Even women who travel through time can become prime ministers and nobles.

Chapter 463 Visiting the Local Gentry

The torch fell onto the deck and was stomped out by a guard.

"Who?" the bandit leader screamed, looking into the shadows.

A small boat emerged from the morning mist, carrying a man dressed in gray cloth, holding a short crossbow in his hand, his face expressionless: "The Prince of Rongyang sent you here to die, and you actually came?"

The bandit leader was taken aback: "You are... one of Rongyang King's men?"

"if not?"

The man in plain clothes sneered, "He wants Wang Fu's life, not yours—but you're all too useless, you can't even take down a small boat, keeping you around is pointless."

He raised his hand, and another crossbow bolt shot out, hitting the bandit leader squarely in the heart.

The remaining bandits, seeing this, were terrified and jumped into the river to escape.

The man in plain clothes looked at Shen Yanzhou and clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Your Highness, I am a secret guard from the capital, sent by His Majesty to meet you."

"His Majesty knew that Prince Rongyang would make his move by water, so he specifically ordered me to bring twenty secret guards to wait here."

Shen Yanzhou stared at him, his eyes sharp: "Do His Majesty's secret guards have any tokens?"

The man in plain clothes took out a jade pendant from his pocket and handed it over: "This is His Majesty's dragon-patterned pendant. Your Highness may verify it."

Shen Yanzhou took the jade pendant and stroked the dragon pattern on it with his fingertips—he had seen this jade pendant before; it was the one his father always carried with him.

He breathed a sigh of relief and sheathed his sword: "Thank you for your trouble."

The man in plain clothes nodded: "Your Highness, the area ahead is Yangzhou. His Majesty has arranged troops there. Once we reach Yangzhou, you will be safe."

"But..." He paused, lowering his voice, "The capital has been quite turbulent lately. The Prince of Rongyang's inside agents are active in the court. When you arrive in the capital, please be careful in everything you do."

Shen Yanzhou's heart sank.

He knew that the Prince of Rongyang had connections in the court, but he didn't expect him to be so rampant.

He looked down into the cabin, where Wang Fu was still locked in the prison van, lost in thought.

Perhaps the evidence in Wang Fu's hands is more important than he thinks.

The boat continued downstream, the morning mist gradually dissipated, and the sunlight shone on the river, making it sparkle.

Shen Yanzhou stood at the bow of the boat, gazing at the outline of Yangzhou in the distance, but felt no relief whatsoever—the bloodshed and turmoil in the capital had only just begun.

The Zhou Mansion in the west of the city, with its blue bricks and gray tiles, and two large red lanterns hanging at the entrance, looks quite impressive.

As Shi Wanxia and Cui Zhihao reached the door, the butler hurriedly came forward, bowing and saying, "Young Master Cui, Master Shi, my master is waiting in the living room. Please follow me."

Upon entering the living room, Mr. Zhou was sitting in a grand chair, drinking tea.

He was dressed in a purple brocade robe, his hair was gray, and his face carried a faint sorrow.

Upon seeing Shi Wanxia and Cui Zhihao arrive, he quickly stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "Lord Shi, Young Master Cui, please have a seat."

The three sat down, and a maid brought tea. Shi Wanxia got straight to the point: "Sir Zhou, I've come to visit you today to discuss the matter of grain."

"Chuzhou is currently experiencing a food shortage, and the people are running out of food. I know that you have a private granary, and I would like to borrow some grain from you. After the autumn harvest, the Chuzhou government will repay you double the amount."

"Or, how about you use grain to offset this year's taxes?"

Mr. Zhou, holding his teacup, stroked the rim with his fingers. After a moment of silence, he sighed and said, "Lord Shi, it's not that I'm unwilling to lend grain, it's that I dare not."

“Yesterday, Rongyang King’s men sent me a warning letter, saying that anyone who dares to send grain to the Chuzhou government is going against him and he will not let them off.”

“My son is still in prison in the capital. If I offend Prince Rongyang, my son…”

“Squire Zhou,”

Cui Zhihao spoke, his voice steady, "The Prince of Rongyang is now at his wit's end. His Highness the Crown Prince is on his way back to the capital. Once His Highness returns, His Majesty will surely order a thorough investigation into the Prince of Rongyang's affairs, and your son's injustice will be cleared."

