They even thought what she said made a lot of sense.
This can't go on.
So he quickly pushed her forward and they arrived at the prefectural government office.
The room was bustling with people, and a dozen or so accountants were constantly turning the abacuses, creating quite a lively scene.
Several people in official robes were discussing something nearby. When they saw the two of them enter, they quickly came forward to greet them.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, and Your Highness Princess Ningding..."
Everyone in the courtyard immediately stopped what they were doing and knelt down to pay their respects.
They knelt all over the courtyard.
Sure enough, going out with the Crown Prince makes a completely different impression.
Rong Ning stood with her arms crossed, tilted her head, and whispered to the Crown Prince, "How about I kneel down for you too?"
"Stop fooling around!"
The crown prince glanced at her sideways, then said loudly, "Rise, all of you..."
"Thank you, Your Highness!"
Everyone stood up and then went back to their own tasks.
The men in official robes were waiting nearby.
The Crown Prince pointed to a young man standing at the front and introduced him, "This is the newly appointed Prefect Chu Pingfeng, whom I just told you about, Lord Chu!"
"Your humble servant greets Princess Ningding..." Chu Pingfeng stepped forward and bowed deeply. "When I arrived in Kangye City yesterday, I heard that the princess was resting, so I did not dare to disturb her. Please forgive me, Your Highness."
Yo~
What does that mean?
She's not some local tyrant in Kangye City. What does it matter whether I pay my respects to her or not?
If these words were to reach Nanyang City by some foul-mouthed person, those ministers would probably start accusing her of some terrible things.
Rong Ning squinted at him, wondering whether she should have a serious discussion with him about this issue.
Seeing her like this, the Crown Prince knew she was about to unleash a powerful move. He raised an eyebrow and interrupted her before she could speak, saying, "Lord Chu, there's no need to be so polite. A-Ning doesn't mind these things."
Chu Pingfeng smiled and said, "Thank you for your understanding, Princess!"
The Crown Prince nodded, and before Rong Ning could react, he continued, "This is Lord Luo, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. He brought his men from the Ministry of Revenue with him to Kangye City to take stock of the confiscated stolen goods."
This time, she launched a major operation in the north, ransacking the homes of many officials in Mingzhou and seizing a great deal of gold and silver. From the prefect alone, she found dozens of chests of silver, not including other luxury items.
Once these items are found, Rong Ning certainly can't keep them for herself. She needs to sort out the accounts and determine whether they should be handed over to the national treasury or something else. There needs to be a clear explanation.
The main issue was the enormous amount involved. Rong Ning didn't want anyone to have any leverage against her, so after collecting the money, she placed it all in the state government office, heavily guarded. She also mentioned this matter in her memorial to the emperor and her secret letter to the crown prince, urging them to send people to count and confiscate it as soon as possible.
The loot they found had already piled up, and since they were setting off back to Nanyang City the next day, they needed to sort out the accounts today.
This is truly a huge undertaking; it's estimated that these people haven't slept a wink since arriving in Kangye City yesterday.
Rong Ning still felt some sympathy for them, so she solemnly bowed to the Ministry of Revenue officials and sincerely said, "Thank you for your hard work!"
"Your Highness, you flatter me. These are all things that this humble subject should do."
These were just polite words. Rong Ning didn't want to waste their time, so she told them to hurry up and get on with their work. She and the Crown Prince then went inside.
Chu Pingfeng followed along, and the three of them walked together to a pavilion in the backyard and sat down.
Before he could even settle in, Chu Pingfeng solemnly said to Rong Ning, "Your Majesty, I am new here and have not yet grasped many aspects of the situation in the North. In order to avoid making mistakes when handling matters, I would appreciate Your Majesty's guidance."
How interesting it is to say such a thing!
When the previous prefect took office, he was not so polite to Princess Rong Ning.
His current attitude also reveals their attitude towards the Crown Prince.
Rong Ning couldn't help but scrutinize Chu Pingfeng closely.
At the age of twenty-five or twenty-six, he was able to become a high-ranking official. Besides having a good father, he must have had some extraordinary abilities, otherwise he wouldn't have been promoted to governor of Mingzhou.
Without real ability, one cannot handle this mess in the North. After all, even if Father and my elder brother wanted to win over the Chu family, they wouldn't let an incompetent fool come here to stir up trouble.
Perhaps sensing Rong Ning's probing gaze, he looked up and met her eyes openly.
Rong Ning didn't dodge, but smiled slightly, her eyes revealing a gentle and profound look. "Lord Chu, you flatter me."
The affairs of the North are complex and cannot be fully understood in a day or two.
However, since you are so willing, I am naturally happy to help.
"Now that you've come to the North, you should be able to sense that the people here are both simple and honest, yet also fiercely independent. Governing the region requires balancing law and human sentiment to win their hearts."
Upon hearing this, Chu Pingfeng's expression became even more respectful, and he nodded, saying, "Your Highness is absolutely right, and I will certainly keep it in mind. However, I am new here and am still somewhat confused about how to proceed. I hope Your Highness will not hesitate to give me your guidance."
"I dare not presume to offer my guidance," Rong Ning waved her hand lightly, speechless. "It's ridiculous for a young girl like me to ask someone who's been in the officialdom for years for guidance."
I can't stand these compliments; they make me feel guilty.
However, I have indeed spent a long time in the North and have gained a clearer understanding of some things. I will now share my views, and whether Lord Chu will find them useful is up to him to consider.
Upon hearing this, Chu Pingfeng immediately replied, "Please speak, Your Highness. I am all ears."
However, it's something that can't be explained in words.
It's not something I can explain in a short time.
Rong Ning smiled, reached into her pocket, and pulled out a thick stack of papers.
About a dozen or so...
I couldn't sleep last night after persuading You Jiang, so I simply stayed up and wrote all of this down in my study, thinking that the new prefect would need it.
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