Early April of the second year of the Fuxing era.
After the rainy season, Yunjing County is bathed in sunshine. The plains are covered with lush vegetation, and the rolling hills in the distance are layered with different colors, which is both magnificent and uplifting.
"General, our supplies and provisions have arrived. Would you like to go and take a look?" Heng Wenhao reported as he entered the tent.
Zhao Cheng, with his head down, opened the letter without looking up and said, "No need to look. I trust Yan Zheng to handle things. Just show me the accounts."
Heng Wenhao placed the accounts on the table and glanced at Zhao Hu, who was standing next to Zhao Cheng.
Zhao Hu put his index finger to his lips and made a shushing gesture to Heng Wenhao.
Heng Wenhao understood and stepped aside, it seemed that the letter in Zhao Cheng's hand was very important.
A moment later, Zhao Cheng shook the letter in his hand and laughed, "Cai Yilu is becoming more and more capable. He is in charge of the Eastern Chamber of Commerce's business in Nanzhou, and now he can even find out about the affairs of the Nanzhou court."
Zhao Hu picked up where Zhao Cheng left off and asked, "What is the Southern Zhou court's attitude towards Yang Qingzhi?"
Zhao Cheng put the letter down and said, "For Yang Qingzhi, it's simply difficult."
Zhao Hu said, "So, he's about to withdraw his troops?"
Zhao Cheng said, "That's hard to say. A general in the field may disobey the emperor's orders. Who knows if Yang Qingzhi will go mad?"
Zhao Hu crossed his arms and said, "Even if he goes crazy, the soldiers still need to eat. He doesn't have as much food as we do."
Zhao Cheng said, "Cai Yilu mentioned in his letter that recently there has been a frequent shipment of grain from Hechong County to Yunjing, but this is not grain that the court gave to Yang Qingzhi. It should be that Yang Qingzhi had no other choice but to buy it in Hechong County."
Zhao Hu said, "Then he won't be able to hold out for long. If we're going to fight, we can only go for a quick attack."
"right."
Zhao Cheng gave Zhao Hu an approving look before picking up the accounts Heng Wenhao had brought him and looking at them. As he looked, he couldn't help but stand up.
"Why are there so many this time?"
Heng Wenhao said, "I don't know, but I heard from the grain transport official that the Fourth Young Master and Mr. Yan were jointly in charge of procuring the grain this time."
"The fourth brother was involved too?"
Zhao Cheng pondered for a moment, then smiled and said, "It seems this is the old man's advice to the fourth brother. He's telling me to prepare for the final battle."
Heng Wenhao asked, "Should we take it off now?"
Zhao Cheng waved his hand and said, "Just unload a small portion. There's enough grain in Nantong City. The rest will all be transported to Silver Valley."
Seeing the puzzled looks on Heng Wenhao and Zhao Hu's faces, Zhao Cheng said, "Don't look at me like a curious child. Lord Deng also transported grain from Jiangyang County to me. He told me to unload it at Yingu. Yingu is a place that is backed by Jing Mountain to the west and surrounded by mountains on three sides. There is only one entrance in the southeast, which is suitable for making granaries."
Zhao Hu asked, "Can't we just leave them all in Nantong City? The rainy season is over anyway."
Zhao Cheng said, "If we keep all the grain in one place, what if we lose Nantong City again? Will we end up like He Biao's troops, eating horse manure?"
Zhao Hu's face turned pale instantly.
This was information Yuan Fei had gathered earlier. It was said that after He Biao was defeated, his army ran out of food before joining forces with Yang Qingzhi. Some soldiers ate tree bark and grass, and when they were so hungry that they couldn't stand it anymore, they even started to eat horse manure.
With one person leading the way, tens of thousands of evil spirits scrambled for the horse manure, nearly driving He Biao to his death with rage.
"After this batch of grain is transported there, the grain reserves in Yingu will be very large. Since it is in our rear, we need a great general to guard it."
