Dad, don't be greedy! My brother climbed into the emperor's bed, and I became famous overn

That morning, people from all over the country, from south to north and from east to west, learned of the news of "bandits robbing grain in Lingzhou" almost at the same time.

Everyone in the streets and alleys was talking about the strange things happening with the grain in Lingzhou.

The people cursed the most not the bandits, but Wu De, the governor of Jiangnan.

The flames of public opinion burned quickly and fiercely.

Meanwhile, in the back hall of the Control Yuan.

Xiao Ye sat in a grand chair at the head of the table.

Xiao Jue, Gu Mingli, and Gu Mingyue sat on either side.

Gu Mingyue held a summary of the latest public opinion from the newspaper.

"The people are reacting strongly. Now everyone is watching Wu De and waiting to see how he will succeed in suppressing the bandits."

Xiao Ye took the paper, glanced at it a few times, and put it on the table.

"Wu De is all talk and no action."

"Those so-called bandits were actually soldiers he sent out."

Xiao Ye turned his gaze to Gu Mingyue.

"Master Gu, is that batch of 'snakes' you mentioned ready?"

Gu Mingyue nodded.

"I hired a group of martial arts practitioners to help me. Master Ji San has already led about a hundred skilled fighters from the Hanyuan Alliance to ambush us at Fengming Ferry, south of Lingzhou City."

"The Cui family is currently short of cash; they don't have that much cash on hand."

"Therefore, after receiving the news from the Ministry of Revenue that they would purchase grain, the Cui family would most likely send the grain to the capital immediately. When this batch of grain was transported north from the Cui family's granary by waterway, it would inevitably pass through Fengming Ferry."

After listening, Xiao Ye's gaze fell on Xiao Jue.

"Fourth brother."

Xiao Jue immediately straightened his back.

"Take a squad of Dragonscale Guards and head south by land first. Once you reach Lingzhou territory, do not make a sound. Secretly station yourselves near Fengming Ferry. When the Hanyuan Alliance makes their move, you lead your men to clean up the mess."

"yes!"

Xiao Jue's lips curled up.

In just one sentence, he had already discerned the complete scheme of his elder brother and Master Gu.

The Cold Abyss Alliance disguised themselves as mountain bandits and robbed the Cui family's grain.

Cui Yuan was bound to be furious and ordered Wu De to lead troops to pursue and annihilate them.

At that time, Xiao Jue appeared on the scene under the pretext of "being ordered to suppress bandits" and took command.

……

Five days later.

South of Lingzhou lies Fengming Ferry.

This is a bend in the river where the channel narrows.

Both banks were covered with dense reed beds, rustling in the wind.

On the water, twelve flat-bottomed grain boats were lined up end to end, slowly drifting downstream.

A flag bearing the character "Cui" was flying at the bow of the ship.

The ship's hold was filled to the brim with grain in burlap sacks, each sack neatly stacked.

This batch of grain is 20,000 shi (a unit of dry measure).

The grain transport manager of the Cui family was in his forties and had worked in logistics for the Cui family for half his life.

He stood on the lead boat and looked out over both banks.

The reed marshes were quiet, with only a few egrets perched on the shallows, hunched over and dozing.

The person in charge didn't pay any attention.

The Cui family has controlled the canal transport route for nearly a century, and no one has dared to provoke their fleet.

Just then.

A sharp whistle suddenly rang out from the reeds on both banks.

Immediately afterwards, a dozen or so small sampans rushed out from the reeds.

On each of the sampans that rushed out, several masked men dressed in gray-brown short jackets were squatting, some holding knives and others carrying crossbows.

Using the force of the water flow, the small sampan swept in from both sides in an arc at great speed.

In the blink of an eye, they blocked the way for the grain ships.

The masked man at the head of the group raised his hand and pointed forward.

"Stop them! Don't let a single one escape!"

The steward of the Cui family felt a sudden buzzing in his head.

Senseless.

What happened?

Why are these disguised bandits from the Jiangnan camp attacking the Cui family's fleet?!

