Liu Bang Rising (7): Lü Zhi's Future
That evening, I paid a discreet visit to Xiao He's office.
“Please, come in.”
As always, Xiao He greeted me with impeccable courtesy.
“You’re working late again. Thank you for your dedication.”
I returned a light bow and stepped inside. After taking a seat and waiting for him to serve the tea, I dove straight into the matter the moment he returned.
“I came because there’s something I need to discuss with you today.”
“Please speak freely.”
“I’d like to begin operating a network of spies.”
Xiao He’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Spies… You mean intelligence agents?”
“Yes. I want to dispatch people who will serve as our eyes and ears. Just like when we sent someone to Huaiyin County before.”
“Hmm.”
Xiao He fell silent for a moment, deep in thought, before continuing.
“It seems you sense that the time is drawing near.”
As expected of Xiao He. He understood without needing any lengthy explanation. I nodded and set down my teacup.
“In chaotic times, speed is life itself. To stay one step ahead of everyone else, we must be able to hear what’s happening a thousand li away.”
“However, sending agents across the entire realm will cost far more than you might imagine, my lady.”
“That’s not a problem. After all, there isn’t much time left until that day arrives.”
The money I’d be spending on this operation would only need to last until July at most. After that, Liu Bang—once he became Duke of Pei—would take care of the rest. Xiao He murmured “As expected” and gave a nod of understanding.
“I see your prediction that something will happen during the rainy season remains unchanged.”
“Correct. I’m certain of it.”
I nodded firmly. Xiao He immediately shifted into a practical, businesslike tone.
“Understood. I’ll select suitable personnel on my end. What scope did you have in mind?”
“We’ll start with the surrounding counties: Feng County, Danfu County, Su County, Xiagou County, Dang County… and then Xianyang and Qi County.”
“Qi County?”
“No. The Qi County in Chen Commandery.”
“……Hmm?”
Xiao He blinked, clearly confused.
“That’s quite a sudden jump in distance. Xianyang as the capital makes sense, but Qi County seems rather abrupt.”
It was a perfectly natural question. In Korean terms, it would be like someone from Suwon mentioning Uiwang or Anyang, then suddenly throwing in Naju.
“Qi County receives a lot of rain and has difficult terrain,” I explained calmly. “Moreover, it has a large population, which means a correspondingly high number of people fleeing their corvée labor duties.”
Only then did understanding flash across Xiao He’s face.
“In other words, it’s the perfect location for the kind of uprising you’re anticipating, my lady.”
“Exactly.”
I smiled faintly.
“If something does happen, we must obtain the information before the local magistrate or governor. Only then can we act proactively in the operations that follow.”
In truth, even the July timeframe was only a vague guess. The books I’d read merely mentioned “the rainy season” without specifying an exact date. What I needed now was a reliable network of informants who could report the situation there in real time.
“For now, we’ll dispatch people to those seven locations and gradually expand the network depending on how things develop.”
“Understood. We’ll proceed accordingly.”
Xiao He nodded, then picked up one of the bamboo slips scattered across his desk.
“Then, how many agents per location and how frequently should they report? Since the distances are great, information will take time to reach us.”
“I’ve already thought of a solution for that.”
“Oh? What is it?”
“We’ll create intermediate relay points to gather the intelligence.”
“Intermediate relay points…”
Xiao He stroked his beard thoughtfully.
“You mean collecting the reports from each county in one central location before forwarding them to us?”
“Precisely. Just like Jeonunchang.”
I pulled a small map from my sleeve and spread it across the desk.
“Having someone travel from each of the seven counties to us every day would take too much time and draw far too much attention. But if we establish relay points in between…”
“The travel distance decreases, and gathering the information becomes much more efficient.”
I nodded at Xiao He’s quick response.
“And in case of urgent news, we can dispatch fast horses directly from the relay stations.”
“Indeed.”
I pressed my fingernail firmly against a point on the map.
“For the main relay station, I’m considering Changyi. It sits at the center of the seven counties, and since its market is quite large, people coming and going won’t raise much suspicion.”
“A vital transportation hub. Excellent.”
“We’ll station three agents in each county for a total of twenty-one. Five more will be placed at the relay point. Reports will come every ten days during normal times, but any unusual signs will trigger immediate action.”
“Understood. That seems manageable.”
Xiao He quickly scribbled notes onto the bamboo slip with his brush.
“However, the relay station must be operated discreetly. Gathering intelligence privately in this country… is far more dangerous than it appears.”
“Yes. On the surface, we’ll disguise it as a grain merchant.”
Xiao He nodded and added one final dot to his notes.
“I’ll make the preparations. We can dispatch them first thing tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Lord Xiao.”
At dawn the next day, as soon as the city gates opened, the dispatch of our intelligence agents began.
“They are all tight-lipped and sharp-witted. Most importantly, they owe you a debt of gratitude, my lady.”
“To me?”
“Yes. Last winter, didn’t you distribute several batches of tofu for free to that poor village?”
“Ah…”
That had indeed happened. Since I was already making more money than I knew what to do with, I’d wanted to use a few batches of tofu for a good cause.
“So they’re from that village.”
“Correct. They don’t have their own farmland anyway. When I told them it was for you, they insisted on taking the job even if it meant accepting lower pay.”
“I see.”
As expected of ancient China. Perhaps this really was an era where chivalry and righteousness mattered more than money.
“Still, don’t reduce their pay. A full purse allows for better improvisation in the field.”
“Of course. I explained that to them as well.”
In total, twenty-six sturdy young men had gathered. Disguised as merchants, medicine peddlers, hunters, and even a wandering monk, they each received a pouch containing my personal funds, bowed deeply, and passed through the gates of Pei County.
