Xiao Rui quickly stepped forward and offered a helping hand, saying, "Madam Lu, you may rise."

Jiang Qinyu stood up and said apologetically, "I have offended Your Highness in the past. Please forgive me."

"Is that so? I don't recall you offending me in any way, but if you really have, and I don't forgive you, what will Madam do?" Xiao Rui suddenly laughed.

Knowing he was just joking, Jiang Qinyu couldn't help but smile. "Your Highness is kind and benevolent. How could you hold a grudge against us over such a small matter? Besides, ignorance is no excuse. I don't think Your Highness is the kind of person who would bother with petty things like us ordinary people, is he?"

With just a few words, she elevated Xiao Rui to a position of benevolence and virtue, implying that if Xiao Rui continued to hold a grudge, he would be a petty and narrow-minded person.

"Hahaha..." Xiao Rui suddenly burst into laughter, "Madam Lu is truly a remarkable woman. No wonder the Great General of the Nation can be so focused on guarding the border city."

This is praising Jiang Qinyu for being virtuous and capable, and for being Lu Yanzheng's virtuous wife.

Jiang Qinyu said a few words of modesty and took two steps back before Wei Chengzhong stepped forward to bow to Xiao Rui.

"Lord Wei, there's no need for such formalities. I've heard that Yongshan County under your governance has improved significantly compared to before. I must thank you on behalf of the people of Yongshan County."

Xiao Rui smiled gently at Wei Chengzhong, his eyes full of admiration.

Wei Chengzhong humbly replied, "This is all I should do." Then he changed the subject and asked, "Where does Your Highness reside now?"

Liu Ruyi had not told him that the Seventh Prince had come to Yongshan County, so he did not know that Xiao Rui had arranged for a substitute to stay at an inn in the county town.

Xiao Rui looked at Jiang Qinyu and the trembling Village Chief Li, and then smiled and said, "I would like to experience the life of ordinary people in Yongshan County, so Lord Wei doesn't need to arrange accommodation for me."

His words were clearly a message to Wei Chengzhong that he wanted to stay in Dingshui Village.

Wei Chengzhong frowned, but thinking of the fortifications in Dingshui Village, he nodded and said, "Then I will arrange for a few more people to go to Dingshui Village to protect Your Highness."

This time, Xiao Rui didn't refuse. After all, this was Wei Chengzhong's territory, and he had to make sure he wouldn't get into trouble here.

They came here today to resolve Liu Ruyi's matter. Now that the matter has been settled, Jiang Qinyu, Village Chief Li, and the others naturally have to go back, leaving only Liu Erleng and Li Dachui to help the people of Qingcao Village plant wheat.

Wei Chengzong escorted Xiao Rui to Dingshui Village. When he saw that Xiao Rui was not staying in the village but in a thatched hut outside the village, he couldn't help but twitch his lips.

Village Chief Li also felt it was inappropriate to have a prince living here, so he mustered up his courage and said, "Your Highness, we have offended you before, please forgive us. Why don't you come back to the village with us?"

It was the first time he had met a prince of such high status, so he was inevitably cautious and even stuttered a little when he spoke.

Xiao Rui smiled gently at him, "There's no need for that. I think this place is quite nice."

Although he didn't sleep very well at night, seeing the water flowing continuously in the irrigation canal gave him hope for the nationwide drought.

"It's not safe here, Your Highness, please come back to the village with us!" Jiang Qinyu advised.

Xiao Rui looked at her, thought for a moment, and then nodded, "Alright, I haven't been to Dingshui Village yet, so let's stay there!"

Jiang Qinyu's status is different from others, and since she has spoken up, we should naturally give her some face.

Village Chief Li quickly led them back to the village.

The young eunuch Ping An couldn't help but mutter, "Now they know how to fawn over people? Where were they before?"

Xiao Rui glanced at Ping An and said gently, "Ping An, don't be rude."

Although Village Chief Li and the others were just ordinary people, in Xiao Rui's heart, the people of Dingshui Village were no ordinary people if they could still live so well in the current environment. He just wanted to befriend them.

Of course, he wouldn't look down on ordinary people, but if the people of Dingshui Village were used well, more people could live a life of plenty.

Jiang Qinyu had no idea what Xiao Rui was planning. At that moment, Village Chief Li was walking beside her and asked in a low voice, "Niece, where should we arrange for this prince to stay?"

Of all the families in the village, the village chief's family and Jiang Qinyu's family were the best off.

However, the village chief's family is large, and they can only spare one room to entertain Xiao Rui. But he is a prince, so how can they be neglected?

But Jiang Qinyu is the only woman in her family, how could she let two men stay at her house?

This is indeed a problem. Jiang Qinyu thought for a moment and said, "How about this, Uncle Village Chief, let the Seventh Prince stay at my house, and I'll go stay at my parents' house for a few days."

"Yes, yes, that solves the problem!" Village Chief Li exclaimed with delight, but then his face fell again. "But we can't just leave His Highness unattended, can we?"

Even disregarding the fact that he was a guest, the mere fact that he was the Seventh Prince was enough to make Village Chief Li dare not neglect him.

Jiang Qinyu smiled gently, "Don't worry, Uncle Village Chief. I think this prince is broad-minded and not petty."

"It's one thing if he doesn't mind, but we still have to do what we're supposed to do!" Village Chief Li said anxiously, scratching his head.

Seeing this, Jiang Qinyu said, "Then how about this, I'll let Ashao stay at my house too, and let him run errands for the Seventh Prince. As for cooking, I'll cook it next door and bring it over. It won't be much trouble."

"Alright, alright, my dear niece, you're so quick-witted. I'd be completely lost," Village Chief Li said apologetically.

Jiang Qinyu smiled and said, "Uncle, you're too nervous. Actually, the Seventh Prince is a normal person. He won't kill people all the time. You don't need to be afraid."

If this seventh prince were petty, the fact that they had him stay in a thatched hut outside the village would have been enough to cause trouble for the entire village.

Village Chief Li glanced at Xiao Rui furtively and whispered, "I must say, this prince is quite a kind person."

“Yes, so uncles, don’t be nervous or afraid in front of him. After all, we don’t know how long he will stay in the village. We can’t have the whole village not eating or sleeping well while he’s here, can we?” Jiang Qinyu comforted her.

After hearing what she said, Village Chief Li thought it made perfect sense, so he stopped worrying about it and happily went to Xiao Rui to tell him about letting him stay at Jiang Qinyu's house.

Xiao Rui did not refuse. He was also curious about what the home of the Great General Lu Yanzheng was like, and it would be good to go and see.

So, Xiao Rui quickly settled into Jiang Qinyu's home.

Jiang Qinyu cooked lunch and delivered it to him that noon.

When Xiao Rui waited for her to come and collect the dishes, he solemnly made a request to Jiang Qinyu.

"Your Highness wants me to teach the people of Da Yue how to grow sweet potatoes and other high-yield crops?" Jiang Qinyu looked at him in surprise. "I've been exhausted these past few days. One more day, I'll definitely update more when I get back!"