After Being Mistakenly Taken for a Fellow Traveler by Emperor Long Aotian - Chapter 37

“The original trade route might have been closed, but the ancient cities and post stations along it should still be there. Restoring the old route might not be too difficult,” Zhou Xun said calmly.

“That’s the problem,” Chu Yunkuo said with a sigh. He borrowed some paper and pen to draw, “This is the map of the old trade route.”

Zhou Xun glanced at it and saw the issue.

“In recent years, Northern Wei has been expanding crazily, annexing many small tribes. The Northern Wei Tuoba royal family originated from a large tribe on the grasslands, known for their aggression and plundering. A year ago, they invaded the territory of the Crescent Kingdom because the prince of Crescent Kingdom disrespected a prince of Northern Wei… Ahem, Crescent Kingdom is a small country that lives by brewing, and unfortunately, its location is right in the middle of this trade route.” Chu Yunkuo pointed to a protruding area in Northern Wei territory, “With this position, it would be easy for Northern Wei to ambush and plunder our caravans. Moreover, we haven’t been on good terms with Northern Wei lately.”

The emperor thought for a moment and said, “What if we send some elite troops to escort the caravans? During the caravan’s passage, have the elite troops stationed there to protect them. This place has a terrain that is easy to defend and hard to attack. The troops could escort the caravans through the danger and then temporarily station there to save supplies. Once the caravans return, the troops can escort them back to the capital…”

Zhou Xun thought for a moment and said, “This place is quite far from our country, and most of Northern Wei’s army consists of highly mobile cavalry. If our troops are stationed there, it would be hard to supply them with food. Northern Wei’s cavalry could cut off our supply lines, besiege and harass us. The caravan’s trade journey could take one or two years, and the stationed troops would need a lot of supplies. At that point, not just the caravans but even the troops might get trapped there, lacking supplies and becoming easy targets.”

“Moreover, the court is not enthusiastic about trade nowadays. If news of this reaches the court, the officials might blame Your Majesty, saying that with such a vast land, the emperor is seeking far and wide, causing our people to get stuck there, and even…” Zhou Xun recalled some street gossip, “even thinking that Your Majesty damaged the peace with Northern Wei, causing a war.”

He spoke without reservation, and Chu Yunkuo was alarmed. He glanced at the emperor, who surprisingly showed no sign of being offended.

The emperor said, “Hmph! I’d rather face a thousand accusations with defiance!”

Zhou Xun said, “Your Majesty.”

The emperor continued, “A true warrior dares to face a bleak life and bloody battles. The harder it is, the more we need to do it. We…”

“But unnecessary sacrifices should be avoided,” Zhou Xun said. “Adapting to circumstances is not a bad thing.”

The emperor was silent for a moment and said, “Sigh, you are right, sir.”

He scratched his head irritably, “What if we equipped all troops with muskets? … No, the supplies still wouldn’t reach the garrison. Sigh, in that case, we can only…”

The emperor sighed deeply. Chu Yunkuo saw the emperor’s regretful expression and added, “Maybe we can make peace with the Tuoba clan by offering them a portion of the trade profits as a toll fee…”

The emperor seemed not to hear him: “We might just have to wait for an opportunity to take down Northern Wei.”

Chu Yunkuo: ??

The emperor said, “When the weather turns cold, we’ll let Northern Wei go bankrupt.”

The emperor showed a subtle, cold smile. Zhou Xun looked at his profile and silently noted down “When the weather turns cold, let Northern Wei go bankrupt” along with “Destroy you, what does it matter to you?” in his little book.

… Maybe these words have something to do with the heavenly realm?

Chu Yunkuo seriously doubted his hearing at this moment.

When the caravan is blocked, most people would think of changing the route or negotiating with the Northern Wei royal family to allow the caravan passage in exchange for profits. But the emperor’s first reaction was… to take down Northern Wei?

He dared not speak or ask.

“Your Majesty,” Chu Yunkuo finally spoke cautiously.

He had always loved hearing strange stories and had visited Northern Wei with his father and brothers in his youth. Therefore, he perhaps knew more about Northern Wei than even the court officials. After briefly recounting some facts about Northern Wei, he said, “Northern Wei has a habit of keeping slaves. Whenever they capture a city, all the captives become slaves, distributed to generals and soldiers according to their merits, including land. For example, a year ago, even the princess of Crescent Kingdom became a slave of the Northern Wei general who now occupies Crescent Kingdom… Therefore, the people of Northern Wei are mostly brave and warlike. Northern Wei is barren and has been coveting our borders in recent years, invading multiple times…”

“Fortunately, the border is now guarded by General Wan and Prince Yu. In recent years, Northern Wei has been somewhat restrained. However, they are still covetous and will make a comeback sooner or later.”

Zhou Xun said, “General Wan and Prince Yu?”

“General Wan is General Wan Chongming, originally named Wan Tian, once a mountain bandit who was later pacified. Prince Yu is His Majesty’s third uncle, who pacified General Wan back then,” Chu Yunkuo explained. “They have been stationed at the border for a long time, so it’s normal for you not to know them, Mr. Zhou.”

Zhou Xun noted down these two names.

He vaguely remembered hearing about it in his childhood in the capital. The Third Prince went on an expedition under the former emperor’s orders, got trapped, and then… somehow, the expedition turned into a pacification. Not only that, but the Third Prince also ran off with the bandit leader.

