Tiger Owl

Chapter 294 Rumor Storm
Jia Xu suppressed the turmoil in his heart and asked, "Has grain always been this cheap in Chaisang?"

"About that! It's always been around forty or fifty coins, but it's been a bit cheaper lately, dropping below forty coins."

"But this is wartime!"

The shopkeeper grinned, but it was a bitter smile, a smile that looked worse than a grimace. "Before, during the war, the price suddenly soared to fifty coins per dou. But after Cao Cao's large ships were burned down, the price of rice also plummeted to thirty-five coins per dou. It's just a pity for us small-scale rice merchants; we've lost everything."

Jia Xu sighed and said, "But the price of rice in Hefei is still two hundred coins per dou, didn't you know?"

"I know! Of course I know, but what's the use?"

"You can."

Before Jia Xu could finish speaking, the shopkeeper interrupted him decisively, "How could that be? Our Lord of Chu has a strict order that grain must never be transported out of the country. If caught, the lightest punishment is exile to Jiaozhou, and the heaviest is beheading. No one dares to do such a thing."

Jia Xu was somewhat relieved. The high price of grain was indeed a huge temptation to attract people from the north to migrate to Western Chu. Since the benefits should not go to outsiders, Gan Ning would certainly not use his low grain prices to subsidize outsiders, so it was normal to strictly prohibit the export of grain.

Jia Xu suddenly remembered something and asked with a smile, "You said before that it would drop to thirty-five coins per dou, how come it has dropped by five coins today?"

The shopkeeper sighed, "The new rice seedlings in the experimental fields in the eastern suburbs had a bumper harvest at the beginning of the year, yielding 800 jin per mu. We used it to plant autumn grain, and it looks like it will be successful again. Of course, the price of rice will plummet!"

Jia Xu was stunned. Eight hundred catties per mu, two seasons of rice—he knew what this meant. He didn't bother to ask any more questions, turned around and left the shop, got into the carriage and said, "To the experimental field in the eastern suburbs!"

The experimental field in the eastern suburbs is no secret; everyone in Chaisang knows it. Countless farmers are keeping an eye on these 3,000 mu (approximately 200 hectares), and many have even built shacks by the fields to monitor the growth of the new rice every day.

Gan Ning didn't interfere; he was eager for all the farmers to come and see, as it would be beneficial for the promotion of Jiaozhi rice.

Jia Xu rushed to the experimental field in the eastern suburbs. The field was surrounded by tens of thousands of farmers who had come from all over the country, all staring wide-eyed at the rice. It was early September, and the rice had already turned yellow, with plump grains that hung heavily on the ground. In another half month, it would be ready for harvest.

Farmers didn't care about the origin of the rice; they only cared about the results. The yield was 800 jin per mu, which was 300 jin higher than the current rice. More importantly, it was a double-cropping rice, while now it was just one season of winter wheat, yielding 300 jin per mu, and one season of late rice, yielding 500 jin per mu, with a total annual grain output of 800 jin. The new rice variety doubled the yield in just one year, and the huge difference in grain output made all the farmers envious.

When Jia Xu heard about this huge difference in food supplies, he was stunned. As a top strategist, he knew what this meant: it meant a gap in national strength, and national strength was nothing more than food and population.

"Where is this rice variety from?" Jia Xu squatted down and asked a farmer next to him.

"I heard it's a rice variety from Jiaozhi County. It has a high yield and a short growing season. It's truly a treasure!"

Jia Xu returned in a daze. At this time, news was spreading throughout the city that the Marquis of Chu was going to form a marriage alliance with Cao Cao. This was specially arranged by Jia Xu's subordinates to spread the news and expand the influence of the marriage alliance. He believed that there must be a powerful force in Chaisang to support the marriage alliance.

As evening fell, Gan Ning returned to his residence as usual. He was greeted by Sun Shangxiang, who had completely emerged from the shadows of her past. She was no longer as thin as before and had regained her original figure, looking exceptionally healthy and beautiful.

She stepped forward and happily took Gan Ning's arm, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. Her beautiful eyes shone brightly, like a young girl in love.

