Xiao Zixiu was unaware of Xie Yuan's scheme. He followed his own plan and ordered his men to prepare several oxcarts of sugarcane.
During his time at the sugar shop, Xiao Zixiu not only secretly calculated the shop's profits but also sought out the secret recipe for making sugar.
He also learned a lot about sugarcane.
For example, storing sugarcane!
The method is simple: wrap the sugarcane in moist soil and put it in a sealed wooden box.
As long as the temperature is suitable, sugarcane can remain fresh for a month or even several months.
Lingnan is more than 3,000 li away from the capital. If we speed up, we can reach the capital in two months.
Sugarcane rarely spoils.
Of course, this doesn't mean that sugarcane doesn't exist in other places besides Lingnan.
Xiao Zixiu, however, was more cautious, worried that sugarcane from other producing areas would affect the sugar-making process.
After all, "oranges grown south of the Huai River are sweet oranges," so being careful is never a bad thing.
And so, Xiao Zixiu's convoy embarked on its journey back to the capital.
Xiao Zixiu was unaware that a small group of people had arrived in the capital a month ahead of him.
After entering the twelfth lunar month, the capital city becomes exceptionally lively.
At the end of the year, the farms and shops of aristocratic families and powerful clans would send silver and gifts to their owners.
Every day, large convoys of vehicles would pass by the city gate.
The soldiers at the city gate were already used to it.
However, on this day, a convoy coming from the south still attracted the attention of the soldiers.
"Goodness, this carriage must be loaded with a lot of stuff. Look at these ruts, they're deeper than those of other carriages."
"Exactly! I wonder which noble family's servant is delivering this 'New Year's gift'."
Several guards at the gate discussed it curiously.
If it were ordinary people or common merchants, they would have already surrounded them and tried to extort money from them.
However, such a convoy is clearly the property of the wealthy and powerful; only a madman or a fool would dare to rush up there and risk getting into trouble.
"Oh my! I see it! The carriage has the 'Prince Yan's Residence' mark on it!"
"The Prince of Yan's residence? Is that the Third Prince's residence?"
"...He's been making quite a splash lately. I've heard he was just putting on an act all along, but actually he's got huge ambitions!"
"Yes! Yes, yes! My brother-in-law's eldest cousin works in the Imperial Guard. I heard him say that the Third Prince has even extended his influence to Yuezhou, using his maternal uncle to sideline the Prince of Yue!"
"The King of Yue? Is he the—" the deposed crown prince?
The soldiers didn't dare say anything more for fear of offending the enemy.
Everyone else had a look on their faces that said, "Yes, it's him."
"Aren't they brothers born of the same mother?"
The deposed crown prince was sent to his fiefdom, and he was even betrayed by his own brother. It's quite pitiful to think about.
"So what if they're brothers? Aren't all the important people there their own flesh and blood?"
As the soldiers spoke, they made sure to nod towards the direction of the palace.
Everyone nodded in agreement upon hearing this.
Yes, the people in the palace are either fathers and sons or brothers, but in the end, they still fight tooth and nail for the throne.
Besides, although the deposed crown prince and the third prince are brothers from the same father and mother, they did not grow up together and had no feelings for each other at all.
"Huh? This convoy is coming from the south. Could it be a 'festival gift' from Lingnan?"
"No way!"
The group looked at each other, all feeling somewhat surprised.
They had heard a lot of rumors circulating, but they were just rumors after all.
They didn't see any evidence at all.
"Let's go! Let's go up and ask!"
"...Whether it's true or not, we'll find out by asking!"
Several soldiers called out to each other as they approached the caravan. The leader politely asked, "May I ask, sir, where are you from?"
"No, no, sir, you flatter us. We are nothing but gentlemen. We are from Yuezhou, and we are here on orders to deliver money to His Highness the Third Prince!"
The convoy manager bowed and scraped to the soldiers, behaving very politely.
"Give us money?" The soldiers' eyes widened.
Several carriages, were they all filled with copper coins?
My God, how many is that?
"That's right! The shops in Yuezhou have made money, so it's only right that they send it to Your Highness!"
The caravan manager chuckled as he spoke, and seeing that the soldiers had no other requests, he waved and led the caravan into the city.
As they watched the convoy depart and saw the deep ruts on the ground, the soldiers' eyes were filled with envy and jealousy.
The motorcade made a grand entrance through the city gates and paraded through the main streets of the city.
In less than half a day, most of Beijing knew about the news—
The steward of the Third Prince in Yuezhou led a caravan, delivering silver to the Third Prince cart by cart!
Third Prince: ...
After being granted the title of Prince of Yan, the third prince moved out of the palace and into the royal residence bestowed by the emperor.
However, the Third Prince, as the beloved son of the Emperor's most beloved woman, often stayed in the palace even after he had established his own residence.
The emperor favored him, and Consort Xiao also felt sorry for him, often keeping him in the palace.
In the past, before Helian Jue had exposed the Third Prince's true identity, no one would have thought much of it.
The second prince, the fifth prince, and others secretly mocked the third prince for being "stupid."
He's already an adult and a king, yet instead of quickly recruiting court officials and building his own power, he still lazes around in the palace like a child.
Later, news came back from Yuezhou, letting the Second Prince and the Fifth Prince know that the Third Prince was not as indifferent to fame and fortune as he appeared.
The Third Prince's preference for staying in the palace has been interpreted in another way—
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