Chapter 453: Shanyang Shock
Chapter 453: Shanyang Shock (Part )
Xiao Xia led three hundred cavalrymen northward along the official road. The official road was close to the canal. The canal was still being dredged in full swing, but it was nearing completion. Fences were being built on many sections of the river, and they were preparing to dig out the last five-foot isolation mud wall, and the canal would be completed.
This was also the most amazing report card that Xiao Xia was going to hand over to the imperial court. The 600-mile-long Shanyang Canal was widened and dredged without the death of a single laborer and without costing the imperial court a penny.
Compared with the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people and the riots of civilians in the later period of Tongji Canal, the two are simply heaven and hell.
Five days later, Xiao Xia and his party arrived in Shanyang County, where they would cross the Huai River and continue northward.
The cavalry passed by a long fleet. These were all grain transport ships with flags of official grain flying on them. Xiao Xia frowned, remembering that he had approved 500,000 dan of tax grain to go north a month ago and wanted to transport it to Luoyang before the river froze. Could this be the batch of grain?
Seeing that the boats were parked by the river without a single soldier guarding them, Xiao Xia became even more worried. He stopped his horse and said, "Go find the leader of the fleet for me!"
Soon, a middle-aged man was brought up, knelt down and saluted, saying: "Your Highness, I am the manager of the fleet!"
"Is this the 500,000 tons of tax grain sent to Luoyang?" Xiao Xia asked.
"Exactly!"
Sure enough, it was the batch of grain from a month ago. Xiao Xia asked dissatisfiedly: "I approved it a month ago, why hasn't it left Jiangdu yet?"
"Reporting to Your Highness, because the Tongji Canal is being dredged, the river is blocked and we can only anchor here. We have been here for 20 days. I heard that the waterway from the Huai River to the Grand Canal is completely blocked."
Xiao Xia looked back and asked, "How many ships are there in total?"
"Reporting to Your Highness, there are a total of 450 cargo ships."
"There are hundreds of ships without any soldiers guarding them. What if someone steals the food? And it's December now. The rivers in the Central Plains are frozen. Don't you know that?"
The steward bowed his head and said, "We know, but there is nothing we can do. The order from above is to send it to Luoyang before the end of the year. I dare not disobey the order!"
Xiao Xia was both angry and amused. Isn't it the same thing if he doesn't dare to disobey the order and stops here?
"The fleet will turn around and return to Jiangdu immediately, and we will send it again in the spring of next year!"
"I will obey your order and promise to go back today!" The person in charge ran into the city to find the boatman.
It was already late at this time, so Xiao Xia decided to stay in Shanyang County for one night and cross the Huai River early the next morning.
The magistrate of Shanyang County was Miao Zhi, a native of Xia Pi County. He was originally a captain in the army. He participated in the war to destroy Chen and made great contributions. He was named the lieutenant of Shanyang County and has now been promoted to county magistrate.
"I, Miao Zhi, the magistrate of Shanyang County, pay my respects to His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin!"
Xiao Xia nodded, "No need to be polite, County Magistrate Miao!"
Miao Zhi smiled flatteringly and said, "Your Highness, you have worked hard on the journey. Please go to the VIP hotel and rest!"
Xiao Xia said calmly: "I'm just passing by, take a rest for a night, everyone go home!"
Xiao Xia then arrived at the VIP guesthouse of Shanyang County, escorted by three hundred cavalrymen. This VIP guesthouse, which covers an area of 20 acres, was built when the late Emperor Yang Jian stayed here. Currently, officials above the fifth rank can also rest here.
Xiao Xia sat down and drank some hot tea to warm her stomach.
Zhang Qiao stepped forward and whispered, "Sir, that county magistrate looks treacherous and doesn't seem like a good person. We should be careful."
Xiao Xia put his arm around her waist and smiled, "He's just a small county magistrate, so it's normal for him to be nervous. I guess it's because the scar on his face is too ugly and he looks a bit fierce. He used to be a general in the army, so you can understand."
Zhang Qiao's pretty face flushed. She glanced at the hall, where several personal soldiers were packing their luggage. She whispered, "It's daytime now, it's not good if others see us." Xiao Xia smiled slightly and said, "Then let's go to the room, so no one can see us!"
