Wang Dayong and Ma Xiao rode out of the south gate. Ma Xiao did not know how to ride a horse, but he had ridden a donkey. However, the rhythms of riding a horse and riding a donkey are completely different. The purpose of riding a horse is to run fast, while the purpose of riding a donkey is To save energy, just take a stroll. Now Ma Xiao is assigned a horse, but he can only walk around.
Wang Wu said angrily: "You can't even ride a damn horse, you are such a waste."
Ma Xiao said with an aggrieved look: "Master, you can't blame me for this. I want to learn, but I have to have it."
"Then how did you go out to collect slaves in the past?" Wang Dayong asked.
"There is a mule cart in Yaxing. Drive the mule cart."
"Cao, you really want a mule carriage. You know that carriages are expensive in Prince Yan's palace now." Wang Wu said angrily.
"Why are cars so expensive?"
“It’s not enough”
"What's it for?"
"Hey, you sell salt. You know that the fine salt sold in the capital comes from Prince Yan's Mansion. It takes at least eight or nine hundred miles from Yancheng to the capital. All the ox-carts and horse-drawn carriages in Yancheng are sold. The palace has recruited people." Wang Wu said with a proud look on his face.
"You said the salt sold in the capital comes from King Yan?" Ma Xiao said with a surprised look on his face.
"No, otherwise where do you think it came from?"
"The little one hasn't eaten fine salt yet."
"Why are you so anxious, kid? When you return to the capital, I will let you have salt to eat every day. Hahaha"
The two chatted all the way to the capital.
At this time in the capital, although Emperor Zhao Wuji said that the assassination of King Heng should not be made public, the news still spread like wildfire, and several major families heard more or less about it. In the Prince's Mansion, several people were sitting in the hall with ugly expressions. Zhang Ju, the right minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, said with an angry look: "Hmph, this is obviously someone who wants to blame our Zhang family. It must be the old dog of the Dai family. The Dai family has always held a grudge against the Zhang family's development of power in Shuzhong. , now taking this opportunity to avenge the frame-up, he actually did such a despicable thing. It is said that not a single person was left alive. The assassin took poison before the assassination. When the time came, he was poisoned and died. He didn't even have time to torture him. It’s really made watertight.”
"This matter is a bit strange. Normally, His Majesty Long Yan would be furious if he stabbed the royal family, but why didn't he mention this matter at all in the court? Moreover, he did not privately instruct the Ministry of Punishment to investigate." Pan Ling, the left minister of the Ministry of Punishment, said.
"Huh, check? How to check? That old dog Dai Yan was so ruthless that he didn't even leave a single person alive." Zhang Ju said through gritted teeth.
"Master Zhang, there is no need to be angry. It is impossible for these more than a hundred people to move without being discovered. If we follow the traces, we will definitely find out where these people came from." Pan Ling continued. He is the left minister of the Ministry of Punishment. For I still have some experience in investigating cases.
The prince also comforted him: "Yes, uncle, we don't have to worry too much about this matter. Although this matter is pointed at us, there is no conclusive evidence and no one can do anything to us."
"I'm afraid the other party's purpose is not to really pin this matter on us, but to make the emperor suspicious of the Zhang family and the prince. Once the emperor has suspicion in his heart, it will be extremely detrimental to the prince. Things. And I think this is just the beginning, and the other party will probably make other moves." A yellow-faced scholar said leisurely.
"Suspicion? The emperor has no suspicion about anyone. Now that the emperor is getting older and older, the struggle for the throne is inevitable. I am afraid that any prince will be the object of the emperor's suspicion." Zhang Ju continued,
"Having said that, for other princes, they have nothing to lose, but the prince is different. The prince is the crown prince and the future successor to the throne. Once the emperor has suspicions in his heart, if there are other things that affect him If the reputation of the prince is affected, then there will be a matter of establishing a new heir apparent." said the yellow-faced scholar.
"Mr. Huang is right. Although Gu is currently the crown prince, there are always hidden dangers before he ascends the throne. The Xue family and the Dai family will not allow Gu to ascend the throne smoothly. Maybe they will join forces to deal with us. .Do you have any countermeasures?" The prince glanced at the people who were attacking and asked.
