Chapter 21 : Disaster Relief

It was hard to endure until the Emperor announced the exit of the court, Pei Si Yan lost her mind and touched her hair bun, listlessly walking towards the palace gates, ready to go directly to the Ministry of Households, because of the disaster relief she didn't need to go to the Rikugo Academy today.

"Lord Wu Pan."

A shout rang out behind her, she turned around to see Lan Xuan, purple clothes fluttering, elegant and moist, not like a mortal.

"I have met Your Highness King Hui," Pei Si Yan saluted him, the smile returning to her face, "Many thanks for helping me out before today, Your Highness."

"A show of hands." Lan Xuan smiled gently, his gaze falling on Pei Si Yan's arm, "How is Lord Wu Pan's injury?"

Pei Si Yan moved her left arm indicating that it was already healed, "Thank you, Your Highness King Hui for your concern, it has already healed."

Without the need for words, the two of them walked together in the direction of the palace gates, Pei Si Yan secretly glanced at Lan Xuan, thinking in her heart about the situation of these days' secret investigations on him and the things that happened in the great hall today.

"Erm ..." she hesitated, "There's one thing ... I'm a little curious about... ..."

"Witch Pan-sama go ahead, it's okay."

"What is the connection between the Bird Stepping Shake and Phoenix Sobbing Blood and your mother, Concubine Wen?" Pei Si Yan didn't learn much about Consort Wen from the information she obtained, most of the information was that she was cold-shouldered by the Emperor and died in depression, not a single word about the stepping rock or the curse.

Lanxuan's face was a bit grave, Pei Si Yan quickly changed her words, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked about this ..."

"It's okay, you should also know that something like that happened today." Lanxuan said, "A few years ago, the Empress suddenly passed away due to illness, even though father and she didn't have a deep relationship, but after all, the couple had been married for many years, and they were sad and upset. And someone precisely groped this point, borrowed mother consort's bird step rocker intentionally framed her for the death of the Empress, saying that the phoenix weeps blood, in fact, that step rocker is nothing, but Father Emperor believed it, and so the coldness of the mother consort, and the outside world rumours because she is a scourge of the country's evil demon ... "Said here, Lanxuan sneered coldly smile, the Handsome picturesque face actually some hideous, "Since then, father emperor also no longer favour us mother and son. And step rock also inexplicably disappeared, so far failed to find back."

Pei Si Yan frowned and couldn't help but sigh, "If the mastermind could be revealed, how good would that be." She felt that Lan Xuan was really unlucky, originally able to become the Crown Prince as the eldest son, but someone was jealous of the mother and son and caused them to be born like this.

"The wood has been turned into a boat, after many years, it is hopeless to expose it," Lanxuan shook his head, his graceful lips blooming into a bitter smile, "Now I only seek to protect a million ...," he looked at the darkly contemplative He looked at Pei Si Yan who was secretly thinking, and his smile contained some kind of deep meaning.

Pei Si Yan heart "thump" a moment, she is clear that today is by no means a good time to talk about the matter of alliance, everything has been disrupted by the matter of disaster relief, the only way to return to the imperial capital and then do long-term planning.

She raised her eyes to look at Lanxuan, who was a head taller than herself, and smiled, "I look at Your Highness's face, and I believe that you are the one who is favoured by the heavens, and what you lose may be compensated back with another thing."

"Thanks to the auspicious words of Lord Wuban," Lanxuan said, looking towards the palace gates not far away, "I have other important matters, farewell."

"Your Highness, please take your time." Pei Si Yan slightly curtsied, after seeing off Lan Xuan, she quickly walked to the palace gate, Li Qing Dye had already waited by the carriage for a long time, "Go to the Ministry of Households, receive the Emperor's order to set off at noon tomorrow to go to Xiyan County to provide relief for the disaster."

"How could the emperor let you go?" Li Qingye was greatly surprised.

Pei Si Yan sighed, "It's a long story, I don't want to mention things that have already passed. By the way, send someone to find out who sent that Bird Stepper." To find out for her, she must strangle the mastermind!

"It's just that the matter of disaster relief has always been handled by experienced officials," Li Qingyan followed behind Pei Si Yan and headed towards the Household Ministry's Yamen, which was not far from the palace, "My subordinate feels that this matter is fishy."

Pei Si Yan rubbed her temples, the corners of her mouth curved, "His Majesty is stirred up by the matter of the prince's misguided intentions and the establishment of the Crown Prince, how could he have the heart to focus on who is going to the disaster relief? That said, although this trip is a difficult task, isn't Xiyan County close to the borderland's key area, the West Road of Cangshan Mountain? It's just right to go there for a walk."

"Miss is thinking of going to meet Lord Wang Misan Wang?"

"Yes," remembering a holy decree of appointment that she overheard in a trance during today's court, Pei Si Yan's excitement was high, "He's been promoted to the position of Festival Envoy, and he's holding a heavy army on one side."

Wang Mishan was Tantai Yu's father's protégé, and then went away to serve on the frontier, breaking ties with the Tantai family. He and Tantai Yu didn't have any dealings on the surface, but in fact, they secretly had quite a few letters, and it seemed that Tantai Yu did this in order not to cause unnecessary and wild speculations in the dynasty.

Pei Si Yan was wandering around in Shide Xuan and inadvertently found a secret cabinet which contained Tantai Yu's secret correspondence with some officials who had always maintained a very good, brother-like relationship.

