Spring arrives and the land smiles

The next day, Qingyan woke up around 9 a.m. She had been hungover all night, with a splitting headache and feeling weak all over. A bowl of hangover soup provided some relief, but she still couldn't withstand the fatigue of the journey.

Naturally, they couldn't claim to the outside world that the princess was drunk; they could only use physical discomfort as a cover-up.

"Are you feeling better?" Yunxuan sat on the edge of the bed and touched Qingyan's forehead, his face showing worry but also some anger.

"I'm fine." Qingyan smiled ingratiatingly. Yunxuan must have carried her back yesterday, otherwise, if she had woken up in the side courtyard where Lan Zhen was staying this morning, who knows what kind of uproar it would have caused.

"Nothing wrong? The two of them drank six jars of wine, four of which were strong liquor. I know that Her Highness the Princess can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, but there's no need to ruin your health like this!" Yunxuan was so angry that his face turned black.

"I didn't mean it. King Zhao seems quite pitiful," Qingyan replied cautiously.

"Pitiful?"

"Yes!"

To prove that she hadn't gotten drunk with Lan Zhen for no reason, Qingyan quickly told Yunxuan everything Lan Zhen had said the night before.

"Yan'er, are you naive or just stupid? You actually believe such a thing?!" Yun Xuan was furious.

"I don't believe it, but you can't say that. In the past two days, scouts from the Southern Xia army have sent Lan Zhen confidential information several times. Although he tried his best to cover it up, he still couldn't escape Si Cheng's eyes. I thought that drinking would make him lower his guard and reveal a word or two, but I didn't expect him to say all this, and he did it with great emotion. So I had no choice but to drink with him until we were both drunk." Qing Yan herself felt very wronged. She got drunk but didn't get any useful information.

"You've lost both your wife and your army, what are you planning to do now?" Hearing this, Yunxuan felt a pang of sympathy for her.

However, Lan Zhen's behavior yesterday infuriated him.

Alas, his words have once again attracted the attention of a very influential man.

"Perhaps this is the information that the scouts brought."

"If these are the rumors, then we're in trouble." Qingyan rubbed her temples.

Lan Zhen was fiercely ambitious for the throne and had made thorough preparations beforehand. He never imagined that the Emperor of Southern Xia would intend to use Lan Zhen as a stepping stone for someone else. If the Emperor harbored resentment, he would feign compliance while secretly plotting against him, waiting for the opportune moment to launch a military campaign—the victor would be king, the loser a bandit, either dead or alive. If the Emperor did not harbor resentment, well, such a powerful man was simply impossible to deal with.

With a major battle against Qiu Rong imminent, Lan Zhen absolutely cannot afford to show any disrespect to the Southern Xia Emperor now.

Thinking about this, Qingyan had a headache again.

"Sleep a little longer." Seeing that Qingyan looked unwell, Yunxuan was worried that being drunk would seriously damage her health.

"Hmm." Still with a splitting headache, Qingyan struggled for a moment before lying down again.

"Yunxuan, send someone to keep an eye on Prince Zhao. If he tries anything funny, we can prepare in advance."

"I know, you should get some rest." Yunxuan tucked her in.

When she woke up again, it was already noon. Qingyan felt that her biological clock was always related to eating, otherwise she wouldn't have woken up right at mealtime.

"Would you like something to eat?" Yunxuan's voice was as gentle as ever.

"it is good."

The table was already full of Qingyan's favorite dishes, but there was a guest sitting at the table who was affecting her appetite.

"Is Your Highness the Princess alright?" Lan Zhen leisurely picked up the tea beside her and took a sip.

After a hangover, Qingyan had little appetite, and seeing Lan Zhen's carefree smile reminded her of how she had gotten completely drunk last night without getting the information she wanted. Qingyan felt annoyed, and the dishes on the table lost their appeal.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness," Qingyan said with a faint smile. "May I ask what brings Your Highness here?"

“I’ve been waiting here for the princess for two hours, naturally to ask for wine.” Lan Zhen reminded her with a playful wink, and Qing Yan remembered that she had promised him a pot of the new wine every day, enough to fill him up.

