After I feel sorry for the cannon fodder prince, I wear a book

"Then Cao Zhichong is well-known in the court, and even the emperor has heard his name." Yu Yi sat down at the table, and Yue Yang poked his head in, indicating that the surrounding area had been cleaned up, and no one was listening.

Yu Yi nodded, and continued: "Every time someone mentions him, they always talk about being upright, loving the people, and being honest and honest to the public, but this king never thought that he is the county magistrate of Daozawa."

Xiao Qin sat down beside him.

"Since this county magistrate Cao is not worthy of his name, how can there be a lot of praise in the court hall? Could it be..."

"That's right," Yu Yi pointed at the table, and said, "Cao Zhichong has someone in the capital, not just an ordinary person. He has to be extremely powerful to allow him to pretend to be under the eyes of his father for so many years."

After all, Inazawa is not an ordinary city, but an important food town.

"If this is the case, then Cao Zhichong will definitely use money to bribe, but Daozawa's taxes are all paid up to a cent. Is it possible that the tax rate that the people here should pay is even higher than what is reported to the court?" Xiao Qin thought suddenly.

The taxes in Daozawa are a bit too high, and Cao Zhichong probably made up a lie about the people having enough food and clothing to live and work in peace and contentment.

Yu Yi pondered for a moment, just about to call Yue Yang in, trying to find a way to investigate the outskirts of the city silently, when he heard a voice coming from outside the door, after a while the guards pushed the door open and came in:

"Your Highness, Young Master. Mr. Cao sent someone to invite him, saying that the banquet is ready."

"Understood." Yu Yi caught a glimpse of a person standing at the door from the corner of her eye, like the yamen servant who was just behind Cao Zhichong.

"Xiao Qin, what do you want to do when you go to the street tomorrow?" He stood up, flirted with Xiao Tan, and asked seemingly unintentionally.

Xiao Tan understood it, and pretended to think for a while before saying, "I heard that the scenery in Daozawa Castle is beautiful, and it should be interesting to walk around."

"Okay, then I'll listen to you." Yu Yi's voice was clear, and the person at the door heard it clearly, rolling his eyes, thinking about how to report with Cao Zhi.

"Your Highness, this way please." The two packed up, and the yamen servant led Yu Yi into the sedan chair, watching Xiao Qin follow him very naturally, wondering who this man was and how he had such a close relationship with Prince Duan.

"You adults have a heart." When he arrived at the place, Yu Yi looked up at the Fuchun Restaurant with carved beams and painted buildings. At first, he admired it, but then felt that it was not enough. He praised Cao Zhichong inside and out, and made the servant happy. flower.

Xiao Tan looked a little funny from the sidelines.This person is not sincerely praising him, but he just wants to argue with Cao Zhichong when he goes in, so he will practice with the yamen servant outside first.

When the two entered the restaurant, the place had already been cleared. Cao Zhichong waited early, and when he saw them coming in, he hurriedly stood up to greet them.

"Please sit down, Your Highness! Our remote village is no better than the capital, and I don't know if you are used to it."

"I'm used to eating, Mr. Cao, don't worry." Yu Yi nodded slightly, and took Xiao Qin to sit down on the head.

When Cao Zhichong saw Xiao Qin leaning against Yu Yi as if no one was around, he was stunned for a moment, and then immediately sent someone to add a pair of bowls and chopsticks to Xiao Qin.

"Who is this……"

Yu Yi frowned.

To be honest, he really didn't think about how to explain Xiao Tan's identity. If he said it was his concubine, he was afraid that others would despise him because of it, and he would come up with those superficial admiration and inner contempt; but if he didn't say that, he would I don't know how to explain it.

"I am anonymous, and I am His Highness's staff." Seeing Yu Yi's hesitation, Xiao Qin simply made the decision for him.

"No, nameless," Cao Zhichong smiled awkwardly, "The relationship between Mr. and His Highness is really good."

This is going to be posted together, and it's just an aide, who will believe it?

But Cao Zhichong is also a fine person, since Xiao Qin has said so, he naturally can't ask again, just wait for the banquet to end and send someone to investigate.

"Your Highness, please." The three of them ate and talked, Cao Zhichong poured wine for Yu Yi non-stop, and Yu Yi never refused, so they all kept their heads up.

In the middle of the journey, Xiao Qin couldn't bear it any longer, pulled the man behind him, and raised the wine glass for Yu Yi.

Cao Zhichong had no objection. According to his experience, in the past, these big shots would not drink with him. Today, His Royal Highness Duan Wang is so generous to him that he is a little surprised, but also more contemptuous.

It's just that he, County Magistrate Cao, has been in the officialdom for a long time. Not only does he drink this wine every day, but he always drinks it whenever he has a social occasion. He didn't expect that he couldn't drink it this time. .

