Chapter 516: On the Verge of Outbreak

The Zhou family, following Wei Tinghou's convoy, as soon as they entered Youzhou City felt the atmosphere completely different; the legendary desolate, cold northern land was a hundred times more lively than their Changzhou.

The streets were packed with pedestrians and vehicles; in a short while three coal-carrying horse carts had already passed. Besides horse carts, people were also pulling various kinds of carts to transport coal.

Walking further in, they saw neat residences, towering chimneys, and clean streets. On Youzhou's streets there were no idlers; even pedestrians walked with hurried steps.

Zhou Jing said Youzhou was bustling and busy, which the King described as a fast pace.

Yes, Youzhou now everywhere shows a scene of busy activity.

The treasure ship returned again with its landing craft, bringing back a large haul of fish. All the military supply workshops once again expanded recruitment; recently, anyone with hands could find work in Youzhou City. Gutting and slicing fish, removing bones, is the simplest job—if you're willing to work, you can earn some pocket money.

Other foods require silver and are hard to coordinate, but only the sea is the King's limitless ATM. In the grain stores transferred to Luoshui Pass, just the roasted fish slices filled several carts. This food supplies calcium, is high-quality protein, and contains sugar and salt; it's also excellent as a side dish.

Upon hearing that Changzhou's sugar transport convoy had arrived, the King thought his high-oil, high-sugar biscuit workshop could resume operations. The people of Great Jin don't fear the "three highs"; the King only worries that they lack oil and fat and must eat huge amounts of staple food.

Youzhou was busily stockpiling grain and fodder; seeing this, the King felt reassured, thinking he had already worked hard, unaware that the south was putting in even more effort.

As soon as the Zhou family entered the city, Zhu Ti arranged for them to stay in an empty residence in the west part of the city. After resting one night, the King hosted a banquet the next day.

Such a banquet for relatives would not be held at Mingguang Hall; the venue was set in the rear part of the garden's Youxiang grove. Besides the young couple Zhou Jing and Wei Yi, many other Zhou family members came. For tonight's family feast, the King summoned only Wei Heng, Wei Yi, and Zhou Jing, then called for the Fifth Princess and Wei Zhaoyi, adding himself and Wei Shen to make a table, and they enjoyed a lively meal together.

When they went to Changzhou that year, Wei Heng was just a little bean sprout; now, at seven years old (in traditional age reckoning), his height already reaches the King's chest.

The King stood up to compare the height difference, feeling a sense of crisis, then sat down, raised a cup full of milk, and boldly downed it in one gulp.

He and Wei Heng drank milk, without stopping him from frequently raising his cup to urge the brother-in-law to drink.

The unfortunate brother-in-law's heart pounded; the King had grown much taller than before, and when not smiling he already bore the dignity of a heavenly sovereign—no one could still treat him as a child.

Although they had only met briefly in Changzhou, which could be counted as on the Zhou family's home turf, back then the King was merely of noble status; aside from being difficult to deal with, he didn't seem remarkable. Now the King sat in the splendid, boundlessly wealthy Northern Territory King's Mansion; from the upper seat he casually glanced over, and Zhou Jing felt tense. Although he called them family, who would dare treat him as an ordinary brother-in-law?

He recalled his grandfather's parting instruction: yes, the person before him was no longer an ordinary princely lord.

Whenever the King raised his milk cup, he had to down a cup of strong liquor—afraid of getting drunk and losing composure, yet unwilling to refuse. The King was also mischievous; seeing the other's nervous expression only spurred him on.

Zhou Jing could only keep glancing at Wei Yi, hoping she would ease the situation a bit. Unexpectedly, Wei Yi hadn't realized it, and instead attracted Wei Shen's gaze.

"What does it mean that the brother-in-law keeps looking at my sister?"

Zhou Jing: ……

Zhou Jing's face turned completely red, leaving him unsure how to answer.

Forget it—this genuine brother-in-law is not someone to provoke lightly.

Zhou Jing's face grew redder and redder, but Wei Zhaoyi noticed and told him not to be mischievous.

That day the King detained Wei Heng, originally intending to let him stay with Wei Shen, but the boy turned out to be a hot commodity, snatched away by the Fifth Princess and Wei Zhaoyi. The King sighed: "Little Third, since you arrived I've lost favor." He then turned and joined the scramble for the children.

The King discovered that Wei Heng was honest and obedient—point and strike, and having him under his hand let him experience the urge of being an older brother, something he had never felt before. Although the King wasn't without younger brothers, what could the fourth and fifth count as? Or the nursing babes sixth and seventh? What are the Princes of Jing and Wuling as brothers? Not sending people to attack him would already count as brotherly friendship.

The atmosphere in Youzhou was tense, with wind and rain looming; Wei Shen felt the King was becoming increasingly abnormal.

At first the King would still nervously patrol around, daily visiting the intelligence office to hear the latest news; over time it felt like waiting for another boot that never drops, wanting to do nothing and just lie flat. Besides skipping morning court, he even stopped martial practice, started taking Wei Heng out to play, saying that if they didn't play now they'd never get another chance.

Chang'an City

The night was deep; this year's exceptionally strict curfew plunged the whole city into dead silence, a time when everyone should have been asleep, yet many mansions still had lights on.

In the study at the northwest corner of the Grand Commandant's mansion, the room was now full of people.

"Father, has it really come to this? Not even mentioning the interior, outside Chang'an City there are four hundred thousand…… is there no hope at all?" The atmosphere in the study was mournful, every face grim.

The Old Grand Commandant narrowed his eyes, silent and speechless; those who didn't know thought he was asleep.

"Grandfather, even if you…… don't think highly of the court, you should let the grandsons go to Guangling! The second brother gets along well with the Prince of Guangling and Li Chang; going to the Northern Territory is nothing—we have no ties with the Northern Territory, not even a shred of face."

The speaker was the Old Grand Commandant's fourteen-year-old grandson Gao Gun; as soon as he spoke, his father glared at him. The old man had finally agreed to send the younger few of the family out to leave a path of survival, but this rascal still stirred things up.

This time the Old Grand Commandant shut his eyes completely and said nothing; Gao Gun's fourth uncle snorted, "Ah Gun is indeed brave—looks like he wants to stay and die for the country with us."

"Fourth Brother!"

"Is what I said wrong? It's basically the only road left?! We've reached this point, yet His Majesty still lets Wang Yi command the East Great Camp's two hundred thousand troops, refusing to let any fighting-capable general have a hand—where exactly does the chance of victory lie? Does the Wang clan know how to fight? Nobody believes it; with such a breadth of mind——"

"Fourth Brother! You've overstepped!"

The Old Grand Commandant opened his eyes, "Just do as we just said—those who don't want to leave can stay and guard the city; then disperse."