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

Zhang Yunqing finally got to the point.

Xiao Ce burst into laughter.

Zhang Yunqing lay on the ground, looking embarrassed, and slowly raised his head to look at Xiao Ce, wondering what he was laughing at.

Zhang Yunqing looked completely bewildered.

Xiao Ce laughed and said, "Alright, you could have just gotten to the point earlier! Get up!"

Zhang Yunqing lay prone on the ground, too afraid to move.

He couldn't tell whether Xiao Ce's words were a compliment or a joke.

His first impression of Xiao Ce was that he was violent and ruthless.

As for the rumors about Xiao Ce being a good-for-nothing, he never believed them.

Xiao Jiu, being quite clever, walked over to Zhang Yunqing's side.

"Boss Zhang, His Highness has told you to get up, so get up quickly!"

She then helped him up.

After looking him over, Zhang Yunqing noticed that Xiao Ce had changed from his previous gloomy expression to a smile.

His heart finally settled down: "Your Highness, please forgive me! My legs are a little weak."

"As long as you are truly loyal to me, you have nothing to fear. I am a man of strong likes and dislikes."

Zhang Yunqing nodded repeatedly in agreement, then pointed to a pile of papers on the table.

"Your Highness, this is my token of sincerity..."

Xiao Ce didn't even look at it.

They put the papers into a brazier on one side and lit them.

"I have always believed in not using people I doubt, and not doubting people I use... Just as you said, I use you not because of what you wrote."

"It is because I have heard that you have remained loyal to your former master and are grateful for his kindness! And as you said, I am going to wage war against the Turks. Looking at the entire Great Xiao Kingdom, no one understands them better than you."

"However, as I said before, while you may be useful, you're only useful to me if you're willing to be used by me! Otherwise..."

Before Xiao Ce could finish speaking, Zhang Yunqing knelt down on the ground with a thud.

"Your Highness, I swear to the heavens! I will serve you wholeheartedly! If I dare to disobey in the slightest, I will be struck by lightning."

Xiao Ce listened to Zhang Yunqing's oath and said, "Zhang Yunqing, aren't you afraid that I'll end up like the previous governors, all bark and no bite after a few good days? You've helped me, but you've completely offended the powerful clans of the northern deserts and the Turks. You've cut off all your escape routes!"

Zhang Yunqing's eyes were firm: "Your Highness, to be frank, I have never regretted any of the decisions I have made in my life! Facts have proven that every choice I made was correct! Including this time, being the first to surrender to you! Facts have proven that I made the right choice again."

Xiao Ce was also curious, because Zhang Yunqing's first letter showed great sincerity, even without knowing Xiao Ce's strength or what was going on outside.

He asked with some curiosity, "Speaking of this, Zhang Yunqing, you've never been outside, and you probably don't even know what's going on outside. How dare you tell me everything?"

Zhang Yunqing cupped his hands and said, "To be honest, Your Highness, I had been investigating you even before you arrived! Before you even set foot in the four prefectures of the northern desert, I already wanted to pledge my allegiance to you!"

Xiao Ce asked with some confusion, "Oh?"

"Your Highness, you must have heard about some things concerning me! Although I am in the northern desert, I have always been a rootless duckweed. I have been looking for a powerful patron to serve. Although I have achieved what I have today, I have only managed to survive by barely scraping by. Only I know the bitterness I have endured."

Xiao Ce said, "Nie Yao was a fairly honest official before, so why didn't you side with him?"

Zhang Yunqing shook his head: "Prefect Nie is indeed a good official, but he is too stubborn and unwilling to bow down. Most importantly, he has no powerful backing. To be honest, I am not as selfless as Prefect Nie. I just want to live a better life! I dare not gamble with everything I have and the people who depend on me for their livelihood. Prefect Nie is definitely not someone worth relying on."

As Xiao Ce listened to Zhang Yunqing's words, he admired him even more. What he said was very practical, and what he wanted was also very practical!

