Chapter 1139

Previously Jiang Zhengyang had sent Zu Cheng to borrow grain, but Hu Xiaotian ruthlessly refused him; consequently Jiang Zhengyang came to hate Hu Xiaotian intensely, not knowing how many times he had cursed him behind his back, cold-hearted and unfeeling, unwilling to save a life. Upon hearing that Hu Xiaotian had decided to send three hundred thousand shi of grain to the capital, he finally felt relieved; indeed, it was better for others to give the grain to the Emperor than to him, at least they could gain a reputation for loyalty and patriotism.

The day Jiang Zhengyang reached Wuxing Jun it was already evening; he did not rush into the city but first sent someone to Wuxing Jun to give notice, and only the next morning did he go to Wuxing Jun to discuss the grain transport.

After receiving the news, Hu Xiaotian also set off that night for Wuxing Jun; while he was on his way there, he also entrusted Yu Tianxing with the power to mobilize troops, making all necessary defensive preparations.

It can be said that regarding the issue of how to deal with Jiang Zhengyang, Hu Xiaotian and his associates have already reached a consensus: this fellow will certainly not send the grain to the capital after obtaining it; there is an eighty to ninety percent chance that, after deceitfully acquiring the grain, he will choose to keep it for themselves. According to their analysis, Yunyang is not easy to defend; if Jiang Zhengyang were to retreat to Yunyang, he might face a situation of being attacked from all sides, not only failing to retain these grains but possibly even suffering total annihilation of his army. If Jiang Zhengyang were wise, he would inevitably choose a secure retreat route, heading south deep into the heart of Dakang, which would be tantamount to walking into a net; heading east he would directly confront Hu Xiaotian; heading north not far away is the Yongjiang River; all of these options are impossible, and Yu Tianxing concluded that if Jiang Zhengyang retreats, he will inevitably choose to head toward Xingzhou.

Xingzhou is the stronghold of rebel Guo Guangbi; its terrain is perilous, controlling the east-west passage, easy to defend but hard to attack. Since absorbing twenty thousand imperial mausoleum laborers, Guo Guangbi's side has greatly increased in strength; recently he also sneaked across the Yongjiang River into Da Yong and seized a considerable amount of grain and fodder, his momentum is now at its peak, making an agreement between Jiang Zhengyang and him the most likely.

Hu Xiaotian and Li Yongfu arrived together by boat at Wuxing Jun, coming to the former commandant's residence. Before they could even rest, they heard the news that Yunyang Governor Jiang Zhengyang was coming to pay a visit.

Hu Xiaotian was not in a hurry to meet Jiang Zhengyang; he had Li Yongfu go first to receive him, while he himself took a bath and a nap, making Jiang Zhengyang wait outside for a full hour before finally going to meet him.

Jiang Zhengyang was feeling somewhat impatient waiting in the hall when he suddenly smelled a tempting aroma. It was a few servants bringing in food and drink; in the blink of an eye the Eight Immortals table was already filled with delicious dishes. Seeing this, Jiang Zhengyang and the two deputy commanders who had accompanied him felt their stomachs growl, for they had come early in the morning and had not eaten anything up to now. Although Jiang Zhengyang held the noble position of Yunyang governor, these days he had been living austerely; though he was better off than ordinary soldiers and not actually starving, he had not seen meat or fish for several months. Seeing the delicious dishes before him, his mouth watered; to say he didn't want to eat would be false.

Li Yongfu saw the expressions of Jiang Zhengyang and his companions and secretly sighed, the state is collapsing. Famine is everywhere; even someone of Jiang Zhengyang's stature has been reduced to this state. Thinking about Hu Xiaotian's conduct, it is indeed somewhat lacking in generosity, but in the current situation, being kind to others is tantamount to being cruel to oneself; Hu Xiaotian has far-reaching vision. His breadth of ambition is beyond what I can attain; I need only do my duty.

Jiang Zhengyang suppressed the fire of hunger in his belly and said to Li Jiangjun, 'General Li, I don't know when Sir Hu will arrive?' As soon as his words fell, a hearty laugh came from outside.

'Friends coming from afar, is it not a joy? Sir Jiang, Hu has arrived late, making you wait long!' After the voice, a richly dressed young aristocrat swaggered in, swaying with each step.

