Chapter 76 The Sky Curtain Made Me a White Moonlight in History The Sky Curtain, for publicity...

The existence of the Heavenly Curtain was already familiar to the people of Qi.

Even when it suddenly appeared over the State of Qi, the people of various places were only slightly surprised for a moment before they happily looked up at the sky above them.

They thought this would be another lively and interesting science education video, but unexpectedly the words "killed Crown Prince Chu Feng" suddenly appeared. The people were at a loss and couldn't help but wonder what the "disaster relief incident" was all about.

In this ancient society, if one place suffered a disaster, it might take several years for another place to hear about it; news traveled extremely slowly.

Most of the people of Qi were completely bewildered, but the people of Songzhou, who were suffering from the disaster, instantly understood the meaning of the words. Staring blankly at the bright yellow dragon banner not far away and the chaotic environment around them, their nerves, which had been numbed by the disaster over the past few days, suddenly became clear.

—Could what Tianmu was talking about be their current situation?!

His Highness the Crown Prince really came to save them, and yet he's going to be assassinated because of them?!

It's rare to see people intending to rebel because of a flood; once more people realized this, they became terrified.

They stared intently at His Highness the Crown Prince, fearing that such a horrific thing might actually happen, and that they, the passersby present, would all become rebels plotting to kill the Crown Prince.

They couldn't help but cry out, "We didn't..."

"We dare not!"

Although they were greatly dissatisfied with the court due to the atmosphere of widespread discontent in the city during this period, they did not hate the court to the point of overthrowing the entire court and killing the crown prince.

Then they will truly lose their last foothold in the State of Qi, and the entire nation will surely go mad and hunt them down relentlessly.

The little resentment they harbored was instantly shattered by the opening lightning strike. They couldn't, and dared not, do such a thing; their hearts were filled with the injustice of being wronged.

Hearing the pleas from afar, Chu Feng snapped out of his shock and quickly ordered his men to calm the people, shouting, "Don't panic! I will not punish anyone for something that never happened!"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers also helped to appease him and convey Chu Feng's attitude.

The people were panicked and confused, still feeling unable to prove their innocence, and spilled everything they knew: "I know someone is dissatisfied with the government and has been secretly hiding weapons..."

"They must be trying to assassinate the Crown Prince; it has nothing to do with us!"

"I can take you there; I know where they are!"

Previously, in order to deceive the people and create a bad impression on the government, scholars would spread rumors in the city as much as possible to trick more people into working for them.

He demolished government offices, set up soup kitchens, and won over the people. While providing them with a way to survive, he repeatedly emphasized to the disaster victims that although what they were doing was an act of survival, it was still a heinous crime, and that when the imperial court arrived, they would surely be beheaded.

In order to avoid being killed irrationally, they must resist.

This story spread like wildfire throughout the city. Everyone heard it so often that they assumed the government would definitely come looking for trouble. As a result, they had a deep impression of the scholar and were somewhat opportunistic, even helping to cover up his possession of weapons.

Now the matter had escalated from resistance to rebellion, a capital offense, far more serious than killing the magistrate. They were terrified and, to prove their innocence, hastily confessed to the ringleader, attempting to save their own lives.

Enduring cold and hunger is nothing compared to death.

Therefore, the army split into two groups: one led by a general to accompany the people to suppress the rebels, and the other group guarded the prince in layers to prevent anyone from harming him.

Chu Feng looked at the emaciated, aggrieved, and tearful people in the distance and felt great pity for them.

He said, "Sir, cook rice over a fire and set up a soup kitchen to give the people something to eat."

The sky above was still recounting in detail how he died, describing how the assassins mingled in the crowd and stabbed his arm with a poisoned dagger.

The soldiers were furious. Seeing that Chu Feng was still thinking about the safety of the people at this time, they felt sorry for him.

They dared not disobey Chu Feng's wishes, glared hatefully at the people in the distance, and sent some people to carry rice and water to prepare for disaster relief.

