Quick Transmigration: After the Backup Love Awakens, He Sacrifices the Official Partner to the Heave

Upon arriving in Minzhou, Jiang Zui turned to Ji Guimu and asked, "Do you have a place to stay here?!"

"Your Highness, I arrived in a rather hurried manner, therefore... I do not yet have a place to stay." Ji Guimu's eyes were filled with anticipation.

"If that's the case, then... I'll have someone arrange a place for you that's close to the Prince's residence."

As soon as he finished speaking, Ji Guimu's lips twitched suddenly, and he said, "Your Highness, I... don't need to go to such lengths."

The Prince's mansion has a large open space; any spot will do.

All I ask for is a place to stay.

Jiang Zui understood the deeper meaning in Ji Guimu's words. His eyes flashed, and he suppressed a smile, feigning hesitation as he said, "But...you're my subordinate, how...how can I wrong you like this?!"

Ji Guimu waved his hands repeatedly and explained, "Your Highness, I'm not wronged, I really am not wronged."

Jiang Zui feigned hesitation for a moment, then said, "Well... since that's the case, then alright."

"You can stay at the Prince's Mansion for now. Once you're settled, I'll arrange a good place for you."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Ji Guimu left in a hurry and brought very little with him.

But Jiang Zui is still here, and Ji Gui Mu is nowhere to be found.

Throughout the entire Prince Rui's mansion, Jiang Zui allowed Ji Guimu to choose his accommodations at will.

Jiang Zui waved his hand and said, "Choose a courtyard wherever you want to stay."

"What if I wanted to live with Your Highness?" Ji Guimu asked tentatively.

Jiang Zui chuckled and said, "You want to live with me?!"

"Is that not allowed?!"

"Of course not," Jiang Zui refused seriously. "I prefer living with outsiders."

outsider?!

In Jiang Zui's heart, he was still just an outsider?!

Ji Guimu frowned deeply and said angrily, "So, in Your Highness's heart, I'm just an outsider?!"

Jiang Zui's pupils widened, her eyes filled with innocence and confusion, and she bluntly said, "Otherwise what?!"

Upon hearing this, Ji Guimu's hand clenched tightly in his sleeve, his body trembled, but he quickly regained his composure and said, feigning calmness, "Yes, Your Highness is right."

"Then I'll take Qingzhuyuan."

Qingzhuyuan is right next to the main courtyard, and is the closest place to the main courtyard.

"Okay," Jiang Zui replied casually, "Remember to tell the butler."

After that, Jiang Zui focused his attention on improving the lives of the people in Minzhou.

Jiang Zui and Ji Guimu went out to investigate.

Minzhou is neither very big nor very small.

Minzhou is divided into three cities and twelve counties.

Among them, Qingcheng, where Jiang Zui is located, is the largest city and also the city closest to the enemy country.

Jiang Zui and Ji Guimu first observed life in the city.

There were very few shops in the city, and the people looked pale and weak, as if they had lost all their vitality.

The roadside was covered with withered branches and rotten leaves, presenting a desolate and dilapidated scene.

Ji Guimu had never been to Minzhou before. Although he had heard that Minzhou was very poor, he was not unaware that it was that poor.

Ji Guimu's face was full of helplessness as he whispered, "Your Highness, Minzhou also..."

Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Zui interrupted him, saying, "What?!"

Can't accept it?!

"No!" Ji Guimu's expression froze for a moment, then he said seriously, "I...I just feel sorry for Your Highness."

It was sent to this place.

They are both sons of the emperor, so why is Your Highness like this?

Even the second prince received a decent fiefdom.

"Don't worry, we'll take it slow. The more difficult something is, the more challenging it is."

He paused, then added, "But... I'll need your help."

"Your Highness, why do you say that? I will certainly do my best," Ji Guimu assured him. "Your Highness, please feel free to give me any instructions."

Jiang Zui's eyes lit up, and he said, "I'm very lucky to have you as my strategist."

As soon as he finished speaking, Ji Guimu's cheeks flushed red.

That's... kind of embarrassing.

Ji Guimu was overthinking things. Jiang Zui looked at Ji Guimu's expression, his lips twitched, and he thought to himself:

His wife is quite... good at self-control.

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness."

Jiang Zui coughed and said, "Alright, the most important thing right now is to help the people get through the cold winter."

"A cold winter?!" Ji Guimu frowned and asked in confusion, "Isn't winter already over? Spring is almost here."

Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Jiang Zui's eyes, and he thought to himself:

Depend on!

He forgot!

This winter is exceptionally cold, colder than in previous years.

This temperature is expected to last for another month or two.

However, just after the bad weather disappeared, natural disasters struck one after another. A batch of crops were frozen and destroyed, followed by a famine, with no harvest and the people suffering greatly.

Other countries took advantage of this opportunity to launch a surprise attack.

Several princes of the Jiang Kingdom began a struggle for the throne.

Bandits from various places also occupied mountain peaks and territories.

In less than a year, it was plunged into chaos and war.

Jiang Zui explained, "So, what do you think of the weather these days?"

Suddenly, Ji Guimu fell silent for a long time before saying, "It's almost March, but the weather is still as cold as winter."

Your Highness believes...

Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Zui understood the implication and said, "That's right, this winter has been exceptionally long. Have you noticed the crops in the fields? If the crops are damaged, the people of Minzhou will surely suffer."

"It is a blessing for the people that Your Highness values ​​them so much."

Jiang Zui first found a coal mine in Minzhou, and then had people mine the coal so that the people could use it to make a living. He taught the people how to build kang (heated brick beds) and boil water for heating, and to use coal in combination with other methods.

Minzhou was short of grain, but fortunately Jiang Zui had the Prime Minister secretly collect grain in advance.

Jiang Zui not only developed coal mines, but also mined iron ore and secretly forged weapons.

The majority of weapons in Jiang Kingdom are made of bronze, with very few made of iron.

Ironware making is difficult and cannot be mass-produced, but... Jiang Zui has the skills to make ironware.

However, the grain secretly acquired was still not enough to satisfy Jiang Zui.

Therefore, Jiang Zui set his sights on the State of Qi to the west.

The grain output of the State of Qi was not very high, but it had a large number of cattle and sheep.

Wool can be made into warm clothing.

Jiang Zui also secretly purchased a large number of warhorses from the other party.

Jiang Zui survived for more than a month on the grain he bought with his own money, and then he found high-yield grain crops such as sweet potatoes and corn in the system space.

With this grain, he believed he would be able to gain a foothold in the future chaos.

During this time, Jiang Zui and Ji Guimu were so busy that they didn't even have time to chat alone.

Jiang Zui has many people under his command, but Ji Guimu is just as hardworking. Whenever Jiang Zui gives an order, he will be at the forefront.

Ji Guimu already had jobs in iron mines and coal mines, and he clearly didn't have time for them, but he still insisted on being stubborn.

Jiang Zui couldn't bear to see his wife suffer, so he only arranged some easy tasks for her.

In Ji Guimu's view, Jiang Zui did not trust him and preferred to delegate his work to others rather than give it to him.