Flood

"Leaving tonight? Isn't that too soon?"

Lin Yunwan wanted to say that the things weren't packed yet.

However, her biggest worry wasn't that things weren't packed properly; the fact that she left in such a hurry meant something must have happened.

Qi Lingheng pressed her shoulder, comforting her. "Are you worried that the people outside will mistreat me?"

That's definitely not the case.

Lin Yunwan then reminded her, "Don't go to the river embankment yourself. If the embankment really breaches and the situation becomes serious, the villagers won't care about anything. At that time, etiquette won't apply, so don't hurt yourself."

"I know."

Qi Lingheng said gently, "I knew that no matter how well things were planned, there would always be unexpected events. I have my own solutions."

He sighed, touching her swollen belly, and said, "I should be with you and the baby..."

But he was Feudal Prince of the Great Zhou, and he could not ignore matters concerning his fiefdom.

His Imperial Father enfeoffed him in this place not so that he could simply enjoy himself.

"Your Prince, please go. My child and I will wait for your return at home."

Qi Lingheng nodded, and after meeting with several officials and staff during the day, he left late at night.

Lin Yunwan is only now starting to experience morning sickness; she vomits everything she eats.

Cuiqin felt sorry for her, and when the head of the inner courtyard, Nanny Lü, saw it, she called Physician over, but they couldn't find a good solution either.

"Your Princess Consort, please avoid taking any medication if possible. If you are experiencing stomach discomfort, please eat mild foods and absolutely avoid eating anything indiscriminately."

Lin Yunwan was pale and had little strength to speak to the Physician. After thanking him, she felt nauseous again.

In just three days, her complexion has already deteriorated.

When Dong Shuangshuang came to see her, she was quite surprised.

Lin Yunwan smiled faintly and said, "I'm fine. What brings you here?"

She always brings her Little Miss when she comes, but this time she didn't. When she first came in, she looked a little rushed, but now she seems hesitant to speak.

Dong Shuangshuang's eyes flickered as she said, "It's nothing... My Little Miss has a rash, so I went to the shop to get some medicine and stopped by to see you on the way."

You're trying to hide it from me?

Lin Yunwan looked into her eyes and said, "I can already tell something's wrong. If you don't tell me now, I can find out by sending someone out to inquire later."

The Lu family's pharmacy has been thriving ever since Lu Rong's accident. Dong Shuangshuang's sudden visit to her must not be about family matters.

Then it can only be for official business.

Seeing that she could no longer hide the truth, Dong Shuangshuang had no choice but to tell the truth, "There are refugees from other provinces who have arrived in Jiangqian. I heard that none of the prefectures are accepting refugees, Prefects are blocking them outside the city."

"When the Prince took up his fief in Jiangqian, all the displaced people flocked to the Jiangqian City..."

Lin Yunwan was a little surprised. "Refugees from other provinces?"

The floods have been going on for some time, but the refugees from other provinces couldn't have come by horse-drawn carriage; they had to walk. How far must they have walked!

Having left their homes to come to Jiangqian, the natural disaster must have reached an alarming level!

Has the Prefect opened the city gates?

This is what Lin Yunwan is concerned about right now.

Knowing she was worried, Dong Shuangshuang said, "Your Princess Consort, please don't worry, you're pregnant!"

"The Prefect didn't let anyone in; after all, the people of Jiangqian were also afraid."

"But the Prefect had already set up soup kitchens outside the city gates, and the Lin clan and other prominent clans had also gone there to set up soup kitchens."

Lin Yunwan quickly calmed down.

"The Prince is no longer in Jiangqian. The disaster victims cannot die in the Prince's fiefdom, but the powerful clans of Jiangqian will not continue to provide porridge and relief indefinitely. After natural disasters come man-made calamities..."

She had to consider all of these things for Qi Lingheng.

If all the disaster victims die in Jiangqian, not only will the people lose all their support, but when the news reaches the Capital, it will also show that Prince Huan is incompetent.