"Your Highness," Xiao Qin just poured a glass of Cao Zhichong before pouring it down, so he had no choice but to put down the glass, and turned to look at Yu Yi's situation, "Is it uncomfortable?"

"It's not uncomfortable." Yu Yi said so, but his hands pushed him carelessly, "Don't stand in the way, this king is going to act."

Xiao Qin was a little dumbfounded, not knowing what to say.

Anyway, he is a majestic prince, but now he has to use this method in order to get out of the city, it is really embarrassing for him.

"Be careful when you go out, don't knock." He gently supported Yu Yi and brought him up.

"I know." Yu Yi replied angrily, coughed twice, and suddenly kicked a table over.

"Get out of the way! Don't get in the way of this king!" Yu Yi staggered as she walked, as if she was going to take advantage of the strength of the wine to overthrow the restaurant.

"His Royal Highness, slow down—" Xiao Qin went to help him, but Yu Yi threw him off and staggered into the carriage.

Seeing Yu Yi drunk like this, Yue Yang was taken aback at first, but when he noticed Xiao Tan's eyes, he immediately understood, pretended to be shocked and rushed to Yu Yi, staggering to support Yu Yi.

"Your Highness, how can you drink so much wine!"

Yu Yi ignored him, and only ordered loudly: "Go back to the mansion! Don't dawdle! The king wants to sleep—"

The two have been masters and servants for many years, and they cooperated seamlessly. With a few words, they frightened the servants standing around.One of them trotted into the restaurant to take a look, and saw Cao Zhichong lying unconscious on the table, surrounded by wine glasses and jugs poured all over the table, making a mess.

"His Royal Highness Duan Wang is probably drunk." One person whispered.

"Nonsense! Do you still need to say it?" The leader wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, stepped forward and said to Yue Yang: "My lord, let's send His Highness back to have a good rest, the county magistrate... Here..."

Yue Yang pretended to be displeased, "I've never seen drinking with a guest, and the master fell asleep first! Thanks to your highness today, I don't care about you!"

"Yes, yes, that's what you said."

Yue Yang snorted coldly, and drove the carriage back to the inn. Xiao Qin helped Yu Yi out. The latter seemed to have a splitting headache and leaned on Xiao Qin's shoulder with a sleepy expression.

The shopkeeper was stunned when he saw the situation, seeing the people from the government who came in right after him, he couldn't control Sanqi 21 any more, so he hurriedly asked someone to boil hot water for the distinguished guest and send him hangover soup.

Xiao Qin helped Yu Yi to enter the door, and Cao Zhichong's men wanted to follow in to have a look, but Yue Yang stopped him with a scabbard, hesitating for a moment or stopping outside the door.

"Stay back, don't disturb His Highness's rest." Xiao Qin raised his voice and ordered.

"Yes."

Yue Yang raised his eyebrows, and those people looked at each other, but in the end they didn't insist any more, and they bowed and retreated.

Yue Yangjing waited for a moment, then turned his head and knocked on the door. There were two figures close to each other inside the door, and he... didn't dare to go in.

"Your Highness, son, I'm gone."

"Understood." Yu Yi's voice sounded clear.

"Your Highness is good at acting." Xiao Qin said with a light smile.

Yu Yi gave him a sideways look, "I've learned how to make fun of people."

Xiao Tan didn't answer, but pushed him to the cubicle, "Take a shower and rest, I'm afraid I have to get up early tomorrow."

"Well, I have to ask Yue Yang to explain it later."

"I'll go find him, Your Highness, take a bath, remember to drink sober soup."

"...Don't follow me in!"

*****

The morning light was dim, and there was hardly any light to be seen. Under the cover of night, a group of three people quietly climbed out from the back wall of the inn.

"Your Highness, turn left ahead, there is a small road out of the city." A guard whispered.

Yu Yi nodded, turned over and climbed up a courtyard wall, just avoiding the patrolling officers and soldiers.

This is what they planned.

Yu Yi pretended to be hangovered, but secretly took the two of them to the outskirts of the city, leaving Xiao Qin and Yue Yang around in the inn.If there is really something going on in the village, let them know.

The three of them hurried on the road in silence. After leaving the city, they rode on the horses prepared in advance, and arrived at the outskirts of the city not long after.

"Your Highness, why is there no one there?" A guard asked cautiously when the three of them were walking on the empty road.

Yu Yi shook her head to indicate that she didn't know, and she felt very strange in her heart.They had been in the village for a while, but they didn't even see a single person in a daze, and they didn't know what was going on.

It was still early when they left the inn, but after walking for such a long time, it was time for the peasants to get up.Could it be that he doesn't understand what else is important for farmers here?

