The Art of Debt Restructuring

Candlelight flickered on the bronze tree lamp stand, stretching General Long’s shadow long and slender.

It cast upon the indigo tent fabric, resembling a beast poised to strike.

On the desk, the stacked bamboo slips created intersecting shadows.

They appeared like a series of cities awaiting conquest.

Xia Qian’s back pressed firmly against the hard wooden chair.

Her palms grew damp with fine sweat, yet she forced herself to meet General Long’s eyes, which burned like crimson flames.

“A solution?”

General Long’s brow arched slightly, and her fingertip tapped gently on the desk’s edge.

The stone talisman on the table clinked crisply in response.

A faint, almost imperceptible smile played on her lips, as if she had just heard a child boast of moving Mount Tai.

“Hahahaha—”

Had it been a profound strategy from a court advisor, or a brilliant scheme from a reclusive master, it might have been worth a listen.

For a moment, she found it laughable that she had actually taken the words of a mere young branch from Willow Lane seriously.

The laughter shook the bamboo slips on the desk, causing them to rattle, and even the candlelight rippled with the vibrations.

“A young branch from Willow Lane, who has barely stepped foot outside the military camp gates, speaks of vital military provisions and supplies?”

Xia Qian knew, of course, that General Long clearly hadn’t taken her words to heart.

However, she could also discern the subtle undercurrent of doubt lingering in the corners of her smiling eyes.

Only when something is truly heard does doubt arise—and behind that doubt, amidst a thousand degrees of disbelief, lay a sliver of hope: Could this perhaps work?

Seizing upon her hesitation, Xia Qian pressed further:

“General, you might as well hear whether this is a method to solve the problem. If you find it unsuitable, consider it the foolish rambling of an amateur, a mere amusement. There’s no harm in a little banter.

If you’re truly displeased, you can always vent your anger on me later… but, perhaps, my method could prove useful?”

“Are you suggesting… treating a dead horse as if it’s still alive?”

As expected, the arrogance in General Long’s smile gradually receded, replaced by a thoughtful pause, leaving only curiosity.

“Heh, that’s not entirely out of the question—tell me more.”

General Long settled into a proper sitting posture, still perched high at her writing desk.

She truly was a general; no matter where she was, she exuded an aura that transformed any resting place into a command seat.

A fierce, almost torturous flame replaced the usual glint in her crimson eyes.

The candlelight shattered into fine gold dust within her gaze, and Xia Qian could clearly see her own tiny reflection within them.

Enveloped by this formidable woman’s presence, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

When she reopened them, her mind was impossibly calm, her tension submerged and dissolved in an ocean of rationality.

“Firstly—based on the military consultation briefs I inadvertently saw earlier, and what the General just mentioned, the primary issue plaguing the Liangqu defenders is the lack of routes for grain supply, and the mobilization of military provisions and equipment leading to empty storehouses… In short, four words: outgoings exceed income.

Once these are resolved, the series of accompanying problems will also be readily overcome.”

Mid-sentence, Xia Qian looked up to observe General Long’s expression.

She saw no change in her demeanor, only her eyes urging her: Stop with the useless talk, get to the point.

“Grain and military provisions cannot materialize out of thin air in a short time, so they can only be acquired through temporary transfers, just as the imperial court orders the temporary transfer of various materials. If other war zones can borrow from the General, then the General can certainly borrow from others.”

Upon hearing this, General Long gave a cold, humorless snort, her faint smile tinged with bitterness:

“Heh heh, it all comes back to borrowing. Anyone could think of such a method…”

However, Xia Qian deftly interjected:

“That’s why the real difference lies in how you borrow.”

Catching the crucial point, General Long involuntarily straightened up, leaning slightly forward.

Her emotions surged like an undercurrent but quickly settled back into calm.

Xia Qian propped her elbow, raising a hand to cup her chin, and continued:

“Hmm… at the previous banquet, I overheard the General mention that all the esteemed officials and noble guests were there to discuss the mobilization of military supplies.

It seems that’s correct. Besides supporting external war efforts, the General also needs to borrow grain through them… Well, if you were to negotiate honestly with them, I estimate it would cost you dearly.”

General Long was startled.

She had only mentioned it briefly at the banquet; how could this person deduce so much from just a few words?

Even if it were pure guesswork, how could an ordinary commoner possess such insight and associative thinking?

This time, officials from various Western Huan court factions and other border defense cities had come, ostensibly to discuss military provisions and negotiate borrowing.

Yet, there were countless hidden agendas—those who exploited their positions, seizing opportunities to embezzle, resell, and accumulate wealth during military transfers, were all among them.

General Long detested such conduct from the bottom of her heart, so she had never involved herself.

But this time, she had no choice but to rely on these individuals to resolve the urgent crisis.

Listening to the white-clad youth before her confidently speculate, as if he held a secret strategy, General Long concealed her urgency and patiently asked:

“What do you mean by ‘cost you dearly’? Elaborate.”

“The literal meaning, of course.”

Xia Qian exhaled a breath, as if sighing in sympathy for General Long’s predicament.

“In the current situation, if you were to borrow grain, even if you offered them an agreeable price, after they profit, they would inevitably delay you repeatedly. In the end, even if the grain is delivered, what you receive would certainly be less than expected, making it entirely unprofitable.

Conversely, regarding lending military funds, those who come to request the transfer of equipment would undoubtedly be lobbyists trying to drive down prices. The General would never receive fair compensation.

So, there’s no way to minimize losses; a deficit is inevitable.”

With that, Xia Qian shrugged and spread her hands, as if adding: See, that’s just how it is.

General Long’s hand on the desk abruptly clenched into a fist, her anger at those corrupt officials flaring up.

“So, even if this General is willing to humble herself and cooperate with them, these people have no intention of showing any respect. They are officials who feast on the Emperor’s bounty, yet they are solely self-serving and greedy, worse than even unscrupulous merchants!”

Xia Qian offered a faint, understanding smile:

“The General is right, but not entirely. They are still different from merchants. Whether it’s a small vendor or a capital magnate, if they lose money selling goods or investing in stocks, they can at least cut their losses and withdraw.

But it’s different for officials. The identity of a bureaucrat brings not only convenient keys to power but also shackles of responsibility.”

General Long tilted her head, her red eyes narrowing.

“Stocks? What are those—never mind, it’s not important. Just tell me directly, what exactly should be done?”

“Let me put it this way, just consider this: if someone is destined to suffer a loss, why must it always be the General and the soldiers who tirelessly guard Liangqu?”

“Uh…”

General Long couldn’t grasp her meaning, frowning. She couldn’t decipher the implication behind Xia Qian’s cunning smile and could only ask further:

“What do you mean by that?”

Xia Qian cleared her throat:

“May I ask, General, have you ever heard of ‘debt restructuring’?”