Chapter 748
: Recovering the Great Liao Market, Making Up for Some Losses!
It turned out that Xiao He had anticipated that strangers would come to contact Gongsun Rong, so he had ambushed many Han soldiers in the backyard of Da Liao Fang in advance, ready to wait for the person to walk into the trap.
If the person who comes is not unusual, then observe quietly, listen to their words and observe their actions.
If the person who comes is suspicious or has malicious intentions, act immediately according to the instructions, arrest them, and show no leniency.
Before long, the middleman sent by Gongsun Kang strode through the streets and alleys and arrived quickly at the gate of the Da Liao Ward.
The sun was still high, and there was still about an hour before the scheduled mealtime, but a queue of moderate length had already formed in front of the Da Liao Fang shop. Passersby stopped to watch, all secretly marveling at the shop's popularity.
Among the crowd, a man dressed in a plain-colored long robe stood out. His gaze swept over the diners in line, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
This booming business far exceeded his expectations.
After a moment of stunned silence, he no longer hesitated and stepped straight into the Liaofang Ward.
Before he could step over the threshold, the waiter at the door quickly stepped forward and gently stopped him with his hand:
"Please forgive us, sir/madam, but we are not open for business yet. Please wait outside for a moment."
The man frowned slightly, then composed himself, leaned down slightly, and whispered in the servant's ear:
"I'm looking for Gongsun Rong."
Upon hearing this, the servant's smile froze instantly, and his eyes widened in surprise, clearly not expecting the man to directly mention the manager's name.
After a moment of deep thought, she quickly remembered Gongsun Rong's previous instructions: if someone specifically asked for her, she should not ask any questions but immediately lead them to the backyard.
The thought quickly faded, and the servant hurriedly concealed his astonishment, becoming even more respectful, and gestured to lead the way:
"Please follow me, sir."
After saying that, she led the man around the front hall and along the side corridor to the secluded backyard.
The man remained silent, following closely behind the servant, his gaze discreetly surveying the scenery of the backyard until the servant stopped in front of an elegant courtyard.
He stepped forward, raised his right hand, and gently knocked on the courtyard gate. The knock was light, but loud enough for the people inside to hear.
"What's the matter?"
A clear female voice soon came from inside the room, her tone calm and revealing little emotion; it was Gongsun Rong.
The servant bowed and replied, "Shopkeeper, a customer is looking for you."
Upon hearing this, Gongsun Rong, who was inside the room, subtly smiled.
Sure enough, the fish took the bait. She cleared her throat and called out:
"Let him in."
Having received the order, the servant dared not linger. He bowed slightly to the man and then turned and quietly retreated, leaving the man alone standing in front of the courtyard gate.
Aren't you coming in?
Gongsun Rong, who was inside the room, asked again.
Upon hearing this, the man no longer hesitated, reached out and pushed open the courtyard gate, and slowly walked in. He looked up and saw Gongsun Rong sitting upright at the table in the room.
"you are?"
Gongsun Rong looked up and her gaze fell on him. She pretended to be puzzled and asked.
The man's expression remained unchanged, his tone calm and even as he slowly began to speak:
"My lord has sent me to learn about the situation here."
The master he spoke of was Gongsun Yuan.
Gongsun Rong nodded slightly, her face still showing some doubt:
"Oh? What do you want to know?"
"I heard that all of you were imprisoned before the Han army attacked the city."
The man went straight to the point, his gaze fixed on Gongsun Rong, not wanting to miss a single expression on her face:
"I ask you, how did you escape back? And what is the current situation in this Daliao Ward?"
When Gongsun Rong looked up again, her eyes were filled with grievance and fear, and her voice softened:
“A few days ago, when the Han army attacked the city, the merchants in the city took the opportunity to cause chaos, rushed into the place where we were imprisoned, and killed everyone except me, a woman who was powerless to even kill a chicken.”
"Later they handed me over to the Han army. I knelt on the ground and kept begging for mercy, pleading with them to spare my life. The Han army, considering that I was all alone, was ultimately merciful and let me go."
She paused, her tone even more aggrieved, and then said:
“This Da Liao Fang is no longer what it used to be. The Han army sent the manager of Yanshan Winery to share the shop with me. I am just a pitiful person living under someone else's roof and barely making ends meet.”
As she spoke, she frowned slightly, a hint of resentment flashing in her eyes:
"By the way, where is the person in charge now? He hasn't contacted me for so long. I thought he had abandoned me and didn't care whether I lived or died..."
The man's expression darkened slightly, and he pressed on, asking:
"Did they... realize that you have someone backing you? Did they ever suspect your identity?"
