Chapter 111: Bartering

“Borrow grain? This year isn’t a year of disaster. Brother Wen Yuan, what do you need the grain for?” Xue Ju asked curiously after hearing Li Wenyuan’s words.

“Brother Xue, you don’t know the full story. I’ve just reclaimed three prefectures, so my territory and troops are larger than before. But now I’m facing a mess left behind by Li Gui. He forcibly seized grain from the people to supply his army, so although I’ve taken over these three prefectures, the common folk are facing severe shortages. Moreover, the planting season has passed, so I am now confronted with a significant grain deficit. As the people's governor, I cannot turn a blind eye to these problems. That’s why I’ve come to seek your help, Brother Xue,” Li Wenyuan explained his difficulties clearly to Xue Ju.

“I do have some surplus grain on hand. The grain you borrowed from me last time has been returned as promised. Your credit is not in question, brother, but I wonder how large this shortfall is?” Xue Ju nodded and asked.

“About two hundred thousand shi,” Li Wenyuan revealed the figure he had long held in mind.

“Only two hundred thousand shi? Even if the Western Regions have fewer people, that amount of grain still seems insufficient. Could it be, Brother Wen Yuan, that you’re being modest with the number, keeping it deliberately low?” Xue Ju exclaimed in surprise upon hearing the figure.

“Brother Xue, you’re overthinking it. There’s no distance between us. The twenty thousand shi I mentioned is exactly that—no exaggeration or understatement. In Guazhou, I seized a batch of Li Gui’s military grain. Although he sent men to burn it, timely firefighting saved most of it. Additionally, recent investigations, public trials of Li Gui’s loyalists in these three prefectures, and crackdowns on merchants hoarding rice and inflating prices have brought in more grain. So, the current shortage is really only two hundred thousand shi,” Li Wenyuan hastened to clarify, sensing Xue Ju’s suspicion.

“I see. Those merchants who hoarded grain to jack up prices during wartime are truly despicable. Brother Wen Yuan, your decisive actions against them are a blessing for the people. But, speaking frankly, I am also preparing to raise an army. Although I have grain now, handing over two hundred thousand shi at once might be difficult to explain. How about this: we sign an alliance here. I’ll lend you two hundred thousand shi of grain in exchange for your guarantee of a secure rear for me over the next two years. With this agreement, the grain won’t be a problem. Brother Wen Yuan, what do you think?” Xue Ju proposed after some thought and considering that he needed a reasonable explanation for his own men.

“I understand, Brother Xue. You want to make it official on paper,” Li Wenyuan replied.

“Brother Wen Yuan, I don’t want it this way either. We’re under someone else’s roof and must bow our heads. They provide funds and grain so I can recruit soldiers. We’re short of manpower now, so borrowing grain must come with a formal explanation. But if you don’t want to sign this alliance openly, I won’t force you. I still have around seventy to eighty thousand shi of grain in my own estates. Although it can’t cover your whole shortage, it can fill part of it. We’re brothers after all—I can’t just stand by and watch you struggle.”

“Brother Xue, you worry too much. It’s just an alliance agreement. What’s the harm in signing it?” Li Wenyuan said.

“Good! Since you’re willing to sign, I won’t shortchange you. I know your domain in the Western Regions is large and prosperous, with abundant grain production but also considerable annual consumption. Here’s another suggestion: since you’ve taken away Lao Jin’s men from my territory, I’m now severely lacking weapons and military supplies,” Xue Ju added.

Li Wenyuan knew who Lao Jin’s men were—the craftsmen he had taken from Jincheng, the gold merchant’s skilled artisans. Poaching them and being caught red-handed was a bit embarrassing. He scratched his head and said, “At the time, I didn’t know you planned to use them for rebellion. I only saw these men with excellent skills doing irrelevant work and thought it was a waste of talent. I gave them a chance to be true craftsmen again.”

Xue Ju waved it off. “I don’t blame you. Even if they were handed to me, I couldn’t support them all. Before they came to you, I had my men look after them, and they were better off than in Jincheng. As I said, I’m short on weapons and supplies now. So, Brother Wen Yuan, you don’t have to repay the grain in kind. If you have surplus military equipment, we can barter. You supply me with extra weapons to offset the two hundred thousand shi of grain. This deal is purely to help me.”

“The military supplies you mention must not be ordinary spears or armor from the Great Sui. You must mean the famed mo dao armor and weapons that shine in our army,” Li Wenyuan said, understanding Xue Ju’s true intent. Everything said before was a prelude to purchasing mo dao equipment to build his own mo dao troops.

Xue Ju laughed heartily. “Don’t laugh at me, Brother Wen Yuan. I truly came for the mo dao troops. The news that your mo dao soldiers can rout Turkic cavalry head-on has long spread throughout the Central Plains. Some have tried to replicate your troops but failed—either their mo dao can’t withstand cavalry charges, or the cost is prohibitive for mass equipping. That’s why I personally came from Jincheng to Dunhuang—to ask if you’d be willing to part with a batch of mo dao equipment.”

“Five hundred sets of mo dao armor without the blades. When you rise in rebellion, Brother, I will deliver all five hundred sets punctually,” Li Wenyuan promised.

(End of chapter)