Jiang Zhengyang had never seen Hu Xiaotian before; hearing Zu Cheng's introduction from beside him, he only then realized that this pampered, richly dressed, flamboyant young aristocrat was actually Hu Xiaotian. Seeing Hu Xiaotian in fine clothes and living luxuriously, he could not help but think of his own side's suffering from hunger and cold, making Jiang Zhengyang feel even more resentful and indignant, wondering why heaven is so unfair. He did not believe that this oily-headed, powdered-faced boy could have any great ability. Although deep down he looked down on Hu Xiaotian ten thousand times, on the surface he still had to show respect and courtesy, clasping his fists and saying, 'Sir Hu, good day; I have long heard of your youthful talent, and indeed reputation does not match meeting you in person; I, Jiang, offer my respects.'

Hu Xiaotian also wore a full-faced smile, like a spring breeze brushing the face, and performed a respectful bow with clasped hands, saying, 'I too have long heard of your great name, Sir Jiang; indeed, hearing about you is no match for seeing you in person. Your dignified bearing and graceful demeanor truly inspire reverence.'

Jiang Zhengyang silently cursed, 'Damn hypocrite, this guy is clearly no good at first glance.'

Hu Xiaotian said to Li Jiangjun, 'General Li, why haven't you invited the gentlemen to be seated yet?'

Li Yongfu replied with an apologetic smile, 'I was just about to invite them, and here you come.' He inwardly felt a bit amused; Hu Xiaotian's past attire, while not shabby, was not overly ostentatious either, and it was obvious he was dressing up for Jiang Zhengyang's party—this is hardly a deliberate act of tormenting them.

Jiang Zhengyang said, 'Sir Hu, there's no need; we are acting on the Emperor's orders to escort the grain, bearing the imperial command, we dare not delay.' Although the delicious dishes before him stirred his cravings, thinking of the one hundred thousand shi of grain, Jiang Zhengyang immediately forgot the temptation; business comes first.

Hu Xiaotian chuckled and said, 'It's already noon; haven't the gentlemen eaten yet? Let's have a meal first.'

Everyone drained the cup, Hu Xiaotian invited everyone to eat; Jiang Zhengyang and the others initially remained restrained, but the delicious food was right before them, and after a while they could no longer hold back, each began to eat heartily. Jiang Zhengyang still tried to maintain his image; seeing the smile at the corner of Hu Xiaotian's mouth, he felt that the fellow harbored ill intentions, probably mocking them, so he put down his chopsticks and let out a soft sigh.

Everyone finished the cup of wine; Hu Xiaotian invited everyone to eat. Jiang Zhengyang and the others initially remained restrained, but the delicious food was right before them, and after a while they could no longer bother with that, each starting to eat heartily. Jiang Zhengyang still kept up his appearance; seeing the smile at the corner of Hu Xiaotian's mouth, he always felt this guy had ill intentions, likely mocking them, so he stopped moving his chopsticks and softly sighed.

Jiang Zhengyang said, 'I suddenly thought of the people of Yunyang City; it is now the coldest time of the year, and every day countless people in Yunyang City freeze to death or starve to death. As the local official of Yunyang, whenever I think of this, my heart feels as if cut by a knife, and I cannot keep food down.'

Hu Xiaotian glanced at the pile of bones in front of him and thought, 'You little brat, you certainly didn't eat little just now; you're saying you can't keep food down after eating your fill, yet I don't see you vomiting up what you've eaten.' From this it's clear that Jiang Zhengyang is also a hypocrite. Hu Xiaotian also let out a sigh and said, 'Famine is rampant throughout the country; nowhere is it any different; nobody has it easy.'

Jiang Zhengyang said, 'Sir Hu, there's no need for modesty; you have won two victories in a row and even cleverly seized the Dongluo Storehouse; your situation truly makes us envious.' Everyone is sensible; you, Hu Xiaotian, actually pretend to be confused while knowing full well, and crying poor in front of me—what's the point?

Hu Xiaotian sighed and said, 'Sir Jiang, you don't know: Wuxing Jun, Dongliang Jun, and the Dongluo Storehouse together have a population of over two hundred thousand; wanting to feed and clothe so many people is certainly not easy.'

