Chapter 46 Warm Home

The capital city, the residence of the eldest princess.

A servant-like man secretly left through the side door. Ah Shuang exhaled, blowing a strand of hair from her forehead, and said to the person standing to the side, "It would be better if I used a Gu on him to make him tell the truth."

Ah Yi, with a stern face, said in a deep voice, "Don't stir up trouble. He's not important, and you won't get any useful information out of him."

She glanced at A Shuang indifferently and added, "Besides, aren't all your Gu worms hibernating in the cold? How many of them could be awake?"

After saying this, and confirming that the servant had left, Ah Yi turned around and went back to report.

Left behind was Ah Shuang, who, exposed as powerless, roared in anger and brandished her claws at her retreating back: "Ah—stinky Ah Yi! Bad Ah Yi!"

The silver bells jingled all the way, accompanied by Ah Yi's clear and crisp sound.

They encountered Sun Wang, who walked out of the council hall looking exhausted and as if his soul had left his body. Behind him was a boisterous young man, and the two groups met.

Sun Wang lifted his tired eyelids and met A Yi's gaze. He then saw A Shuang chasing after her and realized he had found someone in the same boat. He sighed to A Yi.

Since both groups were looking for the Princess, they went together.

Upon entering the study, one sees the eldest princess bent over her desk, working on documents. Stripped of any tedious greetings, the sheer volume of documents piled up is not to be underestimated.

While assisting her, Gongsun Ming couldn't help but wonder if His Highness was using the pretext of personally leading the expedition to evade the approval documents.

It is even reasonable to suspect that Cui Shu, who supports His Highness, might be one of the same ilk.

Sun Wang has been in charge of the recruitment of talents for some time now. At first, the strange and unusual "new things" discouraged him, but after he tried to get used to them, the appearance of applicants who wanted to follow the mysterious master craftsman of the Princess's mansion has dealt him another blow.

The young man behind him was one of the thousands of applicants who aspired to become "master craftsmen." The reason he was brought before the princess was that the young man's craftsmanship was so special that he needed to meet the princess.

The people in the study, now having a rare excuse to rest, all crowded around with curiosity.

Zhou Chaoyun, not wanting to spoil everyone's fun, called on the young man to give it a try.

After seeing him, Zhou Chaoyun understood why Sun Wang had sent him to her.

What this young man was familiar with were the weapons used for attacking and defending cities; the nomadic lifestyle of the grasslands meant that there was no need to consider attacking cities.

To prevent them from heading south and plundering the people, we could start by taking measures to improve the city's defensive equipment.

Moreover, no one can say for sure whether siege weapons will be used in other places in the future.

Zhou Chaoyun decided to reward him handsomely, and the young man immediately said, "Your Highness, I would like to meet the legendary master craftsman!"

The master craftsman in the Princess's residence was undoubtedly Shang Yuji, who provided many new methods behind the scenes.

She made countless things, including ice cubes, white salt, pork deodorizer, and bath soap. Moreover, most of her products were needed by ordinary people, which led to the world's appreciation for craftsmen.

Moreover, Shang Yuji's name was very useful. Zhou Chaoyun was certain that hundreds of craftsmen had willingly fallen into her lap because of Shang Yuji's existence.

This exceptionally talented young man also seems to be one of them.

Fortunately, Zhou Chaoyun had a backup plan when dealing with them: "The master craftswoman is naturally aloof and doesn't like to talk to people. If you stay in the manor to work, one day you can work with her to create a marvel that will be remembered in history."

It stirred the blood of the young people.

Great people all have their characteristics; being aloof is considered normal within a group of great people!

After coaxing the boy down, Cui Shu first congratulated the princess on gaining another capable assistant.

Sun Wang took the boy downstairs and assigned him tasks. A-Yi then reported, "The informant has made contact with 'Jiangxi Qu' and has left the mansion."

To make the performance convincing, a favored concubine named "Jiang Xiqu" lived in the princess's side room. This was a disguise made by her subordinates based on Jiang Xiqu's appearance.

Those unfamiliar with Jiang Xiqu would not notice anything amiss. However, since Jiang Xiqu rarely left Hongyun Garden when he was still in the Jiang residence, few people had seen him and thus could not detect his subordinates' disguise. To this day, he has deceived countless people.

Even Master Jiang, who often used a combination of filial piety and kindness, failed to realize that the "Jiang Xiqu" he met at the Princess's residence was actually an imposter.

Moreover, he visited the place many times, only to be coaxed by his subordinates into handing over a considerable amount of money. It was only when he finally came to his senses that he stopped making frequent visits.

What the Second Prince's informants saw was not Jiang Xi in person either.

Gongsun Ming asked in confusion, "Why is the Second Prince investigating Jiang Langjun? Is it because he is favored and he wants to use him to target the princess?"

Qi Nian thought of something else: "He also has connections with Jiang Jinfu? If someone wants to frame someone, what does that have to do with him?"

Yi'an casually remarked, "Perhaps she's interested in Jiang Langjun?"

Otherwise, why bother finding out who a person's biological father is?

Cui Shu, standing to the side, waved his fan and said, "If Miss Shang hadn't been 'dismissed' from the manor, I would have worried that their real target was her."

After he finished speaking, everyone looked at him. After a moment, Qi Nian agreed, "Compared to Jiang Langjun, Miss Shang is more capable."

Finally, Zhou Chaoyun made the final decision, instructing them to keep a close eye on the Second Prince's residence, remain vigilant, and lest they be taken advantage of.

