As night deepened, the only sounds within the Prince's Estate were the faint clatter of armor from patrolling guards and the mournful whistle of the cold wind through the withered branches in the courtyard.
Li Chen'an, however, had no intention of sleeping. Draped in a thick fox fur cloak, he sat at his desk, a simple map of Yunzhou City's defenses spread before him.
A charcoal pencil twirled between his fingers, occasionally descending to sketch strange marks and lines on the map.
"Imperial Granary... Blackwater River... Black Wind Mountain..." he murmured, and in his mind, thoughts of risk assessment, resource allocation, and multi-line operations from his past life as a project manager flashed like a revolving lantern.
He knew that Zhang Qian's mission was not merely to open the granary and distribute food; it was a public test of his authority as the new "project manager" and a direct challenge to Yunzhou's existing powers.
Success would open up the situation, allowing subsequent plans to proceed smoothly. Failure would mean all previous efforts were in vain, and he, the Xian Wang, would completely lose the right to lie flat in this dilapidated estate.
After a long while, he put down the charcoal pencil and rubbed his somewhat sore eyes.
"Zhao Pan," he called softly towards the door.
Zhao Pan quickly appeared at the doorway, his figure ramrod straight.
"Tomorrow, you will personally lead twenty of our most elite brothers to the Imperial Granary with Zhang Changshi," Li Chen'an's voice was tinged with weariness. "Remember, we are there to act according to the law. If anyone dares to defy the law and obstruct the King's order, you need not be polite."
"Understood!" Zhao Pan responded in a deep voice.
Li Chen'an nodded, waved him away, and exhaled a long breath as he looked out at the deep night outside the window.
The next morning, the sky was faintly lit, and the air was biting cold.
Outside the Imperial Granary north of Yunzhou City, a thin layer of white frost covered the bluestone pavement.
The granary gates were tightly shut, and high walls stood solemnly. A few crows perched on the bare wall tops, letting out hoarse cries that added to the desolation of the early morning.
Zhang Qian, in a teal long robe covered by a thick cotton jacket, stood at the front of the line.
He took a deep breath of the cold air, feeling the stagnant air that had accumulated in his chest for three years dissipate with that exhale, replaced by an unprecedented resolve and sharp spirit.
Behind him, Zhao Pan, clad in black armor, his hand on his saber hilt, had eyes as sharp as an eagle's. Twenty Royal Guards stood in two straight lines, silent as mountains. The faint clatter of their armor as they moved sounded particularly heavy and Stern in the quiet street.
This team was the first sharp blade of the Idle Prince reaching into Yunzhou's old order, and he, Zhang Qian, was the tip of that blade.
At the Imperial Granary entrance, several granary officials in worn cotton padded jackets were huddling, blowing on their hands to keep warm. Seeing such a formation, they were first stunned, then someone recognized Zhang Qian and hurriedly ran inside to report.
Soon after, Sun Youcai, the Imperial Granary official, a middle-aged man with a sharp chin, monkey-like cheeks, and shifty eyes, came out, hands tucked into his sleeves, his face wreathed in smiles.
"Oh, isn't this Zhang Lushi?" he began, his voice oily. "What brings you here today? And with... uh, the esteemed guests from the Prince's Estate? Please, come inside for a cup of hot tea to warm yourselves!" His gaze quickly swept over Zhao Pan and the guards behind him.
Zhang Qian's face was ashen. Ignoring his attempts at familiarity, he directly pulled out the Idle Prince's order, which he had prepared earlier, from his sleeve and said coldly, "Sun Granary Official, enough with the pleasantries. By order of the Idle Prince, open the granary immediately, allocate relief grain, and aid the disaster victims!"
Sun Youcai took the order, and just a glance at the bright red princely seal made his eyelids twitch. He knew the visitors meant business. While forcing a dry laugh, he subtly winked at a quick-witted young servant beside him. The servant understood and quietly slipped out through the back door.
"Your Highness's compassion for the people is a blessing to our Yunzhou, and this humble official will naturally comply," Sun Youcai's smile remained fixed.
"However... Zhang Lushi, as you know, this Imperial Granary is a vital place of the court. Opening the granary and distributing grain is a matter of great importance. It requires... it requires a verification document from the Ministry of Revenue, and we must follow the old rules before this humble official can open the gates. Otherwise, if any mistakes occur, this humble official's head cannot bear the responsibility."
Zhang Qian had long anticipated this. He snorted coldly, "Sun Granary Official, do you truly not understand, or are you pretending not to? His Highness's military order is here. Are you going to defy it?"
"This humble official wouldn't dare, absolutely wouldn't dare!" Sun Youcai waved his hands repeatedly, his face full of difficulty. "But the laws of the court cannot be disregarded either. If everyone doesn't follow the rules, wouldn't it lead to chaos?"
"Rules?"