Gongsun Rong quickly shook her head, pretending to burst into tears:
"No, no... I've been very careful and have never given anything away. I told them that I'm a merchant from another city, just here to make a living and do some small business, which is why I built this Da Liao Ward. They all believed me without a doubt."
Seeing her crying so bitterly, the man's expression softened slightly, and his tone became gentler as he offered words of comfort:
"Don't be sad or panicked. Once the Lord has settled everything, he will send people to reclaim this Liaofang. Then you will no longer have to suffer these injustices."
Upon hearing this, Gongsun Rong abruptly raised her head, her eyes still wet with tears, yet filled with surprise and joy.
"Really? You're telling the truth? The Lord will really send someone to save me?"
The man looked at her and slowly nodded:
"Of course it's true. If it weren't for this, why would I have come all this way to find you?"
Upon receiving an affirmative answer, Gongsun Rong was overjoyed. The worry on her face vanished, replaced by barely concealed happiness. She then eagerly asked:
"Great! How much longer do I have to wait? How can I contact you if something urgent happens during this time?"
The man waved his hand and said in a calm tone:
"You don't need to contact us. Just wait here for news. I will inform you when there is any movement from the Lord."
Gongsun Rong nodded quickly, her face full of obedience:
"Okay, I understand. I will wait patiently and will not do anything or ask any questions, so as not to cause you any trouble."
The man nodded slightly and gave instructions:
"During this period, remember to be careful with your words and actions, and don't give anything away. Just wait patiently."
After saying that, he slowly got up and turned to leave.
As the man's figure gradually walked away and disappeared into the alley, the grievance on Gongsun Rong's face instantly faded, replaced by a calm demeanor.
She immediately turned and went inside, instructing the servants beside her:
"Quickly, go and inform Grand Marshal Xiao and the others that the plan is going smoothly and the fish have taken the bait."
...
Before long, Xiao He arrived at the backyard of Da Liao Fang with several trusted men.
Upon entering, he went straight to the point and asked:
"How is the plan progressing? Has there been any movement from Gongsun Yuan's side?"
Gongsun Rong quickly stepped forward and bowed in greeting:
"Reporting to the Grand Marshal, everything is proceeding as you predicted, and the plan is progressing very smoothly."
"The person who just came was sent by Gongsun Yuan. He already believes what I said and said he would come back here in a few days. He told me to wait for their news."
She paused, then recounted her conversation with the man in detail, without missing a single word.
After listening, Xiao He smiled slightly.
"It seems that Gongsun Yuan is only harboring doubts at this moment and dares not act rashly. He only dares to send someone to find out the truth first."
"In that case, let's hold back and patiently wait for him to come again next time."
Upon hearing this, the trusted men beside him exchanged smiles, their eyes filled with certainty.
As soon as Gongsun Yuan makes any move, that will be the time for them to close the net.
Xiao He looked up through the window and gazed outside. He saw a long queue still forming in front of the Da Liao Ward, a bustling and lively scene. He chuckled softly and casually remarked:
"Business in Da Liao Fang is as booming as ever today."
Gongsun Rong quickly bowed and replied:
"Yes, Grand Marshal. It is so. This morning, as soon as it was light, diners began to line up. It was even more lively than usual."
Upon hearing this, Xiao He couldn't help but burst into laughter:
"It seems that this Da Liao Ward is more popular with the people than we expected. Now we have taken control of this Da Liao Ward without lifting a finger, which is a huge bargain."
"Grand Marshal, we have already invested a huge amount of manpower and resources to take over this Da Liao Ward. If the subsequent plans go wrong, we may lose everything and suffer a great loss."
Ma Su sighed.
"That's true. With a betting pool of a full hundred million, how could the business not be booming?"
"Haha, as popular as it is, the person behind this is probably going to lose everything!"
Xiao He's eyes held even greater sarcasm.
...
Inside Xiangping City.
The spies that Gongsun Yuan sent to scout Fangcheng have already ridden back.
"Your Highness, I have investigated thoroughly. Gongsun Rong has not betrayed us. Her heart is clear, and she is completely trustworthy."
The spy knelt down and reported.
He paused, as if remembering something, and his tone became even more serious:
"However... the Liaofang ward of Fangcheng has been completely occupied by the Han army, and we are no longer able to intervene."
"what?!"
Upon hearing the words "Da Liao Ward has been occupied," Gongsun Yuan suddenly sat up straight in his chair, his eyes widening in shock, and the leisurely expression on his face vanished instantly.
He suppressed his anger and pressed on sharply, asking:
"What exactly happened? The Da Liao Ward is heavily guarded, how could it have been so easily captured by the Han army?"
The spy was intimidated by his imposing presence and immediately bowed his head in apology.
