Chapter 221

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Protagonist:

Shen Yao

"Aiyo, it's only been a few months, how has the weather become this hot?"

"The sun in the sky looks like it's grown a whole circle larger; this won't do, this won't do. I have to go home and store a drum of water."

"Hey, wait for me, let's go back together..."

Time flew, and summer arrived. April's weather should have carried a hint of coolness in the breeze, but unexpectedly, what blew now was entirely hot wind.

Fortunately, the water dams dug earlier were still there; otherwise, having no water would be fatal.

"The grain we planted is all drought-resistant and needs little water. Everyone can wait a few more days, then water them at night."

"The Prince is wise, the Princess Consort has a Bodhisattva's heart. Ever since this water dam was built, our village no longer fears water shortage."

"Who says otherwise? It's still the officials above who think far ahead. At the New Year, they made us send people to dig. I remember some people were quite unwilling at the time."

"Hmph, we're all stupid, clumsy folk; how could we think that deeply."

"..."

In an unnamed small village under Changzhou Prefecture's jurisdiction, similar conversations occurred constantly.

Natural disasters occurred frequently within Qi State; some were unavoidable, some could be prevented in advance.

Take this year's drought, for instance. Qi Chen and Shen Yao had long since ordered all localities to extensively dig water dams and wells, and used light-blocking materials to shade above them, precisely to prevent water sources within the territory from drying up and the common people from being displaced once again.

Because they had made good arrangements in advance, the three areas of Changzhou Prefecture were still under control, but the surrounding prefecture cities affected by the drought inevitably saw large numbers of refugees appear.

Right now, Qi Chen rubbed his forehead and told Shen Yao that refugees kept streaming toward the outside of Changzhou Prefecture, but these refugees they currently could not settle.

While massaging Qi Chen's shoulders, Shen Yao spoke of the Court's attitude.

"The Court? A bunch of spectators who don't mind how big the trouble gets. This King never counted on them to begin with."

Useless at everything, champions at dragging things down. Qi Chen didn't even know what to say.

"Your Highness cannot think like this. The area around Changzhou Prefecture isn't just your fiefdom; there are several other Princes' fiefdoms as well.

If Changzhou Prefecture opens a single breach, it will plunge the others into a passive position."

People aren't afraid of being bad, they're afraid of comparison. Against the backdrop of the many prefecture cities, Changzhou Prefecture looked like a paradise, and those refugees who ran here were willing to settle down and make a living.

But letting Changzhou Prefecture take in these refugees would make others jealous.

Sure enough, officials at the Court frequently submitted memorials, accusing Qi Chen of harboring disloyal intentions, putting Qi Chen in a position where accepting them wasn't right, and not accepting them wasn't right either.

Of course, Qi Chen didn't suffer this grievance for nothing. These secret, unpublicized rumors had long since spread among the refugees. Currently, the refugees receiving Qi Chen's relief were seething with complaints, one after another accusing the surrounding prefecture cities of being inhuman.

According to the latest news sent by Qi Haochen, the Emperor had already raised the issue of refugee resettlement. The entire Court's ministers each expressed their views, just waiting for a unified decision.

However, getting the Court of one mind was still somewhat difficult. Moreover, Qi Chen's forces were not small; the border wars were ultimately settled by his hand. To stick his head out now was no different from putting himself on a fire to roast.

So Shen Yao did the opposite and proposed a plan to drag the surrounding people down together.

The refugees gathering outside Changzhou Prefecture grew more numerous by the day. At this time when the old grain was exhausted and the new not yet harvested, if they took out grain beyond their bottom line, they would have no way to defend themselves against a hundred accusations.

"Yao'er's meaning is to ask the surrounding prefecture cities for help?" But the refugees came from those very places.

"Your Highness, our hearts are willing but our strength falls short. Giving the refugees enough grain for the journey is also giving them one more viable path to survival."

At the foot of the Son of Heaven in the Jingcheng, those people are cowardly, completely afraid to indiscriminately kill refugees.

Tens of thousands of refugees running over there are merely pawns in their mutual game.

Shen Yao's words made Qi Chen thoughtful. By the time she left, he still hadn't given a definite answer.

"Host, will doing this cause trouble?" The System spoke rather tactfully; to put it bluntly, it might result in Merit being deducted.

Because Shen Yao's suggestion could very well lead to tens of thousands of refugees meeting with mishap.

Compared to the unscrupulous privileged class, the refugee commoners are the most insignificant ones.

Just like that group of refugees they encountered when they migrated from Luo Zhou Fu to Changzhou Prefecture — a single high-sounding excuse could drive people away.

"If it succeeds, it's a good deed done. You think the current Changzhou Prefecture can exist for much longer?"

In a mud pit, a paradise where one can live suddenly emerges. Without the premise of wholehearted maintenance, the paradise will ultimately only become a new mud pit.

