "I’m telling you this to prepare you in advance, but it’s still too soon."

She couldn’t dive into managing everything at once; things must be handled gradually, step by step.

She knew the Xianbei people were watching her, analyzing the motives behind her every action, wondering if this Han Princess had ulterior motives.

She wasn’t afraid of their scrutiny; in fact, she feared they might not watch closely enough to see whether her actions were for the good or harm of the Xianbei.

After Gan Luo left, Jiang Congyan went to the study, stood before the bookshelves, scanned the categories, and selected a book on agriculture.

——

In the royal tent, Tuo Baxiao sat on the eagle-headed throne, observing the dozen or so people who had entered, now nearly in chaos.

"King, half the wheat seedlings have died, and the rest won’t survive either. We shouldn’t farm like the Han. We Xianbei have never farmed; herding and hunting are our strengths. I say we should uproot the rest and return the land to grassland. The Tumochuan has such rich water and grass, it could sustain hundreds of thousands of cattle and sheep. We shouldn’t waste such good land."

"Duan Muqi is correct, King. We’ve already lost a spring," He Rangan added. "If we uproot the wheat now and restore the land, we can resume herding sheep."

"Yes, herding is what we’re meant to do."

"What’s the use of farming? We’ve gained nothing from it!"

Everyone spoke at once, but the consensus was clear: farming wasn’t for the Xianbei, and returning to grassland was the better choice.

Tuo Baxiao sat on the throne, silent, allowing them to voice their opinions freely.

He reclined in his chair, one hand resting casually on the armrest, the other supporting his head, his long legs stretched out. His face was impassive, showing no emotion, the high arch of his brows casting a faint shadow over his eyes, giving him a somber appearance. Yet his green eyes seemed to fix vaguely on a point, exuding an air of indifference and boredom.

This matter had been reported to him upon his return. He hadn’t addressed it immediately, and now it was raised again, clearly demanding his decision.

After much debate, seeing the King’s silence, a man in his forties, evidently respected, finally stepped forward. "King, we all agree that farming should cease. We should return to herding in Tumochuan, as before."

Tuo Baxiao didn’t respond.

The man’s tone grew more urgent, "King, farming squanders such fertile land and so much labor. From spring until now, we’ve gained nothing. Even if we wait until autumn, the wheat will have perished, and what will we have achieved?"

"The Han excel at farming; we Xianbei excel at herding and hunting. We should stick to what we do best. For centuries, we Xianbei have thrived on herding and hunting. Everyone is accustomed to this way of life. Sudden change won’t succeed."

His argument was logical and aligned with everyone’s understanding. The people below nodded in agreement.

Seeing this, Tuo Baxiao finally raised his brows, "Do you all agree with Chancellor that the Xianbei should herd, not farm?"

Seeing that his expression hadn’t changed much, but there was a chill in his aura, they hesitated, looked at each other, saw the same thoughts on each other’s faces, and finally mustered the courage to nod. "Yes, King, we believe Chancellor is right. Herding is more suitable for the Xianbei."

They spoke as one. Tuo Baxiao’s thick brows furrowed slightly, his gaze sharpening.

"I don’t think so."

At this moment, a completely different voice stood out among the dozen or so people.

He stepped forward and said to Tuo Baxiao, "King, I believe we should continue farming."

This man also looked quite young, only in his twenties. His hair wasn’t braided but tied up with a hair crown. He was tall and straight but not overly muscular. Although dressed in Xianbei attire, his every move carried the demeanor of a Han scholar. If not for his distinctly different eye color and high nose and deep-set eyes, one might mistake him for a Han at first glance.

Seeing it was him who spoke, everyone frowned. "Tuo Bahuai, have you truly come to see yourself as a Han after a few years in the Central Plains?"

Tuo Bahuai wasn't upset by the comments and calmly looked at them. "Of course, I haven't forgotten that I am a Xianbei person, but I believe the King's decision is correct."

After saying this, he stopped arguing with the others and instead earnestly addressed Tuo Baxiao. "My King, I am willing to handle this issue."

"King, we're just not cut out for farming and should revert to pastures," the others retorted persistently.

Tuo Baxiao waited until they finished arguing before finally sitting up straight, ignoring others, and only looking at Tuo Bahuai. "Are you sure you can fix the wheat seedling problem?"

"King!"

Tuo Baxiao just gave a stern look, and everyone instinctively fell silent, unable to voice any rebuttals.

"I've made up my mind, no more arguments," he said in a calm tone, yet with an inherent authority, his gaze falling back on Tuo Bahuai.

Tuo Bahuai was very confident: "If the King lets me take those Han craftsmen, I can certainly handle it."

Tuo Baxiao thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

"I order you to take care of the wheat seedlings, ensuring the survival of the remaining ones. The farmland must not be altered."

"Yes, I will definitely carry out the King's orders," Tuo Bahuai said, placing his hand on his chest and bowing his head, his voice firm and resolute.

Having made the decision, we can't afford to delay farming matters; every day wasted means more wheat seedlings dying. Tuo Bahuai immediately left the royal tent and headed towards the craftsmen's location.

