Chapter 677 – The Alliance at Huangshui (14)
“Do you think the herders would pass up an opportunity to improve their family’s economy for free?”
Clearly, that wouldn’t happen.
In the Northern Frontier, they already raised rabbits and sheep, but on a small scale because most of the grass resources were reserved for horses.
Now that horses have become scarce, why let the leftover grass resources go to waste? Why not raise the profitable sheep and rabbits instead?
As long as they can encourage the Northern Frontier herders to farm more rabbits and sheep, Jiang Pengji’s plan would be halfway accomplished.
From the perspective of ancient thinkers, they couldn’t grasp the core of this “open scheme,” and they wouldn’t realize it was harmful until the damage had been done.
Are ancient people stupid?
Of course not; it’s just that the information was imbalanced between two eras.
In simple words, the essence of this cunning plan is to disrupt the ecological balance.
What’s ecological balance?
It’s a relatively stable equilibrium achieved through the mutual constraints of opposing factors within a biological community and its ecosystem.
A small number of rabbits and sheep would have a limited impact on the grassland’s ecology; the grassland could restore itself with its own capabilities.
But what if there suddenly appeared a large number of rabbits and sheep?
Their ability to graze is incredibly strong, and they can even gnaw at the grass roots.
Once there’s an overwhelming flood of them, they could quickly lead to the degradation of the grassland.
But the three tribes of the Northern Frontier aren’t stupid either.
Once the destructive capacity of the rabbits and sheep becomes evident and threatens the horses’ survival, they can’t simply ignore it.
If they were really that foolish, Jiang Pengji would remind them in due time.
In other words, they would have to spend some energy to control the rampant rabbits and sheep, thus allowing Jiang Pengji to achieve her goal.
It wouldn’t severely disrupt the Northern Frontier’s ecology while simultaneously curtailing the development of the Northern Frontier Cavalry, distracting them enough—killing two birds with one stone.
“This matter should not be disclosed yet,” Jiang Pengji smiled, “You can manage it as a regular business. After all, we need to consume a large amount of wool every autumn and winter. So, purchasing wool from the Northern Frontier won’t raise any suspicions.”
For a hunter, “patience” is a crucial quality.
As an excellent hunter, she surely had that in spades.
Wei Ci lowered his eyelids.
“All according to Lord/Leader’s arrangements.”
Exposing the objective right off the bat would turn the cleverest scheme into empty talk.
Based on her own observations, Wei Ci was aware that danger lurked everywhere around her; there were very few people he could trust completely, and he certainly couldn’t let her down.
With 150,000 audience members as witnesses, Jiang Pengji and Wei Ci reached a tacit understanding.
With these two on their case, the fate of the Northern Frontier was all but sealed.
Selling them out while they happily count their own money.
Before Wei Ci left, Jiang Pengji reminded him once more.
“Zixiao, don’t forget the painting I asked for. Make it as beautiful as you can; I trust your artistic skills.”
Do you remember why Jiang Pengji called Wei Ci over?
She asked him to paint her, emphasizing the uses of blue bricks so she could promote the blue brick crafting technique to the lords supporting the royal family.
Wei Ci didn’t let her down either; the next day he presented a long scroll painting.
“Did you finish it this quickly?”
She said while unrolling it, only to find the ink was not fresh, definitely not a recent piece.
Upon further inquiry, she learned that Wei Ci had a rather refined hobby, and painting was just one of his pursuits.
With 150,000 audience members tuning in, the crowd was packed with individuals from various fields, many of whom were engaged in painting or related sectors.
Seeing Wei Ci’s artwork, they began to stir, flooding the chat with their suspicions.
[Coke Chicken Wings]: Let’s praise Lady Ci first; she’s both skilled in calligraphy and painting, truly not deceiving us. But, don’t you think something feels off?
[Scrambled Eggs with Knife Cut Noodles]: What feels off? I just think her painting is incredibly beautiful, like it’s filtered through multiple layers!
