allonlinenovel Chapter 168 Opening the Warehouse to Borrow Grain
Chapter 168 Opening the Warehouse to Borrow Grain
Before dawn the next day, they would continue their journey. Everyone led their horses out of the inn. Qinglan glared at Qi Xiao with such hatred that even Zongsheng and Chi Yue felt embarrassed. Last night, Qi Xiao had gone too far! He knew they had to hurry and that Tang Ling couldn't ride in a carriage but had to ride a horse, but he still insisted. Tang Ling was going to suffer today.
Tang Ling mounted the horse and just frowned, as if nothing had happened.
Chi Yue glanced at Zong Sheng, shook his head, and followed Qi Xiao straight to him. Qi Xiao was looking at Tang Ling with a conflicted look on his face.
"Your Highness, should we go slower today? Baixi Bridge has already been traveling day and night back. It shouldn't be a problem if we delay for two days."
Qi Xiao nodded slightly, but heard Tang Ling approaching on horseback: "No need. Ride as fast as you can, the faster the better."
Chi Yue glanced at Tang Ling and silently stepped back. Then he saw Qi Xiao whipping his horse: "Let's go!"
More than two months ago, Tang Ling went north to Yuanjing City and stayed in the carriage all the way. He didn't know or care whether there were mountains, forests, wide roads or small paths outside, whether it was windy, rainy, cloudy or sunny.
This time when he returned to Fuzhou, he took the same route again, crossing mountains and passing through forests, walking on wide roads and small paths. However, he still didn't see any scenery clearly, and it was left behind. He kept going regardless of wind, rain, cloudy days or scorching sun.
Last time it took eight days to get from Fuzhou to Lanquan, but this time it only took less than five days.
Outside Yongcheng, Yue Zhilin stood at the city gate, followed by a convoy of eight carts of medicinal herbs.
Baixi Qiao worked day and night and arrived in Yongcheng two days earlier than Qi Xiao. He went straight to Yue Zhilin. While Yue Zhilin was ordering him to make some purchases, he took a good nap in the government office. Then, before the city gate closed, he rode his horse on the road to Yuanzhou Prefecture.
Qi Xiao's cavalry arrived outside Yongcheng, but did not enter the city. They accepted the medicinal herbs prepared by Yue Zhilin and left.
Qi Xiao dismounted and greeted Yue Zhilin: "Thank you, Lord Yue, for your help."
"Your Highness, that's nothing special. However, according to the rules, we have to wait for the official documents to arrive before borrowing grain. I hope Your Highness can understand."
"Of course, opening the granary to borrow grain is a big deal, and I won't make it difficult for Lord Yue. I just hope the document arrives safely, and then I'll trouble Lord Yue to arrange for its escort."
Yue Zhilin nodded. Although he didn't know what Qi Xiao was going to do in Yuanzhou Prefecture and why he wanted to borrow grain, he had heard about what happened in Yuanjing City, the case of the Dali Temple Minister, and the importance His Majesty attached to Qi Xiao. This time, the emperor issued an imperial decree to order Qi Xiao to return to his fiefdom and secretly gave Qi Xiao a tiger talisman to go to Yuanzhou Prefecture. Thinking about the previous assassin from Qi State, Yue Zhilin had a hunch that something big was going to happen between Chen and Qi.
Qi Xiao was in charge of the large amount of medicinal herbs. The people in the pharmacy said that they were all for detoxification, such as snake venom and miasma. Even if all the snakes, insects, rats and ants in the whole territory of Dachen were added together, it would not require such a large amount of medicinal herbs. However, Qi State had many mountains and forests and many poisonous creatures.
It is obvious where Qi Xiao is going.
Qi Xiao is definitely no longer the idle prince he used to be. Who knows in the future... even if he doesn't have the ability to inherit the throne, as long as His Majesty likes him, he will have enormous power.
"Don't worry, Your Highness. I have already ordered someone to count the food and fodder. As soon as the official document arrives, it will be immediately escorted to Your Highness without delay."
"Thank you very much, Master Yue. We still have a long way to go, so we'll say goodbye now. I'll treat Master Yue to a drink someday."
