The women and children who had stayed up in the house for a long night pushed open the snow-covered door and marched towards the nearby Olympia Mountain in groups with baskets on their backs.

The men with a hangover finally showed what a man should be, some shook their heavy heads, and walked to the nearby bay, where they boarded the rudimentary fishing boats built by the black workshops in which they did not know where to colonize, and sailed into the Jewel Sea to catch marine fish.

It was only at this point that they noticed that the towering Black Pearl, docked in the bay, was surrounded by a few strange sounds, and a group of small boats dragged their nets to the bay in a hurry, scattered, and cast the nets one by one.

If you don't harvest today, maybe you will start starving in a new round of snow that starts tomorrow! This is not just a simple life, but a real survival, and the degree of difficulty makes it unimaginable and difficult to understand the prince who comes to reach out for food and open his mouth.

But today's breakfast is to let Mao Xingjian figure out some of last night's problems.

In the army cafeteria on the first floor, dozens of tables, the only bowl of rice, was placed in front of him, and in front of the remaining sailors, potatoes, corn, and canned food, and on the other hand, the Third Corps Expedition Brigade was potatoes, dried fish, and canned food, as if he was a little unconvinced, Song Yongzhong gritted his teeth and trembled and handed out another potato-sized steamed bun to his subordinates.

"Not enough food?"

Aiming at his rice, Mao Xingjian asked in amazement, and Han Xiaomo, who was next to him, immediately shook his little brain fiercely: "No, there is still a lot of food to ......."

"Prince, there is not much food in stock!"

didn't wait for her to finish, but the words were interrupted by the first mate Lichu, and the eldest deputy with a face full of vicissitudes said in a somewhat gloomy tone: "There is still a lot of canned food left, the Black Pearl does not carry goods, only hoards of coal, food, weapons, canned food is enough to eat until next year, but the rice grain is indeed not much, get rid of the moldy, the rice will only be about one stone, and there is not much flour!" ”

"Originally, it was planned to supply a batch of rice grain in the port of Xihaizi, but the prince ordered you to sail too hastily....."

"It's okay, we just eat canned food, and the eldest nephew doesn't have to worry about us!"

Hearing that there was obviously a hint of complaint in the tone of the first mate, Han Xiaomo dared to cover up with a smile, who knew that Mao Xingjian took the rice in front of him as a matter of course: "Lone is the prince, of course these refined grains are lonely, what are you worried about?" ”

"Uh....."

Han Xiaomo's smiling face choked there, the first officer Li Chu, the second deputy Pang Lang, and the two captains of the sailors also looked bad together, but no one said anything, just lowered their heads and pulled the food in their hands.

However, as a traditional agricultural country, I am used to eating rice, and it is indeed a little difficult to swallow after chewing greasy and boring canned food for four months.

In fact, this meal, Mao Xingjian himself did not eat a taste, he gave the former Ming prince Zhu Cihong a period of time as a waiter, even if the mountains and rivers were exhausted, but Zhu Cihong was called the real prince's pie, dozens of eunuch palace daughters served at a meal, the meal specifications were second only to the emperor, and sometimes they ate with the teacher and their attendants, as if they were greatly favored, they could only carefully take a small bite to pull the food in front of them, and they didn't dare to sit upright.

But look at the group of guys in front of him, dining with his dignified prince, there is no trace of glory, he also clearly feels the resentment and dissatisfaction of the big guys, in addition to the fact that since Mao Jue ascended the throne, he has greatly reduced the red tape in the palace, I am afraid it is also related to his current situation.

As the crown prince, he was exiled to the New World, and now it is such a difficult start, no one has confidence in himself!

The feeling of being looked down upon made Mao Xingjian, who was arrogant by nature, quite difficult to accept.

After a meal, the difference between Mao Jue's father and son was revealed, if he was in the same situation, Mao Jue would not hesitate to share this stone grain, what his subordinates ate, he would eat, and set an example to inspire his subordinates to fight in adversity, but Mao Xingjian did not have so much heart to win people's hearts, and he had only one coping strategy.

Buy!

"Shangguanqing, unload the things on the ship in a while, and then you and Nangong Steward will go north to Fishy Haizi Port, purchase 10,000 stone of grain and come back, the rice and noodles are mixed, and then see what tools you need, and then buy them back."

Han Xiaomo packed up the dishes and chopsticks, stood up from the main seat, shook his sleeves, and Mao Xingjian said casually.

For him, anyway, he has money in hand, why should he go straight down to his status and lower his living standard? Besides, sharing weal and woe is only a temporary effect, it is better to improve the quality of life, so that the big guy is willing to stay and work for him, just like two companies, the first boss gives a monthly salary of 2,000, and he follows the staff to squeeze the canteen and take the lead in working overtime, and the other is a monthly salary of 5,000, the big guy is willing to eat something good, and he will go by himself, it must be the latter that is popular with employees.

But his order made Shangguan leave Chu, and Nangong Bingwen, the two subordinate officials of the East Palace, choked there on the spot.