These gave Pei Si Yan an unexpected surprise.

"Lord Father has passed away, as a daughter shouldn't I pay a visit to this senior, Lord Wang?" Pei Si Yan said no more and lifted her foot to cross the threshold of the Household Ministry's Yamen.

After being busy at the Ministry of Revenue until almost midnight, Pei Si Yan dragged her heavy legs back to Tantai residence. Xia Wenzheng, the Minister of the Household, explained to Pei Si Yan in detail the situation of the disaster area, the amount of food and silver, the accompanying personnel and the schedule, and then took her to the warehouse to see the relief materials and meet the accompanying officials and officers.

But she can not rest down, instructed Yun Qi Yun Shan hurry to pack things, the northwest region at this time the climate has been like winter, so to bring a lot of things.

In addition, there are also internal contradictions Tantai House should also make some arrangements, do not go out a trip back to change the pattern. To find a town Tantai House management of large and small things, but also to suppress the momentum of the domineering and arrogant second house of the acting head of the house is really not a simple thing. The house has always been managed by Li light dye well organised, but he must go with himself to the West Yan County, Yuexi lady idle habitually, can manage to live in the second house but may not be able to be a good home.

Pei Si Yan calculations half a day, indecisive, distressed that they can trust very few people in the house. In the end, she handed things over to the third house of Tantai Zhang couple, and let away from light dye added manpower to keep a close eye on the movements of the house before resting assured sleep.

Early the next morning, Pei Si Yan topped with two black circles under her eyes, dazed and confused to the emperor resignation, and then went to the Ministry of households Yamen report, ready to go.

In front of the Yamen a long grain escort line, government officials, car drivers are busy doing the last check, and there are more than a hundred soldiers responsible for the safety along the road. On both sides of the street, a large group of people gathered to watch, pointing and discussing.

Xia Wenzheng came over and reported, "My lord, everything is ready, ready to go."

Thinking of the people in the far north-west region who are eagerly awaiting the arrival of life-saving food, Pei Si Yan commanded, "The matter of famine can't be delayed, set off now."

"Yes, my lord."

The relief team formally set off and marched towards their destination with great vigour. Pei Si Yan and Yun Qi sat in the same carriage, the carriage swayed and bumped all the way, not long after Pei Si Yan felt sleepy and yawned a long yawn, leaning against the wall of the carriage to catch up on her sleep.

When Pei Si Yan woke up from her sleep, it was already dark outside, and the caravan just arrived at the post house.

"This is ...," Pei Si Yan looked at the buildings in the distance that were blurred in the night, despite having slept for a long time, her head was still groggy, not to mention the fact that she was a road blind.

"Qingping County," Li Qingyan walked over, he rode his horse to the front of the group today, "The road went fast today, so I arrived here half a day early."

Pei Si Yan was very satisfied and nodded her head, then along with the post boy went to her room, Yun Qi opened the dinner to go.

After having dinner, Pei Si Yan and the accompanying household officials discussed some matters, it was almost close to midnight. She was incomparably happy to jump towards the big warm bed she had dreamed of, but she heard the sound of a Xiao sound ringing outside the window, in the stillness of the night, as distant as water as fine and slow.

Her curiosity was so great that she opened the window and looked out into the courtyard, only to see a figure standing alone under a tree under the flowing hazy moonlight. The breeze, the tree shadows, blowing up the person's robe, there seems to be a soft light dancing gently together.

Pei Siyan never thought that Li Qingyan would have a seemingly gentle side, a jade Xiao set off the eyebrows in the moonlight and starlight moist as jade, and usually meticulous, always cold face of the Wu Panfu long history of a different person.

Li Qingye glanced at the young lady looking towards herself, her complexion returned to normal in an instant, hanging down her hand, respectfully owing to her, "My subordinate has disturbed the young lady."

Pei Si Yan waved her hand, explaining, "No, your blowing sounded good." Seeing him return to his usual ice-cold appearance, she felt a little bad in her heart. Thinking about it, having been together for three months, it was the first time she saw the other side of the person she trusted the most, and then suddenly realised that she probably didn't understand him at all, and yet she had entrusted her life and family with all of them.

"Miss, it's late at night, please rest early, we will be travelling early tomorrow morning." Yun Qi entered the house with a basin of hot water.

"Good." Pei Si Yan looked at Li Qing Dye again, shook off her head, washed her hair and went to bed.

Half a month later, the disaster relief team finally arrived at Qinghe county which is close to Xiyan county, along the road Pei Si Yan saw many stragglers, all of them unclothed and yellow. Because the northwestern region at this time has been relatively cold, the roadside can be seen some freezing and starving people, crying and howling. She couldn't help but feel anxious, sending some food and urging the team to travel as quickly as possible.

Before the relief team entered the gate of the county town, a group of victims like wolves swarmed up, their fingers dead grasping the grain wagon and refused to let go. Fortunately, most of these victims were starving for a long time and didn't have much strength, the soldiers escorting them quickly subdued them, and the other victims who wanted to participate in the food grabbing immediately cowered and honestly stayed where they were.

Qinghe county is already in such a miserable state, the drought and famine in the most serious county of Xiyan is even harder to imagine what it is like.

Pei Siyan didn't even take a breath, and directly found Qinghe County's assassin, and started to prepare for the relief matters.