“Your Majesty is wise! This subject knew Your Majesty would not lightly spare the villains who want to frame this subject and sow discord between ruler and subject!” Pang Xiao bowed with a face full of admiration, his attitude so sincere that no flaws could be detected.

But Li Qitian was so angry his heart pounded wildly, and his expression nearly couldn’t hold! Pang Zhixi dared to point at the mulberry and curse the locust tree, calling him a villain! Yet he couldn’t explode!

At this moment, Li Qitian felt that he and Pang Zhixi truly had conflicting destinies—this person was specifically sent to oppose him!

No longer wanting to look at Pang Xiao’s smug face, Li Qitian forced out an amiable smile. “Though I will strictly investigate this matter, disaster relief cannot be delayed. You should depart immediately and make do with these provisions for now.”

“Yes, this subject obeys the decree.” Seeing that Li Qitian didn’t even mention making up the missing twelve carriages of grain, Pang Xiao understood the situation. Without further argument, he led Qin Yining and his subordinates in respectfully performing grand salutes to Li Qitian.

Li Qitian was quite satisfied with Pang Xiao’s thorough observance of protocol, and his mood improved slightly. He nodded, permitting everyone to depart.

Pang Xiao’s group set off with the eight carriages of grain, heading toward the outskirts of the city.

Watching Pang Xiao’s group depart into the distance, Li Qitian also returned to his imperial palanquin and departed for the palace.

The common people stretching their necks to observe from afar all knelt and kowtowed, shouting “Long live!”

Li Qitian’s mood didn’t improve because of this. Today’s scheme had failed, and so many common people had witnessed this scene. This matter would soon spread from ten to a hundred, becoming known throughout the capital. How many mouths would be slandering him and spreading rumors about him behind his back?

It was time to take some decisive action.

Thinking of this, he secretly made a decision in his heart.

Meanwhile, after Qin Yining and Pang Xiao left the capital, they no longer focused their thoughts on Li Qitian’s methods for resolving this matter.

“He’s someone who cares about face. Having been watched by so many people, he’ll definitely find ways to put on a show.” Qin Yining sat sideways in the carriage, giving most of the space to Pang Xiao to lie down. “I just never imagined he could actually think of such a method to slander you. Though I confidently reminded you earlier to be on guard, in my heart I felt my thoughts were making a mountain out of a molehill.”

“It’s fortunate I listened to your words.” Pang Xiao sighed. “If we had discovered this halfway through the journey, or passively waited for His Majesty’s next move, that would have been too foolish.”

Qin Yining smiled gracefully. When she lifted the carriage curtain to look back, she saw those eight carriages.

Thinking that for disaster relief throughout the entire south, His Majesty had only provided eight carriages of coarse rice and mixed grains—this was truly a drop in the bucket for the current disaster situation.

It seemed that when necessary, that treasure would have to be used.

Just as Qin Yining had predicted, these eight carriages of grain were completely insufficient to sustain them on their journey south. Along the way, when they encountered small towns, Pang Xiao would observe appropriately and had already used one carriage of grain. Seeing those children with sallow, emaciated faces, large heads and thin necks, running barefoot after the grain carriages just to get a handful of rice to take home and cook into porridge for parents who were too weak from hunger to get up, Qin Yining’s eyes reddened.

“I’ve always been too well protected by you. Even knowing there were disasters, without seeing them with my own eyes, I couldn’t truly feel these things.”

Outside Jingang City, Qin Yining and Pang Xiao stood by the roadside watching the prince’s mansion guards set up soup kitchens, then looked toward the distance at the common people who had gathered—careful and cautious, not daring to approach. Qin Yining made up her mind.

“Zhixi, if I previously had some hesitation about using the treasure, now I have no hesitation whatsoever.”

Pang Xiao’s expression was also grave. He squeezed Qin Yining’s hand and nodded. “I feel exactly the same.”

Qin Yining felt her fingertips had gone cold and tucked them deeper into Pang Xiao’s warm palm.

With insufficient grain supplies, even setting up soup kitchens could only distribute thin porridge. Yet even though the porridge was so thin you could see reflections in it, the common people still treasured it greatly.

These grain supplies were exhausted in just three days.

Pang Xiao was left with only empty carriages. When leaving the soup kitchen to enter Jingang City, those pairs of desperate yet numb eyes from the common people truly pierced one’s heart deeply.

In the face of natural disasters, human strength was indeed too insignificant. But fortunately, they still had a chance to fight back.

The scene within Jingang City was somewhat better than outside the city, but far worse than when Qin Yining had last visited.

Pang Xiao brought so many attendants and drove empty carriages—his entourage and bearing were quite conspicuous. Having provided disaster relief all along the way without deliberately publicizing his identity, he continued to act low-key now. Therefore, many in Jingang simply thought he was someone taking advantage of the national disaster to make money through business.

Before they could find lodgings, they were stopped halfway by the recently appointed Magistrate Chen.

“Your Highness, you’ve finally arrived! Did you bring grain supplies? Ever since receiving news that you were ordered to provide disaster relief, this humble official has been making preparations, waiting for you to come so we could distribute grain and porridge to resolve this urgent crisis!”

The previous Jingang magistrate had been punished by Li Qitian due to the great fire at Jingang dock and the spread of news about fire dragon omens.

The current new Jingang magistrate had only recently taken office. He was an extremely upright and incorruptible person. Though he was a jinshi graduate from the late years of the previous dynasty, because he was too inflexible and didn’t understand smooth adaptation, he had only been able to serve as a seventh-rank external posting official.

