kingnovel Chapter 386 Bribe: A tray full of 1 silver notes
Chapter 386 Bribe: A tray full of 1 silver notes
Yu Jiusi used the lid to skim the foam in the teacup from time to time, listening with great interest to Ning Shunyou's complaints.
Ning Shunyou gradually got better and began to wipe away tears:
"General, I feel sorry for the people under my rule, but even a skilled cook cannot cook without rice. Tell me, between letting the people starve to death and letting grain merchants enter the city to give them hope of life, which one should I choose?"
Yu Jiusi flicked the foam on the lid of the cup onto the ground. "It seems that Governor Ning is a person who likes to make choices."
He didn't respond, which made Ning Shunyou, who had prepared his words, stunned: "What do you mean by this?"
"Do you have to choose?" Yu Jiusi asked, looking into his eyes.
Ning Shunyou looked straight at Yu Jiusi and said, "I have no other choice."
He acted as if he was indifferent, as if all the choices he made were made out of helplessness.
"Prefect Ning loves his people like his own children." Yu Jiusi praised him and stood up to ask, "Where is your palace's honorable chamber?"
This question was not in line with the current atmosphere. Even Ning Shunyou was stunned by him. After a moment, he called the butler: "Take Langjiang to the Gongfang."
After Yu Jiusi came back from washing his hands, he shook off the water and asked about the disaster situation in Changnan Prefecture.
"Prefect Ning, Changnan Prefecture has been hit by a disaster. I think the situation in the city is not too bad, but I have heard a lot along the way that the situation in some counties and towns under the prefecture is not optimistic."
"That's right." Ning Shunyou said to him with a sad face, "The situation in Jimu County is the most serious. It has been raining lightly in recent days, and almost half of the county is flooded."
He paused, hinting: "Fortunately, Jimu County is adjacent to the river, and the terrain is not too low. If the river is dredged in time to release the flood, there is still a way to alleviate the disaster. The Japanese officials went there once two days ago. At this time, the only way to travel in the county is by boat."
Not to mention Yu Jiusi, even Xue Mai understood this.
Sure enough, Ning Shunyou glanced at Yu Jiusi and continued:
"But in the past two months, several counties in Luzhou Prefecture have also been affected and suffered several small floods. However, the governor of Luzhou has not dared to dredge the flood waters, fearing that it would make things worse for us, considering the situation in Changnan Prefecture. Speaking of which, the governor of Luzhou is selfless, and when the disaster eases a little, I will personally go to his house to thank him."
Yu Jiusi said "Oh" and asked him with a half-smile, "What Prefect Ning meant is that the Luzhou Prefecture above has not dared to dredge the river to release the flood because of your Changnan Prefecture?"
Ning Shunyou frowned, "Langjiang, this is a very interesting question. You came from above. The relief grain that came with you into the city also came by boat. Don't you know whether Luzhou Prefecture has released floodwaters?"
Yu Jiusi nodded in understanding, "Yes, I should know that."
Xue Mai became anxious when he heard this.
Why didn't the general expose this beastly prefect?
Isn't Langjiang the one who knows best whether Luzhoufu has released floodwaters? He personally led people to rescue the cargo ship, so why didn't Langjiang refute this beast at this time?
He quietly moved to Yu Jiusi's side, and the hilt of the sword "accidentally" touched Yu Jiusi's arm.
Yu Jiusi looked up, and the two of them looked at each other. Xue Mai's eyes almost burst into anger: This beast, expose him! He let the merchants in, and he also got his permission to buy high-priced grain. Luzhou Prefecture did not release the flood as he said, but blocked the cargo ship halfway!
Yu Jiusi gave him a calm look in response.
Xue Mai knew that he was just a military man. Even if he could barely understand the twists and turns in the conversation, it would be extremely difficult for him to deal with it.
So even though he was extremely anxious at this moment, he could only stand beside Yu Jiusi and carefully observe his every move.
He thought to himself: We are both military generals, why is it that Lang Jiang is so calm?
Yu Jiusi took a sip of tea and said to Ning Shunyou:
"Normally, the relief grains shipped from various prefectures should be handed over to you, Prefect Ning, for collection and distribution. But this time, His Majesty paid special attention to the relief grains from various places and specifically instructed that not a single grain should be missing. That's why the court appointed me to come here to guard the relief grains from various places. In the future, Prefect Ning, please don't blame me for overstepping my authority."
Ning Shunyou smiled back at him, with gratitude on his face: "Of course not. This time the disaster has affected a large area of the city, and I am very busy. Langjiang's coming here is a great help to me."
Yu Jiusi raised his cup towards him and said, "That's good."
The two smiled at each other. Yu Jiusi was silent for a moment and then instructed Xue Mai:
"Governor Ning trusts us, so we must not cause him any trouble. How about this? I will ask Governor Ning to lend me a capable person. You can follow him to learn about the situation in the county and town first, and then command your soldiers to transport the food to the county and town in the prefecture first."
Xue Mai was stunned, and asked, "Shall I go? General, you are not going?"
A trace of impatience flashed across Yu Jiusi's face. "I will discuss disaster relief with Prefect Ning. You guys go and deliver the food first."
Xue Mai looked at Yu Jiusi with confusion in his eyes, but he still chose to believe Yu Jiusi.
"Then I will go. Governor Ning, where are you going to find him?"
Ning Shunyou told him a name, and Xue Mai was ordered to leave.
After he left, only Yu Jiusi and Ning Shunyou were left in the hall. The housekeeper walked in quietly and put a tray on the small table next to Yu Jiusi.
Ning Shunyou glanced at the tray and apologized:
"General, I heard that an ignorant soldier bumped into you at the city gate just now. I was so angry that I wanted to peel his skin off with my own hands to apologize to you."
Yu Jiusi smiled softly, "No need for Prefect Ning to do it for me. I have already detained the person and I will deal with him myself."
Ning Shunyou's face froze for a moment, then he stood up and walked forward, uncovering the cloth covering the tray.
He looked into Yu Jiusi's eyes and said in a deep voice:
"It is my fault for not disciplining him strictly. But I still hope that you will understand. No matter what, the soldier is my subordinate. If he did something wrong, it would be better for me to deal with him personally."
Yu Jiusi didn't look at the tray, but looked at him.
He went on to say, "First, it is to avoid dirtying your hands. Second, you are now a general specially appointed by the court. How many eyes are watching you? If you really deal with him, some people with ulterior motives may accuse you of "overstepping one's authority". So no matter what, it will be more trouble than gain for you."
After Ning Shunyou finished speaking, he picked up the tray on the table and placed it just in front of Yu Jiusi.
When Yu Jiusi saw clearly what was on it, his heart suddenly tightened and the mask he had been wearing for so long almost broke.
He curled his fingers and subconsciously tried to pull them back into his sleeves to cover them, but the armor was tied around his wrists and there were no wide sleeves.
It's not gold, nor silver, but...
A tray full of hundred-liang silver notes.