"General, what should we do next? Our supplies are already insufficient. We have just arrived in Chuzhou and we have already encountered something like this."
"I really don't know if the next states and counties will be like this..."
"Don't worry, the next step will definitely not be any better."
Cheng Yaojin snorted and stood up with a gloomy face. His tall and tall figure made Yu Zhining look even more thin.
"It seems that your Majesty is right. At this time, these people with ulterior motives have all surfaced one by one."
Yu Zhining also frowned, rubbed his hands, and said anxiously and worriedly.
"The governors of Yangzhou and Chuzhou are rare talents who come from aristocratic families, and they are already important officials of the court and third-rank officials.
Just to hinder His Highness the Crown Prince from returning to the capital, he was thrown out as an outcast by them."
"The more this happens, the more it proves that their intentions are very big..."
"No matter how big it is, what can we do? A bunch of gentlemen who talk about benevolence, justice and morality all the time.
They are usually sneaky and slippery, so it's hard for you to touch them."
"Now that they have come to light on their own initiative, we can catch them all in one fell swoop."
General Cheng laughed and spread his big palm in front of Yu Zhining's nose, then slowly clenched it into a fist.
Yu Zhining, a gentle man who spoke of benevolence, justice and morality, turned pale, always feeling like he was the fish in the pond at the gate of the city.
Out of the corner of his eye, General Cheng saw Yu Zhining's stiff and darkened expression. He laughed and patted this person on the shoulder.
"What I'm saying is not directed at Zhan Shi. I know very well whether you are a good person or not because you have been friends with me for more than three years."
"Well, let's go, let's go see His Highness the Crown Prince and report his current predicament."
Faced with the straightforward way of speaking of the Cheng family, Yu Zhanshi, who had never felt that he could adapt, could only ignore General Cheng's words.
"General, it's best to let General Zhao accompany you. Please ask General Zhao to make it clear to His Highness the Crown Prince in person."
"It's natural."
#####
"What's going on, General Cheng? We have been delayed for a whole day and night on the border of Chuzhou. Why don't we set off?"
Cheng Yaojin and Yu Zhining had just been led into the cabin by Ning Zhong, and Li Chengqian, who had been pacing worriedly in the cabin, couldn't wait to ask.
I heard His Highness the Crown Prince's unhappy and even somewhat anxious inquiry.
Cheng Yaojin saluted Li Chengqian.
"Your Highness, please be patient. This is because Xiao Bing, the governor of Chuzhou, deliberately hid Chuzhou's grain and grass in an attempt to prevent His Highness from returning to the capital."
Li Chengqian was stunned for a moment, then his face gradually darkened, and his eyes fell on Yu Zhining beside him.
"His Royal Highness, Xiao Bing, I'm afraid someone gave him instructions to hinder His Highness's journey."
"But please rest assured, Your Majesty, Your Majesty has already anticipated this."
"Yu Qing, what do you mean by this?" Li Chengqian couldn't help but be stunned, but soon he saw Ning Zhong, who had a very strange expression, and led a warrior wearing ordinary soldier's armor into the house.
Li Chengqian looked at it blankly for several times, then his eyes widened in an exaggerated way, and he said in disbelief.
"General Zhao? Why are you dressed like this, and..."
"I, Zhao Kun, come to see His Highness the Crown Prince. The reason why I dress up like this is because I have no choice. Your Majesty has decreed that I should hide beside His Highness the Crown Prince. I am not allowed to show up to see you unless necessary."
Zhao Kun moved his neck somewhat uncomfortably and saluted Li Chengqian.
"Why is this? Father, is he pretending to be ill?" Although Li Chengqian has a gentle personality, it does not mean that the Crown Prince is not smart.
Zhao Kun nodded, then reached into his arms and took out His Majesty's secret edict that had been treasured for many days.
"Your Highness Shengming, this is a secret edict written by His Majesty himself. Please read it."
Li Chengqian couldn't wait to grab it with his hands, and finally learned about his father's bold and seemingly lonely plan from the secret edict written by his own father.
In the letter, his father also denounced the harmfulness of the aristocratic families to the Tang Dynasty and the necessity of trying to make changes.
He also told Li Chengqian that he originally wanted to see if those aristocratic families were willing to surrender to the imperial court.
In the end, I didn't expect that your own son would be assassinated in Jiangdu Palace. This is enough to prove that these vampires are clinging to the imperial court.
He is not willing to compromise at all, and even wants to use such drastic means to stop...
The more Li Chengqian looked at it, the more shocking he felt. He never imagined that those wealthy families could actually achieve such a level.
For the sake of the continuation of their family, and in order to continue to fight against the imperial court, they even resorted to such means.
Li Chengqian sat in the cabin with a pale face for a long time before shaking his head in disbelief.
"I never thought that they would be so bold, disregarding the country and the country, and resort to such despicable means."
"Fortunately, my father is wise and made such arrangements. Otherwise, I really don't know what would have happened..."
Li Chengqian, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, suddenly asked Zhao Kun.
"General Zhao, if something happens to Luoyang, my ninth brother's safety..."
Looking at the prince Li Chengqian who immediately started asking about Jin Wang Li Zhi's safety, Zhao Kun quickly answered.
"Your Highness, please rest assured. Your Majesty has already made arrangements. Your Highness, Prince Jin, should be fine."
"Since my father has already made arrangements, that's fine. General Cheng, my father has said that I will cooperate with you, General Cheng. What should I do next?"
"His Royal Highness, just sit back and leave the remaining matters to me and Yu Zhan."
Zhao Kun was relieved to see that the Crown Prince, who was worried about his father's safety, finally regained his emotional stability.
"Your Highness, since this matter has happened here, it is time for me to take my leave."
"That's fine. General Zhao cannot be missing from your father's side. However, I would like to ask General Zhao to wait for a moment or two and write a letter home first. I can help General Zhao bring it to my father."
#####
The governor of Chuzhou and a group of subordinate officials went to the canal to pay homage to His Highness the Crown Prince, but they were left there directly.
General Cheng summoned the local General Ying Yanglang and ordered him to send troops to the hiding place of the grain. He immediately controlled the grain and grass that had been hidden in Huaiyin County under Chuzhou.
The prince Zhan Shi, following the prince's teachings, entered Chuzhou accompanied by a Zuotunwei general, and asked Chuzhou Biejia to temporarily take charge of Chuzhou's military and political affairs.
Naturally, the movements here cannot be avoided by those who are interested. Soon, the Chuzhou governor hid food, grass and baggage, which angered His Royal Highness, who was eager to return home.
The news that the governor of Chuzhou was arrested and even took charge of the military and political power of Chuzhou was reported directly to Luoyang, the capital of the Tang Dynasty...