Deposed Crown Prince: After three years of service on the frontier, the entire court knelt and begge

Everyone watched as Xiao Ce spoke nonsense with a straight face.

They had not a single doubt in their hearts.

If someone else had said that, they would have scoffed at it.

However, since Xiao Ce said these words, they were willing to believe them.

Whether it's refining white sugar, refining fine salt, or those repeating crossbows, compound bows, or even the explosives that shatter the sky when defending a city.

These things were all created under Xiao Ce's leadership; if it weren't for divine intervention, they really couldn't think of any other possibility.

The group then left.

Seeing Qian Lai's preoccupied expression, Xiao Ce asked, "Uncle Lai, what's wrong? Don't you support my suggestion?"

Qian Lai shook his head and said, "Of course not... But, Your Highness, aren't you just giving them money for nothing? Besides, we can obviously make this ourselves!"

Xiao Ce said, "The production of these things will need to increase sooner or later; we can't keep making them at such high prices forever. We should focus our efforts on more advanced and sophisticated products. Only by letting go can we reap the rewards!"

Qian Lai nodded: "Your Highness, I understand the reasoning. However, it will be difficult to monitor the profits at that time. If they falsify the figures, it will be hard for us to detect."

Xiao Ce said, "That's right, that's exactly it. But it's also a kind of screening. Screening out the slippery, the fraudulent... and those who do real work. In the future, I'll provide them with even more money... Don't be fooled by the large profits..."

"These things are nothing but petty profits in my eyes... The real money-making opportunities are yet to come... We need to think long-term!"

Qian Lai listened to Xiao Ce's words and nodded.

Xiao Ce said, "Alright, you go ahead and get busy. I'm going to check on the army with Han Da..."

He readily agreed to the offer of money.

...

At this moment, inside Yanmen Pass, at the main gate of Maoming City.

A group of soldiers, officers, and officers stood in neat rows, waiting.

A moment later, a procession escorted a luxurious carriage to the city gate.

The people waiting at the city gate knelt down and shouted their prayers.

"Welcome, Second Prince!"

The eunuch beside the carriage knelt down by the carriage door: "Second Prince, we have arrived at Maoming City. The officials and soldiers are already waiting at the city gate!"

A sexy woman lifted the carriage curtain, and Xiao Yang stepped out of the carriage.

After coming out, he glanced at the group of people at the city gate.

He then dismounted and walked straight toward the leading general, who was dressed in armor.

"Uncle Xing, please rise. The four prefectures and thirty-nine cities of the northern desert are in complete chaos! It is all thanks to you that no one has been allowed to enter this area from outside Yanmen Pass! I have come here with peace and tranquility, all thanks to General Xing! Once things have stabilized, I will definitely petition the Emperor for you to be rewarded!"

The person Xiao Yang was praising was a general from Xiao Yang's maternal clan. Although they were relatives, they were completely unrelated.

This was also the first time Xiao Yang had met him.

Xing Daorong, who was in the lead, was very pleased with Xiao Yang's flattery.

He didn't mince words, cupping his hands and saying, "Your Highness, this is my duty! Your Highness, you've had a long and arduous journey!"

In his mind, the peace and tranquility in Maoming was all thanks to him.

Xiao Yang waved his hand and said, "This is also the duty of us princes. Originally, Father Emperor did not want that good-for-nothing Xiao Ce to come, but that good-for-nothing insisted on volunteering to guard the frontier. He has only been the King of Mobei for a short time, and he has turned the four prefectures of Mobei upside down. He has brought so many disaster victims to the already barren land. Isn't this ridiculous?"

"My father received news that the four prefectures of Mobei are already short of food... and I heard that the Turks took advantage of the situation and have already broken through Yanmen Pass and entered the country! So he specially sent me here to assist General Xing."

Xing Daorong cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty's grace is boundless! Thank you, Your Majesty. With the arrival of the Second Prince, I believe the soldiers will be greatly encouraged!"

Xing Daorong remained very polite, after all, he was also a member of Xiao Yang's maternal clan.

He had already received the message from Consort Hui.

Emperor Xiao Dingbang sent Xiao Ce over so that Xiao Yang could reap the rewards.

Their original plan was to wait until the people in the four prefectures of Mobei were almost starving before letting Xing Daorong clean up the mess.

