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MTL - Fairy, Please Let Me Explain-Chapter 224 market
Chapter 224 Bazaar
"Squeak—"
Following the soft knock of the wooden door of the carriage, a cotton boot stepped out slowly, stepping on the thick snow below.
Getting off the carriage, Xu Yuan's eyes immediately fell on the city wall not far away that seemed to be as tall as a cloud.
The heavy snow all over the sky seriously hindered the line of sight, but it did not affect the majesty of the mountain-like city wall in front of you.
The whole picture is hidden in the wind and snow, like a giant monster crawling on the ground.
Due to the war, a curfew was imposed on the northern city, and all goods were not allowed to enter the city at night, and the south gate would not be opened until dawn to accept business travelers.
Thinking silently in his heart, Xu Yuan's eyes turned to the rest of the team.
The wind and snow were whistling, and within sight, these carriages loaded with goods were lined up neatly.
Different in size, the largest pack monster is even as high as ten feet, and many of the frames have been covered with a thick layer of snow.
Xu Yuan shook his head lightly, let out a breath of hot air, and muttered to himself:
"Military vehicle frame. Such a scale, is it all ordnance?"
"The third son was joking."
Li Yunqing also got out of the car and came to him at some point, and suddenly laughed out loud: "How can there be so many carriages full of ordnance, the entire Beifeng City consumes a lot of food and grass every day."
Xu Yuan patted the falling snow on his shoulder, turned around and said with a smile:
"Your Highness, why don't you come down, don't you think it's cold?"
Li Yunqing glanced at his frame and said with a smile:
"My second brother reads there all day, without saying a word, and comes down to get some air."
After leaving Beijing for a certain distance, Xu Yuan asked someone to buy an extra carriage at a post station.
He and Li Qingyan share a car, and the two princes share a car, which is convenient for resting.
And with Li Yunqing's personality, living in the same room with Li Zhaoyuan could really suffocate him to death.
Because of this, Xu Yuan understood Li Yunqing's words instantly.
After getting along for a month, Li Yunqing didn't mention it, and the second prince's temperament was almost understood.
I don't know if it's just pretending, but the second prince is very serious, he is very calm in what he says and does, and does not leak.
Being a leader is very reassuring, but getting along with others is a bit boring.
Of course, this is as a playmate. If it is business, Xu Yuan still likes to do business with people like the second prince.
Reliable.
paused for a moment,
Xu Yuan turned to look at the giant beasts lying in the wind and snow, and said:
"With such a heavy snowstorm, the northern border should have a hard time this year."
Li Yunqing sighed, with a hint of embarrassment in his voice:
"The wind and snow are too heavy. The fertile fields in the northern part of the three continents will probably lose their harvest this year. Didn't we see it along the way? If it weren't for the imperial court's disaster relief, tens of millions of people have starved to death in the past few months."
“.”
Xu Yuan was silent when he heard the words.
He has seen similar information in the internal reference of Xiangguo Mansion.
But reading thousands of books is not as good as traveling thousands of miles, and words cannot be as real as what you see with your own eyes.
The weather in Di'an City was good, but after they traveled northward for half a month, the temperature began to drop sharply, first there was sleet, and then the road was blocked by heavy snow.
Prices in some towns along the way began to rise uncontrollably.
The food price in Di'an City is about four to five cents a catty, and in Manzhang County, which is close to Beifeng City, the grain price has soared to ten cents a catty.
The reason for the small increase is that the government has released a large amount of stored grain into the market, and the imperial court has sent many imperial envoys to deal with those traders who hoarded grain to make the country rich.
Although the officials in the extraordinary world are greedy, they generally don’t dare to be too greedy, because there might be a cultivator hiding in the dark and staring at you.
However, these are all within the city, and the towns passing through some remote areas can only be described with one word.
Hunger is everywhere, and there are no corpses left.
The heavy snow crushed houses and countless people died of freezing.
Li Yunqing sighed leisurely:
"My son-in-law, are you saying that Father and the others are really right in choosing to use troops against the barbarians under such circumstances?"
“.”
Xu Yuan didn't reply immediately.
And at this time,
Li Qingyan stepped down from the carriage with long legs, holding a red jacket in his hand: "What are you guys talking about? Where is the second emperor brother?"
Li Yunqing spread his hands: "Brother Huang is reading in the car, and my son-in-law and I are talking about the heavy snow in the northern border."
Li Qingyan did not speak after hearing this, and silently walked to Xu Yuan's side, and while helping him put it on, he ordered:
"If your cultivation level is low, you should wear more clothes to protect yourself from the cold. If you go further north, the tremors in the sky and the ground can't even withstand the normal fourth-rank."
Xu Yuan looked at the tall woman beside him with surprise in his eyes, and did not speak.
Li Yunqing saw this scene, curled his lips, pointed at himself and asked:
"Sister, where's mine?"
