From Hoarding to Time-Travel: My Supplies Saved Him

Chapter 578: Chapter 580: Teng Shang’s Plot

Ancient Wen Heng scooped up half a small bowl of lamb soup with his spoon. After taking two sips, he said leisurely, "Only after he consolidates the power he has left will he even think about coming for revenge."

"And I still have plenty of work here that requires manpower."

Although those bandits didn’t look particularly strong, he was quite pleased with their subservient nature.

After a period of conditioning, they were already able to complete their assigned tasks quickly.

Zhou Shixiong also felt particularly proud and vindicated this year. In such a short time, he had already received several Holy Decrees of commendation—something completely unprecedented.

He imagined those old coots in the imperial court must be fuming right about now.

They really thought that just because the heavens are high and the emperor is far away, we wouldn’t know about their little schemes. Unfortunately for them, they were now dealing with a wise Emperor like Hua Shunming. Trying to fool him wouldn’t be so simple.

Meanwhile, the very man they were discussing, Prince Zuo Tengshang, was lost in thought in his own residence.

With the help of his old subordinates, he had finally managed to deal with those few restless upstarts.

But in doing so, he had nearly exhausted all the forces at his command.

His thoughts turned to his old subordinates who were currently in the Rong Dynasty, many of whom had been his own trusted aides.

That damn Magistrate Gu was too treacherous, only letting him return with three men.

He still had one ship, but if he wanted to go to the Rong Country again, he would have to borrow men and vessels from the other Princes.

That juicy target he’d finally secured was the only reason these past few years had been prosperous. If the others found out, they would surely demand a piece of the pie.

Besides, that Zhou Shixiong seemed different now, his head full of nothing but schemes.

Not to mention the treacherous Ancient Wen Heng. He feared that if he went back again, he would just fall into the same trap.

He had already missed the autumn harvest this year. By now, the grain was already in the granaries. Trying to plunder it would require a great deal of effort.

But if he didn’t go, the barren lands of his own territory could not possibly sustain his subjects.

’Sigh, why isn’t that Gu fellow one of my own subjects? With a mind like his, he could surely devise a perfect plan for me.’

"Prince, our grain supplies won’t last much longer. Do you think we should borrow from others first?" Kondo asked, clutching a stack of ledgers. He had waited for Prince Zuo Tengshang to emerge from his thoughts and quickly stepped forward.

"Grain again!" Prince Zuo Tengshang felt like his head was about to explode. "Can’t the people down below think of something themselves? Tell them to work harder! If all else fails, go to the sea and catch fish. There must be a way to get through the winter."

Kondo gave a bitter smile. "Many people are gathered outside right now, demanding an explanation from us."

"They keep asking why, when you, Prince, took their family members out, they have not yet returned."

"And if they’ve lost their lives, they want us to compensate them as previously promised."

Prince Zuo Tengshang felt a headache coming on. ’Why did I ever issue such a decree?’ "Go and tell them their family members have been captured by a general of the Rong Dynasty. They are all alive and well, so wanting compensation is simply impossible."

"If they don’t cause any trouble, maybe one day I’ll bring their people back."

Kondo nudged Qingmu, who was standing beside him, with his foot. ’I’m always the one who has to bring these things up. He should at least say something.’

Qingmu spoke up, "My Lord, what should we do about the young princes? We can’t just keep them locked up forever."

Teng Shang’s anger hadn’t yet subsided. "Lock them up for a few more days. Give them a little fresh water each day. As long as they don’t die, it’s fine. Then give them some coarse clothes and throw them out."

’Those little upstarts may not have tried to kill me, but they plotted for my position. That alone is enough to convict them.’

’Since they’re so unruly, I’ll make sure they can never cause trouble again.’

"But if you do that, my Lord, you will have no heirs. The other Princes will surely start to gossip."

Teng Shang’s mouth twitched as he recalled some of his own past follies.

’I used to mock several Princes for being without heirs. Now that they have a chance, they’ll surely kick me while I’m down.’

But he was still resentful at the thought of keeping them around. "Go find me some young, beautiful women. Within a year, there will be new princes."

Hearing this, Xiao Chuan’s eyes lit up. Before Kondo and Qingmu could react, he eagerly accepted the task and quickly ran out.

As he ran, he was already thinking, ’There are several girls of a suitable age in the clan I can call on. Perhaps a future Prince Zuo will be born from one of them.’

Teng Shang glanced at Kondo and Qingmu. "You two are dismissed as well."

Kondo and Qingmu couldn’t wait to leave. Once out the door, they also hurried back toward their clan.

’This time, we helped the Prince reclaim his throne. If we can deepen our relationship with him even further, there will be even more benefits in the future.’

Prince Zuo Tengshang was well aware of their thoughts, but this was also what he wanted to see.

’As for the women in the palace, after all these years, their beauty has faded. It’s time to replace them with a new batch.’

’But for now, I need to think about how to get my revenge. The humiliation of being imprisoned for so long... I have to pay it all back.’

After spending the night with two women, he began corresponding with several neighboring Princes the very next day.

He made many promises, especially to those with ample manpower, and in his letters, he heavily embellished the prosperity of the Rong Dynasty.

Some of the Princes tossed the letters aside after reading them. ’Does Teng Shang think we’re complete fools?’

’If things were so good over there, would he have come slinking back?’

’He clearly suffered a major setback and now wants to use us to get his revenge.’

It was a case of one old fox trying to trick another.

However, his method of casting a wide net actually managed to land him two fish.

Regardless of their motives, the fact that they were interested was enough. Teng Shang naturally had to receive them with great hospitality.

The various parties gathered and whispered behind closed doors for several days. By the time they dispersed, every one of them was smiling.

&

Jin Qianqian had also received the information sent from Le City.

Looking at what Tian Zhuang had been up to lately, Jin Qianqian gave a cold smile.

His methods were simple and crude, but they were undeniably effective and had caused them a great deal of trouble.

But that little lass Li Xia had some crafty ideas of her own, coming up with a plan to fight fire with fire.

Whenever Tian Zhuang sent people to cause damage, she had Ming Qin lead men to his shops and return the favor in kind.

Tian Zhuang hired local thugs and ruffians, whereas Ming Qin brought skilled men who had been trained for years. Their destructive power was greater, and they never left any evidence for the other side to find.

That Tian Zhuang was shameless enough to play the victim, running to the government office to file a complaint first.

With no witnesses and no one caught in the act, Li Xia turned the tables and accused him of making a false accusation.

This was clearly a problem with law and order in Le City; how could the blame be pinned on them?