CHAPTER 445: CHAPTER 445: EXPANSION

The Nanyang County Princess, Jiang Shaohua, possesses both beauty and talent. With military power, grain resources, and authority, and a grand household enterprise, she is seen by many as the epitome of a successful woman.

What worries could such a Nanyang County Princess have?

Of course, there are!

The more you expand, the more insufficient the money and grain feel, the more lacking the military strength, and manpower is far from adequate.

Once a person develops ambition, it’s like a seed entering the soil. The seed takes root, sprouts, and blooms, gradually growing, with the ambition flourishing alongside.

"I initiated Tang Family’s management of the grain shop back then to promote new grain. After two years, it has been quite effective. The new grain of our Nanyang County has gradually been promoted. Most of the northern people have started planting the new grain. Even in the southern regions, some are starting to come to the Nanyang Army to purchase seed grain."

"This year, just from selling seed grains alone, we’ve earned substantial silver for Nanyang County," Jiang Shaohua sighed with a smile, "Chief Historian Feng tirelessly calculates accounts all night, never mind the fatigue. Yet, why am I still somewhat dissatisfied?"

"As Nanyang County’s influence continues to expand, manpower becomes increasingly insufficient. Especially the Personal Guard Camp, with each grain shop needing two hundred trusted aides. The remnants of the chaotic army within Pingzhou still require more manpower. I desperately wish to expand the personnel in the Personal Guard Camp several times over."

Song Yuan glanced at the Commandery Princess whose eyes were shining, and coughed lightly, "With the Commandery Princess’s reputation and strength, expanding the Personal Guard Camp is not difficult. The difficulty lies in maintaining and training the troops. The Commandery Princess should not be too impatient, as the road must be walked step by step, and matters must be handled one by one."

Over five years, the Personal Guard Camp has expanded its personnel threefold, from the original two thousand to the current six thousand. Each is well-equipped, an elite soldier, with strong combat capabilities. Frankly speaking, these six thousand trusted aides alone could sweep through the court’s forces of around twenty thousand. Adding the Nanyang Army, it is enough to dominate the North.

Yet, the Commandery Princess wants to continue the expansion... Someday, the military power will be sufficient to influence the situation in the North.

What exactly does the Commandery Princess aim to achieve?

This question has been lingering in Song Yuan’s heart continuously. It seems that Chen Feng, the two Chief Historians, have pondered it privately more than once. However, some matters are to be done without being spoken of clearly, left ambiguous like this!

Jiang Shaohua might feign before others, but in front of Song Yuan, there is not a hint of intention to conceal, as she openly voiced, "I am indeed anxious in my heart. I worry about unexpected changes in the Capital City. Only if I possess powerful strength will others be deterred and not dare to act recklessly."

Song Yuan listened, somewhat puzzled, "The Emperor is young and vigorous, and a few months later will be out of mourning, ready to marry the Empress and prolong the lineage. Prime Minister Wang holds the reigns of government, supported by the faction of the Grand Empress Dowager and Duke An, although the efficiency of conducting matters is low, there shall certainly not be major chaos. Why does the Commandery Princess worry?"

Jiang Shaohua remained silent.

How could she not be concerned?

In a previous life, it was in this year when the young Emperor Taihe unexpectedly passed away. Soon followed an earth-shattering purge of court forces. Succession to the throne has always accompanied bloodshed and turmoil. Emperor Taihe had no offspring, only a mentally challenged brother. To ensure stable succession, she and Zheng Chen respectively allied through marriage with the Wang Family and Fan Family, barely stabilizing the situation. Her life was subsequently subjected to manipulation and control.

In this lifetime, she repeatedly wrote to Emperor Taihe, reminding him to guard against the people around him. Unfortunately, she is in Nanyang County, too far to effectively influence the Capital City. Whereas both Prince Gaoliang and his son are in the Capital City. Furthermore, Zheng Chen, whose intentions are unclear and indecipherable, has been increasingly associating with Jiang Yi, the Heir of Prince Gaoliang...

The court factions are in constant conflict, the waves in the palace are turbulent.

What should she do?

What can she do?

"Uncle, last night, Grandfather came to me in a dream again," Jiang Shaohua raised her eyes to meet Song Yuan’s gaze, "Grandfather told me there might be significant changes in the Capital City, urging me to be prepared to cope."

Song Yuan’s eyelid twitched, his heartbeat skipped, "What significant changes?"

Jiang Shaohua once more fell silent, only speaking after a long pause, "Grandfather didn’t specify, just mentioned it was related to the Emperor. I truly feel uneasy. However, I am far away from the Capital City. It’s one thing for the personnel and informants in the Capital to relay messages, but genuinely wanting to intervene, I am beyond my reach."

Song Yuan steadied his mind, consoling, "The Commandery Princess need not worry too much. Regardless of what happens in the Capital City, it won’t affect us in Nanyang County."

Nevertheless, she seems no longer satisfied with merely guarding Nanyang County. Her ambition grows larger and her vision extends further, from Nanyang County gazing all the way north, expanding her influence relentlessly... Once chaos erupts in the Capital City, it is bound to be implicated.

Jiang Shaohua exhaled deeply, "Let’s not discuss these matters for now. With spring plowing approaching, I should begin inspecting the military camp and the Fourteen Counties. Uncle, go make arrangements!"

Song Yuan bowed to take the order and exited.

Jiang Shaohua sat alone on the chair, her eyes wandering uncertainly. After a long time, she let out a long sigh.

...

Jiang Shaohua’s worries are unknown to others. Even facing those closest to her, she hesitates to reveal them.

Five days later, Jiang Shaohua, accompanied by a thousand trusted aides guarding her, began this year’s inspection.

The whole of Nanyang County has long become accustomed to the Commandery Princess’s ways, amidst the spring plowing, County Magistrates were all eagerly bustling around the fields. The newly developed barren lands for cultivation received particular attention.

This year is also extremely crucial for the Tang Family.

With the promotion of new grain, Tang’s Grain Shop leapfrogged from Nanyang County’s leading grain merchant to the most renowned grain distributor in the North. Fifteen grain shops now exclusively sell the new grain seed, and the queue of citizens wanting to buy the seed every day stretches two miles.

The new grain is drought-resistant, cold-resistant, and has a high yield. Anyone who grows the new grain is aware of its advantages. Those who haven’t planted before, seeing others’ fields reap bountiful harvests, have long been envious. When Tang’s Grain Shop opened its doors this year, it was almost overwhelmed by the rush to buy seed grain.

The Tang Family’s worries also surfaced.

The manpower is simply insufficient. Every possible man has been sent out, whether close relatives or distant ones, yet manpower still falls short.

"The Commandery Princess said, this year, five more grain shops are to be opened, yet manpower is utterly lacking," Grandmaster Tang complained to Old Master Tang, "For each grain shop, at least three to four people are needed. Thankfully we have the trusted aides from the Personal Guard Camp helping out, otherwise, we’d be even busier."

Grandmaster Tang, having traveled extensively for two years, returned this year specifically to attend the Commandery Princess’s coming-of-age ceremony. Now, it’s time to embark on his journey again, a circle of blackened thinness around his face yet lending an extraordinary vigor.

Old Master Tang spoke slowly, "If manpower is insufficient, don’t be limited to male members of the Tang Family. Recruit some reliable people, teach them while they work, after a few years of training they’ll be usable."

"Feel free to do this. I’ll support you over here within the clan; no one will dare to gossip or complain."

Saying this with a glance, "You scoundrel, full of schemes, have already started doing this in private. Now you tell me, isn’t it just to have me take the blame for you?"

Grandmaster Tang chuckled mildly.