The strategists all had some opinions, to a greater or lesser degree, about Pang Xiao’s decision. After all, no matter who it was, having painstakingly obtained a treasure—with the Princess Consort even taking warships out to sea—only to end up not spending a single coin on their own troops, anyone would feel it was a terrible loss.
But everyone was sensible. His Highness showed such benevolence toward the common people, and everything he did was completely opposite to Li Qitian’s actions. The difference in their moral character was immediately apparent. Thinking this way, everyone felt they hadn’t chosen the wrong person to follow. After all, no one wanted to follow a master who regarded human lives as grass and weeds. Even if such a person ascended to the throne, what good end could they have as ministers?
With this realization, everyone made up their minds. Those who had been troubled before could now think clearly.
Seeing that no one had further objections, Pang Xiao’s face still wore a calm smile, though inwardly he secretly breathed a sigh of relief. The strategists before him were the elite he had painstakingly cultivated and valued over the years.
Their approval was crucial to Pang Xiao.
If he couldn’t gain support from those he trusted around him, his future actions might be full of loopholes. Just like how Tao Hanshan had attempted assassination precisely because he disagreed with his thinking, feeling that Qin Yining, a mere woman, had interfered too much in military affairs. If not for Sakura, Qin Yining might have been gone long ago.
Pang Xiao absolutely didn’t want such incidents to happen again. The fact that such an accident had occurred before already demonstrated his mistakes and incompetence. Now they seemed to be walking on a knife’s edge—if he couldn’t even control internal worries, how could he eliminate external threats?
Having made up his mind, Pang Xiao discussed in low voices with everyone again, finally deciding to dispatch two teams. One team would go to the deserted island to secretly transport the treasure in batches, storing it in different regions. The other team would separately investigate various places, noting down any wealthy merchants hoarding grain or profiteering from national disaster by reselling grain, to facilitate Pang Xiao’s targeted grain purchases in the future.
The small island where the treasure was located was near Jin Harbor, so transporting a portion first wouldn’t be too difficult. Pang Xiao also ordered people to first inquire whether anyone in Jin Harbor had grain on hand. With the strategy decided, Pang Xiao’s mood improved considerably.
However, all of this had to be done in secret—he couldn’t reveal the slightest detail to County Magistrate Chen.
Seeing how County Magistrate Chen wanted to speak but hesitated each time they met, scratching his ears and head anxiously without knowing what to do, Pang Xiao thought for a moment and submitted another memorial, ordering it sent to the capital at full speed.
When County Magistrate Chen saw Pang Xiao submitting another memorial, his heart was filled with mixed emotions.
The capital wasn’t far from Jin Harbor—surely after three or four days there should be some news. His Highness had submitted several memorials in just a few days requesting the Emperor to send grain for disaster relief, yet the Emperor had made no response whatsoever.
Though County Magistrate Chen was upright, he wasn’t a fool. The Emperor’s attitude was worlds apart from what County Magistrate Chen believed an emperor’s attitude should be. The huge disparity and the long-awaited supplies were gradually wearing down this loyal minister’s patience and hope.
“For every day the grain doesn’t arrive, how many innocent people starve to death? Why hasn’t His Majesty made arrangements yet!”
“Don’t be anxious. His Majesty is also arranging for grain supplies—he must have thought of a solution. We must persist these days.”
Pang Xiao hadn’t had time to shave his beard these past two days. He casually wore an azure cotton arrow-sleeved robe with a jade belt buckle around his waist. Clearly, he had lost considerable weight.
These days everyone ate the same thin porridge. County Magistrate Chen absolutely wouldn’t give all the food to Pang Xiao and Qin Yining just because of their noble status. Initially, County Magistrate Chen’s trusted subordinates had advised him, and even Madam Chen had secretly instructed County Magistrate Chen to at least send some dry rations and dried fish to the Princess Consort, not to be too harsh on the noble guests.
But County Magistrate Chen had a stubborn bull-like temperament and wouldn’t listen to such talk.
Over time, people’s true nature showed. His Highness and the Princess Consort weren’t the kind of pampered nobles they had imagined. They could eat thin porridge with everyone else and would help at the soup kitchens, nothing like those lofty aristocratic children.
Now Pang Xiao’s image in County Magistrate Chen’s mind had greatly improved, so County Magistrate Chen deeply trusted Pang Xiao’s words.
“Your Highness speaks truly. His Majesty surely wouldn’t fail to allocate any grain supplies at all.”
But facts proved that County Magistrate Chen’s thinking was still too naive.
They waited another three days—the total waiting time was enough for grain to be transported from the capital and back again. Still no movement from Li Qitian’s end. Not only did no grain supplies arrive, there wasn’t even a reply.
County Magistrate Chen felt utterly disheartened.
“The last bit of grain in the city has been brought out. Combined with the dried fish, it can only let the people endure one or two more days.” County Magistrate Chen spoke while downing a large bowl of warm water to stave off the hunger in his stomach. “Your Highness, why hasn’t there been any news from His Majesty? The weather is getting cold. Without food, this subordinate is truly afraid.”
Jin Harbor was in the north. By late October, autumn colors filled the landscape, but in this season that should be ripe with harvest, they had no grain at all.
In this season full of hope, they were starving and waiting to die.
The person who should save them most showed no response whatsoever.
Pang Xiao also drank a bowl of warm water. Seeing County Magistrate Chen, usually full of righteous spirit and seemingly inexhaustible energy, now looking like a frost-beaten eggplant, he couldn’t help feeling sympathetic. Such a good official managing an important hub like Jin Harbor—his position wasn’t easy.
