Looking at Sheng Wanwan's smile, Si Mingye always felt that the smile was sinister.
He shook his head, letting out his strange thoughts.
What am I thinking?
How could Wanwan, such an innocent and kind child, have such a sinister smile? My eyes must be playing tricks on me…
"Oh, I see! No problem! Just let me know when you need anything, and I'll definitely help!"
Si Mingye nodded in agreement.
Upon hearing this, Sheng Wenjin quickly thanked Si Mingye again and promised to personally teach Si Mingye immortal techniques in the future…
Sheng Wanwan's eyes crinkled with laughter. She knew that her Crown Prince brother was kind and would never refuse her!
Afterwards, Sheng Wanwan told the two of them to find a place to rest.
Si Mingye was so excited about being able to cultivate that he couldn't sleep.
Sheng Wenjin was also excited because he had found the bloodline of the gods and couldn't sleep either.
So the two of them simply sat down by the spiritual spring and began to cultivate.
Because of her young age and the exhaustion from a night's work, Sheng Wanwan fell asleep in bed.
When Sheng Wanwan woke up, it was already afternoon.
As soon as I opened my eyes, I saw Sheng Wenjin teaching Si Mingye Immortal Sword Technique.
Sheng Wenjin's longsword danced in the air like a dragon, its light flashing and its momentum unstoppable.
Si Mingye watched intently, his eyes gleaming with excitement and longing. The two of them seemed to have forgotten everything around them, completely immersed in the world of swordsmanship.
Her elder brother and the crown prince, two people who used to be aloof and taciturn, now seemed like two ordinary young men, full of vigor and vitality.
Sheng Wanwan looked around and saw that the grain transport team had arrived at the gate of Yunzhou City.
"Big brother, Crown Prince, we have to go out! The troops are about to enter the city!"
Sheng Wanwan called out, and seeing that Sheng Wenjin had sheathed his longsword, she led the two people out of the space.
...
"Qian Feng, the garrison commander of Yunzhou City, pays his respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince!"
As soon as the three of them appeared in the carriage, they heard a confident middle-aged man's voice coming from outside the carriage.
The curtain was slowly opened, and Sheng Wanwan saw an upright and resolute face.
"Alright! Let's go straight into the city! Arrange a place for us to rest, let the soldiers get some rest, and have your men take over guarding the grain!"
Si Mingye gave the order calmly.
"Yes, sir!"
Qian Feng glanced at the other two people in the car, cupped his hands in greeting to them, and then turned to lead the way.
The carriage slowly entered the city, and Sheng Wanwan looked out through the gap in the carriage window.
On both sides of the streets of Yunzhou City, there were many beggars squatting.
The drought in the north has lasted for several months. Many disaster victims are migrating south, and they have now even reached Yunzhou City.
"Brother, Crown Prince, there are already quite a few disaster victims here. They are all begging in the streets. Don't the garrison commander and prefect of Yunzhou City care about them?"
Sheng Wanwan asked with a frown.
"They're probably short of food too. The drought has been going on for months. Father Emperor once ordered cities across the country to donate grain and supplies. It's very likely that Yunzhou City is running out of food. Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many disaster victims on the streets."
Si Mingye also frowned.
"Oh! Since there's a food shortage here, let's put some down for these disaster victims!"
Sheng Wanwan looked out the window at several children who were so thin and pale from hunger, and felt sorry for them.
"Alright, I will instruct Lord Tian to handle this matter later."
Si Mingye nodded, agreeing readily.
Qian Feng led the convoy directly to the prefectural government office.
Upon hearing that His Highness the Crown Prince's carriage had arrived outside the yamen, Xie Yunyang, the prefect of Yunzhou City, rushed out in a panic.
Upon seeing the Crown Prince's carriage arrive at the gate, he knelt down with a thud.
"Your humble servant, Xie Yunyang, the prefect of Yunzhou, was unaware of His Highness the Crown Prince's arrival and has failed to greet you properly. I beg Your Highness's forgiveness!" Xie Yunyang's voice trembled slightly, clearly indicating his panic.
Si Mingye stepped out of the carriage, looked at Xie Yunyang kneeling on the ground, and frowned slightly: "Prefect Xie, please rise and answer. I have come here to rest for a couple of days and to learn about the situation of the people who have fled here!"
Why are you panicking?
Upon hearing this, Xie Yunyang, supporting his obese body, shakily stood up, his chubby face contorted in a pained expression, and said:
"Your Highness, Yunzhou City has done its best. However, the drought has lasted for months, and there is a food shortage. The city's food reserves are almost depleted. I have tried my best to allocate resources, but it is still not enough to meet the needs of all the disaster victims."
That's why there are so many disaster-stricken people begging in the city! Your Highness, it is my fault for incompetence; please forgive me!
"Oh? Is that so?"
Seeing Xie Yunyang covered in sweat and looking nervous, Si Mingye instinctively felt that there was something fishy about this Lord Xie.
As expected, Si Mingye finished speaking.
Qian Feng knelt on one knee, his voice firm and powerful.
"Your Highness, Lord Xie is lying!"
"Ever since the Emperor ordered the prefects of each city to be responsible for collecting grain to send to the northern border, Lord Xie has been ruthlessly exploiting the people, under the guise of raising funds for disaster victims."
However, in reality, only a small portion of the grain and money was sent to the northern border; the rest was pocketed by Lord Xie and hoarded in his own private treasury!
Your humble servant has investigated and found that Lord Xie's private treasury is piled high with grain and gold and silver treasures, yet he watches helplessly as disaster victims starve to death in the streets!
Moreover, the disaster victims on the streets were not only refugees from the North, but also some ordinary villagers from the countryside.
Because Lord Xie requisitioned large amounts of grain under the guise of disaster relief, most of the villagers' own food supplies were taken away, leaving them with insufficient food and forcing them to beg in the city to survive!
Qian Feng's words shocked everyone present, and angry gazes were all focused on Xie Yunyang. The obese prefect was now ashen-faced and trembling as if he had been struck by frost.
The entire city has witnessed this, and he cannot deny it.
Si Mingye's face was as gloomy as the sky before a storm. He walked up to Xie Yunyang and stared at him coldly: "Prefect Xie, is what Qian Feng said true?"
Xie Yunyang was terrified out of his wits. He kowtowed repeatedly, as if pounding garlic:
"Your Highness, spare my life! I know I'm guilty! I was momentarily blinded by greed, please have mercy!"
He truly regretted it; if he had known the grain transport team heading to the northern border would come to Yunzhou City, he wouldn't have done these things.
Unfortunately, the leader of the grain transport team to the northern border was none other than His Highness the Crown Prince. Even if it were someone else, he could still bribe them or use his connections with higher-ups to pressure them!
But now that His Highness the Crown Prince has come in person, he is truly at a loss!
"Qian Feng, since you know he's such a corrupt official, why don't you report him to the court? How can you let him run rampant here?" Si Mingye looked at Qian Feng with an unfriendly expression.
Qian Feng knelt down and clasped his hands in a fist: "Your Highness, I have written to the capital more than once to report the crimes of Prefect Xie, but I have not received any response to those letters."
I knew that this corrupt official must have connections in the capital!
Your Highness, please investigate this matter thoroughly!
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