078
"..." Qin Sang felt he was too calm. "How does Prince Ning'an feel when he sees the people suffering like this?"
Prince Ning'an covered his mouth with his fist: "Thoughts? Ah, I do have some. The inaction of the court officials is truly shameful."
"Just feeling guilty? If you feel guilty, shouldn't you do something about it?"
Prince Ning'an coughed lightly: "I have been ill for many years and have neglected state affairs, enjoying wealth and honor in vain. Seeing the scene today, I feel deeply ashamed, but..." He paused, as if he wanted to say something but stopped, and then said, "I will go back and report to my father."
Qin Sang thought that he looked sickly and probably couldn't say anything, so she stopped talking and turned her gaze to the refugees, frowning deeply.
Prince Ning'an said apologetically, "It seems we can't leave the city today. It's not safe for you to stay here alone, young lady. Please come back to the city with me."
After saying that, he turned and walked into the city.
However, the refugees over there had already started fighting over a few steamed buns. Most of the soldiers at the city gate were sent to maintain order, while the remaining soldiers, seeing that Prince Ning'an was about to return, immediately went to escort him.
Qin Sang had no choice but to follow back. As she walked, she suddenly felt that the black-clad masked man beside Prince Ning'an was somewhat familiar. She turned her head to look, but because of the mask, she couldn't see the man's face clearly.
A soldier nearby shouted, "Quickly report that the refugees at the city gate have rioted!"
Qin Sang turned around and saw soldiers clashing with refugees. Meanwhile, Prince Ning'an had already calmly boarded a carriage he had casually hailed, waved to her, and then tossed out from inside the carriage, "Miss, you should go back soon too," before the horse's hooves clattered and the wheels rumbled as it drove off.
Qin Sang watched the carriage depart, finally seeing Lingding arrive with the doctor. She was utterly dejected, feeling that the doctor alone would likely tear her apart. So she muttered "No need," and left the chaotic city gate.
On the way back to the manor, rows of soldiers marched out in neat formation, heading towards the city gate.
She lamented that perhaps if things escalated, it would actually benefit those outsiders.
***
Upon returning to the Prime Minister's residence, they went straight to Minghui Hall, where Xie Zhongxu was in charge of affairs, only to be told that Prime Minister Xie had not yet left court.
Qin Sang asked the guards of the Prime Minister's residence, "Are you aware that refugees have gathered outside the city and clashed with government troops?"
“Miss, someone else will take care of this matter. We only need to deal with the Prime Minister.”
Qin Sang had no choice but to return to her own courtyard.
But Xie Suian caught him red-handed.
Qin Sang's face was dark, and Xie Suian's face was also dark. The two dark faces collided, and Qin Sang pushed Xie Suian away. Xie Suian said angrily, "You heartless woman, have you forgotten how I helped you in Li County? Didn't you promise me..."
His heartfelt confession, which was both firm and tender, was stopped by a cold glare from Qin Sang.
Qin Sang rarely showed such a serious expression, so Xie Sui'an was stunned: "What's wrong?"
She didn't know how to speak to him. Should she talk to him about the plight of the common people? But he was just a carefree young nobleman. Should she talk to him about responsibility? What could he possibly bear? Should she tell him about the chaos of refugees outside and the fact that he had no soldiers under his command?
Qin Sang angrily withdrew her dissatisfaction and hurried back to her dormitory.
With things getting out of hand so badly, someone will eventually handle it, she told herself.
***
That night, Qin Sang had many bizarre dreams. She dreamt that the earth was parched and cracked, and the people were starving and withered, wandering like the living dead across the barren land. They gradually gathered around her and worshipped: "Please, gods, protect us! Please, let it rain!"
Qin Sang dreamed that she flew up to the heavens to pray to the rain god, but the rain god said that this place was destined to suffer this calamity and told her not to interfere. Qin Sang stood on the clouds, looking down at the parched earth, numb and tearless.
What about gods or immortals? They can't save the common people or alleviate their suffering. They say everything is predestined, they stand by and watch coldly, and they even believe they are the culprits.
