Holding the Fort

"What happened?"

Xiruo saw that below the city gate, the students in blue robes were leading the way, shouting something, and the group of starving disaster victims with bloodshot eyes were actually roused and forced to rush over to the city gate.

An Assistant Prefect from Jiangqian Prefecture, who was originally meant to be a guide, was overwhelmed by the sight of the scholars and disaster victims below the city.

He frowned, pointed at the group of scholars, and angrily said, "Those pedantic scholars! They've been clamoring since this morning to bring the books in first, but we can't open that door!"

"Once the city gates are opened, the refugees will flood in, and the city will be in chaos!"

The Assistant Prefect was furious and, with a flick of his sleeve, said, "They are all scholars who have studied the classics, yet they do not know how to share the burdens of the Imperial Court. Instead, they lead the way in causing trouble. They really... deserve a good beating!"

Lin Yunwan looked at the raincoats that the students of the Green Gull Academy had taken off.

Oh, it was a book that was covered up.

She felt very uncomfortable.

Xiruo, also disapproving of the Assistant Prefect's words, said, "It's only natural for scholars to love books, just as warriors love fine steeds. Although scholars may be a bit hasty in their actions, sir, you were once a scholar yourself."

How can you have absolutely no compassion?

The Assistant Prefect glanced at Xiruo, his face flushing red with suppressed urges.

He's now the Assistant Prefect of Jiangqian Prefecture! How can he be compared to those scholars?

He had to consider the people of Jiangqian!

Those who were outside the city gates were already outside the city; that meant this calamity was destined for them.

Assistant Prefect saw that Prince Huan Consort was surrounded by servants and did not reprimand the maid, as if she had not heard the maid's rude words.

He suppressed his anger and bowed, saying, "Your Princess Consort, the place is in such chaos; I cannot stand idly by. This is not a place for women to linger. You should..."

This is an attempt to extricate himself and also to drive Lin Yunwan away.

Xiruo frowned.

This is Prince's fiefdom; the Prince has the authority to oversee all matters, large and small!

The king and queen are one; with the king absent, how can the Prince Princess Consort take charge of the overall situation in his place?

"Xiruo, let's go down."

"Yes."

Lin Yunwan first led her maids and servants to a temporary place to stay.

Xiruo asked anxiously, "Your Princess Consort, are you really not going to investigate?"

"If I didn't care, why would I still be sitting here with such a big belly?"

Xiruo a little relieved and slapped her forehead, saying, "I was really confused in my haste."

Lin Yunwan: "You're being too hasty. You're already married; you're no longer a maidservant of the Prince Huan's Residence, Third Young Madam Xu."

Xiruo lowered her head and smiled.

She had only recently married, Xu family been military families for generations, and they were still military families now. Their customs were not like those of other large families.

Lin Yunwan said calmly, "Jiangqian Prefecture pays more than 200,000 dan of tax grain a year. There are seven Assistant Prefects of the third rank, as well as the Prefect and several Circuit Judge. There are plenty of people to do the work."

"That fool was only concerned with his own official position, but Jiangqian probably doesn't treat all officials like that. Let's wait and see."

"Those books can't withstand being soaked in water, and the scholars will definitely become more and more anxious, not making it to tomorrow morning. If everything is fine by tomorrow morning, then it means everything is alright."

"Women should not interfere in politics; it's best if we don't get involved."

Xiruo seemed to immediately find her footing and said, "I understand."

She would occasionally go outside to check on the rain.

Cuiqin brought in tea and said softly, "Your Princess Consort, it's time to drink."

Lin Yunwan looked a little tired. She drank some tea to refresh herself and then waited in the rest area for half an hour.

Then something happened.

Xiruo went out to take a look and returned with a solemn expression. "Your Princess Consort, they... they sent that Assistant Prefect to negotiate with the scholars of the Green Gull Academy, but they couldn't reach an agreement."

"Assistant Prefect magistrate then dispatched officials from the yamen and garrison to suppress those scholars by force."

At this point, Xiruo trembled. "I'm afraid some reckless fool might try to force their way in..."

Cuiqin, being young, was also frightened. "That... that would mean someone would die!"

Xiruo was afraid of this.

Not only was she afraid, everyone was! But the Jiangqian government would absolutely not let those people into the city.

