The Princess Consort's Credit

Someone is spreading rumors about you!

Xiruo was very angry.

Lin Yunwan had already guessed this would happen, so she wasn't very angry. She calmly asked Xiruo, "What did you say?"

Xiruo learned a few phrases, the gist of which was that the events of the past few days were all the idea of Prince Huan Consort, and not the idea of Prince Huan at all!

Cuiqin frowned.

Xiruo said angrily, "Women shouldn't interfere in politics, but what time is it now? If you hadn't stepped in to make decisions, would things be peaceful outside?!"

She was furious. If her husband hadn't persuaded her to come back and report the news, she would have grabbed a few people and beaten them up.

Lin Yunwan smiled and said, "Don't be angry. Although I came up with the idea, the work was done by my subordinates, so the credit can't be attributed to me alone."

"The yamen runners, the powerful families, the wealthy merchants, and even those scholars, they do far more work outside in the rain than I do."

"Women shouldn't interfere in government affairs, but I did. What they said is true."

She stood up, placed her hand on Xiruo's shoulder, and said, "Now is not the time to be angry. Let's wait until the disaster victims outside are safe and well-fed... Justice will prevail."

Cuiqin also came over and said, "Sister Xiruo, what about the Prince?"

Xiruo nodded, her anger subsiding by more than half.

Lin Yunwan touched her cheek and said, "Look how tired you are, you've lost weight. The pregnant women outside the city need your help, go back and get some sleep."

Xiruo went to the simple Side Room and fell asleep.

By noon the next day, there was still no news of Qi Lingheng.

"None of the men who went to fetch the Prince have returned?"

Lin Yunwan began to worry.

Several counties are located in remote areas. Qi Lingheng personally went into danger and there was no news of him. She was afraid that something had happened to him.

Cuiqin shook her head, her eyes also filled with worry.

After holding on for several days, Lin Yunwan was starting to feel the strain. Her lips looked fine yesterday, but today they were quite pale.

Cuiqin said worriedly, "Your Princess Consort, you don't look well. Please have Physician examine you."

Lin Yunwan shook her head. "The Physician have all gone outside the city. What kind of behavior is it to call them over now just because of my pale face?"

Knowing that Cuiqin was worried, she glanced at the sky outside and said with a smile, "We agreed that I would leave after sunset, so please wait a little longer."

Cuiqin could only wait for the sun to set.

The Prefect has stopped sending messages here, not because he doesn't want to, but because he's afraid.

My colleagues have started making a fuss.

"Your Excellency is foolish. The Princess Consort is merely a woman. How could you... how could you..."

The Prefect wasn't foolish enough to admit it. He produced a piece of paper bearing the Prince Huan's Seal and said, "This is all the Prince's will. It's written in black and white, and it has the Prince's seal on it."

Those people weren't buying it. Some of the tougher ones sneered, "Where is the Prince? We've been guarding the disaster victims outside for days, and we haven't seen a trace of Prince!"

The Prefect was in a dilemma, so he instructed his men, "Go and tell Prince's men to come and take charge of the situation."

"Let's see if you can bring the Prince today!"

The Prefect coughed twice, his face flushed, and urged his servant, "Hurry up and go!"

"Yes..."

They then went to the Courtyard where Lin Yunwan was temporarily staying.

Of course, it's impossible to invite Qi Lingheng.

Lin Yunwan had Qi Lingheng's staff handle the situation first, but the officials didn't really listen.

Moreover, for some reason, the disaster victims also started arguing about this.

However, it wasn't the disaster victims who were dissatisfied, but rather the students of the Green Gull Academy and other scholars.

The disaster victims were only concerned with filling their stomachs; they didn't care for the moment who had decided to provide them with the porridge.

After the scholars had eaten their fill, they gathered together and heard that Prince Huan Consort was overseeing disaster relief efforts and dared to order civil and military officials around. Some of them were dissatisfied.

"How can a woman Princess Consort show her face in public?"

"Exactly! What are those officials in Jiangqian's government doing! They have to listen to a woman when it comes to disaster relief. Alas! Alas!"

After expressing his feelings, the scholar picked up the bowl of porridge and was about to put it in his mouth.

He's exhausted from helping with disaster relief these past few days.

Xia Jin walked over angrily, snatched the bowl from the other person's hand, and said coldly, "You don't deserve to eat!"

