newbobooks Chapter 229 Could it be that the Second Young Mistress is preparing to...?
Chapter 229 Could it be that the Second Young Mistress is preparing to...?
"Go outside and find a shop, and sell them all."
Xu Liuer looked at Shan Ping, her voice calm, her expression unreadable.
Sell them all...?
Shanping thought she had misheard.
"Second Young Madam, any one of these pieces of jewelry could cover the expenses of an average family for several years. Why are you suddenly selling them..."
Before Shanping could finish speaking, a thought suddenly popped into her mind.
Could it be that the second young mistress is preparing to...
Shanping knelt down, "This servant's life was saved by the Second Young Madam when she was at the border. Whatever the Second Young Madam wants to do, this servant will help you. This matter... this servant will definitely do it for you!"
Her eyes were full of loyalty and stubbornness.
Xu Liuer looked at her, the corners of her lips curving slightly, "I will only feel at ease if you handle this matter."
The money in Zhiyuan Courtyard was managed by Xie Zhongzhi's confidants; she could only watch and never received a penny.
The only things she had at her disposal were some pieces of jewelry.
She needed money; with the silver, she could then find someone to buy travel permits...
From that moment on, Xie Zhongzhi and I never saw each other again in this life.
In Qinglan Courtyard, candlelight flickered.
"Has the young master not returned yet?" Qin Jiu asked, her brows furrowing slightly.
"Young Madam, not yet," the maid said gently. "Young Madam, why don't you rest for a while? We don't know when the Young Master will return today..."
Qin Jiuwei shook her head. "I'll wait a little longer."
Since their marriage, Xie Yanli has never stayed out all night. Even if he is busy with official duties and returns home late, he will always have someone inform him in advance.
But tonight, there's not a single word.
Qin Jiuwei felt a vague unease in her heart, and her fingertips unconsciously tightened a little.
Something must have happened.
She was waiting for him to come back.
An hour later, the night was deep and the courtyard was quiet.
The door was pushed open from the outside with a soft sound.
A chilly night wind swept into the room.
Xie Yanli, dressed in a green robe, stepped in, his body still carrying the chill of the past, radiating a bone-chilling cold.
Qin Jiuwei immediately stood up to greet him, and was about to ask a question when she heard him say in a deep voice.
"Disaster victims are flooding into the capital."
"What? How could it be so fast?" Qin Jiu was taken aback, and his expression changed instantly.
Xie Yanli pursed his thin lips, his tone low and solemn, "The disaster victims are desperate to survive. As early as when the cold wave arrived, many people had already rushed towards the capital. The local governments along the way could only provide limited accommodation, and the capital was their last hope. When I gave the order, they were almost at the capital."
"With so many disaster victims arriving suddenly, is there enough time to accommodate them?"
"Don't worry, the city gates have been reinforced with guards. I will arrange relief as soon as possible. However, grain prices are soaring and the imperial granaries have limited reserves."
Xie Yanli's voice was somewhat deep.
Qin Jiuwei bit her lip, feeling extremely guilty, and said in a deep voice, "If only I had reminded you sooner."
Upon hearing this, Xie Yanli immediately stepped forward and took her hand, speaking gently, "It's not your fault. It's a natural disaster. No one expected it to be this cold this year."
"What's done is done. We'll just do our best to resolve it. Nobody did anything wrong. Don't blame yourself. You've already done a great job."
His palm was warm and strong. Qin Jiuwei looked at his calm and composed appearance and was slightly shocked. She nodded slightly.
When I first met Xie Yanli, I felt that he was aloof and taciturn, like a thousand-year-old iceberg, making people keep their distance and even feel a little uncomfortable.
But after spending more time with him, I realized that his calmness was not indifference, but rather an extreme rationality and composure.
There is a set of behavioral guidelines for both people and things.
Be calm and composed when dealing with people, and remain calm and collected when facing problems.
Even if the sky were to fall, he could remain calm and composed, making him very reliable and reassuring.
The next day, early in the morning.