Yesterday, the two of them drank six jars of wine, and today they're asking for more. I'll drink them to death. Qingyan glared at him and ordered, "Zhui'er, go and get a jar of 'Surging Waves' for His Highness Prince Zhao."

Qingyan emphasized the words "one jar" in particular.

"Yes."

A moment later, Zhui'er brought over a jar of wine and handed it to Lan Zhen's attendant. Lan Zhen smiled and nodded his thanks before leaving.

After Lan Zhen left, Qing Yan frowned and asked Yun Xuan, "What did he come here for?"

If Lan Zhenzhen really waited here for two hours, it's impossible that it was just for a jar of wine.

"I came to see you early this morning, and when I learned you were still asleep, I sat here waiting without saying what it was about." Just now, Lan Zhen asked Qingyan for wine, and Yunxuan thought he was hallucinating.

That's strange. If there's nothing wrong, why is he staying here for so long?

Or is he trying to escape something and deliberately hiding here?

"Sicheng".

Upon hearing Qingyan's instructions, Sicheng entered from outside the door. Ever since Qingyan asked him to change into the palace guards' regular clothes and stop hiding, he had become a Ming guard serving by Qingyan's side.

"Go to the side courtyard and check who went to see King Zhao today."

Whatever he was hiding, it was important information to Qingyan.

Because it was publicly announced that Her Highness the Princess was unwell and had delayed her trip, officials of all ranks seized the opportunity to spare no effort in showing their loyalty. One after another, dozens of officials came to visit her in a single day. Not only officials from Sui County, but also officials from other counties in Suizhou came despite the trouble. Of course, Yunxuan, the princess's husband, turned them all away.

However, the gifts that were sent could not be turned away.

Qingyan sat at the table, looking at the mountain of gifts, and casually picked up an emerald and played with it in her hand:

"Ten emeralds, each worth a hundred taels of silver, are being given away at once. Yunxuan, when did the salaries of officials in our Great Qi become so high?"

Yunxuan laughed, "Our Great Qi is abundant in resources and has ample reserves, so salaries naturally rise accordingly." Then, he handed over a bowl of clear soup, "Here, drink it before you get angry."

Qingyan took it: "I'm not angry, I'm not angry at all."

Looking at the pile of gifts, Qingyan's lips curled into a cold smile: "Didn't they inquire? Princess Pingqiu loves beautiful women more than treasures, and has a great fondness for men. She wouldn't give gifts that cater to her tastes. These fat, bloated men, this is the limit of their climb to this position!"

In a fit of anger, Qingyan overturned a box of agate fruit on the ground.

Throughout history, corruption has been ubiquitous. However, in Suizhou, as the rear area for the war against the Qiu Rong, stability is of utmost importance. Therefore, while corruption needs to be addressed, it is not the time to do so.

She was so angry that she couldn't speak out; she had never felt so frustrated before.

"Yan'er, asking for a male concubine in front of the Prince Consort, you really don't give me any face." Yunxuan smiled and put his arm around her shoulder, patting her lightly twice as if to comfort her.

"Yunxuan, after the autumn military affairs are over, I want to thoroughly investigate the entire Suizhou from beginning to end." Qingyan turned to face Yunxuan, grabbed his arm tightly, her arm trembling with excitement.

Yunxuan pulled her into his arms and held her tightly, calmly comforting her, "Corruption is like a termite; you can't cut off the wood to get rid of the insect. You can only deal with it slowly."

Qingyan leaned on Yunxuan's shoulder, understanding this principle perfectly well.

A servant announced from outside the door that someone else had come to see him.

"I won't see him. Tell him to get lost and go back."

The anger that had just subsided flared up again, and Qingyan angrily threw the teacup next to her to the ground.

The servants were terrified and dared not move.

"What are you still standing there for? Go and tell him to get out." Seeing that the servant did not move, Qingyan became even angrier.

Yunxuan patted her gently to comfort her and waved for the servants to leave.

The servant was so frightened that he quickly retreated, but returned a moment later, knelt down with a thud, and stammered a reply:

The visitor left behind a large box.

