Chapter 600 The Lies Grow Bigger and Bigger
Xie Shang was just about to go find Jiang Fenghua when she returned looking preoccupied.
"Ruan Ruan, where did you go?" Xie Shang asked with concern, "It's dangerous outside."
Jiang Fenghua looked around and felt that someone was watching them, but she couldn't find anyone suspicious.
She pulled Xie Shang back into the inn. "I saw Bai Yuhan. How could she appear in Qingzhou City as Lady Miaoyin, and even claim to be a disciple of Guanyin Bodhisattva?"
She recounted what had happened, and then said, "I've been thinking about it all the way here. I keep thinking that this was a trap to lure me in. I didn't go in, but how could it be faked with so many people drawing lots? Nothing happened on the way back just now. Am I overthinking it? But how could Bai Yuhan appear in Qingzhou City as Lady Miaoyin?"
She had been holding her sword defensively when she returned, thinking there might be danger on the road, but nothing happened until she reached the inn.
Xie Shang pulled her into his arms and said in a deep voice, "It's a good thing you didn't go in alone. What if someone set a trap for you? You can't go out alone in the future."
Jiang Fenghua herself couldn't understand it. At that moment, it seemed as if a voice in her mind kept reminding her to be careful. She didn't impulsively go into the restaurant to find Bai Yuhan.
“Another possibility is that Bai Yuhan just happened to come to Qingzhou by chance,” Jiang Fenghua added.
If Xiao Yu hadn't sent the message, he really wouldn't have had any clue, and wouldn't have even considered the possibility of Prince Kang. Now, he can probably guess the general idea.
Xie Shang said, "Let's assume that the person controlling Bai Yuhan is the one spreading rumors. We've been under surveillance since the Southern Kingdom, and we're still under surveillance in Qingzhou. They even know we know Bai Yuhan and deliberately led you there. That makes sense."
"Since they've been monitoring us, why haven't they made a move? What exactly do they want?" Jiang Fenghua asked疑惑地问道, "Your Highness, can you guess who wants to harm your father?"
"They might also be members of the Xie family."
Jiang Fenghua asked in confusion, "You members of the royal family are spreading rumors that Heaven is going to punish the Emperor? This matter seems complicated. Is it related to the secret letter Lin Feng received? It's a secret of the court. You don't have to say it if it's inconvenient to say it."
Xie Shang didn't hide anything from her and briefly explained the grudge between Prince Kang and his father, "Beyond Qingzhou lies the Northwest. Since ancient times, the Northwest has been the most barren place. Prince Kang was demoted to the Northwest by his father, who made it clear that he could never return to the capital. If it is Prince Kang, I guess they are using this locust plague in Qingzhou to spread rumors. Their purpose is to belittle the royal family, incite public anger, and avenge the demotion he suffered back then. Thinking deeper, he might even rebel."
Jiang Fenghua knew about these things concerning the royal family even before she lost her memory, so he had no reason to hide it from her.
“These are all my speculations, and there is currently no evidence to suggest that Prince Kang will rebel,” Xie Shang added.
Jiang Fenghua said, "It's really complicated! What I fear most is this kind of struggle between relatives. Can't people from the same clan and family take a step back? Is power really that important, more important than family?"
Xie Shang said, "You wouldn't understand now. It's normal for members of the royal family to fight for power. Who isn't obsessed with imperial power? There's no kinship in the royal family. Father and Uncle Kang are the best examples."
Jiang Fenghua used to say that she wanted to be empress, and she only wanted power. Now she has forgotten everything.
"So the person who's been monitoring you since the Southern Kingdom is from Prince Kang's lineage." She suddenly remembered, "Could the young master Yun who helped Tu Jina and Tu Jun be related to Prince Kang?"
“If there really is a connection, then it makes sense that Prince Kang joined forces with the vassal states and spread rumors about the emperor. After all, Prince Kang hates your father for banishing him to the northwest to suffer.”
Xie Shang was speechless. Ruan Ruan's explanation made sense, but how was he supposed to tell her that her father had passed away?
He sighed; the lie was like a snowball, getting bigger and bigger.
Xie Shang even wondered if Jiang Fenghua had experienced the rebellion of Prince Kang's lineage in her previous life. Although he had entered her dream, Jiang Fenghua had always lived in the palace and had never been in contact with the outside world, so she knew nothing about what was happening in the court.
Master Wu Zi said that he could only enter Jiang Fenghua's dreams, and he knew nothing else.
However, from her dream, he knew that his throne was at least secure. He didn't know if the Kang Prince's lineage had rebelled, but he knew that even if the Kang Prince had rebelled, he certainly wouldn't have succeeded.
The urgent need to deal with the locust plague is growing, and rumors are spreading, with some people trying to exploit the people to spread trouble.
The imperial court has allocated 500,000 taels of silver for disaster relief, which should be enough to resettle the victims, but the situation outside has not improved.
After tidying up, they went to the Qingzhou government office.
The prefectural government office is located in the east of the city. Looking out from afar, it is simple and unadorned with its blue bricks and gray tiles, and the two stone lions in front of the gate are also quite old.
As soon as the carriage stopped in front of the yamen, soldiers came over and urged it on, "Who are you? You can't linger in front of the yamen. Get out of here!"
Lin Feng jumped down from the carriage. "Excuse me, is this the Qingzhou Prefectural Government Office?"
The yamen runner pointed impatiently at the top of the yamen and said, "Are you blind? It clearly says 'Qingzhou Prefectural Government Office' above. What else is this but the prefectural government office? Who are you? What are you doing here? If you want to file a complaint, you have to submit a petition first. The clerk will review it and then hand it over to the prefect... If you have nothing else to do, hurry up and leave."
The bailiffs recited the words like a rhyme, but Lin Feng didn't remember them. He only noticed the attitude of the officers and soldiers.
He endured it.
He smiled and said, "My young master is a merchant from the South. Hearing that Qingzhou has been hit by a locust plague, he came here specifically to donate a batch of grain to help with the disaster in Qingzhou. I wonder if you could tell us where our Prefect is now?"
The constable then looked him up and down, and then at the carriage. It was indeed luxurious. Instantly, his attitude changed, and he became respectful. "The prefect is in the yamen and should be busy with official business right now. How much grain do you plan to donate? Can we come out and talk?"
Lin Feng said, "My young master is not short of money. Donating money is to do good deeds and accumulate merit. How much to donate depends on how much you need. My young master can easily make money by selling a cartload of jewelry and jade. Don't worry, sir, we can afford to donate."
The constable thought to himself: What arrogance! But he had also heard that merchants from the South were not short of money and were all wealthy.
Xie Shang lifted the carriage curtain and stepped out. He was dressed in fine clothes and a golden crown, exuding wealth and nobility. Jiang Fenghua, dressed elegantly, accompanied him.
The constable was captivated as he watched the two emerge from the carriage. Not only were they good-looking, but they were also wealthy, which meant he could make some extra money.
The yamen runners hurriedly sent someone to inform Prefect Fan, and then personally led the way, saying, "Young master and madam, please come in."
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