"You don't need to feel guilty; you did nothing wrong. I've heard about Governor Nie's situation. Even if you helped him, you couldn't change the outcome! Governor Nie was too stubborn, and he was wrong from the start! He wanted to win over those powerful clans to unite against a common enemy! But he never realized that the biggest problem in the four northern prefectures was never the Turks, but those powerful clans and nobles!"

Zhang Yunqing said excitedly, "Your Highness is wise! I think so too! In fact, I noticed you when Your Highness resigned from the position of Crown Prince and volunteered to be stationed on the northern frontier. Everyone was saying that you were exiled, but I also heard some news."

"Based on information gathered from various sources, I suspect that this was all your scheme, Your Highness! You are surrounded by enemies in the capital, and the King of Zhen is also constrained. Rather than that, why not break free and make a name for yourself in the northern desert?"

Xiao Ce was somewhat surprised; Zhang Yunqing had quite the vision.

No wonder he was able to go from being a slave to becoming a wealthy and successful businessman.

"Back then, you already thought I was your protector? And decided to pledge allegiance to me?"

Zhang Yunqing said awkwardly, "No! Before I continue, Your Highness, please pardon me first!"

Xiao Ce smiled and said, "Of course! Speak freely. As long as it's what you truly believe, I will pardon you!"

Zhang Yunqing then said, "Your Highness, at that time I thought you were too naive. Because the former troops of the King of Zhen are all at Yumen Pass. And you came from the four prefectures of Mobei, which do not give you any advantage here."

"Moreover, His Majesty and the Second Prince have set up numerous obstacles for you. They only gave you three thousand death row inmates, without even providing you with money or food! I don't even think you can survive. You just came from the capital, and I and everyone here have the same thought... that you are a complete joke."

"It wasn't until we arrived in Anhua City, and witnessed Your Highness's remarkable disaster relief efforts in the Central Plains, that I realized the entire Great Xiao Kingdom had misjudged you! While everyone else viewed the disaster victims as monsters, Your Highness graciously took in this group of people at just the right time!"

"I also learned that the Tianshan snow salt and Tianshan snow sugar came from your hands! Later, I heard that you have been expanding your army along the way! I knew then that the wise ruler I was looking for had appeared!"

"My thinking is very simple: as long as you can occupy a city here, I will come and join you! To this end, I have also stockpiled a large amount of grain and fodder! I have made it clear to the outside world that I will sell it to you at a high price."

"However, I had planned everything perfectly. I never expected, Your Highness, that you would exceed everyone's expectations. When none of the four prefectures of the northern desert were prepared, you achieved such great results with lightning speed!"

"So when you first revealed your identity, I couldn't believe that someone as noble as you would dare to be on the front lines. After confirming your identity, I became even more certain that I would serve you! I knew that heaven had given me a chance to change my luck! That's why I'm determined to seize it!"

"Your Highness, please believe me! I am willing to cut off my finger to show my resolve!"

Looking at Zhang Yunqing's pleading expression, Xiao Ce smiled and nodded, saying, "There's no need for that! I believe you! So, you shouldn't just be saying these things to me, right? You should also have a gift to give me."

Zhang Yunqing misunderstood. "Your Highness, I have secretly stockpiled 500,000 shi of grain. Even if all the disaster victims and Your Highness's army come, we can last for several months! This humble subject is willing to offer it all to Your Highness!"

Xiao Ce smiled and said, "You really have solved my urgent problem. Five hundred thousand shi of grain, according to the grain price in the northern desert, you would probably get three million taels of silver. That should be almost all your assets."

Zhang Yunqing did not deny it.

Xiao Ce continued, "I will accept your grain supplies. Tell me how much you paid for them, and I will give you an additional 20% profit!"

Zhang Yunqing was about to refuse.

Xiao Ce interrupted, "Don't refuse. I never mistreat my own people! You're a merchant, and merchants are here to make money! What kind of merchant are you if you don't make money? Besides, I'm not short of money. I own three prefectures and thirty-nine cities in the northern desert. Do you think I'd be short of money?"

Zhang Yunqing immediately understood: "Your Highness, the gift you want from me should be a strategy for dealing with the four great clans?"