Chapter 218: Chapter 218

Chapter 218: Yang Yi’s Scheme to Restore the Turkic Grasslands!

In the imperial study of Yingtian, as the late autumn wind whistled outside the windows, Zhu Biao spoke in a low, serious tone.

“I’ve heard that after Great Zhou conquered the Turks, they obtained a map to a silver mine left behind by Qimin Khan. It’s said that Qimin Khan left a great deal of treasure, including the silver mine and some gold, all buried beneath the grasslands.”

Sitting upright at his desk, Zhu Yuanzhang furrowed his brows, his tiger eyes flashing with doubt.

“Treasure? Is this true?”

Zhu Biao scratched his head and smiled wryly.

“I don’t know either, but from the looks of it, it doesn’t seem fake. This news has already spread across the various nations, with details vivid enough to be convincing.”

Zhu Yuanzhang raised his eyebrows, a trace of puzzlement appearing on his face. The more he listened, the stranger the whole matter seemed.

After a brief silence, he slowly muttered, “It doesn’t sound true…”

Zhu Biao was startled. “Father, why do you say so?”

Zhu Yuanzhang glared at him. “Why would Qimin Khan have so many maps of silver mines? Moreover, if he had a treasure, why would he bury it under the grasslands? That’s pure nonsense.”

Hearing this, Zhu Biao paused, thoughtfully stroking his chin. Father makes a good point.

“But then why would such a rumor involving the Turkic treasure spread so widely? I heard even the Great Zhou News reported on it. Could it be another one of Yang Yi’s tricks?”

Zhu Yuanzhang’s eyes twitched uncontrollably. Now, just hearing Yang Yi’s name gave him a headache. He snorted lightly.

“Yang Yi wouldn’t be so bored as to spread a rumor just to fool the entire world… What good would it do him?”

Zhu Biao hesitated. Father’s words made sense. Smiling self-deprecatingly, he muttered,

“Maybe I’ve just become too suspicious of every move the Zhou make, seeing Yang Yi’s schemes in everything.” Read complete versıon only at NovelHub(.)net

Zhu Yuanzhang’s face twitched again. How could he deny it? After being ruthlessly tricked by Yang Yi once, he had suffered a loss so great it still made his chest ache at the memory.

Far away, in Chang’an, within the grand Taiji Palace, the news stirred discussion.

Changsun Wuji frowned deeply, while Fang Xuanling and the other ministers fell into silent thought. Seated at the head, Li Shimin tapped his fingers against the armrest, his expression unreadable.

After a while, he said, “It’s just a rumor, nothing more. It likely isn’t true, and it doesn’t seem like something Yang Yi would involve himself in. Perhaps it’s merely a story concocted by the common folk. Let’s wait and observe for now.”

The ministers all nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, in the Han Dynasty’s capital at Weiyang Palace, the matter also drew imperial attention.

Wearing a black, wide-sleeved dragon robe embroidered with golden threads, Emperor Liu Che sat tall on the throne, his eyes sharp and solemn.

“Why have so many people been migrating north recently?” he questioned.

Sang Hongyang quickly stepped forward and bowed.

“Your Majesty, word has it that the former Turkic Khan, Qimin Khan, left behind a great treasure, seemingly connected to Great Zhou’s silver mines.”

Liu Che frowned, then scoffed dismissively. “A bunch of fools. If that wretched Qimin Khan really had a treasure, would his people have been torn apart by internal strife?”

Zhufu Yan, standing nearby, spoke softly. “Could this be another of Yang Yi’s schemes?”

The hall grew still, each minister deep in thought.

Liu Che shook his head firmly. “Impossible. He is a dignified power-holder in Great Zhou. What reason would he have to meddle in rumors among the common people?”

He narrowed his eyes. “Would he set a trap for the common folk? For what purpose?”

The ministers exchanged uneasy glances. What His Majesty said… made sense.

In the Qin Dynasty, within the resplendent Xianyang Palace, Ying Zheng stood facing the autumn scenery outside the hall, his hands clasped behind his back.

“This kind of rumor does resemble Yang Yi’s methods,” he mused, “but I don’t understand—if it truly is his doing, what is he plotting?”

Li Si, Meng Yi, Wang Wan, and the others exchanged glances, none able to answer.

After a long pause, Ying Zheng gave a soft order. “Send some people to watch closely. I want to see whether Yang Yi is indeed laying a grand trap.”

Half a month later, in the once-turbulent Turkic grasslands, the landscape had changed dramatically. Under the biting early winter wind, groups of travel-worn figures dotted the barren grasslands. In one dusty corner, a small band of men huddled together, spades in hand.

“I heard the Turkic treasure lies beneath the grassland,” one muttered, his breath misting in the cold air. “We don’t know if it’s true, but let’s dig and see.”

“That’s right,” another agreed eagerly. “If we’re lucky, we might strike it rich.”

A third man laughed. “Haha! With so many silver mines in Zhou, even digging up a single piece of gold would make this trip worthwhile.”

The group chuckled and quickly got to work. Their clothing marked them as Tang subjects, and indeed, it was the Tang who had reached the grasslands first, given their proximity to Turkic territory.

Spades struck the frozen earth. The ground here was already barren, stripped bare by years of grazing sheep. Soon, fresh layers of soil were overturned. Not far away, more people were arriving—scattered groups drawn from various lands, their imaginations fired by the lure of “treasure.”

Three days later, the number of treasure hunters had swelled. New arrivals hurried into the fields, some carrying shovels, others crude digging tools, all consumed by treasure fever.

Another seven days passed.

Fatigue gnawed at the crowd. Many, faces pale and lips cracked from the harsh climate, leaned wearily on their shovels.

“Damn it,” one man cursed hoarsely, “I’ve been digging for five days straight and haven’t seen so much as a hair. Maybe the treasure is just a myth after all.”

“You think it would be your turn if treasure were that easy to find?” another retorted, trying to keep spirits up.

“That’s true,” someone else muttered. “It must be hidden deep, otherwise others would’ve found it first.”

“We should keep digging. We came all this way.”

“I can’t go on,” a thin man gasped, sinking onto the hard ground. “I can’t sleep here, can’t eat properly. We should just give up.”

The murmur of discouragement spread like a contagion. Many were already talking quietly about leaving. The lure of treasure had faded beneath the harsh reality of exhaustion and hunger.

Meanwhile, not far away, another small group caught the eye. Three to five young men, dressed in simple blue hemp robes, moved with a solemn, almost mechanical air. Their every motion revealed a disciplined rigor not seen among the others.

Exchanging brief glances, they each picked up a shovel and began digging casually, their eyes constantly scanning their surroundings.

One of them glanced around, then furtively placed a gold-painted piece of brass into the pit and covered it with soil.

Suddenly, another man pretended to be astonished and shouted, “I found it! There’s gold!”

His voice echoed loudly across the vast grassland. Hearing the news, many people rushed over in shock. The man quickly brushed away the freshly covered soil and lifted the shiny brass piece.

Though the “gold” still had clumps of dirt clinging to it, under the sunlight it burst forth with a dazzling golden glow, brilliant and eye-catching. The people around widened their eyes, staring greedily at the gleaming object, their hearts stirring with excitement.

They had actually found gold!

An unparalleled wave of exhilaration surged through them. Those who had been on the verge of giving up now rekindled their burning ambitions.

Someone nearby couldn’t hold back and asked, “Brother, where exactly did you dig, and how long did it take?”