Princess Chang and her entourage stayed in Longmen County for another three days, waiting for the river embankment to be repaired and also waiting for the imperial court's reinforcements to arrive.
Three days later, they set off fully prepared.
Two of the three prefectures most severely affected by the floods have been cleared, leaving only Bailu Prefecture.
We have made ample preparations for this trip.
Two Xuanji Guards at the Divine Martial Realm, four at the Fourth Rank Realm (Qin Zhaoqiong, Yaoguang, Canglan, and Chen Fang), and a bunch of Fifth and Sixth Rank Realm members.
The journey took two days, proceeding steadily without any forced marches or unexpected incidents, and they successfully entered Bailu Prefecture.
At noon, in Bailu County, where the prefectural capital was located, the governor, magistrate, and other officials were already waiting at the city gate.
Of course, there was also the Fifth Prince, Qin Jingzhan, who went to provide disaster relief independently.
Everyone bowed in greeting, and Qin Jingzhan rushed over, "Elder sister, are you alright?"
Seeing his concern, Qin Zhaoqiong smiled and patted his shoulder, "It's nothing, just a minor injury."
"Your humble servants Yan Wenyuan, Prefect of Bailu Prefecture, and Lu Deyu, Magistrate of Bailu County, greet Your Highness."
Inside the carriage, Qin Zhaoyue leaned lazily on Suimo's shoulder, accompanied by Liuyan.
Sorcerers have the ability to conceal the secrets of heaven, and the safest way to do so is to protect them closely.
"Sixth Prince, won't you go out and meet with the state officials?"
She rolled her eyes at him, too lazy to even respond to his words.
A slight smile appeared on Sui Mo's lips.
Having spent so much time together, she now basically believes what the Sixth Princess said in the Imperial Study.
His words and actions are so consistent that he may genuinely have no interest in the succession struggle.
Qin Zhaoqiong was always decisive and efficient, but after entering Bailu Prefecture, his style changed drastically, and he began to prioritize stability.
When Yan Wenyuan suggested having a meal at the governor's mansion, she did not refuse.
"Lord Yan, I need to take over the city's defenses."
"Of course, this is the Chief of the Military Affairs Department. Your Highness can send someone to take over the defense with him."
Deputy General Hu left with that sergeant.
The princess streamlined her troops, leaving behind some seriously injured and unable to move in Longmen County.
Only two thousand cavalrymen came with us this time, so there was no need to station them outside the city; they could easily take over an entire county.
Deputy General Hu took 1,500 of the cavalry with him, while the remaining elite troops continued to accompany him.
There are many reasons why Bailu Prefecture was placed last.
Firstly, the region is remote and its water system is not as extensive as the previous two states;
Secondly, both the initial intelligence and the subsequent reconnaissance by scouts showed that the disaster situation within the state was well controlled;
Thirdly, the state has a fiefdom belonging to Prince Rui, which, although nominal, still wields considerable influence.
Numerous officials and five hundred cavalrymen entered the city, and many ordinary people could be seen along the streets.
The constables maintained order on both sides, but they didn't even need to use fire sticks.
The people did not riot; they mostly looked at the procession with curiosity, not tension.
Almost all the shops were open: general stores, cosmetics shops, fabric shops, eateries, taverns...
A sign was hanging at the entrance of the grain store indicating that purchases were limited to those with local household registration, but there were not many people queuing up, and there was no scene of panic buying.
Passing through five streets, Qin Zhaoqiong felt only one thing: stability.
The situation was quite different from the other two states, as if they had not experienced severe flooding.
Governor Yan recounted the flood control policies implemented over the past month in a leisurely and unhurried manner, much like the calm atmosphere of the surrounding streets.
At the onset of the flood, the prefectural government immediately took measures.
Yan Wenyuan did not take any chances. Based on the worst-case scenario and the prediction of the flooding, he evacuated all the villages downstream of each waterway.
