Chapter 1: The Yongle Frontier City

Ye Chen feigned a look of surprise and nodded to indicate his understanding After a moment of hesitation, he said: "Thank you for the reminder, Brother Liu! I plan to return to the heartland of the Song Dynasty in the next few days Brother Liu! You must also be cautious on this journey, and I hope that we can meet again in the Central Plains. Well... I will now calculate the income from the past month and then give you forty percent of the silver."

At this point, Liu Nan felt a bit flushed, realizing that what he was saying now contradicted his earlier request for leave and was somewhat forced. After all, Ye Chen had never mentioned any intention of going to the capital of the Song Dynasty, Kaifeng

In the northwest during spring, the climate is at its driest. The sandy soil outside the Yongle border town is swept by the wind, transforming into dust, which is carried away by the fierce winds, resulting in a small sandstorm

At least Ye Chen felt quite refreshed at this moment

Liu Dutuo! I have personally come to the Yongle border city, and naturally, I have important news that requires you to investigate

Upon hearing that Ye Chen was preparing to return to the heart of the Song Dynasty, Liu Nan thought of the possibility that he might not return from this trip, potentially dying at the hands of the Khitan people. After a moment of contemplation, he lightly cleared his throat and said: "Ye Ge'er! My departure this time is not actually to return home, but rather to attend to another important matter. The journey is long, and I do not know when I will be able to return to my home in Kaifeng. If you are heading south, could you please help me by bringing some silver to my home?"

After clearly stating the matter, the deputy commander took a sip of tea and casually remarked: "The clerk at the front desk of your shop looks unfamiliar, and seems not to be one of your subordinates, yet he appears quite astute. Do not let him discover your true identity, as it would be troublesome if it were to leak out."

On one hand, it is naturally because Liu Nan must venture deep into enemy territory to gather intelligence, which is a matter of life and death.

The footsteps coming from the backyard interrupted Ye Chen's contemplation

Ye Chen skillfully arrived at a corner of the basement, quickly pulled out half a brick from the wall, and took out a strange trumpet-shaped object, placing it to his ear

Suddenly, the sound of a conversation between two people reached my ears

Ye Chen, having just overheard some information, began to carefully recall the history of this era, attempting to find the best way out for himself from it

Oh! How will Ye Chen deliver the goods and silver to the salt merchant? the deputy commander asked curiously

Then, Ye Chen called over another seemingly honest assistant named He Ming to watch the front desk, while Ye Chen quickly made his way to the kitchen in the backyard. He lifted the lid of a large iron pot, which was as big as a tabletop, and reached in to feel the bottom of the pot. A low humming sound emerged, revealing an entrance to an underground chamber that could accommodate only one person.

Liu Nan! The general has stated that if you can successfully complete this mission, you will be promoted to Deputy Commander. Remember, this mission is of utmost importance; it plays a crucial role in whether our Song Dynasty can successfully attack Northern Han. The group of scouts from Yongle Border City under your command must gather intelligence, and even if they all sacrifice themselves, they must successfully obtain military information and ensure it is delivered to the main camp.

Especially when he thought of the changes that the 40% equity stake brought to his home in Kaifeng, Liu Nan felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude towards Ye Chen in his heart

Liu Nan is well aware of his own family's circumstances, as he has a wife, daughter, and elderly mother to support. His mother is seriously ill and urgently requires a substantial amount of money for treatment; otherwise, he would not have voluntarily applied two years ago to come to this perilous Yongle Border City, where one could lose their head at any moment, to serve as a spy. This is solely because the military pay of the Song Dynasty is exceedingly generous, and spies receive an additional allowance apart from their official military pay.

The basement is not large, measuring only about 40 to 50 square meters. It contains four or five bags of salt, and in the corner, there is a sturdy iron box that is two feet long and half a foot wide, securely locked with a large brass padlock.

Liu Nan's expression became serious. Although he had anticipated this day two years ago when he voluntarily requested to be stationed as a scout in the Yongle border city, he did not expect it to arrive so quickly and so suddenly. He took a deep breath and said solemnly: "The deputy commander means for me to investigate the movements of the Khitan army to prevent them from interfering with our forces' attack on Northern Han."

... ...

However, Ye Chen remembers that historically, Emperor Taizu of Song, Zhao Kuangyin, personally led an expedition against Northern Han but was unsuccessful. As for the specific reasons, he is unaware, but it is likely that one of the main reasons was the intervention of the Khitan forces from the north

... ...