"My subordinates feel that our current focus should be to try to find out the origin of the person who assassinated King Heng. First, laugh at the emperor's suspicion. In addition, it is not the best time to take action against King Qi and the fifth prince. King Heng has just been assassinated. , the finger is pointed at us again, if trouble occurs again, the emperor's suspicion will be even greater." said the yellow-faced scholar.
The prince sat in a chair and pondered for a moment and said: "Then according to what the gentleman said, first send someone to investigate the origin of this group of people and see where they entered Hebei Road from, and then check up bit by bit."
"Yes, my subordinates will secretly arrange personnel to investigate."
"Also, New Year's Day is coming soon. How are you preparing the New Year's gift for your father?"
Zhang Ju said: "Your Highness, don't worry, the New Year's gifts prepared for the Emperor will be delivered to the capital in the next two days."
"Well, I'm here to help uncle."
"Your Highness, you're welcome. This is what you should do in a humble position."
Wang Dayong and Ma Xiao seized the time to rush back. When Wang Dayong arrived in the capital, they happened to block Xiao Chu and others at the city gate. After giving Zhao Bin's instructions, Xiao Chu was satisfied after receiving 50,000 copper coins. Leaving the capital, Xiao Chu ordered people to march quickly along the way. The New Year's Day will be in three days, and I don't know if I can catch up.
At the same time Xiao Chu left the capital, many desks and stoves were temporarily set up outside the city walls of Yancheng. More than 10,000 mining people will be back at noon today. Zhao Bin stood on the city wall and looked at the busy people below the city. He wanted to hold a celebration banquet for the people who had worked hard in the past few months. King Yan ordered people to slaughter two thousand fat sheep. Some of them were used for a celebration banquet, and some were divided into pieces of meat and distributed to everyone to take home for the New Year. In addition, three hundred copper coins were prepared for each person, but the copper coins on hand were not enough, and the rest could only be reissued after Xiao Chu came back.
Near noon, dust was flying not far outside the city, and a group of people came towards Yancheng in a mighty manner. Zhao Bin looked at the people walking in the dust and waved vigorously. He didn't know if those people could see him, but he just wanted to wave. Cao Li and others on the side couldn't help but burst into laughter, thinking that the prince was still a young man after all.
I don’t know who among the crowd said: “Look, is that His Highness King Yan on the wall?”
"Where is it? Where is it?"
"That's the boy waving on the wall. Doesn't he look like King Yan to you?"
As soon as the man finished speaking, he was slapped on the back of the head, and a man scolded from behind: "What the hell are you talking about, brat? What do you mean by that brat?"
Another person also kicked him lightly on the butt and cursed: "That's right, if you dare to talk nonsense again, I will knock out your teeth."
"It's really His Highness King Yan. Look, it's His Highness King Yan. His Highness King Yan is waving to us." Another person shouted in the crowd, and then the crowd finally exploded, "Yes, it's King Yan." Your Highness, His Highness King Yan is welcoming us."
The crowd no longer marched slowly, but began to accelerate, and the speed became faster and faster. The people rushed towards the city wall one by one regardless of their fatigue. Many people kept waving and shouting: "Your Majesty, we are back!"
The winter in the north is already dry, with dust flying all over the sky. When these people ran away, more dust was thrown up. The people came carrying the dust with them. The cook who was stewing meat under the city wall suddenly felt a wave of sand rushing towards his face. He came and cursed angrily: "Damn it, you guys who have been stabbed a thousand times have put dirt on the mutton. Cao, the wild boar can't eat the fine chaff." Of course, the chef didn't mean any harm. He was just worried about this. There was dirt in the meat, and the people couldn't eat well. Although they cursed on their lips, they were really happy in their hearts. Since King Yan came, the city of Yan seemed to have changed a lot, and even the people who were doing corvee labor were So much fun.