Li Qingyan glanced back at his younger brother, neither cold nor indifferent:
"Are you without hands?"
"." Li Yunqing.
Afterwards, Li Qingyan looked up at the dark sky, reached out to catch a crystal snowflake, and said softly:
"Little San, I don't know whether Father and the others made a right or wrong decision, but I know that if this trip goes well, it will be a merit."
Xu Yuan sighed silently in his heart.
Sin is in the present age, but merit is in the future?
The funds for the disaster relief in the northern border, plus the food and equipment to launch the war, if it succeeds, it’s okay, but if it fails, at least half of the treasury run by the emperor and the old man will be empty in these years.
Concentrating his mind, Xu Yuan suddenly asked:
"Wu Yuan, how long will it take to open the gates of this northern city?"
Li Qingyan replied flatly:
"If there is no change, there will be about half a quarter of an hour."
As she spoke, she raised her eyes and glanced at the sky, a fiery red flashed in her eyes.
Xu Yuan noticed her little movement, and also raised his eyes to take a look, but he didn't see anything, and asked softly:
"What are you looking at?"
Li Qingyan replied softly:
"Flying Scout."
"Flying scout?" Xu Yuan raised his eyebrows.
Li Qingyan patiently explained:
"Although the battle line has retreated to the Dali Mountain area, the battle is still going on. Naturally, if you want to open the city gate, you have to check the surrounding environment first."
While speaking, Li Qingyan suddenly turned his gaze to the direction of the city wall, and frowned:
"Brother Huang? What is he doing there?"
Xu Yuan subconsciously turned his eyes back, but unfortunately, because of the wind and snow, he couldn't see there from the distance.
“.”
Li Zhaoyuan, who was dressed in a brocade robe, arrived at the foot of the city wall alone at some point.
He stared at the traces left by the attack on the city wall, speechless for a long time.
After a while,
Sighed, slowly took out a pot of warm wine, and silently sprinkled it under Beifeng City.
was about to return to the convoy, but saw three people walking towards him stepping on the snow.
Walking closer, Li Yunqing asked with an inexplicable smile:
"Brother, are you paying homage to the sacrificed soldiers?"
Li Zhaoyuan's expression was flat:
"Not only soldiers, but also thousands of people in the northern border."
"Use a pot of clear wine to pay homage, the emperor has a heart." Li Yunqing cupped his hands.
Li Zhaoyuan didn't care whether the third prince was being sarcastic or sincere, and said in a low voice:
"With my current ability, this is the only way to go."
Li Yunqing squinted his eyes, smiled and said nothing, and didn't answer.
Li Qingyan just remained silent.
Xu Yuan looked at the marks on the city wall, his eyes flickered with blood, and suddenly said coldly:
"This trip is over, let's set up a monument for them."
“.”
Li Zhaoyuan nodded in agreement, and said: "This time when I return to Beijing, I will personally present my father, and let my father write inscriptions for these soldiers."
Xu Yuan shook his head and said:
"Too many, the emperor can't write it."
Be quiet for a moment.
The other three present all realized what Xu Yuan was talking about about erecting a monument.
Li Qingyan stared at his back and remained silent.
The two princes were slightly surprised.
Xu Yuan was not very surprised by this.
Every time there is a battle, there will be an inscription on the monument, and even the emperor of the previous dynasty personally went to the battlefield to collect the bones of the sacrificed soldiers.
But it was erected in the name of a collective.
Engraving everyone's name is still a bit ahead of the times in this feudal era.
But after thinking for a while, the two princes both figured out the benefits of the period.
Li Yunqing touched his chin:
"What the son-in-law said is feasible. With this honor, the soldiers should not be chilled, and it can also inspire them to be more courageous."
Li Zhaoyuan pondered for a while, then said:
"The act of erecting a monument requires careful consideration. Only those who have made meritorious deeds can go to this monument, and their celebrities will last through the ages."
Xu Yuan was indifferent for a moment, and said leisurely:
"Your Highness, I mean everyone."
"Everyone?" Li Zhaoyuan murmured.
Xu Yuan looked at him calmly:
"Who shed blood for the defense of the North, regardless of military or civilian.
"Giving your life for the northern border will naturally leave some traces of being in this world for them."
The words fell and there was silence.
Li Qingyan's beautiful eyes were complicated and she slightly pursed the corners of her lips
Half a quarter of an hour later, the city gate opened.
The heavy city gate was slowly lifted, and the deadly city gate began to make noise. There was a huge rumbling sound of hooves outside the city gate, and the snow on the ground set off a majestic snow fog.
But the next moment, a hurricane rose from the formation of the city wall, instantly blowing away the rising snow and fog.
Due to the war in the northern border, Beifeng City has been completely controlled by the military.
The checks on incoming and outgoing goods and personnel are extremely strict, but the soldiers at the city gates wearing cold military uniforms are already familiar with the process, and soon the city gates are like the mouthparts of a giant beast, and they begin to orderly supply various supplies to the city.
