Chapter 252 Arrival at Beihai Prefecture

After breakfast, Shen Ning quickly arranged everything.

When she came to Beihai Prefecture, she brought with her many backbones trained by Su Lianyi. The managers were all competent and the waiters were also very smart and capable.

Chen Ning left three servants and a small steward in the Wulan tribe, and left them with a team of more than 20 brave soldiers, and then the 100 bandits headed by Zhao Si.

Those bandits came from shady places, so she didn't want to bring them directly to Beihai Prefecture. Since they needed people here, she kept them in the Wulan tribe to gain experience and see if they would be of use.

She left a whole cart of silver with the Wulan tribe to hire their people to dig volcanic ash.

It is late autumn and winter is about to begin. The herdsmen have less to do, so it is just right for them to have something to do and make money to get through the winter.

Zhao Si and his men only needed to transport the volcanic ash dug out by the Wulan Tribe to Beihai Prefecture...

Before leaving, Shen Ning politely and gently told Zhao Si and the others to do their job well, protect the manager and the guys, and protect themselves.

"This princess has just arrived in Beihai Prefecture. From now on, this place will be my territory. You are the first group of followers to follow me... As long as you are loyal and hardworking, this princess will not treat you unfairly."

Zhao Si and his bandits had never experienced the tricks of modern society. When they saw that the high and mighty princess and the future Princess Ding spoke to them, the rioters, in such a friendly manner, they were so moved that their eyes were filled with tears and their chests were pounding: they swore to complete the princess's arrangements even at the cost of their lives.

In the afternoon, Shen Ning left the Wulan tribe.

Shuchi Yan escorted her to the official road outside the grassland. The young man said in a defiant tone, "Sister, I'll give it to you when I conquer the grassland."

Shen Ning curled her lips and smiled: "I believe you will become the greatest and bravest wolf king in the world of immortality."

The heat in the boy's eyes almost melted the clouds.

It was not until Chen Ning's convoy had gone far away that Shuchi Yan led the team back to the grassland.

The horse soared into the sky, straight into the blue sky and green grass, and the young man's heart was burning with a raging fire and ambition.

He will not disappoint his Lady Yunge... He will become the greatest wolf king on the grassland!

…………

Not long after leaving the Wulan tribe, Shen Ning reunited with Shen Qingbai and the exile team who were waiting for her, and they moved forward together, arriving at Beihai Prefecture in the afternoon of the next day.

Now Beihai Prefecture is her fiefdom. Although the princess only has financial power but no political power over the fiefdom, all the officials of Beihai Prefecture still rush to the city gate to welcome the princess in accordance with the rules.

After all, this princess was not only the princess of Beihai Prefecture, but also the future consort of Prince Ding. Even if they refused to give face to anyone, they did not dare to disrespect Prince Ding.

It was also because everything was mainly for the sake of Prince Ding's face. After seeing Chen Ning, these officials were warm and polite, but that enthusiasm was only on the surface and could not hide the carelessness inside.

"Princess, please... The Princess's Mansion is fully prepared, and I have also prepared a banquet to welcome you."

The leading official was Nie Rang, the prefect of Beihai Prefecture. Behind him were the magistrates of the other three counties of Beihai Prefecture and others, who welcomed Shen Ning into the city gate of Beihai Prefecture.

Beihai Prefecture is outside the pass, and behind it is Liaodong Pass... The city walls here are not as majestic as those of Liaodong Pass, and the city looks very poor.

It is understandable. After all, this is a place to house exiled criminals. Except for a few locals, most of them are exiled from the interior.

Those prisoners could not be placed in Guancheng, but they were needed to provide labor for building city defenses for Liaodong City, so they were settled in Beihai Prefecture... and slowly it became this barren city.

In fact, when it was under the previous emperor, Beihai Prefecture was still doing quite well.

This place is close to mountains in the north and the sea in the south, so the late emperor set up the Liaodong Shipyard in Beihai Prefecture. Firstly, it is close to the Liaodong Mountains, making it convenient to transport the wood for shipbuilding.

Secondly, there is a coal mountain to the north of Beihai Prefecture. When the ship is built and launched to be transported to the interior by sea, the coal can be transported back along the way... This saves a lot of costs.

However, later on, Japanese pirates were rampant and plundered Liaodong and Weihai. The cost of sending heavy troops to suppress the Japanese was too high, which was not worth the cost and was likely to cause a crisis in Liaodong Pass. Therefore, the sea transportation from Liaodong to the interior was gradually reduced.

In addition, after Emperor Jiaping ascended the throne, the coal mountain in Beihai Prefecture was almost exhausted, and the coal output was less and less every year. If this continued... the shipyard and coal mountain in Beihai Prefecture would gradually become abandoned.

Originally, the people of Beihai Prefecture relied on the Shipyard and Coal Hill, and the common people and prisoners could make a decent living. However, after the two places were gradually abandoned in the past ten years, the people's lives gradually became unsustainable.

Beihai Prefecture gradually and completely fell into a place of exile...

After entering the city, the carriage arrived at the Princess's Mansion in no time.

After Beihai Prefecture became the fief of Princess Yong'an, the imperial court allocated money to renovate the Princess's Mansion. This was a sign of respect from the imperial court. Therefore, compared with other buildings in the city, the Princess's Mansion looked quite presentable.

Chen Ning was helped out of the carriage by Qiyue. When she was about to be welcomed in by Nie Rang, the prefect of Beihai Prefecture, and others, suddenly, a cry came from the street behind her.

"It's unfair...Please, Princess..."

Shen Ning turned around suddenly and saw a ragged man being dragged into the alley with his mouth covered. The prefect, Nie Rang, stepped forward and greeted Shen Ning with a smile, "That man is a notorious lunatic in the city. Princess, please don't pay any attention to him. Come in quickly."

The other officials also kept greeting her. Shen Ning retracted her gaze, winked at Wu Yue, and then followed the group of officials into the Princess's Mansion.

It was nominally the Princess's Mansion, but it was Shen Ning's first day there after all, and the renovations of the Princess's Mansion were arranged by the prefect Nie Rang. Therefore, as they walked in, Nie Rang smiled and introduced it to Shen Ning.

"This is the flower hall...that's the backyard. Oh, and while our Beihai Prefecture may not have many advantages, there is one thing: a hot spring underground. I've specially channeled the water to build a hot spring for the princess..."

This hot spring was built for Shen Ning, but Shen Ning was indeed speechless.

The city was so poor that pedestrians on the street looked malnourished, their clothes ragged and thin even though winter was approaching. Yet, the prefect had built a hot spring pool for the princess's mansion...

But one should not hit a smiling person. Shen Ning didn't say anything else, just smiled and thanked him with some polite words.

As soon as they entered the house, Shen Ning and Shen Qingbai went to take a rest and wash up, while the prefect Nie Rang and others were waiting in the flower hall.

But when Shen Ning was walking towards the main house under the nervous guidance of the somewhat dark and thin maid, a figure suddenly appeared in front of her and knelt down in front of her with a plop.

"Princess, Princess Yong'an, please save my brother."

Shen Ning was stunned for a moment, then she recognized that this person was actually Xu Ying who was exiled to Beihai Prefecture... Her brother was that Xu Shuo...