Transmigration: From Farmer To Empress
Chapter 555 Growth (2)_1

Chapter 555: Chapter 555 Growth (2)_1

Cai Wei slammed the table: "Nonsense, I just left from here two months ago, and everything was normal then. How did the rice price rise after I came back in two months? I think you are clearly bullying me because I am from out of town and want to take the opportunity to exploit me!"

The little boss waved his hands constantly, crying out: "Oh, girl, you’re wrong, I am a decent businessman, I would never do such a disgraceful thing as exploiting a customer. The price of rice in our Lin’an Prefecture is indeed rising, and it’s just happened recently. I heard it will rise even more soon!"

"Oh? Really? Do you know why the price has increased?"

Cai Wei asked curiously.

The little boss said: "Oh, I do know why. It’s because His Highness King Qin is leading an army of 100,000 to the north by the emperor’s order. Unfortunately, the grains and straws were not ready due to the rush, so he bought them on the way as they marched. Therefore, the price of rice in the towns from the capital to here has been rising steadily. Unpolished rice used to only cost forty coppers per bucket, but now it has risen to one hundred; and white rice, which used to cost sixty coppers per bucket, is now one hundred and fifty per bucket, and you may not even be able to buy it! As a steamed bun seller all year round, I know a couple of rice shops where I can buy rice. Others might have to pay up to three hundred coppers per bucket!"

On hearing this, Cai Wei was surprised. Although she had never led soldiers to war, she was aware of the importance of grains and straws during armed conflicts. Grains and straws are essential for armies to wage war. If the supply is not guaranteed, even the strongest army could do nothing.

In ancient times, many generals cut off the enemy’s grain supply when they fought against them. During the Three Kingdoms period, Yuan Shao, with a far superior force to Cao Cao’s, lost the battle because Cao Cao accepted Xu You’s strategy to raid Yuan Shao’s grain depot at Wuchao, which marked the turning point for Cao Cao’s victory. From this, it is evident how important grains and straws are for an army to wage war.

Hence, the proverb "grains and straws precede the troops".

Nangong Yi was ordered to march to the north, but even the most basic supplies of grains and straws were not ready for him, and he had to buy them along the way. Such behavior would inevitably lead to a collapse of the military spirit, and the generals would loose heart. How could they fight a war this way?

Thus it seems, the Emperor did not wish for him to win this time, or perhaps, the Prince was willing to sacrifice the lives of a hundred thousand soldiers to harm him.

If it was the former, such a father could be abandoned; If it was the latter, a person who would risk the lives of an army of 100,000 Jin men to achieve his goal, he is not qualified to be the heir to a country, even not qualified to be a person, for the sake of all living things under heaven. Cai Wei would not allow him to become the future emperor, especially, this matter also implicated him!

Cai Wei only had a vegetarian bun with cabbage stuffing and a bowl of rice porridge before she left.

After lunch, she visited several rice shops and found that as the little bun selling boss had said, the price of rice had been raised to an unprecedented level. If this continued, even if Nangong Yi had mountains of gold and silver, he couldn’t afford to feed a hundred thousand mouths!

Thinking of this, she found a secluded place, quietly entered the space, calculated the food and silver inside, and found that these resources combined were only enough for his army’s expenditure for seven or eight days. The war he was fighting might last for who knows how long, in that case, where would he get the silver to support these people?

After investigating the rice prices, Cai Wei hired a carriage and went to the nursing home established by Huo Yuan to see the situation there.

The caretakers of the nursing home welcomed Cai Wei enthusiastically when they saw her, preparing to cook lunch.

Cai Wei said: "Don’t worry about it, I’m just here to see how things are and if there’s anywhere I can help."