He thought it would be easy to gather some workers, but he didn't expect these Han people to dare refuse him.

"Are you saying... I don't have the authority to order you around?"

"These craftsmen were part of the deal with the Emperor of Liang, and now they belong to the Xianbei. Are you defying the King's command?" Tuo Bahuai scrutinized Wen Yu, narrowing his deep brown eyes, inadvertently revealing a hint of danger, then reminded, "Remember, you're standing on Xianbei royal ground now."

So you have no right to resist.

Wen Yu seemed not to notice his hostile tone, still maintaining a respectful and gentle demeanor, explaining kindly, "Sir, there's been a misunderstanding, we're not defying the King's orders."

"So I was mistaken?" Tuo Bahuai glanced sideways.

Wen Yu smiled, "Indeed, it was a misunderstanding."

"If the King needs these craftsmen now, they should of course help out, but it is necessary to inform the princess."

Tuo Bahuai cast a suspicious look at him.

Wen Yu continued, "Sir, you may not know, these craftsmen came with the princess's dowry, and the King promised our princess she could handle her own dowry. Therefore, they are actually the princess's private property. The princess and the King are one, so of course, we should serve the King, but using these people should also be cleared with the princess."

Tuo Bahuai's face stiffened slightly, murmuring, "I had no idea these craftsmen came with the princess's dowry."

Seeing his doubt, Wen Yu immediately turned and fetched an official document from his tent, slowly unfolding it before him.

"Sir, please look, this is the official document from Liang."

At this point, thanks to the Emperor of Liang's desire to save face.

Because Tuo Baxiao had many demands, wanting to marry the princess, send craftsmen, and open trade, Liang was practically acting like a vassal state paying tribute. To save face, the Emperor of Liang counted the craftsmen as part of Jiang Congyan's dowry.

Although he knew this was just a facade, and the craftsmen were actually to satisfy Tuo Baxiao's ambitions, his official statement was, "The Xianbei King specially came to Chang'an to seek the princess's hand, and Liang is on good terms with him, marrying the princess with generous gifts." This way, it softened the blow of the marriage alliance's bad reputation.

Written thus in the annals of history, a hundred or a thousand years later, future generations wouldn't be able to dig up the truth.

Tuo Bahuai looked at the official document; he could read Chinese characters and indeed saw the words "with craftsmen as part of the dowry."

So, he can't command these craftsmen now?

He couldn't help but twitch at his temple, clenching his fists tightly, struggling to suppress the anger in his chest.

At the same time, he cursed inwardly, the damn emperor was a total hypocrite. He made himself look good, but it only caused him more trouble!

Tuoba Huai gritted his teeth and said to Wen Yu, "Since that's the case, allow me to return and report to the king."

Wen Yu stayed polite, nodding in agreement, and politely escorted him out.

As soon as the person left, Wen Yu immediately summoned his attendant, briefed him on what had just happened, and instructed him to report to the princess immediately.

The craftsmen were stationed in a remote area outside the royal court. Tuoba Huai went to the royal tent to find Tuoba Xiao, while Wen Yu's man came to find Jiang Congyan, both arriving almost simultaneously.

Jiang Congyan was not surprised by what the messenger said.

Tuoba Xiao aimed to develop agriculture, and the craftsmen from Liang State were skilled in farming, so of course he would use them, but the one chosen was... Tuoba Huai?

But aside from him, no one else seemed suitable.

Tuoba Huai was a pure-blooded Xianbei and a member of the Xianbei royal family, but his background was very complicated.

His grandfather, Tuoba Suomo, was the brother of Tuoba Xiao's grandfather, Tuoba Meigu. Suomo was once the most favored prince of the previous Xianbei King, but unfortunately, he was killed by his uncle, Tuoba Qiong. After Tuoba Qiong took the throne, he ruled with cruelty and bloodlust. Tuoba Huai's father, Tuoba Yu, was forced to flee, and Tuoba Huai had wandered the Central Plains since childhood, living in Han society for a long time, naturally learning Han culture, and only returned to the Xianbei royal court at the age of eighteen.

He was among the few in the Xianbei court who were well-versed in Han culture, able to grasp Tuoba Xiao's intentions and the reasoning behind his actions. Later, he seemed to support Tuoba Xiao's reforms, but historical records on this are scarce, leaving it as speculation.

The Xianbei valued bloodline, but unlike the Central Plains dynasties, they didn't idolize their royals. For them, whoever had more soldiers and was the bravest, they would submit to them. Even with royal status, without strength, they were looked down upon.

Tuoba Huai spent over a decade wandering the Central Plains and had only returned to the royal court for seven or eight years. At this time, his status in Xianbei was not high, much lower than Tuoba Wuxi, and his presence was not strong. But in later history, after Tuoba Xiao's fall, Xianbei fell into internal strife, and Wudati Hou took the opportunity to attack the royal court again. Xianbei fell, but the unassuming Tuoba Huai rallied the remnants and held off Wudati Hou for a long time. However, he was ultimately no match for Wudati Hou and could only flee.

