Chapter 252: The Crown Prince's Thoughts

In front of the door of room Bing in the Tian character block, Chen Ji gently knocked on the door.

The wooden door creaked open, and Xiao Man said happily:"Young master is back!"

Saying this, she took out a handkerchief to dust off Chen Ji. The Crown Prince stood at the door, leaning slightly inside, silently observing the floor mats in the room and the curtains dividing the inner room.

There was a brazier burning charcoal in the room. On the table were a chessboard, snacks, and preserved fruits. Zhang Zheng and Zhang Xia were sitting cross-legged on a floor mat, softly murmuring something.

Chen Li Qin wanted to speak several times but stopped. He thought, what kind of behavior is this? Yet, for a moment, he didn't know how to open his mouth.

Chen Ji walked into the middle of the room and said to Zhang Zheng and Zhang Xia:"Brother Zhang, Miss Zhang the Second, His Highness the Crown Prince has come."

Zhang Zheng and Zhang Xia heard the words, hurried to stand up, and bowed to the Crown Prince at the door:"Your Highness the Crown Prince."

The Crown Prince smiled and waved his hand:"No need for such formalities. I only just found out that the four of you were squeezed into one room, which is quite difficult. Fortunately, two more Di character rooms have been prepared for you, so you can live separately."

Zhang Zheng was startled for a moment, then immediately refused, saying:"Reporting to Your Highness, we are living very well here."

The Crown Prince said doubtfully:"The two of you in the Zhang residence are normally used to fine clothes and rich food. How can you be used to living on floor mats?"

Zhang Zheng politely said:"It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. It is safer for us to be together. The extra two guest rooms can accommodate more officers and soldiers of the Yu Lin Army."

Li Xuan, behind the Crown Prince, opened his mouth and said:"With the Yu Lin Army guarding at night, there is no need for everyone to worry about their own safety."

Zhang Zheng said happily:"With so many Yu Lin Army, they still couldn't guard the Capital Prefecture."

As soon as these words were spoken, inside and outside the room became solemn.

Li Xuan wanted to refute, but he couldn't think of how to refute. Someone had set the Capital Prefecture ablaze under the eyes of the Yu Lin Army, which was a strange and great humiliation.

However, no one expected that Zhang Zheng would dare to say such things in front of so many people, stepping on the reputation of the Yu Lin Army and trampling it on the ground.

At this time, Zhang Xia quietly pulled Zhang Zheng's sleeve.

Zhang Xia said with a smile:"Then thank you, Your Highness. My brother and I will move over now."

Zhang Zheng was unwilling, but Zhang Xia forcefully pulled him out the door.

The Crown Prince moved out of the way of the door, allowing them to go downstairs.

On the stairs, Zhang Zheng softly complained:"We were living perfectly fine in that room, why change places?"

Zhang Xia was silent for a moment:"Chen Ji wants to get close to the Crown Prince. Brother, don't cause him trouble."

Zhang Zheng was even more confused:"He has the Chen family behind him. Even if the Chen family is unreliable, he still has my Zhang family and the Xu family. If he wants a future, where does he need to seek others?"

Zhang Xia shook her head slightly:"He is not doing it for his own future."

Zhang Zheng doubted:"Then what is he doing it for? Did he tell you before?"

Zhang Xia thought for a while:"He didn't say, but I can guess what he wants to do."

Zhang Zheng's eyes darted around:"It doesn't matter. Anyway, the floor mats are still in the room. We can quietly sneak back in a while."

In front of the door of room Bing in the Tian character block, the Crown Prince acted as if nothing had happened and said warmly to Chen Ji:"You've had a hard day today. Get some rest early."

Chen Ji cupped his hand:"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness."

The Crown Prince led Chen Li Qin and Li Xuan into room Ding in the Tian character block. He sat beside the Eight Immortals table and asked solemnly:"What do you all think we should do to solve the problem of grain and fodder?"

