Good news from the front line is frequent.

However, the results obtained by Ruyi sending people to Yanjing and Yangjiang to visit the people's situation shocked her.

She went to Erlang to ask for some household registration documents to check, and counted the accounts silently. Erlang bit his thumb and looked at her for a while, and finally couldn't help but interrupt, "What do you want to check, just find a planner to ask." ”

Ruyi calculated for a while before putting down the pen and said, "Have you ever eaten acorns?" ”

"What am I going to do with that?"

"I haven't eaten either. A few days ago, I specially asked someone to find me to taste, but it was bitter and astringent, and I couldn't eat it at all. But some people say that it's good to be able to eat acorns and be full. She rubbed her cheeks in annoyance, slapped herself to her senses, and said to Erlang, "Can you imagine?" Those people grow grain all year round, but in the end they have to feed themselves with this pig food, and they are worried that they will not have enough to eat. ”

obviously wanted to stay calm, but when it came to the back, her tone couldn't help but be sour.

Erlang looked at her silently for a while, and said, "What are you doing with this." ”

Ruyi said, "...... I just want to calculate how long the current situation will last and how long it can last. Do what you can at the right time. ”

"All you can do is cut down the rent in your restaurant. Could it be that you can still put your hand on someone else's fief? Or do you have to put your beak on the world's taxes and treasury expenses? When he saw that Ruyi was about to speak, he immediately interrupted her, "You better save a province." Now that the situation in the Northern Expedition is very good, if you dare to say these disappointing words now, Daddy is in a good mood and doesn't care about you. If you are in a bad mood, you will not be cured of a sin that disturbs people's hearts! ”

He rarely spoke so harshly about Ruyi. Ruyi's original feelings were a little excited, and when he scolded him, he couldn't help but feel angry.

Erlang still didn't give up, "What's more, you think that only you know about the people's suffering." Didn't Daddy think about the consequences before he used the army? Need a reminder from you? He consciously beat almost enough, and his tone calmed down slightly, "Besides, it's not like there has been a famine in ancient times, and the people who have starved in the famine years have all come, let alone now?" Daddy knows in his heart - a few years ago, Taihu Lake has matured one after another, and the people have a lot of grain in stock, so it doesn't matter for a while. Even if there are a few areas that are more difficult, it will be over after a while, and the overall situation will not be damaged. When the rice is ripe in May next year, it will be fine. ”

Ruyi was overdone, and his tone became more and more sober, "What if next year is not a good year?" She said, "It is said that if you take four or five cities in succession, you will be able to capture some grain and grass from the enemy." But I look at the paperwork on your side, why is it more urgent to ask for food and grass before the clues? I don't know how to march and I know that the situation is not right, how do you see that the situation is good'? If this continues, even if next year is still a good year, as long as the Northern Expedition continues, the civil famine will only get worse. ”

In fact, she was worried about more than that—according to the news from the caravan she sent to the north, after the battle line was pushed north to the Jishui area, the grain and grass on the front line could not keep up because the northern rivers were dry and difficult to transport. However, the Northern Dynasty seemed to have lost before, but it concentrated its troops and grain and grass in the Jishui generation step by step. Although Ruyi doesn't know how to march, she understands commerce and trade, and she always feels that this situation seems to be intentional in the Northern Dynasty. On the enemy's home turf, the battle proceeds at the enemy's pace, which does not look like "the situation is good" in any way.

-- She hasn't said these really "troublesome words" yet. only mentioned her uneasiness on the side, and Erlang couldn't wait to button her hat, how could she not be annoyed.

The strangeness of the clue food before, she didn't say that Erlang really didn't have an idea, and she already kept this matter in mind. But he still insisted on Ruyi, "Even so, it can't be short of your offering." Why do you bother with these senseless hearts? ”

Ruyi was puzzled, "You don't worry? ”

Erlang was also aggrieved and said, "It's Daddy and the prince who should be worried." What's the use of my cāo heart? It's just annoying. ”

Wishful thinking. After a while, she said, "Don't feel that these things are none of your business, so you don't want to work hard......" She remembered that day Xu Si pointed his finger over the former mansions of princes and dignitaries on the map, sighed at the vicissitudes of life, and couldn't help but say depressedly, "Who knows when these causes and effects should be?" Heaven and earth are unkind, and all things are used as dogs. If something big really happens, what can you do even if you are a prince and princess? ”

She packed up her pen and paper and was about to leave.

