bestfiction Chapter 315 Escorting Grain
Chapter 315 Escorting Grain
As dawn broke, a faint scent of sandalwood filled the Jiaofang Palace. Lin Wanqing opened her eyes; the bed beside her was already cold. On the table lay a note left by Xiao Nanyi, the handwriting strong and vigorous: "I have gone to the morning court. Lunch awaits you." A slight smile played on her lips as she summoned a palace maid to do her hair, deliberately adorning herself with the white magnolia hairpin that Xiao Nanyi had praised the day before.
In the imperial court at this moment, Xiao Nanyi listened to the reports from his ministers about the disasters in various regions, his brows furrowed. The Vice Minister of Works reported, "Your Majesty, many areas in Jiangnan have been experiencing torrential rains for days, causing dikes to breach in many places, and leaving many people homeless." Xiao Nanyi pondered for a moment and said, "Immediately allocate 100,000 shi of grain to be transported to the disaster areas, and also send skilled craftsmen from the Ministry of Works to reinforce the dikes." He kept in mind Lin Wanqing's often-quoted saying, "The people are the foundation of the state," and he always considered matters concerning the people's livelihood carefully.
After the court session, Xiao Nanyi did not go directly to the Jiaofang Palace, but instead went to the Imperial Kitchen. He personally inspected the ingredients and instructed the imperial chefs to prepare Lin Wanqing's favorite sour soup perch and steamed egg with hibiscus. "The Empress has not had a good appetite these past few days, so the dishes must be light," he instructed, his eyes full of concern.
When Xiao Nanyi entered Jiaofang Palace carrying a food box, Lin Wanqing was playing with the little prince. The child toddled towards him, calling out "Father" indistinctly. Xiao Nanyi smiled, picked up the child, kissed his rosy cheek, and then opened the food box: "Try it, it's all your favorite food."
Lin Wanqing looked at the table laden with dishes, deeply moved: "Your Majesty is so busy with state affairs, yet you still trouble yourself with these trivial matters." Xiao Nanyi placed a piece of fish on her plate and said gently, "In my heart, you are just as important as the affairs of state." The two ate while discussing matters of state. Although Lin Wanqing did not directly participate in political affairs, she always managed to offer Xiao Nanyi new ideas with her womanly sensitivity.
"Your Majesty, could we send the Crown Prince to the Jiangnan disaster relief effort to gain experience?" Lin Wanqing suddenly asked. "Chengjun is exceptionally intelligent. If he could experience it firsthand, he would surely broaden his horizons." Xiao Nanyi pondered for a moment and nodded, "The Empress is absolutely right. Summon him to the palace tomorrow and inform him of this matter."
The next day, Xiao Chengjun received a summons and rushed to the imperial study. After Xiao Nanyi explained the disaster situation in Jiangnan in detail, he asked, "Jun'er, if you were sent to provide disaster relief, what would you do?" Chengjun pondered for a moment and said, "Your subject will first comfort the people and set up soup kitchens to ensure that the disaster victims have food. At the same time, I will check the condition of the dikes and organize repairs according to their urgency. In addition, I can mobilize local wealthy merchants to donate to the disaster relief efforts and reward them afterwards."
Xiao Nanyi and Lin Wanqing exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with relief. Lin Wanqing stepped forward and straightened her son's clothes: "The journey is long, so please be careful. If you encounter any difficulties, remember to write back." Chengjun nodded and solemnly said, "Your subject will certainly not fail your father and mother's trust."
After Chengjun left, Xiao Nanyi and Lin Wanqing had more free time. At night, the two often strolled hand-in-hand in the Imperial Garden. By the lotus pond, Xiao Nanyi personally picked a white lotus for Lin Wanqing and tucked it into her hair. In the moonlight, her smile was more radiant than the flower. "I still remember when we first met, you looked just like this," Xiao Nanyi said softly, putting his arm around her waist. "So many years have passed in the blink of an eye."
One day, Lin Wanqing suddenly felt unwell. After the Imperial Hospital diagnosed her, everyone was overjoyed: "Congratulations, Your Majesty and Your Majesty, the Empress is pregnant!" Upon hearing this, Xiao Nanyi's hands trembled with excitement. He held Lin Wanqing's hand tightly, his eyes filled with tears: "That's wonderful, we're going to have a child again."
After that, Xiao Nanyi cherished Lin Wanqing even more. Every day after court, he would come to the Jiaofang Palace to keep her company. He turned down many social engagements, just so he could spend more time by her side. Lin Wanqing suffered from severe morning sickness, vomiting everything she ate. Xiao Nanyi then went to great lengths to prepare food for her, and even personally cooked plum juice to alleviate her discomfort.
As her belly grew larger each day, Lin Wanqing found it increasingly difficult to move around. Xiao Nanyi would massage her legs daily and keep her company with conversation. Sometimes, when handling state affairs, he would bring memorials to the Jiaofang Palace, reviewing them while watching her. "With you by my side, I have even more energy to review the memorials," he said with a smile.
Finally, on a snowy day, Lin Wanqing went into labor. Xiao Nanyi paced anxiously outside the palace. When he heard the baby's cries echoing inside, he rushed into the delivery room. There lay Lin Wanqing, weak, on the bed, cradling a beautifully sculpted infant in her arms. "It's a princess," she said wearily but happily.
Xiao Nanyi carefully took his daughter, his eyes full of love: "Let's name her Chang Le, wishing her a peaceful and joyful life." He bent down and kissed Lin Wanqing's forehead, "Thank you for your hard work, Empress." Lin Wanqing leaned on his shoulder, feeling the tranquility and happiness of the moment.