Qin Sang felt a sharp pain in her chest. When she woke up from her dream, a tear was still hanging from the corner of her eye. She then heard that there was chaos at home.
"Aunt Tan's family is a big business, and I don't know when they started trading grain. Starting last year, Master Tan began buying and selling grain in large quantities. Now I hear that the grain they're trading is the disaster relief grain allocated by the imperial court to Yuzhou." Lingding told Qin Sang what she had found out that morning while helping her with her dressing and grooming. "Later, the disaster relief grain delivered to the disaster victims was moldy grain mixed with mud and sand, which is why people starved to death and why so many disaster victims couldn't survive and flocked to the capital to demand an explanation."
Qin Sang asked curiously, "The matter of buying and selling disaster relief grain, and the confiscation of property and execution, must be secrets. Where did you hear about it?"
Lingding was slightly taken aback and said, "It's being spread throughout the mansion, and probably all over the capital. This morning, the First Madam summoned Concubine Tan for questioning. I heard that before she even reached the First Madam's room, Concubine Tan fainted on the road and hasn't woken up yet."
How could everyone know about it overnight? Qin Sang found this matter suspicious.
Lingding added, "Also, the Prime Minister didn't return until very late last night, and he left again before dawn today."
Qin Sang wasn't surprised: "The disaster victims have all flocked to the gates of the capital. If he's not busy, who is?"
After washing up, she prepared to go out and inquire about the information herself.
Just as he stepped out of his own courtyard, he ran into Xie Sui'an. Xie Sui'an had dark circles under his eyes and looked exhausted, probably because he hadn't slept well last night.
He leaned lazily against the courtyard gate, his hands clasped behind his back: "I knew you were going out."
Qin Sang looked him over: "What's wrong with you? Did the influx of disaster victims disturb your peaceful sleep, young master?"
Xie Sui'an sighed softly: "There's no need to mock me like that. Although I haven't entered officialdom yet, I was there last night when there was a conflict between officials and civilians outside the city, which resulted in many deaths."
"You went? What did you go there for?" Qin Sang asked in surprise.
"There's nothing we can do but urge the Kyoto Prefect and his troops not to harm the civilians and to make proper arrangements for them."
Qin Sang glanced at him, never expecting that the young master would be of such use.
"So all the refugees have been properly settled?"
Xie Sui'an: "Most of them, I guess. The Imperial Guards moved military tents overnight and set up camp outside the city to accommodate the refugees. They also sent military doctors and doctors from the city to provide medical treatment. Under the emperor's nose, they can't just ignore the lives of the people."
Qin Sang nodded, feeling slightly relieved: "These people have traveled a long way to the capital, and I don't know how much hardship they have endured. I hope someone can stand up for them..."
Sure enough, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Before things got out of hand, the soldiers at the city gate were still blocking the disaster victims from entering the city.
An image inevitably flashed through her mind: a magnificent carriage and a meat bun sticking out of it.
Qin Sang paused for a moment, then turned and walked towards the First Madam's Ninghui Garden.
Xie Sui'an called from behind, "Aren't you going out?"
Qin Sang wanted to see Aunt Tan and hear her opinion on her father's buying and selling of disaster relief grain. Seeing that Xie Sui'an's expression was not good, she said to him, "You've been busy all night, go back and rest first. I'll go out later, and I'll have someone call you when I leave."
Xie Sui'an's eyes were red from sleepiness. Hearing this, he thought for a moment and said, "Then call me when you need to go out later. Don't go out by yourself. It's not safe outside now."
Qin Sang answered without turning her head, "I understand."
Qin Sang took Lingding to Ninghui Garden.
As soon as I entered the courtyard, I sensed that something was wrong.
Early in the morning, maids and servants lined up in the courtyard, including those from each household, the kitchen, and those who did odd jobs in the outer courtyard.
When she arrived at the lobby entrance, she saw that quite a few people were already sitting inside, their expressions all somber. When they saw her enter, they merely glanced at her.
Xie Lin's eyes were red, and she kept wiping away tears with a handkerchief, but she couldn't see her mother, Aunt Tan, who was probably still unconscious.
