The White-haired Queen

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a man standing not far away, playing a bamboo whistle. Not long after, a group of old, weak, women and children in ragged clothes and haggard faces slowly walked over from all directions. These people were refugees on the way to exile. Some of them walked forward with difficulty on crutches, while others were supported by young children, their eyes revealing confusion and fear about the future.

When the refugees saw the waiting team ahead, a glimmer of hope appeared on their faces. They walked quickly forward, hugged their loved ones and cried. For a moment, the whole scene was filled with sadness and emotion. The man who blew the whistle watched all this silently, with a glimmer of relief in his eyes.

Li Changqing saw this and said, "Then everyone take care of each other, we will set off now." He took the lead and walked forward, followed closely by the grateful people. They knew that this journey was full of unknowns and challenges, but because they had a reliable leader like Li Changqing leading them forward, they seemed particularly at ease and full of confidence.

Princess Qinghe stared at Li Changqing in front of her, secretly amazed. This man not only had superb cooking skills and made mouth-watering food, but also had a kind heart and was willing to help others. Everyone who had come into contact with him praised him highly. Moreover, from the way he handled things just now, it can be seen that he had clear thinking and was orderly. He was meticulous and thoughtful in the resettlement of the refugees. All of this made Princess Qinghe like him even more.

However, facing so many refugees, the food they carried was obviously insufficient. When they arrived at the market, Li Changqing decisively selected two representatives from the teams heading to Black Water Mountain and Huoyan Mountain to go to the market with him to buy a large number of steamed buns and cakes to solve the urgent problem.

As night fell, accommodation became a top priority. Li Changqing did not hesitate to properly arrange for all the refugees to rest in the post station, ensuring that everyone could get enough rest. He personally checked each room, cared about the refugees' living needs, and did his best to meet them. This caring move impressed Princess Qinghe and moved Tian Fangzhou, who could spend more time taking care of his family.

In this difficult time, Li Changqing's extraordinary talents and noble character were like a beacon, illuminating the people around him. Princess Qinghe silently watched his busy figure, and a warm current surged in her heart. She knew that such talents were rare, and her appreciation for him became stronger.

At the same time, Li Changqing did not slack off on Princess Qinghe because of the arrival of refugees. On the contrary, he always took good care of her daily life and tried his best to arrange her every meal and daily routine.

By the time Li Changqing had settled all his affairs, the night had already darkened. He dragged his tired body back to his bedroom, took a short rest, and then took out the precious recipe given by Empress Dowager Wen and studied it carefully.

In the past, Li Changqing was obsessed with military strategies and paid little attention to other things; however, now, even he himself had not expected that he would be able to appreciate a different world from this seemingly ordinary food.

Just as Li Changqing was immersed in the world of recipes, there was a slight knock on the door. His heart tightened. Could it be that the refugees had encountered some emergency? Without thinking too much, he quickly put down the book in his hand, got up hurriedly and went to answer the door. When he opened the door, it turned out that it was Princess Qinghe who came to visit in person, and brought the secret sleep-inducing spices from the palace of the Nanyue Kingdom.

Princess Qinghe said softly, "General Li, I came to say hello. I wonder if you are used to living here?" Li Changqing hurriedly bowed and responded, "Thank you for your concern, Princess. I am fine. May I ask what brings you here?"

Princess Qinghe smiled slightly, handed over a beautiful little box, and said, "This is a special calming incense made by our Nanyue country, which can help people fall asleep peacefully. I sent some today, hoping that General Li can rest better." Li Changqing was grateful and took the box and bowed to thank him, saying, "Thank you for the princess's generous gift. I am very grateful!"

Princess Qinghe was about to turn around and leave when she caught a glimpse of a book placed next to the candle. She curiously reached out and picked it up. She took a closer look and found that it was a recipe book. At this moment, the book just stopped at the page that introduced how to make beggar's chicken. It was obvious that Li Changqing was reading it.

Princess Qinghe carefully studied the words and pictures in the recipe book, and she couldn't help but feel fond of it. She held the book in her hands, as if she couldn't bear to put it down, and asked quickly, "General Li, can you lend me this book to read for two days?"

Li Changqing thought about it for a moment, thinking that this book was given by the Queen Mother and did not involve state secrets. The Queen Mother originally wanted him to pass on the culinary skills and carry them forward. In this case, whether he learned it himself and then taught others, or the princess learned it by reading the book, the ultimate goal was the same. Thinking of this, he nodded and said, "Well, Princess, take it and read it."

Princess Qinghe nodded slightly to express her gratitude, then turned and left.

Before dawn the next day, Li Changqing once again looked for the chief of the post station to properly arrange breakfast for everyone.

However, he found that the head of the post station had not arrived yet. In desperation, he had to go to the canteen to check the situation. At this time, the cooks in the canteen had already been busy, but the food they prepared was obviously only enough to meet the needs of Li Changqing, Tian Fangzhou's family, the princess and her servants.

Looking at the limited food resources in front of him, Li Changqing felt compassion. He knew that the refugees were suffering from hunger and cold at the moment and urgently needed a warm meal to replenish their energy. So he asked the cook: "Does the post station have any extra rice and flour? If it is convenient, you can cook some porridge for the refugees and steam some steamed buns to fill their stomachs."

Hearing this, the cook of the post station immediately showed an unhappy look on his face and responded: "The head of the post station only told us to take good care of the food for the general, the prefect Tian, ​​and the princess, but did not mention the food problem for the refugees!"

Faced with this situation, Li Changqing did not back down or get angry. On the contrary, he said firmly: "If there are ingredients available, please prepare them first. I will pay for the expenses myself. If you are short of manpower and need assistance, I will also try to find two people to help." He knew in his heart that although his power was limited, as long as everyone made a little effort, more displaced people could feel the warmth and love of the world.