The Turning Wheel (7): Become My Ally
A long silence fell between us. Wang Su simply stared at me. It wasn’t anger or contempt in his eyes, but a deep, measuring gaze as though he were weighing something carefully.
“Daughter of the Lü clan.”
At last, Wang Su spoke.
“Do you truly believe that scoundrel will become the master of the world?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“As I explained earlier, the common people—”
“I am not asking about such vague, cloud-chasing nonsense.”
Wang Su cut me off once more. Yet this time, his expression had subtly softened. The sharp crease between his brows had smoothed out, replaced by faint wrinkles at the corners of his eyes that spoke of interest.
“I am asking why you, Lü Zhi, believe in him so strongly. Your marriage has barely lasted three months.”
“That is…”
I paused, choosing my words. After all, I could hardly answer, ‘I thoroughly studied the Records of the Grand Historian, specifically the Basic Annals of Emperor Gaozu.’
I took a deep breath and met his eyes with composure.
“I do not know.”
“You do not know?”
“Correct. I cannot explain it logically.”
It truly was impossible to explain logically. Setting aside the historical fact that he would become the victor, Liu Bang was essentially just a good-natured, late-thirties neighborhood loafer with a bit of a thuggish streak. Objectively speaking, his specs couldn’t even compare to the dirt beneath Xiang Yu’s toenails.
“However.”
There was one thing I could say with absolute certainty. I slowly raised my hand and placed it over my heart.
“This place tells me to trust him.”
“……”
“I have spent two months by his side. I have seen both his good points and his flaws. I have witnessed his pathetic, drunken sprawl, his bold and hearty laughter with his comrades… and even his clumsy attempts to show me consideration, all from the closest possible vantage.”
A faint, unforced smile rose to my lips.
“Through all of that, I became certain. This man is the real thing. Though he may look like a crude lump of stone on the outside, inside him lies a sincerity more precious than jade.”
“On what grounds do you declare him genuine?”
“I have no grounds.”
I answered firmly.
“It is nothing but my intuition. But I trust my intuition.”
Once again, I brought my hands together respectfully.
“This girl has staked her entire fate on that intuition. Therefore, I humbly ask that Lord Wang stake his alongside mine.”
This time, I did not lower my head. I lifted my chin and stared straight into the old tiger’s eyes.
If you want to reclaim your stolen lands, if you want to restore your trampled pride, then climb onto this still-muddy stallion named Liu Bang with me.
I faced him with exactly that look in my eyes.
“……”
Wang Su remained silent for a long time. Wang Ling opened his mouth as if to speak in his father’s stead, but Wang Su raised a hand to stop his son and slowly spoke.
“It pains me to admit I was swayed by your tongue, but…”
The corner of Wang Su’s mouth twisted faintly.
“I acknowledge it. You are no ordinary woman.”
At that conclusion, I involuntarily caught my breath.
“I do not believe in this Kingly Way or whatever you call it. However…”
Wang Su rose slowly from his seat.
“I find myself willing to gamble on that ‘intuition’ of yours.”
“Then…”
“However, what I am trusting is not Liu Ji.”
Wang Su’s elevated gaze fixed directly on me.
“It is you.”
“…Pardon?”
“I cannot say whether Liu Ji is a vessel fit for the Kingly Way. To my eyes, he still looks like nothing more than a petty hoodlum. But you—you clearly possess something.”
Wang Su straightened his collar.
“You have a talent for business, exceptional eloquence, and above all, courage that rivals any man.”
There it is again—‘rivaling any man.’ Once more, I felt a pang at how sharp these heroes of the era were. But it seemed he still hadn’t seen through my true nature, for Wang Su moved on without lingering.
“If a tenacious woman like you is supporting Liu Ji, then even he must have some potential. Regarding the land—very well. I accept.”
The permission came so cleanly that I unconsciously leaned forward.
“Truly? You mean it?”
“Yes. I will lend you a portion of my land—an empty plot east of the city walls. Build this Jeonunchang or whatever you call it to your heart’s content.”
“Thank you! Thank you, my lord!”
“Your gratitude is premature.”
Wang Su looked down at me steadily.
“There are conditions.”
“Conditions…?”
“Profit sharing. Hand over twelve parts out of a hundred of the net profit.”