During this time, soldiers entered the city to spread the word about the porridge distribution, telling the people to come and collect their porridge later. When they came into contact with the people, the soldiers couldn't help but rebuke them, saying, "His Highness has traveled thousands of miles from the capital for your sake, enduring so much hardship along the way! And yet you're here complaining about the court and even trying to assassinate the Crown Prince. You have no conscience at all!"

The people were so frightened their legs went weak, and they kept explaining, "We didn't, we, we just..."

They were indeed prepared to fight to the death with the government troops who came to "suppress" them, but they did not expect that the government would not only not punish them, but would also send the future crown prince to help them. They misunderstood!

The resentment in their hearts had dissipated long ago when they heard that the Crown Prince had died here to save them. They were extremely docile, and some even took the initiative to confess: "I was one of the people who attacked the magistrate that day. If you want to arrest me, then arrest me. I will not resist."

The soldier rolled his eyes in annoyance: "What are you thinking all day! That kind of corrupt official, it's already a favor that His Majesty hasn't ordered him to be executed. How could His Majesty possibly kill you all for him? Our His Majesty is a wise ruler!"

The people, who had prepared to die, were stunned. Then, tears streamed down their faces, and they knelt on the ground, wailing loudly.

Heaven knows how terrified he was during this time, having been repeatedly instilled with the idea by that scholar that "you will definitely die if you kill an official of the imperial court."

The soldier was both angry and pitiful for these people. He said, "Go get your porridge later," and left without looking back.

Along the way, he noticed that the atmosphere in the city had gone from gloom and fear to the joy of finally being saved, and had suddenly become positive and lively.

The general who led his troops to capture the rebels quickly located the assassins who had tried to escape from various parts of the city, based on the testimonies of the surrendered civilians. The scholar, whose face was so memorable, was the first to be captured.

The two sides clashed in the city. The general immediately realized that the assassins were highly skilled. Their abundant energy was unlike that of a famine victim who had been starving for a month. After subduing them, he tied them up and sent them to the crown prince, explaining what had happened.

Si Qi warned, "They were already there when the floods started, so it's clear they'd been planning this for a long time."

Looking at the group of assassins with bruised and swollen faces, Chu Feng ordered in a deep voice, "Take them away and interrogate them to find out who is behind this!"

He knew that the mastermind behind it all was that group of nobles. Whether it was Tianmu's explicit statement or an analysis of the actual situation, the matter was inextricably linked to that group of people.

Chu Feng wanted to find out exactly who set up the trap.

That man clearly sensed that Songzhou might be flooded, but instead of saving people in advance, he used the deaths of the people to create an opportunity to assassinate him. He deserves to die!

Meanwhile, the Emperor of Qi and his court officials, who were far away in the capital, were thrown into a panic upon seeing this celestial spectacle.

The emperor was worried about Chu Feng's safety, fearing that Chu Feng had already arrived in Songzhou and encountered some misfortune. His face turned ashen, and he was supported by the chief eunuch who rushed over to help him, so that he did not collapse from exhaustion.

The nobles stared in horror at the contents of the sky, wondering in despair if destiny was truly on the emperor's side. They lowered their heads and hurriedly tried to recall if they had left any evidence of their alliance with Zhao Ren, filled with resentment towards Zhao Ren, who was more trouble than he was worth.

Zhao Ren didn't care how much those nobles hated him now. He was so angry that he smashed the furnishings in the room, pointed to the sky and cursed the dog god for being blind and opposing him from beginning to end.

Whether the crown prince is dead or not, people have already been sent there. Once the emperor gets hold of the clues, he certainly won't let them go; that would be a capital offense of regicide!

Even if their ancestors were meritorious officials who helped the late emperor conquer the Qi dynasty, it doesn't matter!

They're finished!

Meanwhile, the interrogation results came out quickly. With so many assassins, there were bound to be some who couldn't withstand the torture and only wanted to confess and seek death. Upon hearing Zhao Ren's name mentioned at this moment, Chu Feng was surprised but not unexpected, and said calmly, "Inform Father Emperor about this matter."

Presumably, by the time he resolves the numerous matters in Songzhou and returns to the capital, the noble Zhao family will no longer exist in the capital.

Seeing Si Qi's serious expression, he smiled and said to Si Qi, "This can also be considered as venting my anger for Minister Si."