Erlang hurriedly stretched out his hand to stop her and said, "What are you doing with these things?" ”

Ruyi said, "I'm going to sort it out and show it to Daddy." ”

Erlang was anxious, and he just wanted to stop Ruyi - if today's son really can't listen to the words against his ear, he said it is not pleasing to him, let alone Ruyi?

However, he has had a feeling of love and fear for Ruyi since he was a child, don't look at the teasing and mocking her, but he is bound to do something to her. When he was at a loss, his mind was horizontal, and he said, "You are not allowed to take out a single piece of paper in my house!" ”

-- From the age of four or five to the age of thirteen or fourteen, he was still stupid to her when he was in a hurry, and he did not grow at all.

Ruyi couldn't help but get angry, and stuffed the copied paper into Erlang's arms, and said, "Give it back to you!" "She's already in mind anyway.

He turned around and left in a huff.

Jiro reached out to pull her - where would Ruyi let him hold it? In a flash, without even looking back, he avoided the pull, strode and ran, climbed the tree and climbed the wall, and left—not even the door.

Erlang can't rest assured of her, and there is no other way to think about it.

He and Ruyi have always been in a way that responds to each other's needs, but if they want to stop each other from doing anything - whether Ruyi stops him or he stops Ruyi, they can't succeed - the two of them are actually quite self-righteous people, even if they love each other, but they also go their own way.

…… Of course, this is not absolute, as long as Erlang threatens his own future and safety, Ruyi will definitely obey her in the end. As for Ruyi, if she can't do the same thing, she will suffer even more.

But Erlang didn't want to threaten Ruyi for such a thing - because he knew very well that what Ruyi did was where loyalty, filial piety and righteousness lie. Although he didn't care so much about these things, he definitely didn't want to see them, and his image in Ruyi's heart was opposed to these things.

In the end, Jiro went to visit in person.

When Ruyi heard Ji Xue say "The Second Highness has come down", she was really surprised for a while-she was in the small courtyard that she called "Chief Rudder" in Changganli at the moment, although she didn't hide it from Xu Si and Erlang when she bought this courtyard, but she did not specifically tell them. Originally, she didn't treat this yard as her own private property. Who knew that Erlang knew that he came here to find her.

In the end, she put down what she was doing and asked Erlang to meet in the main hall.

Jiro knew that the people who came and went in this courtyard were all well-known merchants in Changganli - because of his own status, he had never had any friendship with merchants. But he knew that Ruyi was deeply interested in the trafficking of merchants, so he never interfered with her communication. What's more, most of these people were recommended to Ruyi by Xu Si and Xu Mao, and he was very relieved that he didn't investigate any problems.

On this day, he came over in person, and saw that there were people inside and outside this small courtyard, and he was clearly very stylish. Not like a businessman, but more like a trained private guard. Erlang couldn't help but pay attention, and secretly thought that it would be good to find an opportunity to order someone to test it in the future.

Ruyi finally came out of the back hall.

Her anger towards Erlang never lasted more than one night, and although she was a little awkward when she saw Erlang at this moment, her tone was very soft, "Why did you come here?" ”

Jiro: ......

Erlang thought that he had provoked her, and he was so anxious that he didn't sleep well for two days in a row, looking at his dark circles, she was embarrassed to ask him "Why did you come here"?

So he went straight to the point and said, "--I'll talk to Daddy about the things we discussed before." ”

Ruyi was stunned for a moment, and then said, "...... Aren't you afraid that Daddy will reprimand you? ”

Erlang snorted and chirped, "That's better than Daddy reprimanding you." However, he had given up the idea of stopping Ruyi, so he was no longer angry, and only said with a straight face, "Don't worry, I know how to talk to Daddy better than you, and Daddy will be strict with me, and he won't really treat me badly." He added, "Besides, I went back and inquired carefully, and the situation at the front line did have many doubts. At times like this, someone has to stand up and say 'alarmism'. If I don't even dare, who else can I count on? "Prince? - He used to despise Vimo in his heart again.