Time passed, and it was now mid-June.
“The construction of Jeonunchang has finally been completed.”
Shen Yiqi delivered his report with a voice full of pride.
“At dawn today, the coachmen Lord Xiahou Ying had pre-selected began transporting the first shipments to various destinations. Additionally, several craftsmen you recruited have moved into the workshops inside Jeonunchang.”
“Thank you for your hard work, Manager Shen.”
I smiled faintly as I looked up at Jeonunchang. The massive wooden structure stood tall and imposing. Seeing it completed, I finally understood why 21st-century corporations poured hundreds of billions into building their headquarters.
…It’s seriously cool.
The roof, thatched with pure white cogon grass, was sleek and smooth. The sturdy plank walls were as solid as a fortress. Inside, neatly arranged shelves maximized logistical efficiency, while a full quarter of the northeastern section had been designated as a dedicated workshop area. It was there that the craftsmen would sweat over developing the luxury goods that would become the new pillar of the Ye Family Mercantile.
To pull in serious money, luxury goods are the way to go.
Until now, the Ye Family Mercantile’s main products had been high-turnover daily necessities like tofu, straw sandals, and rope. While they generated steady cash flow, the profit margins weren’t particularly high relative to the volume. Moreover, with the busy farming season now underway, the women who formed the core of our workforce had to return to the fields alongside their husbands who had finished their corvée duty.
It simply wasn’t feasible to tell farmers who owned their own land, “Stop farming and braid straw sandals instead.”
That was why the next step I had planned for the Ye Family Mercantile was to sell the Ye brand itself.
After all, Lü Zhi will soon become the wife of the Duke of Pei.
Liu Bang would return as Pei County’s new hero. And I would rise beside him as the queen of domestic support. As long as we maintained a minimum standard of quality, the wealthy elites of Pei County would surely compete to purchase our luxury goods. After all, buying from the Ye Family Mercantile would feel like an indirect bribe to Liu Bang.
And the menu I had prepared for exactly that purpose was…
Jade and bronze!
This was still an era when ceramics weren’t yet considered luxury items. At the same time, I couldn’t exactly start raising silkworms to produce silk right now. So I chose jade and bronze—materials whose supply chains were manageable while offering high added value.
We would craft wine cups, incense burners, and mirrors from bronze, and decorative pendants and ornaments from jade.
That’s why I gathered every skilled blacksmith in the area around Pei County.
Blacksmiths in this era fell into two main categories. The first were official craftsmen bound to government workshops—essentially slave laborers who forged weapons 365 days a year. The second were independent masters with excellent skills but eccentric personalities, or those who had retreated from official service. Since even Xiao He’s help couldn’t pull official blacksmiths away from government duty, I had focused on the latter group.
I visited each one personally, dangling top-grade jade I had purchased at great expense before their eyes to persuade them.
Refusing… So Old Man Zhang from the neighboring village was right. He said you no longer had the skill to handle such expensive jade.
Of course, when necessary, I didn’t hesitate to mix in a little provocation. Fortunately, true craftsmen valued their honor more than food. Their faces flushed red as they eagerly accepted my offer.
“You think I’m worse than that bastard?!” or something to that effect.
I looked around Jeonunchang with deep satisfaction before turning back to Shen Yiqi with a light smile.
“You’ve done well. As a celebration for the completion, let’s treat everyone to a hearty serving of meat and tofu porridge today.”
“Yes, I’ll make the arrangements.”
“Also, send a message to Lord Xiahou asking him to double-check the trade routes for copper and jade. We can’t afford any leakage in the middle.”
“Understood. I’ll keep it in mind.”
Shen Yiqi bowed and immediately turned to leave.
“Ah, one moment, Manager Shen.”
I stopped him.
“Yes, please speak.”
He halted and turned back toward me. I took a step closer and lowered my voice.
“Please include a message for my husband in the next supply shipment.”
“Of course. What should I write?”
“Hmm… The storm is not far off should be enough.”
That would suffice. Liu Bang had the sharpest instincts in the world, after all.
“Understood.”
Shen Yiqi nodded, but he didn’t turn away immediately. He simply stared at me with an odd look in his eyes.
“Is there something else?”
I tilted my head in confusion. Shen Yiqi glanced around before lowering his voice.
“Will that really be enough?”
“What do you mean?”
“You didn’t enclose a separate letter this month.”
“……?”
I mulled over his words for a moment.
Ah.
The realization hit me.
So he’s asking if I don’t have anything more to say to Liu Bang.
Well, ending a once-a-month message with “A storm is coming. Over.” did feel a bit cold.
“How about informing him of your pregnancy this time?” Shen Yiqi suggested carefully.
I shook my head without a moment’s hesitation.
“No. That must remain a secret. I can’t afford to distract him right before such a critical undertaking.”
This had to stay secret until the very day. If Liu Bang heard the news and started walking around with a stupid grin on his face, only to slip on a mountain path and die in a ridiculous accident, it would be a disaster.
After a brief moment of thought, I added reluctantly,
“Then just add one more line. The weather is growing hotter, so please take care of your health. And…”
I glanced around once more, then leaned even closer to Shen Yiqi and whispered,
“…I cherish you.”
It wasn’t exactly sincere. It was just lip service, added in the hope that the old man would find a little more strength.
“Understood. I’ll deliver it exactly as you said.”
Yet Shen Yiqi simply smiled as if that were more than enough and turned away. I watched his retreating figure for a moment before looking up at the sky again.
It’s coming out so naturally now. Even if it’s just empty words.
Confessing love to a bearded middle-aged man in broad daylight. The June sky was still clear and bright. On my lips lingered a self-mocking smile—whether bitter or hollow, I couldn’t quite tell.