Did the Seventh Prince attend court today?

After noon, Song Zhiyao returned to the government office looking exhausted. He was not exactly tidy when he left, and he came back looking even more disheveled, covered in dust and dirt, as if he had just been dug out of the mud.

The truth is, he had just come back from digging in the mud.

After arriving in Nanzhang last night, he immediately joined the rescue team, personally working alongside the local auxiliary soldiers to dig and rescue people, which is why he ended up in such a sorry state.

Fortunately, he had the foresight to know that Nanzhang is located in the foothills of the Jing Mountains, with many mountain streams, making it more prone to flash floods during disasters. Therefore, he applied for assistance in defense in advance and arranged for troops to be stationed in Nanzhang County. This enabled the rescue to be launched as soon as possible. Otherwise, there would have been more casualties before the rescue team from the prefectural city arrived.

It's fortunate that no one's life was harmed.

The first thing Song Zhiyao did upon returning to the government office was not to wash up and rest, but to instruct people to count and distribute the disaster relief funds in batches to the various disaster-stricken counties.

No amount of verbal reassurance is enough; only when people have tangible means of livelihood can they feel at ease.

After finishing all this and inquiring about the situation in other disaster-stricken areas, Song Zhiyao returned to her room to bathe, change clothes, and rest for a while.

The eldest prince and others did not return to the government office with Song Zhiyao. Although the situation in Nanzhang was temporarily stable, there was still a possibility of unexpected events. Therefore, the eldest prince and Gu Cheng stayed there to appease the people and to prevent further disasters.

Yin Wu returned to the government office before Song Zhiyao; he came back to report the situation to Cang Shuyue.

"Before I returned, Imperial Censor Xu had already arrived with people from the Ministry of Works to check for the possibility of other landslides, take some precautions in advance, and arrange for the evacuation of villagers at the foot of the mountain."

"Because the landslide occurred at night, many people were injured. The magistrate of Nanzhang County has already summoned doctors to go to the affected villages to provide medical treatment. However, the houses were severely damaged and the people were somewhat agitated. The Crown Prince has decided to stay there to comfort the victims."

"The guards that Master brought with him will also stay there to protect the Crown Prince's safety."

Cang Shuyue nodded. "Go and rest."

After traveling for more than ten days and working non-stop all night, even an iron man couldn't take it.

Yinwu was indeed exhausted. He had been busy rescuing people all night, and his mind was constantly on edge. He didn't feel anything while digging in the rain, but now that he had some free time, he started to feel uneasy.

He immediately cupped his hands in farewell and took his leave.

Yu Lu shifted her gaze from Yin Wu's haggard face, popped a dried plum into her mouth, and asked casually, "How far is Nanzhang from Xiangyang Prefecture?"

"About 120 li." Cang Shuyue removed the dried plums from his hand and said, "We'll be eating soon, so eat less snacks."

"This is just an appetizer," Youlu tried to argue, but it was no use; Cang Shuyue confiscated the plums directly.

Lunch was delivered shortly afterward, and in order to redeem her beloved snacks, Youlu had to proudly show off two large bowls of rice, proving with her actions that snacks and meals are not meant to be eaten in one stomach.

The Pixiu found it strange, saying, "Even your father couldn't handle you, but I never expected Cang Shuyue could."

"I only have this one jar of plums left, of course I'll cherish it. It's not that I'm afraid of it." (A deer hums.)

"I didn't say you were afraid of him." The Pixiu's eyes darted around.

A deer grabbed its mouth and said, "Okay, I'm going to eat now, you're not allowed to talk."

The Pixiu gazed silently at the sky.

After lunch, Cang Shuyue was invited to a meeting by someone sent by Song Zhiyao. With nothing else to do, Youlu began packing her luggage. Pixiu asked疑惑地问道: "Where are you going?"

"Of course, it's Nanzhang."

The clothes he changed out of yesterday had been washed and dried. He crumpled them up and stuffed them into the box. He also gathered up the medicine powder and insecticide that he had taken out last night and put them into the box.

He had just closed the trunk when Cang Shuyue strode in and said, "Lord Song has asked us to escort a batch of disaster relief funds to Nanzhang. You can pack them..."

Before he could finish speaking, Youlu pushed the packed crates in front of him, put her hands on her hips, and said, "It's all packed, let's go!"

Cang Shuyue was slightly surprised, then smiled and patted his head, "Good boy, the carriage is already waiting outside the door, I'll take you there."

After saying that, he picked up the trunk with one hand and took his hand with the other.

Youlu was led across the threshold and looked up to ask, "Does the eldest brother's luggage also need to be moved over?" Because he wasn't looking where he was going, he almost missed a step when going down the stairs.

Cang Shuyue supported his arm and said helplessly, "The people below will take care of it. Watch the road."

"Oh." Deer became honest.

The carriage stopped in front of the government office gate, and the yamen runners were loading silver boxes onto the silver cart. This time, the silver to be escorted to Nanzhang totaled 50,000 taels. Because the journey was not far, it was escorted by the government's militia. Song Zhiyao had asked them to escort Cang Shuyue and others because they were also going to Nanzhang.

As soon as the Pixiu saw the silver, it jumped onto the silver cart and clung to the silver box, refusing to let go. The deer had no choice but to let it go.

Cang Shuyue put down his luggage, helped Youlu onto the carriage, and before setting off, Jian Dan ran over with a medicine box, saying that she wanted to go to Nanzhang together to help treat the injured people.

He was originally a military doctor who accompanied the group and took care of everyone. It was rare for someone to be so kind as to do this. You Lu readily agreed and said, "The convoy is about to depart. Doctor Jian, please get in the car."

Jian Dan paused for a moment, then declined, saying, "This humble official dares not overstep his bounds; you may ride your own horse."

Cang Shuyue coldly said, "Get in the car."

Simple felt a chill run down her spine and nodded in agreement.

While Jian Dan went to the back to put away her luggage, You Lu pulled Cang Shuyue aside and asked, "Guess why I agreed to let him come along?"

His tone was somewhat playful.

Cang Shuyue pulled him into her arms, her voice soft: "You have your own reasons."

"There's no particular purpose, it's just making the best use of things." Youlu smiled, his head pressed against a broad chest.

"The road to Nanzhang is a bit bumpy, so I'll carry you," Cang Shuyue explained softly.

"Aww." Youlu didn't think anything was wrong. She found a comfortable spot, wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, and asked, "Will we not arrive until midnight?"

Cang Shuyue gently rubbed his forehead, "Yeah, if you get sleepy on the way, you can take a nap in the car."

"I don't want to sleep yet, talk to me for a bit."

"it is good."

When he simply lifted the carriage curtain, he saw the two of them snuggling together and talking. He couldn't help but stop in his tracks, his eyes filled with shock.

Even the Duke of Zhenguo has such a tender side.

Outsiders all say that the Duke of Zhenguo treats the Sixth Prince differently and values ​​him highly, but he knows that there is a reason for it. Moreover, what outsiders call "different" is just a matter of saying a few more words. In reality, it is not special. At least the Duke of Zhenguo has never been so gentle and considerate to the Sixth Prince.

His simple feelings became somewhat complicated. If the Duke of Zhenguo already had someone he loved, should he still help the Sixth Prince get closer to the Duke of Zhenguo?

Should he tell the Sixth Prince about this?

Or should he tell the Fourth Prince?

His mind was in complete turmoil. In his panic, he inadvertently met Cang Shuyue's cold gaze. He quickly lowered his head and stiffly climbed into the carriage to sit down.

Cang Shuyue withdrew his gaze and looked down at the person in his arms, his eyes filled with warmth like spring.