"But if you help Prince Rongyang now, do you think your son will still have a chance to get out when His Highness the Crown Prince returns to the capital?"

Zhou, the local gentry, was startled and looked up at Cui Zhihao: "Young Master Cui, is what you're saying true? Will His Highness the Crown Prince be able to return to the capital safely?"

"Of course."

Shi Wanxia continued, "His Highness the Crown Prince is both wise and brave, and he also has elite guards by his side. The Prince of Rongyang's men cannot stop him."

"Moreover, the Cui family has already sent people to meet His Highness the Crown Prince, and His Highness will be able to arrive in the capital in less than ten days."

“Sir Zhou, you are a sir of Chuzhou, and the people of Chuzhou are all your fellow villagers. Can you bear to watch them go hungry?”

“As long as you are willing to provide the grain, I guarantee in Shi Wanxia’s name that once His Highness the Crown Prince returns to the capital, I will recommend you to him to clear your son’s name.”

Zhou, the local gentry, looked at Shi Wanxia, ​​then at Cui Zhihao, and remained silent for a long time before finally gritting his teeth and saying, "Fine! I believe you! I have five thousand shi of grain in my private granary, and I will donate it all to the Chuzhou government."

"I don't want you to repay me double, nor do I want to offset my taxes—as long as the people of Chuzhou can be saved, as long as my son can get out safely, I will be satisfied."

Shi Wanxia and Cui Zhihao exchanged a glance and both breathed a sigh of relief.

Shi Wanxia stood up and bowed deeply to Squire Zhou: "Squire Zhou, you are truly a benefactor of the people of Chuzhou! On behalf of the people of Chuzhou, I thank you!"

"You're too kind, Lord Shi."

Mr. Zhou quickly helped her up, saying, "I'll have someone open the granary and transport the grain to the government granary right away."

As we left the Zhou residence, the sun was shining brightly.

Wang Jinqian was already waiting at the door. Seeing them come out, she hurriedly went to greet them: "Miss Shi, Young Master Cui, how is it? Is Magistrate Zhou willing to provide the grain?"

“I agree. Five thousand shi of grain will be enough to sustain Chuzhou until the autumn harvest.”

Shi Wanxia smiled and said that she finally felt relieved.

"Great!"

Wang Jinqian clapped her hands and laughed, "I'll go tell the people right away, so they can rest assured and no longer worry about going hungry!"

Watching Wang Jinqian's retreating figure, Cui Zhihao looked at Shi Wanxia with a gentle smile in his eyes: "Now that the grain issue is resolved, it's time for farming."

"The oxen and experienced farmers will arrive tomorrow. As long as the autumn harvest is good this year, Chuzhou will be completely stabilized."

"Ah."

Shi Wanxia nodded, looking at the distant farmland. The wheat seedlings in the fields were green under the sunlight, full of vitality.

She recalled the words the Crown Prince had said before he left: "Sister Wanxia, ​​when I return to the capital, I will petition the Emperor to make Chuzhou your fiefdom, so that you can guard this land."

The corners of her mouth raised slightly.

Perhaps, we'll see when the Crown Prince returns to the capital and Chuzhou fully recovers.

Just then, Shiqing rushed over, holding a letter in her hand: "Miss, this is a letter from the capital. It was written by a guard from His Highness the Crown Prince's side. It says that His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived in Yangzhou and will return to the capital soon. You can rest assured."

Shi Wanxia took the letter, her fingertips trembling slightly. She opened it, and lines of familiar handwriting came into view: "Sister Wanxia, ​​I have arrived in Yangzhou. Although the journey was dangerous, I am unharmed."

"I am aware of what happened in Chuzhou, and you have done a good job. Once I return to the capital and purge the treacherous officials, I will come to bring you and Huai'an back to the capital. Do not worry."

Tears welled up suddenly, and Shi Wanxia quickly wiped them away, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up in a smile.

Choi Ji-ho looked at her with a faint smile in his eyes, said nothing, and simply handed her a handkerchief.

The sunlight shone on the two of them, warm and peaceful. Spring had finally truly arrived in Chuzhou.

And the bloody storm in the capital is about to come to an end.