The Hostage Girl - Chapter 70-Part 1
Chapter 70-Part 1
Jiang Xiurun stood at the bow of the ship, gazing at the expanse of reeds.
According to the new route set by the Crown Prince, this waterway was closer to the capital of Han compared to the original one.
If merchant ships were to travel this route, it would naturally be more convenient for trade with the capital.
But what if warships sailed these waters instead?
A fleet of warships could cover a thousand miles in a single day.
If Great Qi ever harbored the ambition to annex Han, it could destroy the State overnight.
Feng Liwu had originally married Princess Tian to foster good relations with Han and solidify his position as heir.
By that logic, Jiang Xiurun shouldn’t be so suspicious.
But she knew Feng Liwu’s character all too well.
The usually stingy Crown Prince was unexpectedly generous when constructing the canal, showing no concern over the expenses for the Han emperor.
This made her suspicious, forcing her to consider whether Feng Liwu had plans to reclaim these costs.
However, if even she could detect this scheme, would the Han emperor agree to it? Jiang Xiurun doubted it.
Yet Feng Liwu didn’t seem worried.
He had sent along Gongsun Wuyan, a trusted aide who had once served in his mansion.
Gongsun Wuyan was originally a Han citizen and had connections with many influential figures in the court.
He was well-versed in identifying corrupt officials who could be bribed.
Feng Liwu had made things clear to Gongsun Wuyan: if he succeeded in managing the canal project, Feng Liwu would reward him handsomely with gold to settle down and marry. Furthermore, Feng Liwu would use Princess Tian’s lack of offspring as an excuse to release her from the mansion, allowing her to marry Gongsun Wuyan and fulfill his deep affection for her. Holding Princess Tian’s life in his hands, Feng Liwu was confident Gongsun Wuyan would obey him.
Additionally, Gongsun Wuyan was to deliver promissory notes for three years’ worth of grain from two counties near Han.
In a letter to the Han emperor, Feng Liwu explained that due to the canal’s construction, Great Qi’s treasury was strained but offered these grain reserves as collateral.
Faced with the allure of wealth, a greedy man would find it hard to resist.
Feng Liwu was certain the Han emperor would swallow this poisoned bait.
As for the palace intrigues involving his mother, he couldn’t and wouldn’t intervene for now.
To free himself from the constraints of the old ministers in court, he needed to hold military power and expand Great Qi’s territory to cultivate a new class of officials.
Feng Liwu’s thoughts drifted far as he gazed at the endless expanse of land around him.
The frustrations of the morning were swept away.
Jiang Xiurun could tell he was in a good mood, but secretly sighed in relief.
Fortunately, she hadn’t yet invested in land.
If war broke out and Han became Great Qi’s territory, with kings and lords being rewarded for their merits, any properties would likely be confiscated.
The losses would be immense.
By the time the ship docked again, they had reached Shunde.
The canal construction in Shunde had already begun, but was progressing slowly because the Han emperor hadn’t given his approval.
Just as the Crown Prince arrived at the Shunde palace, news came from Han: the Han emperor, after overcoming much opposition, had agreed to the Crown Prince’s proposal, though he extended the grain payment to five years.
The Crown Prince smirked coldly, but immediately penned his approval.
With no further delays, the canal construction would proceed day and night starting the next day.
Upon reaching the palace, Feng Liwu began summoning the officials in charge of the canal project, working tirelessly.
Taking advantage of the spare time, Jiang Xiurun changed back into male attire, becoming Young Master Jiang once again.
Accompanied by Qian’er, she rode out to explore.
Shunde, though in the summer, was much cooler than the capital.
Young Master Jiang cut a dashing figure in fine clothes on horseback, the very image of a carefree youth.
Since her plan to purchase land had fallen through, Jiang Xiurun decided to shop for her sister-in-law Wenniang instead.
After marrying into the family, Wenniang had rented a shop in Luo’an City to sell miscellaneous goods.
She had asked Jiang Xiurun to take note of local specialties during her journey so she could send someone to buy them later.
Jiang Xiurun felt this was unnecessary, guessing her sister-in-law didn’t want to trouble her.
But Jiang Xiurun had little real work to do, mostly accompanying the Crown Prince to eat and drink.
With her free time, she decided to stock up on goods and send them back using the Crown Prince’s ship, saving on transportation costs and earning some extra gold.
At the bustling market, she dismounted and wandered with Qian’er and five guards, stopping at various shops.
Whenever she spotted beautiful fabrics or tools, she placed orders and paid deposits, instructing the shopkeepers to deliver the goods to the docks.
After some time, she noticed a shop with hairpins in novel designs.
The patterns and aura faintly resembled those from her homeland, Bo.
Intrigued, she stepped inside.
The shop assistant was enthusiastic, not only presenting exquisite designs but also showing her unadorned hairpin bases and loose gemstones, explaining that custom designs could be made by consulting their artisan.
Jiang Xiurun decided to order a few for her sister-in-law and asked for the jeweler to come out.
When the artisan appeared, Jiang Xiurun’s eyes widened slightly.
She recognized him.
The man in plain cotton clothing with a refined face was none other than Ji Wujiang, a former guest of the now-retired General Sheng Ye of Bo.
Ji Wujiang had once been highly praised by General Sheng Ye and had impressed many with his literary and martial talents during the Bo civil service exams.
People lauded him as “Ji Jun, elegant as jade, unparalleled in the world.”
However, after the Empress’s maternal family, the Fan clan, rose to power, General Sheng Ye was marginalized and resigned to a pastoral life.
Ji Wujiang also resigned and disappeared without a trace.
Unexpectedly, he was now here, on the border between Great Qi and Han.
If Jiang Xiurun recalled correctly, in her previous life, Ji Jun had made several trips to Luo’an before Bo’s fall, attempting to bring his brother back to contest the throne with the new Empress’s son.
Unfortunately, the timing was unfavorable, and he couldn’t act.
After Bo’s fall, Ji Jun urged his brother to follow him to Sheng Ye and plan for the restoration of their state.
Tragically, his brother, filled with blind loyalty and filial piety, refused.
He dismissed the idea of restoration as mere survival under a different name.
The next day, he leaped from the city gate tower, sacrificing himself for his country.