Zhang Qiao lowered his eyes and said, "Without a proper name and without proper words, how can I be alone in a room with you, young master?"
Xiao Xia suddenly realized, "Young Senior Sister finally wants to be justified?"
Zhang Qiao rolled his eyes at him, "Do you understand now?"
In the back house of the county government office, the county magistrate Miao Zhi was also upset. He never expected that His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin would come today, which would ruin his plans.
Miao Zhi is fifty years old this year. He was originally Yuwen Shu's confidant and made great contributions in the attack on Southern Chen. He was the first Sui army soldier to land on the south bank and had the merit of being the first to reach the shore. Yuwen Shu recommended him to be the lieutenant of Shanyang County based on his request.
Three years ago, he was promoted to county magistrate. After all, Miao Zhi had a low level of education, and being a county magistrate was the top of his career. With no future in the officialdom, he began to pursue money, hoping to make some money to support himself in his old age and leave it to his descendants.
But it is not easy to get rich in Shanyang, a small county.
However, relying on Shanyang County's key position on the canal, we can engage in freight business. With the Grand Canal about to be opened, if we can own a fleet of several hundred ships to transport goods on the canal, money will roll in.
He took a fancy to a fleet of three hundred 500-dan cargo ships. The other party asked for 15,000 guan (ten thousand strings of cash) for it, an average of 50 guan (ten thousand strings of cash) per ship. This price was not expensive at all. Now was the golden age of water transportation. Just buying a second-hand 500-dan cargo ship would cost at least 80 guan (ten thousand strings of cash), but the other party only wanted 50 guan (ten thousand strings of cash).
But even if it was cheaper, he couldn't afford it. His entire savings were less than two thousand strings of cash. He could only watch helplessly as the fleet was bought by someone else, which made him feel extremely disappointed and painful.
Just then, his nephew Miao Haichao found him.
Miao Haichao has been a ruffian since he was a child. When he grew up, he was brave and fought hard, and became the leader of the ruffians in Xia Pi County. Later, because of murder, he fled to Donghai County and became a bandit. Now he is a bandit leader with thousands of men under his command.
At this time, due to the dredging of the canal, Shanyang County had stockpiled a large amount of grain and its defense was relaxed, so it was targeted by Miao Haichao, who wanted to rob the grain. At the same time, he promised to give hundreds of ships loaded with grain to his uncle and guaranteed to refit the ships.
Of course, Miao Haichao also had a condition, which was to let Miao Zhi delay for two days so that he could calmly hide the food and the ship.
Miao Zhi considered it for three days and finally agreed to his nephew's request. A man cannot become rich without unexpected wealth, a horse cannot grow fat without night grass, and wealth and honor are achieved through risk. Without taking risks, how could he realize his dream?
The two parties agreed on a meeting date of tonight, but Miao Zhi never expected that His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin would arrive today and stay at the VIP guesthouse.
Miao Zhi suddenly became anxious and immediately wrote an urgent letter. Halfway through, he remembered that his nephew was illiterate, so he had to stop writing and call a trusted subordinate.
"Go to Sanhe Town. There is a Dalin Inn there. It is the only inn in the town. Tell the innkeeper that I sent you. Ask him to immediately tell Miao Haichao that the operation will be postponed for three days because there are special circumstances tonight."
The subordinate agreed, mounted his horse and hurried away.
At dusk, Miao Zhi stood with his hands behind his back at the west city wall, looking solemnly at the hundreds of ships anchored on the canal not far outside the city. The ships were full of grain and covered with oilcloth.
It is said that there are 500,000 dan of grain. If it is sold, it will be worth more than 100,000 strings of cash!
At this moment, the fleet suddenly moved and began to move slowly. The leading ship slowly turned around and began to head south, and the rumbling oars began to turn.
Miao Zhi was stunned. What was going on? The grain fleet that had been stationary for half a month started to turn around and sail?
He quickly sent a man to inquire, and soon his man came back to report, "It was His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin who ordered them to return to Jiangdu, and they dared not disobey!"
Miao Zhi secretly groaned in his heart, how could it be such a coincidence that he had to leave tonight? Now Miao Haichao would be disappointed in the next few days.
(End of this chapter)