My Little Cabbage Was Stolen

Seeing the handwriting, Fang Heng's eyes narrowed.

So this is how Destiny Points are acquired.

Providing disaster relief and distributing congee can earn Destiny Points.

National Destiny, personal destiny...

Hmm... wait... there's also participation to consider.

Fang Heng calmed himself and pondered the matter of Destiny Points.

Beside him, Shen Qiushui watched as Fang Heng quickly brought the unruly crowd under control, and a strange light flickered in her eyes.

Especially the method of pouring sand into the meat congee—though unconventional and seemingly against proper conduct—

The effect, however, was surprisingly good.

The congee distribution could finally reach those who truly needed it.

Fang Heng collected himself, looked at Shen Qiushui, and asked casually, "Miss Shen, do you understand now?"

"Thank you for your guidance, Your Highness. This humble one has learned much."

"This humble one thanks Your Highness on behalf of the tens of thousands of refugees for saving their lives."

Shen Qiushui curtsied slightly to Fang Heng.

This bow came from a place of genuine admiration and gratitude.

Fang Heng nodded slightly; Shen Qiushui's attitude pleased him.

Clearly, she had understood his method.

"Miss Shen, I know you have a Bodhisattva Heart, filled with compassion for these suffering refugees, but..."

"I have a saying for you, Miss Shen."

"In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken. Only with Thunderous Methods can the spring breeze bring transformation!"

Shen Qiushui carefully savored Fang Heng's words.

The more she pondered them, the more she realized the profound meaning behind the subtle words.

If these words had come from a court official or an enlightened monk, she wouldn't have been surprised.

But they had come from the Ninth Prince, who was around her age.

A ripple of curiosity stirred in Shen Qiushui's usually calm heart.

She looked up slightly at the departing figures of Fang Heng and his retinue, sighing softly to herself.

Just what kind of person is this Ninth Prince?

Fang Heng returned to his carriage. As soon as he sat down, he gave an order.

"Aunt Yun, draw a thousand taels from the manor's funds to aid the disaster victims."

"I'll leave the congee distribution entirely to you. I won't make an appearance."

Aunt Yun heard Fang Heng's intention to aid the disaster victims, and a flash of surprise flickered across her dignified face.

"Your Highness possesses a benevolent heart. This servant thanks Your Highness's great compassion on behalf of the disaster victims."

"How is this great compassion?"

"I'm merely doing the most basic thing."

Fang Heng shook his head, realizing that his way of thinking was, after all, that of a Chinese person.

Different from the natives of the Great Qian Dynasty.

In his previous life, he had seen too many scenes of people uniting to provide urgent relief and disaster rescue.

The great floods of Jiujiang, the major earthquake in Sichuan—which time wasn't it that when one region faced hardship, aid came from all directions?

In the Great Qian Dynasty, disaster relief truly depended on luck.

If the presiding official had a compassionate heart, it meant the disaster victims were fortunate.

Encountering an official like Prefect Chen, who was busy currying favor and ignored the victims, was the norm.

He simply couldn't stand such tragedies.

A thousand taels was a small sum to him.

But for the refugees outside Yujing City, it was life-saving money!

After a moment's thought, Fang Heng seemed to recall something, and his tone shifted as he quietly instructed, "Aunt Yun, this time, don't distribute the congee in the name of the princely manor."

"Just do it quietly; keep a low profile."

Fang Heng made a specific point of this.

While disaster relief was a righteous act, it ultimately carried the suspicion of buying people's loyalty.

Prefect Chen could organize disaster relief, and Shen Qiushui could too, but he, as a prince, could not.

In the Crown Prince's eyes, he might even be accused of coveting the position of Crown Prince.

Yun Menglan gently nodded her head, a soft smile on her face, her brows relaxed, showing a look of relief.

Your Highness has finally grown up.

His conduct is quite appropriate.

"Giddy up—"

"Whoa—"

A brawny man on a dragon steed arrived outside the city, stopping near the porridge distribution point.

"Second Brother, what are you doing here?"

Shen Qiushui wiped the fine beads of sweat from her forehead, put down the porridge ladle, and walked out.

"Little Sister, I heard there was a commotion among the refugees just now. Are you alright?"

Shen Yinhu asked in a booming voice, his eyes filled with concern.

His gaze, full of worry, scanned Shen Qiushui up and down.

Shen Qiushui's willow-like brows furrowed slightly, and she feigned anger, questioning him.

"Second Brother, are you spying on me again?"

"No—no such thing."

Shen Yinhu waved his hand, flatly denying it.

"If no one was watching, how would you know there was a commotion among the refugees just now?"

Shen Qiushui's simple retort stumped Shen Yinhu immediately.

"This... this..."

Shen Yinhu looked troubled, speaking in a pleading tone.

"Little Sister, you're out here doing disaster relief alone, and Mother is worried."

"If I don't send someone to follow you, I'll definitely be punished to kneel in the ancestral hall."

Shen Qiushui also understood her Second Brother's dilemma; she was only pretending to be angry.

Seeing Shen Qiushui's brows relax, Shen Yinhu knew that his Little Sister's anger had subsided.

"Little Sister, you still haven't told me about the commotion just now..."

"Second Brother, what happened just now was all thanks to the Ninth Prince."

"The Ninth Prince?"

"How is this related to the Ninth Prince?"

Shen Yinhu was momentarily stunned, then immediately became vigilant.

Despite his burly appearance and seemingly simple mind, he was actually quite meticulous.

His father was the Martial Prime Minister, theoretically the head of the Great Qian Dynasty's military generals, with extremely high prestige in the army.

Because of this, their family had always kept a distance from the princes.

Whether it was the Crown Prince or other princes, their attempts at solicitation were always ignored by the Martial Prime Minister.

He had repeatedly warned his children in the past.

Do not get involved in the struggles between the princes.

"Little Sister, don't forget Father's words. You need to keep your distance from the Ninth Prince."

"Second Brother, you don't need to be nervous."

"Even if Father knew about today's events, he wouldn't be angry."

Shen Qiushui's expression was calm as she recounted the entire disaster relief incident to Shen Yinhu.

"The matter between the Ninth Prince and me was only about disaster relief; it has nothing to do with the struggles between the princes."

"Second Brother, how much do you know about the Ninth Prince?"

Shen Yinhu: Hmm?

"I heard the Ninth Prince was poisoned from a young age, has poor health, and has always been low-key, living a secluded life."

"But seeing him today, the Ninth Prince seems different from what the rumors say."

Shen Yinhu noticed the sparkle in Shen Qiushui's eyes when she spoke of the Ninth Prince, and a bad feeling immediately arose in his heart.

He probed, asking, "How is he different?"

Shen Qiushui blinked her clear, beautiful eyes, pondered for a long time, then gently nodded her head.

"I can't quite put my finger on it."

"It's just that… the Ninth Prince is completely different from other royalty."

"He seems to genuinely care about the refugees."

"That's an attitude I've never seen from any other noble."

"When I was born, Master Fahui said I had a Bodhisattva Heart, that I was Guanyin reincarnated."

"But after seeing the Ninth Prince today, I realize he's the one with the true Bodhisattva Heart."

"And it's not enough to just have a Bodhisattva Heart; you also need Thunderous Methods."

The gentle breeze rustled the wisps of hair by the young woman's temples.

Her exquisite face was alight with curiosity, admiration, and approval.

Seeing this, Shen Yinhu's heart sank.

A vein throbbed on his temple.

That Ninth Prince, how cunning and shameless.

Sneaking into my courtyard while I was off guard, trying to steal my little cabbage!