Li Jun was taken aback. With the help of the Peace Army, Jia Tong had become heavily involved in the highly profitable industries of salt production, silk production, and winemaking. In just two years, he had grown from a wealthy merchant in Kuanglan City into a tycoon with assets of several million or even tens of millions. Zhuang Heng, on the other hand, had expanded his lending to merchants in Kuanglan City and had also directly entered into industries such as shipping. His wealth was probably comparable to Jia Tong's. Both of them were leaders of merchants in Kuanglan City. Although they would visit each other during holidays, they rarely came to formally meet like this.
"Are you here to see Commander Li or Finance Officer Jiang?" Feng Jiutian's eyes lit up as he asked.
"They said they wanted to see Commander Li, Mr. Feng, and Treasurer Jiang." The guard's reply made Jiang Tang look up and stop his calculations, a sly glint flashing beneath his raised eyebrows.
"You've come at the perfect time, saving us the trouble of inviting them. Jiang Tang, do you have a plan yet?" Feng Jiutian asked with a smile.
"Of course, when have we ever done a deal without a plan?" Jiang Tang chuckled and patted his head, indicating that the plan was already in his mind. Li Jun, on the other hand, looked at the two of them with some curiosity. It seemed they had already discussed something but hadn't reported it to him.
"Quickly invite them in, let's go greet them." Feng Jiutian said to Li Jun in a requesting tone. Li Jun stood up and said, "Okay." He then strode towards the door.
After welcoming Jia Tong and Zhuang Heng into the tent and exchanging pleasantries, Jia Tong went straight to the point: "Is the Peace Army experiencing any financial difficulties?"
Li Jun was taken aback. He didn't want too many people to know about his financial predicament. If outsiders found out, it would not only be a huge blow to morale, but also negatively impact the Peace Army's capabilities and credibility. He looked at Jiang Tang, who smiled calmly and said, "We might be able to hide such a large amount of plain silk from others, but how can we hide it from these two big bosses?"
"Indeed, the grain in the treasury can still last for a while, but our resources are exhausted. We have no choice but to compete with the people for profit. Please forgive our ignorance," Li Jun said with a wry smile. There was nothing left to hide now.
Zhuang Heng shook his head and said, "If that's the case, then Commander Li is being very unfair, treating Brother Jia and me, Zhuang Heng, as outsiders. The Peace Army's difficulties are the difficulties of the entire Kuanglan City, so why not borrow this money from us?"
“This was not Commander Li’s idea,” Feng Jiutian interjected. “When Commander Li learned that the company was in dire financial straits, he initially wanted to ask the two of you for help. However, after careful consideration, he realized that the money you two had earned was also hard-earned. The businesses in Kuanglan City, large and small, cannot operate on fraudulent means. They rely on the hard work of all the owners and employees to earn even a penny or two of profit. This money should be used for more important purposes. Therefore, Commander Li discussed with us the matter and decided not to trouble the two of you for the time being.”
Jia Tong and Zhuang Heng exchanged a glance. On one hand, they genuinely wanted to help the Peace Army; it was a long-term investment. As shrewd businessmen, they had long considered Li Jun a valuable asset. If the Peace Army needed their financial support, then they would have a say in the Peace Army's decisions. However, Feng Jiutian's polite words subtly rejected their overtures, leaving a vague hint of "an even more important matter" for future replies. This, in turn, made the two men even more worried.
"It is truly touching that Commander Li still thinks of us lowly merchants at such a time." Jia Tong looked directly at Li Jun, knowing that Jiang Tang, like them, was a seasoned businessman who would never speak the truth. Feng Jiutian was even more cunning and shrewd. Only Li Jun, because of his youth, might reveal a little bit of the truth.
To his disappointment, Li Jun already knew what he should say. He laughed and said, "Boss Jia, why be so modest? Who in Kuanglan City is stronger than you and Boss Zhuang? And who dares to claim that their contributions to Kuanglan City surpass those of merchants? Speaking of which, when Peng Ni attacked the city last time, we owe a great debt to the two of you for your help in stabilizing prices and opening granaries to provide relief to the people, saving countless lives. You two can be called the great philanthropists of Kuanglan City."
