Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 129: Chapter 117 The Reason Why the Rebellion in Yangzhou Was Not Suppressed_2

Zhao Yao was not aware of the extremely complex situation in Yangzhou. He only sensed something unusual about the Yangzhou rebellion due to Xie Shi’s failure to pacify it despite being there for a long time. If it weren’t for his maternal grandfather’s family being in Yangzhou, he wouldn’t have sent Lai Qian and Lai Xi there to understand the situation.

Lai Qian and Lai Xi stayed in Yangzhou for a while and heard a lot from their friends, as well as witnessed many things themselves. However, being animals, they couldn’t grasp the deeper implications of what they saw or heard, despite their intelligence.

Upon hearing the matters told by Lai Qian and Lai Xi, Zhao Yao felt a tumult in his heart; he hadn’t expected the situation in Yangzhou to be so perilous.

[By the way, Yao Yao, there’s something about Han Zhong exchanging salt for Yangzhou’s grain seeds,] Lai Xi nearly forgot to mention this.

”Exchanging salt for grain seeds?” Zhao Yao exclaimed, ”Doesn’t Yangzhou have salt of its own? Why exchange salt with Shu?” As far as he knew, Yangzhou had the most salt in the entire Jiangnan region. It seemed that Yangzhou’s salt was sold in many places, including the capital where shops specifically sold Yangzhou salt, doing quite well. Even his second uncle’s family used Yangzhou salt, as did the palace with its high-grade Yangzhou tribute salt.

The capital also had its own salt, but apparently, the northern salt was not as tasty as Yangzhou’s. He hadn’t tasted the capital salt but heard from Tong Xi that it was somewhat bitter.

The tribute salt from Yangzhou was naturally meant for the royals’ use, with eunuchs and palace maids having no right to consume it. The salt Tong Xi and others consumed was domestically produced in the capital.

Lai Xi said, [That I don’t know.]

Zhao Yao frowned, murmuring, ”Could it be that Shu’s salt is better than Yangzhou’s, or do they want more salt for certain purposes?”

But then, what could be done with salt?

No, what significant matters could salt cause?

He felt that those wealthy merchants and noble families in Yangzhou had ulterior motives with salt. He decided to have his second uncle write a letter to his grandfather, asking them to secretly investigate this matter.

Seeing that Zhao Yao was not coming to the dining hall for his meal, Liang Zhaoyi had to come out to call him.

”Yao Yao, it’s time for lunch.”

”Oh, coming.” Zhao Yao patted the heads of Lai Qian and Lai Xi, smiling as he said, ”Tell me after I finish my lunch.”

[Okay.]

Zhao Yao walked up to Liang Zhaoyi, speaking to her in a heavy tone, ”Mother Concubine, the situation in Yangzhou is more serious and dangerous than we imagined.”

At these words, Liang Zhaoyi’s heart sank, quickly saying, ”Let’s talk after lunch.”

Seeing Zhao Yao, the Fifth Princess sarcastically asked why he wasn’t having lunch at Lanyuan Pavilion.

Regarding Zhao Yao having lunch at Lanyuan Pavilion every day recently, the Fifth Princess was quite displeased.

With matters weighing on his mind, Zhao Yao ignored the Fifth Princess’s taunt.

Noticing Zhao Yao didn’t banter with her, the Fifth Princess looked puzzled before asking with concern, ”Tenth Brother, what’s wrong? Did the teacher scold or hit you?”

Hearing this, Zhao Yao rudely rolled his eyes at the Fifth Princess, ”Fifth Sister, are you hoping the teacher scolded or hit me?”

”Who told you not to study well.” The Fifth Princess mercilessly mocked Zhao Yao, ”Without Fourth Brother and Eighth Brother protecting you, you’d certainly be scolded by the teacher every day and have your palms hit.”

”Disappointed you must be, even without Fourth Brother and Eighth Brother, I wasn’t scolded or hit by the teacher.”

The Fifth Princess wanted to say more but was silenced by a glare from Yu Meiren.

Yu Meiren and Pan Cairen were quite curious about things at Lanyuan Pavilion, frequently questioning Zhao Yao about it during lunch.

Zhao Yao shared some interesting happenings from Lanyuan Pavilion with them. This included his incident of stealing orchids.

”Oh, Mother Concubine, have the kitchen make some orchid-stuffed buns for me tonight.”

Liang Zhaoyi sighed exasperatedly, ”You...”

”Tenth Brother, Prime Minister He surely hates you to no end.”

”I didn’t steal any of his precious orchids,” Zhao Yao said confidently, ”I only took common orchids, Prime Minister He shouldn’t hate me.”