Zhao Pan, who had been silent, suddenly stepped forward. His iron boots clanked heavily on the bluestone, a dull "thud" that made Sun Youcai involuntarily take half a step back.
"Sun Granary Official, it seems you have forgotten," Zhao Pan's voice was deep and powerful.
Sun Youcai forced a smile, "Captain Zhao... Captain Zhao is joking. This humble official has an excellent memory."
"Is that so?" Zhao Pan's gaze cut across his face like a knife. "Have you read the 'Great Xia Laws and Regulations,' Military Law Chapter?"
Sun Youcai's heart skipped a beat. He said dryly, "Of course I have, but... what does that have to do with today's matter..."
"'Great Xia Laws and Regulations,' Military Law Chapter: In times of frontier emergency, the presiding Prince has the authority to first deploy money and grain!" Zhao Pan's voice was not loud.
"Sun Granary Official, has Yunzhou's three-year drought not been an emergency? The starving people outside the city, crying for food, is that not an emergency?"
Sun Youcai's face turned pale. He tried to argue, "But... but the natural disaster has not yet been officially declared by the court, and no popular uprising has occurred... Captain Zhao, are you perhaps exaggerating to force this official into making a mistake?"
"Do you want it to happen?" Zhao Pan's hand slowly rested on the hilt of his saber. The twenty guards simultaneously took a step forward, their sabers simultaneously drawing an inch from their scabbards with a "clang."
The atmosphere instantly became extremely tense.
Sun Youcai and the other granary officials were shaking in their boots, almost collapsing to the ground.
Just then, urgent footsteps and shouts came from around the corner: "Stop! Everyone stop! In broad daylight, threatening a court official with weapons, are you trying to rebel?!"
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound, only to see Liu Zhubu arriving, panting, with more than a dozen family retainers and guards. When he saw the tense standoff, his heart sank, and he secretly cursed Sun Youcai for his incompetence, unable to even delay for a moment.
Drawing closer, he quickly forced a smile, pushed through the crowd, and cupped his hands to Zhang Qian, saying, "Oh dear, Zhang Lushi, Captain Zhao, what's wrong? Let's talk it over, let's talk it over!"
He first played the peacemaker, then turned to Sun Youcai and sternly scolded him, "Sun Youcai, how dare you be so rude to the esteemed envoy from the Prince's Estate? Hurry and apologize!"
Zhang Qian looked at his face and sneered inwardly, "Liu Zhubu, you've come at just the right time. His Highness has a military order requiring the immediate opening of the granary for food distribution, but Sun Granary Official is making many excuses and refusing to open it. As the Zhubu of the prefecture, in charge of money and grain, you tell me, should this granary be opened or not?"
Liu Zhubu's eyelids twitched. He cleared his throat and said solemnly, "The Prince loves his people like his own children; how could this official not comply? However, opening the granary and distributing grain is a matter of national importance, and procedures must still be followed."
"Although this military order has special permission, the conditions for its activation are extremely strict. Without conclusive evidence of a popular uprising, rashly invoking military law, the responsibility..."
Before he could finish, a slightly aged voice came from outside the crowd:
"Liu Zhubu, in extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken. The court's rules are dead, but must the lives of Yunzhou's common people be buried along with these dead rules?"
Everyone looked again and saw that Chen Zhizhou, escorted by two prefectural yamen runners, had also arrived at some point. Today, he had shed his usual dejected demeanor, dressed in neat official robes, his face serious, his eyes bright, truly possessing the bearing of a provincial governor.
Liu Zhubu's brow furrowed when he saw Chen Zhizhou, and he secretly thought, *This old fellow usually acts like a timid turtle, why has he jumped out today?*
Chen Zhizhou walked to the center of the scene, first nodding slightly to Zhang Qian and Zhao Pan, then turning to Liu Zhubu and saying in a deep voice, "Liu Zhubu, disaster relief and caring for the people are our shared responsibilities as officials! Today, His Highness's military order is here, and the people outside the city are agitated. This granary must be opened, whether you like it or not! If you continue to obstruct it, are you perhaps trying to openly defy the King's command, disregard the lives of Yunzhou's common people, and insist on forcing public resentment to boil over and cause a great disaster before you stop?!"
Although Chen Zhizhou had been sidelined for many years, he was still the court-appointed Zhizhou of Yunzhou, holding legitimate authority. His firm stance and words rendered Liu Zhubu speechless, his face alternating between green and white.
He knew that the granary gates today would likely not be held shut.
He glared fiercely at Sun Youcai, his look as if to say, "Useless! You can't even handle such a small matter!"
Sun Youcai was now drenched in sweat. Trembling, he unhooked a large bunch of keys from his waist and tottered to the heavy granary gates.
With a creak, the huge copper lock was opened, and the two heavy granary gates slowly swung inward.