Chapter 127 — The Top Seat
Xu Jun was somewhat surprised. He stepped forward to take a closer look and asked quietly, “How many are there?”
Xie Jing replied, “Over two hundred guns, plus some ammunition.” He opened another flat wooden crate, rummaged through it, and handed a pistol to Xu Jun. “Uncle, carry this with you for protection.”
Xie Siquan took it and glanced over—each gun was brand new, definitely better than what he currently carried. He handed the pistol he was holding to Xu Jun, took another for himself, and immediately replaced his old one.
Seeing this, Xie Jing asked, “Second Master can use a gun too?”
Xu Jun nodded. “I know a bit.”
His movements were swift, even more practiced than Xie Siquan’s.
Xie Jing recalled that the last time Xu Jun had said he knew a bit, it had been about managing the salt fields, and he had chuckled lightly. But being able to handle a gun was certainly better than not knowing how.
Once all the crates were moved, they formed a small mountain in the inner courtyard.
After counting, Xie Jing handed the ledger to Xie Siquan. “Uncle, the numbers are all here. You and Second Master can double-check them. As for these items, arrange them as you see fit.”
Xie Siquan said, “You went to so much trouble to buy all this…”
Xie Jing replied, “It was always meant to prepare for bandit threats ahead of time. Now it comes in handy.” Wang Su walked over and whispered something in Xie Jing’s ear. Nodding, Xie Jing turned back to his uncle: “This is half of it. The other half is on the way, but due to paperwork, it might take a few months to arrive.”
The crates were all transported by the Bai family guards. Once they finished, Xie Jing left with them.
Even after Xie Jing left, Xie Siquan was still trying to process what had just happened.
Xu Jun commanded the men to store everything safely. By the time they were done, it was already late at night.
Xie Siquan sat at the table, reading the ledger by lamplight. Though the entries were brief, they were shocking to see. Transporting such a batch of real weapons into Sichuan was no small feat. Even considering only the other checkpoints, the inspections were strict, and every faction treated military supplies with utmost importance.
Xu Jun sat down and asked, “What is it?”
Xie Siquan handed him the ledger. “See for yourself.”
After reading, Xu Jun was stunned. “Two cannons as well? That’s really heavy.”
Xie Siquan said, “A battalion of five hundred. Jing’er must have prepared based on that number.”
Xu Jun: “That’s too many. Even if all Xie family members carried guns, it wouldn’t amount to this.”
Xie Siquan frowned. “These things aren’t cheap. Where did he get the money?”
Xu Jun: “…I gave it to him.”
Xie Siquan was stunned. “You knew he was buying all this?”
Xu Jun shook his head. “No. A few days ago, he said he wanted to buy some things, but didn’t have enough cash, so I gave him thirty thousand silver.” He frowned slightly, mentally calculating while looking at the ledger. “But thirty thousand can’t buy this much.”
Xie Siquan closed his eyes. “I also gave him some.”
“How much?”
“Fifty thousand.”
Xu Jun: “That’s far too much.”
Xie Siquan retorted, “And you say I’m overboard? You also gave it. Moreover, out of my fifty thousand, forty thousand was entrusted by He Dongting to me to give him—that’s He Dongting’s fault for carelessly giving money to the kid.”
He had always thought of Xie Jing as a child. Receiving such a batch of military supplies so suddenly made him both proud and concerned. “I don’t know what he’s been learning in the north all these years. Did you see him loading guns today? Fast as lightning, single-handedly. That old Bai—recklessly letting a kid touch dangerous stuff—what a chaos.”
Xu Jun sighed lightly. “We’ll have to visit that Lord Bai Jiu personally to thank him.” Though he had never seen Xie Jing deploy the Xie family caravan, he realized that both acquiring and safely transporting these supplies relied on the Bai family’s strength. They owed Lord Bai Jiu a favor for this.
Two days later, Xie Siquan received a notice. Several merchant houses jointly invited him to discuss suppressing the bandits.
Xie Siquan prepared to go, and Xie Jing was already waiting at the gate.
Xie Siquan asked, “You’re coming out too?”
Xie Jing said, “I’ll accompany you to Lower City.”
Seeing Xie Jing with the guns, Xie Siquan felt more at ease and nodded. “Good. Take your guards and get in the carriage.”
Xie Siquan’s carriage was spacious; several people could sit without feeling cramped. Wang Su took the corner by the door, hand on his waist for vigilance.
Xie Siquan glanced at him, then at Xie Jing. His nephew today wore clothes similar to his own—a typical Sichuan style.
Xie Jing wore a grayish-blue robe reaching past his waist, white shirt collar visible, six silver plate buttons on the diagonal lapel, and a white jade tassel on the chest. Preferring leather belts over silk, he had two gem-encrusted daggers at his waist. His slightly long hair was tied back, with some strands falling over his forehead. He lifted a corner of the carriage curtain with one hand, chin raised slightly, looking out with an indifferent expression.
Xie Siquan pinched his cheek. “You’re still so young. Why always with that serious face? Smile more.”
Xie Jing instinctively raised his hand, recognized the gesture, and lowered it. “Oh, okay.”
Xie Siquan asked, “Anything else on your mind today while we go to Lower City?”
Xie Jing thought for a moment. “I worry you might be at a disadvantage.”
Xie Siquan laughed lightly. “And what do you plan to do about that?”
He had meant it as a teasing remark. Unexpectedly, Xie Jing answered seriously: “Why not take the opportunity to establish the Sichuan Merchants’ Association? It would allow coordinated management.” He had seen Lord Bai Jiu form the Northern Provinces Chamber of Commerce in Heihe and remembered the process. The salt guilds in Sichuan were fragmented and competitive. With no central leader now, why not replicate the northern model and make Uncle the top authority in Sichuan?
Xie Jing whispered his plan. Xie Siquan glanced at him several times and couldn’t help asking, “You learned all this in the north? Who taught you?”
Xie Jing smiled. “Lord Bai Jiu taught me.”
Soon they arrived. The merchant meeting was at the junction of Upper and Lower City. Many people were there, crowded and talking, all with worried expressions.
Huang Wanxing acted as the liaison, but he wasn’t skilled in negotiation. Sichuan merchants differed from elsewhere; many worked quietly all their lives. With bandits attacking, no amount of back-and-forth would easily bring consensus.
Some tugged on Huang Wanxing’s sleeve, questioning: “Boss Huang, your family is in danger. While waiting to rescue them, you expect us to contribute the same money as you? I’m not a fool. I’m here to protect the people of Sichuan. If you act like this, I’ll be the first to leave!”
Huang Wanxing gritted his teeth. “I…I’ll double my contribution. That’ll do, right?”
The other party continued, “And the guns?”
Huang Wanxing could scrape together more money and hire some men, but guns were impossible—he had no connections to obtain them and was speechless.
Xie Siquan entered with Xie Jing, one following the other. Xie Siquan’s voice rang loudly: “The Xie family of Upper City will provide two hundred guns and fifty men!”
Immediately, the entire hall fell silent.
In Sichuan City, a merchant house owning ten or so guns was considered powerful. For Xie Siquan to lend two hundred guns at once was staggering. And this was just what he was providing today. The Xie family could hardly empty their entire resources. The crowd’s perception shifted—from caution to fear. The Xie family had manpower and weaponry far beyond what anyone else could rival.
Author’s Note:
On northern upbringing:
Little Xie: Lord Bai Jiu said, “If you don’t seize opportunities, you’ll lose out.”
Xie Uncle: Noted.