However, just a few days ago, the emperor received a letter from one of the four great clans.

After entering the Central Plains, Mr. Qianlong ordered the people of the four new great clans to write a letter to the emperor, deceiving him that several thousand Turks had conquered thirty cities in the four prefectures of the northern desert and that the four prefectures of the northern desert were now in imminent danger.

Qianlong's goal was to make the emperor underestimate the enemy and lure Xing Daorong, who was stationed in Maoming City, to suppress the Turks.

In this way, the Turks could take the opportunity to eliminate Xing Daorong's soldiers as well!

With the loss of Maoming City as the last barrier, the Turks' entry into the Central Plains was like a dragon entering the sea, without any hindrance.

The Hidden Dragon Plan was well-conceived, but little did he know that the Turks, under Xiao Ce's plan, had become fish on a chopping board.

When the emperor received this news, he thought it was a good opportunity to give Xiao Yang a chance to enhance his resume.

After all, in the emperor's eyes, Xiao Ce had managed the four prefectures of Mobei to the brink of collapse.

Now, the Turks have led several thousand soldiers to occupy the four prefectures of the northern desert, which is a situation of both internal and external troubles.

The emperor was overjoyed to receive this news.

This is practically a golden opportunity delivered to our doorstep. No matter how brave the Turkic soldiers are, they only number a few thousand. We can simply send out tens of thousands of troops to suppress them.

They could also conveniently get rid of Xiao Ce, that good-for-nothing, and frame the Turks for it.

The root cause of the internal strife in the four prefectures of Mobei lies in the lack of food. When the time comes, Xiao Yang will allocate some more grain to appease the disaster victims, and the internal strife will be resolved.

This task, though simple, sounds like it involved a great achievement.

With Xiao Ce dead and Xiao Yang having performed such a remarkable feat, he can rightfully inherit the position of Crown Prince.

So, with the father and son working together in the court, Xiao Yang rushed over at full speed.

Just then, the city lord and magistrate of Maoming City saw the two talking at the city gate and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, I have prepared a banquet to welcome you! Please enter the city."

Xiao Yang smiled and nodded after entering the city.

The magistrate and city lord of Maoming City were well appointed.

During the banquet, Xiao Yang sat in the main seat and asked, "Uncle Xing, are you aware that the northern desert region has been invaded by the Turks?"

Xing Daorong replied truthfully, "I don't know that! Although the eldest prince Xiao Ce has made a mess of managing the four prefectures of Mobei, he has set up a checkpoint at Yanmen Pass and is very strict in his inspections. Our spies simply cannot get in!"

The magistrate of Maoming City said, "Your Highness, I suspect that when the First Prince came, he was full of ambition, but now that he has left the four prefectures of Mobei in this state, he must be afraid that he will lose face if the news gets back to the capital."

Xiao Yang burst into laughter: "Haha, face? Xiao Ce is a good-for-nothing, what face does he have to offer! I'm here to tear off his last fig leaf."

Xing Daorong cupped his hands and addressed Xiao Yang, "Second Prince, you said that the Turks invaded the four prefectures of the northern desert. I wonder how many of them came?"

Xiao Yang said with a face full of disdain: "Uncle Xing, I'm not afraid to tell you this, but according to the information Father Emperor received, a mere few thousand Turks conquered four prefectures and thirty cities in the northern desert! Just imagine how useless that Xiao Ce must be. In my opinion, with only a few thousand Turks, the people of the northern desert could drown them with a single spit from each of them!"

Xing Daorong nodded in agreement: "That's right! Your Highness, what is your plan now? Shall we lead troops to provide reinforcements?"

Xiao Yang shook his head: "No rush!"

As he spoke, Xiao Yang said to the city lord of Maoming City, "Tomorrow, send someone to write a letter to that good-for-nothing, saying that I, Your Highness, have arrived with the Emperor's orders, and that he must come to see me! When he arrives, I'll give him a good scolding."

"Then, Uncle Xing, have your 20,000 troops prepare. We need to hurry up and take over the northern desert, drive out the Turks, and then reorganize the refugees in the northern desert! I want to complete all of this within a month."

"In this way, Father can take advantage of the Spring Ceremony to officially appoint me as Crown Prince! Otherwise, if we miss the Spring Ceremony, we'll have to wait another year!"