Ultimately, the Crown Prince was chosen to lead the relief effort in Zhongzhou.

Bad news about the earthquake in Central China came in like snowflakes, far exceeding expectations in its severity.

According to the report, it will take at least twenty years for the local economy and people's livelihoods to recover.

Emperor Hui couldn't eat or sleep for two or three days. Fortunately, Gu Shaoyu had given the order that all levels of government in Zhongzhou stockpile grain.

Emperor Hui also once again transferred supplies from various places to Zhongzhou.

With rice and grains becoming the top priority, grain prices are skyrocketing across the country.

The fifteenth day after the earthquake.

Early in the morning, Madam Tu was summoned to Ci'en Courtyard by the old lady. When she saw her maternal aunt sitting in a chair, she was furious.

"Mother, weren't they kicked out by my third brother? They've severed all ties, so why are they still coming to ask us for food?"

“My dear nephew’s wife, if it weren’t for the earthquake, we wouldn’t have been able to return to Ouyang at all, and I didn’t want to come to the Marquis’s residence either,” said Aunt Zhi. “I had no choice.”

"What does it matter if there's an earthquake? It's not like the sky has fallen and the earth has collapsed in Ouyang. If you were truly sincere about going back, you would have been home long ago." Tu Shi was naturally unkind to relatives who were always trying to take advantage of her. "When Lu Shi sees you later, I won't be able to stop her from throwing a tantrum."

The old lady held her head, groaning weakly, "I feel terrible, my chest hurts... Can you please stop arguing?"

Madam Tu wiped her eyes with a cloth and said with difficulty, "Mother, it's not that your daughter-in-law is unfilial, but as the saying goes, even a clever housewife can't cook without rice. Now your daughter-in-law really has no rice to cook."

Seeing her tears, Madam Tu's trusted confidante, Granny Wan, interjected, "Now the price of grain has risen to 200 wen per jin, and everything is going up in price. Firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, tea, clothing, and social expenses cost more than 500 guan a day."

"We're barely able to take care of our own people, how can we possibly help others? Please, Madam, have some understanding for the Lady of the Marquis!"

Aunt Zhi looked a little embarrassed. They were not unaware that food prices were soaring, but they were caught in an earthquake and couldn't get back.

They can't even get food when they go begging on the streets now.

"Sister, please give us some food! Your grandnephews are crying from hunger!" Aunt cried. "We live in a dilapidated temple, and it's already late autumn. The nights are so cold."

The old lady's hands trembled, as if she were terminally ill, and she was extremely agitated: "Sister-in-law, how dare you come to the Marquis's residence after doing such things before?"

Aunt Zhi was forced to come by Uncle Zhi and his son. If they didn't get the food, their son, grandson, and great-grandson would go hungry.

“Sister, just this once. People have pride, and trees have bark. I wouldn’t come to the Marquis’s mansion to beg you unless I had no other choice,” said Aunt Zhi. “Just this once, I will never come again.”

Tu's eyes lit up, and she said, "Qingpu Courtyard doesn't seem to be short of food. I heard they're even stewing bird's nest. Why don't we borrow some grain from them?"

The old lady was furious when she heard this. Well, for half a month since the earthquake, she has been eating only vegetables and porridge every day, while the third branch of the family has been eating bird's nest!

"Summon Madam Xie to come and attend to me," the old lady said, rubbing her head. "This migraine is killing me."

Ta Xue went to Qingpu Courtyard to invite Xie Zhaozhao, but the servant in the courtyard replied, "Madam is not here. She went with Miss Zhang to collect supplies to support the disaster area!"

Helpless, Ta Xue returned to Ci'en Temple and reported the truth.

Madam Tu sneered and said, "She really knows how to behave. She doesn't care about anyone in her own household, but she meddles in everything else in the world."

The old lady, leaning against the edge of the bed, cried, "They all have their own ideas, I'm just an eyesore..."

Ta Xue cried as she tried to persuade her, "Madam, please don't say such discouraging things. This household still depends on you to lead the family. Please don't overthink it."

Madam Tu also shed tears: "To be honest, I am a useless person, and I have no one in my family. I can only serve tea and water to my mother. If my third sister-in-law were in charge of the household affairs, she would definitely be successful in all aspects and my mother would no longer have to worry about her illness day and night."

Aunt Zhi was filled with rage at the thought of Gu Shaoyu ruthlessly driving them away, and she wished the third branch of the family would be immediately infamous.

"Your mother is so ill, and the Third Madam, as a daughter-in-law, doesn't take care of her own mother-in-law but runs off to play the good guy. What kind of rule is that?"

Madam Tu glanced at the old lady and immediately called for someone to find Xie Zhaozhao, telling her that the old lady was ill and to hurry back to take care of her.

As news of various disasters in Zhongzhou reached the capital, Xie Zhaozhao, along with her close friends Zhang Yanyan, Liu Yiyi, Zhou Tangtang, and Li Ranran, launched a fundraising campaign to collect food, salt, winter clothing, quilts, and other supplies for the disaster area.

Everyone generously donated, and within a few days, they raised 5,000 shi of grain, as well as dozens of cartloads of clothing, candles, and other supplies.

Xie Zhaozhao, in her capacity as a first-rank imperial consort, petitioned the court to donate the collected supplies.

Emperor Hui was overjoyed and praised the five sisters for their righteous act.

The imperial edict of commendation and the gifts were sent to the various prefectures, which naturally brought great joy.

A servant went to the fundraising site to find Xie Zhaozhao, saying that the old lady was ill and needed her to return to the mansion to take care of her.

Seeing Xie Zhaozhao's indifferent expression, Zhang Yanyan immediately said, "The Zhang family has recently hired a skilled physician, who specializes in gynecology and is a relative of Imperial Physician Wen. Why don't we have him go and examine the old lady?"

Xie Zhaozhao immediately nodded: "Alright, let the divine doctor examine me, prescribe the right medicine, and help me recover."

Zhang Yanyan sent out the family physician, Wen Zhixia, and instructed her, "The old lady of the Marquis's mansion falls ill every few days and asks her daughter-in-law to take care of her. She says that she gets better without taking medicine, but I don't know what kind of illness it is."

Wen Zhixia chuckled inwardly. What other illness could it be? He's faking it to control his wife!

Zhang Yanyan said, "If the old lady is in good health, just tell her the truth and not to cause trouble. The earthquake has been so devastating that His Majesty has been too busy to take care of his health."

Wen Zhixia nodded.

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