Wudati Hou aimed for the Central Plains and, seeing that he posed no threat, ignored him and turned his troops south.

After the north fell, many couldn't endure the barbarians' cruelty and kept resisting. Tuoba Huai not only gathered the Xianbei people but also cooperated with the Han people in the Central Plains, giving Wudati Hou plenty of headaches.

After Wudati Hou's death, Tuoba Huai took the opportunity to raise troops and resist, stabbing the Xiongnu in the north. By the time of his death, he had become a regional power.

Although he was not as talented as Tuoba Xiao and his fame was not as great, he was still a heroic figure. Most importantly, as a pure-blooded Xianbei, he did not reject Han culture, especially in his later years, he also began to carry out reforms. Unfortunately, the situation was turbulent and the government was unstable, so there was no follow-up.

Many saw him as a lesser version of Tuoba Xiao. Jiang Congyan had not met him and could not evaluate, but she had an intuition that he was different from Tuoba Xiao.

Logically, she should win over such a person, but now, he had to be out of the wheat seedling incident.

Because—she was going to enter the game!

The craftsmen, she must control in her own hands and never give them to others.

She guessed correctly. After Tuoba Huai returned to the royal tent, he directly told everyone what had just happened.

These craftsmen were originally a gift from Liang State to the royal court, and yet they couldn't be commanded?

This alone ignited the people present. They couldn't even oppose farming anymore, directly venting their anger and cursing Wen Yu.

"These Liang people are simply ungrateful. Do they think they are still in Liang State?"

"Not treating them as slaves is already a favor to them. Now they dare to resist the king's command. Do they know whose hands their lives are in?"

"What does that Han princess mean? Is she deliberately..."

Some even brought up Jiang Congyan, accusing her of meddling. Just as they were about to say a few words, they suddenly felt a cold gaze. Looking up, they saw the King! He felt a chill, remembering that this Han Princess was now the King's wife, and judging by the King's attitude, he seemed quite fond of her.

He shut his mouth but couldn't stop the thoughts swirling in his mind.

"King, those Han people are disobedient; they should be locked up in the slave camp."

"A good lashing will teach them a lesson."

"Exactly, and what's all this about a dowry? They should all be the property of the royal court. King, you shouldn't be so soft on that Han Princess..."

Everyone kept chattering. They unanimously agreed that Jiang Congyan, the Han Princess, had no right to interfere in these matters.

At that moment, an Imperial Guard entered the tent and reported:

"When he heard she had arrived, Tuo Baxiao immediately rose from his throne and strode out, the others trailing behind.

Jiang Congyan stood in front of the royal tent, dressed just as she had been earlier, in a white dress with a simple side braid, her skirt fluttering gently in the breeze, standing there like a flower.

She was holding a book in her hand, and upon seeing Tuo Baxiao, her eyes lit up. She moved with delicate, elegant steps toward him. "What brings you here?" Tuo Baxiao grabbed one of her hands.

Jiang Congyan tried to pull away but couldn't break free, so she let him hold it. "I thought you might be in a tough spot."

Tuo Baxiao shrugged it off. "What kind of dilemma could I be in?"

"Because of me."

Tuo Baxiao fell silent.

Jiang Congyan tilted her head slightly, gazing earnestly into his emerald eyes, and continued, "You promised me earlier that I could manage my dowry. Does that still hold?"

Tuo Baxiao had originally thought her dowry would consist of gold, silver, and some accompanying servants. He had agreed without hesitation, not expecting the Emperor of Liang to include the craftsmen in the dowry as stated in the national document.

If it were any other princess, even if it were explicitly written, she wouldn't have this authority, but Jiang Congyan was different.

She hadn't known at first that the national document was worded this way. When she proposed this condition, it was merely to secure herself and the servants she brought along. As for the craftsmen, she thought it would take a lot of effort to get them under her control. When she heard this from Wen Yu, she suddenly felt quite fortunate. With this national document, she felt more confident and secure.

It would be a shame to miss such a good opportunity.

Tuo Baxiao stared at her in silence for a while, unusually not agreeing immediately. Instead, he asked, "Tuo Bahuai said that the craftsmen would only follow orders with your consent. What do you intend to do with the craftsmen?"

He indeed had his own plans originally.

"Whatever the King needs the craftsmen to do, I will have them do," Jiang Congyan said.

Her dark eyes shone with clarity, looking up at him with sincerity and seriousness, making it hard to doubt the truth in her words.

"Once they arrive at the royal court, they naturally become the King's subjects and should serve the King. I'm just concerned about the language barrier and the potential conflicts arising from the different ways of doing things between our two peoples. I am Han, and so are they. It's not easy for them to follow me, leaving their homeland. So, I want to do my best to take care of these craftsmen."

"Moreover, when I was in Liangzhou, I managed some businesses and made considerable profits. If the King allows me to manage the craftsmen, I am confident that I can develop these skills and industries well. By then, the resources on the grasslands will surely become abundant."

"I want to prove my abilities and earn the respect of your subjects."

She spoke unhurriedly, her voice clear and her tone gentle, with a pleasing rhythm, openly expressing her thoughts before him.