Pang Xiao had heard about this Magistrate Chen. Seeing him today, he knew the external rumors were true—this Magistrate Chen was indeed a straightforward person who spoke without any reservations.

If this were any other official, who would say such ambiguous words? It sounded as if he, a mere magistrate, dared to question the prince’s competence.

However, facing Magistrate Chen’s face full of expectation, Pang Xiao knew he meant no harm. Instead, he didn’t know how to respond to his expectations.

“Magistrate Chen, when this prince left the capital, His Majesty arranged eight carriages of grain supplies. Along this journey, encountering countless disaster victims, this prince couldn’t bear to watch them die. I could only set up roadside soup kitchens to save the people’s lives. Therefore, now that I’ve reached your territory, the grain supplies this prince brought have all been completely used up. This time, I hope for Magistrate’s assistance.”

Upon hearing this, Magistrate Chen, a man over forty, was as aggrieved as a child, with tears nearly spilling from his eyes.

“How could this be! How could this be! Eight carriages of grain—how large were the carriages?” Muttering to this point, Magistrate Chen had already seen the empty carriages Pang Xiao had brought. They were merely ordinary-sized carriages. Sending someone for disaster relief with only this much grain?

“This is simply incomprehensible! Doesn’t His Majesty know that grain supplies outside are insufficient? Doesn’t His Majesty know how many innocent people are starving to death?”

“Magistrate Chen, you should calm your anger and speak cautiously.”

Pang Xiao rarely encountered such an honest person who would question the Son of Heaven for the sake of the people, so he naturally didn’t want him to bear any crimes.

But the honest Magistrate Chen didn’t understand Pang Xiao’s intentions.

“Prince Zhongshun is someone close to the Son of Heaven, so naturally you speak for the Son of Heaven. Living comfortably in the capital, you naturally don’t know how many people have actually starved to death. These eight carriages of grain—how could you just nod and bring them out?” Magistrate Chen stamped his feet.

“Insolence!” Huzi couldn’t listen anymore and rebuked, “The national treasury is empty, and His Majesty’s private funds have no money either. After years of warfare, do you think no silver was needed? Besides, His Majesty still needs to build the imperial mausoleum! Could it be wrong for His Majesty to use silver for the imperial mausoleum? Now with no silver for disaster relief, being able to bring eight carriages was all fought for by the prince. You still dare to nitpick! Aren’t you afraid that if His Majesty learns of this, he’ll punish you severely!”

Qin Yining listened from the side, secretly shaking her head. People around Pang Xiao naturally learned some of his behavioral styles. Huzi’s words seemed to speak for His Majesty, but the actual content would only increase Magistrate Chen’s dissatisfaction with His Majesty’s actions, truly adding invisible charges against Li Qitian.

Magistrate Chen was furious upon hearing this, but also knew his position was humble. Having spoken so impulsively earlier, it was already His Highness’s mercy that he hadn’t been punished. When someone close to the prince spoke, it naturally represented the prince’s intentions. If he contradicted this guard, wouldn’t he also be contradicting the prince?

Magistrate Chen suppressed his anger, lowering his head submissively yet very firmly saying, “Your Highness, you’re ordered to provide disaster relief. Since you’ve arrived in Jingang, disaster relief should be the priority. Whether the people of Jingang can survive depends entirely on Your Highness.”

Pang Xiao was helpless. “This prince must also petition His Majesty requesting grain transport. At present, I cannot guarantee anything.”

Seeing that Pang Xiao couldn’t even make such a guarantee, Magistrate Chen became both anxious and angry, grabbing Pang Xiao’s sleeve in one motion. “Your Highness, you cannot stand by and watch people die! So many people are waiting for you to save their lives! If you cannot devise a solution when necessary, don’t blame this humble official for being too extreme—even if it costs my life, I cannot let you leave Jingang.”

Qin Yining listened with amazement.

This magistrate was perhaps too forceful. He actually dared to say he would detain Pang Xiao here?

This person clearly had Pang Xiao figured out. Knowing he wasn’t someone who would target the people, nor someone who would punish him for such matters, he dared make such forceful demands.

Qin Yining shook her head and sighed softly. Facing such an unreasonable official who was nevertheless acting for the people’s benefit, Pang Xiao truly had no way to handle him.

Indeed, Pang Xiao didn’t become angry. He only patted Magistrate Chen’s shoulder consolingly. “This prince will immediately submit a memorial requesting His Majesty to transport grain supplies. Please cooperate, Magistrate Chen—in these coming days, keep the people calm, including those disaster victims outside the city waiting for porridge distribution. This prince won’t leave. Once the people here can survive, this prince will head toward the direction of the old capital of Great Yan.”

Magistrate Chen was stunned by Pang Xiao’s gentle and reasonable attitude. He had even considered whether the prince might kill him in anger, yet he had still acted that way, gambling that the rumors about Prince Zhongshun being a righteous person were true.

Now truly seeing Prince Zhongshun’s character, Magistrate Chen unconsciously withdrew his hand from tugging at Pang Xiao’s sleeve, dropped to his knees with a thud, and kowtowed three times in succession. His forehead turned purple from the impact, but he didn’t care.

“This humble official thanks Your Highness on behalf of Jingang’s people!”

Pang Xiao quickly helped him up, consoling him. “You and I work toward the same goal. Disaster relief is this prince’s duty—how could I deserve such grand courtesy from Magistrate Chen?”

Magistrate Chen waved his hand, shaking his head with an embarrassed smile.

Pang Xiao then said, “These days will require much cooperation from Magistrate Chen.”

“Certainly, certainly!” Magistrate Chen seemed as if his brain had just started working again, hurriedly saying, “This humble official will immediately take you to your lodgings?”