Lin Yunwan's heart sank, and her stomach cramped slightly.

She clutched her stomach, frowned, and said, "The Prefect is incredibly audacious!"

An Assistant Prefect wouldn't dare make such a decision; they're just a scapegoat.

Xiruo hurried forward, squatted down, and said, "Your Princess Consort, are you feeling unwell? Even if it's a big baby, it's not as important as your and the Prince's child. Perhaps you should..."

"I'm fine."

Lin Yunwan said, "Go get the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, and call your husband Xu Tianyou over too."

The Princess Consort's instructions suggest she has thought everything through.

Xiruo hesitated for a moment, then nodded emphatically, "Okay."

Cuiqin went to find pen and ink, Xiruo called Xu Tianyou over.

Lin Yunwan up her pen and wrote something on several sheets of paper.

Because it was so dark, Cuiqin held up an oil lamp the whole time. Lin Yunwan's eyes were also dry from writing.

She finished writing quickly in cursive script, then took out a gold seal from her purse and stamped it on the last sheet of paper.

Lin Yunwan said to Xu Tianyou, who was outside the screen, "This has the Prince's private seal on it. After you've finished reading it, immediately take it to Prefect Jiangqian and say it's the Prince's order. Help the Prefect implement everything written on the paper."

But everyone knows that Qi Lingheng is not in Jiangqian.

Lin Yunwan knew she couldn't hide it any longer, so she instructed Xu Tianyou: "No need to say anything else. Anyone who disobeys, regardless of their status, will be detained at the government office!"

Xu Tianyou clasped his hands in a fist salute. "Your subordinate obeys your command."

Xiruo took the paper and handed it to her husband.

Upon seeing the densely packed characters, Xu Tianyou said with considerable embarrassment, "... Your Princess Consort, this humble official doesn't know many characters."

Seeing her husband's awkward movements, Xiruo whispered, "I'll read it to you."

Lin Yunwan watched the couple whispering to each other from behind the screen and smiled faintly.

"Your Princess Consort, I understood and remembered everything."

Lin Yunwan nodded. "Go ahead."

Xu Tianyou stuffed the papers into his arms, afraid of getting them wet. He thought to himself, even though he was a military household, he still needed to study.

The Princess Consort, being a scholar, is indeed worthy of respect.

And so did his wife.

The Prefect also dared not sleep all night, fearing he would lose his official position, and couldn't sleep at all!

Hearing that the Legitimate Son of the Jiangqian Guard Commander was coming to see him, he waved his hand impatiently. "What's the point of a mere brute like him coming to cause trouble at a time like this!"

His aide, however, said, "Sir, you'd better see him and say you've brought a personal letter from Prince Huan."

"Prince Huan? Wasn't he supposed to be near Yulin and hasn't returned yet?"

The aide leaned closer and whispered, "Xu Tianyou has married the personal maid of the Prince Huan Consort. You'd better meet her, no matter what."

The Prefect then waved his sleeve and said, "Then let's meet!"

He said with a hint of disdain, "I'd like to see what this brute and woman are really up to."

Xu Tianyou came in and explained his purpose in a few words.

He slammed the paper down in front of the Prefect and said, "The Prince's orders are all written here."

The Prefect took a look and was deeply shocked.

How could such a comprehensive strategy have come up with so quickly?

But he guessed it was the Princess Consort's intention, that she didn't want to obey a woman's orders, so his expression remained calm. "The Prince isn't here..."

Xu Tianyou didn't care about any of that.

He was a bit slow-witted, but like Xiruo, he drew his sword and said coldly, "The seal of the Prince is on this, which means it's the Prince's order. Anyone who disobeys the Prince's orders will be detained on the spot!"

The Prefect looked at the Prince Huan's Seal and Xu Tianyou's knife on the last piece of paper, and his heart pounded.

"Since it is His Prince's order, this humble official... this humble official will naturally obey..."

The Prefect eventually yielded, but didn't forget to distance himself. "From now on, I will only act according to the Prince's orders. I will keep this document that bears the Prince's private seal."

Xu Tianyou had no intention of taking it in the first place. He urged coldly, "Take me to do my business quickly! Every second of delay could lead to someone's death."

The Prefect stood up.