Because Xu Yuan and the others came here secretly, they had to line up to enter the city without revealing their identities.
Nowadays, military monster carriages enter the city first, and civilian caravans like Xu Yuan and the others can only be ranked behind.
While waiting utterly bored, when Xu Yuan opened the curtain of the carriage to look out, he unexpectedly saw a lot of ordinary carriages pulling goods.
After a moment of silence, Xu Yuan felt a little dumbfounded.
Now that the roads are blocked by heavy snow and supplies are in short supply, except for the price of food that is strictly controlled by the imperial court, the price of other consumables is skyrocketing, but these people dare to risk their lives to sell the goods.
The mentor does not deceive me.
Give the merchant a 300% profit, and it can even sell the rope to hang itself.
Close the curtain, sit and wait, the carriage moves forward little by little with the convoy.
After two quarters of an hour,
"Tuk Tuk Tuk—"
There was a knocking sound from outside the carriage, and then an impatient voice came from outside the carriage:
"The person in charge came down to inspect the goods. Hurry up, don't leave the ink marks, you'll be waiting later."
Xu Yuan glanced at Li Qingyan at the side.
Li Qingyan didn't speak, but opened the curtain slightly in a flat manner.
Xu Yuan also saw clearly the people outside at this time.
This is a middle-aged veteran who is nearly forty years old, wearing Dub's armor.
And when he saw Li Qingyan's appearance, his pupils shrank suddenly, his legs trembled, and he subconsciously wanted to kneel down, but he stopped halfway and noticed the killing intent in Li Qingyan's eyes, and kept his original tone:
"Oh, it turned out to be Lao Wang. He came here to do business when the road was blocked by heavy snow. Let's have a drink together next time."
While talking,
Dubo waved at the soldiers who were going to check the convoy:
"Okay, my acquaintance, let me go."
After the words fell, Xu Yuan and his team entered the city directly.
The streets in Beifeng City are a bit empty. The perennial wars have left this magnificent city with not many people. The streets are basically full of soldiers wearing standard armor, and among them are many large heroes who were hired by the court to fight. group.
The carriage dangled in the city,
Xu Yuan asked in a low voice what happened just now:
"Princess, that person was your soldier just now?"
Li Qingyan nodded, not caring:
"Um."
Xu Yuan raised his eyebrows and asked:
"Didn't it mean that many places in Beifeng City have been infiltrated by the sect family?"
Li Qingyan glanced at him helplessly, and said:
"The place like the city gate is the bottom line, it is impossible to hand it over to those moths, and I have notified my lieutenant general when I was in Manzhang County, asking him to replace the people guarding the city with strict-spoken cronies."
Xu Yuan understood clearly, and asked:
"Then where are we going now? Go straight back to the barracks?"
Li Qingyan opened the curtain, looked towards the east of the city, and said:
"Not yet, everything has to be done carefully. Let's go to the market first. Your father arranged for people from the Black Scale Guard to meet us there. They will directly pay for our "goods" and then let them Secretly transported to the northern front."
Hearing this, a big image inexplicably appeared in Xu Yuan's mind.
After a moment of silence, he immediately threw this thought out of his mind.
Not so not not.
Handing over the goods should not be a big shot like her.
Marching all the way, a convoy is not unimpeded.
Even though the military is in charge, there are often conflicts among the northern frontier troops lined with hills.
Under the heavy pressure of war, it is easy to misfire and fight.
Walking from the south of the city to the east of the city, Xu Yuan saw two fights on the street.
One time was the Habayashi Army and Zongmen Frontier Army, and the other time was the Blackscale Army and a group of knights.
Eighteen or nine cultivators of seventh and eighth rank huddled together, and a seventh-rank cultivator who flew upside down even smashed a shop nearby.
However, they still maintained restraint, did not form an army, and did not use weapons.
Xu Yuan's eyes twitched when he saw these pictures.
No, you patrolling the streets have to respect the layer of skin on your body.
Li Qingyan seems to be used to this:
"Many people's brothers and comrades died because of the neglect of other music departments. Under the grievances, such things are not uncommon in Beifeng City."
Xu Yuan didn't say anything, feeling a little slanderous in his heart.
With this level of infighting, the barbarians can be suppressed and beaten. It can only be said that Dayan is really full of martial arts.
After a few breaths of silence, a motorcade slowly drove into the market in the east of Beifeng City.
It was very noisy, and there were endless quarrels because of bargaining.
Here are all ruthless people who risked their lives in the wind and snow to go north to sell goods. Naturally, it is impossible to compromise on the price.
Amidst such quarrels, Xu Yuan and the others soon came to a relatively quiet shadow.
As soon as the convoy stopped, Xu Yuan suddenly felt that the soft couch beside him had sunk a bit.
Immediately,
A familiar scent of poisonous roses gradually diffused in the carriage.
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(end of this chapter)