Spring arrives and the land smiles

The post station in Qipu is divided into two separate courtyards, one on the left and one on the right. The two courtyards are separated only by a garden and do not interfere with each other. Qingyan lives in the left courtyard and Chu Huai lives in the right courtyard. Originally, Chu Huai was supposed to be stationed in the military camp, but he moved into the post station together to protect Qingyan. However, in Qingyan's eyes, Chu Huai's move was ostensibly to protect her but actually to monitor her.

Meanwhile, the side hall in Chu Huai's right courtyard was not as peaceful as the left courtyard.

"General, are you not afraid of the Prince of Jin's actions...?" The middle-aged man in the uniform of a personal guard looked at him with sharp eyebrows and a cold voice, his rebuke and warning particularly obvious.

"It's none of your business to interfere in my actions," Chu Huai interrupted the man with a light shout, his words and expression showing no fear.

“General Chu, you know the consequences of disobeying the Prince of Jin’s orders,” the middle-aged man said with a sinister smile. “I’m afraid you won’t be able to see Miss Chu one last time when you return to the capital.”

Chu Huai's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure, sat down with his back to the middle-aged man, and slowly said, "His Highness has asked you to assist this general. I'm sure you are aware of your current status. You should not be too presumptuous, otherwise it would be unfair to be accused of failing in your duties."

"You!" The middle-aged man was shocked. He hadn't expected Chu Huai to turn around and bite back. Sure enough, neither side was someone to be trifled with. So he lowered his head and took his leave in a low voice.

After dismissing the middle-aged man, Chu Huai left the villa and went to the main street to inspect the grain distribution platform.

While directing his soldiers to distribute grain, Chu Huai kept a close watch on the movements of the disaster victims. Suddenly, a figure in blue caught his eye, and upon closer inspection, Chu Huai's heart sank even further.

Sure enough, he still came.

For some unknown reason, the crowd suddenly became agitated, and the original order was instantly disrupted. Fearing that they would not receive any food, the disaster victims began to rush towards the altar. Seeing that it was about to turn into a looting frenzy, Chu Huai immediately ordered his personal guards to transfer a hundred men from the nearest garrison in the south of the city to maintain order, which eased the situation slightly.

Qingyan, who was patrolling the streets, saw a large number of soldiers from the south of the city heading towards the main street. He thought something must have happened, so he followed them.

"Princess, this place is chaotic, please move to the inn." Chu Huai immediately spotted Qingyan in the crowd and protected her.

Seeing this, Qingyan felt that staying there was also in the way, so she followed Chu Huai's advice and took Zhuier back to the post station.

"General, something terrible has happened! A large number of refugees have suddenly poured into the south of the city, and the number of soldiers guarding the city is too small to stop them." One problem after another, the report from the sentry in the south of the city has really presented Chu Huai with a difficult problem.

"Don't stop them, just keep the flood of refugees calm for now." This was the only temporary measure due to a shortage of manpower.

Before they even entered the post station, news arrived that disaster victims were pouring in, causing Qingyan to immediately lose her composure.

A large number of disaster victims poured in again, and the food carried by the army was definitely not enough. Tongxi and Qiongzhou were waiting for her to save their lives. She could not give all the food to Qipu. If she asked the court for grain, it would be too late to help the immediate crisis. Moreover, if this matter was not properly resolved, it would cause a chain reaction in the neighboring prefectures and counties. In this way, the efforts to appease Tongxi and Qiongzhou would be in vain.

After pondering for a long time, Qingyan frowned deeply and went to the south of the city to check on the situation of the disaster victims.

Soldiers from the south of the city led the disaster victims to an open space and offered them some food as a gesture of comfort. The elderly, women, and children huddled together for warmth. A biting, icy wind howled past. A mother, dressed in tattered clothes, tightened her arms around her infant, took off her last remaining thin garment to wrap the baby, while she herself shivered in the cold.

The desolate scene before her eyes choked Qingyan's heart. Ignoring her status, etiquette, and the attempts of others to stop her, Qingyan took off all the clothes she could and draped them over the mother. She even urged Zhuier to go back to the inn to get some more clothes and food. Zhuier glanced at her helplessly, took off her cloak and draped it over Qingyan before leaving with peace of mind.

In the blink of an eye, the cloak became the baby's swaddling clothes, and the poor mother's eyes were filled with astonishment and deep gratitude.

The cold wind did not soften out of pity, but instead grew stronger. Qingyan couldn't help but hug her body tightly with her arms, only to realize that she was only wearing a thin, close-fitting coat, which looked very frail in the dead of winter.

