Chapter 56 The Twenty-First Headshot!
Chapter 56
Xuzhou!
It turned out to be Xuzhou.
Ye Changming was the son of the Minister of Revenue. Although he was often unreliable, he was extremely knowledgeable about matters concerning grain supplies and the situation in the prefectures and counties of Daliang.
Grain prices in the Southern Capital are different. As for the current situation in the world, the north has been occupied by the Northern Yan army, the small state of Yunlai is to the west, the east is by the sea, and the central part of the Huai'an Canal is shrouded in war for many years. Only Jiaozhou and Xuzhou in the south have not been affected by war and can still collect grain to save lives...
But these refugees in front of us, they come from Xuzhou.
Xuzhou, where many in Daliang pinned their hopes, has become a refugee city. The people there can't even feed themselves, so how can they save others' lives? The imperial court has blocked all information and prevented refugees from entering Nandu, so they are completely unaware of what's happening!
Ye Changming swayed, about to collapse.
Ye Xiren led them out of the city. She held General Yan's private order in her hand. Now that Yan Danqing had been exonerated, this token could not only command the Yan family army, but also make the guards at the city gate let them out.
Outside the city, everything appeared calm and peaceful.
But Ye Xiren didn't believe it. Thinking back to when Jiang You intercepted Yan Danqing's secret letter... Jiang You probably had control over the city gates of Nandu and even the area outside the city gates. It wouldn't be difficult to maintain a facade, but beyond that, he would be powerless to reach them.
So she led Ye Changming and Yan Shuang to a post station twenty miles from Nandu. Sure enough, a defensive line was set up there, keeping countless refugees out and preventing them from approaching Nandu.
These refugees came from all over Daliang, including the North, Huai'an Canal, and Qingzhou. It was no surprise that Ye Xiren and his companions approached quietly, asking around, and eventually found a group of people from Xuzhou behind the refugees!
The truth, revealed only the tip of the iceberg, is chilling.
Ye Xiren grabbed Yan Shuang's arm, forcing herself to calm down.
There was nothing to be afraid of. Since the beginning of the cycle, she had experienced many things, and these were not enough to break her. Her pale face gradually recovered, her eyes cleared, and she asked calmly:
"What happened to Xuzhou that made you abandon your land after spring planting and come to Nandu, which is close to the battlefield?"
The frail woman chewed up the flatbread Ye Changming had given her and fed it bit by bit to the large-headed, small-bodied baby in her arms, replying with a wry smile:
"Xuzhou is probably doomed this year. Since the beginning of spring, there has not been a single rain, the rivers have dried up, and the crops planted in the fields have failed to sprout. How can they possibly yield any grain?"
Xuzhou is suffering from a severe drought. If they don't leave, where will they find a way to survive?
Ye Xiren gasped, handed the water jug she was carrying to the woman, and turned to look behind her. There were countless ragged refugees, a vast expanse that seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see.
They were emaciated, their eyes lifeless, sitting stiffly on the ground with their last remaining belongings on their backs, holding children in their arms, lost and unaware of where to go.
After traversing mountains and valleys with great difficulty, they finally reached the vicinity of the capital, hoping that they would find a way to survive and that the imperial court would take care of them. However, a defensive line blocked their way, preventing them from getting closer. There was only water but no food, and no road.
Where else can we go?
The northern lands are inhabited by people from Northern Yan, who kill anyone they see from Daliang. General Yan Xiao of Huai'an Qu can resist Northern Yan, but he massacres refugees, so they dare not go there. The court also forbids them from getting close. Where is there any place where they can survive?
Previously confined to her chambers, she hadn't fully grasped the chaos Yan Danqing spoke of. Even though she had glimpsed the calamities of the world, the shock of reality was vastly different from her imagination. Never before had such a bloody human tragedy been laid bare before her eyes, far more terrifying and frightening than beheading or suicide...
Because this is not a life.
It is an uncountable number of lives that cannot be saved. Behind them, across thousands of miles of mountains and rivers, across the vast territory of the Great Liang Kingdom, and across millions of people, all are in a living hell.
"Girl! Girl, please give me some food!"
"Kind people, please give me some food, my mother is starving to death."
