Chapter 74. A Way Out: Luckily, he brought along officials from the Ministry of Works...
"Your Highness, Minister Liu from the Ministry of Works requests an audience."
Zhu Yu's voice rang out from outside the door. Jiang Chen turned his head to look at Shen Yujiao, who had just fallen asleep, sighed, and prepared to go out to deal with Lord Liu. But as soon as he reached the door, he heard Zhu Yu say from outside, "My lord, you see, it's not that I didn't want to inform you, but His Highness is really unwell and has already gone to bed."
Lord Liu seemed somewhat discouraged, but he still wouldn't let go of Zhu Yu, insisting that Zhu Yu help him come up with a solution. However, as the voices grew softer, Jiang Chen could easily guess that Zhu Yu had probably left with his men.
Jiang Chen turned his head, somewhat helplessly. Today was the third day they had been trapped in Wuyun County by the blizzard. Their remaining food could only last for less than two days. By evening, the snow had just stopped, but the snow piled up outside the door so high that they couldn't even open it. The temperature plummeted at night, and even with firewood burning inside, their limbs were still a little frozen, let alone shoveling snow under these conditions.
At first, the officials of the Ministry of Works were able to remain calm, but as time went on, their anxiety about being trapped in the abandoned inn grew. This was already the third Zhu Yutong to come looking for the Crown Prince today, so one could imagine how many he had turned away outside.
Not long after things quieted down, there was a rustling sound outside the door, followed by Zhu Yu's low voice. Jiang Chen felt that this couldn't go on, so he went forward and opened the door, but was slightly taken aback when he saw who it was.
"Your Highness," the person outside the door was Consort Chu. She was clearly surprised to see the Crown Prince. She bowed to Jiang Chen somewhat reservedly and said, "This concubine greets Your Highness."
Looking at her polite yet distant demeanor, Jiang Chen couldn't help but think of Chu Rou, who was also somewhat taciturn and aloof. The thought of Shen Yujiao mistakenly believing that he and Chu Rou had some kind of relationship made Jiang Chen want to laugh.
Chu Rou stood at the door, her bowing posture slightly stiffening, but she didn't hear the Crown Prince tell her to get up. Just as she was wondering about this, she heard the Crown Prince's words to her, tinged with a smile: "Get up."
Upon hearing this tone, Chu Rou's already stiff legs staggered even more. She leaned back and held onto A-Jun's hand, presenting the tray she had brought to the Crown Prince: "Previously, the Crown Princess asked me to make some small whistles according to the blueprints. Today, I have managed to create a rough prototype. I would like to ask the Crown Princess to take a look and see if it is usable?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Chen lowered his eyes and saw that several small whistles were lying quietly on the tray that Chu Rou was holding with both hands. As she said, they were indeed somewhat simple, but they were quite presentable. He nodded, picked one up, and examined it carefully.
"Did the Crown Princess specify where it would be used?"
Hearing the Crown Prince's tone return to its calm and even tone, Chu Rou finally calmed down a little. She respectfully replied, "As the Crown Princess mentioned before, the mountains are now blocked by heavy snow. Our messages can't get out, and messages from the outside can't get in. Even if the local government gets the news and wants to search for us, there's only white snow, so they probably won't even know where to start."
“But if we had this…” Chu Rou’s gaze also turned to the small whistle in the Crown Prince’s hand, and she admired the Crown Princess’s ingenuity: “If we make a sound with a whistle, even if we can’t convey a message, if there are officials searching nearby, they will probably come over to investigate when they hear the sound. In that case, we won’t have to go through the trouble of calling for help.”
After listening to Chu Rou's explanation, Jiang Chen smiled wryly. As expected of Shen Yujiao, only she could be so thoughtful and meticulous.
"Thank you for your trouble. It is indeed well done and still usable. Give the blueprints to Xu Zhiyuan. They can make it faster. Give the order to have the Ministry of Works' skilled craftsmen make at least one whistle for everyone tonight."
"yes."
Chu Rou bowed respectfully. Only after the door in front of her closed did she pause slightly, slightly taken aback. This whistle was unique in shape and ingenious in design. The Crown Prince had not seen the blueprints, so how did he know that it was "acceptable"?
Jiang Chen entered the room with the few small whistles that Chu Liangdi had brought. Seeing that Shen Yujiao was still fast asleep, he felt a little more at ease. He gently stroked Shen Yujiao's cheek a few times, tucked the stray hairs behind her ears, and unconsciously smiled.
