EFB Chapter 1618: Replaced Generals
Chapter 1618: Replaced Generals
Chapter 1618: Replaced Generals
He had just moved back, and many things were not in their original convenient locations.
Now that he knew Qingyang was planning to deal with him, there was a hidden danger. He couldn't take any more risks and had to nip the threat in the bud!
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A small cottage by the lake.
Qingyang had just taken a sip of hot tea when he heard a "bang" sound outside.
It was very light, like something falling to the ground.
She pushed the door open and saw a titmouse landing under the plum tree. A little snow fell last night, which turned into ice during the day. The titmouse struggled a few times, but its thin legs kept slipping and it couldn't hold up its body.
"Can't fly anymore?" Qingyang held it in his palm and observed it.
The titmouse flapped its wings and tried to escape, but it was powerless and could only tremble and gasp.
Qingyang brought it back into the room, placed it on the long table next to the brazier, and then quickly fed it two sesame-sized pills while its mouth was open.
The elixir melted in the mouth and the tit soon stopped trembling.
Qingyang looked carefully at the corner of its eyes and sighed softly: "You are getting old too."
Although this tit is cute and furry, upon closer inspection, it has some bald spots at the corners of its eyes and its claws are old and hard, indicating that it is old.
It was freezing cold and it was difficult for the old bird to find food, so it fainted under the tree.
Qingyang stretched out his finger and gently tapped its head: "Has your tribe also abandoned you?"
This bird is not a monster, so it naturally cannot answer.
She fanned the fire, and the chickadee spread its wings slightly to warm itself quickly.
Half a minute later, someone suddenly knocked on the door: "Palace Master? There is a message."
It was Yuan Xuan's voice.
Qingyang called out, "Come in."
With a creak, the door opened. The titmouse was startled and rushed out from the crack of the door, flapping its wings, and couldn't wait to return to the snowy world.
Yuan Xuan was startled and took a step back to see what had gone out, but he heard Qingyang say softly: "This old bird is really stupid, he doesn't want to enjoy his good fortune, but chooses to return to the dangerous world."
Yuan Xuan also saw clearly that it was a common tit that flew out, so he quickly retracted his gaze, went into the house and closed the door:
"Palace Master, Shui Jing has an urgent message."
He held a round mirror in his hand. The mirror was misty and blurry, but there were a few handwritten words on it:
"Take the banners from the Yao Palace Treasury, and your Majesty will meet with Wang Sili in secret. The king will lead 200 elite soldiers to the north gate."
If Yao Wang were here, he would be horrified:
How come the secret that just happened in the palace was immediately spread to Qingyang?
Especially the things he ordered to be taken from the treasury should have been kept very secret.
The handwriting on the mirror was sloppy, showing that the person who wrote it was in a hurry.
This is the water mirror technique.
In the past, Yu Zecheng, a subordinate of State Master Shuangye, and his nephew Wanqi were planning to seize the Yangshan Islands by using the Water Mirror Technique to conduct short-distance real-time communication.
Qingyang's residence is now under close surveillance by people sent by King Yao. The original means of communication such as the demon bird and flying communication can be easily intercepted, so Qingyang activated this set of magic tools.
The sender was not far from the Youhu Cottage and was also holding a magic mirror. As long as he wrote on the mirror, Yuan Xuan could receive it in real time.
This method of communication is safe and covert, the only drawback being that it is only effective over a short distance and is not convenient to use during intense combat.
Qingyang's eyes narrowed: "Did King Yao order the ferry to be taken?"
The festival flag is a talisman that represents the royal power. It is usually hidden in a key place in the treasury and can only be retrieved during diplomatic missions or expeditions.
When an envoy holds it, if the king comes in person, the soldiers will kneel down and kowtow when they see it, and the foreign court will also return the gift. It can be said to be a very important ceremonial vessel.
At this time, where did King Yao want to send the envoy?
He also secretly summoned Wang Sili.
Wang Sili is also a general of Yao State. He has military merits. A few years ago, he sent troops to intimidate a small country in the south. He is now 52 years old.
But this man hasn't fought in a war for some years. Why did King Yao suddenly transfer him to the north?
The north? Two hundred elite soldiers?
"Not good!" Qingyang slammed the table and stood up, "Send a message to General Zhongwu, quickly!"
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Next, two major events occurred in Tianshui City:
First, the price of grain has risen again. At first, rice cost five cents per pound, but now it costs fifty cents.
Food prices have officially increased tenfold.
Fifty cents, how many families can afford it?
In other words, the money that could originally buy food for ten days can now only last for one day.
Food is the foundation of people's livelihood. If food prices go up, how can other things not follow suit?
Residents of Tianshui City found that all daily necessities had become more expensive, with prices doubling in just a few days.
The more expensive and scarce something is, the more people will rush to buy and hoard it.
Because things were too expensive, shops on the street closed one after another. Except for the northern part of Tianshui City, foreign merchants could not find a place to bathe, shave, or relax their faces in the city.
While a bunch of officials were being brought down, the government also arrested nearly three hundred businessmen of all sizes in Tianshui City, Mangzhou and other major cities on charges of price gouging and hoarding goods, and a large amount of grain was seized from their chamber of commerce and grain stores!
The people applauded and threw filth at the doors of the shops. The shop assistants were beaten when they went out and almost became rats crossing the street.
Therefore, Dongshang Grain Store, one of the largest grain stores in Tianshui City, opened a shop on Tianshui Main Road and limited the sale of rice to 20,000 kilograms per day, at 35 cents per kilogram. However, each person was limited to 3 taels, and duplicate purchases were not allowed. The store would sell until all were sold out.
The same was true for several other grain stores.
They were all dispatched by the government. In plain language, they were forced by the government to sell grain at a low price.
We have to sell it, and we have to get food.
The government only sends people to monitor your sale of grain, regardless of whether you can get the grain or not.
It depends on whether you are willing to exercise your subjective initiative. If not, the big businessmen who usually live in luxury and wealth will have to go to jail.
However, although large commercial banks like Dongshang Grain Store were forced to sell low-priced grain, less than 70% of it actually went to the people. Where did the other 30% go? Sorry, it went to people who were not subject to purchase restrictions.
In order to put together food for the whole family, a household often has to go to various major grain stores and take turns queuing up.
If you go a little later, you will get a bye.
At this time, even if you have money, you may not be able to buy food.
The panic sentiment further pushed up food prices.
In today's Tianshui City, the only price that rises faster than the price of residential land in the new city is the price of food.
Some residents couldn't bear it anymore and started selling their new town residential land.
Fan Shuang also reported to He Lingchuan that they could not buy food. It was true that they could not buy food. A foreign general who had just entered the capital was trapped in an inn with a dozen of his guards. A few days ago, he could buy a few bowls of expensive noodles to fill his stomach, which cost 130 coins a bowl. Now, all the restaurants on the street were closed because they could not get the ingredients.
This general tried to get food by using his connections everywhere, but couldn't.
If even the nobles are in such a predicament, how can ordinary people be better off?
……
The northern front of Yao State, Bailingyan.
Bailing'an was originally a small town with more than a hundred households, but since it became a front line, the town was requisitioned and turned into a military camp.
This is the northernmost part of Yao Kingdom, and even the falling snowflakes are more solid than in the south.