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Chapter 634 "War Order" Begins

Gao Yun's funeral was held on the third day after his death, and it was a very simple ceremony.

This was Gao Yuan's idea. He didn't want to hold a grand ceremony. He wanted to burn the ashes but not bury them. He said he wanted to keep the ashes with him until he found out who was behind the incident and avenged Gao Yun, and then bring the ashes back to his hometown to bury them.

Zhou Chang had no objection to this. Gao Yuan wanted revenge, and she wanted to investigate the assassin. They had the same goal.

After the funeral, Zhou Chang invited a group of relevant people to discuss the matter together.

Gao Yuan did not attend the meeting because Zhou Chang specifically requested that Liu E be left by his side to keep him company.

Apart from these, they are all people Zhou Chang can trust in the north.

In the back hall of the posthouse, Yuan Qi sat at the upper left, with Wu Hong behind him.

Yang Yi sat on the right, and below him was the deputy general Jin Run who was in charge of transporting grain and fodder.

Zhou Chang was assassinated twice, and Yang Yi was implicated both times, which made him feel somewhat sorry for the governor of Beiji.

After all, Yang Yi is old and cannot withstand too much hardship. Not only has he not recovered in the past few days, but he seems to be even more frightened.

Zhou Chang's complexion was not much better than Yang Yi's, and was as pale as paper.

Originally, Shouhou advised her to rest for another day after Gao Yun’s funeral, but Zhou Chang didn’t want to wait any longer.

As early as the second day after returning to Beiji Inn, she already understood the general situation.

Ever since Prince Yi fell into the water and disappeared on the Lantern Festival in the first month of the lunar calendar, Yang Yi has sent a large number of people to look for him. Although with the experience from last time, it was not difficult to organize the search this time, the various news received and the signs collected all indicated that Prince Yi might have fallen into the water and drowned at the mouth of the Jinmin River into the East China Sea.

For this reason, Yang Yi even reported the matter to the court and attached a letter of apology.

As for the Navy Camp, most of the ships were burned on the night of the Lantern Festival, and less than 30% of the food and medicine were left. Fortunately, most of the personnel went ashore that night, and not many casualties were caused.

"Has the loss of food and medicine been reported to the court?" Zhou Chang asked the key question first.

"Yes, the death of His Highness...ah, no...has been reported truthfully." Yang Yi was in low spirits and regretted not bringing his advisor with him.

Zhou Chang still had a copy of the report in his hand, but he was too lazy to read the text carefully: "What exactly was reported?"

"Even if it was reported truthfully, two ships of the navy camp were scrapped, and only 30% of the food and medicine were left." Yang Yi was unable to react.

"30%?" Zhou Chang sighed, "Ah... Lord Yang... How can this be said to be a true report? It's obviously an overreport..."

Yang Yi was even more confused.

Zhou Chang didn't intend to persuade him any further, but continued to ask: "Have the remaining 30% of military rations and medicines been sent to the front line?"

"Not yet..." Yang Yi still didn't understand, so he could only answer carefully, "I've been busy looking for His Highness these days... so I haven't had time to think about it..."

"Well, that's not bad." Zhou Chang nodded and continued to ask, "Is there really no clue about the pirates that night?"

Zhou Chang had asked many times about the black-clad pirates at Beiji Wharf on the night of the Lantern Festival, but he always got the same answer.

Yang Yi also gave the same reply: "No trace was found, and there was no clue on the dead body either."

"What about the group of black-clad assassins outside Beiji City three days ago? Didn't they track down anything in the end?" Zhou Chang patiently asked the question again.

Yang Yi still shook his head.

Zhou Chang sighed again: "Alas... Lord Yang, if you hadn't been by my side the two times the criminals showed up, and hadn't been in such trouble, I would have suspected that you were in cahoots with those people."

"Oh, how can this be possible..." Yang Yi immediately jumped up from his chair and bowed repeatedly, "Your Highness Prince Yi, God can see clearly, your humble servant..."

Zhou Chang quickly pressed his hand down to comfort him: "Master Yang, don't be nervous. I was just joking. We have been through so much together, how can you still not trust Master Yang?"

"Yes, yes..." Yang Yi wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and then sat back tremblingly.

Yuan Qi hadn't said anything the whole time, but now he glanced at Zhou Chang with a reproachful look from the opposite side.

Zhou Chang had intended to complain, but he didn't say it directly, which led to this misunderstanding. At this moment, he could only ignore Yuan Qi's blaming eyes and start asking whatever he remembered: "By the way, since Lord Yang has reported it to the court, what is the court's response?"

"Uh..." Yang Yi's face turned bitter again, "Your Highness... I haven't received any response from the court, so I am waiting for your instructions."

Zhou Chang thought about it seriously and said, "Lord Yang, please report it again and say that I have escaped death and survived a great disaster. As for the food and herbs lost by the pirates, although we tried our best to rescue them, they have grown mold and can no longer be used due to the tide. However, Prince Yi has promised to find a way to make up for half of the loss of military supplies as soon as possible."

"Your Highness, are you going to replenish it yourself? How?" Yang Yi immediately looked surprised.

Zhou Chang knew the situation in Jindu very well. He tapped the table in front of him with his fingers and said, "If we wait until the court gathers all the food and medicine and sends them over, I'm afraid the daylilies will be cold. What else can I do if I don't make up for it myself?"

"But...but..." Yang Yi was just worried about Prince Yi and couldn't help but look at Yuan Qi opposite him.

Yuan Qi also didn't understand what Zhou Chang meant and couldn't help but frown.

Zhou Chang said calmly, "Don't worry, Lord Yang. It would be even better if Beiji could contribute. Lord Yang, don't forget that I still have the 'War Order'. No matter how much you contribute now, the court will return it double when the war is won. There is also a tax exemption policy."

When Yuan Qi heard this, he smiled silently.

Zhou Chang knew that Yuan Qi already understood what she was planning.

Half of the military supplies were reported to the court as lost, but in fact 30% could still be kept, and then the rest would be made up. When the court doubled the compensation in the future, the remaining 30% would become 60%.

This wishful thinking sounds simple, but not everyone can do it.

Yang Yi was still confused: "Your Highness Prince Yi, the 'War Order' issued to you by the court is good, but in this important military area in northern Vietnam, if you want to use the 'War Order' to forcibly recruit, I'm afraid..."

This "wartime order" did have the meaning of forced conscription, but Zhou Chang was not naive enough to believe that it would work.

I couldn't sleep at night these past two days, and after thinking about it over and over again, I came up with this idea.

At this moment, Zhou Chang even took out the token of the "War Order" and weighed it in his hand: "Don't worry, Lord Yang. As the saying goes, 'a strong dragon cannot suppress a local snake'. I am not so naive as to think that just holding this copper token will make people obediently hand over the life-saving food and herbs. As for robbing, I have no soldiers and no power, so I won't even dream of that."

Fortunately, this token was handed over to the Jin Caosi for protection, and it was rescued before the ship sank. "Happy New Year!"