"What do you mean by causing trouble? I'm very capable too, okay!" Su An retorted, surprised and indignant.
"Those methods were proposed by me, so of course I'm most familiar with them. I might be able to do just as much as you!"
Who do you think you are!
But what frustrated Su An the most was that after not seeing each other for so long, Fu Zhun immediately started with this harsh and reprimanding attitude.
At this moment, Zhou Li realized the tension between the two and immediately nudged his lord with his elbow.
"Boss Su is indeed very capable. The methods she proposed are unprecedented. If she hadn't stayed, we would have been completely at a loss as to how to get started with these methods!"
Fu Zhun pursed his lips tightly, his grip on the wheelchair tightening unconsciously.
Zhou Yue immediately gave his son a look that said, "You did a good job."
He guessed that Su An held some weight in the prince's heart, so when he brought people here, he deliberately did not mention who they were, acting first and informing later.
He immediately followed up with advice: "Your Highness, although Miss Su is young, there is an example of her making cement. She must be hardworking and persevering, and she will not cause you any trouble."
"Moreover, the drought in the north is already imminent. Only by taking personal responsibility and being a pioneer here can Miss Su find a solution as soon as possible."
As they talked back and forth, Fu Zhun frowned and fell silent.
Su An felt even more wronged and glared at him with resentment and dissatisfaction.
“I…” Seeing the redness in Su An’s eyes, Fu Zhun finally couldn’t bear it and relaxed his expression.
He stared at her with slight tension and explained in a hoarse voice, "What I said just now was not from the heart. It's just that the riots in Jizhou have not been completely resolved yet, and there is danger at any time. You shouldn't stay here."
Zhou Li immediately exchanged a glance with his father, Zhou Yue, both of them looking as if they had just realized it.
Upon hearing this, Su An bit her lip hard, almost cursing inwardly.
If she hadn't come, she would have been in even greater danger by the side of that dog emperor!
She clenched her fists and said fiercely, "Riots are dangerous, but droughts are even more dangerous! Hundreds or thousands of disaster victims may die every day. What does my safety matter?"
She paused, then shamelessly raised her head again, "However, I am indeed quite afraid of death, so Fu Zhun, you'd better protect me."
"I'm determined to stay!"
Her words were righteous and resounding, leaving the three people present stunned for a moment, and then they didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Zhou Yue couldn't help but glance at Su An a few more times, thinking to himself.
No wonder the prince was so fond of her; she was a clever, insightful, and exceptional woman, possessing both great kindness and compassion.
Little did they know, at that moment, Fu Zhun's throat tightened, and his deep black eyes were fixed on Su An, unable to look away even for a second.
Seeing the girl's lively and expressive face again made his heart pound with more excitement and unease than ever before.
"Then you stay. Be sure to be careful. Tell me before you do anything, and I will protect you personally." He suppressed his joy, his thoughts a mixture of worry and helplessness.
Su An then grinned and smiled contentedly, "No problem."
After she joined, she and Fu Zhun and the others came up with a plan that very night.
A team was responsible for surveying the terrain, marking the locations of various rivers, and planning routes.
The second team then gathered many craftsmen to begin developing small waterwheels. Once they were built and the craftsmen were skilled enough, they could then manufacture medium and large waterwheels for use on larger rivers.
Suddenly, Fu Zhun frowned and asked, "The waterwheel method is quite time-consuming and only applicable to places that require a large amount of water. However, there are many villages around, and the nearby streams are small, shallow, and slow-flowing, so the waterwheel is simply ineffective."
“I’ve had this idea for a while now.” Su An smiled and continued, “Building a waterwheel will take some time. In the meantime, we should address the drought in the nearby villages by using a bamboo aqueduct to draw water.”
After these words were spoken, Fu Zhun and Zhou Li looked at each other, both of them seeing surprise and astonishment.
Clearly, they hadn't expected Su An to have a different solution.
Su An patted his chest confidently and explained, "Bamboo aqueduct water diversion simply means connecting water through bamboo pipes. It requires a little skill, but not much. It's quick to learn and easy to operate. We'll try it out tomorrow and see!"
Then he raised an eyebrow and snorted at Fu Zhun, "I wonder who will cause trouble later."
"..." Fu Zhun was speechless. The little girl was still holding a grudge against him for kicking her out during the day.
He smiled helplessly, "Then tomorrow I will follow your arrangements and do whatever you say."
Su An was very satisfied. Seeing that it was late at night, they all dispersed and went back to their rooms to sleep.
The next day.
Two groups of soldiers escorted the carriage carrying the group out of the city.
Su An saw clearly once again that the number of refugees in the city was more than ten times that of those in Fuyou County, but their expressions were not as gentle.
They were dressed in rags, their faces were dirty, and they all carried weapons for self-defense, such as wooden sticks and kitchen knives. Their eyes revealed ferocity, and they looked at the people around them with either vigilance or restlessness.
If it weren't for the soldiers guarding and suppressing the uprisings along the way, many riots involving robbery and looting would probably have broken out like a flood immediately.
Fu Zhun's temporary residence was a large mansion, which attracted even more refugees who lurked in the corners, seemingly looking for opportunities to plunder.
Su An watched with trepidation, but could understand why Fu Zhun was so serious.
"Don't look." A hand with distinct knuckles suddenly reached out and pulled down the carriage curtain.
“They are no longer ordinary refugees. They have stained their hands with blood and committed murder along the way in order to survive. It would be better for a young lady like you to show yourself less.” Fu Zhun said slowly and calmly.
Su An nodded, feeling rather uneasy.
Rather than a city, this place is more like the mouth of a beast baring its fangs, ready to unleash a bloody storm at any moment.
Fortunately, when the carriage arrived at Lijia Village on the outskirts of the city, the situation improved somewhat; although desolate, it was still relatively harmonious.
Seeing that they were government officials who had come to help them get water, the villagers warmly led them up the mountain.
Zhou Li, as one of the leaders, led the soldiers and villagers to cut bamboo.
Su An then pushed Fu Zhun to check the water source.
“That’s right. This is halfway up the mountain, which is perfect for building bamboo pipes to pipe down into the fields. It’s easy to do and there are no obstacles.” Su An looked at the scene below the mountain and gave his answer with a smile.
"That's good." Fu Zhun's fatigue from the past few days vanished at this moment. His brows relaxed, and he looked at the babbling brook with a feeling of joy.
"Shall we take a stroll around the area?" he suggested to Su An, his dark eyes crinkling with a smile.
Just then, a slight rustling sound came from the woods behind them.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh—"
Several ear-piercing whistles suddenly rang out, their purpose being to point directly at Su An beside him.
"Lie down!" Fu Zhun's expression suddenly changed, his aura turned cold, and he pulled Su An into his arms as she looked over.
The force was so great that Su An cried out in fright, instantly feeling a sharp gust of air rush past his head.
"What's going on? Another assassin?!"
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