Yue Zhilin bowed respectfully and helped Qi Xiao mount his horse. When he stood up, he suddenly caught a glimpse of the side profile of a person in the horse team and was startled. Isn't this... the servant beside Tang Ling?
Qi Xiao's men were all dressed in tight clothes and black cloaks, and they all looked the same from a distance. Tang Ling had been deliberately avoiding Yue Zhilin, but she didn't expect Yue Zhilin to have sharp eyes and actually spotted Qinglan.
Yue Zhilin stared blankly as he watched Qi Xiao and his party walking further and further away on the official road in the dust.
The servant who accompanied Tang Ling was a doctor and had always been with her, so why would he be with Qi Xiao's cavalry? Unless Tang Ling was also there... then it wouldn't be a war between Chen and Qi, but a Three Kingdoms War.
Yue Zhilin stood at the city gate for a while and silently wiped the sweat from his forehead. It was almost winter, so how could he sweat just by standing still?
Yes, winter is almost here, and Qi Xiao needs both medicinal herbs and food urgently. He's rushing to Yuanzhou Prefecture non-stop. Is he trying to cross Fenglin Mountain before the snow closes in?! How is that even possible?! This is insane!
"My Lord, what's wrong with you? You don't look well?"
Yue Zhilin shook his head: "Go back, go back, go back quickly."
***
When Qi Xiao arrived at Yuanzhou Prefecture, he changed his clothes and pretended to be a medicinal material merchant. The document was given to him by Yue Zhilin, and he had a smooth journey. After arriving in Yuanzhou, he did not go to see the newly appointed prefect Han Cheng, but went straight to the Dingyuan military camp.
Dingyuan Army's main generals Chen Heng and Lu Xiulin received a message via carrier pigeon in advance and personally greeted Qi Xiao five miles outside the camp.
"I kowtow to His Majesty."
"I pay my respects to His Majesty the Ninth Prince and greet Master Tang."
Before the cavalry even arrived, Lu Xiulin recognized Tang Ling; once he saw her, it was impossible to forget her. By the time Qi Xiao and Tang Ling dismounted, Lu Xiulin had recovered. Tang Ling had followed Qi Xiao, so it must have been His Majesty's will. General Bai Liu had been entrenched in Fenglin Mountain for over a decade, never having had the chance to attack Qi. Unexpectedly, Lu Xiulin had waited for that opportunity. And Tang Ling's presence at Qi Xiao's side meant that with the Zhou Kingdom's support, victory was certain!
"General Chen, General Lu, no need to be so polite." Qi Xiaoxu helped the two of them up and, before Chen Heng could ask, introduced them, "This is Tang Ling, the son of Xun'an Marquis of Zhou."
Chen Heng was shocked and was stunned for a moment before he bowed and said, "...I greet Mr. Tang."
Chen Heng and Lu Xiulin were accompanied by Chen Heng's personal guards, a total of only eight men. Qi Xiao addressed them directly, "General Chen, General Lu, Young Master Tang and I have come here to receive a secret order from His Majesty. You must not leak this information. Once you enter the camp, just address him as Mr. Tang. I'm just a guard. You must not perform such grand formalities again."
"Yes, yes, I understand...Mr. Tang, please follow me into the camp."
Chen Heng prepared several tents for Qi Xiao, located at the edge of the camp, separated from the ordinary soldiers' tents by the training ground, close to the granary, and a little distance away from the commander-in-chief's tent.
Qi Xiao was very satisfied with this arrangement. They would likely come in and out of the camp frequently, and the fewer people noticed them, the better.
However, the news of this group being personally welcomed into the Dingyuan Army camp by the commander-in-chief spread quickly, and everyone was curious about their origins. To silence them, Chen Heng said they were supervisors sent by Yuanzhou Prefecture to visit the mountain plank road.
This was not entirely wrong, as they did go to the plank road every few days, and it did not arouse any suspicion.
Since they were supervisors, Chen Heng, as the commander of the army, could not always flatter them. It was too inappropriate. Moreover, Qi Xiao was very tired after traveling all the way and needed to rest, so that night, Chen Heng only ordered people to send them food and did not hold a banquet.