Chapter 746
Turning the Great Liao Ward into the Han Army's ATM!
Seeing his son's panicked state, Gongsun Kang felt increasingly helpless and shook his head.
"No, the Han army hasn't attacked yet. Xiangping City is safe for the time being, but... but Fangcheng is gone. It was captured by the Han army yesterday."
Gongsun Yuan was stunned upon hearing this. His face froze in horror, and his eyes were filled with disbelief.
It took him a while to react, and he hurriedly said:
"Father, how could Fangcheng be gone? That was a vital town for our Liao Kingdom! Send troops to retake Fangcheng; we can't just let it be lost like this!"
In his haste and agitation, he tried to sit up straight but accidentally aggravated the wound on his back. A sharp pain shot through him, causing him to cry out in pain.
Upon seeing this, Gongsun Kang's heart tightened. He quickly stepped forward, gently pressed Gongsun Yuan's shoulder, gesturing for him to lie down, and comforted him:
"Yuan'er, don't get excited, don't get excited, be careful of your wound, don't aggravate it!"
He paused, then slowly said:
"It's not that Father doesn't want to reclaim Fangcheng, but the current situation is truly dire..."
Gongsun Kang clutched the urgent report from Fangcheng, but ultimately, out of pride, he couldn't utter a single word.
Li Xujiu, who was standing beside him, immediately understood and solemnly reported the news in the urgent report to Gongsun Yuan, who was sitting on the throne.
Gongsun Yuan's originally relaxed expression gradually tightened as Li Xu spoke, until he froze completely, and the color drained from his face.
After a long silence, he finally raised his head and said softly:
“Father, there is something I have been keeping from you and have never dared to tell you.”
Gongsun Kang was taken aback upon hearing this, his suppressed emotions abruptly interrupted, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes:
"What is it that you need to be so secretive about?"
Gongsun Yuan lowered his eyes and his voice became even softer:
"Your Majesty, I secretly used a large sum of money to send someone to Fangcheng to buy a shop and open a tavern."
He paused here, his tone full of frustration:
"Your subject originally intended to take advantage of Fangcheng, a place where merchants gather, to earn some money to supplement the national treasury and to share the burden of your father. However, I did not expect that the tavern would be taken over by the Han army not long after it opened."
These words struck Gongsun Kang like a thunderbolt, and the shock on his face deepened.
Then, suppressing the anger in his heart, he tried his best to keep his voice calm and asked, word by word:
"Tell me, how much did you spend?"
Gongsun Yuan kept his head down, not daring to raise it even slightly, and extended one finger.
Gongsun Kang stared at his gesture, his pupils suddenly contracting, his face filled with disbelief, and he retorted sharply:
"One hundred million?"
The sheer number of exports startled even him.
One hundred million coins is equivalent to half a year's worth of military pay for the Liao Kingdom.
Gongsun Yuan's shoulders trembled, and he slowly nodded, not daring to look Gongsun Kang in the eye.
"Pfft~~"
Gongsun Kang felt a surge of blood and qi in his chest, his vision went black, and he could no longer hold on. His body went limp, and he immediately collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Everyone in the hall was thrown into a panic. Li Xu hurriedly called for the imperial physician, and the hall was in chaos.
After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Gongsun Kang slowly opened his eyes. His face was still as pale as paper, and his breathing was somewhat weak.
He propped himself up and, with the help of his attendants, managed to sit up. His eyes were fixed on Gongsun Yuan, and the anger that had been building up in his heart could no longer be contained. He began to curse loudly.
"The traitor! What a traitor!"
"One hundred million coins! Such a huge sum of money, and you dare to misappropriate it without even consulting me?"
"Do you know that this hundred million coins is enough for us to build an elite army to confront the Han army's attack head-on and defend our territory!"
"But you left it in a tavern, in a city that could fall at any moment!"
Knowing he was in the wrong, Gongsun Yuan lowered his head, his shoulders slumped, and dared not utter a word in defense, letting Gongsun Kang berate him.
After cursing for a long time, Gongsun Kang finally felt the anger in his chest subside a little. He was panting heavily, waved his hand, and finally stopped scolding, his face still extremely ugly.
Seeing that Gongsun Kang had stopped scolding, Gongsun Yuan slowly raised his head and said cautiously:
“Father, I know I was wrong. But Fangcheng is a major commercial town, with wealthy merchants coming and going. Given its prosperity, if the tavern can be operated properly and managed with care, it won’t be long before we can earn back that hundred million.”
"The most urgent task now is to quickly contact the people in Fangcheng to see if the tavern is still there, and if it is, then..."
