Chapter 148: Successful Brewing

This news came so suddenly that Meng Di was taken aback for a moment, unable to react in time, and his heart was filled with puzzlement. Shouldn't the State of Qi be doing its utmost to win over the State of Wei at this juncture? Why would it act in complete contradiction to common sense?

No matter how he thought about it, it gave one a very bizarre feeling. Carrying this lingering doubt, Meng Di left Linzi.

Not long after exiting the city, he crossed paths with the second wave of envoys from the State of Lu. The envoy in command was none other than Ji Mei. The two exchanged pleasantries, and in order to express his gratitude, Meng Di presented him with a generous gift.

Upon returning to Mengyi, Ji Ran hurried over to report on the events that had transpired during his absence.

"My Lord, the cargo ships bound for Langya have already set sail. Furthermore, as Huaicheng is currently lacking in various supplies, I have already had Zhongqiu allocate a portion to them. Additionally, Mr. Bai has drawn upon a large sum of funds, which I have also approved."

After Ji Ran finished speaking, Meng Di paid no heed to these matters and instead asked, "Mr. Ji, what on earth has happened in Qufu recently? Why has Yang Hu reacted so strongly?"

Regarding this question, Ji Ran only had certain speculations in mind, so his tone lacked certainty.

"Judging by the current situation, Yang Hu has been actively preparing for war. From the look of it, he does not seem to be bracing for an invasion from the State of Qi; rather, it appears as though he is preparing to launch a campaign himself. Moreover, this time he has not conscripted men from our territory, and the Three Huan families are also making preparations."

Launching a campaign? Meng Di felt a twinge of doubt in his heart. Could Yang Hu possibly be planning an attack on the State of Cao at a time like this?

At this moment, however, Ji Ran lowered his voice slightly.

"There are rumors that an envoy from the State of Jin has arrived in Qufu. If this matter is true, then Yang Hu's abnormal actions can be explained. Clearly, the State of Jin intends to use Yang Hu as the vanguard to test the reactions of the other vassal states."

Thinking of Fan Yang, Meng Di felt that this scenario was highly probable, and a sudden headache came over him. Yet, with no way to alter the current situation, he could only instruct Ji Ran:

"The workshops in Huaicheng must be rushed to completion. I foresee that Yang Hu's rash military expedition will inevitably bring unnecessary trouble to the State of Lu. Under such circumstances, the Tian clan certainly cannot be relied upon.

"Therefore, the primary consideration for us right now is to achieve basic self-sufficiency. The resources around Huaicheng are relatively abundant, but its sole drawback is the sparse population. It will take time to fully develop."

If a war between Qi and Lu truly breaks out this time, Zhongqiu City is very likely to become another frontline. Therefore, preparations must be made in advance. We must carefully screen the population of Zhongqiu City, and relocate those without any issues to Huaicheng.

"As for the remaining people, make ready; the moment the worst-case scenario occurs, immediately fall back to Mengyi."

Meng Di was acutely aware of the vulnerabilities of cavalry, and the force at his disposal was far too small. If he were to engage the Qi army in a head-on confrontation at Zhongqiu City, it would only scatter his already meager forces even further.

Once the Qi army established a tactical posture of besieging a point to reinforce its attacks, the cavalry remaining trapped within Zhongqiu City would likely be swallowed up in one gulp by the enemy. That being the case, it would be far better to pull all his forces back and utilize strategic depth to contend with the Qi army.

After listening, Ji Ran offered his own perspective as well.

"Given our limited military strength under these conditions, if the battlefield is set within our own territory, the farmland we have labored so hard to reclaim over the recent period is very likely to be destroyed in an instant.

"Therefore, my view is that if the State of Qi truly sends troops to invade, should my Lord consider taking the initiative to launch an offensive? Setting the battlefield inside the borders of Qi would minimize our losses to the greatest extent."

This was an extremely risky plan, and Meng Di could not make a decision right away. Although cavalry possessed high mobility, their demand for supply lines was also considerable, and most importantly, his current stock of horses was far from abundant.

Even adding the horses promised by the Tian clan, he would barely manage the ratio of two horses per soldier. To successfully execute a plan of tying down the Qi army deep within enemy territory, the primary prerequisite was to ensure that the cavalry could carry relatively sufficient supplies; otherwise, it would be no different from marching to their deaths.

At this thought, Meng Di felt a throbbing headache. The current situation was simply changing too rapidly. After pondering over it repeatedly, he finally steeled his resolve and said to Ji Ran:

"Take advantage of the next few days to gather all the funds that can be mobilized. I am going to take these funds to purchase horses, and incidentally make a trip to the State of Jin. The current political climate in Qi is unfavorable, and horses from the State of燕 (Yan) are much safer if transported directly through the State of Jin.

"If we can guarantee three horses per rider when the war eventually breaks out, we can even pose a direct threat to Linzi. By then, the State of Qi will be forced to turn back and reinforce. For now, our top priority remains preserving our strength and avoiding direct armed conflict with Qi as much as possible."

Ji Ran knew very well that Meng Di was laying the groundwork for future warfare, so he did not dare to take the matter lightly. However, having just handed a massive sum of money over to Bai Gui, the funds remaining in his own hands were now quite scarce. He frowned and began to brainstorm countermeasures.

"The funds currently at our disposal are running low. Under these circumstances, should my Lord consider borrowing money from Yang Hu and the Three Huan families? After all, purchasing such a vast number of horses in one go requires a substantial amount of wealth."

That indeed was an option, though whether they would actually lend the money remained uncertain. Suddenly, a thought struck Ji Ran, and he reminded him:

"By the way, my Lord, Yi Dun has already brewed fine wine according to the method you imparted. I tasted it myself, and it is truly an exceptional vintage. If we market it across the realm, it will undoubtedly become a formidable source of revenue for my Lord in the future."

Hearing this, Meng Di's interest was instantly piqued, and he hurriedly asked, "Where is the wine? Go fetch it quickly and let me have a taste."

Ji Ran gave a few instructions toward the doorway, and a servant hurried away. Not long after, the servant returned holding a pottery jar of wine, his face flushed red. He carefully placed the jar on the ground and unsealed the lid.

Instantly, a rich, potent aroma of wine filled the air. Meng Di retrieved a water bowl, scooped a portion directly from the jar, and took a sip. While there was still a slight gap compared to the fine wines he had tasted back during the Han Dynasty, it was already remarkably good.

It was far superior to the so-called fine wines of the present era. Meng Di was instantly overjoyed and declared:

"Since we have this wine, money will no longer be a problem! Is Yi Dun still brewing wine in Zhongqiu?"

Seeing Ji Ran nod, without waiting for him to reply, Meng Di immediately commanded:

"This wine is brewed well. Promptly relocate those craftsmen to Huaicheng, and at the same time, summon Yi Dun back to me."