Noble Lady

Chapter 286: Revealing Yumei's Identity

As soon as Situ Zhen said the words "give out porridge", the villagers who had fled famine and followed him back were immediately excited.

"Is there really food to eat?" The younger children looked at each other in disbelief.

"Porridge is good, it's better than eating Guanyin soil and tree bark! We are saved!" The parents were overjoyed and cried while hugging their children.

"Thank God, we don't have to go hungry anymore. God, you have sent us a living Bodhisattva." The older generation of mothers-in-law put their hands together and worshiped the blue sky above their heads.

No one wants to go hungry, and no one wants to leave their hometown to wander around. As long as they don’t have a bowl of porridge to fill their stomachs, they don’t want to leave their hometown.

"Thank you, Prince!" Someone spontaneously knelt down and kowtowed to Situ Zhen.

Soon after, more people knelt down and kowtowed to him, "Thank you, Prince! You are another living Bodhisattva. Your kindness is so great."

Situ Zhen said calmly, "You should thank this Miss Xue. It was she who discovered the drought in your area while doing business and reported it to the court, which led to the court sending this prince down. She is your greatest benefactor!"

The villagers kowtowed to Xue Chenyu again: "Ms. Xue, you are a living Bodhisattva!"

"Good people will be rewarded..."

"Good people have a safe life!"

The villagers were very emotional. No matter how Xue Chenyu asked them to get up, they refused to do so and knelt even more fiercely.

This scene in front of the Haicheng County Government Office was painted into a picture by the painter, and many years later, it became a famous story that was passed down through the world.

However, that is all a story for later.

soon.

Xue Chenyu was invited into the county government office by Situ Zhen.

Seeing him following Xue Chenyu with a smile on his face, the soldiers in black armor almost thought they were seeing things and rubbed their eyes hard again and again.

This guy, with his mouth almost stretched to his ears, is their stern leader?

Impossible, I don’t believe it, the leader must have been secretly replaced!

Xue Chenyu had no idea that they had such thoughts. She was only thinking about finding out the situation in Haicheng County and the whereabouts of Dongyue and the others.

After sitting down.

Situ Zhen's men were very discerning and served tea.

Du Jingyuan sat next to Xue Chenyu, and several maids stood behind them.

Only Yumei.

When she was about to stand behind Xue Chenyu, Situ Zhen suddenly waved at her, "Girl, come here."

Many people, except Xue Chenyu and Fang Rui, looked confused, not knowing who Prince Cheng was talking to.

Subsequently.

Then he saw the little girl Yumei hesitate for a moment, then walked towards Situ Zhen.

"... Junior Master."

"Are you addicted to being a maid? You didn't even say hello when you saw me, and you even pretended not to know me. How can that be?"

Everyone looked at Prince Cheng in surprise, and then at Yumei.

The latter said with his head down in a respectful manner, "...Didn't you say that once you take on a mission, you have to complete it thoroughly? You can't give up halfway, or you'll be useless."

Situ Zhen: I couldn’t figure out how to refute her for a moment.

He had said this before, but the situation was different.

But she used his words to shut him up, which was quite powerful.

"Well, since you like Miss Xue so much, then just follow her." Situ Zhen said seriously, "Your identity is not shameful, there is no need to hide it."

As he said this, he waved to Yumei again.

Yumei really didn't want to go there... To be more precise, she really didn't want to leave Xue Chenyu.

But Junior Master has spoken, if he really rebels and loses his face, then maybe... no, he will definitely be beaten!

"...What instructions does Junior Master have?"

Situ Zhen didn't say anything, but just looked at her. She couldn't help but shudder, and then stood still.

Xue Chenyu: He is much more obedient than when he is in front of me.

"I'm sorry, everyone. This is my senior brother's daughter. She originally came to the capital to seek refuge with me. But she acted recklessly before, insisting on being a maid. I couldn't stop her, so she went there secretly. I'm sorry to have caused you all trouble."

After a brief shock, Du Jingyuan looked at Yumei in surprise.

She, she calls Prince Cheng "Uncle Master"? Whose master's granddaughter is this?

And with such an identity, she actually worked as a maid for Xue Xiaoyu?

If she said that Prince Cheng had no improper thoughts about Xue Xiaoyu, she would not believe it, not even if she was beaten to death!

Wait, ever since Prince Cheng started talking about this, Xue Xiaoyu didn’t seem surprised at all. Could it be that she already knew about it?

This thought flashed through her mind, and she quickly looked at Xue Chenyu seriously, and found that the other party was also looking at her.

His eyes were full of calmness.

...Wow, you really know it.

Du Jingyuan felt like, "I have been abandoned by the world. No, what has this world done secretly without telling me?"

She had a lot of questions to ask, but Prince Cheng did not give her the opportunity.

"Okay, enough small talk, Miss Xue, I have something I need your attention."

There was an unquestionable look in his eyes.

Xue Chenyu swallowed the words that were about to come out of her mouth: "How can I have any say in the important affairs of the court?" and nodded involuntarily.

"Du Jingyuan is also a sensible person. She took the initiative to take Du Juan away."

Xue Chenyu's maids also looked at each other.

In the end, it was Xue Chenyu who gave the order, and they followed Du Jingyuan out.

Yumei didn't stay either.

Fang Rui and the others also tactfully withdrew, saying under a pretext, "I'll go and arrange a room for Miss Du first."

In a short while, you left completely, and only Xue Chenyu and Situ Zhen were left in the huge place.

"What do you want to say, Prince? Can you say it now?"

Situ Zhen took a sip of tea slowly and asked, "I don't know, what do you think about the situation in Haicheng County?"

Xue Chenyu frowned and said, "I have no opinion."

"Ok?"

"My apologies, Your Highness. I'm new here and know nothing. I really can't offer any opinion on the situation here. Could you please tell me what you'd like to hear?"

Situ Zhen realized his wording was inappropriate and immediately corrected himself, "I should ask this: Why do you think the results are so different when you clearly sent people here and deployed them to the three counties simultaneously?"

"With the help of the food, the famine in Zhushan and Huaiyuan counties has been effectively alleviated. However, the situation in Haicheng County is even worse than you can imagine. So many people have even left their homes to escape the famine."

Xue Chenyu thought about it seriously and nodded.

"I don't know what happened, but Dongyue and the others are missing, and that's what worries me."

We can’t sacrifice Dongyue and the others just because she wants to save people.

Moreover, as Prince Cheng said, if the original plan is followed, the grain shop purchased by Dongyue and the free private school to be built by Datong Trading Company will be combined to provide work instead of relief, at least a group of people will have food to eat.

Even if others could not work, they could still eat free porridge, so they would not be so hungry that they would become pale and thin, with a heavy head and light feet, and would not have to rush to a foreign land with their valuables just for food.

Moreover, the imperial court was also providing disaster relief. Even if it was partial to some, it was impossible for it to only care about Zhushan County and Huaiyuan County and turn a blind eye to the serious disaster in the neighboring Haicheng County.

The famine, which should have been effectively alleviated, saw no results in Haicheng County, and the government offices were all closed.

"Well……"

Xue Chenyu could only think of one possibility: collusion between officials and businessmen? But how could the people from Datong Commercial Bank actually collude with the local officials?