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

Lin Zhong agreed very readily.

Then, somewhat excitedly, he said, "Your Highness, when can I go there? Let's not delay. Also, I can understand the pictures in your book, but I still don't know how to do it..."

Then, Xiao Ce and Lin Zhong talked in the room for several hours.

After some discussion, the two still felt that it was not advisable to carry out the cement production at Tiger and Leopard Village.

After all, cement production is not a difficult task, and it is laborious and time-consuming.

It would be better to leave this business to those merchants, which would ensure the maximum output.

Xiao Ce then sought out Zhang Yunqing.

After Zhang Yunqing explained the cement to him, Zhang Yunqing didn't quite understand.

However, regarding what Xiao Ce said...

He still chose to believe.

After finishing this matter, Zhang Yunqing said to Xiao Ce, "Your Highness, there is something I have thought about and still feel I should tell you."

Xiao Ce looked at Zhang Yunqing and said, "What is it? Speak."

Zhang Yunqing glanced at Lin Zhong on the side.

“I trust Uncle Zhong more than I trust myself. Speak!”

Xiao Ce's words warmed Lin Zhong's heart.

Zhang Yunqing then said, "Your Highness, do you still remember the day I was imprisoned with the Turkic Khan, Mos Ashina?"

Xiao Ce nodded.

“Actually, Mos Ashina approached me that day! He coerced and bribed me to cooperate with him... and asked me to deliver a message for him, and to infiltrate your inner circle to inform him! I initially thought that I could agree to his request without doing anything for him, but still get information from him and tell you, Your Highness. So I agreed!”

Zhang Yunqing gave his instructions with a tense expression.

Xiao Ce nodded in satisfaction; in fact, he already knew.

"Your Highness, you don't seem surprised at all?"

Xiao Ce nodded and said, "That's right. I knew about Mos Ashina contacting you the moment he asked. I've been waiting for you to come and tell me about it..."

Zhang Yunqing knelt on the ground with a thud, his face deathly pale: "Your Highness, it wasn't that I intentionally concealed anything. It's just that at the time, I felt you might be rather suspicious, and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to explain myself clearly..."

Xiao Ce smiled insincerely and said, "What? Now you can explain it clearly? Or are you the one who tipped off Mos Ashina and let him go?"

Zhang Yunqing waved his hands repeatedly: "Your Highness, I swear to heaven. It wasn't me... I..."

Seeing Zhang Yunqing stammering, Xiao Ce smiled and said, "Alright, don't be nervous! Relax... I know it wasn't you..."

Zhang Yunqing listened to Xiao Ce's words, knelt on the ground, and was covered in sweat.

However, he simply didn't dare to wipe it...

"Alright, get up. You did very well. The only bad thing is that you told me after so long." Xiao Ce stared straight at Zhang Yunqing as he spoke.

Faced with Xiao Ce's oppressive aura, Zhang Yunqing felt his legs go weak and he knelt on the ground again.

"Your Highness, I know I was wrong! From now on, I will definitely report to you immediately no matter what happens!"

Xiao Ce smiled and helped him up, saying, "You haven't done anything wrong, don't kneel! Get up. I've seen your loyalty. I asked you to tell me immediately to avoid any misunderstandings. It's fortunate that I knew about this. If someone with ulterior motives had used it to sow discord, do you think I wouldn't have become suspicious?"

Zhang Yunqing nodded repeatedly.

"Of course, I will still trust you! You were the first person to support me here, and I will not treat you unfairly! It's not like I thought of you first when something good happened."

Xiao Ce was both frightening and comforting.

They completely subdued Zhang Yunqing.

"Your Highness, I entrust my life to you. Whatever you say... I will do!"

“You did a great job. If Moss Ashina tells you anything, you should tell me immediately!” Xiao Ce said.

Zhang Yunqing nodded and said, "Yes, sir!"

Xiao Ce said to Zhang Yunqing, "Mos Ashina has escaped. Is there any news from the merchants or the prominent families?"

Looking at Zhang Yunqing's awkward and embarrassed expression.

Xiao Ce said, "Tell me the truth! I will not blame you."

"Your Highness, they all have doubts about your abilities... They all think you might be no different from the previous governors... and are no match for the Turks."

Xiao Ce looked at Zhang Yunqing: "So what do you think?"

Zhang Yunqing said, "I don't think so."

Xiao Ce said with a smile, "That's right, let me tell you a secret. Not many people know this secret?"

Zhang Yunqing asked awkwardly, "Is this appropriate?"

Xiao Ce said, "I trust you! I deliberately let Mos Ashina go!"

Zhang Yunqing stared wide-eyed at Xiao Ce.

Xiao Ce said to Zhang Yunqing, "You probably don't know why I did this."

