Upon seeing her, he immediately dismissed Princess Qingning's earlier words. The woman before him exuded the charm of a mature woman, with a beautiful yet unsharp appearance, gentle eyes without a trace of shrewishness, and fair skin. She looked no more than thirty, the prime of a woman's life.
After the initial surprise, the old emperor quickly regained his composure.
"Are you the one who beat the princess?"
Upon hearing this, Qin Qing snapped back to reality, pursed his thin lips, and calmly replied.
"Your Majesty, it was indeed I who did it! But..."
Before she could finish uttering a single word, Princess Qingning interrupted her.
"Look! Even Father herself admitted it! This person had ulterior motives and should be thrown into the imperial prison and beheaded as a warning to others!"
After saying that, she looked at Qin Qing triumphantly, her eyes revealing a hint of arrogance and disdain.
Unexpectedly, the old emperor's face darkened, and he looked at Princess Qingning with displeasure, angrily rebuking her.
"Shut up! A princess like yourself, look at yourself now!"
Princess Qingning choked, her face turning a deep liver color, but she didn't say anything more.
Qin Qing was surprised that the old emperor was so fair and just, and breathed a slight sigh of relief, but did not notice the slight frown on Wang Yan's brow beside him.
"Your name is Qin Qing, right? I know my princess. She's always been spoiled and willful. Tell me the truth first."
Seeing the old emperor's gentle expression, Qin Qing didn't hide anything and told him everything that had happened before, ending with an innocent and aggrieved look.
"That's roughly what happened. But I had no idea she was a princess. I only saw a lewd man molesting my daughter at first glance, and in a moment of panic, I hit her too hard! All the people on the street can testify for me!"
He spoke with such emotion and intonation that, although he didn't accuse Princess Qingning of a single word, every sentence implied that her actions were understandable and that Princess Qingning, disguised as a man, had ulterior motives!
Upon hearing these words, the old emperor frowned and glared angrily at Princess Qingning. Seeing her guilty expression, he knew she was right! He then roared in anger.
"Rongyang! Is this true?!"
Princess Qingning's given name was Qingning, and her courtesy name was Rongyang! Startled by the old emperor's angry roar, she turned pale and quickly apologized.
You've completely disgraced me!
The old emperor was even more furious when he saw that she had no rebuttal!
"Guards! The princess is to be confined to her quarters for three months! Her monthly stipend will be halved! She is forbidden from leaving the Moonflower Palace!"
Upon hearing this, Princess Qingning looked up in surprise, her expression one of disbelief. She never imagined that she would be the one who was hit and punished in the end!
The old emperor's face was ashen, and she clearly wouldn't listen to any explanation. She then turned and glared at Qin Qing before turning and leaving.
"Your subject takes his leave!"
Qin Qing shrugged indifferently, not caring at all. Since she had already offended her, there was no point in tolerating it anymore, so she might as well just let it be.
After Princess Qingning stormed off, the old emperor looked at the two of them again.
"General, your arrival today is timely! I have heard that bandits and outlaws are harassing the people near Dingshan City, and the drought is severe, causing great suffering to the people. The court has prepared disaster relief and grain reserves. Since the General is free, let us set off on a chosen day to provide disaster relief and suppress the bandits."
Upon hearing this, Wang Yan agreed without hesitation.
The old emperor grunted in response but remained silent for a moment before speaking.
"Since everything is alright, you may leave now."
Qin Qing was about to speak when Wang Yan pulled her aside, bowed respectfully, and took his leave, leaving Qin Qing both puzzled and surprised.
But just as the two turned around, the old emperor spoke!
"It seems that Lady Qin has something to say. Perhaps Ayan should step down first."
Upon hearing this, Qin Qing's first reaction was delight; she hadn't expected the old emperor to be so perceptive. Her second reaction was surprise, because Wang Yan's face clearly darkened. Although the old emperor might not have seen it because his back was to her, Qin Qing could clearly sense his worry…
Worried?!
In an instant, multiple schemes and plots flashed through her mind. Since ancient times, serving a ruler has been like walking on thin ice. The old emperor in front of her seemed fair and gentle, but he might not really be as she saw him!
Just then, Wang Yan turned around and said respectfully.
“Your Majesty is right! I almost forgot that Qin is my fiancée after all, and there is one more thing I need to discuss with Your Majesty.”
After saying that, he remained silent, standing straight in place, clearly not planning to leave.
Qin Qing was genuinely puzzled. How did Wang Yan know she had something to discuss with the Emperor? But never mind, business was more important.
"Your Majesty, I do indeed have something I wish to discuss with you!"
Upon hearing this, the old emperor's previously somewhat impatient expression suddenly became more interested.
"Oh? What is it about?"
Despite saying this, the old emperor didn't seem to care. She was just an ordinary peasant woman; what big deal could she possibly be?
Upon hearing this, Qin Qing immediately perked up and became more confident.
"Your Majesty, I recently discovered something wonderful. After researching and cultivating it, I have finally reaped the rewards. This thing is called a potato. It has a short growth period, a high yield, and a strong feeling of satiety. If stored properly, it can last for up to a month. Especially now that the area around Tianlong Kingdom is experiencing food shortages and disasters, this thing can be used as an emergency food supply!"
Hearing her say this, the old emperor's eyes showed a hint of surprise and interest, and he added.
"Oh? There's such a thing? I've never heard of it before."
Qin Qing smiled again upon hearing this.
"It's normal that Your Majesty doesn't know. Those potatoes aren't very pretty, and they grow in the ground. Only some poor people go back to the mountains to dig them up to eat when they have no food. But few people know that these things grow quickly and are highly nutritious. After processing, they taste even better!"
She smiled shyly as she said this.
"This humble woman, though unworthy, recommended this item to the manager of the Full Moon Pavilion, which is famous throughout the capital. After processing, the potatoes received his approval, and they are now being supplied!"
Upon hearing the words "Full Moon Pavilion," the old emperor's previously calm face immediately showed surprise, and his expression became increasingly solemn. He carefully examined Qin Qing's eyes, realizing she wasn't lying, and his astonishment deepened...
As the emperor, he knew very well what kind of place Full Moon Pavilion was; it was a place even he wanted to possess! If what this woman said was true, then this potato was definitely a treasure!
With this thought in mind, the emperor, who had long held a high position, began to plot, but he did not show it on his face.
"So, the cooperation you want to discuss with me... isn't it about these potatoes?"
Seeing that there was hope, Qin Qing quickly nodded!
"This humble woman wishes to sell potatoes to Your Majesty at a low price. Firstly, it can alleviate the disaster and save the people; secondly, it can ensure the needs of the national treasury; and thirdly, it can provide the people with a new employment opportunity! It's a win-win situation!"
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