lovenovelstory Chapter 23 Opening the Warehouse and Selling Grain
Chapter 23 Opening the Warehouse and Selling Grain
"Report—Commander!"
A minor leader stumbled into the main tent, his face beaming with barely concealed excitement.
"True news! Absolutely true! They're really selling grain over on the plains! Our brothers who went there traded the gold and silver they looted for ten cartloads of millet! The rice is top-quality, not a speck of sand mixed in!"
Guan Hai suddenly stood up, dropped the dry biscuit in his hand, grabbed the leader by the collar, and stared wide-eyed.
"Is that true? Does Li Zhao really dare to sell to us?"
"That's absolutely true, Commander! They said everyone who comes is a guest, and as long as they don't cause trouble, they'll sell grain if they pay!"
Guan Hai released his grip and paced back and forth inside the tent.
His not-so-bright mind raced as he quickly calculated.
He had a lot of gold and silver treasures he had looted over the years, but these things couldn't be eaten during a famine.
Now that Li Zhao is willing to sell grain, that's a wonderful thing.
With grain in hand, the people under my command can be kept in check.
"Pass down the order!"
Guan Hai gritted his teeth. "Take out all the gold, silver, and valuables from our treasury and send reliable brothers to the plains in batches to exchange them for grain! Remember, all of you better behave yourselves. Anyone who dares to cause trouble in the plains and ruin my business, I'll chop them up and feed them to the dogs!"
He glanced again in the direction of Duchang City, a ruthless glint in his eyes.
"Tell the brothers, after you've eaten your fill, give him a good beating! That old bastard Kong Rong won't last much longer. Let's break through Duchang and go into the city for a fat New Year!"
……
Meanwhile, in the governor's mansion within Linzi city.
Tian Kai, the governor of Qingzhou, was looking at a table full of food and wine and was feeling troubled.
He was Gongsun Zan's man, and he had been hoping that Gongsun Zan would defeat Yuan Shao at Jieqiao.
He will also benefit from this and completely control Qingzhou.
Who would have thought that Gongsun Zan would suffer such a crushing defeat?
Now Yuan Shao is eyeing him covetously, and the Yellow Turban Rebellion is rampant in Qingzhou.
He served as governor with a heavy heart.
"Report—My lord! There's movement over in the plains!"
Tian Kai's advisor rushed in.
"Li Zhao actually opened his granaries to sell grain openly, and he didn't even stop the Yellow Turban rebels from buying it! Now quite a few Yellow Turban remnants have received the grain, and their morale is greatly boosted!"
"What?!"
Tian Kai slammed down his chopsticks and flew into a rage.
"Li Zhao, that traitor! He dares to collude with bandits and aid the enemy! Does he even respect the imperial court? Does he even respect General Gongsun?"
The strategist said with a bitter face:
"My lord, Li Zhao is now the appointed Chancellor of Pingyuan by the imperial court, and his appointment is legitimate. He is selling grain to stabilize prices and help the people. We... we have no reason to stop him."
"Moreover, General Gongsun is currently preoccupied with his own problems, and we have few soldiers and generals. If we were to truly turn against Li Zhao, I'm afraid..."
Tian Kai slumped into the chair in despair.
Because he knew the strategist was telling the truth.
He's in a precarious situation, barely able to save himself.
Where would they find the capacity to care about Li Zhao?
"Then what do you suggest we do? Are we just going to stand by and watch the Yellow Turban rebels come and attack us after they've had their fill?"
The strategist rolled his eyes and offered a plan:
"My lord, since Li Zhao is willing to sell grain, why don't we send someone to buy some as well? Our military rations are running low, and this winter will probably be tough."
Tian Kai was stunned for a moment, then a conflicted look appeared on his face.
It would be incredibly embarrassing to buy grain from one's arch-enemy.
But being hungry is really uncomfortable.
"Never mind..."
Tian Kai sighed, "What's face worth? Let's survive first. Send someone with plenty of money, don't let Li Zhao look down on us."
……
Pingyuan County, the Prime Minister's Residence.
The snow fell even heavier, and the swirling snowflakes adorned the whole world in a silvery white.
Inside the study.
Li Zhao, Liu Bei, and Xu Shu sat around a stove, discussing philosophy over wine.
