Chapter 218

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Protagonist:

Shen Yao

What does Qi Haochen think? Qi Haochen doesn't think about these things; what Qi Haochen ponders is how to preserve himself.

As long as one lives there is hope; death ends everything.

As someone who possessed a miraculous space from the moment he had memories, and who was indoctrinated daily by his birth father that he was a special child valued by an immortal, Qi Haochen always felt he was the undisputed choice for future emperor.

Don't they all say emperors are different from birth? He completely fits that profile, so when he heard his imperial uncle summoning them to the capital, he not only felt no panic, but was actually eager to try.

"Mother Consort, your son is not afraid. Going to the capital this time, your son has great confidence."

Qi Haochen's eyes shone bright and sparkling, like beautiful gems, astonishing to behold.

Shen Yao reached out and rubbed Qi Haochen's little head. "Your Eldest Young Master and the others will accompany you there together."

Over these years, Qi Haochen's relationship with Shen Cheng and the others has always been good, completely unaffected by any so-called birth father influence.

Especially after Shen Cheng and Shen Ying married in succession, Qi Chen even began paying attention to Shen Shi and Shen Yun's marriages.

In Qi Chen's words, a family needn't speak two different tongues; they are all children he watched grow up, and he is at ease knowing they have good destinations.

In reality, it was because Shen Cheng and Shen Ying's marriages let Qi Chen see tangible benefits.

And the higher Shen Cheng and the others rise, the more beneficial it is for Qi Haochen.

They are all full blood siblings; what could be more reliable than this?

Qi Chen has few offspring of his own; Qi Yingyue can only reside in the back courtyard, and Qi Haochen alone cannot support the structure — now with Shen Cheng and several same-mother brothers and sisters accompanying him, wouldn't it be worth investing more effort to cultivate affection?

Regardless of what Qi Chen thinks in his heart, judging by his actions there is no harm to Shen Cheng and the others, so Shen Yao naturally goes along with it and would not refuse.

Hearing that Eldest Young Master and the others were also going to the capital, Qi Haochen couldn't help but grin broadly.

In the evening, when Qi Chen came over, Shen Yao explained her arrangements and received Qi Chen's strong agreement.

Shen Yao gave Qi Chen a helpless glare. "My Lord Wang is really something, deliberately staging this play just to suppress Chen'er's confidence."

Not afraid Qi Haochen won't cooperate with the performance and simply throw in the towel.

Qi Chen laughed heartily, embracing Shen Yao and saying Madam understands his thoughts best.

"I'm also doing this for Chen'er's good. This child has no major shortcomings," the only thing to nag about is his confidence overflowing without bounds.

It's also my fault for boasting too much when he was young, not letting my son realize one should be low-key in all matters.

But correcting it now isn't too late; there's still half a year before entering the capital, completely enough time.

Shen Yao: ……

Shen Yao thought to herself: is this a matter of enough time? The key is this person's methods are too crude; he nearly let the cat out of the bag and failed to conceal it.

"Hahahaha, isn't there still Madam to help? Madam is this King's virtuous helpmate; with Madam lending a hand, this King naturally fears nothing."

Qi Chen's sweet talk really flows the moment he opens his mouth; what can Shen Yao say? She long ago knew this person's character.

The two of them nestled together discussing Qi Haochen's entry into the capital afterward.

The capital is also in chaos; Qi Chen truly doesn't want Qi Haochen to go over at this time.

"The capital's waters are muddy enough to drown a person, and these years the Emperor loves to stir things up."

Qi Chen is heartsick, also not knowing what to say; the imperial brother plans to raise all the nephews and nieces together like gu worms — as for what creature emerges, that still depends on the imperial brother's methods.

"My Lord Wang, this concubine worries for Chen'er. The capital is not as peaceful as Changzhou. Moreover these years droughts, floods, blizzards, and earthquakes occur incessantly; almost every year brings ill news. Once in the capital, Chen'er can only rely on himself."

Qi Haochen's methods are still unfamiliar and immature; it's just that Qi Chen has always acted low-key, and the only high-profile instance of offering grain was blocked back using his fiefdom as an excuse.

Oh, the grain offering here refers to those high-yield grain crops Qi Chen took from Qi Haochen's space.

After these years of continuous promotion, the new grain varieties have been planted throughout Qi State, north and south of the great river.

Not to mention, the seeds Shen Yao selected are all types that guarantee large yields and full bellies; although the taste isn't very palatable, the high-yield effect is still quite fragrant — the three Changzhou regions have seen continuous population growth year after year thanks to these grain benefits.

Qi Chen patted Shen Yao's shoulder. "Don't worry. This King will arrange manpower to protect Chen'er. No matter how inadequate, there's still the Emperor in the palace."

Compared to other people's offspring numbers, Qi Chen's side is pitifully few.

Even if he makes a move to use him, the Emperor must consider the consequences of something happening to Qi Haochen.

Others losing a son or two wouldn't go mad, but placed on Qi Chen it truly would.

……

Time flows forward, and once again the annual harvest season arrives.

Shen Yao stands in the small courtyard; the flowers and grasses around her have long since withered completely.

If one asks what influence ancient natural disasters have on Shen Yao, it is that her time staying in the mansion grows longer, and she dares not easily go out and walk about at will.