"Young master, young lady, please buy me. I don't want money, just give me something to eat."
"Please, save my son..."
...
Ye Changming and Ye Xiren were blocked by guards, and the refugees only dared to peek and dared not get close. But when Ye Xiren turned around and looked at them, they could no longer control their pleas and screams.
Pairs of longing eyes looked at her; if she lent a hand, it could save a life. These people were looking at her for a way out.
Ye Changming pulled Ye Xiren aside, wanting to say something.
Ye Xiren knew what he meant, and her voice was hoarse: "...Back to Nandu."
She can't save them now.
She had to return to Nandu to find a way to survive.
The carriage clattered along, the interior utterly silent. Ye Xiren lowered her eyes; she was one step closer to the truth, but even a little closer made her heart tremble. Those people were no longer just numbers, no longer just words of grief and indignation, but living, breathing people right before her.
So many people, so many eyes, the bones of the starved, the eyes secretly coveting the bones, the dying child in someone's arms, the emaciated refugees chewing on leaves... It was a shocking sight.
"I'm going to kill Jiang You!" Yan Shuang suddenly said.
Ye Changming shook his head, and after a long while said, "Calm down, killing him won't conjure up any food..."
Food is scarce everywhere. The front lines are short of military rations, and there are countless refugees in the rear who are also short of disaster relief supplies. Even the prime minister is nothing more than a skeleton and a hundred pounds of flesh in the face of the current chaos, and is of no use.
Ye Xiren glanced at the sky outside the window and exhaled:
"Let's go to the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence first."
The carriage sped towards the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence in Nandu. After Yan Danqing was released, the Emperor had him move into this "Marquis of Zhongyong's Residence," which had not yet been occupied by anyone.
Last year, when the new emperor ascended the throne, Yan Danqing was not in Nanjing, and no other members of the Yan family were still alive. However, the emperor clearly did not want the officials to forget the loyal and brave Marquis Yan family. The best house in the east was reserved for the Yan family.
When Ye Xiren arrived, Ye Pei and Zheng Wenjue were anxiously looking around at the entrance of the Marquis's residence.
"Why are you here?" Ye Pei was shocked to see his two children.
Ye Xiren jumped off the carriage, her expression grave: "I have something important to discuss with Yan Danqing. Is he still in the palace?"
"Yes, he hasn't come out yet." Ye Pei shook his head, his face filled with worry. "We have important matters to discuss with him, and we don't know when he will be able to come out."
He looked at Ye Xiren, about to ask a question.
Just then, a familiar carriage approached and stopped in front of them. Liu Duoxi and Bai Chengguang helped Yan Danqing down. Seeing that he was pale, Ye Xiren hurriedly stepped forward: "What happened?"
Liu Duoxi and Bai Chengguang naturally let go of each other's hands and handed the person over to Ye Xiren.
"I'm fine," Yan Danqing shook her head.
He knelt in the imperial study for a whole day until the emperor woke up and allowed him to come out. Only then was he finally able to stand up. After several hours, even he was a little unsteady on his feet, but fortunately he was not injured and recovered quickly.
Supported by Ye Xiren, he didn't put his weight on her. He gradually straightened up, smiled, and offered silent comfort.
"General Yan, there's no time to lose, so we'll take our leave now." Liu Duoxi and Bai Chengguang lowered their voices and cupped their hands in greeting.
"Thank you," Yan Danqing replied.
The two shook their heads, said nothing more, and turned to leave.
Zheng Wenjue stepped forward, as if to say something, but Yan Danqing lowered his voice and said, "Let's go inside and talk."
Everyone's expression tightened, clearly indicating that they had all made an important discovery!
Inside the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence
Tea was placed on the coffee table, and everyone sat around it with solemn expressions. Ye Changming glanced at the table and suddenly realized that the seating arrangement seemed a bit off. Why was Ye Xiren sitting next to Yan Danqing, who was in the main seat?
Behind Ye Xiren was Yan Shuang, behind Yan Danqing was Ma Shan, and the others sat opposite her in the guest seats, looking like a husband and wife receiving guests...
Ye Changming was puzzled. Why did he just sit down so naturally?