A person with such a sense of responsibility naturally cared most about the people’s lives and deaths. It could be said that every common person’s death was like a thorn piercing County Magistrate Chen’s heart. The more people died, the more his heart became riddled with holes. Pang Xiao truly couldn’t bear to watch such an upright person collapse.
Thinking of the replies received these past days and calculating the time, Pang Xiao suddenly stood up: “Magistrate Chen, why don’t you take a trip with this prince?”
“Go? Where does Your Highness plan to go?” County Magistrate Chen momentarily didn’t understand Pang Xiao’s meaning.
Pang Xiao’s eyes were full of the domineering aura of one long in high position and the ruthless determination to achieve goals by any means. He turned to look at County Magistrate Chen: “This prince recalls there’s a place called Minhui Village near Jin Harbor, where lives a rather wealthy landowner? Known as Squire Liu?”
Upon hearing this, Magistrate Chen’s heart skipped a beat. Nervously stuttering, he said: “Your, Your Highness, why do you ask about this? Please don’t do anything rash! Your lifelong reputation—don’t ruin it by robbing the rich to help the poor!”
Robbing the rich to help the poor?
“Do you take this prince for a bandit? Would this prince storm in to rob?” Pang Xiao couldn’t help but laugh.
Seeing Pang Xiao’s reaction, Magistrate Chen thought about it and realized his words were rather foolish. He smiled awkwardly: “Your Highness, please don’t blame me. This subordinate speaks too directly and talks nonsense.”
Pang Xiao waved his hand to interrupt Magistrate Chen, smiling: “How could this prince do such things as robbing the rich to help the poor? The people are nearly starving to death. Surely these wealthy landowners also want to contribute to helping the people—they just lack the proper channels. This prince should naturally visit them now, lest these kind-hearted people want to donate money and grain but have nowhere to donate. Don’t you think that’s reasonable?”
Upon hearing this, Magistrate Chen was stunned, nearly shocked by Pang Xiao’s explanation.
Wasn’t this still “robbing the rich to help the poor”? It was just a more euphemistic way of putting it.
They had waited and waited for relief supplies. The Emperor wouldn’t provide them, and Pang Xiao, as a prince, had no choice but to resort to such indirect methods.
Magistrate Chen even had a moment of treasonous thought: Could His Majesty be deliberately delaying grain supplies to force His Highness into such actions, so he could take the opportunity to punish him?
As soon as the thought arose, Magistrate Chen shook his head repeatedly to dismiss it. His Majesty was the ruler of a nation—surely he wouldn’t be so wary of meritorious officials? If he lacked even the magnanimity to tolerate people, how could the people have good days in the future?
Seeing Magistrate Chen lost in thought and seemingly stunned, Pang Xiao couldn’t help but smile and shake his head. This Magistrate Chen was truly one of the few officials Pang Xiao had met over the years who was so pure-hearted.
Having made up his mind, Pang Xiao immediately put on a stern expression and called Huzi in.
“Go select a hundred palace guards. We’re setting out to visit Squire Liu in Minhui Village.”
Huzi immediately responded and hurried out to make arrangements.
Pang Xiao also strode out of the room.
County Magistrate Chen was dazed for a moment, then quickly hurried to catch up: “Your Highness, this subordinate will go with you.”
But Pang Xiao smiled and shook his head, patting County Magistrate Chen’s shoulder: “No need. County Magistrate Chen must remain to oversee Jin Harbor. Whatever may happen in the future, this prince believes that as long as Magistrate Chen is here, the people of Jin Harbor will have hope of survival.”
These words made it sound as if Pang Xiao’s upcoming trip was to a dragon’s den or tiger’s lair.
Magistrate Chen said anxiously: “Your Highness, this won’t do. The plan was something we discussed together, but at the crucial moment, you’re going out alone to take the lead. What does that make this subordinate? Rest assured, even if His Majesty blames us, this subordinate will bear the consequences with you. I absolutely won’t let you face it alone.”
Seeing Magistrate Chen speak thus, Pang Xiao treasured this person’s sincere heart even more. He smiled and persuaded: “Magistrate Chen, this prince is His Majesty’s personally appointed disaster relief commissioner. These matters should naturally be handled by this prince. You are the spiritual pillar of Jin Harbor’s people. Jin Harbor absolutely cannot fall into chaos now. So we two should split our forces.”
“Your Highness…” Magistrate Chen was deeply moved, his eyes already reddening.
Pang Xiao smiled: “Rest assured, Magistrate. This prince knows proper limits and won’t harm innocent people. This time, this prince won’t use force either—it’s merely a matter of courtesy before force.”
In fact, the palace guards were all masters. An ordinary country gentry household—how could they withstand elite troops like the Jinghu Guards? What Pang Xiao brought was few but elite, sufficient in presence to overwhelm anyone. There was even less fear of needing to fight.
Pang Xiao had someone go back to inform Qin Yining, then led Huzi and the others toward Huimin Village.
When Qin Yining heard that Pang Xiao had taken people to Huimin Village, she couldn’t help but sigh deeply: “I knew he would definitely find a way to solve the famine. But this trip carries many dangers and could easily give people ammunition against him.”
Seeing Qin Yining’s unfurrowed brow, Bingtang smiled and consoled her: “Princess Consort, please be at ease. His Highness acts cautiously and won’t make any mistakes.”