Chu Huai, standing behind him, took all of this into his eyes.

Perhaps it was this scene that stirred a soft spot in his heart; even the toughest man softened like silk.

Suddenly, she felt a rigid warmth emanating from her body. Qingyan's cold body was wrapped in a fawn coat. When she turned around, she met Chu Huai's eyes. There was a hint of a smile in his eyes, which was very warm. However, as soon as he met Qingyan's gaze, his eyes dimmed. He politely took a step back, his lowered head and respectful but unnatural demeanor.

"Your Highness's health is of utmost importance, this humble general dares to presume to speak." He spoke in a businesslike manner, turning concern into a mere formality, leaving Qingyan both amused and exasperated.

"Thank you, General Chu." Qingyan returned a polite smile, but in her heart she was filled with emotion. If only it weren't for the faction of the Prince of Jin. Qingyan had always liked to work with people who were humane.

"It would be best to make arrangements for these disaster victims as soon as possible." Chu Huai still had that businesslike poker face, but his words were anything but reassuring.

Disaster victims are like floods; they can only be channeled, not blocked. Now that the victims have fled here, the priority is to comfort and appease them.

"General Chu, first settle these disaster victims in the temples and charitable institutions in the city." We hope the disaster victims will follow our arrangements.

“But this is not a long-term solution.” This was the first time in nearly half a month that Chu Huai had questioned Qingyan’s decision.

"General, please settle them first, and allow me to think of another way." Qingyan knew that the best way to deal with the refugees was to send them back to their hometowns, but how easy was that? Ordinary people would not become refugees unless they were desperate, and the power of refugees was absolutely not to be underestimated. During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, refugee armies once became an important force on the political stage, and this force was easily manipulated. Once it became a military force, the formation of powerful clans and separatist regimes became inevitable. Although there were only a few hundred people here, it would be out of control in less than a month, especially the group of disaster victims in Qiongzhou; if they got out of control, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Yes," Qingyan said, and Chu Huai, not wanting to say anything more, withdrew.

“Princess,” Zhui’er rushed over carrying a heavy cloak. She paused for a moment when she saw Qingyan wearing a fawn coat, then quickly wrapped Qingyan in the cloak. “Be careful not to catch a cold.”

Qingyan nodded slightly, "Zhui'er, let's go back to the inn."

The courtyard of the inn was exceptionally warm, but because of the princess's noble status and delicate nature, although she repeatedly emphasized that everything should be kept simple, she could not stop those who wanted to curry favor with her. The underfloor heating in the courtyard room was burning very brightly.

Qingyan took off her cloak and put on a padded jacket. The warmth in the room made her body feel much warmer, but her mind was still filled with the image of the mother and child, disaster victims, in the cold wind, and her mood became even more depressed.

Chu Huai's concerns were valid. Temporary appeasement could only provide temporary peace. Sending them back to their hometowns was impossible without sufficient food. Otherwise, the disaster victims would simply flock to wherever there was food. The only solution now was to distribute relief funds and grain to the disaster victims' hometowns as soon as possible, so that they would return home voluntarily. However, the relief funds from the imperial court would take at least fifteen days to arrive, which was too long and unpredictable. Therefore, the matter had to be resolved within three days.

"Princess, General Chu requests an audience." Zhui'er's report interrupted Qingyan's thoughts.

"Let him in."

“Princess, the disaster victims have been settled as you instructed, but—” Chu Huai paused.

"Just what?" Qingyan disliked leaving things unsaid.

"But the food supply is running out, and there is a risk of unrest among the disaster victims. If this is not dealt with promptly, the consequences could be dire, especially for those who have just entered the city." Chu Huai finished speaking in one breath, his eyes filled with even more concern.

"General Chu, tell them that the imperial relief funds will arrive in three days and that they should all go home to collect their rations," Qingyan interrupted his worries.

“This—,” Chu Huai hesitated, “the imperial court’s disaster relief funds will take at least fifteen days to arrive, and three days might not be enough—”

“I didn’t say to ask the court to allocate grain,” Qingyan paused, seemingly lost in thought, “but we can borrow it.”

Upon hearing Qingyan's words, Chu Huai was immediately startled, but he desperately tried to suppress his emotions and dared not show it on his face.

"Does the princess mean to borrow grain from Nanxia?" Chu Huai asked tentatively.

Currently, the disaster-stricken prefectures and counties in the south are struggling to survive and have no grain to transfer. Only the neighboring Nanxia border town of Zhifang is a prosperous place. If grain is transferred from Zhifang, it will take a maximum of three days to arrive.