Si Qi was almost killed by Zhao Ren back then, but Zhao Ren failed to pay for Si Qi's life. Now, by sheer coincidence, this scourge has finally been made to atone with his death.

Si Qi turned his gaze away from the sky.

At this moment, the celestial screen was narrating a series of events following the death of the Crown Prince, the sudden demise of the Great Qi Emperor, and the ascension of the three-year-old prince to the throne by the nobles. Seeing that Chu Feng still had the mind to joke with him at this time, Si Qi said helplessly, "Your Highness, aren't you angry?"

"These are all things that will not happen, and I don't care," Chu Feng said confidently.

After Si Qi was rescued from the imperial prison, the fate of the Great Qi Dynasty took a completely different turn.

The appearance of the celestial canopy reversed his fate of being assassinated. He became more convinced that destiny lay in the Great Qi, and that he, like Lord Si, was deeply protected by the gods. He was not afraid of the tragic future that the celestial canopy foretold.

On the contrary, because of the tragedy in that day, he was even more satisfied with the current reality, and his heart was filled with excitement and anticipation for the future. He couldn't wait to make a name for himself.

Seeing Chu Feng's confident demeanor, Si Qi smiled faintly.

He liked Chu Feng's confidence, fearlessness, and youthful energy.

The turmoil in the city quickly subsided after the assassins were arrested one after another.

At the same time, news that Minister Si had also appeared with His Highness the Crown Prince spread throughout Songzhou at lightning speed.

The soldiers originally thought that His Highness the Crown Prince's personal presence would be enough to make the people submit, but they never expected that Si Qi's name would be even more renowned than the Crown Prince's in some ways.

Originally, some common people, having been so brainwashed by scholars, remained suspicious and dared not come out, even though the soldiers repeatedly assured them that the court would not punish them for the corrupt officials.

As soon as Si Qi's name appeared, all the people's worries and fears vanished instantly.

That's a good person who wholeheartedly cares for the people, personally acknowledged by the gods in heaven! He's far more convincing than that awe-inspiring prince who's far away in the heavens!

Many common people had even secretly cursed the emperor at home because he had almost killed Si Xiang, showing blatant favoritism. Now that Si Qi had actually traveled a long way to come for them, they were all moved to tears. Even if they didn't want to drink porridge, they wanted to run out of the city to catch a glimpse of Si Qi, to see the Lord Si who had dedicated his life to them.

The soldiers were initially nervous when they saw so many disheveled civilians rushing towards them, and instinctively picked up their weapons.

Seeing that the group of people had gathered over and were just staring without saying a word, their expressions filled with fervor and worship, he suddenly realized something and turned to look at Si Qi, who was standing beside the Crown Prince.

Si Qi also noticed these people.

He didn't find it troublesome at all. Instead, he stepped forward immediately, ignoring the soldiers around him who were worried about his safety, and said from his high position, "I am Si Qi."

The crowd fell silent instantly, followed by a chorus of gasps. Many people stared at him with a mixture of tension and excitement, unable to suppress their cries: "It's the Prime Minister!"

"It really is the Prime Minister!"

Si Qi: "Don't worry, everyone. His Highness the Crown Prince has brought enough money, food, water, and medicine. You will all be fine!"

The people sobbed and kept shouting, "Thank you, Lord Si!"

"Lord Si, you are truly a just and upright official!"

Everyone was so focused on calling out Si Qi's name that they completely ignored the future crown prince of the Great Qi Dynasty.

If someone with a sensitive mind were here, they would probably feel a chill in their heart, worrying that Chu Feng might be wary of Si Qi because of this, or resentful of Si Qi's overly prominent reputation.

Judging from Chu Feng's proud and upright posture, it was clear that he had worried unnecessarily.

His Highness the Crown Prince is also Lord Si's number one fan. Praising Lord Si would probably make him even happier than praising him.

Si Qi made a reassuring gesture and said to everyone, "Disaster relief requires everyone's cooperation. I hope you can listen to me."

