Before the dust stirred up by the cold wind had settled, Xin Jiuwei straightened her back and turned to face the capital.
Xiao Xun's cloak billowed in the wind like a flag. He took one last deep look at her, his gaze heavy with trust, entrustment, and an indescribable concern.
Immediately, he mounted his horse, his black cloak drawing a resolute arc in the morning light, and led his personal guards in iron cavalry, chasing after the dust and smoke of the army ahead like an arrow released from a bow.
The thunderous sound of hooves faded into the distance, shaking the earth beneath her feet and resonating in Xin Jiuwei's heart. She stood there until the black torrent completely disappeared at the end of the official road, leaving only the mournful sound of the wind and the solemn breathing of the guards from the royal palace behind her.
"Miss, it's windy, let's go back to the manor." You Ye stepped forward and advised in a low voice.
Xin Jiuwei slowly shook her head, her gaze sweeping across the empty plains before finally settling on the majestic outline of the capital. Her brother and Xin Kui had already joined the vanguard battalion on their way to the blood-soaked Tongguan Pass, and Xiao Xun was about to personally face 100,000 iron cavalry on the battlefield. Her battlefield, however, lay beneath that seemingly prosperous and peaceful capital. There was no clash of swords, yet undercurrents surged, and every step was fraught with peril.
"Return to the residence." Her voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority. "Issue the order that all matters concerning the allocation of disaster relief supplies and the resettlement of displaced persons be summarized and reported daily at 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM in the West Garden Council Hall. Also, I request that Miss Lin come to the residence for a chat."
Upon returning to the Prince's residence, Xin Jiuwei did not rest in the warm pavilion but went straight to the temporary disaster relief dispatch center set up in the West Garden. This place, originally a spacious martial arts training hall within the Prince's residence, was now piled high with account books, rosters, and lists of supplies. Several large square tables were pushed together, covered with maps of Yingzhou and its surrounding areas, marked in vermilion with the most severely affected counties and the destinations of displaced people. More than ten capable stewards and accountants drawn from the orphanage, the Lin residence, and the Prince's residence were busily working at their desks, the sounds of abacuses, writing, and hushed conversations blending into a tense yet orderly rhythm.
Xin Jiuwei's arrival instantly silenced the hall. Everyone rose to their feet and bowed, their gazes fixed on her with awe and anticipation. In such a short time, this future princess consort had won their absolute trust with her resilience, fairness, and exceptional organizational skills.
"No need for formalities, let's get back to work." Xin Jiuwei walked straight to the head of the table, her gaze sweeping over everyone. "Latest news from Yingzhou?"
The steward in charge of compiling the information immediately stepped forward: "Miss, we just received a message from Prefect Xin via carrier pigeon half an hour ago. The upstream ice jams are fierce, and two more sections of the dikes have experienced piping. Although Young Master Qi (Qi Huaihe) and his men risked their lives to plug the leaks and temporarily stabilize the situation, a large amount of stone and wooden piles are urgently needed for reinforcement. In addition, the number of refugees has surged, with nearly 50,000 pouring in from the direction of Yuncheng. The resettlement points in the city are overcrowded, and there is a risk of disease outbreaks. Prefect, you earnestly request that the capital quickly send epidemic prevention materials, especially mugwort, atractylodes, and quicklime, which are of utmost urgency!"
Xin Jiuwei frowned, her finger unconsciously tapping the map at the location of Yuncheng. Yuncheng, where her sister was! The memory of her sister's tragic death from depression in her past life flashed through her mind, making her heart clench. No, in this life, she would never let that tragedy repeat itself! Not only for her sister, but also for the fifty thousand people struggling on the brink of life and death!
"Even the reserves of stone and timber in the capital are insufficient; distant water cannot quench a nearby fire." Xin Jiuwei pondered for a moment and then decisively ordered, "Send a message to Father and Brother-in-law: Use local materials! Mobilize the disaster victims to cut down usable timber in the nearby mountains and quarry stone! Pay the workers with grain instead of wages, according to their labor! At the same time, ask Brother-in-law to use all the Qi family's trade routes to purchase stone and timber at high prices from nearby areas, no matter how much, and transport them to the dangerous areas as quickly as possible! The Capital Association will do its best to raise money and grain to compensate!"
"Yes!" The steward quickly wrote it down.
"As for the medicines for epidemic prevention..." Xin Jiuwei turned to the manager in charge of supplies, "How much do we have in our warehouse? What about the donations from the pharmacies that Sister Lin contacted?"
"Miss Hui, the stock of mugwort and atractylodes in the warehouse is less than 20%. The share donated by the pharmacy has been sent to Yingzhou as planned, and a new batch is still being prepared. However, the price of medicinal herbs in the capital has been driven up by several large pharmacies in recent days, making it difficult to purchase them, and the quality is inconsistent."
"Raising prices?" A cold glint flashed in Xin Jiuwei's eyes. With the nation in peril, how could anyone still make such ill-gotten gains! She almost instantly locked onto her target—the Xue family! Xue Mingyi's father, Xue Chongyi, was in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, and his family had been operating a deeply entrenched medicinal herb business in the capital for many years.
“Xin Kui isn’t here…” Xin Jiuwei’s mind raced. A direct confrontation was not the best strategy; the Xue family was waiting for her to make a mistake. Her gaze swept across the map, landing on the markings south of Yingzhou. “I remember that Jiangzhou and Yuezhou are rich in mugwort and atractylodes, and they haven’t been affected by this spring flood yet?”
“Miss, you are right! That’s right!” The steward’s eyes lit up.
"Write a letter immediately!" Xin Jiuwei decided decisively. "In the joint name of the Marquis of Anguo's residence and the Sixth Prince's residence, send it to the prefectural governments of Jiangzhou and Yuezhou, as well as the largest pharmacy in each region! State that Yingzhou is facing a major disaster and an impending plague, and earnestly request that both places, out of consideration for each other's plight and as fellow citizens of Daliang, quickly gather epidemic prevention supplies such as mugwort, atractylodes, and quicklime. The Qi family's merchant caravan, carrying my warrant, will receive and transport these supplies along the way! The price will be 10% higher than the market price, and payment will be made in cash! Furthermore, I promise that if both places can alleviate this urgent crisis, their righteous act will be recorded in the disaster relief merit book and sent directly to the Emperor!"
This move bypassed the capital's pharmaceutical market, which was controlled by the Xue family, and directly sought assistance from the production areas. It used the promise of a "righteous act before the emperor" and the promise of high silver prices as bait, while simultaneously leveraging Qi Huaihe's extensive trade network across the south for efficient transportation. This two-pronged approach aimed for maximum effectiveness!
Commands were issued one after another, and the entire dispatch center sprang into action again like a sophisticated machine. Xin Jiuwei, in the center, directed operations with clarity and skill, her calm and capable demeanor earning the admiration of everyone present. This was no ordinary woman, but a true strategist and commander!
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