The rise of the prince

Chapter 213 Self-preservation Strategy
Early in the morning, Li Xingzhou commanded Yan Cook to cook glutinous rice balls, and everyone in the palace got a share, and everyone lined up with bowls and chopsticks.

In the south of the Jing Dynasty, there was indeed a snack called glutinous rice balls, but it was not popular in the north.

He thought about it for a while and taught Yan Cook to make it. The ground glutinous rice flour was mixed with water to form a dough, and then kneaded out and cooked with brown sugar water. Of course, it is impossible to put such luxury things as sesame paste. There are hundreds of people in the palace now.

This is just a simple snack, but don’t eat glutinous rice balls. I always feel that there is something missing in the Shangyuan Festival, and everyone is very happy. Many people don’t understand the meaning of eating glutinous rice balls, they just know that they are happy.

Just like the firecrackers in the Spring Festival, many things don’t need meaning, just be happy.

That's right, it's good to be happy. Li Xingzhou is also satisfied when he looks at the two happy girls. Humans are such creatures with material satisfaction and inner abundance.

In the past few days, the wound on his shoulder has gradually healed, but he still cannot do violent telemotion. He still gets up early in the morning, and then changes Bajiquan practice to riding practice.

Wei Yubai taught him the basics, but riding requires more experience than driving in later generations.

Qiu'er and Yue'er were thinking about watching the flower boat at night. After all, they had been preparing for so long, and they were looking forward to this day. They also talked to Li Xingzhou about how big and beautiful the treasure boat was every day.

Waking up early in the morning, the two girls were extremely excited, chattering and preparing for this and that, just like people traveling abroad for the first time.

Li Xingzhou nodded their little heads amusedly: "The lantern festival is at night, so what are you busy with in the morning?"

"Your Majesty taught me to be prepared." Qiu'er said seriously, and Yue'er nodded in agreement.

"Haha, the little girl has learned to choke on me." He said amusedly, "See how I punish you."

"Ah, no, no, my son!"

Suddenly the yard became lively again.

After the hilarity, Li Xingzhou suddenly thought that the army had already set out for several days, and they were going down the river very fast. They should have entered the Ansu Mansion's territory in a day or two after the Lantern Festival.
Thinking of this, he also realized that he was running out of time.
Tens of thousands of forbidden troops against several thousand Xiang troops, if there are no accidents, there should be results within a month or two. If Yang Hongzhao returns to the court by then, things will be difficult to handle.

Zhong Daoyu wants military reform, he wants military power.

Everyone has common interests, and Li Xingzhou doesn't know Zhong Daoyu. The more experienced people are, the harder it is to guess their thoughts, like the old emperor, like Zhong Daoyu.

But there is no delay.
So after lunch at noon, he simply planned to go to the general by himself. The purpose of the correspondence was to avoid suspicion. After all, he was not the emperor or the prince, but it would be too flamboyant to say that he had a close relationship with the general of the dynasty.

But now it is necessary, last night Ji Chunsheng told him that Yantie envoy Lu Jie had entered the palace in private.

Ji Chunsheng is now in charge of the Wu De Department. He needs to record all people entering and leaving the imperial city, so that they can be easily checked and traced when something happens. Because of this, he also has all the records of entering and leaving the palace.

When Ji Chunsheng knew it, Li Xingzhou knew it.

When he first heard the news, he was indeed in a cold sweat. He was always negligent and took chances.

The salt and iron envoy entered the palace privately at this time, and there must be something that would not be reported in the early court.What is not good to play in front of many officials in the early court, in front of a large audience?Naturally, it is an internal matter of the royal family.

In addition to the Salt and Iron Envoy who entered the palace, Li Xingzhou can probably guess what happened. More than 3000 catties of iron ore entered the palace, which is indeed not a small amount. He deliberately contacted Jiangzhou merchants at that time, and then ordered them to cover them with sackcloth from the ferry and transport them directly back to the palace. get in trouble.

After all, as the emperor's grandson, his residence is in the capital, but he bought so much iron ore privately and did not register at the Yantie Department's Yamen, which would indeed arouse suspicion.

Although according to the law, as long as it involves iron and iron ore trading, no matter how much it is, it needs to be recorded in the Yantie Division to explain the purpose of coming and going.

After all, iron in this era is equivalent to guns and bullets in later generations, but ordinary people will not deliberately register when they buy some iron utensils.

Li Xingzhou just wanted to take advantage of this loophole. After all, more than 3000 catties of iron ore, let him talk about its usefulness, how can he tell clearly, tell the people from the Yantie Division that it is used to make casting pots and plows?Then people have to believe it, more than 3000 catties of iron ore.

