chsdbacks Chapter 148 Students Arrive, Sales Soar in the South City
Chapter 148 Students Arrive, Sales Soar in the South City
Lu Yuan's group moved quickly. Once they entered the territory of the Northern Barbarians, the name of the King of Qin was revealed, and the checkpoints in various places dared not stop them.
Finally, after half a month, they returned to the capital.
As soon as they entered the Prince's residence, Xiao Hua was already leading her people over.
Upon seeing Madam Lu in the living room, he first gave a very formal bow: "Greetings, Aunt."
Her pretty face was still a little red as she spoke.
Knowing Xiao Hua's identity, Madam Lu immediately stood up, took her hand, and said, "Your Highness, you are too kind to this old woman."
Unlike Zhou Hongling, Xiao Hua, although tall, appeared much more delicate and charming.
Her figure is also perfect, and her looks are beyond reproach.
Madam Lu was very pleased with this, and couldn't help but think that her son was truly blessed to be so cherished by two women who were rare to find in the world.
This was something she hadn't expected at all.
Moreover, their social statuses were all exceptionally high.
Xiao Hua said softly, "My mother and I both consider Yuan Ge as family. You are his mother, just like my mother. No matter how much we greet you, it's not excessive. My mother has arranged a family banquet today and invited you and Yuan Ge to come together."
Looking at the pretty girl in front of her, Madam Lu naturally wouldn't refuse, and nodded with a smile: "Okay, whatever you say, let's go."
On the way, she already knew about Xiao Hua's relationship with Lu Yuan, and she was very grateful that the Xiao mother and daughter had saved her son.
Seeing the girl in front of me now, who is so beautiful and sensible, I am naturally very happy.
Lu Yuan said softly, "Mother, let me settle you down first so you can get some rest. We'll go to the palace tonight."
"Alright, you two chat. I'll head back to my quarters first," Madam Lu replied, then left with her maid.
Only when Lu Yuan and Xiao Hua were left in the living room did he speak, "How is the imperial court now?"
"All eighteen tribes have been hit by the snow disaster. The situation is very serious. Local warlords are taking advantage of the situation to seize people. My mother hasn't slept for several days," Xiao Hua said bitterly.
The northern barbarians are now truly in a precarious state.
Other dynasties are eyeing us covetously from the outside, and twelve regional military governors are disobeying orders from within. Now, we've been hit by a snow disaster.
If this continues, she doesn't know how long the Northern Barbarians can hold out.
"How much silver is needed for disaster relief?" Lu Yuan asked softly.
"The imperial court has been purchasing grain from various regions, but the silver is still insufficient. To completely resolve this issue, it will probably take two or three billion taels of silver," Xiao Hua said softly.
This number is nothing short of astronomical for the Northern Barbarians at present.
I really can't afford it.
Lu Yuan let out a soft breath and said, "I'll think of a way and see if I can scrape together the money."
"Where did you get the money? The news of the house for sale in Nancheng has been out for so long, but no one has bought it yet. I'm afraid we'll lose money." Xiao Hua said with a wry smile.
Then, seemingly afraid that Lu Yuan would worry, she forced herself to cheer up and said, "Don't worry, Brother Yuan. No matter what, the imperial court still has some resources. We'll definitely get through this winter."
Lu Yuan glanced at her: "You still don't believe me."
"Brother Yuan, it's not that I don't believe you, it's just that your price is too high, and you're even directly teaching us the techniques. It's not good to deceive everyone," Xiao Hua said somewhat haltingly, which was quite adorable.
"Bang!" Lu Yuan tapped her head with his finger and said, "Who said I was lying? You don't even believe me anymore, you little brat."
Then, he stood up and said, "I have already made a plan for this matter. You just wait and see."
After saying that, he called out to the outside, "Cai Chong!"
At the sound, the old butler rushed in, his back hunched.
"Your Highness."
"Has anyone been buying houses in the South City these past few days?" Lu Yuan tapped his fingers on the table, making a crisp sound.
Cai Chong said with a bitter face, "Your Highness, they are all just observing; no one is actually buying."
Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow and stopped what he was doing: "These next few days, send people to wait at several city gates, put up a sign that says 'Welcome to the academy's disciples,' and be responsible for guiding them and settling them in."
"Are there any restaurants in the southern part of the city? Acquire a few for me to accommodate the students. They can stay there until the academy and the mansion are built. The funds will be drawn from the Prince's account. Get it done immediately."
"Brother Yuan, are you still going to invest more money? No one will buy this courtyard in the south of the city," Xiao Hua said hurriedly before Cai Chong could respond.
She's genuinely worried about Lu Yuan spending money now.