The east is slightly bright, and the thick black of the night has faded away, leaving only a few washes of light blue.

"Your Highness, there is light over there!"

"Go and have a look." Yu Yi walked over, raised her arm and knocked on the door.

No one answered.

But there was a clear sound inside the door, like the sound of pots and pans being knocked over.

"Is anyone there? We are not bad people, we are from the government!" The guard knocked on the door again.

Yu Yi frowned.

The three of them stayed silent for a while, but when they heard him say "government" in the door, there was no movement at all.

Yu Yi looked around, only tree shadows and birds chirping, some agricultural tools were randomly piled up by the roadside, it seemed that they hadn't been used for a long time.If he hadn't heard the sound inside the door clearly, he would almost have thought it was an empty city.

"Yao—" There was a scream from inside the door, and then the car stopped abruptly, stuck in his throat.

The three of them immediately gave up their attention and listened. Before they could hear what was going on, the wooden door that was already crumbling was suddenly knocked open, and two little dolls that looked like black coal balls rolled out of it.

One of them rolled to Yu Yi's feet with half a steamed bun in his arms, stretched out his hand in a daze and pulled out the corner of Yu Yi's robe, raised his head, and sniffled loudly.

The two guards froze in place.

This development seems to be somewhat beyond their expectations.

……

In the inn in the city, the people sent by Cao Zhichong were waiting at the door early in the morning to take Yu Yi around Daozawa City.

"My lord, is your highness awake?"

"Not yet." Xiao Tan opened the door, stepped out, and was careful not to let the cold into the room—even though there was no one in the room.

"Keep your voice down, don't disturb Your Highness."

"Yes." The man nodded respectfully and stood beside him waiting.

Seeing that the sun was about to rise to the top of his head, Xiao Tan went in and looked at it several times, saying that the people were still asleep, and he didn't let them make any movement.

"Why don't you go back and talk to Mr. Cao first? Don't bother him today, and discuss the travel when His Highness wakes up tomorrow." Xiao Tan suggested seemingly unintentionally.

"...That's fine," the man said hesitantly, "The humble officer will go back and return first."

"Go." Xiao Qin stood in front of the door with his hands behind his back, nodding gently.

When the man walked away, before Xiao Qin could breathe a sigh of relief, Yue Yang fell off the roof.

"My lord, His Highness sent someone back to spread the word that there is a severe famine in the village. Let us prepare some porridge and deliver it this afternoon!"

"It's really like this?" Xiao Qin was a little surprised. Before going to bed last night, they also guessed whether it was because the harvest was not good last year, and the farmers could barely afford the taxes. I don't want them to go to the suburbs.

But after thinking about it, he felt that it was impossible. After all, Inazawa’s tax was so high every year. If there was a famine and he didn’t report it, how could he hand over the tax and food to the court on time?

Never expected that Yu Yi would make such a discovery during this trip.

"Should the porridge be transported out of the city secretly?" Yue Yang asked after thinking about it.

"No need," Xiao Qin pondered for a moment, "Send it out of the city as quickly as possible, the sooner the better."

"Yes, this subordinate will do it."

Yu Yi spends so much effort to rush out of the city without telling Cao Zhi, not because he is afraid that he will stop him, but because he is afraid that he will perceive Yu Yi's intentions and go to the suburbs to make arrangements in advance, so that Yu Yi will not be able to see the clues when he goes.

Now that the truth has been found out, it doesn't matter what Cao Zhichong thinks. Even if he has someone in the court, Yu Yi can't allow him to deceive others and do harm to one side.

*****

Yue Yang moved quickly, before the lunch time, several congee trucks that had been dispatched in advance had already lined up at the gate of the village.

Yu Yi held the little black ball that sniffed her nose in one hand, and a long-handled spoon in the other, and scooped porridge into the hands of the villagers lined up in front of her one by one.

"Take your time, don't get burned." Several guards were also helping to distribute the porridge, while others organized order among the team.

"Brother." Little Heiqiu threw away the dry steamed bun long ago, and hungrily devoured the pancake brought by Yue Yang.

"What's the matter?" Yu Yi's tone was unexpectedly gentle, causing Yue Yang to look at him several times.

Except for the young master, I have never seen His Highness have such a good temper with anyone.

"I still want to eat."

"No," Yu Yi rubbed his stomach, "It's not good to eat too much, let's eat it tomorrow."

"... Oh." The obviously disappointed tone made Yu Yi feel a little helpless.

Is this a child?

The youngest child he has come into contact with is Yu Xun, and for a moment he feels that this experience is quite fresh.

