Chapter 233

Chapter 233

The rats had ruined some areas, but far more grain remained intact.

“Good thing we found it early. If this rat family kept growing, who knows how much they would have spoiled?”

“Despicable. If no one found all this grain, wouldn’t it eventually mold and rot? Whoever hid it would rather hoard it than distribute it to people suffering disaster.”

“What does it matter? It benefits us now.”

“Hurry and notify the Young Master.”

Jiang Yunsui romped around the cellar for a long while. Only after several sneezes and growing itchiness did someone carry her out.

They still used the hole. The cellar’s true entrance was controlled by a mechanism that had to be opened from outside.

Had Jiang Yunsui not discovered the enormous rats and dug up their burrow, the granary would have been extraordinarily difficult to find.

Back on the surface, Jiang Yunsui scratched her face.

The awns on wheat and rice easily irritated the skin.

Jiang Yunsui’s tender skin naturally could not bear them.

“Go wash your face.”

Ji Si took her away, dampened a handkerchief, and wiped her clean.

They were in the wilderness with limited supplies, so he could use only cold water.

The chill made Little Mushroom shiver.

But afterward, she felt much better.

Once she was clean, Jiang Yunsui took Ji Si’s hand and skipped back.

Ji Yan’an had arrived by the time they returned. She immediately ran toward him.

“Ji Yan’an!”

Like a little firecracker, she charged over, jumped, and clung to him.

Ji Yan’an staggered backward, and Nanshu caught him.

“Little Yunsui, be gentler next time.”

Fortunately, the Young Master’s health had improved greatly. Before, that impact might have snapped his waist.

Jiang Yunsui giggled. “I heard you, I heard you.”

The warning went in one ear and out the other.

Ji Yan’an set her down and held her still.

“Stop fooling around.”

His voice held resignation and indulgence.

Ji Yan’an did not enter the cellar. He merely stood at the opening and looked at the grain, joy flashing through his eyes.

“Move all of it back through the secret passage tonight. Be careful not to let anyone discover you.”

“Yes!”

Without intending to, Jiang Yunsui had rendered another great service.

Back inside the city, Song Jin hurried over as soon as he heard.

“Young Master, is it true that you discovered an enormous stockpile of grain?”

Ji Yan’an nodded.

“That grain was most likely hidden by the prefect. Dali’s prefect is surnamed Song. Only after questioning the yamen staff and commoners who remained did I learn that each year, Prefect Song raised the grain tax and embezzled the extra grain he collected. His clan includes grain merchants.

“Furthermore, Prefect Song served the Third Prince. My men found secret correspondence between them in a hidden compartment at his residence.”

The Third Prince had once possessed a chance of ascending the throne. He fought fiercely with the Second Prince, but when the Second Prince staged his palace coup, the Third Prince happened to be in the palace and was swept away with him.

“This grain was probably intended to support the Third Prince’s troops. But the present stockpile appears to have been collected over the past three years, so it is no longer connected to him. The prefect could still hoard it for his clan’s grain merchants to sell.”

The prefect had grown accustomed to this corruption. Even after the Third Prince died, he did not stop. When he discovered that he had escaped implication, he became even bolder.

“This is an enormous quantity,” Song Jin said. “He probably had no time to dispose of it before fleeing.”

“And now it benefits us.”
“Send all the grain to our granaries first,” Ji Yan’an said. “We won’t need this much to deal with Piao Kingdom. We’ll send the remainder here.”

A map lay on the table before him. His finger pointed to Yuzhou Prefecture.

Song Jin looked puzzled. “Why there?”

Ji Yan’an sipped his tea. “The Prince of Yuzhou is mediocre. He has no desire to compete for the throne, but signs of drought began appearing in Yuzhou last year.

“The prince cares only for himself. He even raised taxes. The people hoped the weather would improve this year, but not a single drop of rain has fallen there to this day.

“If conditions persist, a severe drought will form, likely accompanied by locusts. Yuzhou is an important grain-producing region. Whether the drought continues or not, we must take it.

“If it does continue, we’ll grow sweet potatoes there.”

Sweet potatoes were hardy, grew in poor soil, and filled the stomach.

The people of Mobei had already experienced their benefits.

For now, only Mobei possessed them. Cultivation had begun there only a few years ago, and given the emperor’s attitude toward the Ji Family, they had prudently kept the crop secret.

Now Ji Yan’an intended to use sweet potatoes to win the people’s hearts.

“The people of Yuzhou probably have little grain left. Once matters in Dali are settled, we’ll leave for Yuzhou.”

Song Jin was surprised. “What about the final medicinal ingredient?”

The ancient Yelang Kingdom lay in what was now Guizhou.

Dali was not far from Guizhou. They had planned to travel there after settling Dali’s affairs to find the final medicine, the Phoenix-Mimic Bird.

“Shen Qingzhu will remain behind,” Ji Yan’an said.

*

The hidden grain was secretly transported into the city at night.

Afraid of discovery, they moved only after dark.

It took five days to finish.

During those five days, Dali’s nearly empty granaries filled to half capacity.

Everyone felt deeply satisfied at the sight.

Grain was the foundation that allowed people to survive.

“Ji Yi,” Ji Yan’an called.

Ji Yi silently appeared.

“Take men and find Piao Kingdom’s provisions. Burn them.”

“Yes.”

Jiang Yunsui’s eyes lit up. “I’m going too! I’m going too!”

She was perfectly suited to sneaking around and making trouble.

Unfortunately, she failed to escape this time. Ji Yan’an caught and pulled her back.

Before Little Mushroom could throw a tantrum, he said, “Fat Chef prepared roast chicken for you.”

Jiang Yunsui instantly stopped asking to go.

“Then I’ll find Fat Chef.”

Amusement flashed through Ji Yan’an’s eyes. As expected, food mattered most to this little girl.

Jiang Yunsui scampered away to find Fat Chef.

That night, chaos erupted in Piao Kingdom’s camp.

“Disaster! The provisions are on fire!”

Ji Yi and his men burned the supplies and left without lingering for an instant.

Piao Kingdom’s commander roared furiously.

“Aren’t we surrounding the city? How did they get out without a single person noticing?”

There was no need to guess. Young Master Ji had certainly arranged the fire.

“But General, we truly didn’t see anyone leave.”

So many soldiers encircled the city. Even if skilled fighters descended from the walls, they should have been spotted.

“Then investigate!”

“Ride back at full speed and tell the king to send more provisions.”

After erasing every trace, Ji Yi and his men returned to the city and reported to Ji Yan’an.