The chill was biting, and the howling wind in the outskirts of Beijing whipped up clouds of dust, making the disaster victims shiver.
Xie Yanli rode on his horse, wearing a black cloak. When his black boots landed, they splashed up a cloud of mud.
His eyes were calm as he looked at the tens of thousands of refugees who had fled the famine.
Most of the people were barely clothed, huddled together for warmth, their eyes filled with despair.
The children were wailing, the woman was pleading in a low voice, and the old people on the side had blank stares, clearly numb from the cold.
Xie Yanli felt as if a thousand-pound boulder was pressing down on his chest, making it hard to breathe.
The accompanying officials exchanged glances, and one of them whispered, "Your Highness, if these refugees are allowed into the city rashly, it may cause panic... The imperial court has not issued any official decree, so we..."
Xie Yanli glanced at him indifferently, without responding.
The next instant, a warrant was pulled straight out of his sleeve.
The golden dragon pattern shimmered slightly in the morning light, displaying its supreme authority.
"I, the Crown Prince, am acting on the Emperor's orders to resettle the disaster victims. Anyone who disobeys will be punished as an insubordination." Xie Yanli's voice was steady and carried an unquestionable authority.
The officials were taken aback, then immediately knelt down and bowed, saying, "Your humble servant obeys!"
He turned to look at the people who were already freezing and about to collapse, and said in a deep voice, "There is an official granary on the east side of the city. Allocate grain to settle the disaster victims. Order the city's traditional Chinese medicine clinic to prepare ginger soup and medicinal herbs and send them over immediately."
Upon hearing this, a glimmer of light finally ignited in the eyes of the disaster victims, and they knelt down, choking back tears: "Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you for your grace, His Majesty!"
Their lives can finally be saved!
At this time, in the Marquis's residence.
By this time, everyone had learned that the disaster victims had flocked to the capital.
Xie Wanning raised her chin slightly and spoke first: "Now that the disaster victims are homeless and hungry, our Marquis's Mansion must go outside the city to distribute porridge, which can save many disaster victims."
More importantly, it can bring you a good reputation!
Xie Wanning finished speaking triumphantly, knowing that she would surely be praised by her grandmother for being the first to suggest distributing porridge!
She naturally looked down on the disaster victims outside the city.
Those people must have ended up like this because they were too lazy! Why bother saving them?
But she wasn't stupid; she knew that disaster relief and poverty alleviation were acts of great kindness, and if word got out, people would praise the Xie family for their benevolence.
And Xie Wanning will become a paragon of virtue in the eyes of noble ladies.
Lady Hou nodded in agreement: "That's right. Since the imperial granaries are not yet open, our Hou family should take the lead in setting up a notice, and the wealthy households in the city will naturally be willing to follow suit."
After saying that, she turned to look at Xie Wanning, her eyes full of admiration.
I never thought this silly girl would be so smart one day.
Lord Xie and Madam Xie nodded in agreement, thinking it was a good idea.
“No soup kitchens allowed.” A clear voice suddenly rang out.
Everyone turned to look and realized that it was Qin Jiuwei who said those words.
Her expression was calm, and her tone was firm; it was clear that she hadn't said it casually.
When Xie Wanning saw it was her, she immediately frowned and said impatiently, "Why is that?"
A mocking smile curled at the corner of her lips as she said sarcastically, "Sister-in-law, what brilliant idea do you have now?"
Qin Jiuwei ignored her and said slowly, "The disaster victims come from all over the country, and many of them are weak. If they are concentrated in soup kitchens, the consequences would be unimaginable if someone gets sick."
“Sister-in-law, I know you’re not very knowledgeable, but how come you don’t even know this?” Xie Wanning smiled and said dismissively, “Epidemics are common in years of disaster. How can you not save people because of this? Sister-in-law, your heart is too cruel.”
"It is indeed common for epidemics to occur during years of disaster," Qin Jiuwei said in a slightly somber voice.
But this epidemic... is different.
This is why she was determined to find Meng Qihuang.