Zhang Yunqing nodded.

Xiao Ce patted Zhang Yunqing on the shoulder and smiled, "It's good that you don't know, keep this a secret! You go and arrange for people to start that cement plant up and running."

Zhang Yunqing nodded repeatedly, then cupped his hands in a gesture of respect and asked, "Your Highness... I... may I go out?"

Xiao Ce said, "Of course, from today onwards, you are completely free."

He then summoned Xiao Jiu and asked Xiao Jiu to go and speak to the guards here, requesting permission for Zhang Yunqing to come and go freely.

Only then did Zhang Yunqing leave gratefully.

Watching Zhang Yunqing's departing figure, Lin Zhong reminded Xiao Ce, "Your Highness, these merchants are all treacherous and greedy... You cannot trust them too much."

Xiao Ce smiled and said, "Of course I know that! In fact, it's not just these merchants, it's the same for everyone. Only when you are strong enough will they fear you! Once you are weak, everyone around you will inevitably leave you."

"That's why I told Zhang Yunqing that everything is under my control. Only then can he follow me wholeheartedly! Zhang Yunqing is very important to me now, and the batch of grain he has is very important to me!"

Lin Zhong nodded and said, "Your Highness, you don't need to worry too much about the grain supplies. Before I entered the northern desert, I told the Anhua Chamber of Commerce to send grain this way, and we will pay them in full. The earliest batch of grain should arrive in seven days."

Xiao Ce nodded and said, "We can never have too much food if we take a two-pronged approach."

As Lin Zhong spoke, he turned to Xiao Ce and said, "Your Highness, could you make some arrangements so I can depart tonight?"

Xiao Ce nodded and said, "Okay, no problem!"

After arranging for someone to see Xiao Ce off, Xiao Jiu came to report that the families of the noble families had arrived one after another and had all been settled.

They also brought silver for war bonds, which have now been deposited into the treasury.

...

At this moment, many family members from prominent families arrived at several side halls on one side.

Crowded.

After exchanging pleasantries with their families, they...

The people from the three powerful families gathered together and instructed their men to keep watch around them.

They sat together, and their expressions were quite interesting.

Just now, their respective family members relayed the emperor's orders to their respective heads of households.

After exchanging glances, they couldn't help but smile knowingly.

Kan Zongye spoke first: "It seems everyone has received the letter from Kyoto!"

Seeing Kan Zongye speak, Liu Xuan nodded and said, "Yes! I knew it. You can't fight city hall! This good-for-nothing dared to kill Bao An, he's simply insane... Patriarch Kan, what do you say now? When are we going to make our move?"

Lin Shou chimed in, "Yes, this time it was a secret decree personally issued by His Majesty. We have fulfilled His Majesty's secret decree and taken down that good-for-nothing Xiao Ce. We will all take another step forward."

Kan Zongye said to the other two families, "That's right... However, everyone, please calm down... In fact, His Majesty has already given us a solution! His Majesty has already dispatched troops outside Yanmen Pass. He won't let a single person or grain of food enter this area! As long as we hold our own territory, it won't be long before Xiao Ce's useless nine cities, with 300,000 disaster victims and 100,000 troops, are thrown into chaos."

"My suggestion is that we attend his banquet and then leave. Once they're starving, we only need a little food to make their troops surrender obediently!"

"Once we've captured Xiao Ce, we'll make him write a letter denouncing Xiao Dingshan. Our mission will be accomplished!"

Lin Shou nodded and said, "That's right! We have no chance of winning if we fight them head-on now... But aren't you afraid that they'll get so hungry that they'll send troops to rob us?"

Kan Zongye laughed and said, "Our guards can't beat them when they go out, so they can't defend the city either. Besides, the first to panic will be the disaster victims. Our 100,000 troops won't be able to handle suppressing them... If we hold out for a month, they'll all starve to death!"

Everyone nodded.

"I can't wait for that day to come. I really can't stand seeing that good-for-nothing Xiao Ce acting so arrogant..." Liu Xuan said resentfully.

"It's alright, he's just a grasshopper in autumn, he won't be able to jump around for many more days! My only concern is the money he extorted from us," Lin Shou said.

Kan Zongye chimed in, "Hmph, what are you thinking? He's just keeping it safe for us. What good is that silver? The emperor has blocked his escape route. When the time comes, he won't be able to eat or drink with that silver! He'll have to return it all to us!"

Everyone burst into laughter upon hearing this.

"That good-for-nothing must be secretly gloating right now, still enjoying the joy of 'saving the country'! He has no idea that he's about to die!"

Seeing this, Kan Zongye said, "Tomorrow, none of you should give anything away. You all have to flatter that idiot! As long as we can get back, he's doomed!"

The group nodded and laughed, their expressions full of delight.