"Gan Lang is back?"

"They're back. Where are they?"

"Ayu is chatting with Sister Daqiao, and Yunqing is telling Sister Daqiao's fortune."

"What's wrong?" Gan Ning sensed something was off. "Sister Da Qiao isn't in a good mood today. It seems there's a rumor that Cao Cao wants to... arrange a marriage alliance." Sun Shangxiang hesitated, actually worried that she might be replaced by someone else.

Gan Ning understood, and he nodded. "Have your eldest sister come to the study."

Gan Ning returned to his study. As soon as he sat down, Da Qiao brought in a cup of hot tea. Her eyes were a little red and swollen, indicating that she had been crying.

Gan Ning was both amused and annoyed. He pulled her into his lap and said, "It's just a rumor. Is it really necessary to cry?"

But I believe it to be true!

Da Qiao lowered her head and whispered, "My husband once told me that sometimes political marriages are unavoidable, just like when you allied with Jiangdong and almost married Shang Xiang."

Gan Ning hugged her tenderly and comforted her, saying, "I don't know if there will be political marriages in the future, but even if there are, it has nothing to do with you. Even if she is the emperor's daughter, she will have to obediently serve you tea. You are my wife, now and forever!"

"Husband!"

Da Qiao hugged her husband and cried, "I don't care if I'm the legal wife or not, I'm afraid... I'm afraid you'll divorce me!"

When a principal wife is deposed, she is usually divorced directly rather than having her status lowered. This is what Da Qiao feared most. How could Cao Cao's daughter tolerate her still being in the household?

"what are you talking about?"

Faced with his wife's severe insecurity, Gan Ning could only manage a wry smile and try a different approach: "If I divorce you, what will happen to my son? Ah Zhu, wake up! The son you gave birth to is the heir apparent. With him around, what are you afraid of?"

But Da Qiao still couldn't let go of the past. She became her husband's legal wife in a muddled way. She originally entered Gan Ning's mansion as a concubine. There was no proper match in terms of social status, no formal marriage, and no wedding ceremony. These deficiencies have always been a thorn in her heart and the root cause of her insecurity.

Just like Liu Bei's Lady Gan, who was promoted from a concubine to the principal wife, but was then demoted back to the status of a concubine because Liu Bei married Lady Mi for a marriage alliance.

Therefore, the rumor of the marriage alliance between Gan and Cao instantly activated the thorn in her heart. She thought of the world-shaking difference in social status between herself and Cao Cao's daughter, and that she could not help her husband realize his great ambitions, while Cao Cao's daughter could. Da Qiao was completely overwhelmed.

That night, Gan Ning coaxed his wife until midnight before she could finally believe that her position was irreplaceable and that she would always be his wife.

But Gan Ning knew that the thorn in his wife's heart had not been removed; the pain had only been temporarily relieved. He had to prove his determination with his actions.

The following day, Gan Ning met with Jia Xu.

Gan Ning no longer cherished his old friend Jia Xu as much as he had at the beginning. Jia Xu was a top-notch tactical strategist, but he was still lacking in strategic acumen. His seven-year ceasefire plan for Jiangdong was well done, but it was limited to the gains and losses of a single city or region. In the long-term strategy, it was a loss.

"Is Military Advisor Jia going to implement a seven-year ceasefire policy here again? If I remember correctly, the seventh daughter of the Cao family was betrothed to Sun Quan. Could it be that Prime Minister Cao wants me to marry a widow who is not yet married?"

Gan Ning's voice was cold, and Jia Xu froze instantly. An unprecedented bitterness welled up in his heart. The achievement of successfully deceiving Jiangdong had suddenly become an insurmountable mountain.

The hall fell silent. Lu Su, Jiang Wan, and the other high-ranking officials were stunned. They hadn't discussed what the Marquis of Chu had said at all.

After a long pause, Jia Xu took a deep breath and said, "It is true that the seven-year agreement may be genuine or fake, but the measure of its authenticity has never been based on so-called sincerity in negotiations, but on strength. I think the Marquis of Chu should be very clear about his own strength."

(End of this chapter)