"Shuangshuang, I need your help."

Lin Yunwan said firmly.

Dong Shuangshuang nodded. "Your Princess Consort, I would gladly... even die a thousand deaths!"

Lin Yunwan went to the Zhao family in person, and then went to the Su Family.

She took out all the cash from her dowry, and moved any other usable items to the Su Family.

"maternal uncle, we're counting on you for disaster relief. Saving lives is the most important thing, so please don't refuse these tasks."

Seeing that Lin Yunwan was heavily pregnant, Master Su didn't dare to let her worry too much, so he took the matter upon himself.

"Your Princess Consort, rest assured, the shop has enough rice and grain to last."

"In addition to these, I cannot guarantee that all the disaster victims will have enough to eat, but I can guarantee that none of the disaster victims who come to Jiangqian will starve to death."

Lin Yunwan eventually went to the Lin Residence.

She wasn't there to ask Old Madam Lin for anything, but rather to say, "The Su Family owns a rice shop, so I entrusted Su Family with some matters... I heard that the Lin family and Su Families later had business dealings, so I'd like to trouble you to have the gentlemen keep an eye on things."

Old Madam Lin was somewhat unwilling.

The Lin family had also set up soup kitchens to help disaster victims, but once the Princess Consort asked for help, it wasn't just about the money spent on setting up soup kitchens.

But at this critical juncture, she had no choice but to agree.

Old Madam Lin could only guarantee, "Even without the Princess Consort's instructions, the Lin family will not refuse."

The money is going to be spent, but the reputation can't be given only to the Su Family.

Old Madam Lin summoned her three sons and instructed them, "... Settle accounts with the Su Family this time, one payment at a time. But remember to label the goods delivered to the disaster victims as belonging to both the Lin Residence and the Su Family. Our Lin family should come first, followed by the Su Family."

If you're going to spend money, you should make sure it's worthwhile.

Lin Huabin was an expert at this, so he readily agreed.

Old Madam Lin stopped him. "Second son, I heard you own a winery?"

That was given to him by Zhao Jingyi.

Lin Huabin looked a little embarrassed. "Mother, this... is only half a room."

Old Madam Lin pondered something, then nodded and said, "Half a room it is! Give me whatever money you have. Tell the people at the distillery to stop brewing and do something useful instead."

Lin Huabin: "... Yes."

He reluctantly agreed, still wondering how the Old Madam knew he owned a winery.

Nobody said that.

He didn't even mention Zheng Shi.

"Your Princess Consort, it's already raining. Do you really still want to go to the vicinity of the city gate?"

Cuiqin looked at the rain in the sky; the umbrella she was holding was barely able to keep out the rain.

Lin Yunwan told her to get into the carriage first, then closed her eyes and said, "I heard that the students from the Green Gull Academy were also turned away outside the city gate. I'm afraid the Prefect won't let them in either. Many of them are locals from Jiangqian, from scholarly families or prominent clans, so they're most vulnerable..."

Knowing she couldn't persuade her otherwise, Cuiqin could only go with Lin Yunwan.

Xu Tianyou braved the rain, rode over on horseback, and brought Xiruo with him.

Xiruo dismounted, took off her raincoat, and stood outside the carriage, saying, "You are pregnant; I will not let you pass by yourself."

"Xiruo, what brings you here? Your husband's family..."

Xiruo gestured to Xu Tianyou standing behind her and said with a smile, "He's the one who brought me here."

The Xu family doesn't have many rules. Xu Tianyou himself helps out inside the city gate, so of course he knows what's going on. Hearing that the Princess Consort is active in Jiangqian City, he sent Xiruo over.

Lin Yunwan nodded slightly in acknowledgment and then went with Xiruo.

She went up to the city gate and saw refugees everywhere outside. There were many students in blue robes, who had taken off their raincoats and covered the ground with something else. They stood in a group and roared at the foot of the city.