After serving porridge for a long time, her arms were a little sore, Yu Yi thought about it, and simply handed the ladle to the guard, and walked to the open space with the man in her arms.The villagers who were waiting for the porridge subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief. Although this young man was indeed very kind, but he had never been in contact with such a big man before, and the hand holding the bowl couldn't help but want to shake.The guards are good, the guards are good. In the past, the county magistrate was always accompanied by several guards, and they were sent to pass on any words.

Ugh.

As dusk approaches, the spring breeze blows comfortably, but the rice fields are desolate.Yu Yi stared at the dilapidated scene in front of her in a daze, remembering what the village chief said just now.

"Our Inazawa originally had a good harvest. Although the tax is higher than other places, it is not unbearable. Who made this place where we were born and raised."

"In the past, the county magistrate was kind to us. He would come to visit us during the holidays and give us some rewards to encourage us to work hard in the coming year. Unexpectedly, we were accidentally plagued by insects last year, and even the roots in the soil were gnawed. Originally, this was nothing, but it was a year’s less harvest, and each family still had some food in stock, which could support the next year’s planting, but, but—”

"But the county magistrate actually asked us to hand over all the stored grain and pay it to the imperial court as a tax. Anyone who dares to disobey will be beaten to death with sticks. Hey. This is good. Many people died at once. They were beaten to death, and even more were starved to death. If you are hungry, you will not have the energy to farm, and this year's harvest will be wiped out!"

Yu Yi felt that Cao Zhichong was really an idiot, and there was nothing he could do about it if there was a pest plague. Would the court still punish him if he reported the truth?If it goes on like this, it will only get worse every year, and there will be no food left for him to search for by then!

When Yue Yang came here today, he could say that even the wealthy households in the city didn't have much food, and they didn't want to pay more for the high price. The situation was really bad, and he had already sent people to other areas to adjust food overnight.

"Your Highness."

Yu Yi was thinking about it, when a shout came from not far away.

He raised his head, and saw Xiao Qin walking towards the last ray of sun at sunset, smiling when he looked over.

Yu Yi's heart skipped a beat, as if something was about to break through the ground.

"Why are you here?" Yu Yi asked, with a sense of comfort in his tone that he didn't notice.

"After all, Cao Zhichong has already found out, there is no need to stay in that inn." Xiao Tan smiled, lowered his head and pinched the little black ball's face.

He wanted to see Yu Yi, very much.

Except for the few days before getting married, he had never been separated from His Highness for such a long time. From early morning to evening, there was no news, no meeting, and no detailed plan for a whole day.

He didn't want to delay Yu Yi's business, so he insisted on holding back until he didn't need to stay in the inn, and then hurried over.

"Your Highness likes children?" Xiao Tan asked.

"It's okay," Yu Yi replied, looking down to see the aggrieved expression on the face of the person in her arms, she paused and added, "This one is more obedient, so I like it."

"Oh." Xiao Tan was a little amused.

The hair on Yu Yi's forehead was blown tousled by the wind, sticking to his eyes and blocking his vision. He subconsciously closed his eyes, and felt a pair of hands reaching out, gently brushing the hair away from behind his ears.

Although the two of them will hug each other every night when they fall asleep, and they will hold hands when they have nothing to do, but at this moment, there is always a subtle feeling when their skin touches each other. There is a strange numbness gushing out from the heart, rushing and spreading to the limbs .

Xiao Qin's fingers curled up slightly, and they stopped on the side of Yu Yi's face for a long time.

"What are you doing?" Yu Yi couldn't help it, she turned her head slightly, but didn't back away.

Want to say?

Do not say?

Xiao Qin's eyes were forbearing, and his heart was tossed and twisted.

What if His Royal Highness refuses?

No, His Highness should not refuse.Xiao Qin thought again.

In the end, Yu Yi couldn't see it anymore, and pulled his hand off, before he could let go, he heard a soft child's voice from his arms.

"Brother, this is beautiful!"

Both of them looked in the direction of his finger at the same time.

The ten fingers are intertwined, and there are two bracelets on the wrists that touch each other, one blue and one white, and the red strings are intertwined.

It was a bracelet I bought on the street that day.

It turned out that he had been carrying it.

They sleep together every day, and he sees the red rope dangling in His Highness's hand every day, but subconsciously ignores it, thinking that he forgot to pick it up, or is too lazy to pick it up, but he doesn't think about whether it's because...

Xiao Qin suddenly raised his head to look at Yu Yi, and saw that the other party was also looking at him with a complicated face, and his eyes were full of emotions.

The last ray of light in the sky disappeared, and the villagers returned to their homes after receiving the porridge, and the noisy voices gradually faded away.

The evening wind blew their hair, and as night fell, everything seemed to have an answer.