Zhao Cheng glanced between Zhao Hu and Heng Wenhao, and finally said, "Ah Hao, since you don't like charging into battle anyway, you go and transport it there yourself."
Heng Wenhao clasped his hands and said, "Yes, sir. But General, I have no problem going, but once I leave, you'll only have Zhao Hu by your side."
Zhao Cheng said, "The third brother is also in the city. As long as I don't leave the city, Cui Wuming can't get in."
Zhao Hu said, "Don't worry, Cui Wuming was injured in his fight with Xiao. Even if he comes, I'll kill him."
Heng Wenhao said, "I'm afraid of your careless attitude."
Zhao Hu picked at the scar on his face.
Zhao Cheng said, "Guarding Silver Valley may seem easy, but we must not let our guard down until the war is over."
Heng Wenhao solemnly replied, "This humble general will absolutely not dare to slacken his efforts!"
After returning to his desk, Zhao Cheng sat down, propped his legs up on the table, and said, "Zhao Hu, send someone to deliver a message to Yang Qingzhi. Tell him that Dongjing has ample supplies, and the imperial court is sending cartloads of grain to Yunjing; Nantong City is almost overflowing. Ask him if he's going to fight or not. If it's going to be a protracted war, I can sell him some of my grain. Considering our friendship, the price I offer is only 20% higher than in Hechong County. Buy my grain! Honest and fair, money and goods exchanged immediately!"
"Master, you're going to drive Yang Qingzhi to his death!"
Zhao Hu curled his lip and said, "Won't the person I sent out to deliver the message be cooked to death by Yang Qingzhi and his men?"
Zhao Cheng said, "Why so much talk? Then let's pick someone with thick skin and tough flesh!"
...
Buy my grain!
"Honest dealings with both young and old, payment upon delivery!"
Reciting the last two sentences of the Dongjing envoy, Yang Qingzhi suppressed his anger and suddenly burst into wild laughter.
"It's true what they say, comparisons are the thief of joy!"
He Biao's eyes were practically spitting fire as he raised his axe to strike the messenger.
The envoy stepped back and said, "In war, envoys are not to be killed. The general said that if you kill me, you are unethical, your sons will be born without an anus, you've gone mad from hunger..."
"Holy shit..." Li Yunqing also raised his gun.
"Calm down, everyone!" Yang Qingzhi shouted, frowning as he said, "This is Zhao Cheng's usual trick. He kills people by destroying their spirit. What will you gain by killing the envoy? You'll be branded as someone who killed an envoy in a fit of rage, and Zhao Cheng will laugh at you!"
Seeing He Biao and Li Yunqing trembling with anger, Yang Qingzhi walked step by step to the envoy, reached out to straighten his collar, and smiled and said, "Go back and tell your general that a gentleman's word is as good as his bond. If he really dares to sell, I really dare to buy. I'm just afraid that he's just talking big, then this governor will not think much of him."
"Guards, bring the reward!"
Upon hearing this, the envoy immediately bowed to Yang Qingzhi in gratitude: "Thank you, Junior Commander! Thank you for the reward, Junior Commander!"
Yang Qingzhi said, "Go back and tell Zhao Cheng that I, the governor, have plenty of money and can afford it."
"yes!"
After the envoy left, He Biao asked anxiously, "Zhao Cheng's grain is twice as expensive as that of Hechong County. Do you really want to buy it, Little Commander?!"
Yang Qingzhi said unhappily, "Am I stupid, or is he stupid, or are you stupid?"
He Biao: "???"
"What does the young commander mean?"
Yang Qingzhi sat down behind the general's desk and said, "What we lack most right now is grain. If Zhao Chengzhen dares to sell it to me for only two times the price of grain from Hechong County, of course I will buy it!"
"The problem is, he won't sell."
"When two armies are at war, he sells his own supplies to the enemy. Is he crazy?"
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