The crowd fell silent instantly, their eyes fixed intently on Si Qi. Si Qi said, "I know you are all hungry and thirsty, so we are cooking porridge. The porridge contains rice and broth, which can temporarily fill your stomachs. Please do not eat any food that has been taken out of the water or drink water from the ground. This will make you sick and cause a plague."

The crowd stared in astonishment, and one person said fearfully, "But we've been eating this all this time..."

Si Qi heard this, looked at the person and said, "So you are prone to getting sick recently, or you are already sick, right?"

The face turned from sallow to bright red the moment Si Qi answered her directly, and she was so excited that she looked like she was about to faint.

The people around them chimed in, "Yes!"

"That's right!"

Si Qi explained to them why they were sick and what they should do to prevent it. His tone was as gentle as a kindergarten teacher instructing children, which melted the hearts of the soldiers and the long-suffering civilians around him.

The common people of this era were treated like cattle and horses, and the officials they encountered were all arrogant and domineering, never treating them as equals.

Now, suddenly being personally and meticulously guided by such a high-ranking prime minister, who spoke to them like a child, and worried that they might fall ill, they were overwhelmed by this gentle and tender care. It was as if people living in darkness had seen the light for the first time, and they were so moved that they could only shed silent tears.

At this point, they would do whatever Si Qi said without question.

Si Qi told them that the elderly and children should go first, and the young and middle-aged should drink the porridge after the elderly, children, women and children.

Normally, relief efforts would inevitably lead to riots, with the able-bodied young men becoming the main force grabbing for porridge. But this time, they were all as docile as little lambs, obediently listening to Si Qi's arrangements, and not a single person expressed any dissatisfaction.

Then, Si Qi had those who felt unwell line up in another queue, where doctors would treat them all. Young and able-bodied people who wanted to help could sign up as volunteers to deliver medicine and porridge to the weak and immobile wounded.

Many young adults eager to impress Si Qi signed up, much like children in kindergarten wanting praise from their teacher.

Under Si Qi's methodical arrangement, the crowd quickly became orderly. What should have been a chaotic scene became so clear and organized after Si Qi's few words that even the uneducated soldiers could see it clearly and knew what to do first and what to do next.

What should have been a chaotic scene with a large crowd was surprisingly orderly, comparable to a modern train station. Everyone knew exactly where to queue and where to go next – even a child could do it. This amazed many soldiers and civilians who had never experienced anything like it before.

They had never experienced anything like this before. Surrounded by a large crowd, they were not at a loss for what to do. They knew exactly where to get firewood and where to spend the night after queuing up and drinking porridge. They had no worries about what to do next.

They were covered in dust and dirt, but their eyes shone with hope.

Chu Feng watched as Si Qi quickly brought the situation under control, his gaze fixed on him with longing.

How could such a dazzling existence not inspire longing?

Looking at the soldiers and civilians present, even though they had only been in contact with Si Qi for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, countless people were clearly willing to give their lives and offer their loyalty to Si Qi.

He was so wonderful, so wonderful that he seemed like a celestial being descended from heaven.

He knew that many people present were only appeased because of Si Qi, and Si Qi naturally knew this as well. So even after explaining everything, Si Qi didn't leave. Instead, he went to each team's location to check on the situation and fill any gaps.

Wherever manpower is needed, wherever problems arise, wherever disputes occur, as long as you tell Si Qi, all those things that seem hopeless to others can be resolved.

He worked from dawn till dusk, the torches illuminating the dim earth. Many people asked Si Qi to rest, fearing that he would be exhausted.

Chu Feng transitioned from the position of Crown Prince to become Si Qi's bodyguard, protecting Si Qi from beginning to end, going wherever Si Qi went. He was quite pleased with himself, watching everyone's attention being entirely focused on Si Qi, completely ignoring him, the Crown Prince.

Seeing that no one around could persuade Si Qi, Chu Feng walked over, grabbed Si Qi by the waist, picked him up, and carried him away, saying, "Lord Si, you need to balance work and rest. If you collapse from exhaustion, no one can replace you."

Si Qi was completely bewildered by this action, and his legs, which were dangling in the air, swung around unconsciously, feeling a bit unsteady.