But for Shen Yao's daily food, clothing, housing, and travel, the influence is not very great.

Because no matter how difficult outside, with Qi Chen's status as a layer of protection, Shen Yao in the Wang Fu back courtyard never worries about food and clothing. Even in drought months she can still wash normally, just not as frequently as in normal years.

"As expected, natural disasters and fleeing famine are all targeted at those commoners at the bottom.

For the privileged classes, information channels are broad enough; with advance preparation, they fear no mishap."

In these years living in Changzhou Prefecture, only one year of drought was truly unbearable, forcing them to leave their fiefdom to seek refuge elsewhere; the rest of the time Shen Yao always lived very comfortably — perhaps this is the same sky, different lives.

Without speaking any words contrary to her heart, Shen Yao deeply feels that as a beneficiary of the status quo, she should long since have had the corresponding awareness.

The maidservant bowed and presented this season's harvest, all from the estates outside the city.

Page after page recorded only grain yields — no flowery pretty words, just strings of numbers representing what she wanted to see.

"New grain harvested well — all send into the storehouses. Old grain take out and put in the shops to sell.

Prices remain unchanged; simultaneously recover grain circulating on the market.

If anyone stirs up trouble in the middle, send them directly to the steward's side for the Wang Ye to decide."

As the true mistress of the Prince's Mansion, Shen Yao's daily life was still quite busy.

Matters like the operation of stores controlled by the Prince's Mansion were currently all handled by Shen Yao.

The benefit of this was that Shen Yao had some estimate of the Prince's Mansion's family assets.

Hmph, at this rate of growth and development, even if more refugees come, they can still be fed.

Compared to other places that wished they could drive people away, only Changzhou Prefecture here accepts all comers, even actively allocating grain, fields, and property deeds.

The reason is naturally the huge profits brought by population growth; just by paying out some not-too-many supplies, they get double or even multiple returns. Both Shen Yao and Qi Chen felt this business was not a loss.

"However, it still can't be done too obviously. This King will continue to cry poverty to the capital when he has time."

Whether they can accept them is their business, but they cannot let others know he really can accept them.

Some people are just the kind who can't stand others doing well; clearly it brings no benefit to themselves, but they just like to cause trouble.

Qi Chen had previously caught quite a few spies sent in; of course, he also mixed sand into other fiefs. Everyone does this, no one should appear special.

"If the Prince wants to cry poverty, he must produce actual evidence." Shen Yao turned her head, took out a list, and delivered it to Qi Chen. "These are all refugees who came from Chongzhou in recent days. Kang Wang and Duan Wang's sides wouldn't take them. Currently, this batch of refugees is temporarily settled by Dongchang Prefecture."

Dongchang Prefecture has granaries; the daily grain consumption just happens to be normally supplied because new grain has come down.

Originally, Shen Yao planned to send half of this batch to Guangping Prefecture.

Now, if Qi Chen cries poverty, it just happens to be arranged at the edge of Dongchang Prefecture, not only letting people notice at a glance, but also relieving certain people's groundless speculation about them.

"Madam truly has a telepathic connection with this King." Qi Chen sighed that having a virtuous wife is truly good; he doesn't need to be diligent and responsible about everything because someone has already handled these things in advance.

"Do as Madam says. Those brothers of this King..." Qi Chen shook his head. Same starting point, yet they didn't do as well as him.

Sure enough, the throne in the capital is bound to be the pocket possession of their father and sons.

Holding the freshly produced evidence, Qi Chen returned to the study and directly wrote a heartfelt memorial of grievance.

The memorial's content wasn't much; the vast majority of it was crying misery and selling poverty.

How useful doing this is, that is a matter for the capital's people to consider. Qi Chen currently only takes responsibility for speaking out his predicament and placing it on the table. Although this fief is still his, it also belongs to Qi State's land.

……

The vast earth was desolate, fallen leaves withered yellow.

A group of ragged refugees was advancing along a long dirt road.

"Girl, we're almost there. In a few more days, we'll reach Luo Wang's territory.

Heard that at Luo Wang's place we can eat our fill. We've walked for a month; it should be over now."

The old man spoke to the thin girl beside him who was nothing but skin and bones.

There were quite a few like the old man; everyone fled in groups.

Family grain harvest failed completely; the county government office couldn't distribute grain. They could only come out to find a way to survive.

Fortunately, their luck wasn't bad. Along the main road, they met quite a few people.

Everyone said Luo Wang's fief is rich and sparsely populated; once they arrive, they can live a life of eating their fill and dressing warm.

Hey!

Not expecting to eat their fill and dress warm, as long as they can safely survive the cold winter, they feel life still has hope.

"What are you stupidly dazed for? The matters the adult instructed are all already done."

The little beggar was patted on the shoulder; a face though gaudily painted had clear eyes.

"Brother Qian, rest assured. Arranged properly long ago. But why send them all to Luo Wang's fief? Our fief can also accept these refugees."

"What do you know? Big figures always think more. Anyway, where to send them isn't for us to decide. Hurry, there are other places."

Finished speaking, that person pulled the little beggar against the flow of people, step by step walking back.

Although their behavior was somewhat strange, everyone was hungry and too busy with themselves to care, so no one paid them any mind.

Rather, some people trailing behind occasionally glanced at them a few times, muttering softly, nothing more than saying things like "as expected" and such.