Chen Li Qin thought for a moment:"Your Highness, this humble official will make a trip to the border army camp tomorrow. I will definitely persuade Hu Jun Xian to allocate some grain. Your Highness is the heir apparent of the country, and Hu Jun Xian is also a scholar. I believe he will not be as reckless as Zhou You."

The Crown Prince tapped his fingers on the tabletop, neither affirming nor denying.

Li Xuan poured him a cup of tea and said respectfully:"Your Highness, this humble official will send the Yu Lin Army personnel out tomorrow to find grain and buy back all the grain that has not yet been requisitioned. The Ministry of Revenue still has over three thousand taels of silver allocated, which can be used for emergency purposes."

The Crown Prince sighed:"The price of grain in Gu Yuan now is probably going to skyrocket. Three thousand taels of silver is just a drop in the bucket."

Li Xuan said in a low voice:"Let the Yu Lin Army officers and soldiers go to the porridge shed to get porridge. The grain we buy back will be enough to supply you and the relatives of Master Chen."

The Crown Prince hesitated:"This is not good, is it? I should also share the joys and sorrows with the Yu Lin Army officers and soldiers."

Li Xuan hurriedly knelt on one knee:"You are of noble birth. How can you go to the porridge shed to get porridge with common people? If this spreads, it will damage the dignity of the imperial family. If you are reduced to this state, what face do I, this humble official, have to return to the capital? It would be better to bury myself here and be wrapped in horsehide."

Chen Li Qin also stood up and cupped his hand, saying:"Your Highness, our Chen family will also go to the porridge shed with the Yu Lin Army officers and soldiers to get porridge, but Your Highness must absolutely not damage the dignity of the imperial family."

The Crown Prince helped Li Xuan up:"Why is Master Li saying such angry words? I will follow your arrangements."

A moment later, Qi Jian Zhe brought a map and spread it on the table. Li Xuan pointed to the map and said:"Tomorrow, we need to visit all the grain shops in the city to see if they have hidden any grain..."

The Crown Prince suddenly asked:"What do you all think? Now that Gu Yuan city is cut off from grain, can it still be defended? How long will it take for Tai Yuan Prefecture to discover that Gu Yuan is surrounded?"

Li Xuan answered:"At most fifteen days. After the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first month, if Tai Yuan Prefecture still does not see incoming and outgoing merchant teams, they will definitely suspect something. At that time, it will only take fifteen days for the soldiers and horses from Tai Yuan Prefecture to arrive as reinforcements. We can hold out for a month."

The Crown Prince slightly relaxed his breath:"Then there is still hope."

As he spoke, he heard footsteps from outside the door.

The Crown Prince stopped talking and quietly listened as the footsteps stopped in front of the door of the next room, Bing in the Tian character block, and then someone gently opened the door and welcomed the newcomer in.

Li Xuan and the others all looked at Chen Li Qin. The Crown Prince said with a smile:"I originally heard people say that the Chen family and the Zhang family always disagreed politically. It seems those were all rumors. The Chen family values reputation the most, but I didn't expect you and Master Zhang to get along so well."

Chen Li Qin hurriedly explained:"This humble official and Zhang Zhuo Dao have different goals and cannot work together."

"Oh." The Crown Prince changed the subject:"I heard earlier that Miss Zhang the Second served as a Shujizi in the Imperial Academy and has a photographic memory. Is this rumor true?"

Chen Li Qin sighed:"This is indeed true. Miss Zhang the Second is quick-witted and has a photographic memory. When she was in Luo City, ordinary scholars in scripture debates were no match for her. She is also very good at checking accounts. It's a pity she is a daughter. Otherwise, it would be easy for her to pass the provincial civil service examination."

The Crown Prince said curiously:"Master Chen and Master Zhang were colleagues in Luo City for three years. Did you not consider arranging a marriage between the Zhang family and your family for Miss Zhang the Second?"

Chen Li Qin repeatedly waved his hand:"How can my Chen family have any relations with the Zhang family?"