Under the loving care of Xiao Nanyi and Lin Wanqing, Princess Chang Le gradually grew up. The joyful laughter of the family of four often echoed from the Jiaofang Palace.
In the late autumn of the Nanzhao Kingdom, low-hanging leaden clouds and a cold wind carrying sand lashed against Xiao Chengjun's faceplate. He sat astride his jet-black warhorse, gazing at the grain transport convoy stretching for miles, his brow furrowed. One hundred thousand shi of fine rice were neatly stacked inside the wagons, each covered with waterproof tarpaulins. This was life-saving grain for the famine victims of Jiangnan, and the first heavy responsibility he had undertaken independently.
"Your Highness, Qingya Pass is only twenty li away." Deputy General Chen Meng rode closer, his voice ripped apart by the wind. "The terrain here is treacherous; we must be careful." Chengjun nodded, gripping the long sword at his waist. His father's instructions before departure still echoed in his ears: "If anything unexpected happens, securing the grain is paramount."
Before he could finish speaking, a piercing horn blared through the mountains. Cheng Jun's pupils constricted as he saw dark shadows darting about on the cliffs on either side, countless logs and rocks cascading down. The foremost grain carts were instantly smashed to pieces, and frightened horses neighed and scattered in all directions. "Form ranks!" he roared, slamming his command flag down.
The well-trained soldiers quickly formed a shield wall, protecting the grain carts in the center. Amidst the whistling of arrows, Chengjun recognized the attackers—short gray tunics, faces covered with black cloths—the infamous bandits entrenched in Qingya Mountain. The burly leader, wielding a large axe, roared with laughter: "You little bastards, leave the grain, and I'll spare your lives!"
"Don't even think about it!" Cheng Jun drew his longsword, its cold gleam reflecting his resolute face. He had studied military strategy since childhood and knew that if he panicked now, his entire army would be wiped out. "Chen Meng, take three hundred men and guard the left flank! Zhang Biao, use the crossbows to suppress the high ground!" He commanded as he led his personal guards toward the bandit leader.
The bandits surged forward like a tidal wave, the clash of blades deafening. Chengjun's longsword flashed, spraying blood wherever it went. Suddenly, a cold arrow grazed past his ear, severing the brocade ribbon binding his hair. He abruptly reined in his horse, which reared up, dodging a spear thrust from behind.
"Your Highness, be careful!" A-Lie swung his sword to deflect the attacking bandit, but was then ambushed from the side by another, his shoulder instantly bleeding profusely. Cheng Jun's heart tightened, and he thrust his sword into the enemy's throat with a backhand motion. He then took off his cloak and wrapped it around A-Lie's wound: "I order you to guard the grain cart!" With that, he charged alone towards the bandit leader.
Seeing his menacing approach, the bandit leader grinned and swung his great axe down. Cheng Jun dodged to the side, his longsword aimed straight for the bandit's throat. The bandit leader hurriedly raised his axe to block, but Cheng Jun feinted, the tip of his sword suddenly turning towards the bandit's wrist holding the axe. "Ah!" the bandit leader screamed, and the great axe fell to the ground.
Just then, a deafening roar came from the cliff. Chengjun looked up and saw dozens of earthenware jars filled with tung oil falling from the sky, instantly bursting into flames. The grain carts were engulfed by the flames, billowing thick smoke. "This is bad!" he cried, his eyes wide with fury. "Put out the fire with all your might!"
The soldiers, disregarding the raging fire, tried to extinguish the flames with burlap, but it was a drop in the ocean. Chengjun watched the dwindling food supplies, his heart aching. Suddenly, he noticed the tinderbox at the bandit leader's waist—these bandits had clearly planned this all along! "Chen Meng, lead the cavalry to flank them! Zhang Biao, concentrate your arrows on the bandit leader!"
Under his command, the tide of battle gradually turned. The cavalry pierced the enemy's rear like sharp blades, and arrows rained down on the bandit leader. Seeing the situation was dire, the bandit leader tried to escape, but Cheng Jun shot him in the thigh with an arrow, causing him to fall from his horse.
After two hours of fierce fighting, the bandits finally collapsed. Chengjun stared at the grain carts, most of which were burned, his heart breaking. He knew that the remaining grain was far from enough to relieve the famine victims in Jiangnan. "Take a headcount and treat the wounded," he said in a hoarse voice. "Set off immediately; save as many as you can."
As night fell, the convoy arrived at Qingya Pass. The general guarding the pass was shocked to see the wrecked convoy: "Your Highness, who did this?" Chengjun wiped the blood from his face, his eyes cold: "Someone must not want this batch of grain to reach Jiangnan. Issue the order to seal off all passes and thoroughly investigate any suspicious persons."
Back in the tent, A Lie bandaged his wounds. "Your Highness, this attack is too suspicious," A Lie said, frowning. "How could the bandits know the grain transport route?" Cheng Jun gripped his blood-stained sword, pondering for a long time. "There must be something more to this. Immediately send someone back to the capital to report this, and at the same time strengthen security to prevent any further unforeseen events."
The moonlight, as white as frost, shone on the devastated battlefield. Xiao Chengjun stood beside the remaining food supplies, gazing south. He secretly vowed that even if only a single grain of rice remained, he would deliver it to the disaster victims. As for those behind the scenes, he would surely bring them to justice and seek redress for the fallen soldiers and the suffering people.