"Prince! 10,000 stone of rice grain is 100,000 taels of silver! There are more than 500 people in the East Palace Office, and so much food is used? ”

"How much?"

Han Xiaomo, who was picking the bowl at the other end, almost threw away the pottery bowl, and screamed in great shock: "The price of grain in Jingshi is only six or seven hundred yuan a stone, even if we are Bao Ketu, the grain transported in the customs is only about one tael, and one stone of rice grain is ten taels, Lord Nangong, are you robbing it clearly?" ”

Even if he doesn't know the price of firewood and rice, the number of 100,000 taels made the green tendons on Mao Xingjian's forehead jump, but after all, he is the prince, and his bearing is much stronger than Han Xiaomo, he didn't say a word, just waiting for Nangong Bingwen to explain.

"Miss, you also know that the price of grain in Jingshi is seven hundred, and it will have to rise to one or two when you get to your grassland! This is still the result of train transportation, the rice grain of Beidacang can be transported in seven or eight days, starting from Tianjin Port, it takes three full months for the fleet to arrive in the new continent, and it is half a year to go back and forth, and the load is limited, and special containers are also needed to keep it to prevent mildew at sea, this departure is only three grain ships, and the rice grain transported to the fishy Haizi Port is only more than 30,000 stones, one stone and ten taels or the price of getting off the ship, from the hands of several large grain merchants, the price is geometric, can you purchase so much, I don't know yet! ”

Nangong Bingwen, who was stared at by Han Xiaomo's vampire-like eyes, was uncomfortable, and he explained it with a face full of grievances, this way of economy, listening to Han Xiaomo, almost vomited blood, and it also made the grassland wild girl angry and devastated like Grande with her little hands, jumping and shouting with her little feet.

"These profiteers! Even if I, Han Xiaomo, starve to death, even if I eat canned food and am so disgusting that I vomit, I won't buy them a stone of food! ”

Food is not a necessity, relying on fishing and canned food, it can still survive, listening to Han Xiaomo's shouting, Nangong Housekeeper's inquiring eyes fell on Mao Xing Fitness.

After all, he is the crown prince, he has the final say!

However, pinching his chin and thinking for a moment, Mao Xingjian actually nodded heavily.

"It's still 10,000 stone of rice grain, if you can't buy so much, you can ask for as much as you want, and you can increase the price!"

"Big nephew, ten taels and one stone, you're not crazy, are you?"

Full of disbelief, Han Xiaomo's small hand went straight to Mao Xingjian's forehead and touched it, but the prince waved his big sleeves and sent her aside, and then continued to command.

"In addition to food, the iron tools on the market, and everything that can be bought with steel tools have been bought, and after a while, the coal on the ship will be unloaded, and a place to pile it up in the town, Lord Song, is there a blacksmith in the town?"

Watching the excitement on the side, listening to the question on his head, Song Yongzhong nodded directly: "There are two generals in the army, and there are also a few spears and iron parts in the town." ”

"The craftsmanship is too bad!"

Shaking his head directly, Mao Xingjian continued to order: "Go to the East India Company branch again, go to recruit blacksmiths, no matter whose family it is, you will be paid double the salary!" ”

It's just inhuman! was shocked and messy, Han Xiaomo's little face turned white, and he silently turned his head to brush the dishes, and the two East Palace subordinates also went out with astonishment, shaking their heads as they walked, muttering about the loser, this Song Yongzhong was also confused, but after watching the excitement, he shook his head and carried two shotguns, and was about to go out to patrol the street.

The New World Expedition is directly under the Ministry of War, directly responsible to Mao Jue, and is not under the local control, so how Mao Xingjian tosses it has nothing to do with him.

However, Song Yongzhong didn't expect that Mao Xingjian was still eyeing him.

"Lord Song, please stay, I want to go into the mountains to hunt for a while, and I hope that Lord Song will lead a team of cavalry to escort you!"

sent away the first mate of Shangguan, and from behind, Mao Xingjian opened his mouth to stop Song Yongzhong again, and asked.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness, the last general still has military affairs with him, and he has no time to accompany him, please forgive your Highness!"

Seeing him simply clenching his fists and bowing, Mao Xingjian seemed to be prepared, and simply stretched out a finger: "Buy the grain back, and give you a hundred stones!" ”

After a meal of rice, enough to eat for a hundred days, Song Yongzhong clearly felt that several of his subordinates behind him showed wolf-like green eyes. Relying on a strong sense of responsibility and willpower, cold sweat broke out on his head, and finally Song Yongzhong struggled to break free from the temptation.

"Your Majesty, the responsibility of the New World Expedition is ......"

"Two hundred stones!"

The prince made a gesture of victory, this time he directly smashed the captain unconscious, not fainted, he was afraid that his subordinates who were crazy about eating fish would smash him with a gun, and then reported him to retire due to injury, his voice raised, and he reprimanded him when he turned around.

"Aren't you going to patrol the mountains today? What are you doing? Don't you want to prepare your horse soon!! ”