The deputy commander gazed intently, realizing that the young man was indeed not one of his subordinates but the actual owner of the shop. Liu Nan said. Naturally, he would not tell Shangguan that he had partnered with Ye Chen to open this shop, and that he held a 40% stake in it.

However, his income was still far from sufficient to cover his mother's medical expenses and the living costs of his wife and daughter. It was not until he received a 40% stake from Ye Chen that he was able to completely alleviate the heavy burden on his mind. After a month, his income surprisingly equaled his annual military salary. The substantial amount of silver he brought back allowed him to hire a renowned physician, who not only cured his mother's serious illness but also enabled the family to move into a new small courtyard. They had transitioned from barely meeting their basic needs to achieving a moderately prosperous standard of living.

The two individuals conversing are Liu Nan, the manager of this salt shop, and a middle-aged man dressed like a wealthy merchant, who was just brought into the backyard by Ye Chen.

... ...

In such climatic weather, a spring rain instantly brings a refreshing sensation to the entire Yongle Border City

"It is not merely to guard against the Khitan's military action. Once the Khitan learns of our great army's campaign against the Northern Han, they will undoubtedly dispatch a large force to obstruct and interfere. According to the marching route, Yongle border city is a place that the Khitan's army must pass through, and they will likely seize it as their rear camp. Your task is to gather crucial intelligence on the number of their troops, their commander, and the main military leaders, as well as their basic deployment plans at the moment the Khitan mobilizes, and deliver this information to my imperial guard camp at the earliest opportunity." The deputy commander said solemnly.

This issue has crossed my mind as well, but Ye Chen mysteriously disappears for a few days each month, which I assume is to deliver silver to the salt merchants. Oh... I have also considered sending someone or personally following Ye Chen to investigate, but his disappearances are never regular and occur without any prior warning. Moreover, this matter is ultimately unrelated to my duties, so I did not pursue it further. Liu Nan explained while thinking to himself: It's not that I don't want to investigate, but after following him once, for some reason, Ye Chen caught me on the spot, nearly costing me my forty percent stake.

Ye Ge'er! I have some matters at home and need to take a leave of absence for a while. Just now, I heard some news from a merchant surnamed Huang that the Yongle border city... may not be very safe recently, as the Khitan are likely to send troops to occupy the Yongle border city. Alas... our private salt shop will definitely not be able to continue operating. You should leave the Yongle border city as soon as possible in a few days!" Liu Nan walked up to Ye Chen, forced a smile, patted Ye Chen's shoulder, and said in a deep voice. "You should leave the Yongle border city as soon as possible in a few days!" Liu Nan walked up to Ye Chen, forced a smile, patted Ye Chen's shoulder, and said.

On the other hand, it is due to the Khitan army's southward advance that they will inevitably occupy the border city of Yongle. In the city, apart from a small number of gang forces and shops that have some connections with the Khitan authorities, all other gang forces and shops will have their assets completely confiscated by the Khitan army. Furthermore, to prevent the leakage of military information, it is certain that the Han people will be expelled, and even killed, or reduced to slavery.

Since then, Liu Nan no longer dared to meddle in others' affairs, focusing solely on making money with his head down

According to Ye Chen, the Song Dynasty at this time exhibited a vigorous and flourishing revival, while the Northern Han court, not far from the Yongle border city, should be increasingly languid and dispirited. The monarch and court officials were on edge every day, merely seeking to ensure their own safety

"The subordinate understands, and vows to complete the task at all costs." Liu Nan's words were spoken with unwavering determination, yet Ye Chen detected a hint of despair within them

In the spring of the first year of the Kaibao era under Emperor Taizu, a rain fell at the border city of Yongle

Ye Chen turned around to see Liu Nan walking out from the side door that led from the backyard to the front courtyard, his expression heavy with concern

Ye Chen seemed completely unaware of Liu Nan's embarrassment and readily agreed to Liu Nan's request, which made Liu Nan feel a deep sense of gratitude towards Ye Chen

Ye Chen understood why Liu Nan had such an expression.

