Several days later, the noble families and powerful figures who had pledged support to Li Mengdie all received news of a large bandit group operating in Shizhou. They also learned that their convoys of supplies bound for Mengdie County had been intercepted by these bandits.
Naturally, they were furious, but also helpless. How could they possibly deal with such a large number of bandits?
With over a thousand cavalry, their charge would shake the mountains and crack the earth, their thunderous hooves deafening.
If they were to dispatch all their family retainers and bring forth the hidden elite soldiers of each family, it might be possible to defeat these bandits.
But wouldn't that be tantamount to admitting to the current Emperor that they intended to rebel? How could they possibly do that? Their overt armed forces were no match for the imperial court. If they were a match, there wouldn't be so much trouble.
In Lizhou, Jing Commandery, within the Prince's mansion.
Li Lin lay leisurely in a rocking chair, being fed grapes by her consort.
"Princess, why is there such a commotion with bandits in Shizhou, of all places?"
Wang Wuji peeled grapes, asking with confusion.
"Bandits? A group of several thousand people, you call them bandits? Even the imperial cavalry is inferior to them."
Li Lin sneered, disdainful of the term "bandits."
"Uh~ But if they're not bandits, who in Yunyue Kingdom could command such a force? Even the imperial court doesn't have it!"
Wang Wuji placed a peeled grape into Jing Wang's mouth, asking again.
Jing Wang chewed the grape and sneered, "Why are there bandits in Shizhou? Isn't it because those noble families and powerful figures are restless? My niece is also brainless, so easily incited, daring to impose military rule in her fiefdom, extensively building camps, recruiting soldiers, stockpiling grain, and forging armor and weapons. Even I, a leisurely prince, received the news. Did she really think the imperial court wouldn't know?"
"Ah, this..."
Wang Wuji had not expected that his princess would be so clear about what was happening there.
"Are you curious why I know so clearly?"
Jing Wang Li Lin looked at her husband, the consort, with a half-smile.
"I am a little curious," Wang Wuji replied honestly, his eyes darting around.
"You, stay peacefully in this Prince's mansion. Sever all those covert actions for me, or else this peaceful life might be gone. Even if the imperial court doesn't act, I will deal with you!"
"Don't think I don't know what your family is plotting!"
Jing Wang Li Lin sat up, her warning full of meaning. "I am not as easily fooled as that girl Mengdie. Chu Chen, this prime minister, is also not as simple as you think. If you want to live, stay with me peacefully in this Prince's mansion and live a life that even immortals would envy, and you will be worry-free.
Otherwise, if you are bent on causing trouble, you will have to worry about my methods! Do you understand?"
"I understand, I understand."
Wang Wuji replied, his heart pounding.
Alas, how could the Princess know about my covert actions? This is truly troublesome. It seems this matter is indeed not small. It's better to save my life. Anyway, I was never a favored son in my family, why should I die for my family?
Seeing Wang Wuji's fear, she knew that her husband would definitely not dare to get involved again.
But seeing his terrified look, she softened a little and comforted him, "Relax, as long as you cut off all your hidden ties, I will naturally keep you safe. As husband and wife, I will never stand by and watch you get into trouble."
"Princess, don't worry, your husband will sever ties with his family immediately. We will live our lives behind closed doors."
Wang Wuji hardened his heart and forced a smile.
"Good, that's good." Jing Wang Li Lin nodded with satisfaction, then lay back down.
Wang Wuji continued to peel grapes.
In this cold winter, other families had no vegetables to eat, yet this Prince's mansion still had fruits like grapes. It had to be said that this Prince was indeed a connoisseur and also quite capable.
Such fruits were very expensive. They were grown by skilled individuals the Prince had recruited, at least at the Body Refining realm, who infused the grapevines in the glazed greenhouse with spiritual energy to maintain their off-season growth. Then, tunnels were dug underground to supply warm water and heat to maintain the temperature inside, twenty-four hours a day.
This way, they could enjoy a small amount of fresh fruits and vegetables in winter. The only pity was the incredibly high cost. Even with the Prince's vast wealth, they couldn't maintain too much.
Ever since glazed greenhouses were sold in Yunyue Kingdom, the Prince had spent a large sum to order them. After construction, they were transplanted and had now grown and survived.
During this period, a full five hundred thousand taels of silver were spent for a hundred square meters of area.
"This Yunyue Kingdom, with this young man Chu Chen, is destined to undergo a great change. Many of my good plans have been disrupted by him. But the reports from the local managers and stewards to me, I pretend not to see them. Do you know why?"
Suddenly, Jing Wang Li Lin asked.
Wang Wuji was stunned for a moment. He thought carefully but couldn't guess, so he could only shake his head.
Jing Wang Li Lin smiled and said, "No birthplace, no father, no mother. A fire in the eunuch's quarters burned everything clean. After entering the palace for only a year, from an ordinary person, his cultivation increased to the Body Refining realm."
"He moved among the former prime minister and various princes and ministers, and his cultivation did not fall behind. In just another year, he broke through to Foundation Establishment and Qi Transformation. Do you think this person's life experience is somewhat familiar?"
"Uh~ No."
Wang Wuji recalled for a moment and shook his head.
There was no one in Yunyue Kingdom with such a life trajectory. How could he be familiar with it?
"You, it's good to read more books, even some miscellaneous ones or storybooks."
Jing Wang Li Lin tapped his cheek and smiled, "I have seen characters like Chu Chen in storybooks."
"Storybooks?" Wang Wuji was even more confused. Storybooks were all written by poor scholars for their own fantasies, how could they be taken seriously.
Uh~ It seems, it seems that Chu Chen's life is like that of a protagonist in a storybook! No way?
Wang Wuji suddenly thought of something, and was extremely terrified.
"That's right, just as you are thinking, in storybooks, when the protagonist arrives, chaos will erupt, unstoppable. Those who resist will surely die! Chu Chen's trajectory is like that of a protagonist in a storybook. Not only is his talent extraordinary, but from birth, he encounters all sorts of novel things."
Jing Wang Li Lin said with emotion.
In her heart, she recalled the events in Lianshan County, Xiàzhou. How could a mere Earl incite imperial officials to rebel regardless of the consequences? What about the clans? What about the noble families?
In the end, those officials were still officials of the imperial court, loyal to the Emperor and the royal family.
It was that incident that allowed Jing Wang to test and verify her guess. It was after that that Jing Wang no longer opposed Chu Chen, but instead cooperated with land surveys and the payment of commercial taxes.
"No matter how the times change, as long as it is still the Li family's rule, I will always be a Prince! My glory and wealth have reached their peak. I was born this way."
Jing Wang Li Lin said faintly before closing her eyes to rest.
Wang Wuji suddenly understood.