Chapter 13

As Qingyun left the command post, dusk had fallen. The streets were filled with the scent of herbs, and the peddler's cries faded into the distance. The heat was less intense than during the day, and a cool evening breeze ruffled her disheveled hair.

In the past, he was always rushing around, busy with this or that. But these past few days, he has only now slowed down. Qingyun strolled home and found Lin Wanjun and Mu Helian standing at his door. However, both of them looked embarrassed and neither of them spoke to the other.

Upon seeing the protagonist arrive, Lin Wanjun hurriedly went to greet him. Seeing that the other person was carrying a basket, she assumed that he had saved the food for her again. To be honest, she had a very good impression of Lin Wanjun. As for the so-called betrayal of Song Chaohua, she thought it was just an honest person being forced into a corner.

"Why are you all staying here instead of going in?" Qingyun removed the wooden latch and continued, "The door isn't locked. Thieves don't even bother with this place, and they can't steal anything here."

Mu Helian: "I've come to bring you a gauze curtain."

Lin Wanjun: "I heard you went to see the princess because of the saplings?"

The two spoke in unison, then looked at each other in bewilderment.

Qingyun didn't care about anything else. He first invited the people into the house, then busied himself lighting the stove and adding a few more potatoes before looking up and saying, "The seedlings can be saved, but we can't let them burn like this."

Lin Wanjun was shocked upon hearing this. She quickly stepped forward and asked, "Could it be that you're going to the princess to persuade her not to burn the Miao trees? Isn't that like throwing an egg against a rock?"

The firelight from the stove reflected on Qingyun's face. Her expression was fearless. She threw down a handful of firewood, straightened up, poured herself some water, and only after drinking to her heart's content did she reply, "Don't worry, the princess has already agreed."

Mu Helian: "Really?"

Lin Wanjun: "Did the elders of Geda make things difficult for you?"

The two stared at each other again.

Qingyun joked that their tacit understanding was remarkable, and then explained the whole process and plan. When Mu Helian heard that she actually wanted to dig the canal first, she was so shocked that she couldn't speak. After a long while, she slowly said, "The master actually agreed to your request."

This is really strange.

But then, as if remembering something, she began to analyze the pros and cons of the situation with Qingyun again, saying, "Even with the adults' approval, this matter might not be easy to handle."

Upon hearing this, Qingyun frowned and hurriedly asked what he meant.

Mu Helian: "Liu Ruo has been entrenched here for many years. Everyone in the city, from top to bottom, is his protégé. If he doesn't let you build it, even the Princess's order wouldn't be so simple, not to mention that most of the prison wardens are his men." Her expression was grave. "He'll delay your construction. By then, the canal won't be finished, and the insect plague will still be raging..."

Mu Helian stopped mid-sentence, seemingly considering whether to continue. Lin Wanjun, who was listening nearby, picked up where she left off, "I'm afraid he wants your life!" Lin Wanjun suddenly grabbed Qingyun's arm, "If he appeals to the Emperor, even the Princess won't be able to protect you!"

Mu Helian nodded in agreement and continued earnestly, "It's not a problem if the princess makes a mistake, but you are the daughter of a disgraced official. I'm afraid I'll really have to cut off your head a hundred times over."

Qingyun's expression twisted as she listened, and the veins on her temples bulged. "The Commander was also involved in this matter, so I should be fine with the two of them taking the lead."

Lin Wanjun revealed the truth, "I'm afraid that the story will be that you seduced the Emperor. Lord Song and you are not the same in the Emperor's heart."

The more you listen, the worse it is for you.

Qingyun quickly stopped the two from saying anything hurtful, and with a glimmer of hope, replied with a bitter smile, "I'll just finish this matter perfectly, won't I?"

Muholian: "How many days will it take you to build this irrigation canal?"

Qingyun: "Two days."

Lin Wanjun: "Only one day."

Qingyun: "This isn't a market where you haggle over prices!"

"Do you think the pests will wait that long? If you're going to wait until the irrigation canal is repaired before you can get the pesticide, Liu Ruo can drag this out until you die!"

After Mu Helian finished speaking, Lin Wanjun added that the best way for Qingyun to proceed was to follow Liu Ruo's lead. If Liu Ruo kept his subordinates in check and made up various excuses not to help with the repairs, the irrigation canal would not be completed even by next year.

Qingyun: "..."

"Did you all hear that?! My life is so miserable, can't you just give me the pesticide first? Only modern excavators can build a canal in a day!" Qingyun shouted, banging on the system.

System: [Host, these are the rules. You have to complete the task first. Besides, I've already made many exceptions for you before.]

Qingyun chuckled, "[Your special case? I still have to repay it with double the points, don't I?]"

System: [Well, I wasn't in a hurry to ask you to return the points~ Isn't this a special case?]

Knowing she couldn't reason with this artificial intelligence, she simply stopped talking. Sitting dejectedly on the bed, she thought, "Wouldn't it be better for everyone to work together harmoniously and build a beautiful home? Why all this open and covert struggle?"

Seeing Qingyun so dejected, Lin Wanjun sat down as well and advised, "Why are you so insistent on this? Do you really have to do it? Although Lord Liu is extreme, following his methods will make all your previous efforts go to waste. But he is still a talent in this field, and no one will blame you."

Upon hearing this, Qingyun lifted the arm that was covering her eyes, glanced at the ceiling, and then sat up. "He who does not plan for the long term is not fit to plan for the short term; he who does not plan for the whole is not fit to plan for a part. Must we wait until then to come up with my method today?" (This sentence is from Chen Danran's "Wuyan" Volume 2 "On Moving the Capital and Establishing Feudal States" in the Qing Dynasty)

Both of them fell silent upon hearing this, and a quiet atmosphere filled the room. Mu Helian spoke first, saying that there were still some people in the team willing to help her, and Feng Sijing alone had dozens of people under his command.