“Twelve parts…”
Twenty percent. He would lend the land and take twenty percent of the revenue. They say a landlord sits above even the creator. Still, by the standards of this era, it was not an unreasonable demand. In fact, for granting land to a woman with no credit, it was rather generous.
“Is it too expensive?”
“No.”
I answered immediately.
“I believe it is fair.”
“Then it is settled.”
Wang Su nodded calmly.
“And one more thing.”
“Please speak.”
“The matter of finding your business partners. I will help you.”
“…Yes?”
My eyes widened involuntarily. He was even opening a bonus stage?
A light smile appeared on Wang Su’s lips.
“You cannot be trying to recruit only me with such an absurd scheme. To build a Jeonunchang, you will need considerable money and manpower. Surely there are others you have your eye on besides me.”
“……”
It seemed no one became a local magnate in this era by chance. His insight was razor-sharp. Still, I couldn’t simply sit there gaping. I quickly hid my surprise and offered him a bright smile instead.
“It seems impossible for anyone to deceive Your Lordship’s discerning eye.”
“Enough flattery. Give me their names.”
“The merchant Yi Chang and the former official Zhang Yan.”
“Hah, as expected—men who hold grudges against the county magistrate.”
Wang Su nodded without needing further explanation.
“Those two will listen to me. If I drop them a hint, they will at least not slam the door in your face.”
“Thank you, my lord. I will never forget this kindness.”
I bowed my head with genuine sincerity.
“Save your thanks for later. I am merely building the bridge. The persuasion is your responsibility.”
Wang Su glanced out the window. The sun was beginning to set.
“I will send someone to both men tomorrow to relay my words. Visit them afterward.”
“I will keep it in mind.”
“You may leave now. The walls of my house are too low for plotting treason.”
Wang Su left the room without hesitation. Even so, his steps seemed considerably lighter than when he had entered.
“Impressive. To think you persuaded my stubborn father.”
This time it was Wang Ling who spoke. He studied my face with an intrigued expression.
“Just how did that fellow Liu manage to hook a woman like you?”
“Our fathers arranged the marriage.”
“Ah, Lord Lü Gong… Hah, he truly is an eccentric man.”
“……”
Was marrying off a perfectly good daughter to a thirty-something unemployed bum something that could be dismissed with merely ‘eccentric’?
“Well, never mind.”
Wang Ling also rose from his seat.
“I suppose that’s just his good fortune with women. In any case, you should head back too. Your legs must be aching by now.”
With that, Wang Ling strode out of the room without another word.
…He knows they hurt but still doesn’t offer to help me up?
What a pair of boorish men who had clearly never heard of manners. I glared at the closed door for a moment before trying to stand.
“Ugh…”
But my body refused to obey. The tension that had been holding me together suddenly released, and my legs trembled so badly I couldn’t walk properly. I barely managed to steady myself by clinging to the wall. Cold sweat trickled down my spine.
“Haa… haa…”
I really thought I was going to die. Truly. I had been walking on a blade of ice where a single wrong word could have cost me my head.
Still… I did it.
A silly laugh slipped through my lips. I leaned against the wall and slowly slid down until I was sitting. The sigh of relief that escaped me rang louder than any I had ever uttered.
Wang Su’s letter of guarantee as a local powerhouse proved incredibly powerful. Thanks to it, my meetings with the merchant Yi Chang and the former official Zhang Yan proceeded almost absurdly smoothly.
First was the merchant Yi Chang. He was a man with a sly, rat-like appearance, but his sense for sniffing out money was exceptional. After weighing me for a moment with calculating eyes, he eventually served me proper tea and listened to my proposal.
“So, you’re saying that using this Hub and Spoke System will optimize logistics?”
“Yes, and Your Lordship’s goods can also be distributed through this Jeonunchang.”
“My goods?”
“Indeed. Do you not also deal in wholesale textiles? If you invest in the construction of the Jeonunchang, I will ensure that our Lü Merchant Group prioritizes the use of our transportation network for your shipments.”
“Ying’s ox carts, I presume.”
“Yes, exactly. Lord Xiahou’s driving skill is the best in Peixian, and the carts are spacious. Loading a few extra bolts of fabric will pose no problem. Your Lordship will gain a clear benefit—reduced transportation costs—from this deal.”
