The White-haired Queen

Wen Lanyue arrived in Sumu City a few days later, feeling full of sorrow.

As soon as they entered the city, they rushed to the general's mansion without stopping. The garrison commander Shangguan Xin had never seen Wen Lanyue in person, but he had heard of her deeds and had already enjoyed the benefits she brought - the cotton clothes recently distributed to the soldiers were made by her.

General Lin Haoze had been staying in Sumu City for some time, but due to the recent unusual actions of the East Asian country, the coastal areas needed to establish a navy, so he rushed to the coastal areas a few days ago.

When Shangguan Xin saw Jing Li, he immediately called each other brothers, obviously they were good friends who had known each other for a long time. Jing Li pointed at Wen Lanyue and introduced her to him, "This is Wen Zhengshi, and she is also the queen mother of our Shangxie Kingdom. She will become the princess of our prince in the future." Jing Li paused for a moment and continued, "I'm sure you have heard about her other things, so I won't introduce her in detail."

Shangguan Xin bowed hastily upon hearing this. Wen Lanyue waved her hand, indicating that there was no need for courtesy and that they should treat him with the same courtesy as the envoy.

Wen Lanyue's eyes were always on Shangguan Xin, looking this legendary figure up and down. She had heard Fenglou Pavilion Master Ma talk about his stories before, but now that she saw him with her own eyes, she truly felt his charm and extraordinaryness.

Wen Lanyue originally thought that men would feel greasy when they entered middle age, but Shangguan Xin had a tall and thin figure, and did not have the greasy feeling of a middle-aged man.

On the contrary, he was wearing a general's uniform, looking heroic and dashing. This uniform not only outlined his tall and straight figure, but also showed a unique handsomeness. This handsomeness did not come from his appearance alone, but more from the resoluteness and courage he exuded. His eyes were firm and sharp, as if he could see through everything; his steps were steady and powerful, and each step was accompanied by a sense of calmness and confidence.

Such a Shangguan Xin reminds people of the heroes who killed countless enemies and marched forward bravely on the battlefield. His decisiveness in killing is also the key to his becoming an outstanding general. Wen Lanyue secretly sighed in her heart: "No wonder the princess of Beicang Kingdom is so in love with him. Such a man is really attractive."

At this moment, she seemed to understand why Shangguan Xin had become the focus of everyone's attention, and also understood the princess's deep affection. If it were in modern times, such a handsome and capable uncle would be the object of attraction for both young and old.

Shangguan Xin was secretly delighted to see that Wen Lanyue was approachable and had no airs, so he started chatting with Jing Li. The more they talked, the more they got along. However, Shangguan Xin was always thinking about the empress dowager, so he didn't dare to be too presumptuous. From time to time, he glanced at Wen Lanyue out of the corner of his eye, and when he saw that she was smiling and didn't look dissatisfied, he felt relieved.

Shangguan Xin's smile widened, and his tone became more respectful. He asked softly, "The Queen Mother came here this time. Is it because she has something important to do? If I can help, I will do my best!"

After hearing Shangguan Xin's question, Wen Lanyue came back to her senses. She shook her head gently and slowly emphasized: "Just treat it as an envoy. I am here on a diplomatic mission to Beicang Country. I don't know the situation here yet, so I need to trouble the general to introduce it to me."

Shangguan Xin quickly clasped his fists and saluted, and replied respectfully: "Your Majesty, you are too kind. This is all my duty. As far as I know, the Queen Mother of Beicang has just passed away. The King of Beicang is heartbroken and has been immersed in the pain of losing his mother. Seeing this, other tribes began to make moves, and there are even rumors that they have secretly colluded with foreigners."

Wen Lanyue frowned slightly and asked, "What kind of person is Prince Beiming Yu of Bei Cang Kingdom?"

Shangguan Xin thought for a moment and replied, "That prince is indeed a brave general, good at leading troops in battle, but he doesn't seem to be good at court affairs. Moreover, he has a straightforward personality and likes to get straight to the point when dealing with problems. He doesn't know how to use political tactics."

Wen Lanyue nodded slightly, indicating her agreement. After all, she had dealt with Bei Mingyu several times before, and knew that he was a straightforward person, always speaking and doing things directly. If they got along well, he would chat more; otherwise, he would be silent.

Jing Li then asked, "Envoy Wen, do you think we need to stay in Sumu City for a few days to rest?"

Wen Lanyue thought for a moment and replied, "Probably one or two days will be enough."

At this time, Shangguan Xin noticed that Jing Li addressed the Queen Mother as "Envoy Wen", and a trace of doubt rose in his heart. He secretly wondered if his previous address of "Queen Mother" seemed too unfamiliar. Thinking of this, he hurriedly said, "Envoy Wen, if you have any needs, please let me know. When we set out, I will send a few deputy generals to accompany you throughout the journey."

Wen Lanyue smiled and replied, "That's great. Please send two soldiers to serve as our guides and liaison officers!"

Shangguan Xin readily agreed: "Don't worry, I will take care of this matter."

For the next period of time, the three of them continued to chat leisurely for a while. Afterwards, Shangguan Xin properly arranged for the two to rest first.

The next morning, the sun shone on Shangguan Xin, and he walked towards the camp with a firm step, ready to arrange the next work. At the same time, Wen Lanyue decided to give the members of the delegation some free time, allowing them to relax and adjust themselves as much as they want while abiding by the rules of Sumu City and the camp.

Wen Lanyue, Honghe and Jingli walked through the streets of this strange city. They carefully observed everything around them, and they were filled with emotion. They noticed that the people here lived in poverty, had thin clothes and lacked food. Wen Lanyue secretly thought about how to help these people improve their living conditions.

After careful consideration, Wen Lanyue came up with a plan. She believed that Shangxie should vigorously promote the planting of flax, ramie and other hemp fiber crops, and send professionals from Tingfenglou Sumu City to teach relevant textile knowledge and the skills of making and selling spinning wheels. In this way, not only can they provide enough clothing to resist the severe cold, but they can also promote the development of the local economy.

In addition, Wen Lanyue came up with a new idea - to try to introduce the grinding wheel from the south. She wanted to see if this tool could solve some dietary problems, especially in the production of edible oil. If it is feasible, it will greatly improve people's quality of life.

Suddenly, Wen Lanyue had an idea. She planned to popularize the technology of pickling vegetables to the people here. In this way, ordinary ingredients can be preserved for winter. In this way, people can enjoy delicious food even in the winter when supplies are scarce.