Chapter 306: Food and Grass
The prince frowned upon hearing this. Then, he said in a deep voice, "Princess, you are going on a long journey. Shouldn't you consult your husband first?"
Chu Ci's expression turned cold, and a hint of coldness suddenly flashed in his eyes, as sharp as an ice blade. He said sternly: "Your Highness, if Fan Jingrui disagrees, then what?"
"Just because of this, Your Highness the Crown Prince doesn't want the food and fodder that is crucial to the survival of the imperial court and the Zhenbei Army?" Her voice rose a few notches with unquestionable determination.
The prince was confused by Chu Ci's criticism and his face was full of bewilderment and confusion.
He simply thought that a woman should let her husband know when she was going on a long journey. He really didn't understand why Chu Ci suddenly became so sharp and fierce, like a hedgehog with all its spikes erected.
"Princess Yixin, there shouldn't be any essential connection between the two, right?"
However, Chu Ci showed no sign of backing down. Instead, he went a step further, looked the Crown Prince in the eye with a determined gaze, and said, "The prerequisite for the safe arrival of 300,000 dan of grain and fodder in the northern border is that I must go there in person."
"You have to come in person?" The prince stared at Chu Ci, his face full of disbelief, and asked anxiously, "No one else can replace you? Not even your husband?"
Having said this, the prince suddenly noticed that Chu Ci's face became increasingly ugly for some reason, so gloomy that it seemed as if water droplets could condense, as if a storm was about to come.
The prince had a bad feeling in his heart and quickly added, "But women are not allowed to enter the military camp."
Chu Ci curled his lips in disdain, his expression full of indifference, even a bit of contempt, "This is a problem for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to solve."
The blame was shifted quite thoroughly, leaving no room for the prince to argue.
The prince secretly groaned inwardly: Even when he had been stripped of his throne, he had never encountered such a difficult woman. I really don't know how Fan Jingrui could bear it on a normal day.
The Crown Prince was secretly complaining, but his face was much more serious. He looked at Chu Ci with a sharp gaze and said, "Princess Yixin, can you guarantee that you can gather 300,000 dan of grain and fodder before I reach the northern border?"
Chu Ci raised his head slightly, his expression firm, his chin slightly raised, and responded: "Your Highness, as long as you can agree to my conditions, this matter can be done."
The Crown Prince frowned and said with a slightly embarrassed look, "Going to the Northern Frontier is not difficult, but the iron rules of the military camp cannot be violated. Princess, can you change the conditions? After all, women are not allowed to enter the military camp. This is a long-standing rule."
Chu Ci didn't understand why the prince had to bring up the rules of the military camp. Was there really no room for compromise?
But Chu Ci couldn't reveal the secret of the space, so she bit her lip and said firmly, "The matter of food and fodder is of great importance. I gave death orders to my subordinates just to be on the safe side. Otherwise, let alone 300,000 dan, there wouldn't even be a single grain of food."
The prince knew that each family had its own code of conduct. Seeing Chu Ci say this, he understood that this matter would not be easily changed, but he still wanted to test it one last time.
"The battle on the front lines is urgent and cannot be delayed. I will have to ride as fast as I can, traveling day and night, to the northern border. My princess is a woman with a delicate body. Can she withstand such a bumpy ride?"
Unexpectedly, Chu Ci burst into laughter upon hearing this, his smile tinged with self-mockery and fearlessness. "What kind of journey can compare to the hardships of the Road of Exile? The hardships I endured on the Road of Exile back then, how could this mere journey to the Northern Frontier be comparable?"
When the prince heard Chu Ci's self-deprecation, his face ached. After all, the Fan family was implicated by him.
What's more, Chu Ci was so determined to go to the northern border this time for the hundreds of thousands of troops to guard the north.
Thinking of this, the Crown Prince sighed deeply and said slowly, "According to the market price, the price of grain and fodder should be one tael of silver per dan. However, the situation is urgent now, and it is for the survival of the Zhenbei Army. I will make the decision and charge the princess one tael and five cents of silver per dan. However, the princess must ensure that the grain and fodder are delivered on time and in the correct quantity."
As soon as the prince finished speaking, his subordinates, receiving the prince's signal, immediately handed a wooden box full of silver bills to the prince.
The prince took it and said to Chu Ci, "There are 100,000 taels of silver in here. I will give you the rest as soon as possible."
Seeing the prince's straightforwardness, Chu Ci not only didn't take the opportunity to lower the price, but even, considering the Fan family's friendship, he took the initiative to raise the price. His impression of him had improved slightly, and he said slowly, "One tael of silver will be enough. I, Chu Ci, always keep my word and will ensure that the food and fodder arrive on time and in the right quantity. There will be no mistakes."
Then, without waiting for the Crown Prince to react, Chu Ci said in a gentle voice, "Your Highness, when will you depart? I need to make some preparations in advance. After all, the journey is long and there are many things to attend to. I need to make some proper arrangements to prevent delays."
So, this means to send the guests away? Are women nowadays so quick to change their expressions?
The prince stood there, clearly unable to follow Chu Ci's train of thought. He was stunned for a moment. But it was only a moment. He gathered himself and said, "We'll meet at the city gate in an hour."
"Don't worry, I will go find Fan Jingrui and explain the whole story. I will never make things difficult for you, and I will definitely protect you."
Unexpectedly, Chu Ci smiled, his eyes curved, and said in a cheerful tone, "This matter is urgent, so I won't bother His Royal Highness with our personal matters. I will communicate with him properly. Your Highness should focus on the food and itinerary."
The prince stood there, looking helpless, secretly complaining in his heart: It was Chu Ci who threw the problem to him, and now it is Chu Ci who is blaming it on personal matters?
Now he couldn't tell which of Chu Ci's words were true and which were false. This woman's mind was truly unpredictable.
Therefore, the prince decided to find Fan Jingrui to get to the bottom of the matter so as to avoid any unnecessary trouble in the future.
Chu Ci had no idea that her credibility with the prince would be ruined just because of an unnecessary test.
As soon as the prince left, Chu Ci was instantly entangled by Qianxue and Qianyan.
Qianxue tightly pulled Chu Ci's sleeve and said coquettishly, "Sister-in-law, I want to go too."
Seeing that Chu Ci did not directly refuse, Qian Yan's eyes turned and she immediately grabbed Chu Ci's other arm, her eyes full of expectation, and she begged pitifully: "Sister-in-law, please take us with you!"
"I promise I won't hold you back. I'll be obedient the entire way. No matter what happens, I'll absolutely follow orders and never act arbitrarily."
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