The prince is more stable

Chapter 92 Seizing the Boat and Rescuing People
Everyone has weaknesses. Some lack love, some lack morals, and some lack brains.

Zhang Xiaoyi is short of money, very short of money.

He is going crazy because of poverty.

How could an idle man who was struggling to make ends meet with his mother refuse a reward of 1,000 taels of silver?
It has to be said that Zhao Xiaoqian had grasped Zhang Xiaoyi's weak spot as soon as he opened his mouth.

At this moment, Zhang Xiaoyi, who was rowing the boat, was stunned. He looked at a dozen people on the shore shouting and asking him if he was short of money. This scene, these lines... were too fucking weird!
After taking a closer look, he found that he actually knew the person in the lead, the Prince of Chu who had been so generous at the Zuihuayin gate last time.

The silver that Zhao Xiaoqian inadvertently gave them allowed Zhang Xiaoyi and his old mother to live comfortably for several days.

Now this prince is asking himself if he is short of money...

Of course it’s missing!
The little bit of money that slips through the fingers of rich people is enough for poor people to eat and drink for three to five years. How could Zhang Xiaoyi not be short of money?

Without much hesitation, Zhang Xiaoyi rowed the boat towards Zhao Xiaoqian.

The poor man had nothing to lose, and he was also very sure that the prince would not want anything from him.

Poor people have their own rules of survival. When the whole city was on alert today, Zhang Xiaoyi realized that something was wrong.

When everyone was crying and running towards the city gate, Zhang Xiaoyi carried his old mother on his back and rushed to the Bian River first. He stole a fishing boat that was moored there overnight and rowed it towards the center of the river.

Born in the market and making a living in the market, Zhang Xiaoyi's understanding of the population, commerce, and street geography of Bianjing is even not inferior to that of the current Shangshu.

There were millions of people in Bianjing City, but there were only a few city gates. It would be impossible for millions of people to evacuate through those city gates without a whole day. At that time, the flood was about two meters deep. Who would still be alive?

So Zhang Xiaoyi’s first choice to take his old mother to escape was not to leave the city, but to find a boat.

Sometimes the survival wisdom of ordinary people at the bottom of society is far beyond that of the pampered bigwigs, which is really admirable.

Zhang Xiaoyi rowed the fishing boat awkwardly and finally arrived in front of Zhao Xiaoqian and others.

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled happily and finally breathed a sigh of relief, at least his life was saved.

"Zhang Xiaoyi greets the prince, it's been a long time." Zhang Xiaoyi stood at the bow of the boat and saluted.

Zhao Xiaoqian returned the greeting with a bow, then immediately said, "I'll give you a thousand taels of silver. I won't refuse to pay. If you want it now, we can gather together the valuables we have. If you're not in a hurry, I'll give you cash after we're out of this predicament. Which one do you choose?"

Zhang Xiaoyi smiled.

This sounded reassuring. Even though I hadn't received a penny, I felt determined.

"The prince is a big shot, of course he can't blame me for the crime. Let's talk about it after we are out of trouble." Zhang Xiaoyi said.

Zhao Xiaoqian responded with a smile.

We have only met twice and our identities and status are very different, so there is no friendship to speak of.

Zhao Xiaoqian knew exactly why Zhang Xiaoyi had risked his life rowing the boat over here. What else was he after but money? Was he a natural born saint, always willing to sacrifice himself for the benefit of others?
So the first thing Zhao Xiaoqian said when they met was about money. Once the money was settled, everyone felt relieved. Then they had to work together to get out of trouble. If they all had their own ulterior motives, they would eventually capsize.

The fishing boat had arrived, and Zhao Xiaoqian first helped Feng and his aunt in the carriage onto the boat. As for the carriage and the horses, he had to abandon them where they were, untie the reins and let them escape.

After Zhao Xiaoqian, Chen Shou and others boarded the boat, they were shocked to find that the fishing boat was seriously overloaded. The waterline of the boat was very deep and could be overturned by the slightest wind and waves.

It's very dangerous, but we can't abandon any of the imperial guards.

Zhao Xiaoqian did not expect that trouble would come again. When he was thinking of a solution, several imperial guards jumped off the boat on their own initiative, saying that they would find high ground to escape and not implicate the prince.

Chen Shou was anxious. They were all brothers who had been through life and death together, and there was no reason to give up on any of their brothers.

Zhang Xiaoyi suddenly said, "Sir, can't we just rob another ship?"

"Robbery again?" Everyone was shocked.

Zhang Xiaoyi said embarrassedly, "I know the people on the other boats deserved to die. They were just idlers hanging around in Bianjing City. They took advantage of the chaos and gathered a group of people. They drove their boats to rob and steal the money left by wealthy families. I heard that they even caused a loss of life..."

Zhao Xiaoqian was delighted when he heard this: "Now we have a legitimate reason to attack. Which ships?"

