The Demonic Crown Prince

"Are you afraid of getting involved with me and being passively drawn into this so-called struggle for power?"

Li Yuan looked at her with a half-smile and said.

"Then you're underestimating me, Jiang Zhanyue. I simply don't want to owe anyone any more favors!"

Jiang Zhanyue shook his head.

Then his expression turned cold as he looked at him and said, "Li Yuan, I formally challenge you to a duel tomorrow at noon on the summit of Lingcui Mountain in the outskirts of Beijing!"

Do you dare to accept the challenge?

"what?"

Li Yuan's nose didn't get crooked from breathing.

So this woman was actually hoping to fight him again. All those thoughts he had about repaying her with his body were just wishful thinking on his part!

Such big breasts, such a small mind, isn't that disproportionate?

"I just saved you, isn't this repaying kindness with enmity?"

Li Yuan snorted and asked irritably.

"Of course not. I challenged you because you not only humiliated me, but also took my gun."

And today, in front of the palace, you actually called me... brainless! Truly, utterly despicable!

Jiang Zhanyue felt a mix of shame and indignation whenever he thought of the large hand that gripped his chest so tightly, and the words he had spoken in front of the palace that day.

"What happened earlier was unintentional, and as for that remark in court... I was praising you..."

Li Yuan coughed lightly and forced an explanation.

"Li Yuan..." Jiang Zhanyue was filled with shame and anger. She took a deep breath to calm herself. "I'm just asking you, do you accept my challenge?"

"I can agree, but I'm curious, is this how the Jiang family repays their benefactor?"

Li Yuan crossed his arms and asked.

"Of course not. The Jiang family is clear about gratitude and resentment; they will avenge any wrongs and repay any kindness."

If I win, give me back the gun and apologize to me.

Regardless of victory or defeat, I will allocate two thousand fine horses and two thousand sets of armor from my command at the Capital Garrison to help you quell the rebellion in Yanbei.

Jiang Zhanyue raised his head and said.

"Great job! I accept this challenge!" Li Yuan gave him a thumbs up.

He rolled his eyes. "But what if you lose?"

"The conditions remain unchanged, you can do whatever you want with me!" Jiang Zhanyue said decisively.

"At my disposal? Haha, good, I just married a princess, and I still need a few concubines."

"If you lose, you'll become my concubine, how about it?"

Li Yuan chuckled.

"Yes!" Jiang Zhanyue nodded emphatically without the slightest hesitation.

"Huh? You really agreed?" Li Yuan was surprised; the agreement was quite prompt.

"I won't lose; I just hope the King of Qin won't break his promise!"

Jiang Zhanyue had already turned and left, leaving Li Yuan with only a tall and athletic back view.

Li Yuan watched her retreating figure, clicked his tongue, and twirled his arms into a trumpet shape. "Little Yueyue, are you so desperate to get married that you're trying to use this fight as an excuse to sell yourself to me at a lower price?"

"Li Yuan, I'm going to kill you..."

Jiang Zhanyue was furious. He turned around and charged forward, brandishing his riding whip.

But Li Yuan had already mounted his horse and ridden away, laughing heartily.

"Bastard, lecher, shameless..."

Jiang Zhanyue stomped her feet and cursed loudly behind him, but Li Yuan had already disappeared around the street corner.

After winding and turning several times, Li Yuan arrived at Chengping Street, the place where he had arranged to meet Wang Wanquan and the others after the court session.

As soon as they reached the street corner, Wang Wanquan and his men came to greet them, excitedly calling out, "Your Highness!"

"Is everyone here?"

Li Yuan asked.

"Absolutely, it's near Huiziwu. Just let me know if you need anything, Your Highness."

"Come on, I'll take you guys to make some money first."

Li Yuan waved his hand from his horse and headed towards the capital region.

"Your Highness, we really need to raise some money. After paying the soldiers back their wages that have been withheld for so many years, we only have less than 50,000 taels left of the more than 200,000 taels of embezzled silver."

Wang Wanquan said in a low voice.

"How much money do we need for this group of people each month?"

Li Yuan asked as he walked.

"We belong to the elite of the Imperial Guards in the capital region, and each soldier receives a monthly salary of one or three taels of silver."

Although our current warhorses are not the best Hetao horses or grassland horses, each horse still costs one tael and seven mace of silver per month to feed.

There are still at least 1,600 soldiers, and they earn at least 5,000 taels a month.

If you add in the wear and tear on weapons and armor, food, and so on, it would cost at least seven thousand taels of silver a month, and that's a conservative estimate.

If a war really breaks out, ten thousand taels a month is possible, or even more.

Wang Wanquan answered truthfully.

"Ten thousand taels... that's not too much."

Li Yuan patted his pocket. At least the 500,000 Chu coins would be enough for a while, but when the number of troops increased, he would have to find a way to make more money!

"However, these are all real calculations. In reality, which army doesn't deduct money from its pay and fodder?"

Even under the most incorruptible generals, the actual monthly expenditure on troops, even during wartime, was only four or five thousand taels; the rest all went into the pockets of officers at various levels.

Wang Wanquan sighed.

"Has corruption in the military reached this level?" Li Yuanchang exclaimed.

If the army has reached this point, then I'm afraid the Great Ye doesn't have many good days left.

"That's not all! Otherwise, why would those soldiers be so supportive of the prince?"

Because you genuinely care about them.

As Wang Wanquan finished speaking, he looked up at Li Yuan with eyes full of respect!

"Tell everyone, as long as you sincerely work for me, I will treat them even better in the future!"

Li Yuan waved his hand.

At this moment, we have arrived in front of the Gyeonggi-e ...

More than a thousand soldiers from the army gathered on three streets nearby.

At this moment, the supervisor of the Gyeonggi Huiziwuli was still standing there watching the commotion with his hands in his sleeves, wondering why there were so many people on the street today, completely unaware that disaster was about to strike.

At this moment, Li Yuan had dismounted and strolled leisurely to his side.

"Oh dear, Your Highness, I am so sorry for not greeting you properly. Please forgive me."

Upon seeing that it was Li Yuan, the officer immediately came over to greet him with a fake smile.

"Of course, of course." Li Yuan chuckled. "I've come to collect the five hundred thousand taels of silver again. I wonder if it's in the treasury now?"

"Of course... no. Your Highness, please don't make things difficult for me. If I had the money, I would have paid you right now."

Just as the officer finished speaking, Li Yuan handed the coin directly to Wang Wanquan.

"Wang Wanquan, the money is yours now. From now on, your unit's food, drink and other expenses will all depend on this Chu coin."

If you can't come up with the money, you'll just have to wait to starve to death.

After saying that, Li Yuan stood aside with his hands in his sleeves to watch the show. It was time for these rough soldiers to put on their show.

He certainly couldn't do it himself, otherwise he would give others cause for criticism and be reported to the emperor.

Although I'm not afraid, it's still troublesome.

But for these soldiers, it didn't matter. Even if things got out of hand, they would only be punished for not managing their subordinates properly!

"Give me the money!" Wang Wanquan said without any politeness, slapping the coins directly onto the officer's chest.