The Crown Prince picked up the tea cup, took a shallow sip with his head lowered, and then said lightly:"Is that so? That's too bad. Although Master Zhang is a wild and uninhibited person, he has strategic talent, and the Emperor values him quite highly."

Inside room Bing in the Tian character block, Zhang Zheng sat boldly cross-legged on the floor mat and complained:"We were living together just fine, but the Crown Prince insisted on separating us. He is so unreasonable."

Xiao Man rolled her eyes:"I thought my young master could finally sleep in a bed, but you've come back again."

Zhang Zheng lay on the floor mat like a piece of rolled-up meat:"How boring it is when no one is arguing with you!"

Zhang Xia ignored the two of them and turned to look at Chen Ji:"The granary in Gu Yuan city was really burned?"

Chen Ji nodded:"Yes."

Zhang Zheng sat up again and said worriedly:"When will reinforcements arrive?"

Chen Ji shook his head:"It's hard to say."

Zhang Xia calculated:"After the Lantern Festival, if Tai Yuan Prefecture doesn't see incoming and outgoing merchant teams, they will probably become aware of the situation."

Chen Ji was silent for a moment:"If I were the Grand Commander of the Jing Dynasty's Tian Ce Army, I would definitely send soldiers disguised as merchant teams to Tai Yuan Prefecture to report peace, to buy one more day of deception, and gain one more chance of success."

Zhang Zheng stared wide-eyed:"Then we won't see reinforcements for a whole month?"

Chen Ji comforted him:"The border army is not incompetent. Perhaps a high official has already quietly left Gu Yuan to report the news to Tai Yuan Prefecture. If all goes well, the official can reach Tai Yuan Prefecture within ten days."

Zhang Zheng sighed:"Then we still have to hold out for more than half a month."

Chen Ji smiled:"Fortunately, Xiao Man bought a grain shop beforehand. There are still two thousand shi of grain hidden in the cellar. We won't starve. Xiao Man, is that grain well hidden? Will it be searched away by the border army?"

Xiao Man thought for a while:"It's hidden in the cellar at the wellhead. The border army should not find it. That place is very hidden. It was originally used to hide smuggled goods."

Chen Ji praised:"Xiao Man is indeed very good at doing business. If your aunt's businesses in the capital are taken back, I can hand them over to you to manage."

Xiao Man's eyes lit up:"Really?"

Zhang Zheng also gave a thumbs up:"Xiao Man is stronger than that big group of people the Crown Prince brought. They are now scratching their ears and cheeks for grain. If five hundred Yu Lin Army soldiers starve to death in Gu Yuan city, it will probably become a big joke."

Xiao Man exclaimed and became shy:"This was all taught to me by my aunt. She said before that to do business, you have to seize the opportunity. If you can see what will happen three days later, you can be a small vendor; if you can see what will happen in half a year, you can be a decent merchant; if you can see the fate of a country, then you can be an official merchant who can reach the heavens... I only guessed what would happen a few days later, which is nothing."

Zhang Zheng looked at Chen Ji:"Do you think the Yu Lin Army can get grain?"

Chen Ji shook his head:"Difficult. At this time, everyone knows how important grain is. A handful of grain can be used as a gold ingot."

Xiao Man looked at Chen Ji:"Young master, how should we handle that batch of grain? We can't eat so much. If we wait a few days to sell it, we can probably earn ten times more."

Chen Ji looked out the window. The large fire in the distance in Gu Yuan city had not extinguished, as if the flames of war had already burned from outside the city to inside the city.

He answered calmly:"No hurry, I have a big use for this batch of grain. Tomorrow we will go out and take a look at the grain market situation."

In this chaotic world, things that were usually extremely cheap became more expensive than gold, while things that were usually extremely expensive were ignored, such as ginseng.

Since Chen Ji absorbed Jing Wang's ice flow, he had not found a suitable opportunity to convert the silver in his hand into cultivation realm. Now, this opportunity had finally arrived.