Chapter 42: Recognition and a beating
The bank is only a social institution in Yun Ye’s dream. It is impossible to complete the establishment of such a huge institution with one’s own abilities. One has no money, no power, no connections, and even more importantly, no necessary social experience. So it can only be thought of. Now selling Li Chengqian is the best I can do.
The appeal of the crown prince is not given for free. In ten days, the rich families, the great families, and the merchants have been working hard to raise food, and the large and small grain carts are about to flood the Zuowuwei camp. No one mentions money anymore, they just hope to meet the crown prince, even though His Highness the crown prince may not be able to see them, but they are satisfied with being able to sit in the crown prince’s tent and receive a bowl of fried tea. The terrifying royal education is too abnormal.
Li Chengqian, dressed in full ceremonial robes, sat high in the head seat. Every ten merchants passed through a rigorous body search before entering the tent to chat with His Highness the Prince. It was more like the prince lecturing than talking. His slow voice, elegant speech, just-right gestures, and gentle smile made Yun Ye vomit three liters.
The merchants, the nobles, and the great families were all sincerely convinced. Look, the patriarch in the Confucian clothes was listening to the prince’s witty remarks like drinking fine wine, nodding frequently, and sitting on an embroidered stool, practicing the horse riding squat. The old Confucian, with half a hundred years of age, practiced this posture for a meal, and his feet did not shake at all, making Yun Ye, who had been in military training for half a year, ashamed.
The one who has already become a mess, the chill of late autumn cannot stop the blood from boiling, and it is already boiling and smoking. The white vapor is steaming above his head, and he has already reached the realm of the three flowers gathering at the top and the five qi toward the yuan. It’s just that he sweats like rain, and I don’t know what kind of strange art he is practicing.
These two are still good, their skills are deep and they can withstand it. The merchant lying on the ground pounded his head on the ground and wanted to learn the skills of the earth spirit?
His Highness the Prince is so generous that he ignores the ugly behavior of the people and helps the merchants who are lying on the ground to get up one by one. He also says to the people without sitting down, “Just now, I, as the Prince of the Great Tang, received a bow from you, the wise and virtuous, as a sign of respect. Now I am just a junior, so you don’t have to be too . This time, I am grateful for everyone’s help in raising the grain. Longyou has been civilized for many years, and today’s prosperity is all thanks to you, the wise and virtuous. I will definitely submit a report to the emperor on your contributions, one by one. I am moved by your benevolence and righteousness, and I have prepared a small gift to honor you as a good family.”
Yun Ye came on stage, and eight strong men in full armor entered in two rows, holding their swords with murderous intent. Behind them were two eunuchs carrying wooden trays covered with red silk. Yun Ye walked up and lifted the silk to reveal a scroll of parchment on one tray and a silver medal on the other. Yun Ye took the first document and shouted at the old scholar, “The Prince’s teaching: Zhou Ting Song kneels to receive it!”
The old scholar Zhou Tingsong fell to his knees at Yun Ye’s feet: “Commoner Zhou Tingsong accepts the teaching of the crown prince.”
“I have heard that in the Longyou Road, Lanzhou County, there is a man named Zhou Ting Song who is good at doing good deeds in the village and has outstanding virtues. The old scholar heard the prince’s teachings and knocked his head on the ground, making a loud sound. After encouragement, his legs were dragging on the ground and he could not stand up. He stood up with the help of the eunuch, his hands shaking like a stroke, and tears flowing like a river.
Yun Ye didn’t care, took the silver medal engraved with the family name of the family of courtesy and kindness, and clipped it to the old scholar’s chest with the clip on the back. The apricot-colored ribbon fluttered under the silver medal, which looked very beautiful. The old scholar covered the silver medal and knelt on the ground, unable to stop crying.
Yun Ye pounded his chest and shouted, “The ceremony is complete!” The eight soldiers also pounded their chests and shouted in unison, “The ceremony is complete!”
The other nine people in the tent were stunned. The old scholar only had 100 more sacks of grain than they did, and he received such a prestigious honor. This person who practiced the Three-Flower-Gathering-on-the-Top Divine Art had red eyes and signs of obsession. He lay on the ground and refused to get up no matter how much he was persuaded. He only said that his family still had 1,000 sacks of new grain and was willing to serve the prince.
“The royal favor only recognizes those who are sincere and respectful, and cannot be exchanged for mere money and grain.” Yun Ye knew that rewards could only be given sparingly. They could not be given indiscriminately, otherwise their value would be affected, and the benefits would not outweigh the losses. Moreover, now that the old scholar had set an example, there was no need to worry about getting grain.
The old scholar Zhou Tingsong was in a position of power, his chest puffed out, his hands behind his back, and he walked like a king. He showed off his power in front of the people of Longyou, and his two sons sped up their horses and raised enough food to transport 2,000 stone. At this time, Longyou had raised 300,000 stone of food, basically achieving the purpose of the old Cheng.
An angel arrived in the capital with a secret order for Cheng Yaojin. Li Chenggan and Yun Ye were each given 20 lashes.
When he saw Yun Ye being punished, Old Cheng actually smiled and said to the angel who was administering the punishment, “This kid really needs a beating. I haven’t been able to find an excuse lately, but now the Empress has given me a reason to vent my anger.
The wooden board was hit on his buttocks, and Yun Ye screamed in pain. Who could he tell about his grievances?
Twenty strokes, twenty strokes, if it doesn’t affect the return to the capital, it won’t affect the return to the capital. The two who beat the board had long practiced and were perfect. There was no trace of blood on his bruised buttocks. Fortunately, he wasn’t the only one being beaten. Next to him was the prince of the Great Tang, who was howling. Originally, the prince only groaned with each blow, but he couldn’t resist the passionate and unrestrained screams of Yun Ye next to him.
The prince, Yun Ye, was beaten, and Lao Cheng and Lao Niu raised their glasses to celebrate. Since seeing the mountains of grain in the barracks, Lao Cheng and Lao Niu’s faces had eased, and they were determined to mobilize the Longyou civilian workers to transport grain to the capital.
Yun Ye did not know what order Old Cheng had received, but he did not take the impending locust plague seriously. Old Niu, who had vowed never to let anyone starve to death, no longer seemed worried, but rather looked like a wise man in control of the situation.
No matter what they do, they have done their duty, and if there is trouble again, it is not their business. It’s just that this beating is really a bit unfair. Li Er beat me. He is the emperor, and he can beat whoever he wants. But when did I offend the empress, the famous virtuous empress in history, why is she picking on me? Yun Ye couldn’t figure it out.
The imperial decree said that the entire Zuowei army would be ordered to return to the capital and arrive on a certain date. This meant that they had to leave within five days, and the task of transporting the grain was handed over to the local government. Yun Ye was in charge of the Zuowei army’s grain procurement, and the accounts and financial transfers before and after this could not be accounted for clearly in a short time. The grain transfer was a major event, and it could not be entrusted to others.
It was dark, Yun Ye was tired and hungry, and his butt was still hurting badly. He glanced at the prince’s tent as he passed by, and suddenly his lungs exploded. Why should I, a worker, have to work with an injury? You, the prince, are lying on a soft couch, and someone is feeding you grapes one by one? And you pick the best ones, and you keep saying, “Xiao Ye was also beaten by the empress, and he is not feeling well. Leave the rest of the grapes to Xiao Ye.”