Chapter 472 He Who Gets Daiyu Gets the World
That day, Daiyu was handling government affairs when she suddenly saw a familiar figure appear at the door—it was the Tenth Prince himself.
"Why has Your Highness come?" Daiyu asked, her voice filled with surprise and joy.
The Tenth Prince laughed:
"Come and see how well our female governor has governed Cixin."
He looked around at the girls studying diligently in the classroom and sighed with admiration.
"As expected, you did not disappoint me."
In the evening, the two strolled along the beach.
The setting sun dyed the sea a golden-red color, a breathtaking sight.
"Yu'er," the Tenth Prince suddenly said solemnly, "once Shixin Prefecture is properly governed, are you... are you willing to govern this land with me?"
Gazing at the vast sea, Daiyu softly said, "Your Highness, my life has been pledged to all the women of the world. Governing Shixin Prefecture is to prove the capabilities of women; establishing girls' schools is to enlighten their minds. As for personal feelings..."
She turned to look at the Tenth Prince, her eyes shining with determination: "It's not too late to discuss this when women can all be independent and self-reliant."
Upon hearing this, the Tenth Prince was not angry at all; instead, he smiled.
"Very well! Then I will accompany you until that day!"
A gentle sea breeze blows, and waves crash against the shore.
Two figures stood side by side, gazing at the land they had jointly governed.
Perhaps this is the best arrangement: not one depending on the other, but walking side by side to create a new era together.
In the nearby school, the sound of reading aloud drifted on the wind, telling of the girls' hopeful future.
Ten years have passed like flowing water, and Shixin Prefecture has transformed from a wild and untamed place into a paradise that everyone yearns for.
In spring, the terraced fields resemble emerald steps, cascading into the sky; in summer, the harbor is bustling with thousands of sails and merchant ships; in autumn, the academy is filled with the sound of students reciting their lessons, as students from all ethnic groups gather together; in winter, the hot springs are shrouded in mist, attracting throngs of tourists.
This once barren land is now one of the most prosperous prefectures in the Celestial Empire.
Officials in the court vied to be transferred here, all saying, "Serving as an official in Shixin Prefecture for one term is better than ten years elsewhere."
Lin Daiyu, the architect of all this, had already stepped down as governor five years earlier and led her fleet to more distant seas.
During her five-year term, she governed Shixin Prefecture to the point where no one picked up lost items on the road and no one locked their doors at night. When she left, thousands of people came to see her off, and their cries shook the heavens.
"Governor, you must come back!" People of all ethnicities knelt on the dock, unwilling to get up for a long time.
Daiyu stood at the bow of the ship, the sea breeze ruffling her cloak: "Take care, everyone! I'm entrusting Shixin Prefecture to you!"
She went to even more distant places, and it is said that she discovered a new continent overseas, where she continued to spread the civilization of the Celestial Empire.
Occasionally, merchant ships would bring back news of her, saying that wherever Governor Lin went, wilderness would turn into paradise, as if she had the Midas touch.
However, during the years that Daiyu was away on her voyage, undercurrents were swirling in the capital.
The Emperor and Empress were so focused on governing the country that they neglected the upbringing of their adult princes.
The three princes were engaged in open and covert struggles, and the court officials took sides, making the situation increasingly tense.
It's unclear when exactly, but a saying began to circulate in the capital: "Whoever wins over Daiyu wins the world."
At first, it was just a private conversation among some literati and scholars, but later it spread to the streets and alleys of the city.
In teahouses and taverns, people often whisper among themselves:
"I heard that Governor Lin has built a new prefecture overseas, which is even larger than Shixin Prefecture!"
"That's right! Everyone says she has the ability to turn stones into gold, and wherever she goes, prosperity follows."
"If any prince were to marry Governor Lin, wouldn't that be..."
By the time these words reached Yuan Hongqu's ears, it was already too late.
"Investigate! Thoroughly investigate where this rumor came from!" Yuan Hongqu frowned deeply at the Women's Academy. "This is pushing Yu'er into a fire pit!"
