Chapter 1377 – Nan Sheng: The Autumn of Chaos (Part Three)
If she were still Han Yu’s wife, given Jiang Pengji’s respect for Han Yu’s tenacity, she’d probably be worried about crossing boundaries.
But without a second thought, she swiftly opted for divorce. With no reservations left on Jiang Pengji’s side, there’s no doubt she wouldn’t hold back.
The Steward didn’t speak up, but from his expression, it was clear he agreed with Madam Han’s rationale.
It’s truly unwise to divorce at this juncture.
The Steward sighed, “For now, I can only hope… that the separation between the son-in-law and the Eldest Lady isn’t at the behest of Lord Lan Ting…”
Madam Han felt a gnawing anxiety within her.
Upon reflection, she wasn’t even certain of the true motives behind her separation from Han Yu.
Despite her seclusion in the Tao Residence, she could sense a strange atmosphere wafting through the household.
According to the maidservants’ reports, carriages were coming and going outside the Tao Residence, with a disturbingly frequent influx of noble families seeking connections.
She detected a brewing storm on the horizon.
As it turned out, Madam Han’s intuition was spot on; the Tao Clan and several other families were plotting something.
Even though the salt trade had always been under state control, the Tao Clan and their ilk had enjoyed its benefits for decades, reveling in their gains.
Especially after the chaos erupted, they had shamelessly discarded their last cover and regarded this income as their private property.
How could they willingly surrender this cash cow to outsiders?
Many even harbored wildly ambitious thoughts—Jiang Pengji was merely a bigger warlord; she wasn’t the emperor!
She wasn’t the sovereign, so what right did she have to demand the salt trade from the Tao Clan?
In Jiang Pengji’s words, something one has never had won’t be missed when lost. However, once it’s been owned, outsiders trying to take it away would never go unchallenged. To keep it, many are willing to take desperate risks.
The members of the Tao Clan were prime examples of this mindset.
The Tao Clan dominated the private salt trade, and other families reaped significant benefits, filling their coffers to the brim.
This power had become like grasshoppers on the same rope—sharing both glory and loss!
No one wanted Jiang Pengji to take away their interests!
Alas, Jiang Pengji was exceedingly powerful, so they needed a foolproof plan; otherwise, everyone would suffer.
They considered many schemes, and ultimately recognized they had only two options.
One was to bow their heads, become obedient nobles, and enjoy a modest wealth.
The other was to rise in rebellion, gambling on small risks for bigger rewards!
They were unwilling to become the former, leaving them with no choice but the latter.
One individual exclaimed, “How infuriating! If only I had known Liu Xi had such wolf-like ambitions, we should have struck against her while the situation in Dongqing was still uncertain.”
With the situation in Dongqing unsettled and several major warlords embroiled in conflict, it was indeed a prime opportunity to fish in troubled waters.
Now, with Xu Fei, Xu Pei, and Huang Song kneeling one after another, Dongqing had become Jiang Pengji’s one-woman rule. What would they possibly use to confront such power?
Another individual pondered and remarked, “Even so, it’s not entirely without solutions.”
Hearing this, Tao Father asked, “What do you mean?”
The person reminded him, “Don’t forget, apart from Liu Xi, there’s still one warlord left in Dongqing.”
The crowd blanked for a moment before recalling the obvious fact—
Dongqing’s Zhangzhou was still under Yang Tao’s control!
Tao Father asked, “Are you suggesting… that we switch our allegiance to Yang Tao?”
The individual shook his head. “No! Turning to Yang Tao only leads us back to the salt issue. Instead, we should create a scenario that sows discord between Liu Xi and Yang Tao. That way, regardless of who wins or loses, both will be significantly weakened and unable to notice us.”
They could also seize the opportunity to amass savings, recruit troops, and expand their power.
In due time, they wouldn’t need to worry about others meddling, so wouldn’t that be a win-win?
Upon hearing this suggestion, the group began to feel a sense of resolve… no, they actually felt a bit cowardly.
A hundred years of dynasty, a thousand years of family.
History has shown that dynasties rising and falling is an unstoppable trend!
While noble families can weather the storms of dynastic change, the royal family cannot; they will inevitably be purged as remnants of the previous dynasty, let alone continuing their legacy.
For various reasons, though the noble families hold vast resources, they inclined more toward political investment than taking the plunge themselves.
Of course, perhaps another reason exists, like sheer incompetence or perhaps an absence of self-awareness?
Regardless, their discussion ended on an uneasy note, uncertainty hanging heavily in the air.
On one side lay the lucrative salt trade, while on the other, the risks of seizing it—that’s a tough choice!
Ultimately, their greed triumphed over their reason.
Jiang Pengji was meticulous; having set her sights on the salt trade, she certainly wouldn’t engage in a battle unprepared.
A year ago, she had not only dispatched messengers but also conducted thorough analyses on the closely-knit noble families, embedding numerous spies among them.
These spies were to monitor the movements of the Tao Clan-led families and reported back to Jiang Pengji at the first sign of news.
Jiang Pengji paid particular attention to the salt trade, and as soon as news arrived, it reached her in the fastest time possible.
While the Tao Clan and others dithered and hesitated, Jiang Pengji had already received relevant information.
“Ha—if they really dare to rebel, I respect them as men! Dilly-dallying like this, they don’t measure up to me at all; are they even still men?”
[Stowaway Non-Money]: Hmph, the little demon’s tricks can’t escape the keen eyes of the Great Sage Jiang; the fox’s tail has been revealed!
[Qingfeng Tissue]: Sigh, how clever of them to provoke the streamer and Yang Tao into a brawl, hoping to profit from the chaos.
The idle viewers in the live chat scorned the Tao Clan for their treachery, realizing too late they had fallen into the trap of greed!
Aside from the so-called strategists putting on airs and showing up late with their armchair analysis, others were still munching on sunflower seeds and dishing out the snark.
[Old Driver Alliance]: To put it bluntly, whoever isn’t as decisive as her is no man!
When it’s time to ally, they ally; when it’s time to strike, they strike—swift and ruthless.
What man in this world dares to contest her fortitude?
[Nongfu Spring is a Bit Suspended]: Hahaha, the critiques are razor-sharp, and before the streamer, there are no genders—only ladies and big daddies!
The idle viewers made their usual jests, which Jiang Pengji casually ignored.
Wei Ci asked her, “How does the Lord plan to deal with these people?”
Jiang Pengji replied, “I was worried about lacking a reason to seek out Zheng Ze after a year of recuperation. With the Tao Clan presenting me with such a handy opportunity, if I swiftly slice through them now and eliminate them all, wouldn’t that be a waste?”
Everything has its purpose, even enemies have value; it’d be regrettable to waste that.
Jiang Pengji had long set her sights on Yang Tao’s Zhangzhou, but previously, the alliance meant she lacked a sufficient reason to strike at a fellow ally.
Now, since the Tao Clan had assisted her in resolving this quandary, she didn’t mind letting them live a few days longer.
Wei Ci was momentarily speechless.
“Does the Lord’s intention mean… letting them set their own traps, drawing Zheng Ze into the fray?”
Jiang Pengji smiled wickedly, tapping her finger lightly on Wei Ci’s lips.
“Wrong; it’s not just Zheng Ze. I aim to swallow the entire Nan Sheng. Dragging Zheng Ze into the mess is merely the first step.”
She was insatiably greedy; how could she be content with just Zhangzhou?
After a year of recuperation, she would return to the fold!