At this point, Liu Nan cautiously glanced at the deputy commander and continued, "However, the deputy commander may not be aware that this shop specializes in the sale of illicit salt, and the quality is excessively refined. Such illicit salt is likely only produced by our Song Dynasty. From this, it can be inferred that Ye Chen must be a person of our Song Dynasty. Moreover, selling illicit salt is a serious crime in our Song Dynasty, and as the shopkeeper of this establishment, I will ensure that no one in the border town of Yongle suspects that I belong to the military of our Song Dynasty. This way, gathering information will naturally become much more convenient"

Ye Chen stepped up, climbed onto the stove, and then squeezed into the entrance of the basement. After that, he reached out and pulled, and the bottom of the pot returned to its original state

"The deputy commander requests instructions from below," Liu Nan said, his voice carrying a tone of solemnity and gravity

Liu Nan hesitated for a moment, his face unable to conceal the sorrow, but in the end, he still said: "This subordinate understands!" His voice was somewhat hoarse, and even the unseen Ye Chen could sense the helplessness in Liu Nan's heart

In such circumstances, the salt shop that Ye Chen relied on for his livelihood would naturally be seized by the Khitan people, and for Liu Nan, the loss of the 40% equity would mean that his family would once again return to a life of poverty

"Esteemed adults, this shop does not sell a large quantity of illicit salt. Every month, Ye Chen and his subordinates drive a mule cart to randomly visit any desolate village outside the city, retrieving two or three bags of salt from a secret location, and then transporting it back to Yongle Border City for sale. Therefore, the subordinates have never seen any salt merchants delivering salt to him. It is understandable that they are so cautious, as smuggling salt is indeed a capital offense" Liu Nan said

This room, used for storing salt, features an extremely discreet underground chamber, known to Liu Nan and his associate He Ming. However, the latter two are unaware that at the base of the underground chamber, there exists a listening device that far exceeds contemporary technological means, yet is, in reality, designed in a remarkably simple manner.

Deputy Commander! What brings you personally to the Yongle Border City? I am quite anxious! I do not know the reason for your esteemed visit to this perilous place

... ...

Oh! I see. That young man seems to be only in his twenties, yet he is able to establish himself in this perilous land of Yongle. It must not be simple. Hmm... What exactly is this young man's background? From whom did he receive his salt? Haven't you investigated this at all?

After carefully recalling the significant events in the history of this era, Ye Chen ultimately decided to head south to seek a livelihood in the Song Dynasty, ruled by Zhao Kuangyin

Such kindness is enough to make Liu Nan feel deeply grateful to Ye Chen

However, it seems that such a comfortable life cannot last for long and will soon fade away with the wind. What will become of someone like him, a rootless and friendless outlier who does not belong to this era?

The deputy commander pretended to have negotiated a business deal with the boss Liu Nan, sold a small bag of salt, and then left

Ye Chen emerged from the basement and returned to the front desk, contemplating the information revealed during the conversation between Liu Nan and the deputy commander. He touched the pendant at his chest, frowning in deep thought

Moreover, Ye Chen is a very decent young man, known for his righteousness and generosity. Liu Nan often reflects on how he merely facilitated a connection between Ye Chen and the Southern Gang, and yet he was appointed as the manager without investing a single coin, receiving a 40% stake in the business, and he feels fortunate.

Ye Chen, half a year ago, inadvertently traversed time and space, arriving at a desolate village outside the Yongle border town in this era. After enduring numerous life-threatening experiences, he ultimately established himself in the nearest populated area to the desolate village—Yongle border town—by leveraging knowledge that was approximately 1,050 years more advanced than that of the current world, along with a sniper rifle that had only a few bullets left.

Ye Chen made this decision for two reasons. First, he himself is of Han ethnicity, and the Song Dynasty is currently the largest ruling power of the Han people. Second, he understands that in this era of turmoil, only the Central Plains, occupied by the Song Dynasty, is relatively the most stable place.

Three days ago, news of military affairs arrived from Kaifeng, indicating that our Great Song army has marched northward, commencing the campaign against Northern Han, with the Emperor himself leading the expedition. Now you should understand what task I am about to assign to you

Under the protection of the Southern Gang, one of the three major factions in Yongle Biancheng, a shop assistant displays a perfectly balanced attitude of warmth and politeness.

The jade pendant hanging from his chest is the direct reason he was able to come to this world. Over the past six months, whenever he faced a significant crossroads in his choices, he would instinctively touch that piece of jade.

He gave a simple bow to the middle-aged man dressed as a merchant in front of the counter and led him to the backyard to meet the visible owner of the shop, Liu Nan