Storm is coming
As autumn deepened, the air in the capital was thick with a sense of impending doom and gloom. While Han Mingyuan's impeachment didn't immediately stir up a storm, undercurrents were becoming increasingly apparent. At court, the debate over the grain transport system shifted from whether corruption existed to how it should be rectified and who should lead it. It was no secret that the Seventh Prince, Xiao Jingche, frequently visited the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works, reviewing files and consulting with river engineers. This undoubtedly signaled his formal involvement in the matter, clearly siding with the side of "reform."
The Third Prince's faction remained silent, merely spreading rumors among the censors, accusing Han Mingyuan of "hastily seeking fame" and questioning the Seventh Prince's "overstepping his authority to interfere in government affairs," attempting to muddy the waters. The two sides wrestled, maintaining a fragile balance for the time being.
Today, the Jinxiu Poetry Society held its sixth gathering. The venue remained at the Tingyu Pavilion in the Lu Mansion, but the atmosphere was completely different. Outside, the autumn wind blew, swirling with dead leaves and adding a touch of solemnity.
Wei Linlang arrived the earliest, with a lingering worry between her brows. When she saw Lu Qinglan, she whispered, "Sister, there's news from the border that the food and grass are delayed again! Although my brother didn't say it explicitly in the letter, one can feel the growing dissatisfaction in the army between the lines. If it goes on like this, something unexpected might happen!" She held Lu Qinglan's hand tightly, her fingertips cold.
Lu Qinglan held her hand with her backhand, patted her gently, and said in a calm tone: "Sister, please be patient. Since the court has attached importance to this matter, there must be a solution. I believe General Wei can stabilize the situation." She glanced at Wei Linlang's anxious face, and knew in her heart that the pressure from the border was one of the important bargaining chips to promote the resolution of the canal transport case.
Lin Wanru arrived shortly after. She was dressed in a dark green outfit that made her look even taller and more upright, though her face was a little pale, with a faint blue shadow under her eyes. She silently bowed to Lu Qinglan and sat alone in a corner, staring out the window in a daze. Even when Wei Linlang greeted her, she only managed a forced smile.
Liu Ruyan and Zhao Wanyi arrived together, their expressions less relaxed than usual and more cautious. Liu Ruyan softly said, "My father has been coming home lately with a frown on his face. He says there was a heated argument at court over the canal transport issue, and several officials were arguing fiercely." Zhao Wanyi sighed, "My brother, who works at the Ministry of Works, also said he's been under tremendous pressure lately, constantly reviewing the canal blueprints and bills of materials."
Even the two princesses of the royal family who always looked down on others seemed a little uneasy today. They talked in low voices and glanced at Lu Qinglan in the main seat from time to time with scrutiny and inquiry.
Su Yueming continued busily serving tea and snacks, her ears perked up, capturing everyone's words and expressions. She sensed a massive storm brewing, its epicenter seemingly centered on the serene future prince's consort, seated at the center of the proceedings. She felt a mixture of excitement and fear: excitement that she seemed to be standing on the brink of the tide of the times, yet fear that if she wasn't careful, she might be swallowed by the waves.
Everyone drank tea and chatted, but the topic kept turning back to the canal transport and the border. The atmosphere was dull and strange.
At this moment, Lin Wanru suddenly stood up, walked to Lu Qinglan, took a deep breath, and seemed to have made up her mind: "Sister Lu, can I...can I talk to you alone for a few words?"
Everyone was stunned, their eyes fixed on the two of them.
Lu Qinglan raised her eyes and met Lin Wanru's eyes, which were filled with struggle and determination. Her heart moved slightly and she nodded: "Okay." She stood up and said apologetically to everyone: "Sisters, please sit down for a while. Sister Lin and I will be back soon."
The two of them left Tingyuxuan, one in front and one behind, and walked to a secluded rockery not far away.
"Sister Lin, what's up?" Lu Qinglan stopped and looked at Lin Wanru. The autumn wind blew her dark green clothes, outlining her thin and tense figure.