The scholar stood up, glaring at Xia Jin: "Why did you steal my porridge? Give it back!"

There's no shortage of porridge now, but you have to queue for half an hour to get a bowl. Porridge is more expensive than gold these days!

Xia Jin sneered, "Is this your porridge? Open your eyes and look!"

On the bottom of the bowl is the word "Huan".

The scholar realized he had spoken out of turn, and someone mocked him. "You dare speak ill of Prince Huan Consort behind her back? If you've got the guts, then don't eat the porridge at Prince Huan's Residence!"

"Exactly. You eat from the bowl and then curse the cook. What's the point of your education?"

The scholar stubbornly insisted, "I... I ate Prince Huan's porridge!" He even tried to wrestle with Xia Jin, saying, "Give it to me!"

Xia Jin took the porridge and went to feed the pale and thin child.

The scholar watched as the porridge went into the child's mouth, too embarrassed to try and take it away.

When he went to queue again, he didn't queue at the Prince Huan's Residence's porridge stall anymore, but went to queue at the Lin Residence's porridge stall.

Someone mocked him. "That's the Lin Residence's soup kitchen, the Princess Consort's family's."

When the scholar went to the Su Family, Xia Jin's classmates said with smiles, "The Su Family is the maternal clan of the Princess Consort."

"I... I'll go to the Lu family's place, okay?"

The scholar, his face flushed and neck red, waited until he reached the Lu family's porridge stall. A servant from the Lu family said, "Sir, please queue at another stall. Our Lu family does not provide aid to those who slander the Princess Consort."

"You, you, you... You've disgraced scholarship! You've disgraced scholarship!"

"Prince Huan — Prince Huan is on the city wall!"

The area below the city gate became lively. Everyone rushed to see who was standing on the gate tower, having heard that it was Prince Huan.

Qi Lingheng was dressed in black robes with a thin cloak over his shoulders. His dark hair and jade-like face made him appear extremely noble and handsome.

He stood on the city wall and glanced down; immediately, people below knelt down and kowtowed loudly.

When he was away, his Princess Consort took very good care of Jiangqian, both inside and out.

"A Fu, go downstairs."

Qi Lingheng suppressed the turmoil in his heart and took A Fu to meet with Jiangqian's officials first.

He had been traveling day and night, and his voice was already hoarse.

Inside the main hall, the debate over women interfering in government affairs was still ongoing, and people had already begun to label Lin Yunwan.

"This is women interfering in politics! I must report this!"

Qi Lingheng heard this sentence as soon as he entered.

He gave a cold laugh, "Whom do you want to impeach?"

The officials all turned their heads and saw a handsome but gloomy face. The Prince was furious!

"This humble official pays his respects to Prince Huan."

A group of people were kneeling in the lobby.

The Prefect gave up his seat, Qi Lingheng walked over, saying unhurriedly, "I am unwell and asked the Princess Consort to deliver this letter with her seal on my behalf. Who is objecting?"

There was complete silence below.

Qi Lingheng defended Lin Yunwan, saying, "I was so worried about the flood in Jiangqian that I couldn't sleep at night. My Princess Consort, while pregnant, offered me and the people of Jiangqian advice and suggestions. With my permission, these were compiled into a book and passed down from generation to generation."

"And you—"

"Not only do they have no regard for the people, but they also fail to share my burdens, and they even spread rumors and cause trouble here."

"Are you trying to slander the Princess Consort, or... are you after me?"

He deftly deflected blame from Lin Yunwan, while not shying away from mentioning her contributions and intelligence.

The officials remained silent, trembling with fear.

Who dares to criticize Prince Huan!

With the Crown Prince dead, Prince Huan will be the ruler of the land!

"This humble official dares not!"

More than a dozen officials spoke in unison.

Qi Lingheng glanced at them coldly, remained silent for a while, and then got up and left.

The Prefect and his men sat on the ground, utterly exhausted, covered in a cold sweat.

Where is the Princess Consort?

Qi Lingheng was extremely anxious as soon as he returned to the residence where Lin Yunwan was temporarily staying.

She was pregnant, dealing with this bunch of good-for-nothings, and they still dared to speak ill of her!

Even when Nanny Lü ran, she couldn't keep up, so she could only call out from behind, "Your Prince, the Princess Consort is in the Main Courtyard, just go past the corridor..."

Qi Lingheng really couldn't wait any longer.