Chapter 57: The Map of the Liao Kingdom Spy

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Jiang Yi and Shen Rong suspected that Li Dongyang had paid Niu Xiaoqiang and his group to sabotage their workshop. The couple returned home and informed Wu Shimiao of the situation. As long as they could gather undisclosed evidence against the Li family and reveal it at the right moment, it would serve as a counterattack against Li Dongyang and damage the reputation of Li Fu Department Store.

Wu Shimiao decided to handle the matter personally. Since she had been idle at home lately, taking on some work would be beneficial. Before Wu Shimiao left, Jiang Yi reminded her to be cautious and handed her a flintlock pistol along with gunpowder and lead bullets. Wu Shimiao assured Jiang Yi and Shen Rong that with her lightness skills, no one in Hanyang could catch her.

“Now that Aunt Wu has left, there really is no one in Hanyang who can defeat her, let alone catch her,” Jiang Yi remarked. He trusted that his aunt would be safe; this task was truly meant for her. Looking at the increasingly beautiful Shen Rong, he felt his heart blossom with joy.

“Why are you staring at me? Is there something on my face?” Shen Rong gently wiped her face, having washed it with warm water after returning home.

“I want to discuss something with you. When we got married, the wedding was too simple. Now that we have money, I want to hold a more grand wedding ceremony.”

Back then, Shen Rong had worn a plain red dress without any pattern, and her headpiece was merely a fake flower made from red cloth. The hairpin and bracelets were copper; at the time, they had very little money and couldn’t afford a proper wedding. The marriage was registered at the Hanyang prefecture office, and Shen Rong had married out of the Li family.

Jiang Yi had borrowed a mule cart to bring Shen Rong home and performed a simple ceremony to honor heaven and earth.

“Why do you suddenly want this? We’ve already had a wedding. If we hold another one, people might gossip,” Shen Rong said.

“I want to make up for the regret, so I’m discussing this with you. If you agree, I’ll go to Qian’s Silk and Satin Shop to order a custom wedding dress.”

Shen Rong was touched; her husband wanted her to wear a beautiful wedding dress and hold a grand ceremony again. But then she thought about the cost.

“You don’t need to spend so much, my dear. It’s my fortune to marry you. We have money now, but we should still be frugal.”

There were many expenses ahead; she didn’t want her husband to become too extravagant and lose control over spending.

“You want to see me in a pretty wedding dress? I’ll buy some sewing needles and red cloth soon and make the dress myself. I’ll wear it for you at night.”

Shen Rong believed making the dress herself would save a lot, so there was no need for another wedding. She was genuinely moved and didn’t feel regret about their simple wedding.

“We country folk always have simple weddings. As long as we live honestly, the husband and wife are satisfied.”

“Husband, listen to me; there’s no need for a second wedding. We’ll save a lot of money to use for other things.”

“All right, I’ll listen to you.”

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Jiang Yi agreed with his wife’s advice; spouses should help and heed each other.

“I plan to take Hanyang within three years. We’ll surround the city by controlling the countryside and seize power by force.”

As long as they controlled the villages around Hanyang, they would besiege the city but not attack directly. The city’s population was large; over time, the city would face food shortages. Jiang Yi had already placed some people inside Hanyang to act as insiders. If he could persuade Chang Youliang and Qin Lu, taking the city would be even easier.

Jiang Yi had no intention of launching a direct assault on Hanyang, the capital of Hanzhou, with its tall, sturdy walls and capable garrison. The strategy was to encircle the city without attacking.

Facing more enemies in the future, he needed to arrange reliable protection for Shen Rong’s safety. Jiang Yi pulled Shen Rong into his arms and gently stroked her silky hair.

A happy smile graced Shen Rong’s face as she rested her head on his shoulder.

“You go handle your affairs; don’t worry about me.”

“Let me hold you a little longer.”

Jiang Yi wasn’t in a hurry; he just wanted to spend some private time with his wife.

“Master, my brother is looking for you. Sorry to interrupt,” Pang Yueting said hesitantly as she saw the couple embracing.

“I didn’t mean to; please don’t be angry,” she added.

“Xiao Ting, it’s all right,” Shen Rong said, feeling a bit embarrassed to have been seen by a young girl. Fortunately, she had only leaned on her husband’s chest without any intimate gestures.

“You stay and talk with him; I’ll go handle your brother’s business.”

Only a few maids had access to the couple’s quarters, but Pang Yueting could freely enter the front and back yards.

“Master won’t be mad at me, right? I really didn’t mean to. My brother seems to have urgent matters to discuss with you,” Pang Yueting said anxiously after witnessing the scene.

“He won’t be mad at you. You’re still young and don’t understand some things. In a few years, I’ll have you become his concubine. Would you be willing?”

Shen Rong thought that letting Jiang Yi take Pang Yueting as a concubine would make Pang Xiong even more devoted to Jiang Yi.

“I’m of low status; the master might not accept me,” Pang Yueting replied.

She had once begged on the streets with her brother but now was a maid in the Jiang household. The siblings no longer had to endure hunger or cold.

“You don’t need to worry about your low status. If you’re willing, he will listen to me.”

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Pang Yueting was somewhat tempted; becoming Jiang Yi’s concubine didn’t sound bad.

“I’m willing. I won’t compete for favor. I only hope the master can trust my brother. He’s not very clever, just a bit stronger.”

Shen Rong thought Pang Yueting was simple, speaking openly about Pang Xiong’s lack of intelligence. In truth, Pang Xiong was quite smart, just a bit naive.

The two chatted happily in the room.

Jiang Yi went to the front yard and saw Pang Xiong staring intently at a bird’s nest on a tree branch.

“Xiao Ting said you have something to tell me. Is it something serious?”

“Master, I have two things to report. The Jiang family guards caught a Liao spy.”

Pang Xiong handed Jiang Yi a leather pouch. Inside a compartment was a map marked with military defense points, government offices, and wealthy households.

“This is a map of Hanzhou. The Liao spy intended to send it back to Liao to coordinate an attack according to these markings.”

The Liao spy’s map-making skills were impressive. Now the map was in Jiang Yi’s hands.

“How many people know about this?”

“Besides you and me, four guards know. The spy is currently held in a cave on Niutou Mountain.”

Making this map must have taken a long time. The spy planned to deliver it to Liao within a few days.

“Master, should we hand over the map and the spy to the authorities?”

“Keep the spy under guard. Tomorrow, hand both over to the officials. We’ll receive a substantial reward.”

Jiang Yi could spend an evening making his own map of Hanzhou for personal use. Military deployments on the map might change, so it wouldn’t affect his future plans much.

“Tell those guards not to leak this matter. Once we get the reward, we’ll share it with you.”

Jiang Yi suspected there were multiple spies in Hanyang. Catching more was the officials’ job. For now, his focus was developing Shuangma Township without provoking the Liao people.

“No need to interrogate the spy or let him escape. Hand him over to the officials tomorrow to avoid trouble.”

“Master, all the villages in Shuangma Township agreed to connect the road to Funiu Village. I feel something isn’t quite right,” Pang Xiong said.

He felt uneasy because everything was going too smoothly. Normally, that would be a good thing.

“Your instincts are right. The smoother things go, the more suspicious it is.”

There was no need to mention the other villages; Wang Family Village likely had some hidden scheme.