Lin Wanru bit her lower lip and was silent for a long while before she whispered, "Sister Lu, I know... I know I probably shouldn't ask, but I... I really feel uneasy." She raised her head with a trace of bloodshot in her eyes, "The matter of the canal transportation involves a lot of people. My Lin family... my father..." She hesitated to speak, a look of pain appearing on her face.
Lu Qinglan understood instantly. The Lin family was a military family, with intricate ties to the military. The grain transport system was crucial to the borderlands' food and wages, so the Lin family couldn't completely stay out of it. Perhaps Father Lin was under pressure from the Third Prince or the grain transport interest groups, sending Lin Wanru to investigate, or perhaps... to seek some kind of reassurance.
"Sister Lin," Lu Qinglan's voice was calm, but with an unquestionable power, "the affairs of the court are not for you and me to comment on. But I can tell you one thing, the clear will be clear, and the turbid will be turbid. As long as Uncle Lin performs his duties conscientiously and cares about the court and the soldiers on the border, there is no need to worry about unnecessary disasters." She did not make any promises, but made her position clear - she, or the Seventh Prince's side, was targeting termites, not loyal ministers.
Lin Wanru stared at her, stunned, as if trying to discern more from her calm eyes. Finally, as if drained of all strength, her shoulders slumped slightly, and she whispered, "I understand... Thank you, sister." She paused, her voice barely audible. "I just... don't want to see my father and brother embroiled in pointless conflict, and even more so... don't want to see the soldiers at the border starve and freeze."
After saying that, she bowed deeply to Lu Qinglan, turned around and walked away quickly, her back showing a bit of panic and loneliness.
Lu Qinglan watched her depart, his gaze deep. Lin Wan's actions showed that her heart hadn't been completely corrupted by family interests, and she still cared about justice and the soldiers at the border. This could be guided with some caution.
Back at Tingyuxuan, although everyone was curious, no one dared to ask. The gathering ended hastily in a more subtle atmosphere.
After everyone left, Su Yueming packed up the tea sets while casually whispering, "Miss, I just saw Miss Lin's eyes were a little red..."
Lu Qinglan glanced at her but didn't respond. She knew Su Yueming's thoughts very well.
That evening, Fu Yu brought Shen Chong's message from Linqing Gate. The letter had been safely delivered to Cui Wenshu, and Shen Chong, leveraging his connections at Yunshang Pavilion and his extra "handling," had also learned some rumorsâLinqing Gate had indeed been unusually heavily guarded recently, seemingly guarding something. Furthermore, a batch of grain ships marked "tribute satin" hadn't arrived for several days, and the gate officials were keeping this a secret.
"Tribute satin" overdue? Lu Qinglan tapped the table lightly with his fingertips. In the previous life's "grain boat capsize" incident, the loss was precisely tribute silk and tax silver! The time and goods all matched! It seemed that the abscess was about to burst.
She spread out the letter paper and began to write to Xiao Jingche. The content was still concise, only mentioning that she had heard that Linqing Gate had recently been strictly checking the "tribute satin" ships due to overdue shipments, which might affect the passage of other grain ships. She suggested that His Highness send someone to check on this matter to avoid delaying other important supplies.
This letter, seemingly a simple suggestion for the smooth flow of canal transportation, actually delivered the most crucial information to Xiao Jingche in the most unsuspecting way. He was worried about not being able to find a solid breakthrough, and this "coincidence" reminder was like timely help.
Not long after the letter was sent out, the sky finally began to drizzle with autumn rain, knocking on the window frames of Hengwuyuan.
Lu Qinglan stood in front of the window, looking at the rain outside, which was like a weaving net, covering the silent courtyard.
The mountain rain has arrived and the wind is blowing all over the capital.
The storm she had personally created was finally about to begin, and within it, she would seize her first bit of power.
The first step is to make Xiao Jingche realize more deeply that she, Lu Qinglan, is not just an embellishment, but an indispensable arm.
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