Chapter 164: Dancing for the Third Prince?
He Zhaojun paused, and the two men dismissed the people around them. Cao Cheng then whispered, "The director of the Imperial Observatory has determined that earthquakes are likely affecting areas from Shouchun to the capital."
"What..." He Zhaojun lowered her voice. "Is the news true? If so, the people in the mine are in danger. Shouchun has been experiencing heavy rain for days, causing the mountain to loosen. If there's another earthquake, the local people will suffer greatly, with widespread disasters and illnesses... Could Attendant Cao report this serious matter to His Majesty?"
Cao Cheng pondered, "The Imperial Astronomical Observatory observes earthquakes, and fifteen out of ten times they never come true. Besides, it's almost the Queen's birthday. Who would dare to mention this? Wouldn't that bring bad luck upon Your Majesty?"
He Zhaojun said sternly, "Thank you, Attendant Cao, for letting me know. While I'm away from the palace, I hope you'll take good care of everyone in Yongle Palace, especially Concubine Yue, to prevent anyone from taking advantage of the opportunity to cause trouble."
Even after returning to her own chambers, He Zhaojun still felt a wave of anxiety. The last time she felt this way was when her elder and younger brothers had gone off to war, but this time... it was a natural disaster, not a man-made one. Even if she could do her best to protect her second brother, there was no guarantee that her wish would be fulfilled.
She wrote down a lot of materials that needed to be prepared urgently overnight, and asked people to wait in front of the palace gate before dawn, and send them out immediately. She also asked the He family's followers and the caravan compradors to collect the relevant materials nearby.
If it is true as the Imperial Astronomical Observatory said, this earthquake will have a wide impact, even affecting the lives of the people in Shouchun. If the heavy rain continues and the refugees are not properly resettled, they will surely all flock to the capital. By then, the situation will be out of control and she will be unable to cope with it.
"Quickly send someone to find His Highness the Third Prince and bring him to the palace. Tell him that I will be performing a special dance for the Queen's birthday banquet in three days, and I would like to invite him to come and see it first."
He Zhaojun sent all her trusted men out of the palace, while checking whether she had missed any key information.
The recent days have been scorching hot, with over a month of scorching sun. Now, a downpour has arrived, but even too much is as bad as too little. Under these circumstances, plagues are more likely to break out. We need essential supplies of disinfectants, easily storable rice, cloth for bandaging, and tools for rebuilding houses and reinforcing dams...
By the time Wen Ziduan entered the palace, it was already midday. He Zhaojun had been busy preparing for the Queen's birthday, and the two hadn't seen each other for a few days. Today, He Zhaojun had unexpectedly taken the initiative to invite him. Wen Ziduan was dressed to the nines, looking like a handsome young man.
"I heard that my wife wants to dance for me? I have never seen what you dance like..." Wen Ziduan hadn't finished speaking when He Zhaojun grabbed his hand.
He frowned and said, "All of you go down. There's no need to serve here." As he said that, he winked at Gu Guan. Gu Guan bowed, and in an instant, the guards around him blocked every place. Not even a fly could fly into the side hall.
"What's wrong?" Wen Ziduan asked with concern. Although He Zhaojun asked him to come over because she had something to say and not just because she wanted to see him, Wen Ziduan could see that the situation was serious and did not dare to be careless at all.
He Zhaojun took a sip of water and said, "What I'm about to say may sound alarmist, but you must remember that after the Queen's birthday banquet, no matter what happens, you must not leave the capital. I will only feel at ease if you and General Ling personally take charge."
Wen Ziduan was stunned: "I can't leave the capital? You want to leave?"
He Zhaojun nodded. "Last night, His Majesty ordered me to travel to Shouchun with my second brother, He Chuan, after the Queen's birthday banquet. Our mission is to investigate the remaining counterfeit currency and restore local trade. Secondly, we will inspect the mineral veins and reorganize the mines... You must agree to this first."
Wen Ziduan nodded solemnly: "I promise you."
"Okay, last night, Chamberlain Cao said that the Imperial Astronomical Observatory predicted a possible earthquake in Shouchun. I suspect this earthquake will affect the safety of the capital, but the city walls are strong and the houses are regularly repaired. I'm not worried about natural disasters, but man-made disasters!"
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