Chapter 6
Edward Quan ·
Li Feng stepped forward.
“Your Highness, the guards who went to investigate have returned. Zhiyang City’s granary truly has very little grain left.”
“That’s right, that’s right!”
Zhao Chun kowtowed several times.
“Our own city of Zhiyang can barely keep itself safe…”
“But…”
Li Feng’s voice carried anger.
“The residence of Governor Zhao is extravagantly luxurious. Just a few days ago he took a new concubine, saying she was a gift from a grain merchant.”
I clenched my fists. Even breathing felt difficult.
A disaster had struck, and the local officials, who were supposed to care for the people, had colluded with grain merchants and taken bribes. The price of rice had been driven up dozens of times. The people couldn’t afford food and could only starve to death.
I trembled with rage. Ta Chi Tu took my hand.
When I came back to myself, I steadied my breathing and glanced at Zhao Chun and the commandery lieutenant, who were kowtowing in terror.
“Li Feng, kill them.”
19
With a single swing of his sword, Zhao Chun’s head fell to the ground.
A flower of blood bloomed against the white snow.
The refugees screamed in terror and crowded together, trembling.
I bowed to them, took out my token, and raised my voice.
“I am the daughter of the Grand Tutor and the current Ninth Princess Consort. I have come on His Majesty’s orders to provide disaster relief. Rest assured, the imperial court will not abandon you.”
“Is… is that true? You won’t kill us?”
A childish voice rose from the crowd. A woman immediately covered the child’s mouth and looked toward us in terror.
“It’s true.”
I smiled gently at the child and told the guards to get the dry provisions from the carriage and hand them out.
“Food will go first to the elderly, the weak, women, and children. Those who can still hold out should wait a few more hours. I promise everyone will have freshly cooked hot porridge within three hours.”
The people were still hesitant. They looked fearfully at Zhao Chun’s body, then at me.
I turned to the commandery lieutenant, who had been so frightened he’d wet himself.
“What’s your name?”
The lieutenant kowtowed frantically.
“My name is Ding Ju! I don’t want to die! Please spare me… please spare me…”
“The governor sent the yamen runners to drive the people outside the city back to Han City. This subordinate advised him against it, but he kept saying we should wait for relief provisions from the capital before deciding…”
As expected. What a bunch of shameless bastards!!!
“Li Feng, take him—and Zhao Chun’s head—to the grain merchants.”
I spoke calmly.
“I’m sure they’ll be very happy to donate grain.”
Ding Ju trembled.
I continued, “Then please arrange some rooms for the refugees to shelter in, and bring a few physicians here. Can you do that?”
“Yes, yes, yes…”
Li Feng hauled Ding Ju away.
I took a deep breath and was about to get back into the carriage when Ta Chi Tu stopped me.
“Ningning, you haven’t had lunch yet.”
“But Han City…”
Ta Chi Tu gently squeezed my palm and said softly, “I’ve already made arrangements. Trust me, Ningning.”
My heart suddenly settled. I looked at the guards we’d brought, who were helping people all around, and felt a jumble of emotions.
We walked to a sheltered spot. Ta Chi Tu broke a flatbread in half and handed me a piece.
“Ningning, you did very well. If it were me, I would have killed the chicken to scare the monkeys, too.”
I exhaled a breath and began eating the bread.
“How long are you planning to keep pretending to be a fool?”
Could he really keep it up forever…?
A snowflake landed on his shoulder.
“Not much longer.”
20
People have unlimited potential when their lives are at stake. Ding Ju was slick and terrified of dying, but he was remarkably efficient.
In less than two hours, grain and hot porridge had been delivered. He had also arranged temporary shelter for the refugees in the western part of the city.
Once everything was in order, Ta Chi Tu and I got back into the carriage.
After eating their fill, the refugees knelt together and kowtowed toward our carriage.
I lowered the curtain, trying to hide my damp eyes.
“Do you think Chancellor Li will make another move if he finds out the people he sent to kill us never came back?”
“Han City is our territory.”
Ta Chi Tu chuckled.
I stared at him, baffled.
“???”
The carriage stopped. Li Feng opened the door.
Before us stood the gates of Han City.
Unlike the chaos I’d imagined, the gates were wide open, and people inside were going about their business as usual.
A figure in white approached, a smile playing at the corners of his lips.
“You’ve finally arrived.”
I froze.
The person before me was…
The Fourth Prince, Ta Chi Chen!
Hadn’t he died three years ago?
Ta Chi Tu took my hand as we got out of the carriage and nodded.
The two princes stood side by side, one in dark robes and one in white. Amid the vast white snow, they both turned to gaze at Han City’s gates.
They were as noble as kings in a time of turmoil.
Seeing my confusion, the Fourth Prince smiled and explained.
“Three years ago, I was on my way to provide disaster relief when I was ambushed. Fortunately, I survived.”
“Elder Brother and Ninth Brother went to Han City to settle the people and investigate, but they encountered trouble on their way back to the capital.”
“For the past three years, I traveled between several nearby cities disguised as a merchant. I was the first to learn about the severe drought in Han City. By the time I arrived, quite a few people had already been driven away, so I made arrangements for them.”
I was a little confused.
“Then didn’t the governor of Zhiyang City know what you were doing in Han City?”
“He didn’t.”
The Fourth Prince sighed.
“The governor of Han City is a good official. When the relief provisions from the capital failed to arrive, he was about to jump from the city wall to write a letter in his own blood and send it to the capital. I happened to stop him. He was also the one who arranged things in Zhiyang City.”
Looking at Han City, which had regained its vitality, I finally relaxed.
“What happens next? Will one of you keep pretending to be missing and the other keep pretending to be a fool?”
The Fourth Prince and Ta Chi Tu exchanged smiles.
Ta Chi Tu brushed the snow from my shoulder.
“The capital… is in utter chaos now.”