"Your Highness, it was not the Han army that forcibly broke through, but rather the merchants in Fangcheng who, seeing the situation was not good, surrendered to the Han army and took control of Daliao Ward, which was then handed over to the Han army."
"Gongsun Rong was a woman and had little power to resist. The merchants spared her life out of consideration for their past relationship."
"Seeing that she was all alone and helpless, the Han army felt some pity for her and did not punish her. Instead, they arranged for her to cooperate with Yanshan Winery to jointly run Da Liao Winery."
"Now, of the profits from the Da Liao Warehouse, after deducting the 20% that has to be handed over to the Han army, the remaining 80% is split equally between Gongsun Rong and the Yanshan Winery."
"Although Gongsun Rong will only get 40% in the end, the business in Da Liao Fang is booming right now. Even this 40% of the profits is a considerable amount, enough for her to live comfortably."
After listening to the messenger's detailed report, Gongsun Yuan's tense body suddenly relaxed, and he slowly sat back in his chair.
With the current situation unclear and being constrained at every turn, every bit of profit is worthwhile. Even if it's just 40% of the profits, it's still better than letting the Da Liao Ware fall completely into the hands of the Han army and ending up with nothing.
Just as he was secretly relieved, the spy added another sentence:
"By the way, Your Highness, Gongsun Rong asked me to pass on a message. She said that she was having a very difficult time in Fangcheng and had suffered a lot of grievances. She is determined to return to Xiangping and to Your Highness's side."
"She's coming back?"
Gongsun Yuan's face instantly darkened, his brows, which had just relaxed, furrowed again, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
He slammed his hand on the table and shouted angrily:
"She's back. Who will safeguard the profits of the Great Liao Warehouse for me? Who will make money for me? You?"
The rebuke carried immense pressure, causing the spy to tremble in fear. He immediately knelt down, not daring to breathe, let alone look into Gongsun Yuan's eyes.
Gongsun Yuan's tone softened slightly as he shouted:
"Go back and comfort her. Tell her that once she has earned a hundred million coins, I will allow her to return to Xiangping."
He knew perfectly well that Gongsun Rong still had value to him at the moment, and if he pushed her too hard, she might be driven to desperation and turn to the enemy.
Only by giving her something to look forward to can you keep her firmly in your grasp.
at the same time.
Meanwhile, inside the royal palace, the men Li Xu had sent to Fangcheng to gather information had returned.
Gongsun Kang was sitting at his desk in his study, holding an ancient book and reading it carefully.
"Your Majesty, I have already ascertained the situation in Fangcheng and have come to report to you."
Li Xu walked lightly into the study and bowed respectfully.
Gongsun Kang slowly raised his eyes, gently placed the ancient book in his hand on the table, and his gaze fell on Li Xu:
"Oh? What have you found out? Tell me in detail."
"Your Majesty, according to our scouts, Fangcheng is now completely under the control of the Han army. All matters, large and small, within the city are decided by the Han army. Our remaining forces have been completely wiped out by the Han army, leaving us with no place to stand."
Li Xu bowed and replied.
"boom!"
Upon hearing this, Gongsun Kang clenched his fists, his calm demeanor instantly vanishing, replaced by overwhelming resentment.
Fangcheng is a strategic location, and its fall into the hands of the Han army is undoubtedly a heavy blow to them.
Li Xu knelt on the ground, witnessing Gongsun Kang's fury, not daring to breathe loudly for fear of angering the emperor.
After a moment, Gongsun Kang took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and slowly waved his hand:
"Alright, continue. What else is going on?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Li Xu felt relieved and quickly continued to report:
"After the Han army captured Fangcheng, they selected a reliable person to be in charge of managing all affairs of Fangcheng, and everything was in good order."
"In addition, the Han army also sent people to find the manager of Da Liao Fang and reached a cooperation agreement with him to continue operating Da Liao Fang."
"Business at Da Liao Fang remains booming, with customers flocking in every day and the profits are quite substantial."
Upon hearing the words "the profits from the Da Liao Fang are considerable," Gongsun Kang's anger subsided somewhat.
Da Liao Fang is the most prosperous commercial establishment in Fangcheng. If its profits can be preserved, it can make up for some of the losses.
He pondered for a moment and asked:
"Who is the person in charge of the Da Liao Ward now?"
He secretly pondered that if the person in charge was under his control, he might be able to find a way to take back the profits of Da Liao Fang.
"Your Majesty, our scouts have learned that the person in charge of Da Liao Fang is still the same manager, and there has been no change."
Li Xu replied truthfully:
"However, this manager had been imprisoned by the Han army before, but for some reason, he was released by the Han army and then took over the Da Liao Warehouse again and continued to operate it."
"Oh? Is that so?"
A hint of doubt flashed in Gongsun Kang's eyes. (End of Chapter)