“I see.”
Yi Chang stroked his beard and nodded.
“Not a bad proposition. But what about the county magistrate? That pig won’t sit still once he catches wind of this.”
“We will not inform the magistrate.”
“You won’t inform him?”
“Correct. The Jeonunchang will be built on Lord Wang’s land. Since it is a business conducted on his private property, the magistrate’s permission is not required. We can simply claim it is an expansion of Lord Wang’s personal warehouse.”
“……Hah.”
Yi Chang let out a dry laugh, his eyes narrowing.
“You leave no openings.”
“One must wring out every bit of wisdom to survive.”
Yi Chang nodded and took a sip of tea.
“Very well. I will cooperate. I will cover thirteen parts out of a hundred—thirty percent—of the construction costs.”
“Thank you.”
“However, I will recalculate the profit sharing once I see how things develop. After all, transportation cost savings won’t amount to much right away.”
“Of course. Once the Jeonunchang is fully operational and the first profits appear, we can discuss it again then.”
Persuasion successful. I gave him my brightest business smile.
……
The former official Zhang Yan was much the same. True to his background, he meticulously questioned me about documents and contract terms, but he soon seemed convinced by Wang Su’s endorsement and my explanation.
“So, you want me to connect you with the laborers I know?”
“Yes. I have heard that Your Lordship has a strong and generous character, and many people follow you.”
“Hah, you certainly have a silver tongue.”
Though he grumbled, he looked rather pleased. Before long, he nodded without difficulty.
“Fine. I’ll gather some laborers at a cheap rate. In this winter, men looking for work are scattered everywhere like fallen leaves.”
“Thank you. I will never forget this kindness.”
“No need for thanks.”
Zhang Yan set his teacup down with a clack. A blue flame of rage flickered momentarily in his eyes.
“Just make sure that when that ‘day’ finally comes, you include me. So I can personally grab that corrupt bastard by the throat.”
“Of course, my lord.”
I answered readily and brought the tea to my lips.
With this, money, manpower, and land had all been secured.
Now it was time to complete the puzzle.
……
After successfully persuading the two men, I immediately visited Xiao He to report on the progress. In the government office’s administrative room, Xiao He expressed genuine surprise at how quickly things had moved, then offered me warm tea with a satisfied smile.
“With this, our alliance is finally taking tangible shape.”
“It is still only in form.”
I spoke cautiously, refusing to become complacent.
“They are not yet true comrades. They have only joined hands temporarily because our interests align and we share a common enemy. If the benefits disappear or the risks grow too great, they could turn their backs on us at any moment.”
“Even so, we have taken the first step.”
Xiao He lifted his teacup as he spoke.
“What remains is how we maintain and develop this alliance. I will trust in Your Ladyship’s capabilities.”
After taking a sip of tea, Xiao He continued.
“So, what do you plan to do moving forward?”
“Moving forward?”
“Yes. Constructing the Jeonunchang will take considerable time. On days when the sun does not rise, the ground will freeze so hard it will be difficult even to lift a shovel.”
True enough, it was currently the kind of winter where the wind sliced into the flesh. Since I couldn’t create excavators or hot-air blowers in this era, serious construction would only be possible during the daytime when the sun was high.
It will probably take at least two months…
Fortunately, installing the large cauldron needed for producing tofu would only require about fifteen days. As for logistics, we could continue using our family warehouse for a few more months.
I mentally adjusted the construction schedule and looked back at Xiao He.
“As I mentioned that day, from now on I will focus on laying the groundwork for my husband.”
I elegantly took a sip of tea. Xiao He’s eyes sparkled with curiosity as he watched me. I set the cup down without a sound and slightly lowered my voice.
“Lord Xiao.”
“Yes, Madam.”
“I have a plan.”
“A plan?”
Xiao He leaned forward, his expression growing even more intrigued.
“Of course, this is a plan for an uncertain future. It is for the case in which the prisoners escape and my husband… that is, if his return is delayed indefinitely.”
“……It is the contingency you mentioned based on your intuition.”
“Yes, my lord.”
There was no longer any need to hide anything from Xiao He. I wrapped both hands around my teacup and looked straight into his eyes.
“From now on, I will tell you about the ‘welcome ceremony’ I am planning for my husband.”