“Thirty years on the east side of the river, thirty years on the west side. Northern Wei, do not underestimate the young and poor,” the emperor sneered. “Northern Wei occupies the north, cuts off our trade route, harasses our people, and their nomadic warriors are aggressive. Such a threat must not be left unchecked!”

Chu Yunkuo was deeply shaken by these words.

However, Zhou Xun, seeing the emperor’s expression, couldn’t help but twitch the corner of his mouth.

For some reason, he felt that beneath the emperor’s cold expression, there was that subtle, thin smile again, even deeper this time.

The emperor seemed to relish the words he had just spoken, with an expression of lingering, secret delight.

Zhou Xun: …

He noted down “When the weather turns cold, let Northern Wei go bankrupt,” along with “Destroy you, what does it matter to you?” and “Thirty years on the east side of the river, thirty years on the west side. Northern Wei, do not underestimate the young and poor. Northern Wei occupies the north, cuts off our trade route, harasses our people, and their nomadic warriors are terrifyingly strong. Such a threat must not be left unchecked!” in his little book.

The emperor’s words made Zhou Xun rethink the emperor’s identity.

Terrifyingly strong, this child must not be left unchecked… The emperor’s words inadvertently revealed a hint of a cultivator’s aura, with habits and word choices that indeed sounded like those of a great celestial being.

Looking at the emperor’s handsome yet unfathomable profile, Zhou Xun once again confirmed his thoughts.

“Your Majesty,” Chu Yunkuo spoke up.

The emperor cleared his throat, “Northern Wei indeed comes from a nomadic tribe, fierce and warlike, a formidable adversary. However, we must act according to circumstances. Since we can’t confront them head-on now, we’ll have to make other plans. At least until we resolve the issue with Northern Wei, this trade route is unusable.”

As he spoke, Zhou Xun kept looking at the map, and lightly traced a new route with his pen, “What about setting the trade route this way? Could it work?”

Hearing this, Chu Yunkuo leaned in to look.

The old trade route passed through many city-states, providing many supply points, but it was too close to Northern Wei. This new route was even better than the old one, avoiding dangerous mountain paths, but…

“If we use this route, we could indeed bypass Northern Wei and reach our destination,” Chu Yunkuo smiled wryly, “But you might not know, Mr. Zhou, there are two places on this route that we can’t go through.”

Zhou Xun looked down at the map. Chu Yunkuo was about to explain, but he was momentarily distracted by Zhou Xun’s focused and fair profile.

To cover his lapse, he coughed twice and continued, “The first place is an ancient city here.”

“This ancient city is called Atar, meaning ‘Emerald in the Desert.’ It’s still under our control. Atar was once a famous oasis in the Western Regions, but many years ago, due to deforestation by the locals, it has been gradually eroded by wind and sand, and its springs have dried up… Although Atar hasn’t been completely buried by sand, it’s only a matter of decades. Most of the city’s residents have moved away, with only a few remaining. Using Atar as a supply station is unsuitable.”

“And the other place…” Chu Yunkuo’s eyes showed a trace of fear as he pointed to another spot, “It’s called Ferar, meaning…”

“An inescapable, swirling vortex.”

“A vortex?” The emperor, standing beside Zhou Xun, looked at the area, “This place is all sand, how could there be a vortex?”

Chu Yunkuo gave a bitter smile. He paused, choosing his words carefully.

“Ferar is a place no traveler dares to approach. There are birds and plants there, it doesn’t look like a wasteland. People have entered it, but only one person ever returned.”

“That person said that compasses in Ferar lose their function, spinning endlessly and causing disorientation. He escaped by luck and his sense of direction. At the same time, in what should be a wasteland, he saw eerie buildings before he escaped…” Chu Yunkuo said, his eyes filled with both fear and excitement, “No one can find their way there, so some say Ferar is a vortex where once you enter, you can never leave.”

“This…” Zhou Xun was stunned, “Has anyone studied why Ferar is so strange?”

Chu Yunkuo shook his head.

“There is one theory,” he said in a low, mysterious voice, “Some say the vortex is the dwelling of a nine-tailed beast, which confuses all travelers who pass by. Others say it is home to unspeakable creatures, black and viscous, hidden underground for millennia, flowing… Until someone breaks the surface, and their tentacles surge out…”

As he spoke, he moved closer to Zhou Xun. Being so close, Chu Yunkuo could almost see Zhou Xun’s long, dense eyelashes trembling, seemingly stirred by his breath.

The next moment, his head was pushed away hard.

“What nonsense, there’s no octopus in the desert,” the perpetrator, the emperor, said irritably, “That stuff is called petroleum! Keep your distance, you’re breathing on Zhou’s face!”

**Author’s Note: Chu Yunkuo has a younger brother named Chu Yunshu, who is a great inventor (x)**

Little Emperor: Ahhh, if you talk, keep your face away from Zhou!

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Ferar is an inescapable, swirling vortex, a mysterious and dangerous place on the suggested trade route. It is described as a place no traveler dares to approach, featuring birds and plants, which misleadingly make it appear habitable. However, those who enter often get lost, as compasses become useless and spin endlessly, causing disorientation. The area is rumored to be the dwelling of a nine-tailed beast or other unspeakable creatures, adding to its ominous reputation. Only one person is said to have escaped, sharing tales of eerie buildings and the impossibility of navigation within Ferar.