Accidentally dressed as an empress

A faint pale light appeared on the horizon, and the reeds were filled with the morning's dampness and the faint scent of aquatic plants. Yu Xi and Luo Jiao stood by the Yun River, facing the forest from which they had come, waiting silently.

Luo Jiao's heart was burning as he paced back and forth, anxiously waiting for Gou Lin, Gou Luo and Yun An.

Reunion sent a message back saying that he couldn't leave yet and that he needed to lie low for a while, so they decided not to wait for him.

The waves of the river kept hitting the shore. The Yun River leads to the Ling River, and taking the water route is the best way to leave the Yun Kingdom.

Luo Jiao's brows were furrowed, his eyes filled with worry. He said, "High Priest, do you think they were too eager for success and too reckless? That's why they shouldn't have let Yun An go."

Yu Xi patted his shoulder gently and said soothingly, "Don't worry, we'll wait and see." He looked towards the forest, his eyes gleaming with determination, "We have to take them away no matter what, no matter how many people come back."

Time passed minute by minute, and the reeds by the river swayed gently in the breeze.

The sun rises, and the sunlight shines on the river of clouds, reflecting golden light.

At this moment, the sound of horse hooves and shouts suddenly came from the forest. A group of people and horses galloped out of the forest, led by two young men. They anxiously waved their swords to block the flying arrows.

"High Priest!" Gou Lin and Gou Luo shouted loudly, with smiles of survival on their faces.

Luo Jiao excitedly went to greet them. They were finally back. "Hurry up and get on board!"

"Shoot arrows to cover!"

Gou Lin and Gou Luo boarded the ship with a few hundred people. The ship started to move. Several people stood on the deck. Gou Lin said, "Yun An is leading a large force to lure away the Yun Kingdom army."

Yu Xi looked compassionate. If he was captured, he would be in great danger.

Lin Hong pursued the fleeing army, successfully captured a leader and a group of slave soldiers, and returned to the city.

Yu Xi and his companions took a boat for a while, then changed to a land route. In order to shake off the pursuers, they changed horses and headed directly north. When they approached Beiling, they suddenly turned east.

Lin Nan was chasing him from behind, but the cunning Yu Xi turned back to the northeast and escaped from the gap between Lin Yan and Lin Nan's pursuit.

At the Ling River, they finally boarded a large boat and arrived at the Dongyi tribe. Yu Xi was carrying a child with him, and this child, whom he had rescued from a cage, was the amulet that ensured their safe passage through the Dongyi tribe.

....................................

In the evening, Lin Hong led his troops on a rapid march and finally returned to Lingyun City.

He entered the palace with the captured Rong leader.

Yun Se was waiting in Juanshu Hall. Lin Hong knelt on one knee and greeted him like a military commander. Yun Se helped Lin Hong up and said, "My dear, you have worked hard. My dear Lin, men are as brave as women. The Lin family has three generals who have made great contributions to our Yun Kingdom. I will reward you with thirty boxes of gold and silver from the Ministry of the Imperial Household, and your rank will be promoted to the next level. You will enjoy a generous life for generations."

Lin Hong asked, "Your Majesty, what should be done with the two thousand captured slaves?"

Yun Se thought for a moment and said, "Send them all to Mingxiao Mountain in Xiling, and do hard labor there for the rest of their lives."

Outside the Juanshu Palace, Cui Ti looked at Lin Hong, who was wearing armor, with an ugly expression on her face.

The captured Rong leader was interrogated by Gu Zezhi, who tortured him throughout the night and finally got him to confess. He gave away the name of their young master, the Third Princess Yun Ji.

Gu Zezhi wrote his confession on bamboo slips and returned to Yunji Palace the next morning with the slips.

At this time, in the main hall, the Yunji Palace was holding a court meeting, and the eldest princess, the third princess, and the fifth prince were all present.

Gu Zezhi said, "The captured Rong leader is named Yun An. He has confessed that their young master is the Third Princess. He once appeared at the Third Princess's residence and verified it."

The officials were in an uproar.