Zhang Xiaoyi pointed to several dilapidated fishing boats drifting on the nearby Bian River and said, "Those boats were all involved. They were trying to rob my boat just now, but I scared them off with my knife and fought desperately, which is how I saved the boat."

Zhao Xiaoqian squinted his eyes and looked around. As expected, those who could seize the boat in such a chaotic period were not good people.

In troubled times, when the law is weak, there will always be scum who take advantage of the situation to loot. Such people really deserve to be killed. Since he was short of ships, he didn't hesitate. Zhao Xiaoqian winked at Chen Shou and said, "Brothers, you have work to do. Is it okay to clean up those scum?"

Chen Shou grinned and said, "We are all the imperial guards of the Palace Guards. If you can't even handle a few idlers, you'd better draw your sword and slit your own throat."

Zhao Xiaoqian then helped Feng, his aunt and Zhang Xiaoyi's mother off the boat. Chen Shouhe and several imperial guards lay in ambush in the cabin, and Zhang Xiaoyi rowed the boat towards several fishing boats in the middle of the Bian River.

The battle was almost without suspense. As soon as the two ships came into contact, Chen Shou and the imperial guards jumped out and killed all the idlers on the ship one by one with their swords.

Of course, they only captured one boat. Seeing that the situation was not good, the other fishing boats fled.

Now Zhao Xiaoqian has a total of two ships, which is basically enough.

Feeling quite calm at this moment, Zhao Xiaoqian arranged the people accompanying him onto two ships, and then began to plan the next escape route.

The water level is now rising higher and higher, and has reached the neck level. Before long, a large number of people in the city who have not had time to escape will drown.

But Zhao Xiaoqian had no way to save everyone. He only had two boats and it was impossible for him to save anyone.

"Let's leave from Dongcheng Tongjinmen." Zhao Xiaoqian sighed.

Inside the cabin, Di Ying's aunt seemed to be hesitant to speak.

Zhao Xiaoqian didn't notice, but Feng Shi noticed and tugged at her, saying, "If you have something to say, just say it. Qian'er is not an outsider."

The aunt looked at her gratefully, then said, "My Lord, we are no longer in danger of death. I would like to ask you for a favor..."

Zhao Xiaoqian said hurriedly, "Aunt, please give me your instructions. If I can do it, I will not refuse."

My aunt hesitated for a moment and said, "Could you please take a boat to Di Mansion to check? Millions of people are rushing to leave the city. I'm really worried that someone in the Di family won't have time to escape..."

Zhao Xiaoqian looked hesitant. Now that they had a boat, they no longer had to worry about their lives. They were not afraid of any flood, no matter how big it was. But staying in the city for a long time was not good after all. Who knew if there would be any hidden dangers.

However, my aunt immediately added, "Di Ying...perhaps she didn't have time to escape from the city."

Zhao Xiaoqian sighed dejectedly and said, "Okay, I have to go there."

He did not forget that he owed Di Ying a huge favor. Just because she stood up in Yaohua Palace and helped his mother to seek justice, he had to go to Di Mansion today even if he had to kill everyone in the world.

"Set off for Di Mansion immediately, move quickly and don't delay!" Zhao Xiaoqian gave the order immediately.

Everyone paddled two boats, and a group of brothers and sisters braved the wind and waves and swam straight towards Di Mansion.

Zhao Xiaoqian sat cross-legged at the bow of the boat, looking at the rows of roofs on both sides of the river. People kept waving and bowing to him for help.

However, Zhao Xiaoqian hardened his heart and ignored it.

He is not the White Lotus Mother. In times of crisis, he can only protect his relatives and friends around him to the best of his ability. Apart from this scope, he is really powerless.

The flood rose very quickly, and most of the houses in Bianjing City were submerged. Looking around, the once prosperous streets of Bianjing were now left with only patches of dark blue roofs and countless people seeking help.

Fortunately, my aunt remembered the location of Di Mansion very well. With her guidance, the two ships arrived at Di Mansion smoothly.

At this time, the Di Mansion had been submerged, with only a few buildings still exposed.

Everyone was rowing and shouting in the yard of Di Mansion.

General Di, in his grave, would never have imagined that someone would actually row a boat in his yard. What a strange scene...

Everyone shouted for a long time, and finally the aunt vaguely heard a series of knocking sounds coming from the skylight of one of the pavilions in the Di Mansion.

"Sure enough, there is someone here!" Aunt was overjoyed.

Zhao Xiaoqian signaled the fishing boat to approach the skylight. The skylight of the Di Mansion's pavilion was like a small door facing the sky, and the knocking sound came from here.

When the fishing boat docked at the small gate, Zhao Xiaoqian also knocked on the small gate a few times.

"Yingzi, open the door, you're so stupid."

(End of this chapter)