The cold wind was still howling outside, but Jiang Chen felt a warm glow in his heart. He carefully tucked the blanket around Shen Yujiao, then slowly lay down beside her. Their foreheads touched, and both of them had a relieved smile on their faces.
No matter how many hardships and difficulties we face, we are fearless as long as you are by my side.
The next day was a rare sunny day. After three days and three nights of blizzard, Wuyun County, where they were staying, finally welcomed a bright and sunny day with clear blue skies. Early in the morning, as soon as Shen Yujiao got up, she heard cheers from downstairs.
She was a little dazed at first, but when she turned her head and saw the morning light shining obliquely through the window, she couldn't help but exclaim, "It's cleared up!"
Jiang Chen had just returned from outside when he saw her standing by the window in her undergarments, her eyes squinting, her face full of the sun's warmth. He strode forward, helplessly picked her up and threw her back onto the bed, then pulled the blanket to the edge of the bed, wrapping her up like a dumpling.
"In this freezing weather, you're standing by the window without even wearing a warm coat. Aren't you afraid of catching a cold?!"
Shen Yujiao was not afraid at all; in fact, her eyes were full of joy: "Jiang Chen, the sun is out! The sun is finally out!"
"Yes," Jiang Chen's anger subsided considerably upon seeing her so happy. He took the clothes that Mu Jin had prepared and placed them on the edge of the bed, saying loudly, "If you want to see the sun, get up early and change your clothes. I'll wait for you outside. We'll go out to shovel snow after we finish eating."
After saying that, Jiang Chen went out and brought Mu Jin in. With renewed energy, Shen Yujiao was exceptionally quick to get ready this morning. To make things easier, she was still wearing a Hu-style men's robe, which was completely different in color and style from Jiang Chen's. From a distance, it was almost impossible to tell them apart without careful observation.
As soon as she stepped out of her room, before she even went downstairs, Shen Yujiao could hear the difference in the main hall compared to the past two days. The officials from the Ministry of Works had been holed up in their rooms, and the main hall was always quiet whenever they passed by, but today it was filled with an irrepressible joy.
"What are you doing?"
Everyone beamed with joy as they saw the Crown Princess descend from upstairs. Xu Zhiyuan jogged forward and bowed respectfully, saying, "His Highness the Crown Prince and General He led us in making snow shovels early this morning. We already have quite a few usable ones. Once these are finished, we can start clearing the snow!"
No wonder he was so happy. Even Shen Yujiao was full of energy after hearing this. She followed Xu Zhiyuan to the place where the snow shovels were piled up and saw that there were indeed dozens of snow shovels on the ground. The snow shovels were made from materials taken from the inn. Although they were not as neat as those sold properly, they were perfectly usable.
"Thank goodness..."
Shen Yujiao was extremely fortunate at this moment. They had brought out a group of officials from the Ministry of Works. If not everyone had a pair of skillful hands, they would probably still be worried even if the sun was shining outside.
The craftsmen over there were extremely efficient, and the snow shovels were finished in no time. Jiang Chen and He Zhiju discussed it briefly, and then distributed the snow shovels to the guards in pairs. The guards were given priority to clear the snow and call for help from the outside world, while some of the officials from the Ministry of Works stayed behind to continue making snow shovels.
Everyone knew that this was about forging a path to survival, so they were all working with great enthusiasm. At this time, the kitchen also delivered today's serving of dumpling soup, which contained plenty of pepper. One sip and everyone felt warm all over.
Since being trapped in Wuyun County, the Crown Prince, Crown Princess, and Consort Liang have been living and eating almost the same as everyone else. Now that everyone is eating dumpling soup together in the main hall, they join in as well. This makes the officials and guards who already trust them feel even more recognized as one of their own.
So, when the prince raised his arm and shouted, almost everyone responded with a shout—"Open!"
The inn's doors, which had been buried under snow for several days, slowly opened. The guards and some officials strained to pull the wooden doors, and with a loud bang, the lobby was finally greeted by the first rays of dawn.
Seeing that the door panels were about at the right angle, He Zhiju ordered, "Back off!"
At the command, everyone standing behind the door immediately ran back. The snow, which had lost its support point, collapsed instantly, and a large amount of snow poured into the inn's lobby. Only then could everyone see the real scene outside.
To be fair, if they hadn't been trapped here by the blizzard, the scenery before them would have been truly magnificent in the North.