Are you talking about making grenade casings, or making high-carbon steel?He couldn't explain any of them, so he just took advantage of the loopholes.

But Li Xingzhou has always underestimated the efficiency of the government in this era. It seems that at a higher level, the Shibo Department and the Yantie Department have exchanges. Also know right away.

This is a big event, if someone wants to talk about it, stir up disputes, and make a fuss out of it, then something will happen to him, even if the emperor really loves him, he will inevitably be suspicious.

Moreover, the old emperor was a very suspicious person. After he was assassinated last time, he calmed down a little. The first thing he did was to have someone inspect the Forbidden Army camp outside the city, which shows that he was very suspicious and thoughtful.

Fortunately, Ji Chunsheng was born in the palace!
It can be said that Ji Chunsheng saved his life again this time.

The last time Ji Chunsheng taught him to draw a sword, allowing him to escape from life and death, and this time Ji Chunsheng gave him the news again that made him well prepared.

There is no impenetrable wall in the world, if Yan Tiesi knows about this, it must mean that more people may know about it.

There are some things that he needs to plan in advance, but fortunately no one else knows that he has a hidden trump card in the palace, that is Ji Chunsheng.

After noon, Li Xingzhou asked people to load several carts of gifts, including the special general wine in the palace, two sheep left over from testing the power of hand grenades, a few chickens, and some dried fruits and walnuts brought by my sister-in-law from the south. kind of stuff.

Bring decent red silk to the chickens and sheep, and then put the flag of the palace on the corner of the carriage, and several carriages drove towards the palace of the general.

In the car, Qiu'er asked with some puzzlement: "My lord, it's not good to go to the General's Mansion with such a big fanfare."

Yue'er tilted her head, she didn't know why it was not good.

Li Xingzhou laughed: "Why not? The general is said to be widowed in Beijing, and his children are away. It is not easy for an old man. I should go to see him as a junior during the Shangyuan Festival."

Qiu'er frowned, and said with a tangled face: "But the son is the heir of the royal family, and the general is the official of the court."

Li Xingzhou patted her little head: "Qiu'er is still as smart as ever. But as the saying goes, a wise man will make mistakes if he thinks a lot, and a fool will gain something if he thinks a lot. Smart people like to pretend to be smart. People's hearts are so interesting. You are helping yourself." He sighed.

Qiu'er seemed to understand but didn't understand, but she didn't ask any more questions, just thinking about it quietly.

When he arrived at the gate of the General's Mansion, Wei Chuan, who came to welcome the guests, looked at the carriage and the flag of the Palace, and was stunned. He looked at the motorcade of the Palace, and seemed to be both shocked and panicked. He turned around and ran back, almost tripping over the threshold.

Li Xingzhou took Qiu'er and Yue'er out of the car, and the servants were busy unloading the car.

After a while, the ghost-like Wei Chuan came out with Zhong Daoyu.

Zhong Daoyu was dressed in ordinary armor, his face was expressionless, his brows were slightly frowned, and he came up and asked, "What are you doing?"

Li Xingzhou said: "I heard that you are a widowed old man, the junior came to see you and bring something along the way."

As he said that, he asked people to move the gift box, the goat tied with red silk, and the rooster to the general's mansion. Wei Chuan wanted to stop him, but Zhong Daoyu just shook his head and let them send them in.

"Since it's all delivered to the door, it's the same whether you accept it or not, just accept it." Zhong Daoyu said lightly, "Don't stand there, let's talk in the mansion."

After saying that, he turned around and left, Li Xingzhou hurriedly took the two maids to follow
Zhong Daoyu walked ahead by himself, and he didn't have the slightest sense of hospitality, just like walking on the street, while walking, he said: "Since I'm here today, I must know the importance of this matter, let me tell you why."

"It's a long story."

"Then make a long story short."

"It's been too long." Li Xingzhou was speechless.

"No matter how long it is, I have heard it. As you said, the old man is lonely, and the most important thing he needs is time. As time goes by, no matter how long it is, it will not be long." Although Zhong Daoyu spoke calmly, unlike De Gong always blows his beard and stares, but he is much stronger than De Gong when he speaks.

"It seems that I have to talk today?"

Zhong Daoyu stopped in his tracks, turned his head and looked at him at the same level: "Guests do as they please. If you enter my mansion, you are a guest. Don't tell me I'll beat you out."

"All right."

(End of this chapter)