Shu Blossoms

Chapter 386 The Grain Transport Team is Missing

Xia Houqing knew that if he continued the discussion today, he would not get the result he wanted, but he was not willing to give up, "Your Majesty the Great Zhou Emperor, the sick envoys can wait for a few days, but my emperor is still waiting to marry the county. Lord, why don't I let my army send the marriage team back to Great Wei first?"

"Hey, Princess Zhaoyang has been homeless since she was a child, and both I and the empress love her very much. This child is sensible, and the empress often complains that I betrothed her early and married so far away, so it will be difficult to see her in the future. These few days The Japanese Empress left her in the palace and took her with her wherever she went, and the Eldest Princess even visited the palace every day, if she was married off in such a hasty way, the Empress and the Eldest Princess might make me die."

Emperor Zhou sighed, as if he was reluctant to part with his children.

Xia Houqing felt disgusted at the sight, didn't bother to waste any more words, saluted hastily, turned and left.

Emperor Zhou watched him walk to the entrance of the main hall indifferently, and then said softly, "Xia Houqing, don't you think I'm very patient with you?"

Xia Houqing paused for a moment, left without speaking.

King Ling looked at Xia Houqing's back, and said in a gloomy tone: "Keep this kid, it will be a disaster sooner or later!"

"It's already a disaster. Since he dared to come, he couldn't have been unprepared. The people who blew up the granary a few days ago haven't been found yet."

Thinking of this, Emperor Zhou's face suddenly became gloomy. He looked at Liu Shilang and asked in a deep voice, "How long can the food last?"

Liu Shilang replied cautiously, "Your Majesty responded in a timely manner. Now the grain in Beijing can last for another two days. The Lord of Danyang has also transported the stored grain in Danyang, so that it can last for another two days. But the grain in Yangzhou is still there." Didn't arrive."

Emperor Zhou looked at Jingzhaoyin Li Zemin without saying a word. Li Zemin hurried to the front and bent down to report, "Your Majesty, everything in the city went smoothly a few days ago, and the people lined up according to the rules. There are people making trouble at the rice store, and even though they are suppressed, there are people in Nancheng who gathered to rob the grain store, I feel like someone is making trouble secretly, and they are searching!"

Emperor Zhou rubbed his brows, opened his eyes and stared at Li Zemin and warned him: "The capital cannot be chaotic, Jingzhao Mansion is short of manpower, I have already sent people from the city defense battalion to help you, if the capital is in chaos, I will punish you for your crimes! "

Li Zemin hurriedly said: "I will try my best to prevent chaos in the capital."

Emperor Zhou got up a little tired, and Gao Han hurriedly stepped forward to help him.

He leaned his weight on Gao Han, turned to look at King Ling, and said in a hoarse voice: "You can discuss the rest with Zhu Qing, I am a little tired!"

All the ministers respectfully sent Emperor Zhou to leave. At this time, there was a notification sound from outside. The ministers in the hall looked back one after another. A servant hurried in to report. He quickly glanced at everyone in the hall, and said in a low voice: "Wang Zaifu is back. Have……"

"What else, hesitating!" King Ling shouted urgently.

"There is also General Wu who is going to pick up the Yangzhou grain transport team!"

The little servant bent over and knelt down, his panic and uneasiness made everyone's hearts sink.

King Ling also looked at Emperor Zhou who was not far away.

Emperor Zhou's expression remained unchanged, and he sat back with Gao Han's support, and then parted his thin lips and said coldly: "Xuan!"

Wang Can walked in front, followed by a young general, the eldest son of Wu Linger, Wu Fengnian, who was in charge of leading troops out of the city to receive the grain shipped from Yangzhou.

The two walked into the hall, Wang Can stood in front of the hall and bowed to salute, Wu Fengnian plopped and knelt in the middle, and the hearts of everyone in the hall thumped following this kneeling.

"What's the matter? Where's the grain from Yangzhou?" Zhou Di looked at Wu Fengnian and asked in a deep voice.