As soon as he finished speaking, Li Xu frowned and asked:
"Your Highness, I wonder if the tavern you opened in Fangcheng is called Da Liao Fang?"
These words struck like a thunderbolt from a clear sky. Gongsun Kang and his son were both startled, their expressions changing instantly. They turned their heads in unison, staring at Li Xu.
Gongsun Kang's heart sank even further, a sense of foreboding instantly washing over him. He hurriedly asked:
"Prime Minister, how do you know this name? Could it be... there's something else hidden in this urgent report?"
Li Xu nodded solemnly and slowly spoke:
"Your Majesty, the urgent report clearly states that in addition to suppressing the city's garrison, the Han army also seized several suspicious businesses during their raid on Fangcheng."
"One of them was this tavern called Da Liao Fang, which was said to have colluded with the Liao Kingdom's garrison and has been completely destroyed."
These words struck Gongsun Yuan like a heavy hammer.
He felt his brain buzzing, his face drained of color, and he froze on the spot.
Gongsun Kang's expression was extremely grim.
He stared intently at Gongsun Yuan, his eyes filled with a furious, disappointed look, as if he wanted to devour him alive.
Gongsun Yuan's mind was in chaos, with countless thoughts swirling in his head, yet he couldn't make sense of them, leaving him completely at a loss.
"Rebel!"
Gongsun Kang finally couldn't hold back and started shouting insults again:
"How dare you open a tavern in Fangcheng behind my back! What's even more outrageous is that you dared to name it Da Liao Fang! Tell me, how do you have such audacity?"
Startled by Gongsun Kang's stern rebuke, Gongsun Yuan's heart leaped into his throat, a hint of guilt flashing across his face. He muttered in defense:
“Father, I have no other intention than to prove myself, to prove that I am capable of sharing your burdens and accomplishing something. I don’t want to be treated as an ignorant child by you all the time.”
"Share the burden?"
Gongsun Kang sneered:
"You're not sharing my burdens at all; you're clearly causing me trouble, and causing trouble for the Liao Kingdom!"
"I ask you, why did you choose such an utterly foolish name as Daliaofang? Do you know how much trouble this name will bring us?"
Upon hearing this, Gongsun Yuan was stunned. The guilt and remorse on his face were replaced by confusion. He looked at Gongsun Kang blankly and asked in bewilderment:
"Father, why do you say that? Is there something wrong with the name? I don't think there's anything wrong with it."
Looking at his bewildered expression, Gongsun Kang felt a wave of helplessness. He closed his eyes in resignation and took a deep breath.
Seeing this, Li Xu asked:
"Your Highness, I have a question for you. When a business name is based on the name of a country or city, what does it usually signify?"
Upon hearing this, Gongsun Yuan subconsciously replied:
"Naturally, it shows that this business is powerful and has a great reputation, making it one of the top businesses in the city. Only then can it have the confidence to use such a grand name." He said this with a hint of self-righteousness in his tone.
Li Xu gently shook his head and asked again:
"Young Master, do you know the specifics of Fangcheng? Do you know how the businesses there name themselves?"
Gongsun Yuan frowned, thought carefully for a moment, and replied:
"Although I have never been to Fangcheng in person, I have heard that it is a bustling commercial hub with a mix of all kinds of businesses. Liao's control over Fangcheng was never very secure."
"But... what does this have to do with the name I gave the tavern?"
He remained bewildered, not understanding why Li Xu would ask such irrelevant questions.
"Irrelevant?"
Gongsun Kang could no longer hold back and interrupted him sharply:
"Do you know why merchants in Fangcheng never dare to use the character 'Fang' or 'Liao' in their business names? It's because 'Fang' is the name of the city, and it's too easy to attract attention."
"And 'Liao' is the name of a country. In such a chaotic place, to rashly use the name of a country in the name would be tantamount to telling everyone that this business was sent by the Liao Kingdom and is their spy!"
He paused, his anger intensifying.
"You're something else! Not only do you dare to use the character 'Liao,' but you also dare to name it Da Liao Fang. By parading around like this, aren't you just blatantly telling the Han army that this tavern is a Liao property and a stronghold we've planted in Fangcheng?"
"If the Han army doesn't investigate you or arrest you, who else will they investigate?"
Gongsun Kang's words were like a wake-up call, waking the bewildered Gongsun Yuan.
He felt his mind go blank; all his explanations and hopes vanished in that moment.
His legs went weak, and he staggered back a step before collapsing onto the bed beside him.
When Gongsun Kang learned that the Da Liao Ward had been completely destroyed by the Han army and that 100 million coins had gone down the drain, his anger could no longer be contained.
A series of crackling sounds suddenly rang out inside the room.