"Throw it out!!" Qingyan slammed her hand on the table.

Yunxuan quickly patted Qingyan's back and waved for the servants to leave.

"Yunxuan, they're infuriating me!" Qingyan was furious, remembering how her father in her previous life had been frustrated and unsuccessful because he refused to associate with corruption.

"Take it easy." Yunxuan could only hug her and gently stroke her.

Fortunately, Si Cheng came to report, which temporarily eased the tension.

"Princess, today another scout from the Southern Xia army requested an audience, carrying a secret letter that King Zhao should open in person. King Zhao has not returned, and we have searched everywhere but cannot find him, so we have been waiting in the side courtyard."

Sure enough, they were avoiding trouble.

"Go and investigate the contents of the secret letter." In the past, the scouts from Southern Xia only brought verbal messages, but this time there is a written letter, so the news must be extraordinary.

"Yes."

Si Cheng accepted the order and quickly withdrew. Zhui'er then rushed over in a hurry.

“Princess, princess, people, people…” Zhui’er gasped for breath.

"What are you yelling about?" Qingyan scolded softly.

Zhui'er breathed a sigh of relief: "Princess, that box... there's someone in the box."

people--?

Yunxuan and Qingyan immediately stood up alertly and exchanged a glance.

"Who is it?" Qingyan asked.

“A…a very handsome man,” Zhui’er replied, blushing.

"Who sent the box?" Yunxuan asked.

The servant beside him answered respectfully, "It is Magistrate Luo of Sui County."

"This is utterly outrageous!" Qingyan shouted angrily, and everyone was so frightened that they knelt down on the ground.

Today, countless people are sending me gold and silver treasures. I never imagined that a casual remark I made in a fit of anger would actually come true.

"I'll go check on her first, you calm down." Yunxuan also remembered Qingyan's furious words, covered his mouth and smiled as he walked out.

Sure enough, there was a huge camphor wood red lacquered chest in the courtyard outside the gate, and inside was a person dressed in thin silk brocade, with a beautiful face, whose gender was indistinguishable.

Yunxuan approached the box and stared at it, then froze in shock.

How could it be him!

The man in the box slowly woke up under everyone's gaze. He moved his cramped body, looked around, and was stunned when he met Yunxuan's eyes.

"Young Master Luo."

"Master Fu."

Luo Qing emerged from the camphor wood box, glanced down at her attire, and felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her.

"Go and get an outer cloak for Young Master Luo," Yunxuan instructed.

A moment later, a purple cloak was draped over Luo Qing's shoulders.

Yunxuan had to admit that purple suited Luo Qing perfectly, as if they were one, making him even more handsome and elegant. The world called him the Butterfly Flower Gentleman, his beauty as radiant as a star, an unforgettable figure—and it was indeed true.

"Young Master Luo, please—" Yunxuan led him into the house.

Luo Qing already knew Yun Xuan's identity and greeted him with utmost courtesy, but Yun Xuan immediately stopped him. The escape from Hua Manlou in Suizhou was indeed made possible largely by Luo Qing's assistance, so he still owed him a favor.

Luo Qing followed Yun Xuan into the room. At this time, Qing Yan was still angry. The palace maids and servants were all kneeling on the ground. Before Luo Qing could understand what was going on, Qing Yan shouted at her:

"Who let you in? Get out!"

Yunxuan made a reassuring gesture to Luo Qing and said, "Princess, please take a good look at who it is."

"Greetings, Your Highness the Eldest Princess." Luo Qing bowed respectfully.

Perhaps because the voice sounded familiar, Qingyan turned around and stared blankly for a moment before smiling to herself.

Because of Luo Qing's special status, Yun Xuan dismissed everyone else, leaving only Zhui'er waiting outside the door.

Upon seeing Luo Qing, Qingyan felt playful and performed a woman's curtsy to him:

"Manager Luo, you are very polite."

As expected, she couldn't resist teasing. When Qingyan referred to herself as "Pianpian," Luo Qing blushed, unsure whether to stand or sit. In the end, Yunxuan had to save the day.