Xiao Changyan immediately ordered his people, then turned back to Shen Xihe: “I was negligent. Thank you for your thoroughness, Sister-in-law.”

Shen Xihe smiled and turned to Xiao Huayong: “Your Highness since Prince Jing is concerned for our safety and came specially to welcome us, we should depart early. The situation in Dengzhou is urgent, and Prince Jing must have taken time from his busy schedule. We shouldn’t delay his work.”

Xiao Huayong, holding his fist against his lips, looked up at Shen Xihe standing gracefully before him. Gone was her usual indifference and the casual manner she showed in private. Every movement was proper and respectful, truly embodying the virtuous bearing of a Crown Princess.

Lowering his eyelids to hide the fleeting smile in his eyes, he replied mildly: “Very well.”

With that, Tianyuan carefully helped him up.

The carriage and horses were already waiting at the door. From here to Wendeng County there were no mountain paths, and though the water was deep, it wouldn’t prevent the carriage from passing. Xiao Huayong got in first, followed by Shen Xihe who took Biyu’s hand and stepped onto the carriage shaft, pausing there.

As if remembering something, Shen Xihe turned to Xiao Changyan below: “Prince Jing, my medical maid and physician both have some medical knowledge. With the city’s shortage of doctors and medicines, the Crown Prince and I wish to do what little we can to help the people, so we’ll leave these two here at your disposal.”

“The Crown Prince and Crown Princess are truly benevolent. I thank you on behalf of the people,” Xiao Changyan naturally had no reason to refuse.

Shen Xihe nodded slightly to Zhenzhu and Axi, and they stayed behind.

The carriage took half an hour to reach the city gate. The rain grew heavier along the way. When they entered the city, Shen Xihe lifted the curtain – the rain was so thick it obscured even the eaves and corners of buildings.

Every household had shut their doors. The splashing rain had soaked the gates, and in many low-lying areas, water had risen above the thresholds, half-submerging houses. Shen Xihe couldn’t help but frown, worry appearing in her eyes.

Xiao Changyan had already arranged their lodgings. The county post station was in poor condition with serious water damage and uninhabitable. They obviously couldn’t stay there. Xiao Changyan had moved into the county office early on, but it wasn’t large enough to accommodate Shen Xihe’s group, so he had personally purchased a well-situated residence.

“Prince Jing, why don’t we see Prince Yan?” After entering and waiting a while without seeing Xiao Changgen, Shen Xihe asked directly.

The news of Xiao Changgen’s disappearance had been leaked by Xiao Changyan to Xiao Huayong’s secret watchers and perhaps hadn’t escaped Prince Xin’s eyes either. As for whether His Majesty knew, Shen Xihe couldn’t be certain. In any case, it hadn’t been widely spread.

“Several surrounding counties are also disturbed by the heavy rain, and the situation is not optimistic. Twelfth Brother is managing affairs in Linqing County,” Xiao Changyan explained, making it seem as if Xiao Changgen was fine in Linqing County.

Shen Xihe nodded. She had asked merely to show she didn’t know about Xiao Changgen’s disappearance. Having received an answer, she naturally didn’t pursue it further.

After settling them in, Xiao Changyan hurriedly left.

They were here as mascots, while Xiao Changyan held the imperial command for disaster relief. Despite Xiao Huayong’s noble status, mobilizing personnel and issuing disaster relief orders were all under Xiao Changyan’s authority.

Xiao Changqing seemed to have no intention of intervening. His duty was to protect Xiao Huayong, and using the excuse of fatigue from days of travel, he retired to his room to rest.

Shen Xihe stood by the window, raising her chin slightly to gaze at the distant sky – not black, but so thick it seemed ready to collapse at any moment.

She wore a light white wide-sleeved dress, the sleeves dancing in the wind, with gold-threaded pinzhong leaves like dancing butterflies.

Suddenly, a warmth enveloped her shoulders – Xiao Huayong had draped a white cloak embroidered with matching pinzhong leaves over her. His tall frame stood behind her, his hands reaching forward to deftly tie the strings.

After securing the cloak and adjusting it, he handed her a register: “This is the inventory record for all of Dengzhou.”

Shen Xihe took it and opened it, her expression growing more serious. She quickly flipped through the entire book, her fingers unconsciously tightening: “At this rate, Dengzhou will run out of food and medicine within five days.”

Even the cleverest cook can’t cook without rice, and no doctor can heal without medicine.

Shen Xihe’s five-day estimate was based on barely getting by. If the heavy rain continued for five more days, who knew if flooding would sweep in? Then, caught between internal and external threats, all of Dengzhou would face disaster.

“You think this rain won’t stop within five days?” Shen Xihe turned around and asked worriedly.

“I don’t understand celestial signs, nor do I have the ability to divine, but I have an intuition that this rain won’t stop within five days,” Xiao Huayong nodded slightly. “If you want to intervene in this matter, you must prepare early.”

“In your opinion, where should I start?” Shen Xihe hadn’t considered standing idle, she could only do her best and hope to help hundreds of thousands of people through this disaster.

“If you’re going to intervene, then take full control. Don’t let anyone restrict you,” Xiao Huayong rarely spoke to Shen Xihe so seriously.

His words turned in Shen Xihe’s mind, and she understood: “You want me to strike first.”

A faint mist-like smile appeared in Xiao Huayong’s eyes: “It suits the Crown Princess’s typically forceful style.”

Since Shen Xihe’s arrival in the capital, in every matter, she had always used extremely firm methods, giving no one room to breathe, cleanly achieving her goals.

“Since you’ve taken such care to build this bridge for me, how could I disappoint you?” Shen Xihe smiled lightly.

Xiao Huayong blinked at her with an expectant look, eager to watch the show.

That afternoon, when the Crown Prince couple had entered Wendeng County and were reportedly resting, someone knelt outside their residence in the rain, holding up a wooden tablet carved with the characters for “seeking justice.”

The awakened Crown Prince and Crown Princess immediately had the person called in. The Crown Prince, due to his poor health, couldn’t appear, but rather than having Prince Xin receive them, the Crown Princess personally did so.

The petitioners weren’t just one person but three, and after questioning, it was revealed they were wealthy households of Wendeng County. However, half a month ago, their families had been looted by disaster victims. They accuse the disaster victims of taking advantage of the chaos to rob them, and Prince Jing of showing bias toward the disaster victims and using the opportunity to swindle their grain, cloth, and medicines. They produced evidence.

These days, they had given up all their stores to aid the disaster victims like giving blood, completely emptying their coffers, and leaving their entire families without means to live.

Upon hearing this, the Crown Princess was extremely angry. She immediately had Prince Jing summoned and threw the evidence at him: “Prince Jing, do you have anything to say in your defense?”

Xiao Changyan hadn’t expected evidence to surface. His gaze swept over the three red-eyed accusers who were crying their grievances: “Sister-in-law is my elder sister-in-law, and I naturally respect you, but in matters of state, it’s not your place to question me.”

“If your sister-in-law can’t, can I?”