Before he could figure it out, Yan Danqing spoke first: "His Majesty and Jiang You have kept many things from the officials in the court. Councilor Liu and Lord Bai Chengguang visited familiar officials, but no one knows the truth."
Clearly, Liang Yue and Jiang You were keeping this a secret from everyone in the court, not even from trusted officials. Only those officials who needed access to the secret could glean any information.
Ye Pei received Yan Danqing's message, his eyes heavy:
"Lord Zheng and I arrested Yu Youcao. From him, we have confirmed that the national treasury is empty. Prime Minister Jiang has not allowed any information to leak out. Even His Majesty's private treasury is out of money. The situation in Daliang is critical. We do not know the situation in Jiaozhou and Xuzhou."
Ye Xiren slowly opened her mouth:
"Xuzhou is suffering from a severe drought, and refugees are everywhere."
Not to mention that we can't provide any grain, if we want fewer people to die in Xuzhou, we need the imperial court to provide disaster relief and send out relief grain.
Ye Pei was startled and wanted to ask Ye Xiren how she knew, but then he saw Yan Danqing turn her head and whisper:
"You left the city?"
His tone revealed absolutely no surprise.
Ye Xiren nodded naturally. She was no longer the type to sit idly by and wait for death, and began to recount her discoveries in detail:
"There's a problem with grain prices in the capital. Only officials and their families can buy cheap grain to maintain a facade of peace. As for ordinary people and refugees, they can no longer afford grain. I suspect that the real refugees haven't been allowed in, so I went out of the city to check. Sure enough, they were stopped outside the post stations on the outskirts of the capital and not allowed to approach..."
Yan Danqing listened intently, while the others tensed up. If it weren't for Ye Xiren, they really wouldn't have noticed these details!
After speaking, Ye Xiren looked at the others with a puzzled expression, asking, "Why control grain prices? The situation is already so bad, what is the court doing?"
Only the imperial court can control grain prices!
Yan Danqing's eyes darkened, and he explained in a low voice: "His Majesty and Prime Minister Jiang have controlled the grain price in an attempt to maintain a facade. I'm afraid it's for the sake of peace talks, or rather, to maintain temporary stability in the rear."
"How long can this drag on?" Ye Xiren still didn't understand. Thinking of the scene she saw outside the city, she gritted her teeth, her eyes practically spitting fire.
“There must be other reasons that we haven’t found out yet, which led His Majesty and Prime Minister Jiang to make the decision to ‘delay as long as possible’.”
Yan Danqing poured a cup of hot tea and handed it to Ye Xiren, who was trembling with anger. "That's not all. Councilor Liu and Lord Bai discovered that when the peace treaty from Northern Yan was sent to Southern Capital, they also received several other secret letters. We don't know what they said."
Liu Duoxi and Bai Chengguang are now inquiring about the details of these secret letters. His intuition is very important and he cannot afford to miss it.
"How many letters?!" Ye Pei exclaimed in surprise.
Yan Danqing's secret letters were sent one by one. Of those letters, at most one came from Huai'an Canal. Where did the rest of the secret letters come from, and what did they say?
Yan Danqing nodded solemnly.
The information from the three people converged, and a corner of the truth was revealed. Even though it was shrouded in mystery, it still made people tremble with fear and gave rise to some vague speculations.
Ye Xiren took a sip of hot tea to calm herself down, but the thought of the outside world still filled her with an uncontrollable urgency. She then integrated and analyzed all the available information:
"His Majesty and Prime Minister Jiang concealed some information: the national treasury is empty, the court cannot provide grain to send to the Huai'an Canal, and this is not the only problem. As a result, the court is anxious to negotiate peace and has fallen into Chizhanlan's trap."
"And clearly, Chi Zhanlan Ce, who is secretly colluding with Zhang Yuanmou, knows some of the secrets of the Great Liang. So he used this to plot against General Yan's life, wanting to take Huai'an Canal without bloodshed and enter the Southern Capital. As for how much he knows, it is still unknown."
They didn't know what Liang Yue and Jiang You were hiding, let alone how much Chi Zhanlan Ce already knew.
Ye Xiren looked at Yan Danqing: "Therefore, we must find out the whole truth as soon as possible in order to deal with Northern Yan and the covetous Chizhan Lance."