Ruyi thought for a while, and then said, "Then you wait a minute, I'll show you something." Before turning around to enter the house, he couldn't help but turn around and tell Erlang, "Just watch quietly, but don't say it." If someone finds out, they don't know what they think of me. ”

Jiro couldn't help but be amused, and thought to himself - it turns out that you also know that there are some things that have to be hidden. was proud, but he restrained himself from laughing, and only said arrogantly, "Let's watch it first." "Hmph~

Erlang never thought that what Ruyi took out was a stack of spy reports.

-- It can't be said to be an espionage. But it is indeed unofficial information from the front that has been transmitted through unofficial channels, and it is clearer than military reports on the movement of enemy troops.

After all, how to write the front-line military newspaper is in the hands of the front-line generals, although there are also commanders of the Son of Heaven, but these commanders all follow the army, and the information they can know is nothing more than the information that the army can know. It is still from the perspective of the authorities.

However, the sources of this information obtained by Ruyi are even more complicated.

Erlang couldn't help but ask Ruyi while flipping through it, "Did you send someone to the north to inquire about the news?" ”

Ruyi said, "It's just a businessman......

Erlang couldn't help but sarcastically, "Your businessman has always been so detailed? Even the government has to inquire about the requisition of people to build a city? ”

"Of course, there are also many business opportunities behind the government's requisition and transfer of people to build the city." Ruyi said confidently, "'If you are rich and have no business, then there is no permanent owner of goods, and those who are capable will converge, and those who are not good will collapse', you officials can also rely on the shadow of your ancestors, and our business people cannot become rich unless they have knowledge and talent." It's like fighting a war, every mistake in decision-making is bound to be a loss of real money. Of course, it is necessary to analyze the situation, pros and cons in great detail. To tell you the truth, my cousin and I have practiced like this all these years, and sometimes the news we get in our hands is more complicated than these. ”

Jiro: ...... For the first time, he knew that his sister actually practiced business as a war.

Erlang didn't expect that Ruyi's caravan would be so good at inquiring and sorting out news, and he realized that these people were not ordinary merchants.

Although he did not practice his eyesight for three years like Ruyi, he was more sensitive to the military and political situation, and he quickly saw the key from it. His face couldn't help but become solemn - he had some guesses in his heart, but he couldn't confirm it. And many of the things mentioned in this letter prove that his speculation is true.

Ruyi also slowly analyzed his uneasiness to Erlang. Erlang listened to her while thinking about himself, and quickly sorted out the news.

"It seems that it is going to be a decisive battle in Shimen, Fangtou, and Wuyang." He thought silently, "However, the western and western states are eyeing each other, and I don't know whether to sit and watch the tiger fight or what." Runan also doesn't seem to be stable. Both of these were in the weak spots of the left flank of the army, and Runan was even more behind the flank of the army...... "He couldn't help but sigh in his heart - the strategists who predicted defeat never came to a good end. Running around in a good situation and saying something deflating, maybe this time he really wants to make his daddy angry.

Although he thought so, he still said to Ruyi, "I will do my best to write to Daddy, but you must also know that this expedition is the result of Daddy's willful behavior." With the strength of the country, Xu Wei is not allowed to lose. Even if there are such and such hidden dangers, Daddy is afraid that he will not turn back. I'll try my best to persuade Daddy, but you have to promise me that no matter what the outcome, you can't interfere anymore. ”

Ruyi lowered her eyes and thought for a while—she also knew that Erlang was protecting her from being affected by the wrath of the Son of Heaven. Although Erlang never said anything clearly, Ruyi vaguely felt that Erlang probably knew about their half-brother. It's okay for others, if Erro also knows these secrets, she is still a little embarrassed.