What Shen Yao must do now is preserve this paradise as much as possible, and give the arriving refugees a hope.

"Give enough grain, remind them to be careful on the road. If there are still problems, then we can only accept it."

They can't possibly contribute nothing. The Jingcheng is visibly in chaos. For Changzhou Prefecture to fish in troubled waters and fill its belly, it has to drag a few more down into the water.

The System felt its current mission was getting more and more off-track.

The child to be raised isn't by her side. The person who should be fleeing is receiving refugees. If the mission weren't still ongoing, the System would truly be baffled.

"Host, you shouldn't have signed a contract with me," the System said dryly.

In fact, it had already said this no fewer than several times, showing how great a shock Shen Yao had given it.

"Back then I could only sign with you," Shen Yao viewed this quite openly. The System had a choice, but she had none; not signing meant death.

Shen Yao does not fear death, but since she can live, can experience different types of lives in various worlds, why not?

"Don't think too much. You and I are both here for the mission. As long as the result is good, the process doesn't matter."

Compared to Shen Yao still needing to spend time waiting for planted seeds to bloom and bear fruit, the System can completely skip all that and directly collect the final reward.

Suspecting the System might become more humanized the faster it levels up and the stronger and more complete its functions become, Shen Yao didn't forget to remind the System not to overthink. "Know that many things belong to self-inflicted troubles.

You are a System. The significance of your existence is to complete missions and improve yourself.

So, discard unnecessary emotions promptly. It will only benefit you, not harm you."

For the sake of their cooperation being fairly pleasant, Shen Yao rarely spoke a few more words.

Just as they had just discussed the refugee issue — even if something goes wrong, it's Shen Yao's Merit that gets deducted. The System's good intentions Shen Yao appreciates, but these matters, the System had best stay out of.

For some reason, Shen Yao felt the System shouldn't be like this; they were merely in a simple cooperative employment relationship, and maintaining this contact while leaving each other enough space was a necessary prerequisite for them to continue cooperating.

Shaking her head with a faint expression, Shen Yao turned and summoned the attending maidservant.

"Go fetch the Prince's Mansion's account books for this quarter," some unnecessary expenditures needed to be cut as soon as possible.

Not all nobles have the mind for eating, drinking, and enjoyment; when the house is about to burn down and they still don't take it to heart, then just wait to drink the northwest wind.

……

"Chen'er, why are you sitting at the doorway?"

Shen Shi hurried in from outside, not expecting to bump directly into his own younger brother.

Blinking slightly, he reached out and pulled Qi Haochen up from the ground, and the two brothers walked back together.

"Third Brother, I was thinking about the family situation," having been in the capital for three years, Qi Haochen looked like he had grown up quite a bit.

Shen Shi and Shen Yun had each married last year, both spouses were natives of the capital, and even the matchmaker was the current Holy Emperor.

"Mother wrote before that the situation in Changzhou Prefecture is still alright, just that the refugees rushing over keep increasing; if the capital cannot produce a suitable plan, refugee riots will mean instability for the country."

Shen Shi finished in a deep voice and glanced sideways at the doorway again; it was still a scene of singing and dancing, peace and prosperity, people coming and going, completely unable to tell that outside the capital it was already a living hell.

"Third Brother, whatever the situation in the capital, we brothers need not speak further.

Imperial Uncle wants to produce a suitable arrangement, but the people blocking the way are unknown in number."

Although he had not yet entered court to participate in governance, Qi Haochen's daily studies were in the Imperial Palace, and through the teaching masters he had come into contact with many state affairs.

Most of what he heard sounded absurd and laughable — even the types of flowers and plants to be planted in the Imperial Harem's Imperial Garden had to be argued over a couple of sentences — yet when they encountered truly urgent business, they had the mind to push three, block four there.

Thinking of this, Qi Haochen was nearly driven to grinding his teeth by certain people.

Bullying too far!

"I understand now, just how deep the water behind this capital is."

Drowning a person or two is no problem at all, and not even a sound can be made.

Three years ago, when Qi Haochen came over, the imperial relatives with the same status as him numbered no fewer than twenty or thirty.

Three years later, those twenty or thirty people are only half left, not to mention this half still has some teetering on the brink, with the possibility of defeat and withdrawal at any time.

Qi Haochen's ability to pass three years safely is inseparable from his own capability.

Of course, the support given by Qi Chen and Shen Yao, the daily all-round close protection by Shen Shi and the others, and the current Holy Emperor's care for him are all indispensable.

Even so, the troubles great and small Qi Haochen has encountered over three years have still been incessant.

"Chen'er, don't think too much; the fiefdom has Mother and the Prince looking after it, what we can do is still focus on the present."

The capital is no safer than the fiefdom; even in the capital Qi Haochen cannot get a guarantee of safety.

The two brothers stood in the small courtyard speaking, when they heard footsteps coming from outside.

