Chapter 102: A Casual Chat with Wei Xikang

When Wei Xikang was young, his father the emperor once taught him a principle: water that is too clear holds no fish.

So after Wei Xikang became crown prince, even during the period when his father the emperor fell ill and he served as regent, he knew that the officials below would have some small maneuvers; as long as they were not too serious, he would choose to turn a blind eye.

When the front lines lacked military funds and grain, or when a natural disaster required relief, he could pick one or two officials to raid their homes, solving the immediate problem on one hand and achieving the effect of 'killing a chicken to scare the monkeys' on the other.

He always believed that these officials' 'moves' would only appear when the Da Qian dynasty was strong, and that when a real crisis or problem arose, everyone would still be able to pull together as one.

After all, only if the Da Qian dynasty remained strong could their seats be secure.

Wei Xikang had been born into a period when the Da Qian dynasty was already strong, so he underestimated human greed; it is not strange that he held such a view.

But the current situation is completely different from what he imagined; these people have grown accustomed to fine clothes and feasting, to nightly revelry—asking them to take money from their own pockets to help the Da Qian dynasty weather the crisis is simply a pipe dream.

Yan Wu thought otherwise: 'Your Highness, don't think that way—leaving aside whether that demoness is telling the truth, even if she is, not all officials are like that!'

Upon hearing this, Wei Xikang silently gave himself encouragement: 'Right! Yan Wu, you're correct—I can't judge the whole from a single point; perhaps many others are silently striving to save the people of the Da Qian dynasty from fire and water.'

'Mmm! Perseverance brings hope.' Yan Wu was overjoyed, continually cheering each other on with Wei Xikang.

After Tang Xiao Yu turned away with the food tray, however, she worried that her actions might ruin Jiang Jinshi's plans; after thinking it over, she decided to go and tell Jiang Jinshi.

Because these two were clearly different from the people previously imprisoned in the dungeon, Tang Xiao Yu was angry at their rude remarks, but she did not want to thus delay the important matter.

When Jiang Jinshi heard of this, he immediately raised his eyebrows, thinking of a plan that perhaps could be tried.

Thus, over the next few days, Jiang Jinshi arranged different people each day to feed the two, and these people all shared a trait.

Namely, they had once lived miserably, even coming close to death, until they arrived at Yangguangzhai and began to live happily.

Jiang Jinshi also did not require each person to play up their misery when they went; he simply assigned specific people to feed them, whether they spoke or not being entirely optional.

If he had arranged everything deliberately, there would surely be some artificiality or unnaturalness in the conversation, and such a flaw would be fatal.

He believed that, as prisoners, these two would certainly not miss any opportunity to gather information.

In fact, this method has indeed been effective; according to Wang Hou, the two now have faces full of bewilderment, having lost their initial confidence.

Since this method works, let's continue implementing it.

When he first thought of this idea, Jiang Jinshi had no confidence at all, because his experience led him not to believe that those in high positions would consider the lower-class commoners.

But now there is no alternative, so we'll use whatever method we have—just treat it as trial and error.

Moreover, Wang Hou approached late at night, quietly overhearing the two still discussing the state of the world, often saying how they had caused suffering to the common people, which further convinced Jiang Jinshi of this point.

Indeed, during this period the two heard many tragic pasts from different bandits; at first Wei Xikang could still hold onto his confidence, thinking these were merely rare examples, but now he has sunk into deep self-doubt.

Yan Wu always gave Wei Xikang a timely reminder: 'Your Highness, this is a bandits' lair! Those who come here are surely unfortunate commoners, but that doesn't mean everyone is like that.'

Thus Wei Xikang regained his spirits—only unfortunately, the person who came today was not someone else, but Jiang Jinshi.

'Hey! You bandits, you've finally thought of us—what conditions must be met to release us? Just say it!' During this time Yan Wu also figured it out: since Jiang Jinshi wasn't killing them, he must have a purpose, so he no longer groveled in his initial begging.

In his view, bandits are nothing but after money! As long as they agree to release the two of us and write a letter to the Prince Zhenbei, it shouldn't be a big problem.

Jiang Jinshi couldn't be bothered with Yan Wu, heading straight for Wei Xikang; he wasn't stupid, and could naturally tell which of the two was in charge.

'Hey, you dead bandit, bring whatever you've got and charge at me—don't move my lord… young master!' Seeing this, Yan Wu became a bit anxious.

'Would you like to have a chat with me?' Jiang Jinshi extended an invitation to Wei Xikang.

'Sure!'

Wei Xikang, though at this moment he lifted his head to look up at Jiang Jinshi, instantly his aura changed completely—his composed demeanor, combined with the oppressive air from his long-held high position, leaked out.

Jiang Jinshi untied the ropes binding Wei Xikang's body, not at all worried that he would escape.

Yan Wu was still shouting from the side: 'Where are you taking my young master? If you've got something, come at me!'

'Yan Wu! Don't worry, I'll go and come back!' Wei Xikang said calmly to Yan Wu, then turned and walked toward Jiang Jinshi.

'What do you want to talk about?'

Jiang Jinshi grinned: 'Nothing much—I just want to show off my stronghold to you!'

Wei Xikang's face was expressionless; before the other party laid their cards on the table, each of his words needed careful thought.

Walking to the logistics area where meals were prepared, Jiang Jinshi leaned against a tree and raised his chin to signal Wei Xikang to look.

Wei Xikang discovered that most of the people who had been bringing him and Yan Wu meals during this period were gathered in this place, including the angry girl from before.

Each of them was busy with their own tasks, hardly having any free time, not even having time to wipe the sweat from their foreheads.

Yet every person's face was lit up with a happy smile, a smile unlike any Wei Xikang had seen before.

Jiang Jinshi's gaze remained on the crowd, and without turning back he said to Wei Xikang: 'These past few days, how do you find my rations?'

'Not bad!' Wei Xikang still spoke little, because he still did not know Jiang Jinshi's purpose.

In fact, such food is far from 'not bad'; in Wei Xikang's view it was simply awful!

Since birth, aside from during his flight, he had never eaten such food.

Even during the escape, Yan Wu sold his jade pendant, and aside from that dirty bun he never let Wei Xikang suffer any hardship.

Jiang Jinshi laughed loudly: 'Not bad? Do you know? In the eyes of the people of Beijiang, this kind of food is a mountain delicacy and sea treasure!'

Wei Xikang didn't believe it; although Beijiang had encountered a natural disaster and would temporarily be worse, as long as things were normal, such food was completely ordinary—how could it count as a mountain delicacy and sea treasure?