Although her mother said that the Northern Barbarians could support her and Yuan-ge, she knew in her heart that life in the palace was also very tight, and if the Prince's Mansion really went bankrupt, it was not certain that they could come up with the money to help.
In the past, Lu Yuan had the money from selling his jewelry to cover his expenses, so he could use the money as he spent. But now that he had given it all to his mother, there was really no other way.
Xiao Hua's urgent voice was met with a snap on Lu Yuan's forehead, just as she was clutching her forehead and crying out in pain.
Lu Yuan has already sent Cai Chong to handle the matter.
As the latter left, Xiao Hua glared angrily at Lu Yuan, but there was nothing she could do to stop him.
Actually, the main reason is that Lu Yuan's attitude is very firm.
She dared not argue with him any further.
Lu Yuan chuckled and looked at Xiao Hua, who had turned her body away from him. He then said with a light laugh, "Alright, don't be angry anymore. I have my own ideas about this matter, so don't worry."
After speaking, he gently stroked the other person's head.
Xiao Hua has never been able to resist Lu Yuan.
Her temper vanished instantly at the sight of the other person.
At the same time, inside the Northern Barbarian Imperial Palace, Empress Xiao sat in the Chaotian Hall, with officials lined up on both sides below.
They are currently worried about disaster relief efforts.
"How much silver can our Northern Barbarians still spare now?"
The cost of buying silver from outside was far too high, almost ten times higher.
Moreover, the silver was already scarce, which led to the increasingly difficult situation.
Li Qing stepped forward and said, "Right now, we only have 300 million taels of silver available, and we used it all yesterday to purchase grain."
Only ten million taels remain, which still needs to be used for palace expenses.
Lady Xiao frowned deeply: "Keep one million taels in the palace, and use the rest for disaster relief."
Li Qing was about to say something when Empress Xiao waved her hand and said, "Do as I say."
"Yes, sir!"
After responding, Li Qing returned to the group.
As for the others, they remained silent, not because they didn't want to, but because they had no other choice.
These experts from the Northern Barbarians are good at charging into battle, but when it comes to acquiring silver, there's only one thing in their minds: robbery.
But we can't mobilize troops now.
So, I don't know what to do.
"Alright, let's adjourn the court. My dear ministers, go back and think of a solution. This matter concerns the fate of our Northern Barbarian Kingdom, and we cannot afford to be careless."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" the ministers bowed and replied.
Then he retreated.
When only Xiao Shi was in the empty hall, the weariness on her face could no longer be concealed.
After sitting for a while, he got up and left the Chaotian Hall.
He addressed the approaching eunuch, "Has the King of Qin's mother arrived?"
"They've arrived. The Crown Princess has already gone to the Prince's residence. Tonight, His Highness Prince Qin will accompany the Old Madam to the palace," the eunuch hurriedly reported.
Lady Xiao said softly, "I hereby bestow upon the Qin King's mother, Lady Lu, the title of First-Rank Imperial Lady, a box of pearls, and ten headdresses. Send them over now. After the items are delivered, there is no need for formalities when you see the imperial decree."
"Yes, sir!" the eunuch replied and quickly withdrew.
He couldn't help but sigh inwardly. His Majesty was too good to the Prince of Qin. His son was nothing special, and now even the few things the palace had were being given to the Prince of Qin's mother.
He knew these jewels and pearls well. When His Majesty sold off palace items last month, he deliberately left these behind, saying they were prepared for Lu Yuan's mother to come.
"Sigh, I wonder when this year of disaster will end." The eunuch thought to himself, and quickened his pace.
However, at that moment, he felt a slight coolness on his cheek.
I was terrified and looked up.
In the dark sky, snowflakes as big as goose feathers began to fall.
For a moment, he stood there stunned, and it took him a while to react.
The wrinkles on his old face had increased even more.
Even the imperial city is experiencing such heavy snowfall, let alone the outside world.
It seems even Heaven is against the Northern Barbarians.
He felt extremely bitter.
But they dared not linger and disappeared into the wind and snow a moment later.
At this moment, everyone else was the same except for him.
The harsh winter of the northern barbarians has truly arrived at this moment.
By evening, the snow had already covered our ankles.
Lu Yuan, accompanied by his mother and Xiao Hua, arrived at the palace.
The palace servants are working hard to sweep away the fallen snow.
The stove in Qinghui Hall was burning brightly, and when Lu Yuan and his group entered, the table was already laden with delicious food.
Just as Madam Lu was about to perform the ceremony, Madam Xiao stopped her.