"At the end, the general did not receive the food delivery team." Wu Fengnian replied anxiously.

"What do you mean?" King Ling strode up to Wu Fengnian, stared at him and asked sharply, "What do you mean you didn't receive it? What's wrong with the food delivery team?"

Wu Fengnian looked up at King Ling, his eyes were full of confusion, he swallowed, "The general waited for a day and a night at the pier outside Danyang City, but he didn't wait for the grain transport team from Yangzhou County, the general was afraid of something. So I took people to search and inquire along the waterway, but they couldn’t find any trace of the food transport team, and the people sent to Yangzhou County came back and said that the food transport team had set off five days ago. If they took the water route, they should have arrived the day before yesterday.”

"Maybe they took the dry road." Lingwang murmured to himself, Yangzhou County is the land under the jurisdiction of Lingwang, and Lingwang is the governor of Yangzhou.

On the day the granary was destroyed, he sent pigeons to Yangzhou to raise grain, and Yangzhou also sent news that thousands of shi of grain had been raised and shipped to Jiankang on the same day. The most trusted soldiers of his mansion were escorted, and there was no chance of mistakes!
Wang Can stood aside and answered King Ling's words, "Your Majesty, I have already sent people to send letters to the government offices in various places. If the grain transportation team really went on a dry road, the government offices in various places will definitely come back with news."

Emperor Zhou, who had been silent all this time, said at this moment: "You can't just wait, you have to think of other ways."

Then several adults waiting in the hall said: "The safety and stability of the capital will be handed over to the ministers, and the ministers will go back and perform their duties first!"

When everyone left, Emperor Zhou opened his mouth to keep Wang Can, and when everyone left, he looked at Wang Can expectantly, and said in a discussing tone: "Zai Fu, the Wang family has been the leader of the noble clan for a hundred years, and its status in the noble clan It's so important, I have something to ask for!"

As he said that, Emperor Zhou stood up and bowed to Wang Can, who was standing upright in the hall.

Wang Can was shocked, and hurriedly avoided the great gift from Emperor Zhou, and then said: "Your Majesty, all ministers who care about the well-being of the country, society, and people are duty-bound, and His Majesty said it outright."

Emperor Zhou squatted down and slowly helped Wang Can up, stretched out his hand to ask him to sit down on the left side, and then said carefully, "The capital is in danger, and the people are starved of food. My heart aches. I wanted to raise food in Yangzhou." It can solve the urgent need, but now it seems that something may happen. If Jiankang City wants to get through this crisis, after much deliberation, only the generosity of the gentry can save Jiankang."

Wang Can understood, "Your Majesty wants me to use the name of the Wang family to lobby the chiefs of various clans to donate food. I tell you the truth, the line of Wang's ministers can donate the surplus food in the family to the people for free. As for the Wang family, The minister can also try his best to persuade. However, if the other families do not have enough benefits, it may be difficult for them to distribute the food willingly. Moreover, although the policy formulated by His Majesty a few days ago is beneficial to the people, it hinders the interests of all clans. It is inevitable that there is no trace of resentment in their hearts.”

"Your Majesty, if they can't see the real benefits, I'm afraid they won't let go easily."

Although Wang Can knew that this remark would displease Emperor Zhou, but this task was not easy, he had to put his ugly words first.

Although Wang Can hopes to do some practical things for the people and the country in his lifetime, he is not a foolish and loyal person.

However, Emperor Zhou had already expected what Wang Can said. After all, he had been carefully dealing with the gentry since the beginning of his succession, and it was very difficult to achieve the current situation.

He naturally knows what can most impress these good foxes in the gentry who don't see rabbits and don't scatter eagles.

This method is based on Zhao Yi's method of raising food in Qingzhou, but the gentry in the capital have a greater appetite, which cannot be filled by ordinary benefits.

Emperor Zhou felt a little weak and weak, so he sat down on a low couch beside him and waved to Wang Can, "Please come and listen to the order."

(End of this chapter)