In the end, he nodded and said, "If even you can't change Your Majesty's mind, why do I have to hit a wall." Just do what I can in private. ”

Jiro said again, "...... But you can go and discuss with Ah Niang - I will go to Daddy, you go to Auntie, this is called Jing Wei clearly. ”

Ruyi was amused by him, "What a clear distinction!" You think it's a separation! ”

When Erlang saw her break through the yin and turn around, he pursed his lips and smiled. For a while, I thought, "You are the one who wants to split up the family, I have never thought of such a ruthless thing as marrying relatives and starting a family." ”

Jiro and Ruyi have different ideas.

Seriously, he doesn't care about the price of rice. In his heart, the people are just a vague and unknowable symbol that is often used to talk about things in a serious way--the big things in the country are bound to have a lot of expenses. If you have to stop because it affects the people's lives, then ninety percent of the court's actions will not have to be done.

Erlang once heard Xu Mao say a thing in the past, saying that when there was no Wuhu Chaohua, there was a Taishou guarding Liangzhou and Longshang. Because the Hu people were strong, he expelled the people to build a black wall city defense, and the people were miserable and hated him for being fierce. But many years later, the Hu people raged and slaughtered the Han people, and the people relied on the Wubao he built to survive the troubled times.

The ancients said that "meat eaters are despicable", but in Erlang's view, the people as a whole are also completely stupid and short-sighted, and it is not enough to conspire with them.

The so-called herdsmen of the Son of Heaven, who herds herds and asks what the sheep think? Those in high positions are planning for the overall and long-term interests. As long as you don't toss to the point of the end of the Qin Dynasty, the short-term hardship of the people is not enough to affect the policy. If he really used "the people are miserable" to persuade the Son of Heaven, the Son of Heaven would never feel that he was worried about the country and the people, but would only think that he was looking for trouble and selling his reputation.

But if he talks about the battle situation, it's a different story.

Erlang soon sent a letter to the Son of Heaven, mentioning that he should strengthen the defense of the annexed states to prevent the Western Wei State from taking advantage of the situation.

-- He had no intention of persuading the Son of Heaven to withdraw from the army, which was unrealistic. He only tried to avoid a situation that might lead to the defeat of the front during the Northern Expedition, and to promote a safe end to the war.

The Son of Heaven actually liked him very much, and ordered him to tell the court about the reason and strategy.

It was February of the fifth year of Tianhe, and the second prince Xiao Huaishuo was fourteen years old. At this court meeting, he made his debut. In the early days, most of the courtiers had only heard of his intelligence, but they all thought that he was just a precocious literary scholar such as the crown prince Xiao Huaiyou. After this positive exchange, they suddenly understood why the Son of Heaven belonged to him in his early years.

This young man has a calm bearing, although he rarely talks, but his heart is clear. It's amazing. And the decisiveness and attitude between his words and deeds are also very different from the prince's usual weak and young ideas. is indeed more "close and intimidating" temperament and insight than the prince.

The prince is also good, his temperament and learning are top-notch, and his temperament is also benevolent. But at the moment of such a major national event, compared with this younger brother, it seems to be faintly disappointing.

When there was another battle report from the north, the Son of Heaven summoned Zaifu to discuss military affairs, and Erlang had a fixed seat.

Only then did he gradually speak out about the situation on the front line, drawing attention to some crises that had been ignored earlier, intentionally or unintentionally.

Indeed, as Erlang expected, even after listening to so many variables and odds, the Son of Heaven had no idea of quitting the army.

Fortunately, someone said "alarmist" on the side, reminding the variables, and the Son of Heaven's fanaticism for this war gradually subsided.

And the variables predicted by Jiro were all fulfilled in the same way. Because the DPRK and China and the front line were prepared, they did not cause the consequences of being too strict.

But the war is indeed as Ruyi feared, and it has gradually stabilized on the front line of Jishui. Grain and grass continue to fill this seemingly bottomless hole like flowing water.

The change occurred in May of that year.

There was a rebellion in Runan, cutting off the passage of grain to the front from the rear.