[Sweet and Sour Pork Tenderloin]: After you mentioned it, I also feel something is strange about Lady Ci’s painting… it appears too beautiful?
The crowd chimed in, urging Jiang Pengji to fully unroll the scroll so they could see it clearly.
They felt like they had stumbled upon some secret.
[A Person Mustn’t Forget Their Roots]: As someone studying fine arts with some research into traditional painting, although the live stream host’s history differs from ours, many patterns still align, including painting. In ancient China, painting rarely stuck to surface similarities; it emphasized the “subtlety between likeness and unlikeness” and “the unlikeness of likeness,” leaning more towards pursuing artistic conception rather than realism. But does anyone notice the overwhelming three-dimensional feel in Lady Ci’s painting? It leans towards realism, which indeed feels strange.
This opinion received overwhelming agreement from most, although a few remained skeptical.
[Six Six Won’t Forget to Return to Zero]: Even if it leans towards realism, the style is still uniquely Chinese; I feel no awkwardness whatsoever—it seems very harmonious… If you suspect Lady Ci might be a time traveler or something, that’s quite a stretch.
Jiang Pengji’s brows furrowed slightly, attempting to smooth the situation for Wei Ci.
[Host V]: I had discussions with him about painting techniques back in Langya; that probably influenced him a bit?
The audience erupted with praises, insisting Jiang Pengji was not only skilled in combat, but articulate, and even artistic!
Jiang Pengji smiled as she rolled up Wei Ci’s painting, her eyes narrowing like a sly fox.
Wei Ci could sense something was amiss, a chill creeping up his back.
On this day, the cold wind howled, and the flags snapped loudly in the fierce breeze.
The army set forth; Jiang Pengji led the charge with over ten thousand troops, traversing the snow-covered terrain, disappearing over the horizon.
Zhong Zhao.
As the most powerful nation among the five countries in the Central Plains, Zhong Zhao boasts a flourishing economy and vast territories.
Dongqing consists of six states and twenty-one districts, while Zhong Zhao has ten states and thirty-three districts!
However, as the leader of the five nations, Zhong Zhao had not been doing well in recent years.
The fight against party cliques had become increasingly fierce, and the internal situation was in constant flux.
Clans, external relatives, and court officials incessantly battled each other, causing rivers of blood to flow. The smaller aristocratic clans lived in fear, hesitant to meddle in court politics, afraid to discuss the livelihoods of the people, and more so to delve into governance… lest they blurt out something wrong and lose their heads.
These conflicts were secondary, too distant for the common people. Yet one matter weighed heavily on their hearts.
Countless suffering commoners could not mention this person without turning their faces away and spitting.
The Empress of Zhong Zhao, the Du family, was a highborn noble girl.
It was said she was as beautiful as a fairy, with unparalleled talent and virtue. Though she was a woman, she could debate with the greatest scholars of the time, vying for supremacy.
Once crowned Empress, she led by example, vowing to educate women throughout the land, painstakingly researching for years, finally writing four classic texts—”Precepts for Women,” “Inner Teachings,” “Women’s Analects,” and “Quick Records for Women.” These four books were esteemed by the great scholars of Zhong Zhao and widespread students, collectively known as the “Four Books for Women,” and they became immensely popular, adored by noble ladies and aristocrats alike, with every household possessing a set, treating it as the supreme criterion.
Where there were supporters, there were naturally opposers.
However, facing the tide of an entire nation, those opposing voices sounded like mere buzzing mosquitoes, quickly drowned out.
In a small town outside the imperial city of Zhong Zhao.
Inside a tea house, a figure dressed in gray sat by a table, a long object wrapped in cloth beside him.
Hearing someone discussing an immoral widow who was to be caught and drowned, a hint of sarcasm flickered in his eyes. He tossed down two copper coins and stood up, saying, “Heh… Looks like there haven’t been enough deaths; it seems people are getting too bored…”