Prince Rui's fiefdom already had granaries, and he sought their help, obtaining disaster relief grain at market price.
Domestic grain traders were placed under strict control. A number of those who dared to deliberately hoard grain or sell it at high premiums in the early stages were arrested, and grain prices were quickly stabilized.
They organized medical officers, bricklayers, and city defense patrol officers to carry out rescue operations and recruited laborers to provide work relief.
Repairing and reinforcing river embankments, opening canals for drainage and flood discharge, providing centralized medical treatment for the injured and disabled, establishing resettlement areas... all these measures were carried out in an orderly and effective manner.
Although there were some special circumstances such as landslides, swamps, and quicksand that caused some casualties, they were all brought under control in the shortest possible time.
Even when the imperial court distributed disaster relief grain, Yan Wenyuan arranged for yamen runners and laborers to sift out most of the bran and chaff, thus preventing large-scale complaints.
Thus, people in Bailu Prefecture continued to live and work in peace and contentment.
Qin Zhaoqiong smiled and showered her with praise, but she remained vigilant inwardly.
On the surface, this governor was quite capable, and Prince Rui generously offered his assistance, but she dared not let her guard down.
The magistrate of Chiyan County was also very capable, but what was the result?
Bailu Prefecture is not far from Hanoi Prefecture and Qingyao Prefecture, at most a three to five day's journey.
Moreover, there are mineral resources within the territory, but they are copper mines.
Qin Zhaoyue heard the lively commotion on the street, and could faintly hear the peddler's cries.
Lifting the curtain to look outside, the first thing that catches the eye is a round, large face.
"Sixth...Sixth Sister..."
Qin Jingzhan, who was standing next to the carriage, had actually been following along for a while.
I heard that my eldest sister and sixth sister were both assassinated, and I wanted to ask them a few questions.
However, he and Zhaoyue didn't really have any interaction, and he didn't know how to start the conversation. As a result, their eyes met unexpectedly.
"Fifth Brother, your big face is blocking my sunlight."
Qin Jingzhan: ...
Alright, no need to ask anymore, Sixth Sister is perfectly fine!
With a cold snort, he immediately spurred his horse forward, clearing the sunlight.
Qin Zhaoyue looked out the window; this was the first time she had ever seen a normal county town.
It's impossible that all these people are actors hired to put on a show, and that they can be convinced after watching for a while that Bailu County has done a good job in flood control.
They arrived at the prefectural government office without any problems.
This was the first time Qin Zhaoyue had made an appearance.
The governor, Yan Wenyuan, still led the officials in bowing respectfully, showing no disrespect because of her reputation.
He was neither humble nor arrogant. Unlike when he talked to the princess about disaster relief, he naturally brought up the local customs and culture of Bailu Prefecture in just a few words, as well as what delicious food and fun things there were to do.
Qin Zhaoyue didn't give her a cold look; she naturally showed some interest when the topic turned to eating, drinking, and having fun.
That's why he was able to become the highest-ranking official in a prefecture; there wasn't a single fault to be found. It seems he was well-versed in the ways of officialdom.
The governor had made preparations in advance and set up a banquet in the main hall.
Qin Zhaoqiong was given the seat of honor, and she originally wanted to bring her sixth sister along.
Speaking of contributions to this disaster relief effort, Zhao Yue's achievements are definitely no less than hers overall.
Before she could even finish her sentence, her sixth sister turned her back on her and went to sit down on her left.
On the left, in order, are Gu Tingyun, Junior Director of the Ministry of Civil Affairs (yes, the old man is still alive), the Fifth Prince, the Sixth Princess, Commander Meng, the person in charge of the three ministries on this trip, and the last seat is the Prime Minister's eldest son.
On the right, in order, are the Prefect, the Assistant Prefect, the five chief officials, the County Magistrate, and the County Assistant Magistrate.
The host and guests took their seats, and the dishes were served.
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