"But will Nanxia agree?" Chu Huai asked, glancing at Qing Yan with a complex and uneasy look in his eyes.

"Will."

The stolen grain was secretly transported south, which couldn't possibly be because Prince Jin wanted to keep it for himself. The Fifth Prince of Nanxia Kingdom appeared in Qipu today; if it wasn't a coincidence, then it was collusion. The Fifth Prince's face quickly overlapped with the portrait of Prince Zhao, Lan Zhen, in the study of Caiyi Palace. Today, I was saved from embarrassment thanks to him, but his eyes were too arrogant, so I'll give him a taste of his own medicine as a greeting. This way, he should have a particularly deep impression of me, the eldest princess of Great Qi.

"General Chu, have the soldiers spread the word to maintain order among the disaster victims. I'll go borrow grain now." After saying this, Qingyan walked out of the courtyard without looking back.

Chu Huai's unusual behavior dispelled Qing Yan's doubts the moment King Zhao appeared.

He smiled scornfully to himself: Chu Huai, you better not disappoint me.

The winter wind was still biting, and Zhui'er tightened Qingyan's cloak. "Princess, we've found out. Prince Zhao is staying in the top-class room at the Donglai Inn."

"Alright, Zhui'er, you stay outside the door and don't let anyone in."

"But, princess..."

“Do as I say, and nothing will happen,” Qingyan interrupted Zhuier’s worries.

Looking up and seeing the character "天" (heaven) above the door, Qingyan took a deep breath and raised her hand to knock on the door.

Before her right index finger could even touch the door, it opened from the inside, revealing a figure in black standing before her. Behind him stood the man in blue robes who was said to be the fifth prince of the Southern Xia Kingdom.

The figure in black welcomed Qingyan into the house, and at the gesture of the man in blue, withdrew, leaving only the two of them in the room.

"Sit." The man in blue poured Qingyan a cup of fragrant tea and gestured for her to sit.

Qingyan smiled slightly and sat down opposite him with pleasure.

"It seems I have truly offended the princess, for she has come knocking on my door!" The man in blue spoke casually, taking a sip of tea. His peach blossom eyes subtly swept over Qing Yan's bright face, a hint of predation flashing in them.

Qingyan was slightly taken aback. She despised this lecherous man in her heart, but a smile appeared on her face without showing any emotion. She thought to herself, "Your Highness is too kind. I haven't thanked you for what happened today!" After speaking, she raised her eyebrows and picked up the teacup on the table. "I will thank Your Highness with tea instead of wine. Cheers!" She then drank the fragrant tea in the cup in one gulp.

Lan Zhen had expected the eldest princess of Daqi to be willful and capricious, and that they would have to bicker. However, he was surprised to find her so kind and polite. He immediately put away his joking expression and became serious. "Your Highness is too kind. May I ask what brings you here to see me?"

"Your Highness is a straightforward person, so I will be frank. I'm sure Your Highness has already seen the disaster situation in Qipu. I would like to borrow 10,000 shi of grain from your country, and will return 12,000 shi in half a month." Qingyan finished speaking in one breath.

"Fifteen thousand." Lan Zhen demanded an exorbitant price.

"Thirteen thousand," Qingyan countered, sitting down to negotiate.

"Deal." Lan Zhen smiled with satisfaction. The extra three thousand shi of grain would be enough for his privately maintained three thousand cavalry for several months.

Qingyan gritted her teeth inwardly: They stole 10,000 shi of grain from my royal disaster relief supplies, and now they're haggling over it. But outwardly, she had no choice but to reply, "Thank you, Your Highness."

"Your Highness is too kind. It is truly an honor for Lan Zhen to be able to relieve Your Highness's worries." The solemn expression just now turned casual again, and a blatant flirtatious look appeared in Lan Zhen's eyes as she looked at Qing Yan without any attempt to hide it.

Qingyan wanted nothing more than to tear him to pieces.

I've heard that the Fifth Prince of Nanxia is a notorious womanizer, but such a bold act is not what a prince would do. To flirt with the eldest princess of a kingdom, this Prince Zhao's audacity is truly extraordinary. Qingyan felt even more disgusted, but in order to borrow grain, she finally endured it. "Your Highness is so kind. If you don't mind, I would like to host a welcome dinner for Your Highness at the villa tonight. I hope you will do me the honor."

"In that case, I, Xiao Wang, will respectfully comply." Lan Zhen smiled slightly, but a glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes.