While the imperial court was in chaos over Prince Yong's breakfast, Xiao Rui was changing clothes with someone in the imperial prison.
"Your Highness, I have made all the preparations. Someone will meet you when you go out," Eleven said as he helped Xiao Rui change his clothes.
The necessary arrangements had already been made when Emperor Jingxuan imprisoned him.
The innocence and gentleness that had been on Xiao Rui's face were gone. Now, with a cold expression, he asked, "Are the people who will meet Seventeen ready?"
"Your Highness, the situation has changed drastically. Seventeen's life is worthless and not worth Your Highness worrying about anymore. I have already ordered Eleven to transfer all those people to protect you on your way to Qiongzhou." Seventeen, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up.
Xiao Rui looked at him coldly, "Did I say I wanted you dead?"
"Your Highness, please calm down!" Eleven and Seventeen knelt down at the same time, both of them suddenly feeling a little frightened.
Their master was the kindest master ever, but after a sudden change, it seemed that the master's temperament had changed drastically.
Xiao Rui said, "According to the original plan, we will protect the Seventeenth Prince, but the subsequent meeting will not be in Qiongzhou."
"Not going to Qiongzhou?" Eleven was stunned. "Why does Your Highness say that?"
“I did not give the order for Prince Yong’s rebellion. Qiongzhou is no longer safe,” Xiao Rui said, looking out of the prison with narrowed eyes. “We’re going to Yongshan County in Yukang Prefecture.”
Upon hearing this, Eleven blurted out, "Is it because General Lu is there?"
"Make them obey orders." Xiao Rui didn't answer, only saying this.
Lu Yanzheng had no ambition, nor did he.
But he had a dream.
A gut feeling told him that Lu Yanzheng and Jiang Qinyu were both people worth cooperating with; they wouldn't let him down, and he wouldn't let them down either.
...
Prince Yong's rebellion quickly triggered a chain reaction.
In July of the twenty-fifth year of the Jingxuan reign, the Prince of Yong in Qiongzhou rebelled. The people, having long suffered under the court, numbered in the tens of thousands and joined him. By August, the rebel army had grown to 300,000, and the court dispatched the Earl of Weiwu to suppress them.
September's weather gradually cools down, but the lingering heat of late summer still causes great suffering for the people.
The people of Dingshui Village have it much easier than those outside; at least they have easier access to water, and their crops haven't been neglected.
That evening, Chen was sitting at the village entrance, arranging wild vegetables with a basket on her back, frequently looking towards the road ahead.
"Grandma, Auntie has finished cooking. Let's go home and eat!" Pan'er skipped over, helping to tidy up as she spoke.
Madam Chen forced a smile, "Alright, alright, Grandma will go back with Pan'er now."
Pan'er also looked towards the village entrance, and then sighed like a little adult, "Why hasn't Uncle come back yet? He said he would give my brother and me a little pony each."
This was something Lu Yanzheng had promised the two children back in the border town, but the war started and Prince Yong rebelled, so the matter was delayed.
“Your uncle keeps his word and will definitely give it to you. Pan’er, just wait a little longer,” Chen coaxed, though she was very worried inside.
Lu Yanzheng has been gone for over a month. He sent a message to Jiang Qinyu saying that his return date was uncertain, but the news from outside is getting more and more frightening every day. Even she, an old woman, is terrified by what she hears and is really worried about his safety.
As she spoke, Madam Chen led Pan'er back home.
Before she even reached her doorstep, she saw Jiang Qinyu come out after taking off her apron.
"Mom, dinner's ready," Jiang Qinyu called out.
Her eyes also glanced towards the village entrance, seemingly casually.
For more than a month, Dingshui Village had made all the preparations, but Wei Chengzong did not settle the refugees who came to Yongshan County one after another in Dingshui Village. It did not rain, and there was no news of Lu Yanzheng for more than a month.
Seeing nothing amiss at the village entrance, Jiang Qinyu suppressed her disappointment and greeted Chen Shi and Pan'er with a smile, inviting them back to the house for dinner.
Since Yunzhu and the others arrived, Jiang Qinyu has no longer eaten separately from Old Man Lu and Madam Chen.
Many times, she was called away by Village Chief Li to help the villagers come up with ideas, guide them in digging drainage ditches, and plant new crops, etc.
When she wasn't home, Shufan and Pan'er were taken care of by Yunzhu and the others. But Chen was worried and would always cook for the children. So, after a while, it became difficult for them to eat separately.
Fortunately, there was no shortage of food, so Jiang Qinyu took the initiative to suggest that the two families eat together.
Chen hesitated because of Lu Yancai and his wife, but Old Man Lu made the decision with one sentence: "The second son and his wife have severed ties with the eldest son's family, so what business is it of theirs?"
When this comes up, Jiang Qinyu doesn't know what to say about Lu Yancai and his wife.
They were both incompetent and lazy, and they didn't work hard to earn work points in the village. They lived off their savings, so they quickly squandered their fortune.
But these two men were as thick-skinned as a city wall. When they ran out of food at home, they openly stole from Old Man Lu and Mrs. Chen. When Mrs. Chen caught them, they kept saying things like, "Anyway, you'll be ours when you die, so what's wrong with us taking it now?"
Chen would try to reason with them, but Old Man Lu would just pick up his hoe and start chopping, not giving Lu Yancai and his wife a chance to speak at all.
Stealing grain was one thing, but Lu Yancai and his wife were encouraging Lu Tianbao to spread rumors outside, while showing no respect for the two elderly people. The villagers couldn't stand it anymore, so naturally no one spoke up for them.
In the end, even in front of the whole village, Village Chief Li asked whether they wanted to sever ties with Lu Yancai. Old Man Lu neither agreed nor objected. If it weren't for Chen Shi holding them back, the old couple probably would have severed ties with Lu Yancai and his family as well.
Therefore, the day Lu Yan came to the house to make trouble, he was crushed to death by Old Man Lu.
"Second son, if you want to control how your mother and I live, then return the land and grain that were previously allocated to you, and your mother and I will come and live with you; otherwise, you two have no right to control us!" Old Man Lu said directly.
Lu Yancai certainly couldn't provide the land and grain, but he still stubbornly insisted, "Father, my elder brother is away from home most of the year. You and Mother will still have to rely on us to support you in the future. Why can't we take care of them?"
"Why should I?" Old Lu grabbed a hoe and said, "Because you two have never given your mother and me a single grain of rice or a single penny!"
Every time he thought about this, Old Man Lu felt a surge of anger.
During the Spring Festival this year, even the villagers came to deliver New Year's gifts, but Lu Yancai and his wife didn't even bring a single wild vegetable.
What's the point of having a son like that? No one will lift a finger to help him when he's bedridden, so why should he give him anything good? He's not some kind of unfortunate child.
The term "great injustice" was naturally something Jiang Qinyu had heard from her.
Lu Yancai was eventually driven away because Old Man Lu threatened to sever ties with his family. Lu Yancai wasn't completely stupid; he knew he absolutely couldn't sever ties with Old Man Lu and his family, so he could only run away with his tail between his legs.
After that, Jiang Qinyu and the others finally settled down during their meal.
"Everyone, come out quickly! Someone is coming towards our village!"
That night, Liu Erleng, who was keeping watch at the lookout tower, woke up the villagers by banging a gong...
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