The common people could not hear the complaints of the chefs. When they came to the city, they knelt down one after another and shouted: "Kowtow to your highness," the voice was noisy and chaotic, but it could be heard that it came from the sincerity. Zhao Bin looked at the dirt-covered and pitch-black faces below the city. It was obvious that they were all stained when digging coal. Zhao Bin took out the super-large tin trumpet he had prepared in advance and shouted at the mouth of the trumpet: "Folks, please get up quickly." , please get up quickly."
No one among the people under the city got up. They thanked His Highness King Yan. They all knew that the family was given a lot of cattle and sheep, as well as a lot of farm tools. During the time they were doing corvee service, they had enough to eat every meal, which was better than what they had at home. No one felt tired, and no one felt bitter. On the contrary, everyone felt sweet in their hearts. The arrival of King Yan gave them hope of living.
Zhao Bin turned around and said, "Let's go to the city!"
Cao Li hurriedly stretched out his hand to stop him: "My lord, you can't. There are many people in the city. Just in case..."
"It's okay, they are all my king's people, I can trust him." After saying that, Zhao Bin ignored the obstruction of Cao Li and others and took the lead to walk towards the stairs. Wang Wu and several guards followed closely behind Zhao Bin.
Zhao Bin came outside the city, and the people kowtowed again: "Greetings to His Highness King Yan."
Zhao Bin reached out to help a middle-aged man in the front row. Seeing this, the man hurriedly crawled back two steps and said, "My lord, you can't. The common people are too dirty and I'm afraid that my lord's hands will be dirty."
Zhao Bin stepped forward and grabbed his arm, helped him up and said: "Hahaha, what are you afraid of when it's dirty? Just wash it after it's dirty."
The middle-aged man felt that Zhao Bin had no airs of a prince and seemed approachable, so he laughed.
"Everyone, get up," Zhao Bin shouted behind the man. Seeing this, the people slowly stood up from the ground. Zhao Bin walked into the crowd and patted the dust on the people's bodies. Some people subconsciously hid behind. Some people smiled and said thank you to the prince. Zhao Bin came to the middle of the crowd,
He shouted loudly: "From now on, Yancheng will be my home, Zhao Bin, and the home of all our people. We will rebuild Yancheng together, and we will guard Yancheng together. During this time, everyone has worked hard for Yancheng, and next to The meat is prepared for everyone. You can cook it as you like and eat it openly. After eating, everyone will receive three kilograms of mutton before going home. In addition, each person will be given another three hundred wages."
A man next to Zhao Bin said hurriedly: "My lord, you can't do it. How can we ask for your money? We all come here to do corvee work. How can we even take food and take it?"
"Yes, we can't have it, Your Majesty."
"Yes, we don't want it."
Zhao Bin couldn't help feeling that the people in ancient times were really simple and honest, but if he wanted to reconstruct Yancheng's business system, it was necessary to improve the people's consumption power. To improve the consumption power, the people must have money in their hands. This money would only be placed in the Prince of Yan's Mansion. A bunch of scrap metal, only by allowing currency to truly circulate and operate can the business mechanism be gradually restored.
"If anyone doesn't want it, then they won't come here anymore," Zhao Bin said to everyone with a smile.
When the people heard this, they would not let him come again, and they were speechless.
"Okay, everyone is ready to eat."
The people surrounded Zhao Bin and walked to the makeshift dining table, but there were too many people and the table could not fit at all. Many people simply sat on the ground and formed a circle, stretching and rubbing the dirt on their hands randomly. Washed hands. He held the mutton chops in his hand and a bowl of mutton soup in front of him. There were coriander floating on the soup. These were vegetables from the greenhouse that Zhao Bin built. Unfortunately, the time was short, and many vegetables were pulled out before they were mature. .
The soldiers guarding the city wall looked at the people eating meat and soup below the city, and couldn't help but said to Qin Fang: "Captain, why don't you talk to the prince and get us some mutton soup to drink."
Qin Fang rolled his eyes at the soldier angrily.
Zhao Bin listened to the people talking about their mining experiences in Xishan. They hugged each other to sleep at night, so and so accidentally hurt their feet while transporting coal, and so and so was lazy at work and always went to the hut. After struggling all afternoon, the people gradually received their meat and wages and walked towards their homes with satisfaction.