Qin Sang found a secluded spot to sit down, when she heard an old woman hurry in and report: "The Prime Minister's intention is that the Prefect and the Imperial Guards will handle this matter properly, and the Prime Minister's family does not need to be the first to step forward."
The two ladies above frowned and exchanged a glance.
Qin Sang understood that Prime Minister Xie's words were serious.
The affairs of displaced people are political matters; why should their families meddle? They'll only become targets for criticism.
However, judging from the current rumors, this matter is indeed closely related to Aunt Tan's family. Wang Huiwen sighed heavily, waved for the old woman to leave, and also dismissed the extra old women and maids in the courtyard.
Cen Biyun said, "Sister-in-law, there's no need to worry. The responsibility for this matter will ultimately not fall on the Prime Minister's head. The eldest and second masters didn't do anything related to disaster relief. Whoever is ineffective in disaster relief will be decided by His Majesty. As for Aunt Tan, if her father's crimes are proven, he can simply divorce her and sever all ties."
Xie Lin, standing to the side, pursed her lips, desperately trying not to cry out, but tears streamed down her face like beads from a broken string.
Wang Huiwen glared at Xie Lin resentfully, wiped the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief, and sighed, "That's true, but from Yuzhou to the capital, it's a full three thousand li. With so many refugees flooding into the capital, who knows what kind of chaos it's in outside? If this matter is truly related to the Tan family, and the Tan family insists that it's due to the Prime Minister's connections, then this matter..."
With a thud, Xie Lin knelt down. "Grandpa won't implicate our family. I can talk to him..."
"Shut up!" Cen Biyun snapped. "You go and talk to him? What gives you the right to do that? He's being held in prison in Yuezhou. Are you going all that way just to give him leverage?!"
Xie Lin shut his mouth, his bloodshot eyes wide open, and shook his head violently.
“That’s enough,” Wang Huiwen said. “The Prime Minister told us to hold back, so we should do nothing. The more we do, the more mistakes we will make. Right now, we can only wait for the verdict from Yuezhou. I heard that the Emperor appointed an imperial envoy last night, who has already set off for Yuezhou and Yuzhou.”
Cen Biyun asked, "Who did you order?"
Wang Huiwen: "I heard from the old man that it was Lord Han Fang from the Inspectorate."
“Lord Han…” Cen Biyun pondered, “I haven’t heard of him much.”
"He's low-key, doesn't associate with or rely on anyone."
“That’s alright, as long as it’s not…” Cen Biyun stopped talking and didn’t continue.
"What is it if not?" Qin Sang was very curious but didn't dare to ask further. Just then, a loud "smack" was heard, and Xie Wu slammed his hand on the armrest of the chair, angrily saying, "Too greedy! Absolutely insane! He even dares to embezzle disaster relief grain. Is he really not afraid of death? If he dies, he dies, but he also drags others down with him!"
Xie Lin bit her lip, but being young, she finally couldn't hold back her tears: "This matter is still unresolved. My maternal grandfather hasn't been convicted yet. It's not necessarily him who did it..."
Xie Wu was furious: "Do you dare say that your maternal grandfather never tarnished your grandfather's reputation when he did business outside? A concubine, always bossing people around, dressed in gold and silver, I don't know what your second uncle was thinking to spoil your mother like this. If you ask me, take this opportunity to sell her off, who knows what kind of trouble she might cause in the future!"
Xie Lin suddenly stopped crying and retorted, "In the past, when my maternal grandfather sent people to deliver gifts to my mother and me, he would often also send gifts to my sister. How come my sister is turning her back on us now and is in such a hurry to sever ties?"
Xie Wu: "...When did I take your things? You were just showing off and insisted on giving them to me!"
"Alright," Wang Huiwen said calmly with a solemn expression, "This matter is not yet settled, so let's not panic. We must insist that no one knew anything about it, and indeed no one knew anything to begin with. Whatever the investigation in Yuezhou reveals, that's what it is, and we'll handle it accordingly. We've acted uprightly and have nothing to fear from investigations."
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