“Is His Highness continuing his search for people again today?” Qin Yining asked casually while threading her needle with her head lowered, addressing those beside her.

Ji Yun and Bingtang replied in unison, “Yes.”

The two exchanged smiles, then Ji Yun continued, “Today I even heard Tang Xiu say that Master Xie advised His Highness to restrain himself temporarily and not let Earl Zhongyi misunderstand that we’re being provocative, but His Highness just refuses to listen.”

“Huzi said the same thing. His Highness is filled with rage right now and just wants to vent this anger for the Princess Consort. Previously they discovered four of them, killed two, and two remain, but somehow they can’t be found anywhere. What His Highness is furious about now are these two people. Didn’t His Highness say when he returned yesterday – could those two have sprouted wings and flown away?”

Both maidservants couldn’t help but laugh as they spoke.

Qin Yining also laughed, “How could people sprout wings and fly away?”

“Naturally they cannot.”

Qin Yining now truly appreciated Shopkeeper Yin’s methods of hiding people. Even so many elite Tiger Guards couldn’t search them out, so when she next saw Qiu Feishan, she really should thank her properly.

Moistening the needle tip at her temple, Qin Yining continued her needlework, though her movements slowed as she suddenly thought of something.

“What do you think – the Emperor arranged for Earl Zhongyi to be the county magistrate and made His Highness the imperial commissioner overseeing the imperial tomb construction. With both of them in Huichuan, who actually has higher authority?”

Both Ji Yun and Bingtang were momentarily stunned.

Bingtang analyzed, “By noble rank, naturally His Highness is higher. By official position, His Highness as imperial commissioner is also higher.”

Qin Yining said, “That’s regarding the imperial tomb construction. But now the Emperor hasn’t allocated funds yet, and the imperial tomb work hasn’t begun, so setting aside the tomb construction matter, within Huichuan County itself, the one managing all affairs large and small in the yamen should be the county magistrate.”

“You’re right.” Ji Yun nodded. “What are you thinking about, Princess Consort?”

Qin Yining shook her head, saying, “I’m thinking that His Highness has over a hundred elite Tiger Guards and mansion guards searching the city, treating it like searching his own back garden. One or two days would be fine, but after so many days, it’s probably already caused widespread panic. Lu Heng comes from a prestigious family and has been heaven’s favored son since childhood, carrying himself with considerable arrogance. Would he easily accept His Highness’s methods?”

Bingtang and Ji Yun both shook their heads.

Naturally he would not.

Lu Heng possessed an inherent pride that had nothing to do with what he wore, what he possessed, or what he did – even when he was down and out, he still appeared completely different from ordinary people.

Qin Yining rubbed her brow, saying, “So in my view, Earl Zhongyi will definitely do something to target His Highness. But he absolutely cannot prevail through force, and since the Emperor has arranged for him to leave the capital, he’s obviously falling out of imperial favor, so he can’t risk provoking the tiger’s whiskers at this time. Therefore, impeaching His Highness wouldn’t have immediate effect either.”

Ji Yun and Bingtang listened quietly.

After thinking for a long while, Qin Yining finally reached her conclusion: “So I believe Earl Zhongyi will suppress His Highness economically.”

“Princess Consort, you mean?”

“The Lu family is vast with complex networks and possesses wealth beyond our imagination. When the Qin family first moved to the capital, even my father had to consider avoiding their influence. So I think when scions of prestigious families are provoked, using money as a weapon should be their most common method.”

“But we don’t have any current need to spend money that would require approaching the Lu family.”

“What I mean is, His Highness currently has people conducting searches, right? These searching troops are naturally thorns in Earl Zhongyi’s side, so he need only monopolize all the grain in the city to leave these people without food. They’d naturally lack strength to search, and at the same time it would give His Highness a show of force.”

Hearing this, Ji Yun and Bingtang both grew nervous. “Then what should we do?”

Qin Yining set down her work, stood up and massaged her fingers while hesitating, “Actually it’s easy to resolve. Ji Yun.”

Ji Yun immediately responded and walked to Qin Yining’s side. Qin Yining whispered, “Go find Shopkeeper Yin and tell him…”

Ji Yun nodded after hearing, “Yes, this servant understands. But this is just your speculation – what if your preparations aren’t needed?”

“No matter. Look at this weather – how long has it been raining? It hasn’t stopped since we left the capital. It will be useful sooner or later.”

Ji Yun nodded gravely after hearing this.

Just as Ji Yun went out again to help Qin Yining with “shopping,” in the Lu mansion, Lu Heng stood by the window with his hands behind his back, his expression dark as water.

“My lord, the city remains in chaos today. Prince Zhongshun’s troops are searching everywhere with the momentum to dig three feet into the ground. Our people have tried to negotiate with them repeatedly, but those mansion people are all murderous – even a glare makes our people panic.”

Lu Heng shook his head, a mocking smile playing at his lips. “What cultivation can you expect from someone of peasant origin? Having a few soldiers has already made him arrogant beyond measure. Since he refuses to heed my advice, he can’t blame me for undermining his authority.”

“My lord, you mean?”

“Have our people go out and coordinate with all the local shops – they’re forbidden from providing grain to those hundred-odd people from the prince’s mansion. I’d like to see if, no matter how capable he is, he can still lead troops who can’t eat their fill!”

“Yes, my lord.”

The subordinate retreated excitedly.

Lu Heng unconsciously began rubbing his hands together.

He wanted to see how those mansion troops would cause trouble when they were all starving and shaking. When Pang Zhixi became frantic and helpless, it would also let Qin Yining see clearly what kind of brute she had married.

In early June, the rain showed no signs of stopping. The entire Huichuan County seemed forgotten and abandoned in a ditch, with dampness and mud everywhere.

Precisely because of this, crops weren’t growing well. Common people looked worried and began rationing their grain consumption. Meanwhile, grain stores and rice shops began raising prices dramatically – more than double their usual rates.

The common people hesitated over buying grain.

The prince’s mansion troops wouldn’t normally worry about grain.

But today, Huzi, who was responsible for purchasing, returned empty-handed.

“Your Highness, the rice shops in the city are going too far. I clearly saw they had grain in stock, but they absolutely refused to sell. The small portion they were willing to sell was mixed with sand, and the price was double what it used to be. I tried to reason with them and the argument nearly came to blows.”

Huzi said angrily, “Moreover, I visited many grain stores. Given our large requirements, I thought this business would be easy to negotiate, but unexpectedly, no matter how many shops I visited, the result was the same. Even showing the prince’s mansion credentials didn’t work. Some shopkeepers even shouted at me loudly, saying if we won’t eat that high-priced grain mixed with sand now, we’ll only be able to eat dirt in the future. Whether they sell depends on their mood – surely we can’t just rob them by force?”