Ignoring the clear blue sky of today, all that could be seen from the inn's entrance was an endless expanse of white. The frost hanging down amidst the white expanse, the icicles dangling from the eaves, and the snow piled up to Cheng Nan's waist outside were clear reminders of the snow disaster that Wuyun County had suffered in the past few days.
With a way out right in front of them, the Crown Prince didn't need to encourage them anymore. Everyone picked up their snow shovels and rushed out of the inn one after another. In the world of ice and snow, they began to shovel snow with all their might. Before long, steam rose from the heads of some of the guards.
Seeing this, Shen Yujiao quickly instructed Mu Jin to go to the kitchen to boil water. When she turned around, she saw Jiang Chen and He Zhiju each holding a snow shovel and joining the snow removal team. Looking at their backs, Shen Yujiao was a little dazed. The two of them looked like they were still in school.
Perhaps because everyone was holding their breath, the snow removal work went very smoothly. In less than an hour, the snow in front of the inn was cleared to make way for a path.
Jiang Chen, who was directing from the front, saw this and ordered He Zhiju to lead a small team down the mountain to seek help. Shen Yujiao hesitated for a moment and then said, "I'll go with my brother."
She stepped forward and waved the topographic map in her hand. Shen Yujiao had rarely missed the surveying work on their way here, and she was much more familiar with the surrounding terrain than He Zhiju. Since the officials from the Ministry of Works were staying to help, it was perfect to bring along someone who knew the way.
Clearly, Jiang Chen and He Zhiju had also realized what was going on. This time, before Shen Yujiao could even speak to discuss it, Jiang Chen nodded and replied, "Alright, but you must be careful when you go with us."
"Your Majesty, I will certainly protect you."
After discussing for a moment, the team that led the way quickly set off. The group walked down the mountain along the cleared snow path. Several strong and sturdy guards continued to clear the way with snow shovels in front. He Zhiju protected Shen Yujiao behind him and said loudly, "No need to exert yourself. It's enough for one person to pass!"
They didn't need to shovel snow; they just needed to make sure the path they cleared was long enough for them to get down the mountain. Shen Yujiao wasn't idle either; she took a whistle from her pocket, put it in her mouth, and started blowing it to the rhythm her gym teacher was playing.
"One two one! One two one! One two one!"
A rhythmic whistle sounded, and the guards leading the way moved faster and faster. The group hadn't walked far before they saw houses in the distance, and Shen Yujiao excitedly grabbed He Zhiju's wristband after seeing the tire tracks on the flat ground.
Having a car means having people around, and unless they're really unlucky, they'll most likely encounter someone who can help them.
As it turns out, once you've been tempered in adversity for a long time, when things turn around, your luck is unstoppable. Under Shen Yujiao's guidance, He Zhiju found the location of the Wuyun County government office without taking any detours.
The magistrate of Wuyun County was a newly appointed official who had just taken office this year. He never expected that he would first encounter a drought upon his arrival, and then a blizzard after winter. He originally thought that this year could not be worse than this, but a few days ago he received news that the Crown Prince, who was leading the Ministry of Works officials north to survey the river topography, had gone missing in his jurisdiction.
Upon receiving this news, the county magistrate nearly fainted from fright. Before he could recover and send people to search, the imperial envoy in charge of escorting the grain arrived. Facing the envoy, he knew neither the whereabouts of the crown prince's party nor could he devise a search strategy in the face of the blizzard.
Just when he thought his official career was about to end today, a yamen runner's excited voice suddenly came from outside: "The Crown Prince's Palace, someone from the Crown Prince's Palace has arrived!"
Almost instinctively, everyone in the hall looked towards the door. The leading man was imposing and stood ramrod straight, while the man beside him was rather thin. Behind them were a group of guards with swords.
Since the imperial examinations, the county magistrate had not traveled to the capital, and his time in the northern frontier was limited. Therefore, even though He Zhiju had a formidable reputation in the north, he did not recognize the person before him. Just as he was pondering how to begin speaking, the voice of the imperial envoy suddenly rang out behind him—
"Sixth Brother Jiang!"
Looking at the handsome young man walking towards her, Shen Yujiao almost lost her composure. The smile of the person in front of her was too unforgettable. Who else could it be but Qi Jiu, who spoke up for justice in Jiangnan!
His surname is Qi, and his given name is Jiu.
In a flash, Shen Yujiao realized the true identity of the person in front of her, and He Zhiju's subsequent words confirmed her judgment: "Your subject greets Your Highness, may Your Highness be well."
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