Traveling through another world to stir the emperor's heart

Feng Qingyue felt a sudden sense of relief after leaving Qionghua Pavilion. She looked up at the sky, its azure blue seeming to wash away all the gloom within her. She knew Jun Lingyuan had sent secret guards to protect her, but a lingering worry lingered. After all, that was before she knew she wasn't the original Feng Qingyue. She couldn't be certain. If Jun Lingyuan knew the truth, he might not only not protect her, but kill her instead.

Feng Qingyue slowly returned to the inn. Jun Lingyuan was in his room, handling official business. He heard a noise at the door, looked up, and saw that it was Feng Qingyue. He put down his work. He looked at Feng Qingyue with a hint of concern in his eyes and asked softly, "Are you hungry? I'll have dinner brought up."

Feng Qingyue said nothing, walking straight to Jun Lingyuan's desk where he was handling official business. Her eyes fell on the words "pests" and "rainfall" written on the paper on the table. Seeing her intense focus, Jun Lingyuan explained, "The long period of no rain has already put crops in jeopardy. Now, with the emergence of numerous pests, many people are already starving. These are truly intractable problems."

After listening to Jun Lingyuan's words, Feng Qingyue's eyes lit up. She looked up at him with burning eyes and said, "I have a way." Jun Lingyuan was full of surprise. He never expected Feng Qingyue to say that.

Seeing his reaction, Feng Qingyue continued, "But I want you to agree to one condition of mine." Jun Lingyuan asked doubtfully, "What condition?" Feng Qingyue looked straight into his eyes and said, "No matter what happens in the future, you must not harm me and my family." Jun Lingyuan was full of doubts. He didn't understand why Feng Qingyue put forward this condition. How could he be detrimental to her and the General's Mansion?

Feng Qingyue was thinking to herself, "Once you find out I'm not the real Feng Qingyue, who knows what you'll do. I have to find some protection for myself!" Jun Lingyuan was stunned when he heard her thoughts, then smiled and shook his head, agreeing readily, "Okay, I promise you."

Feng Qingyue hesitated for a moment and said, "Words alone are not enough. I need something to prove your promise, such as a letter or a golden medal of immunity from death."

Jun Lingyuan frowned slightly and said helplessly, "There are only two golden medals of immunity from death, and they are both kept safely in the palace. I can't give them to you right away. But don't worry, I will definitely hand them over to you after we return. As for the letter, I can write one to you right now."

Feng Qingyue nodded, feeling a little relieved. Jun Lingyuan immediately wrote a letter detailing his promise to Feng Qingyue and her family, stamped it with his personal seal, and handed it to Feng Qingyue.

Feng Qingyue took the letter, read it carefully, and carefully put it away. Then she looked at Jun Lingyuan with a hint of gratitude in her eyes. This letter was like a talisman, giving her a sense of security in this unknown world.

Jun Lingyuan asked expectantly, "Can you tell me the solution now?"

Feng Qingyue smiled softly, cleared her throat as she stood beside the table, and spoke clearly, "There are many ways to control pests. First, sprinkle wood ash on the crops. The alkalinity of the ash makes it difficult for pests to survive and reproduce. Second, you can plant some insect repellent plants like mint in the fields. Most pests don't like the smell, so it can help keep them away."

Jun Lingyuan listened intently, his eyes filled with wonder. Feng Qingyue then discussed the strategy of artificial rainfall to manage crops. "For rainfall, we can use saltpeter to make ice, use the cold air from the ice to gather clouds, and then use a specific formation to induce the clouds to rain. While this method is extremely labor-intensive, it is a useful emergency measure given the dire situation facing the people."

Jun Lingyuan became more and more surprised as he listened. When she finished, he asked, "How do you know all this?" Feng Qingyue's eyes rolled and she made up an excuse, "I dreamed of an old man with white hair and an immortal look. He told me these methods and said they could save people from disasters in the future." But she thought to herself, "You can't say that we do things like this in modern times."

Jun Lingyuan, hearing her inner voice, became even more curious about her. This woman always brought unexpected surprises, her methods were unheard of yet reasonable and effective. He became increasingly curious about where she came from, feeling that she was like a mysterious treasure, and every time he came into contact with her, he would discover something new.

Jun Lingyuan echoed her words: "The old man in your dream must be no ordinary person."

Feng Qingyue felt relieved and nodded, saying, "I also think that Grandpa is an immortal who has come down to earth to enlighten me."

Jun Lingyuan looked at her and smiled secretly. He knew she was lying but didn't want to expose her. He wanted to slowly find out her secret.

Jun Lingyuan suggested: "Then let's try the method you suggested now?"

Feng Qingyue nodded, her eyes firm: "There is no time to lose, let's get started now."

Jun Lingyuan said, "Don't worry, have dinner first, and then discuss the matter with the Grand Tutor and Ling Ye later."

So, the two began to eat. During the meal, Jun Lingyuan found that Feng Qingyue was worried and felt that she seemed to be hiding something from him. Although he arranged for secret guards to follow her, the secret guards were mainly responsible for protecting her safety. If the secret guards did not report what she did, he would still not know. Jun Lingyuan was a little worried, so he asked, "What have you been busy with recently when you went out?" Feng Qingyue found an excuse and said, "I just went out for a walk." But in his heart, he thought, "I can't say that I'm afraid you will kill me, so I went to find a backer!"

Jun Lingyuan couldn't help but feel a little angry when he heard her thoughts. He put down his chopsticks and said seriously, "Qingyue, are you sure you're not hiding anything from me?"

Jun Lingyuan looked into her eyes, his gaze scrutinizing. "Is there anything between you and me that cannot be discussed? If you always act like this, how can we ever have any trust in each other?"

Feng Qingyue was deeply hesitant, but when she thought of the dire consequences of revealing her secret, she gritted her teeth and lied again, "Jun Lingyuan, I really just went out to relax. You know I'm bored in this inn." But in her heart, she thought, "What if you knew I wasn't the original Feng Qingyue and you burned me like a monster? Isn't that how it always happens in novels? I absolutely can't tell you."

When Jun Lingyuan heard her thoughts, his expression darkened, and the atmosphere instantly turned cold. He said coldly, "I'll sleep in your room tonight." He put down his chopsticks, stood up, and left.

Feng Qingyue looked at his back as he left, and suddenly came to her senses. What he had just said echoed in her mind: "What? Sleeping in my room today?" Feng Qingyue widened her eyes, her face full of disbelief.