The steward rushed to the bow of the ship, cupped his hands to his mouth, and shouted at the masked men.

"We're on the same side! Don't lay a hand on us! We're the Cui family's grain convoy!"

No one cares about him.

Several sampans had already pulled up to the lead boat.

The masked man at the front grabbed the gunwale with one hand and leaped onto the deck.

The manager was so anxious that he was sweating profusely, took two steps back, and his voice cracked.

"Hey, hey, hey! I'm telling you, get this straight!"

"We're on the same side! The Cui family's grain convoy! The Cui family's—!"

The masked man walked up to him and stopped.

A pair of calm and cold eyes sized up Manager Qian.

Then, not a single unnecessary word was spoken.

He reached out and grabbed the steward's jacket, then casually tossed it overboard.

With a "plop," water splashed everywhere.

The steward of the Cui family froze completely.

It turns out that these people were not "one of our own" in the Jiangnan camp at all.

This is... a real bandit!

In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the thirty guards of the Cui family were disarmed, tied up, and thrown ashore.

The sails of the twelve grain ships were changed, and they turned around and sailed into a hidden tributary deep in the reeds, disappearing into the vast waters.

The manager and a few of his men were left on the shore.

The rope was tied so tightly that his hands and feet couldn't move.

He slumped onto the muddy ground, his lips trembling uncontrollably.

Twenty thousand shi of grain plus twelve ships!

If the Duke finds out, he'll skin him alive.

……

The message was delivered to Cui Yuan that very night.

Cui Yuan sat in the armchair, his face gloomy.

Cui Ming stood to the side, furious.

"Who dares to be so bold as to rob my Cui family's grain ships!"

Cui Yuan frowned, his eyes bloodshot.

He hadn't expected this to happen.

For decades, no one has dared to provoke the Cui family like this!

This is not just a simple case of robbing grain; it is a humiliation of their century-old clan.

If he doesn't take any action, how can the Cui family maintain its prestige in aristocratic circles?

Cui Yuan said sternly, "Have someone write a complaint and send it to the prefectural government. Have Wu De lead troops to investigate! Get the grain back for me!"

"Okay! I'll get on it right away!"

When Wu De received Cui Yuan's order, he was eating lychees with his concubine in the backyard of the governor's mansion.

He held a fresh lychee in his chubby fingers, pinching it upwards with his nails to reveal the tender white flesh.

Before it could even be put into its mouth, the guards rushed into the courtyard in a panic.

"My lord! A letter has arrived from Duke Cui, saying that his family's grain ships transporting grain at Fengming Ferry have been robbed! Twenty thousand shi!"

Wu De's hand trembled, and the lychee fell to the ground.

"What?"

He stood up abruptly, his fat face jiggling twice.

"impossible!"

The troop he sent out was clearly only responsible for intercepting the grain from Pujitang and individual households.

Who dares to mess with the Cui family's boat?

Wu De quickly summoned his personal guards and asked in a low voice, "Where are the fifty men I had Captain Chen take a few days ago?"

"Reporting to you, sir, Captain Chen's men returned to camp three days ago. I've confirmed that they've remained in the camp the entire time and haven't left."

Wu De's brows furrowed.

It wasn't his people who did it.

Who is that?

Without thinking, he pushed the plate of lychees aside, tightened his belt, and walked towards the front yard.

The Wu family and the Cui family are old friends, like grasshoppers tied to the same rope.

If the Cui family suffers losses, Wu De's money will be halved next year.

"Gather the troops! Assemble two thousand men and head to Fengming Ferry for a search! Search every reed bed along both banks of the river!"

"Furthermore, issue an order to set up checkpoints and conduct inspections at all waterway docks in the surrounding three counties."

"Stop all fishing boats and cargo ships and inspect them!"

The guards obeyed and ran out.

Wu De stood in the courtyard, beads of sweat on his forehead.

This unexpected turn of events gave him a bad feeling.

But he couldn't explain where this premonition came from.

……