The people around him watched with amusement as he was led away, and not a single one came to his rescue. He could only say, "Your Highness, I understand. Please don't do this; so many people are watching."

Chu Feng said matter-of-factly, "You ran away as soon as you put it down."

Si Qi said helplessly, "What are you saying?" He couldn't possibly disobey the imperial decree, and besides, where could he run to?

Chu Feng knew he was talking nonsense, but he didn't want to let go. He escorted Si Qi all the way to the tent and said, "The food is ready. Eat it while it's hot."

As she spoke, she had someone bring over a basin of water so that Si Qi could wash his hands and face.

After a busy day, even Si Qi looked a bit disheveled. His clothes and hands were covered in dust from somewhere, and it was hard to tell whether he was eating dust or something else.

Chu Feng washed his hands and face with the somewhat murky water after Si Qi finished using it.

Si Qi said helplessly, "Your Highness, your words make me very uneasy."

Chu Feng said matter-of-factly, "What's the difference between you and me?"

He enjoyed getting closer to Si Qi through such details, and he felt an indescribable pleasure when he saw Si Qi break down the boundaries between ruler and subject in front of him.

Especially since this is not the imperial palace or the Si residence, but a disaster area with inconveniences everywhere, he can use the excuse of limited conditions to get closer to Si Qi, and even Si Qi cannot find fault with him.

Si Qi simply glanced at him and then said nothing.

That night, he also legitimately invited Si Qi to stay and sleep in the same tent with him.

Holding the sleeping Si Qi in his arms, Chu Feng knew he was being despicable, yet he was also tempted by the warmth of the embrace, and carefully rested his head gently on the side of Si Qi's neck.

Let him cherish this hard-won time.

...

The disaster relief efforts lasted for a full month.

Before the team ran out of the rice, grain, and water they had transported, towns near Songzhou had already sent supplies to them after receiving a letter from Si Qi.

Along with the supplies came some volunteers who rushed over after hearing the news, as well as officials from neighboring provinces who wanted to befriend His Highness the Crown Prince and the Chancellor.

They were stunned by the unexpected disaster relief scene, which was completely different from what they had imagined, and it took them a long time to recover.

The anticipated devastation did not occur, and the victims appeared to be in excellent spirits. They had rice and water to eat and drink every day, and devoted all their extra time to reconstruction, restoring their hometown to its pre-disaster state.

This makes one marvel at the abilities of His Highness the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister.

Volunteers joined the team to help the disaster victims, personally experiencing the orderly nature of the relief team and the thoughtful details shown to the victims.

After His Highness the Crown Prince and his entourage left, the events that had transpired in Songzhou spread throughout Qi through the volunteers. People discussed with great enthusiasm the good deeds of Lord Si during the disaster and the Crown Prince's approachability, lamenting that they hadn't witnessed Lord Si's charisma firsthand.

According to them, Lord Si and the Crown Prince, who were highly respected by the people, finally returned to the capital after several months of travel.

The Zhao family mansion is indeed gone, but Zhao Ren and his father, who were imprisoned and interrogated, are still alive, waiting for Chu Feng and the others to return so they can witness their execution.

This is a unique tenderness that His Majesty the Emperor shows to the Crown Prince and his beloved ministers.

[What a bloody yet heartwarming story!] Xiuxiu commented.

However, Si Qi was indeed happy to be the executioner, to witness the beheading of the Zhao family members firsthand. He wanted Zhao Ren to see that, after his fate was altered, 'Si Qi' was doing even better than he remembered. And his crime had changed from plotting against a minister to plotting against the crown prince, resulting in a faster death than he had imagined.

The emperor told Chu Feng and Si Qi about this, and both of them were indeed very happy.

Just a few seconds into his joy, Chu Feng suddenly heard the emperor say, "By the way, Minister Si, since you left the capital, many ministers have sent visiting cards to your residence, expressing their intention to form a marriage alliance with your family. Are you aware of this?"

Chu Feng's mind went blank for a moment, and he couldn't hear anything for a while due to a buzzing sound in his ears.

The beautiful moments of eating and living together on the road were completely shattered at this moment. He looked at the young man beside him in a panic, and the fear in his heart could hardly be concealed.