The latter held Lu Yuan's mother's hand and said with a smile, "You are A Yuan's mother, so we are family. I may be a few years older than you, but we can call each other sisters from now on. There's no need to be so polite."
It was the first time that Madam Lu had met such an important person, so she was naturally a little nervous. However, seeing her son beside her calmed her down a bit.
Then he sat down next to Madam Xiao at the table.
The four of them were just like a family.
They were having a family reunion dinner.
During the meal, Madam Xiao did not mention the court's difficulties, nor did Lu Yuan inquire about them.
After a few drinks, Mrs. Lu relaxed considerably.
He gradually found himself getting along well with Xiao Hua's mother.
When Lu Yuan was about to leave that evening, Lu Shi was even kept in the palace overnight.
After all, Lady Xiao lived alone in the palace for many years, and she was quite depressed. There was no one in the entire Northern Barbarian lands with whom she could have a heart-to-heart talk.
Now that Lu Yuan's mother has arrived, he has finally found a good friend.
I naturally want him to spend more time with me.
Lu Yuan was pleased to see this, since his mother had just arrived and was probably feeling bored being alone in the mansion. It would be much better if she had someone to keep her company.
Upon returning to the palace, Lu Yuan did not rest but chose to continue his cultivation.
Two years later, the Northern Barbarians' attack made him feel like he had a thorn in his side.
Although Tianwangzhai is now a thorn in the side of the buffer zone, he is still not at ease.
Having served in the Dayong army, he naturally knew just how great Dayong's war potential was.
Their medicinal herb fields are cultivated on a large scale.
There are more alchemists.
The Ministry of Works, which manufactures machinery, has branches in every prefecture.
This doesn't even include private sales.
Given time, the Imperial Guard can be replenished continuously.
This is why Dayong dared to invest directly in the buffer zone; they didn't really care about those resources.
The struggle for the throne among several princes can easily trigger a massive war involving millions of people; it's not something an ordinary person can afford to dabble in.
In contrast, the northern barbarians were weakened by internal strife and were difficult to revolt against, and there were still twelve vassal states that refused to submit.
If you relax even slightly, it will lead to utter disaster in two years.
While Lu Yuan was cultivating, the Seventh Prince, who had returned to the capital of Dayong, was officially appointed as the Crown Prince of Dayong, enjoying immense prestige.
In the former residence, now in the newly expanded Crown Prince's residence.
Zhao Yu, Zhang Zhe, and others have all arrived.
Among them were many of Xun Gui's disciples.
The Crown Prince smiled and said, "Two years from now will be the day we attack the Northern Barbarians. At that time, I will need your help to completely solidify my position as Crown Prince."
"We will definitely do our best to help," the group quickly replied.
Zhang Zhe chuckled and said, "Even the heavens are on Your Highness's side. I just heard that it has started snowing in the Northern Barbarian capital, and as for the wasteland, it is now filled with cries of despair."
Countless people have frozen or starved to death.
Two years from now, I'm afraid the Northern Barbarians will disintegrate on their own, without Your Highness even needing to intervene.
"Hehe, I heard that Lu Yuan was actually granted a royal title after going to the Northern Barbarians. If even someone like that can rise to power, how long can the Northern Barbarian court hold out?" Zhao Yu said with a smile.
The prince reclined, his cheeks flushed, and raised his wine cup: "You're right. Let's drink, let's drink, and in two years we'll conquer the Northern Barbarians."
Let's see if the Qin King of the Northern Barbarians will still be able to save him then.
"Zhang Zhe, at that time, Lu Yuan will be handled by you."
While speaking, he raised his glass and drank the wine in one gulp.
Everyone else also downed their drinks in one gulp.
"I heard that Lu Yuan has set up an academy in the Northern Barbarian Lands, and it's quite a big deal," a disciple of a noble family said after finishing his drink.
"Haha, I've heard about this before. Nobody believes it. With his methods, he might fool some idiots, but who would believe him?"
"Back then, my uncle searched through all his connections and only managed to buy a third-grade cultivation technique. Yet, this academy of mine was spreading the word that ordinary students could cultivate third-grade techniques, and that there were even fifth and sixth-grade techniques to follow. What normal person would believe that?" Zhang Zhe said nonchalantly.
Although he is still a captain, because of his status as the son-in-law of the Prince of Polu and the occasional care from the Crown Prince, no one dares to underestimate him.
Those who follow the Crown Prince are now riding high, and even Zhang Zhe is more spirited than ever.
At this moment, the Crown Prince said with some regret, "It's a pity that the Chief of the Heavenly King Village is still presiding over the buffer zone and cannot enter the pass, otherwise we could raise a glass together today."
He now trusts the chieftain of Tianwang Village completely.