The letter-delivering servant, panting roughly, told Qi Haochen to enter the palace immediately to audience the Emperor.

"Imperial Uncle?"

Qi Haochen looked up at Shen Shi, only saying to go back and change clothes.

"Tell me, what does the Emperor want with the Heir Apparent?" Even the palace masters' lessons have stopped, why call someone into the palace again.

The servant shook his head, face still bearing unevaporated sweat drops, tone also doubtful, "This petty person does not know."

He was just the one passing the message at the doorway; the Eunuch who came out of the palace delivered the letter too urgently, the person had already gone to other mansions, how would he know the concrete situation.

"Third Brother, let's go," the changed-clothes Qi Haochen came out of the room, called out to Shen Shi and looked up at him a couple more times.

"Your Highness, something may be wrong."

Waving to dismiss the messenger, Shen Shi felt this trip out he must bring Shen Zhen along. Once Qi Haochen encountered anything, Shen Zhen's medical skills could solve many troubles.

……

"The carriage is fine, the compartment is still stable, shall we ride into the palace then?"

Shen Zhen came over, first gave Qi Haochen a simple physical check, then had Shen Shi inspect the carriage they would ride in thoroughly, only then did they decide to ride the carriage into the palace.

No choice, too many people want to make a move on Qi Haochen; as long as Qi Haochen leaves the mansion he must be on full alert the whole way.

"Let's go, Third Brother, Fifth Sister, don't worry, this time there probably won't be any trouble."

Qi Haochen's words soothed the two relatives; unexpectedly his voice had just fallen when he saw Shen Zhen suddenly make a quiet gesture, and he was directly scared into bristling.

Qi Haochen: ……?!!!

What on earth does this mean, won't the face-slap come this fast.

Shen Zhen didn't waste words with Qi Haochen, twitched her nose sniffing left and right, finally signaled Shen Shi to hurry and have the coachman stop.

Shen Shi: ……

Shen Shi sucked in a cold breath, and in a normal tone told the coachman to stop.

Then the trio jumped down from the carriage compartment, surrounded by a full circle of bodyguards brought along.

"Fifth Sister, what exactly is the matter?"

Qi Haochen was anxious, clawing at his heart and scratching his liver, simply tortured crazy by the spy dramas staged all day.

He was merely a small Prince's Mansion Heir Apparent; the whole capital had quite a few people with the same status as him, why must they single him out to watch.

Shen Zhen pointed at that rather lively horse, "There's a smell on it, extremely easy to get stimulated when running; then the carriage-pulling horses go mad," what kind of result would appear goes without saying.

Qi Haochen: ……

Qi Haochen wiped his face with his hand, turned and begged his own Third Brother to investigate thoroughly.

Not that he didn't trust others, but Third Brother and he were blood relatives.

Shen Shi had the others protect Qi Haochen and not retreat, while he alone walked to the carriage side with Shen Zhen to inspect, and finally found a clue at the horse's tail.

Right, the original speculation became open knowledge; this carriage they wouldn't use no matter what they said.

Turning back once more to the Prince's Mansion, Qi Haochen had others prepare horses anew. At the same time sent word to the palace, and reported this matter to the capital Government Office.

It's not that he deliberately arrived late; there really was an accident on the road.

After the Government Office people came over and finished inspecting the trouble on the carriage, those with understanding were already scared into a cold sweat.

How could it be this unlucky, day after day, it's all the same problem.

"Again? Who else met with mishap together with His Highness? Please enlighten me, Lord."

Shen Shi took the lead, not caring how ugly the face of the official he had grabbed for questioning looked, wearing an appearance of simply needing to know.

That official understood the relationship between Shen Shi and Qi Haochen, cursing Shen Shi in his heart for not knowing etiquette, but understanding that Qi Haochen was quite favored by the Emperor, he was not someone a minor official like him could afford to offend.

"Replying to Your Highness, the carriages of the Kang Wang Shi Zi, Jing Wang Shi Zi, and Lian Wang Shi Zi who live here have all appeared problems.

Among them the Kang Wang Shi Zi is injured the most heavily, a Palace Imperial Physician has already been requested to come over for diagnosis.

The Jing Wang Shi Zi and Lian Wang Shi Zi suffered fright, and have both shut their doors to recuperate."

Anyway these matters even if he didn't go say them, the other party relying on personal connections and means would sooner or later be able to find out.

But whether it's earlier or later by a moment, then what reason does he still have to block.

With his heart opened up, the words from his mouth became increasingly smooth, this Court official was also very tactful.

Qi Haochen stood at the original place listening to the whole story, smiling and waving his hand to thank the other party for informing.

Having the servant send him away, Qi Haochen pulled Shen Shi and Shen Zhen over to discuss in a low voice, in his heart suspecting this matter was inseparable from the Palace.

You must know four Wang Fu Shi Zi simultaneously meeting with mishap, is truly extraordinarily unusual.