Braised Dragon with Soy Sauce

In the golden autumn season, the crops in the fields are like shy young girls, most of them already ripe.

Taking advantage of the fine weather, farmers rushed to harvest their crops like busy bees, and the farmers of Luoxia City were no exception, hurrying to harvest during this season.

Normally, at this time of year, merchants who buy grain would flock to farms like migratory birds, but this year a strange group of merchants has arrived.

They went directly to the fields to buy crop stalks and other feed crops, and then hauled them all away like rats moving house to hide them in the mountains outside the city, claiming they were going to build a large ranch in the back mountains.

The farmers were simple-minded; they felt that as long as they were paid, they would let the other party do whatever they wanted, regardless of whether it was true or false. They thought that simply taking the goods away would save them trouble and make them happy.

Meanwhile, some strange things have recently happened in Shangyuan City, a hundred miles away.

As if cursed, several official granaries that purchased and stockpiled grain suffered misfortunes one after another, with newly collected grain being either stolen or burned overnight.

As official granaries, they were usually heavily guarded, making it extremely difficult for ordinary people to even get close, let alone steal from them.

Normally, it's understandable for some bandits to occasionally risk stealing some grain to survive the winter, but to have several granaries stolen from and deliberately damaged at the same time is simply unheard of.

The news caused a sensation throughout the city. People discussed the incident everywhere, from the streets and alleys to the teahouses and restaurants, with varying accounts and the thieves being portrayed as almost mythical figures. Due to the thieves' exceptional skills, audacity, and ingenious methods, virtually no clues were left at the scene.

Tens of thousands of dan of grain, a number as large as a mountain, vanished into thin air, disappearing without a trace like a stone sinking into the sea.

This thief is utterly despicable. Of all things to steal, he chose to steal this worthless grain. This is clearly a deliberate provocation against the government. His actions are like a hungry wolf pouncing on its prey. He is a troublemaker who wants to create trouble, disrupt order, and oppose the government.

All available personnel were dispatched to investigate as quickly as arrows, but several days passed without any results, like a stone sinking into the sea.

Lord Liao of Shangyuan City was furious, like a powder keg that had been lit. If the grain could not be found, his position as lord of the city would be like the setting sun, basically coming to an end!

Not to mention the fury the Marquis would unleash upon him, the sheer number of troops stationed in his mansion—seventy or eighty thousand—was like a bottomless pit, enough to keep him in deep trouble for a long time.

Although there are some reserves in the warehouse, it is only a drop in the bucket and will not last long.

Lord Liao, overwhelmed by the theft and feeling like a cat on a hot tin roof, was racking his brains for a solution to this thorny problem when his spies, sent to gather information in the surrounding cities, brought him a series of shocking news.

Lord Zhang of Jian'an City mysteriously disappeared a month ago, along with more than a dozen of his trusted subordinates.

Now, the entire city is firmly controlled by a mysterious force like an iron clamp, yet the city's residents are like hypnotized sheep, completely unaware and showing no sign of panic whatsoever.

Even more strangely, the lord of Luoxia City, a neighboring city of Jian'an City, quietly abandoned the city with his family half a month ago, like a frightened bird. It is said that he fled the Great Red Kingdom through Wangxiang Town and went to the Zhenglan Kingdom.

Meanwhile, the garrison in Luoxia City, led by General Qi Feng, revolted and fled to Jian'an City with all their military supplies.

Today, the once vast city of Luoxia is like a ghost town, with not a single soldier in sight.

All the civil officials either hid at home like frightened birds or fled to other places like stray dogs.

The city was in complete chaos. All the merchants scattered like birds and beasts, and all the shops closed down. Those merchants and wealthy people who could not or did not want to escape gathered together like ants on a hot pan. They worked together to raise money and labor, and hired mercenaries to protect themselves.

Enraged by this series of news, Lord Liao lay limply in his rocking chair like a deflated balloon, his face as pale as paper, staring blankly out the door, anxiously waiting for the last group of people to come and report.

Two maids knelt silently on either side, trembling as they massaged Lord Liao's arms and legs. The steward and several servants also stood by with their heads bowed, walking on eggshells, not daring to utter a sound.

The officials sent out to purchase grain and fodder became Lord Liao's only lifeline. As long as he could obtain enough grain and fodder, Lord Liao was willing to sell everything he owned, even his pots and pans.

If he can overcome this difficulty, he will have many more opportunities to rise to prominence in the future. Although spending all his savings will be heartbreaking, it is a last resort.

A day passed in the blink of an eye, and Lord Liao remained seated in his rocking chair, motionless like a statue, gazing out the door…

Finally, as the last rays of sunlight disappeared on the horizon, the official in charge of purchasing grain rushed in like a whirlwind, panting, and said:

"Reporting...Reporting to the City Lord, the grain and fodder in all the major grain-producing areas under the jurisdiction of Luoxia City and Wangxiang Town were all snapped up by a group of unidentified merchants at high prices a few days ago."

Our men have endured countless hardships on their journey, yet they have only managed to gather less than a hundred dan of grain… Now, our troops are galloping day and night towards the surrounding cities, hoping to achieve some success… However, the journey is long, and news will not arrive for at least three days…”

The official who came to report stood there trembling, his head bowed like a ripe ear of wheat, carefully reporting the situation while occasionally stealing glances at the city lord's reaction out of the corner of his eye.

The official had expected the city lord to be furious, but to his surprise, he stood there for a long time without hearing a sound from the city lord. Filled with suspicion, he couldn't help but look up, and what he saw terrified him.

The city lord pointed at himself with one hand, gripped the armrest of the rocking chair tightly with the other, his eyes wide open like copper bells, and his body was frozen in place, as if he were a statue under a spell.

"City Lord! City Lord..."

"Call the doctor quickly..."

……

Seven days later.

In the heart of the bustling capital city, within a magnificent residence of the Marquis, Marquis Wu Ji was immersed in a blissful, ecstatic state, as several alluring women massaged and teased her.

With a "bang!",

The tightly closed gate was suddenly kicked open, and a servant dressed as an eunuch rushed in in a panic, startling the Marquis so much that his heart skipped a beat. The several alluring women were terrified, their faces pale, and screams filled the air.

"You bastard! You're asking for it!..."

The prince's leisurely mood was abruptly interrupted by this arrogant eunuch, and he was instantly enraged, as if a volcano were erupting!

He grabbed a jade bottle from beside him, about to smash it at the man, who was so frightened that he cried out in alarm:

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger! Your Majesty, please calm your anger! This servant has important matters to report!..."

"Damn it! What earth-shattering event is this! Can't we talk about it in the main hall tomorrow?..."

When Hou Wang saw Liu Gonggong, the most favored chief eunuch, his anger subsided slightly, but he still cursed loudly with lingering rage.

"It is this servant's fault for interrupting Your Highness's auspicious occasion. However, having just received Hongyu Chi's letter, this servant dared not be negligent in the slightest, so..."

Eunuch Liu bowed and scraped, repeatedly apologizing.

"What! Hongyu Chixin?"

When Hou Wang Wu Ji heard "Hong Yu Chi Xin", she was also startled.

"Yes, it is the highest-ranking urgent message from the Great Red Kingdom—the Hongyu Red Message."

"That's what Eunuch Liu said with certainty."