Jiang Zhengyang thought, 'Your Dongliang Jun and Dongluo Storehouse are located north of the river, yet they have not been affected by the disaster,' and he said in a low voice, 'Sir Hu, to be able to provide three hundred thousand shi of grain to the court under these circumstances is truly commendable loyalty.'

Jiang Zhengyang thought, "Your Dongliang Jun and Donglo Cang are located in Jiangbei, yet they have not been affected by the disaster." He said in a low voice, "Sir Hu can still provide three hundred thousand shi of grain to the court under these circumstances; truly loyal and commendable."

Jiang Zhengyang blinked slightly, wondering if Hu Xiaotian's provision of three hundred thousand shi of grain was also done out of necessity; it seems likely due to pressure from the court, for otherwise who would be willing to spit out the fat they had already swallowed. Jiang Zhengyang said, 'Sir Hu, let's still talk about the grain matter; the Emperor has ordered me to escort the first batch of grain to the capital for disaster relief, the situation in the capital is severe and urgent; I hope you will quickly arrange the grain transport, so that we too can set out promptly.'

Jiang Zhengyang blinked slightly, "Could it be that Hu Xiaotian's provision of this three hundred thousand shi of grain is also forced upon him?" It seems likely due to pressure from the court; otherwise who would be willing to spit out the fat meat already swallowed into their mouth. Jiang Zhengyang said, "Sir Hu, let's still talk about the grain matter; the Emperor has ordered me to escort the first batch of grain to the capital for emergency relief; the situation in the capital is severe and urgent; I hope Sir will quickly arrange the grain transport, so we can also set off soon."

Li Yongfu said, 'It's already ready; one hundred thousand shi of grain can be loaded onto vehicles at any time.'

Hu Xiaotian said, 'Sir Jiang, how many wagons and horses have you brought for this trip?'

Jiang Zhengyang said, 'Three thousand wagons.'

Hu Xiaotian secretly calculated, Jiang Zhengyang managed to organize a three-thousand-wagon convoy in such a short time, which is astonishingly efficient; assuming each wagon carries two tons of grain, three thousand wagons would exactly transport the one hundred thousand shi of grain. Leaving that aside, even if the convoy were lined up end to end, it would stretch over twenty li; such ostentation—do they really think no one would dare to rob them? Hu Xiaotian asked, 'Sir Jiang, how many troops in total have you brought to escort the grain?'

Jiang Zhengyang said, 'Twenty thousand, plus with three drivers assigned to each wagon that adds nearly ten thousand more, for a total of thirty thousand.' From Hu Xiaotian's question, he already sensed Hu Xiaotian was worried about the safety of this grain shipment; Jiang Zhengyang said, 'We have already contacted the towns along the route, and at every stop there will be local troops to help escort; besides, we are entirely within Dakang territory, so there will be no problems.'

Hu Xiaotian said with deep meaning, 'Within Dakang territory, rebels are rising everywhere; now famine is rampant everywhere, it's far from peaceful.'

Jiang Zhengyang said, 'Precisely for that reason I dare not be careless; this time we are mobilizing the entire city's strength to escort the grain, and if there is the slightest mishap, I, Jiang, will also have to worry about my head.'

Hu Xiaotian nodded and said, 'Sir Jiang, you still need to be cautious above all.'

Jiang Zhengyang said, 'Sir Hu, rest assured.'

Hu Xiaotian said, 'Sir Jiang, which route do you intend to take to the capital?'

Jiang Zhengyang, upon being asked, couldn't help but stare for a moment, then immediately laughed and looked left and right, saying, 'This matter is not convenient to discuss here.' His reaction is not strange, after all the grain transport route is a secret; the fewer people who know, the better.

Hu Xiaotian said, 'Li Jiangjun, go immediately to arrange the grain transport; at once cooperate with Sir Jiang and his team to load and move the grain, striving to finish everything within a day and night; moreover, remember that the information must not be leaked, and do not let the common people know about this.' (To be continued~^~)

Hu Xiaotian said: "Li Jiangjun, you immediately go arrange the grain transport, immediately cooperate with Sir Jiang and them to load and transport the grain, strive to complete everything within one day and one night, moreover, remember that the news must not be leaked; do not let the common people know this matter." (To be continued~^~)