However, just as Li Shiji slunk back to his seat, a flash of inspiration struck him again.

"Your Majesty, why don't you summon your eldest grandson? He must have a solution!"

"Does he have a solution?"

"Yes!"

"Your Majesty may not know this, but our eldest grandson led us in doing business before, and somehow managed to get a lot of grain from somewhere, which allowed us to make a fortune!"

"food?"

"You think he can get the grain?"

"yes!"

"It's all top-quality grain, and much of it is this year's new grain!"

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin immediately lost his composure and ordered his men to bring Li Jue over.

However, when Li Shimin saw Li Jue again and found that Li Jue was so hungry that he could not even walk, he was completely dumbfounded.

"Li Jue, what happened to you?"

Upon hearing this, Li Jue rolled his eyes at Li Er in annoyance.

"You still have the nerve to ask?"

"Didn't you lock me up and not let me eat?!"

"I……"

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin awkwardly touched his nose, then roared at the people around him.

"What are you all standing there for? Hurry up and prepare some food for my beloved grandson!"

"promise!"

A short while later, the Hundred Cavalrymen brought over a bowl of Xianyang noodles.

Li Jue had been starving for a whole day and night. When he saw the fragrant Xianyang noodles, he immediately started slurping them down.

"Grandson, I've heard you can procure grain?"

Li Jue didn't even look up when he heard this, and immediately retorted.

"cannot!"

"Stop fooling around, I'm talking to you about serious matters."

"Could you tell Grandpa where your food comes from?"

"Stolen!"

"It was stolen from the granaries in Pyongyang; a full 300,000 shi (a unit of dry measure) was stolen!"

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin knew that he had thoroughly offended this grandson.

But right now, in order to secure food supplies, he has no choice but to continue appeasing this rebellious grandson.

"Grandson, are you trying to provoke me?"

"I only skipped two meals because you were too fat..."

"I'm fat?"

"My confidence is just inflating!"

"Go do whatever you need to do, don't bother me while I'm eating my noodles!"

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin could only reluctantly sit back down and wait quietly for Li Jue to finish eating before asking with a forced smile.

"Grandson, I heard you got all new grain?"

"certainly!"

"Goguryeo had a poor harvest this year, but Silla and Baekje didn't suffer any disaster. They have more grain than they can eat!"

"What?"

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin suddenly realized his mistake and was so frustrated that he wanted to bang his head against the wall. How could he have forgotten about this?

Goguryeo was the main target of the Tang Dynasty's attack. In the past two years, Goguryeo had not had a good life. The people were mobilized to fight in the army, and no one was farming.

In comparison, Baekje and Silla had it much easier, and their locations were also better, with mostly plains and few mountains, so they must have accumulated a lot of grain.

All I have to do is issue an imperial edict to the kings of Baekje and Silla, and they will surely obediently send grain over!

"Guards, draft an imperial edict ordering King Uija of Baekje and King Kim Seungman of Silla to each raise 50,000 shi of grain and transport them to Pyongyang!"

"Your Majesty is wise..."

While Ma Zhou and the others were busy flattering him, Li Jue, who was drinking noodle soup, suddenly spoke up in a sinister tone.

"Too late!"

"I've already bought up all the grain from both countries. Even if you held a knife to their throats, they couldn't get that much grain!"

Li Shimin was furious when he heard this, but when he thought about how the grain was in the hands of the traitorous grandson, he could only swallow his anger.

"Grandson..."

"Could you get me some grain?"

"I'll buy it with my own money!"

How about two strings of cash per shi (a unit of dry measure)?

Li Jue snorted coldly upon hearing this.

"Not for sale!"

"What about three strings of cash?"

"Not for sale!"

No matter how much money you offer me, I won't sell!

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin immediately lost his composure and grabbed Li Jue, lifting him up by the arm.

"You brat, say that again?"

I said I'm not selling!

"Guards, bring me my whip! I'm going to teach this rebellious grandson a lesson today!"