.

Lotus Path in the West of Yangzhou City.

After being inexplicably blocked by a Taoist priest, Shang Yuji encountered no further obstacles along the way and successfully bought the new pastries and dishes from Yueyinglou before returning home.

Logically, newly prepared dishes shouldn't be allowed to be taken away by guests, but Miss Shang is practically a walking encyclopedia in Yueyinglou, and the manager is more eager than anyone else to fulfill her requests.

Back at the manor, before going to Jiangxi to rest, she went into the study to check the accounts and expenses, only to find something unusual about the bills.

The cost of charcoal and food for the Nuan'anju residence, which was under Wang Si's supervision, was rising day by day. Shang Yuji called Wang Si over and asked about the situation.

Due to the cold winter, many more refugees appeared near Yangzhou. They mostly stayed in dilapidated temples on the outskirts of Yangzhou, huddling together for warmth.

There was a rule that all things under heaven belonged to the emperor, including the grass and trees in the suburbs. Therefore, ordinary people were not allowed to collect firewood to make fires and keep warm without the permission of the government.

In the freezing cold of the outskirts, in the dilapidated temples that were hardly warm, every day when the refugees opened their eyes, there were always acquaintances or strangers dying hopelessly in the dark night.

Sometimes, even when a cold, stiff body is right beside them, they can numbly ignore it.

When Shang Yuji learned of this, she thought that the refugees were also the future subjects of the princess. In the current situation of population shortage, every laborer was precious. So she bought a secluded and spacious house in Yangzhou.

After simple renovations, making room for habitation, and adding plenty of charcoal for warmth, the refugees were brought in, and this is the warm and comfortable place that is now used to settle them.

Wang Si entered the study and, seeing Shang Yuji's inquiry, explained in detail: "After the newly arrived refugees were settled, other refugees who had received the news came. Miss, a few days ago, when it was very cold, many more refugees came from the vicinity of Yangzhou. Knowing that Nuan'anju could help refugees get through the winter, they all came."

Shang Yuji: "Don't they know there are conditions for moving into Nuan'anju?"

She wasn't providing shelter from the cold and food and clothing for free. Without setting limits on some things, people would only take them for granted and even unreasonably claim them as their own.

“I have explained the requirements for moving into the warm and comfortable housing, but still…”

Surviving the harsh winter is the most pressing issue, rather than long-term employment that requires labor.

What Wang Si didn't say was that the restrictions the girl set were too lenient; she gave him a favor, and the only price was a low-cost, long-term employment with room and board.

In the territories of some powerful clans, people were deprived of their personal freedom and their food and salary were withheld. They did not want to spend money to hire people, but they wanted to squeeze every last bit of labor out of them. They wished they could tear off their skin and flesh and drink their last drop of blood and tears.

Having learned the reason, Shang Yuji nodded knowingly: "Then you can continue with your work. Let me know if anything unexpected happens."

Wang Si thought for a moment, then hesitated before speaking out his concerns: "Miss, there are people in Nuan'an Residence who are worried because they have nothing to do."

With their personal safety guaranteed, the overly comfortable environment fostered unease. In particular, people's thoughts are easily contagious. The girl provided them with clothes and charcoal for warmth, food to fill their stomachs, and comfortable beds to rest on, but did not ask them to do anything. Naturally, they would worry.

The benefactors who give without asking for anything are different from the treacherous survival strategies they learned, where one must pay ten times the price to gain even a little.

Therefore, they are filled with trepidation at favors that are beyond their comprehension.

To put it bluntly, it was like a prisoner's last lavish meal before death.

Shang Yuji listened to his explanation, then covered her face with a headache. Since they insisted on their request, she had no choice but to fulfill their expectations.

"Hire someone literate to teach them to read, then set them learning tasks. If they don't finish, they'll have to watch others have their food served to them."

“Young lady, this is not a labor task…” and a reward has been added.

“What can a group of frail refugees, so thin they could be blown away by the wind, do? Tell them to get better first, so they can work for me when they have the strength.”

"Yes, young lady." Wang Si accepted the task and prepared to first go to Nuan An Ju to convey the young lady's instructions, and then find someone literate to teach them to read.

Putting aside the matter of warming the house, and dealing with a few shop matters, Shang Yuji opened the letter and began to worry about how to explain to the Princess the disasters that had occurred in various places over the past two years.

Last time, it was the old fisherman who exclaimed at the sudden change in the weather; who will he borrow this time?

Considering that the average age of the reclusive masters I've used is relatively high, this time I'll arrange for a young child to ask where to find an inn.

Shang Yuji had originally intended to use a shepherd boy, but since it was winter and not the season for grazing, she abandoned her personal motives and replaced him with a young boy who was to serve wine.

Adding a touch of mystery, after she replied to the child, the child's eyes flashed with a strange light, his face became serious, unlike the child's innocent and naive nature. To express his gratitude, he told her about the severe drought in Nanyang, the locust plague in Pingchang, and the earthquake in Luoling.

Shang Yuji felt that she was becoming better and better at writing stories.

It's still the kind of thing that's wildly imaginative.

However, there were too many disasters, and even after listing all the disaster relief methods she could think of, she still couldn't finish writing a whole stack of letters.

She had only written less than a quarter of it by the time Aunt Zhao called her for lunch.

Shang Yuji rubbed her wrists, which were sore from holding a pen for a long time, and suddenly missed Jiang Xi, who used to help her massage them.