He swept the teacup off the table and onto the floor.
His chest heaved violently as he repeatedly cursed Gongsun Yuan as a "rebellious son."
Li Xu stood respectfully to the side, not daring to even breathe loudly.
He knew that Gongsun Kang's anger stemmed from disappointment and frustration. He knew that trying to dissuade him now would only backfire. So he stood silently by and let Gongsun Kang vent his anger until he calmed down.
After about half an incense stick's time, Gongsun Kang gradually became exhausted, and the anger in his chest subsided slightly.
Seeing that he had stopped venting, Li Xu slowly raised his head and said:
"Your Majesty, Your Highness, things have come to this point, and anger is useless. I implore you to send men to Fangcheng immediately to find out the details of the situation in Da Liao Fang and see if there is any way to salvage the situation."
Upon hearing Li Xu's words, Gongsun Yuan, who had been keeping his head down and filled with remorse, had a glimmer of hope in his eyes.
He prayed silently that the Da Liao Fang had not been completely destroyed. As long as he could regain control, even if it came at a price, he could slowly make up for the loss of 100 million coins and slightly lessen his guilt.
Gongsun Kang remained silent for a moment, then slowly waved his hand:
"Go, make sure you find out the truth, and report back immediately if you have any information."
Li Xu bowed and accepted the order without delay, immediately arranging for people to rush to Fangcheng.
...
As dawn broke, Fangcheng had already returned to its former prosperity.
The streets and alleys were bustling with traffic and merchants coming and going in an endless stream.
The Da Liao Ward, which was sealed off by the Han army yesterday, has now quietly reopened for business. The vermilion gate is wide open, but there are now several soldiers in Han army uniforms standing guard in front of the gate, their expressions solemn.
The merchants of Fangcheng were the most well-informed, and overnight everyone learned that the Da Liao Ward, which had once been secretly established by the Liao Kingdom, had now been taken over and controlled by the Han army.
Surprisingly, the tavern owner was still Gongsun Rong, and there was no change. However, the pricing in the store had been significantly altered compared to before.
It's no longer as unattainable as it used to be; ordinary people can easily step into it.
The third and fourth floors, however, retain their luxurious feel and are specifically designed as gathering places for merchants to discuss business.
This change instantly drew the attention of countless people to the Da Liao Fang.
Early in the morning, a long queue formed in front of the store, showing a bustling scene.
It turned out that after Xiao He took over Da Liao Fang, he specially arranged for Gongsun Rong to continue serving as the manager, and also had her cooperate with Chen Li in running the business.
Chen Li had been running Yanshan Winery in Fangcheng for many years and was well-versed in the habits of local merchants and the ways of running a wine shop. With his help, Da Liao Fang was able to gain a foothold more quickly.
The two agreed that 10% of the daily income of Da Liao Ward would be handed over to the Han army, while the remaining 90% would be distributed among Gongsun Rong and Chen Li.
For this reason, Chen Li also devoted himself to the management of Da Liao Fang and became increasingly concerned about it.
After all, the scale of Da Liao Fang far exceeds that of his Yanshan Winery, and its money-making ability is incomparable.
Fangcheng was a place where merchants gathered, and wealthy businessmen came and went in an endless stream. When they had nothing to do, it was normal for them to go to the tavern to dine and discuss business, so they had extremely strong spending power.
Even if he had to partner with Gongsun Rong to run the business and split 90% of the profits, Chen Li's profits would still be far more substantial than when he ran Yanshan Winery on his own.
He naturally wouldn't miss such a good deal, and he became increasingly inclined to devote himself to managing the Da Liao Fang, even gradually shifting the focus of the Yan Shan Winery there as well.
Having resolved Chen Li's concerns, he was able to fully dedicate himself to the management of Da Liao Fang. In addition, the booming business of Da Liao Fang boosted the vitality of surrounding shops, and now Fangcheng is a thriving place.
afternoon.
Xiao He was drinking and chatting with several of his trusted men in the Liaofang neighborhood.
Through the window, one could see the bustling scene downstairs, with people coming and going. Xiao He's face showed both surprise and undisguised joy.
Night fell.
Gongsun Rong and Chen Li then began to check today's accounts, not daring to be careless in the slightest.
The two worked for an hour to sort out the day's accounts, then went together to Xiao He's residence and respectfully handed over the accounts.
Xiao He took the account book, slowly opened it, and his eyes swept over the numbers. The joy on his face froze instantly, then turned into shock.
Today's income far exceeded his expectations; it was an astronomical figure.
He checked it several times to make sure there were no mistakes before slowly raising his head, his eyes filled with disbelief. (End of Chapter)