Yun Ji stepped out and said, "He's trying to sow discord. Queen Mother, do you believe those foreigners, or do you believe me? Queen Mother, I never imagined things would turn out like this. My eldest sister and I went to rescue those slaves in the West Market and brought them back to our mansion. I never imagined that one day we would raise a tiger and be bitten back."

Yun Jue knelt down and said, "On the way back from the palace, Third Sister repeatedly stood in front of Mother and suffered so many injuries. Mother, Third Sister could not have done such a thing."

He continued to plead, "That Rong tribe member must be talking nonsense. He just wants to see the Yun Kingdom royal family kill each other. I beg Queen Mother to see for yourself..."

"Shut up!" Yun Se shouted, his eyes as cold as ice as he stared at Yun Ji and Yun Jue.

Yun Jue knelt before His Majesty and begged for mercy, but he could not sway His Majesty in the slightest.

Gu Jin's daughter was an ungrateful idiot. Yun Se said, "Cui Ti, take the Fifth Prince back to the harem. This is a place for women to speak, not for him to speak."

Yunse added to Cui Ti, "Arrange a marriage between the Fifth Prince and Gu Xiuzhi's daughter."

Yun Se held her forehead with her hand, closed her eyes, and said, "Plotting treason is a capital crime, and my heart is deeply saddened. Immediately throw the Third Princess into the Imperial Prison and execute her in three days."

"The victor is king and the loser is a bandit, hahahaha~" Yun Ji laughed loudly. Two guards took Yun Ji away, but Yun Ji shook them off and said, "I can walk by myself."

After dealing with the main culprit, Grand Tutor Li Ying presented the statistics of casualties and losses in Lingyun City.

Yunxiu stood there like a background board, and she did not comment on the drama that Yun Ji and Yun Jue had just performed.

Li Ying said, "Your Majesty, 644 people died in Lingyun City, 3,900 were injured, over 500 houses were burned down, and the property lost has not yet been counted."

After Lord Li finished speaking, Yun Xiucai said, "Your Majesty, I also have something important to report. The price of grain in Lingyun City has skyrocketed recently. There is no demand for it, and even the rice shops are closed."

Zhong An, the military supply transport envoy, stepped forward, also sweating profusely. "Your Majesty, it's time to ship grain and fodder to the border once again. The four major granaries were burned, resulting in heavy losses. Only one in ten remains. There's no more grain and fodder left!"

Yun Se said, "Go to the north where the autumn harvest has not yet begun and collect food and fodder."

"It's still not enough, Your Majesty." Zhong An said with a bitter face.

For a moment, everyone in the hall fell silent. Yunxiu took over the conversation and said, "There are three ways to solve this food shortage. First, the wealthy families in Lingyun City must have surplus grain. We can have them open their warehouses and sell the grain to provide the food needed by the city residents."

"Secondly, we should provide merchants with more passes to allow them to purchase grain from other cities to replenish their food supply. With the price of rice in Lingyun City currently high, merchants will surely find this profitable."

"Third, in the name of the state, we will purchase grain from neighboring countries to supplement military supplies."

A look of satisfaction appeared on Yunse's face. Xiu'er's business studies were not in vain.

"Very good, Princess Yunxiu. I order you and the Grand Minister of Agriculture to begin this matter. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Rites will organize a delegation to prepare for the Princess's mission to other countries."

Yunse asked kindly, "Which country are you going to, Xiu'er?"

"Yan and my Yun have been at war for generations, and we have a deep-seated feud. We cannot purchase food and fodder from them. Therefore, I am preparing to go to Chu."

Yunxiu paused, "However, if we go to Chu, we will definitely pass through the Dongyi tribe, so I'm afraid we can't go there openly."

Yun Se said, "Then we will go to Chu State, disguise ourselves and set off with the caravan. I will send 500 garrison troops and the accompanying military doctor, disguised as crew members, to escort you."

Yunxiu said, "I obey your orders."

Whoever proposes the solution will implement it. Your Majesty knows how to assign tasks.