“This year’s harvest from our southern lands is not worth thinking about. We’ll count it as a win if we can just manage to get through this year.”
Qin Yining nodded. “In such weather, we can’t force anything. If it doesn’t work out, we might as well temporarily abandon the farms and switch to hilly areas instead. I once heard people say that there are many terraced fields in the southwest – perhaps we should learn from them.”
Head Shopkeeper Zhong thought for a moment and said, “That would be good too. Finding a plot of land to cultivate is better than guarding a marsh and starving to death.”
“Yes. Many people in Huichuan County are in the same situation. They cling to their originally fertile family lands and refuse to leave even a single step. In prosperous years, this would naturally be fine, but this year with such severe flooding, rather than guarding the land, it would be better to be more flexible in thinking – they might even earn some livelihood for their entire families.”
“How many people can think so flexibly?” Head Shopkeeper Zhong shook his head.
He dealt with common people year-round, and the vast majority only thought about doing their work well, farming their own land properly, and were satisfied if they could have something left over after paying rent. Very few understood how to adapt and utilize the resources at hand.
Qin Yining pursed her lips and thought for a moment, then said, “I’ll discuss this with the Prince later and try to spread this idea as much as possible. Having more people go up the mountain slopes to cultivate terraced fields is better than guarding vast marshes.”
Head Shopkeeper Zhong smiled and said, “The Prince will surely be delighted to hear this. I imagine the Prince, who worries about the country and its people, is also concerned that the common folk will eventually go hungry.”
“Yes. Rather than hoping for grain to be dispatched from distant places, it’s better to do what we can right now. Heaven has been sending down rain for so long – this year’s flood disaster is certain. We can only hope to seize the current time and at least get a little bit of grain to stave off hunger.”
Pang Xiao naturally supported Qin Yining’s ideas. The tenant farmers and long-term workers under Qin Yining naturally followed her instructions. But ordinary people were unwilling to leave their land, clinging to false hope and waiting for the rain to stop and the sky to clear.
When the first batch of grain transported by Sitong Trading Company was about to be exhausted, Qin Yining told Head Shopkeeper Yin to stop selling grain. Transporting grain was becoming increasingly difficult, and they wouldn’t have affordable grain to use later – they needed to keep a small portion for themselves to eat.
As for the other grain shops in the city, they perked up again. Those who still had stored grain naturally brought it out again at prices several times higher.
However, Pang Xiao couldn’t concern himself with all this at the moment. The city-wide search had finally come to an end after several days without results. Heaven wasn’t cooperating, but the treasure couldn’t be left unattended.
“Prince, the Princess Consort’s previous idea was excellent. Find a way to leak information about the treasure being at the stone quarry to Count Loyalty and Righteousness, and let Count Loyalty and Righteousness be the one to stick his neck out,” Xie Yue said. “With the heavy rain now, there’s no way to start construction. Both Count Loyalty and Righteousness and we are watching the stone quarry. If you make a move, you’ll naturally be at a disadvantage and will have to consider how to avoid Count Loyalty and Righteousness’s spies. It’s better to let Count Loyalty and Righteousness worry about this matter.”
Pang Xiao nodded and said, “Yes, I also know Yining’s method is good. It’s just that we must find a way to make Lu Heng believe it.”
Xu Weizhi pondered and said, “Count Loyalty and Righteousness is cunning and suspicious by nature. If people around us go to act, they will definitely reveal flaws. The person chosen to leak this information must be carefully considered.”
Pang Xiao nodded.
Xie Yue then said bluntly, “Actually, the strategy the Princess Consort originally mentioned was very good. If those people from the Azure Sky Alliance were alive, using them to report the news would be perfect. It’s just a pity that they harbored ill intentions toward the Princess Consort, and the Prince couldn’t tolerate them.”
Pang Xiao smiled bitterly. “How could I not know they were the best candidates to lure Lu Heng? It’s just that they wanted to harm Yining, and Yining often goes out. No matter how many people I arrange, I still wouldn’t feel at ease. There’s the saying ‘you can be a thief for a thousand days, but you can’t guard against thieves for a thousand days.’ That’s why I was so eager to exterminate that group, just to eliminate future troubles forever. I didn’t expect that man’s plans can’t match heaven’s calculations – in the end, there were still two fish that slipped through the net.”
“This old man understands the Prince’s planning. Right now we can only ask the Princess Consort to be more careful when going out. However, if the Prince arranges a few more guards, it should be fine. Those two certainly can’t get out of the city gates. In the city, they’re probably like two rats hiding in some dark corner, trembling with fear, and wouldn’t dare come out seeking death under normal circumstances.”
Pang Xiao nodded and said, “I will be more vigilant. It’s just that I need to think more about the candidate to go inform Lu Heng.”
Xie Yue and Xu Weizhi also fell into deep thought.
This was the best opportunity to handle the treasure and other matters. If they missed it, it would be a pity for all the efforts Qin Yining had made by arriving in Huichuan County first. Moreover, they now knew the approximate location of the treasure but couldn’t make a move – how could such a situation not make people anxious? Regardless of whether they could ultimately obtain the treasure, they had to try their best.
The room fell into a long silence. As everyone was racking their brains for solutions, Xu Weizhi suddenly said, “Prince, this old man has a method.”
“Please speak, Master Xu.”
Pang Xiao and Xie Yue both looked at Xu Weizhi.
Xu Weizhi said, “Why don’t I pretend to have a falling out with the Prince and go surrender to Count Loyalty and Righteousness? I’ll use the treasure information as my token of surrender. I think with Count Loyalty and Righteousness’s caution, he will definitely keep me under watch temporarily while he seeks further verification. Once my words are confirmed, our matter will succeed. Then the Prince can find a way to rescue me later.”
Upon hearing this, Pang Xiao slowly shook his head. “No. This method won’t work. Lu Heng is suspicious, and you’re my most capable strategist. No matter how eloquently you speak, he’ll still suspect you. Moreover, he’s extremely cruel and ruthless – just look at how he’s been dealing with servants in his manor these past days. In his eyes, human life is like grass. He’d rather kill a thousand innocent people than let one guilty person escape. If you go, you’d be walking straight into the tiger’s mouth.”
But Xie Yue said, “Prince, this old man actually thinks Brother Xu’s method is feasible.”
Xu Weizhi smiled and said, “Prince, Brother Xie is best at making judgments. If he says it’s feasible, then you know my method can work.”
Pang Xiao shook his head and said, “Don’t think about taking risks. And don’t say things like ‘it doesn’t matter if we lose our old lives for the treasure.’ Although I want that treasure, I haven’t reached the point of being completely obsessed. You two should give up this idea early.”
“But what other methods do we have right now?”
Xie Yue thought for a moment and said, “Prince, this method could work right now.”
Pang Xiao still shook his head. “Whether it’s Master Xie or Master Xu, you’ve both been by this Prince’s side for so many years. You two have sacrificed much to help support this Prince. I cannot let you go risk your lives. This method is not feasible.”
Xie Yue and Xu Weizhi were both moved and sighed. “The Prince is too benevolent. Sigh.”
Xie Yue thought for a moment and said, “Prince, the Princess Consort is resourceful and wise. Why don’t we ask the Princess Consort to deliberate on this? If the Princess Consort also thinks this method is good, then let us try it. If the Princess Consort also thinks it’s not good, we won’t mention this matter again. How about that?”