There are also the refugees outside Nandu City and all the people of Daliang who have lost their way to survive. They must know the whole truth as soon as possible in order to find a solution. Even if it means reopening the city, they must have enough information!
She used to only think about her own survival, but seeing the tragic situation outside the city today, how could she do nothing and stand by indifferently?
Yan Danqing nodded: "Yes."
As for whether Chi Zhanlan Ce was truly sincere about peace talks, neither he nor Ye Xiren believed it.
Ye Changming couldn't understand, his brows furrowed: "Why did His Majesty and Prime Minister Jiang keep it a secret? Even if they needed to guard against the Northern Yan people, they didn't need to hide it from everyone, did they?"
Today, Yan Danqing went to ask the Emperor in person why he wouldn't even tell Yan Danqing.
“I don’t understand.” Zheng Wenjue also frowned and shook his head. “Let’s continue investigating. Chizhan Lance is in our hands. As long as something has happened, there will be traces. We can’t hide it forever…”
We split up today and have already uncovered some of the hidden secrets. With some time, we'll be able to find out the rest gradually.
Just then, footsteps sounded.
The chubby but agile Liu Duoxi and Bai Chengguang, with a worried expression, strode in. Ye Pei and Zheng Wenjue stood up at the same time and asked anxiously:
"What else have you discovered?"
Bai Chengguang shook his head without speaking, but his eyes were looking behind them.
Ye Xiren was taken aback.
Liu Duoxi smiled bitterly: "Chizhan Lance has already shown his sincerity in peace talks. In addition to the treasures and prisoners he plundered, Northern Yan is also willing to send another batch of grain and supplies. He is also willing to hand over the Crown Prince's seal and letter of withdrawal to Great Liang, but..."
"Just what?" Ye Changming stood up.
Is it going to be another attempt to kill Yan Danqing?
Impossible! The imperial court would never believe that reason again!
“Northern Yan is genuinely seeking peace and will not bring up the matter of killing General Yan again. However, Chi Zhanlan Ce has requested the Emperor to grant him a marriage and asks to marry Miss Ye.” Bai Chengguang had witnessed General Yan and Miss Ye’s intimate behavior last night and even thought it was another match made in heaven. Who would have thought such a change would happen?
He looked at the two of them and said with difficulty, "His Majesty and Prime Minister Jiang have agreed and are drafting an imperial edict to grant the marriage."
A royal decree granting a marriage could immediately secure provisions and news of the Northern Yan's withdrawal. How could the court possibly disagree with Chi Zhanlan's bewildering actions?
The teacup in Yan Danqing's hand shattered into pieces, landing on the coffee table with a crisp sound. Tea splashed up, and a vein throbbed between his brows. His expression changed instantly, turning gloomy.
Yan Shuang and Ma Shan exchanged a glance, their eyes flashing with anger, and stood up simultaneously.
Ye Xiren was somewhat bewildered, her face turning pale. She turned to look at the person beside her, feeling uneasy. Was she really that valuable? What was Chi Zhanlan Ce's purpose in suddenly proposing such a condition?
Yan Danqing clenched his fists, the shards cutting his fingertips, drops of blood falling with each clenched fist, slapping onto the table with a "plop." His eyes blazed with rage as he slowly spoke, each word distinct and deliberate:
He's dreaming!
After speaking, he looked at Ye Xiren, his eyes regaining their gentleness and calmness. He released her hand, forced a smile, and softened his voice:
“I suddenly feel that our investigation is still too slow. Since the truth lies in the hearts of His Majesty and Jiang You, why not let them tell us willingly?”
Willingly?
How could you be willing to do it?
Ye Xiren met his eyes, and her heart skipped a beat. Having gone through so many cycles of madness, she knew all too well what another madman was thinking!
Because after hearing that the imperial decree to grant the marriage had been drafted, she did not want to be in such a passive situation anymore. Since that was the case, she might as well turn the passive situation into an active one... When things got desperate, Jiang You had no other way out, so he should "willingly" accept it.
If Zhao Wu knew the truth in the previous cycle, so could they!
Liu Duoxi's heart skipped a beat, a sudden sense of foreboding washing over her. Her voice trembled slightly as she asked, "What are you going to do?"
