Li Shimin listened for a while before running to the side and calling Zhang Anan over.
"Ananda, investigate what's going on!"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Anan immediately waved to the crowd, and several eunuchs from the Inner Palace Service, also known as spies, rushed out.
"Tell me, what exactly happened?"
"Reporting to the Ancestor, it is said that Princess Changsha, Princess Wanchun, and Princess Jiujiang sent their servants to seize salt, which forced the Crown Prince's shops to limit purchases..."
"They're hoarding salt?"
"yes!"
"These princesses have declared that no matter how much salt the Crown Prince has, they will buy it all!"
Upon hearing this, Li Shimin instantly understood that they were planning to hoard salt and buy up all the salt in Li Jue's hands, so that they could raise prices at will!
Zhang Anan naturally understood as well, and immediately looked intently at Li Shimin.
"Your Majesty, this matter..."
Li Shimin snorted coldly upon hearing this.
"Let's leave that aside for now and see how that bastard handles it!"
"If he can't handle it, then we'll step in!"
"promise!"
As the group was talking, a long procession of carriages surged into the city gate.
"The salt is here!"
"The salt is here!"
As the driver called out, the crowd queuing to buy salt was instantly drawn to him.
"Please don't fight, everyone! The Crown Prince has plenty of salt; we guarantee that everyone can buy some!"
The surrounding people's eyes lit up instantly upon hearing this, but some discordant voices also emerged.
"Don't believe it, everyone! Who knows what's in the sack!"
"It might be sand!"
Upon hearing this, the lead driver immediately jumped off the carriage, cut open a burlap sack with his knife, and scattered the slightly bluish fine salt on the ground.
"Fellow villagers, please take a look!"
"It must be top-quality salt, right?"
Many people felt reassured upon seeing this, but soon some of them began to shout and curse.
"You spendthrift! How could you waste such good things like this!"
"Shopkeeper, quickly grab a broom and sweep up the salt!"
Although Li Jue's low-price strategy has made salt affordable for many ordinary people, they have become accustomed to eating expensive salt and subconsciously still regard salt as a precious commodity.
As the shop owner led a group of employees out to unload the goods, the surrounding people finally quieted down. Some people who weren't short of salt at home started to leave the group and stopped joining the crowd.
At an inn not far from the salt shop, Princess Changsha, Princess Wanchun, and Princess Jiujiang looked at each other in bewilderment, none of them able to figure out where Li Jue got so much salt.
The salt on these wagons alone is already the total annual output of all three of their salt fields!
However, Li Jue has only used a few days to prepare so much salt!
"no!"
"We need to go to His Majesty and ask him to control Li Jue. If this continues, we'll all starve!"
"Looking for Second Brother?"
Wan Chun and Jiu Jiang were both stunned when they heard this. They were terrified of Li Shimin, their second brother, and would avoid meeting him if possible.
"right!"
"Now only our second brother can keep us in check!"
The two men were moved by these words, but still dared not challenge Li Er's imperial might.
"Elder sister, why don't you go and plead with His Majesty?"
"I?"
Why should I go alone?
"If we're going, let's go together!"
"this……"
While the three princesses were passing the buck to each other, Prince Han, Li Yuanchang, together with Prince Zheng, Li Yuanli, were organizing people to go to Yingtian Prefecture to file a complaint.
"Murder!"
"The Crown Prince's poisoned salt has killed people! Waaaaah!"
Upon hearing this, the common people all rushed over to watch the spectacle. But when they heard the Crown Prince's venomous words, they immediately became displeased.
"nonsense!"
"Do you think we wouldn't know whether the Crown Prince's salt is poisonous?"
"You are smearing the Crown Prince!"
"They don't want us to eat cheap salt!"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Er, the skinny man hired by Li Yuanli, immediately flew into a rage and retorted.
"Who's talking nonsense!"
My brother was poisoned to death!
As Zhang Er finished speaking, he immediately tore off the straw mat, revealing a corpse that was already dead.
Seeing this, the surrounding villagers didn't say anything more, after all, someone in this family had really died.
Seeing that there was no sound around, Zhang Er immediately struck the Dengwen Drum.
When Lu Junfang, the Prefect of Jingzhao, heard the commotion, he hurriedly led his constables out to check the situation. He was so frightened to see someone publicly accusing the Crown Prince that he turned pale.
"You want to sue the Crown Prince?"
"right!"
"The Crown Prince is selling poisoned salt and disregarding human life. Why can't I sue him?"
"this……"
Just as Lü Junfang was hesitating about whether to take the case, a yamen runner rushed up to him and whispered a few words in his ear, which made him make up his mind instantly.
"good!"
"I'll take this case!"
"Guards, summon the Crown Prince to the yamen for questioning!"
"promise!"
Just as the constables nearby agreed, a young boy stepped out from the crowd.
"I am the Crown Prince of the current dynasty!"
Li Jue's words immediately caused everyone to be astonished.
No one could have imagined that this ordinary-looking young man was actually the crown prince of the current dynasty!
In fact, Li Jue had already returned to Chang'an.
After all, he only needed to select a site and draw a circle; he didn't have to do everything himself, so there was no point in him staying at the salt field or the mine.
The various unexpected situations that have arisen are basically within his expectations.
Because he knew how many powerful interest groups he had offended!
It can be said that as soon as his cheap salt hits the market, all the powerful and wealthy people in the Tang Dynasty who made their fortunes by monopolizing salt wells will go bankrupt!
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
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