"That's right!" Qingyun's eyes lit up upon hearing this. This kid had promised to be his slave back then. "But how did he manage to find so many people?"

Mu Helian waved her hand and replied, "Why do you care so much? Just give the order and he'll make it for you!"

Lin Wanjun, who was standing nearby, also suggested, "Since Lord Song is on your side, why not ask him to bring the conscripts from the army as well? If Lord Liu doesn't make things difficult for us tomorrow, that would be great. If he really refuses to provide any manpower, we can still be self-sufficient."

"Well said!" Qing Yunteng stood up abruptly, finding the suggestions excellent, and was eager to go out. "I'll go and discuss this with the princess right now."

"Haste makes waste. You've just gotten back and haven't even had a proper meal yet. Eat something first," Lin Wanjun quickly pulled her aside.

Reminded by this, Qingyun's stomach rumbled at just the right moment. She pulled out the potatoes and shared them with everyone. Mu Helian was eating this for the first time and found it incredibly delicious.

He immediately exclaimed, "This stuff is very filling. If we planted it with potatoes, it could solve the problem of feeding most people!"

Qingyun said that the current environment was not suitable for planting this thing, and that when a storm came, it would be uprooted. Mu Helian said that Qingyun was like a treasure trove, always coming up with unexpected ideas.

But she felt it would be a waste to eat them; they should be saved as seeds to plant when they are ready.

"It's alright, I've kept a few, but I can't tell anyone yet..." Qingyun said, then carefully added.

The two men assumed she had her own reasons, and besides, if such a good thing were discovered, it would be served to high-ranking officials and nobles first, and it would never be available to ordinary people.

In high spirits, the group chatted until late into the night, and decided not to go back home but to sleep at Qingyun's place. The three of them squeezed together on the small bed, and Qingyun felt incredibly emotional. These two were practically friends now, and in this era, she finally had someone to talk to.

Although it was a bit chilly in the morning, there was no dew to fall, and the air was still dry. A bright blue appeared in the twilight in the distance, and a faint golden light appeared on the horizon. A gentle breeze blew by, carrying sand and gravel. Qingyun walked alone towards the small thatched hut where the foreman was stationed.

As she picked up the steamed bun, her eyes darted upwards, and she saw a middle-aged man grinning lewdly, his tone clearly gloating, "Miss Qingyun, do you have something important to do today?"

Not far away, groups of workers were walking towards the sand dunes. Qingyun heard the sound, glanced over, and then turned back, smiling as she replied, "Yes." As she spoke, she pointed to the group, "Why are they still planting seedlings today? Didn't you receive the official document from the commander?"

The supervisor lay back in his rocking chair, seemingly waiting for Qingyun to appear as if he were standing in front of the frame.

The man kept fanning himself, but he just ignored it and sneered, "The commander is in charge of the border army. In this kind of situation, the one who really takes charge is Lord Liu." After saying that, he stroked his beard, "Lord Liu said that today will proceed as usual. Whatever Lord Song wants to do, his generals will do it."

Upon hearing this, Qingyun could only smile and remain silent, inwardly thinking that things were indeed as Mu Helian had predicted.

This old man, knowing full well that he's dealing with longhorn beetles, still insists on planting the good seedlings; he's deliberately trying to go against me.

System: [Nothing in life goes exactly as planned. The host must learn to accept that such things can happen.]

Fortunately, Qingyun had gone to the command post early in the morning to discuss things with Song Chaoyun. Right now, the people Song Chaoyun had called were not far behind them and were coming this way.

She turned her gaze back to the overseer, feigning sudden realization, "Oh, I see. I thought the commander was the highest-ranking official here."

The thatched hut was filled with smoke. The overseer, holding a pipe and smoking with a dazed look in his eyes, snorted irritably, "Even if Lord Song is in charge of the entire Muyun City, he can't control Lord Liu."

The foreman chuckled twice. "Miss Qingyun, a good bird chooses a good tree to perch on, and a wise minister chooses a good lord to serve. You should think it over more." (Originating from the metaphor of "birds choose their trees" in Zuo Zhuan, and refined into a complete expression by Romance of the Three Kingdoms)

Qingyun cupped his hands in a smile and replied, "Thank you for your guidance, sir."

You old fool, I'm returning those words to you.

Wearing a straw hat, Qingyun sat at the bottom of the Gobi Desert, carefully examining the blueprints in her hand and making plans in her mind. She had drawn up the area with Song Junwu and others this morning, but when she arrived at the site, she realized that the ditch had to go through a steep hillside. But it was so steep that she had to figure out how to dig it and where to change the route.

Qingyun only looked up when a pair of dirty cloth shoes came into view, and saw that it was Mu Helian. Behind her, she saw a large group of people.

Upon closer inspection, they were all women, young and old, carrying hoes. Mu Helian looked at Qingyun with a hint of pride, "How about it? Is this enough? As soon as they heard you needed people, they came over immediately."

Seeing that she remained silent, Mu Helian assumed that she was still uneasy and immediately comforted her, "Right now, there's still that guy Feng Sijing who hasn't arrived yet, but he can bring quite a few people with him."

Qingyun patted the sand off her clothes. "Won't they be blamed for coming to help me on their own?"

"Don't worry, Miss Qing. We can also say that the Commander instructed us to do this. The two sides will not interfere with each other. After all, Lord Liu's rank is lower than the Commander's." Someone in the crowd said.