He turned the tide against all odds and ascended to the position of crown prince. I am very fortunate to have such a subordinate.
Now, I almost consider him my right-hand man.
"Your Highness is right. We also greatly admire Chief Tianwang. When we have the chance to meet, we must offer him a few more drinks," Zhang Zhe was the first to agree.
The Crown Prince laughed and said, "Haha, that's for sure. If you meet him in the future, you should all get close to him and make sure you don't make him unhappy."
These words, though seemingly a joke, already established the status of Tianwang Village in the eyes of this prince.
The crowd below paused for a moment, then quickly replied, "Of course."
The banquet at the Crown Prince's residence was very lively.
Meanwhile, the weather in the northern barbarians was getting colder and colder.
The next morning, the snow had become even deeper, almost reaching the calves.
The people living in the city are doing better.
In the wilderness, the roofs of many tribes collapsed under the weight of the rain.
Prime Minister Li Qing didn't sleep all night, sending people everywhere to collect data.
When Xiao learned during the morning court session that the disaster relief funds would need to be doubled, a bitter smile appeared on her face.
Where could she possibly find nearly five billion taels of silver?
Even during the peak of the Northern Barbarians' power, this was by no means a small number.
Li Qing stood below with a somber expression.
Grand Master Xiao Gu's already serious face now appeared even darker, even somewhat sinister.
After a moment of contemplation, he stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, this matter must be resolved as soon as possible. I suggest that the court officials and members of the imperial family donate silver."
To help the imperial court overcome this difficulty.
After saying that, he took out a stack of silver notes from his pocket: "I voluntarily donate ten million taels of silver. I don't mind if it's one tael less or ten million taels more."
"You all have received the court's favor in your daily lives; now it's time for you to do your part."
After saying that, he looked at Xiao Lie beside him and said, "Go to the capital and notify all the members of the imperial clan to donate silver. Tell them that they can donate less, but they cannot not donate at all. The imperial clan and the court are one."
"Yes."
Xiao Lie responded and then withdrew.
He was walking very hurriedly.
At this point, he couldn't help but be anxious.
If the silver runs out quickly, countless people will freeze to death.
Perhaps by charging an extra tael of silver, a life could be saved.
Li Qing also stepped forward and said, "I will donate five million taels of silver. I will send someone to the mansion to collect the silver immediately."
"I'll offer one million taels."
"I'll contribute three million vehicles."
......
After a morning, the imperial court had raised 240 million taels of silver. Although this was not a small amount, it was still a drop in the ocean compared to the total amount of over 5 billion taels.
But this is the last resort.
Now, the Northern Barbarian court simply cannot afford any more.
Xiao Hua sat beside her mother, head down, silent, a look of sorrow in her eyes.
Xiao waved her hand and said to Li Qing, "Use all this silver to buy grain and cotton clothes, and send them to various places as soon as possible."
"Save as many as you can."
There was a hint of helplessness in her tone.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Li Qing replied hastily.
Lu Yuan, however, did not come today, as he was in the southern city, dressed in a black python robe with a jade belt around his waist.
On her feet were a pair of deerskin embroidered boots.
With his tall and upright figure, handsome face, and an air of nobility, he made men feel ashamed of their own appearance, while women stared at Lu Yuan, their eyes almost glued to him.
The reason he didn't attend court was entirely because students had started registering to buy houses that day, and Cai Chong had been waiting outside the courtyard since early morning to tell Lu Yuan the news.
So he led Wei Yong and the others over in a flurry of activity.
"The Qian family of Dayu purchased three manors and enrolled fifteen students."
"The Zhuge family of Dongyi purchased two manors and enrolled ten students."
"The Mu family of Xirong has purchased a small courtyard."
"The Bei Ye family of Dayu purchased three small courtyards."
"The Hong family of Dayu has purchased an estate."
......
As the numbers were read out one after another.
Looking at the long queue.
A smile appeared on Lu Yuan's lips.
This time they really made a fortune.
The first day of enrollment did not completely end until after dark.
However, there were still people queuing.
But we can only wait until tomorrow.
Lu Yuan sat in the front hall of the Prince's Mansion, and Cai Chongxing hurriedly came over with an account book.
The day's gains far exceeded his expectations, leaving him almost completely overwhelmed.
I never imagined that making money could be so easy.
Looking at him, Lu Yuan knew that he had made a lot of progress today. He glanced at Cai Chong, waved his hand and said, "I won't look at the ledger. You tell me yourself how many houses you sold today."
The imperial court is currently short of silver; with this, it should be able to tide us over."
After he finished speaking, a hint of anticipation appeared in his eyes.