Sun Fu served him from the side, adding a few pieces of silver frost charcoal to the charcoal brazier from time to time.
"My lord's brilliant plan has succeeded."
Xu Shu picked up the warmed wine cup, took a small sip, and wore a confident smile.
"According to our scouts, Guan Hai is spending all his wealth to exchange for grain from me. Tian Kai is also getting restless and has sent a caravan disguised as merchants."
"In the past few days, gold, silver and copper coins have been piled up like mountains in the warehouses of Pingyuan City."
What flowed out was nothing more than millet, which the lord had no shortage of.
Liu Bei, standing to the side, sighed, "In the past, I only knew how to use troops, horses, money, and provisions to fight wars. I never thought that provisions themselves could become a powerful tool for strategic maneuvering. I admire Mr. Yuanzhi's strategies."
Li Zhao smiled. The greatest use of his cheat code was not in how many people he could feed, but in the fact that in this era of extreme food shortage, he had control over the most critical strategic resource.
"Once Guan Hai gets the grain, he will be eager to achieve quick success and wants to break through Duchang," Xu Shu analyzed.
"Although Tian Kai also bought grain, he is by nature suspicious and must be on guard against us at this time, thus ignoring the threat of the Yellow Turbans."
"The time is almost here."
Li Zhao put down his wine cup and looked out at the wind and snow outside the window.
"Lord Xuande, how are the army's preparations going?"
Liu Bei said solemnly, "Ten thousand infantrymen and two thousand cavalrymen have all been equipped with winter clothing and are fully armed, ready to set out at any time. Supplies and provisions are also ready."
"it is good."
Li Zhao stood up and walked to the map.
"Let's wait for another heavy snowfall."
"When the heavy snow blocks the roads and communication is cut off, that will be the day we send out our troops."
"Target: Changcheng, the capital of the Beihai Kingdom!"
......
The 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month is the Little New Year.
The sky was so overcast it seemed to press down on the city wall, and the north wind howled all night.
By dawn, the fine snowflakes had turned into large, fluffy snowflakes, which fell heavily and covered the earth.
In just half a day, the snow inside and outside Pingyuan City had reached above ankle height.
The world was a vast expanse of white, and the roads were indistinguishable.
In this kind of weather, even the most cold-resistant hunting dogs are unwilling to leave their dens.
However, inside the military camp outside Pingyuan City, a somber atmosphere of busy activity prevailed.
Ten thousand infantrymen and two thousand cavalrymen had already assembled.
The soldiers wore thick cotton armor, covered with white cloaks captured from Gongsun Zan's army, making them almost blend into the snowy landscape.
Their faces were smeared with antifreeze grease, and their mouths and noses were wrapped in burlap sacks, leaving only their resolute eyes visible.
Each soldier's backpack contained five days' worth of fried noodles and dried meat.
The water sac at his waist was filled with strong liquor.
This was a special instruction given by Li Zhao.
In this kind of weather, a sip of strong liquor can save your life when marching.
On the command platform, Li Zhao, dressed in military uniform with a black cloak over his head, let the wind and snow hit his face.
Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Xu Shu, and others lined up on both sides.
"Soldiers!"
Li Zhao's voice sounded somewhat muffled in the wind and snow, but it was extremely penetrating.
"Six months ago, many of you were just like the refugees outside the city, barely clothed and starving, struggling on the brink of death."
"Now you have warm clothes to wear, plenty to eat, and your wives, children and elderly parents have houses to shelter you from the wind and rain."
The twelve thousand soldiers below the stage listened quietly; no one spoke, only heavy breathing could be heard.
"But this chaos is not over yet! In Qingzhou and in the North Sea, countless people like you are being ravaged by the Yellow Turban rebels, waiting to die in hunger and cold!"
Li Zhao drew his long sword from his waist and pointed it towards the southeast.
"Today, we send troops not for fame or fortune, but solely to ensure that the people of Qingzhou can live like the people of the plains, with the dignity of human beings!"
"The journey to the North Sea is fraught with wind and snow, a perilous one with a slim chance of survival. Tell me, are you afraid?!"
"Don't be afraid! Don't be afraid! Don't be afraid!"
The roar of twelve thousand people, when combined, seemed to freeze the swirling snow for a moment.