Yin Duo frowned and said, "These words seem to praise Princess Lin, but in reality, they put her in a very difficult position. The three princes are currently worried about not having any leverage to overpower the other side, and these words..."
Sure enough, within three days, the eldest prince sent someone to the academy to inquire about Daiyu's whereabouts.
"I heard Governor Lin is about to return?" The Crown Prince's confidant said with a fawning smile. "His Highness wishes to host a welcome banquet for Governor Lin..."
Yuan Hongqu said coldly, "The governor's itinerary is a secret of the court and cannot be disclosed."
Immediately afterwards, the men of the Second Prince and the Third Prince also came to the door, all trying to subtly inquire about Daiyu's return date.
What alarmed Yuan Hongqu the most was that even the Emperor summoned her to the palace to inquire: "I heard that Yu'er is coming back? Has she been well all these years overseas?"
Yuan Hongqu cautiously replied, "Thanks to Your Majesty's great fortune, Yu'er is well. As for her return date... I do not know."
The Emperor pondered for a moment: "This child has been gone for so many years, it's time for him to come back."
Upon returning to the academy, Yuan Hongqu immediately wrote several letters and sent them overseas via expedited channels.
The letter contained only a few words: "Changes have occurred in the capital; do not return for the time being."
However, the news still leaked out.
Rumors spread that Daiyu's fleet had returned and would soon arrive at Tianjin Port.
Upon hearing the news, the three princes immediately dispatched people to Tianjin to wait for them.
The eldest prince prepared a grand welcoming ceremony, the second prince mobilized elite guards, and the third prince even went in person.
All eyes in Beijing were focused on Tianjin Port, as if they were waiting for a triumphant queen.
At that moment, Daiyu was indeed on her way back to sea.
She stood on the deck, gazing at the gradually clearing coastline, her heart filled with emotion.
Over the years, she traveled across oceans and established three new prefectures overseas, spreading the civilization of the Celestial Empire to even more distant places. Now, having achieved her goals and returned home in triumph, what should have been a joyous occasion was overshadowed by news from the capital.
"Governor, several official ships have been spotted ahead," a sailor on the watchtower reported.
Daiyu picked up her binoculars and saw that flags were waving outside the harbor, and at least three different fleets of ships were waiting.
Each fleet flew under the prince's banner.
"It seems that things are really not peaceful in the capital," Daiyu sighed softly.
She turned to her adjutant and said, "Pass down the order: the fleet must change course and head to Shixin Prefecture first."
"But Governor, what about the Emperor...?"
"I know what I'm doing."
The fleet quietly changed course, avoiding Tianjin Port and heading straight for Shixinzhou.
When the news reached the capital, the three princes were greatly disappointed.
What shocked them even more was that Daiyu immediately issued a notice after landing in Shixin Prefecture:
"I have been ordered to patrol the seas and am now returning in triumph. However, I have heard many rumors in the capital that 'whoever wins Daiyu wins the world.' This is utterly absurd! The world belongs to His Majesty and all the people; how can it be controlled by a single woman? I hereby solemnly declare: I have pledged my life to the seas and will not consider marriage. Anyone who continues to spread these rumors will be severely punished!"
The announcement caused a nationwide uproar.
During the court assembly, the Emperor slammed his fist on the table and exclaimed, "What a fine Lin Daiyu! Truly a heroine among women!"
The three princes looked at each other, and each saw disappointment in the other's eyes.
But the eldest prince still wouldn't give up.
He personally traveled to Shixin Prefecture, hoping to propose marriage in person.
Upon reaching the border of Shixin Prefecture, they were stopped by a group of soldiers: "By order of the Governor, no member of the royal family is allowed to enter!"
The eldest prince roared, "Insolence! I am the current prince!"
The commander, neither humble nor arrogant, replied: "The prince should be even more mindful of avoiding suspicion. The governor has ordered that anyone who forcibly enters will be considered to be committing treason!"
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