Although these words were very polite to Jia Tong and Zhuang Heng, they also dispelled Jia Tong's idea of finding a breakthrough through Li Jun. Jia Tong smiled bitterly and said, "Commander Li is too kind. Boss Zhuang and I came here to see if there was anything you could do for us. Since you don't need our help, we won't bother you with your military affairs."
"Wait a minute, I have a business deal to discuss with you two." He used a feigned retreat to advance, which indeed prompted Jiang Tang to persuade him to stay. Jia Tong asked, "What is it, Brother Jiang? Please just tell me."
"It is so. Yuzhou is currently embroiled in war and everything is in ruins. The Leiming City silver mine was destroyed by the war and cannot resume operations in the short term. As you both know, the overseas profits of the Heping Trading Company are only enough to support Yuzhou's military and political expenses. There is simply no surplus to undertake more construction. Therefore, I would like to ask you two to take the lead in organizing the major merchants in the city to repair all the roads in Yuzhou and to repair and build bridges as needed. What do you two think?"
Jia Tong and Zhuang Heng looked troubled. Although their combined wealth was more than enough to complete the task, a worried expression almost habitually appeared on their faces. Jia Tong said, "If it were just Kuanglan City, it would be easy. But Yuzhou is so vast. How can we, as individuals, possibly cover everything?"
Jiang Tang chuckled coldly and said, "Please rest assured, Mr. Jia, we will never let you two suffer a loss. You should first repair and widen the roads leading from Kuanglan City to Yinhu City and Leiming City. You can advance the necessary funds, and the Peace Army will repay the principal and interest as soon as its finances improve. Words are not enough; I have already drawn up a written agreement." As he spoke, he took out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to the two men, adding, "Actually, repairing bridges and paving roads will benefit you far more than the Peace Army. Don't forget, with smooth bridges and roads, there will be more merchants and travelers, and with more merchants and travelers, you two will become wealthy."
Jia Tong and Zhuang Heng carefully examined the document signed by Jiang Tang, but said, "Why bother? Don't we trust the Peace Army?" They quickly put the document into their pockets.
"By the way, you two must attend the initiation ceremony at the cemetery square tomorrow," Feng Jiutian said as he saw them off. "If you two don't come, then very few of the bosses in Kuanglan City will."
"Haha, please rest assured, sir. We will not only come, but we will also come dressed in plain silk robes." Zhuang Heng and Feng Jiutian exchanged a glance and smiled knowingly.
"Didn't you say the other day that you shouldn't borrow money from merchants? Now that you have no money, why are you going to start such a big construction project?" After the two left, Li Jun asked, feeling slightly uneasy. It wasn't that he was unhappy that Feng Jiutian and Jiang Tang made the decision without his consent, but rather that he was frightened by the heavy financial burden.
"We have no choice but to do this. Yuzhou has just suffered from natural disasters and is now ravaged by war. The people are destitute. If the Peace Army were to allocate funds for relief, we would lack the resources. If we ignore it, not only will the people be displaced, but I fear the calamity of Chen Guolian's Dharma Sect will also befall Yuzhou." Feng Jiutian shook his head and said, "Now, by having merchants undertake some construction projects, we can absorb a large number of idle people. I have estimated that the income of one construction worker is enough to ensure that a family of four can live comfortably. It may seem that we are taking on debt, but in reality, we are letting the merchants share our burden. This kind of spending is different from borrowing money. Borrowing money and using it immediately only solves the immediate crisis, leaving a greater crisis for the future. If we start this trend, it is easy to develop a habit of 'borrowing' money from the people when we are short of money. But this kind of spending is an investment, something that can generate more money."
"I see." Li Jun was relieved. Although Feng Jiutian only gave a brief explanation, he had already thought about it more deeply and further. In addition to the benefits that Feng Jiutian mentioned, the smooth roads and prosperous commerce would actually increase the tax revenue of the Peace Army, and military mobilization and transportation would be much more convenient than before.