Ye Xiren and Yan Danqing exchanged a glance and smiled at each other.
-
The fifth day of the third lunar month, at the hour of Xu (7-9 PM)
Jiang Xiang hurriedly returned to his residence, his face somewhat grim. He went to see Zhang Yuanmou again, but the man remained stubborn and refused to speak, even after Jiang Xiang said that Liang Jin was still alive.
Where exactly was that batch of grain hidden?!
"How's the investigation going?" Jiang You asked, turning his head.
A dark shadow appeared outside the open window of the study. The sound was almost inaudible in the darkness, and only Jiang You could hear it.
"There was no problem when the grain left Beijing. Our people dived down into the moat to check, but they didn't find any trace of the grain. That batch of grain went to Linzhou Wharf via the moat, and we haven't found any results yet."
Jiang You's eyes darkened.
He paused, his voice low and strained: "Quietly detain all those in Linzhou who had contact with that batch of grain, interrogate them thoroughly. It's impossible for replacing grain with river sand to happen without a trace. Continue the investigation. I don't believe a batch of grain could just vanish into thin air."
Jiang You clearly remembers that half of that batch of grain was moved directly from the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue to the ship, and the other half was delivered to the dock by grain merchants from various places. He personally saw it before allowing it to be loaded onto the ship.
There was no trace of food in the river. Where did it go, and how can he find it?
Moreover...
Even if it is found, it would be a drop in the ocean compared to the current situation.
"Yes," the man replied, and then disappeared.
Jiang You sat in his study, with the copy of the imperial examination answers he hadn't finished reading on his desk. He took a deep breath, about to calm himself down and continue reading, when he heard hurried footsteps.
The steward reported, "Prime Minister Jiang, General Yan and Miss Ye request an audience."
Jiang You was taken aback, then thought of the imperial decree bestowing the marriage upon him, and the tacit agreement between Ye Xiren and Yan Danqing that morning...
He instinctively wanted to refuse, but worried that they might have something important to discuss, so he finally put down his pen, put away the exam paper, and ordered, "Please let them in."
Soon, the two people came in.
Upon seeing them, Jiang You was stunned again, his expression slightly surprised.
Ye Xiren was wearing a blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), and her hair was no longer adorned with various exquisite hairpins and pearl flowers. Instead, a light blue ribbon tied her black hair, which hung down on both sides, making her look capable and energetic.
Yan Danqing, dressed in formal armor, exuded a chilling aura. He carried a small box wrapped in blue cloth, the contents of which were unknown.
Jiang You frowned subconsciously, his face full of confusion:
What are you doing?
I initially thought they were there to retract the imperial decree of marriage, but they don't seem to be. Yan Danqing in that outfit looks like he's... going to war?
Yan Danqing remained calm and smiled slightly, confirming his guess:
"Prime Minister Jiang, I need to rush to Huai'an Canal immediately to stabilize the morale of the army and attack the Northern Yan army. I hope you will tell me the current situation truthfully and allocate me a batch of grain and fodder so that we can start the war."
Jiang Youwei paused.
Then, he smirked, "The peace talks have not yet reached a conclusion, why is General Yan in such a hurry?"
"Peace talks will not succeed." Yan Danqing shook his head.
Jiang You frowned even more deeply, his eyes showing disapproval:
"Why not? Chi Zhanlan Ce's life is now in our hands. He has said that he is sincere in this peace talk and is willing to show his sincerity... Once the imperial decree for the marriage is issued, he will hand over the Crown Prince's letter and provisions to us, and we can immediately make the Northern Yan army at Huai'an Canal retreat. There is still hope. Why fight a big battle?"
Upon hearing this, Ye Xiren took the small box from Yan Danqing and held it up to Jiang You.
Under his questioning gaze, she placed the box heavily on the table. She wasn't very strong, but she gritted her teeth and put it down. The box shook, and crimson stains spread across the blue cloth, flowing onto the table. Only then did she realize that it was bright red blood.
"Of course, negotiations are out of the question!"
"Because Chi Zhanlan Ce's head is in here, how can we negotiate if he's gone?"
-----------------------
Author's note: Another two-in-one post today!
Praise me! Praise me!
Haha, see you tomorrow, my darlings!
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