After traveling through time, I became a princess in ancient times

The halls of the imperial palace are magnificent and golden, with towering dragon pillars, fully displaying the royal majesty.

Ren Chenxi and Xia Yurou walked slowly into the hall, each step appearing solemn and steady.

"Beiling County has not had any rain for three months, and the people have not been able to harvest any grain. I am very worried. Do you have any good suggestions?"

The emperor's voice was deep and powerful, revealing his deep concern for the people.

A minister stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, Beiling County is suffering from a severe drought. I beg Your Majesty to allocate some money to help the victims and alleviate their urgent needs."

The emperor nodded slightly, but he looked troubled: "If we only rely on money to solve the suffering of the people, it may be difficult to solve the root cause."

Another minister had a different view: "Your Majesty, since ancient times, there have been unpredictable weather conditions, but there are also ways to pray for rain. I heard that there is a high-ranking monk in the suburbs of the capital who is proficient in Buddhism and can sense the heaven and earth. Why not invite him to pray for rain for Beiling County?"

When the emperor heard this, a glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes, and he immediately issued an order: "This method may be worth a try. Pass the order down and invite the monk to the palace as soon as possible."

At this time, Ren Chenxi stood up and said, "Brother Emperor, although praying for rain is an old practice, it is not a long-term solution. The drought in Beiling is caused by long-term ecological imbalance. We should send people to Beiling County to find out the cause of the water source drying up and try to restore the local ecology. This is the fundamental solution."

"Your Highness is wrong. Praying for rain is in accordance with the will of heaven. Moreover, the great monk has boundless magical powers. He will surely be able to pray for rain and relieve the suffering of the people."

Xia Yurou was dissatisfied and raised her chin slightly, retorting: "Natural disasters are indeed ruthless, but human power can overcome nature. If we just pray blindly without seeking solutions, then when will the suffering of the people end? What the prince said is a good policy that truly considers the people."

As soon as these words were spoken, several important officials in the hall turned their eyes to Xia Yurou.

The emperor, sitting high on the dragon throne, asked, "Who are you? Why are you here in the court?"

Ren Chenxi, who was standing by, heard this and immediately said, "Brother Emperor, in addition to discussing the affairs of Beiling County with you, I have another favor to ask of you."

Without waiting for him to finish the next words, Xia Yurou bravely met the emperor's gaze: "I, Xia Yurou, dare to ask the emperor to grant me marriage."

"Lord Chen, how can you be so careless about such a big matter as marriage?"

"Although this woman has some knowledge, she is of humble origins after all. How can she be worthy of the royal honor?"

"Your Majesty's words are golden. How can marriage be a joke? Please think twice, Prince Chen."

As soon as they heard the word "granted marriage", the voices of opposition from several ministers rose one after another, like the surging waves of the sea, one wave higher than the other.

"My Lords, although my wife is not of noble birth, she has a heart that cares about the country and the people. Her wisdom is far beyond what her birth can measure."

The emperor frowned, his eyes wandering between Ren Chenxi and Xia Yurou, as if he was weighing something.

Xia Yurou felt the pressure from all around her, but she did not back down.

"Your Majesty, if you can grant me the marriage, I am willing to sign a military order to solve the drought problem in Beiling County within a month. If I fail, I will leave it to Your Majesty to deal with."

Her voice echoed in the empty hall, and every word seemed to strike the hearts of everyone present.

The ministers looked at each other, some showed doubt, while others began to fall into deep thought.

The emperor's gaze lingered on Xia Yurou for a long time, and he slowly asked, "Are you really confident that you can solve the drought problem in Beiling within a month?"

"I am willing to pledge my life to the Emperor. One month will be enough."

When the emperor heard this, a hint of appreciation flashed in his eyes, but more of it was solemnity.

"Brother, I am willing to go to Beiling County with Rou'er. If we really fail to solve the drought in Beiling County, I am willing to be punished together with you."

"If you can solve the drought in Beiling County as planned, I will grant you marriage to show the royal family's trust."

The emperor's voice echoed in the empty hall, like the sound of a stone falling to the ground.

Although the emperor had made his attitude clear, some ministers still looked indignant and whispered their opposition.

"Your Majesty, this matter concerns the reputation of the royal family. How can you make such a hasty decision?"

An elderly minister frowned, his tone sounding somewhat dissatisfied.

The emperor glanced at the ministers who were still whispering and said, "I have made up my mind. My dear ministers, there is no need to say more."

The hall suddenly became quiet. Everyone lowered their heads and dared not speak anymore. It seemed as if even the air had frozen.

The emperor waved his sleeves lightly, signaling all the ministers to leave, leaving only Ren Chenxi and Xia Yurou.

The golden sunlight shone onto the two people through the carved window lattices, adding a bit of warmth to this solemn hall.

"The journey to Beiling is dangerous and unpredictable. I grant you the Imperial Sword so that you can execute first and report later. I hope you can uphold the royal authority and solve the drought in Beiling."

As soon as he finished speaking, Eunuch Li beside the emperor walked down the stairs holding a sword inlaid with gems in both hands.

Ren Chenxi took the sword and felt a chill passing from the hilt into his heart.

"I will definitely live up to your trust and solve the drought problem in Beiling."

Afterwards, the two of them quickly returned to Prince Chen's Mansion, packed their luggage simply, and summoned everyone in the mansion.

"The prince and the princess will be in Beiling County for a month. All matters in the mansion will be handed over to Steward Lin."

Steward Lin stepped forward and said respectfully, "Don't worry, Your Majesty, I will definitely keep the house in good order."

Xia Yurou came to Xiaoxue and handed her the recipe for the drink.

"Xiaoxue, I'll leave the hot pot restaurant to you for now. You must run it well and don't slack off."

Xiaoxue nodded quickly, her eyes full of reluctance, and choked up and said, "Princess, I'm not here to serve you, you must take good care of yourself."

In front of the gate of Prince Chen's mansion, a carriage slowly drove out, and the horse's hooves made crisp clattering sounds on the bluestone slabs.

The lantern in front of the carriage swayed gently as the carriage bumped along, and the red light jumped in the twilight, as if guiding the direction forward.

The servants of the palace stood at the door and watched their prince and princess leave. Some bowed their heads and prayed silently, while others waved goodbye.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone on Ren Chenxi's stern face, adding a bit of melancholy to him.

He tightly grasped the imperial sword in his hand, which represented his brother's expectation and trust in their trip to Beiling.

Xia Yurou gently patted the back of his hand and said in a soft voice, "Your Highness, although the drought in Beiling is difficult, we will definitely find a solution."

Ren Chenxi's gaze looked towards Longyang City through the gap in the carriage curtains, but his heart was concerned about the people of Beiling County.

On the winding official road, the shadow of the carriage passed through the twilight.

The sounds of rolling wheels and horse hooves echoed across the open wilderness, along with the occasional chirping of insects, forming the only music of the journey.

The carriage moved slowly forward in the sunset, but Ren Chenxi's heart had already flown to the land that was waiting for him.