The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

After receiving the notice from Xiao He, Li Ziwei began to investigate the situation in Chenliu Warehouse and arranged for people to pay attention to the situation of Fan's Trading Company.

That night, Lu Ze came to Meng Yi's residence.

"Brother Meng Yi, these are some anomalies I have discovered since I took office. Please take a look!" Lu Ze handed a scroll of bamboo slips to Meng Yi, and then stood aside respectfully.

After Meng Yi invited Lü Ze to sit down, he opened the bamboo slips and took a look. They were densely packed with information: "County Magistrate Wei Ji is a descendant of the Wei nobility; County Magistrate Han Wen, although he has been in office for over a year, the political power of Pei County is still in Wei Ji's hands; the county government's weapons and equipment are replaced every two years..."

Meng Yi nodded secretly as he read. This was all very important information. After he finished reading, he placed the bamboo slips on the table and looked at Lu Ze and asked, "Thank you, Brother Lu!"

Then the two chatted for a while and Lu Ze left.

After a while, Li Ziwei came to Meng Yi.

When Meng Yi saw him, he quickly asked, "Did you find anything?"

Li Ziwei hesitated for a moment before slowly speaking, "General, I've discovered that there are rumors circulating in several counties surrounding Sishui, suggesting dissatisfaction with Your Majesty. Secret investigations have revealed that, while there's no definitive evidence, the remnants of the six kingdoms, such as Wei Jizhi, have maintained close ties with one another. Furthermore, as far as I know, their influence has gradually infiltrated various counties, even bribing some officials. Furthermore, there's one more thing I need to report to you, General. Chenliu Granary is currently heavily guarded, preventing our troops from entering. However, we've learned through bribery that the soldiers inside are frequently replacing their rations, which is quite unusual."

Meng Yi frowned, thinking, "As expected." Although the descendants of the nobles of the six kingdoms had lost their former glory and power, the resentment in their hearts had not subsided. They were constantly searching for opportunities to restore their kingdoms.

Meng Yi pondered for a moment and said to Li Ziwei, "You've done a good job. This intelligence is very useful. However, we must not alert the enemy. We must continue to observe and wait for the opportunity."

Li Ziwei nodded and replied, "I understand. However, I feel this matter is of great importance and must be resolved as soon as possible. Otherwise, if they succeed, the consequences will be disastrous."

Meng Yi stood up, walked to the window, looked out at the night, and said slowly, "You're right. This matter is indeed urgent. But we can't act rashly. We must be patient and wait for the best opportunity. Now, we need more evidence to catch them all in one fell swoop."

Li Ziwei said, "I understand. By the way, General, we have discovered the Fan family's business. I have asked someone to contact Fan Li as soon as possible."

Meng Yi nodded and said, "Okay, let him come to see me as soon as possible."

After Li Ziwei left, Meng Yi returned to his desk, picked up the bamboo slips again, and savored every word Lu Ze had said. He knew full well that the course of this incident could very well change the course of history.

"As expected, as I thought before, the descendants of the nobles of the six countries will be the driving force behind the uprising. I'm afraid that the grain in Chenliu Warehouse has fallen into their hands. What should I do then..." Meng Yi muttered to himself, falling into deep thought.

One day later, Li Ziwei, Fan Li, and a young man arrived at the gate of Lu's mansion.

As soon as they stepped into the mansion, a young man rushed over like a gust of wind.

His face was filled with uncontrollable joy, and he shouted excitedly: "Brother Meng Yi!"

It turned out that this young man was Ying Zhao, who was studying under Fan Li under Meng Yi's orders.

When he saw Meng Yi, his eyes sparkled with excitement, as if he had met a long-lost relative.

Meng Yi smiled and patted Yingzhao's shoulder, saying gently, "Long time no see, Yingzhao. Judging from your appearance, you must have learned a lot from Mr. Fan."

Ying Zhao chuckled, scratched his head, and said modestly: "It's all thanks to Brother Meng Yi."

He looked around and asked curiously, "Brother Meng Yi, where is my elder brother Ying Bu?"

Meng Yi smiled and replied, "Ying Bu is currently in an important position in Xianyang and is very busy. He cannot leave. You will naturally meet him when you go to Xianyang."

Ying Zhao nodded, his eyes full of anticipation.

At this time, Fan Li stepped forward, bowed, and said in a loud voice, "Greetings, General Meng Yi."

Meng Yi returned the greeting with a smile, his eyes revealing respect for Fan Li. "Mr. Fan, you're welcome. I've asked you to come here to discuss something important."

In the study, sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the figures of two people. Meng Yi and Fan Li sat opposite each other, the atmosphere somewhat solemn.

Meng Yi got straight to the point and said, "Brother Fan, we've known each other for so many years, I won't beat around the bush. Do you know anything about the grain in Chenliu Granary?"

Fan Li frowned slightly, and after a moment's silence, he gently picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, and then slowly put it down. He seemed to be thinking about how to answer this question.

Finally, Fan Li spoke up, "Brother Meng Yi, to be honest, my Fan family merchants travel extensively, commanding countless caravans, and we have indeed dealt with them."

He paused and continued, "The descendants of the six kingdoms are secretly building up their own forces. Their financial and human resources are extraordinary, and the current Chenliu Warehouse is just the tip of the iceberg."

Meng Yi nodded in understanding. He knew full well that the remnants of the six kingdoms were not to be underestimated; they were secretly accumulating strength, attempting to restore their former kingdoms. The Chenliu Cang mentioned by Fan Li was only a small microcosm of a larger conspiracy.

Meng Yi stared at Fan Li and asked, "Brother Fan, is Fan's Trading Company involved in this?" There was a hint of doubt in his tone.

Fan Li quickly waved his hands and explained, "Brother Meng Yi has misunderstood. My Fan Company has always adhered to the principle of neutrality and only does legitimate business. Although we have had contact with those people, we have absolutely no intention of colluding with them. But..."

Then, Fan Li frowned slightly and fell into deep thought, one hand gently stroking his chin, his eyes deep, revealing a complex emotion.

After a while, he slowly spoke, "Brother Meng Yi, since we've been frank with each other, I won't hide anything. Although I'm the head of the Fan Trading Company, in reality, only the Guanzhong, Bashu, and Shandong trading companies truly obey my orders. As for the Huainan and Huaibei regions, they are controlled by my cousin Fan Sheng, while the Jiangnan Trading Company is managed by my cousin Fan Zeng."

When Meng Yi heard the name Fan Zeng, his heart suddenly shook, and he straightened up involuntarily with an expression of astonishment on his face.

He pondered, "So Fan Zeng is actually one of the people who controls the Fan Trading Company! No wonder Xiang Liang and Xiang Yu were able to launch their armies so smoothly and with such abundant food and supplies. It seems the Fan Trading Company provided them with tremendous support behind the scenes."

Fan Li noticed Meng Yi's reaction and couldn't help but sigh softly. He continued, "Besides, my cousin Fan Sheng has frequent contacts and close ties with the nobles of the six kingdoms. It's not ruled out that he might be involved."

Meng Yi frowned, lost in thought, secretly calculating how to deal with this complicated situation. The atmosphere in the study grew increasingly solemn, as if time had frozen at this moment.

Fan Li broke the silence in the study and said, "Although the descendants of the six nations are ready to make a move, Brother Meng Yi, rest assured. I will keep an eye on this matter and report the latest developments to you promptly."

Meng Yi looked at Fan Li gratefully and said, "Thank you very much, Brother Fan. I will need to rely on you in the future."