Chapter 214: A Blessing

 Chapter 214: A Blessing 

“How did it go? Is the grain issue resolved?”

When Madam Li asked, Yan Zhigao nodded in response, but then he raised a question. “Why does our daughter have so much grain seed?”

Madam Li froze for a moment.

"Our daughter"—this was the first time the master had used such a affectionate tone to refer to their daughter.

Seeing that Madam Li didn’t respond, Yan Zhigao began changing his outer clothes and said, “Why are you in a daze?”

Madam Li stepped forward to help him straighten his clothes, then shook her head with a smile. “That girl said she’s just being prepared. She’s got grain on hand, so she’s not afraid. She said that even if there’s a disaster or a drought, as long as she has this stored grain, our family won’t starve.”

She sighed, continuing, “I think it was during her trip to Linyi County with mother. She suffered a lot and was starving, which probably made her so fond of storing grain.”

Yan Zhigao also recalled the image of his elderly mother and others dressed like beggars outside the county office in Linyi. At that time, he had been so caught up in the joy of reuniting with his mother that he hadn't considered how they—old or young—had survived the bandits along the way or how they had begged for food.

Seeing Madam Li looking at him with concern, Yan Zhigao patted her hand. “Daohua is a good girl. Your words are right. She really is our family’s lucky star.”

“In the past, although the Young Prince treated us kindly, it was just the playful bond between children. I’ve never been completely at ease.”

“After all, there are so many people around the Young Prince. Our children are not irreplaceable. If others come along who are better at playing and making trouble, the Young Prince might distance himself from our children.”

Upon hearing this, Madam Li was displeased. “What do you mean, our children aren’t as good as others’?”

“Wen Kai loves to cause a ruckus, Wen Tao is too honest, they’re a bit lacking in that regard. But what about Wen Xiu and Daohua? What makes them any worse than the children of others?”

Yan Zhigao sighed helplessly. “I’m not saying our children are worse. What I mean is that relationships between people change over time.”

“Right now, the Young Prince is only fourteen, and it’s the time when he enjoys playing. That’s why our playful children catch his eye. But in two years, when he matures and becomes more serious, he might need different types of companions.”

Madam Li fell silent, no longer refuting him.

Yan Zhigao, seeing that he had convinced his wife, continued, “But with this grain seed assistance, our family has formed a deeper bond with the Young Prince and, by extension, the Guo family.”

“I’ve heard from Lord Dong that the banditry in Fenxi is severe, and the Emperor is very concerned. So, when the high-yield grain seeds were developed, Fenxi was the first place they thought of. As long as the people are well-fed, they won’t be as likely to join the bandits.”

“If the grain seeds were lost, the people wouldn’t survive, and if a larger bandit problem arises, Prefect Magistrate Guo would face severe punishment.”

“We’ve pretty much saved Prefect Magistrate Guo’s life this time.”

Listening to Yan Zhigao’s analysis, Madam Li nodded in agreement, then smiled proudly as she added, “And all of this is thanks to Daohua.”

Yan Zhigao smiled and said, “Yes, yes, I’m not disagreeing.”

Madam Li sighed, “I just hope this batch of grain seeds arrives safely. If it does, the people in Fenxi will have hope, and you, my dear, will have political achievements to your name.”

Yan Zhigao nodded in agreement, “Indeed. In the end, it’s the common people who suffer the most from both natural and man-made disasters.”

At the Central Province Port:

Seeing the grain being transported to Fenxi, Dong Jiancheng finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Though the grain issue wasn’t directly his responsibility, if the bandit problem in Fenxi wasn’t resolved, it would affect the neighboring provinces like Zhongzhou as well.

Not to mention the pressure of resettling the refugees, which would already be enough of a headache, but the security issues could be even worse.

This shipment had to make it there safely!

After all, the high-yield grain had come from his jurisdiction, and if it helped ease the bandit troubles in Fenxi, he would share some of the credit.

No one in this era would ever complain about too much credit.

“Father, after the Young Prince takes us to the Commander's Training Field, we’re heading straight back to the academy and not returning to the residence,” Dong Yuanxuan said, running over to his father to explain their plans.

Dong Jiancheng glanced at the Young Prince, who was chatting with the three sons of the Yan family. His eyes flickered slightly. “Go ahead.”

After his eldest son ran off, Dong Jiancheng let out a sigh.

The Yan family really is lucky.

First, they inadvertently saved the young prince, and now they’ve helped Prefect Magistrate Guo with such a big task. The bond between them will surely grow deeper in the future.

Look, they’ve even taken the three young masters of the Yan family to the Commander's Office. The Fourth and Third Young Masters of Yan are on the martial arts track, and they’ll definitely need to work with the Commander's Office in the future. The earlier they get involved, the more they can broaden their horizons, avoid unnecessary detours, and expand their connections.

This treatment is something even our own sons haven’t received.

On the main peak of Wuhua Mountain, in the Meilin Manor.

"Madam, the grain seeds have been successfully transported."

A man in black knelt on one knee. In front of him, Guo Ruomei sat with an indifferent expression. "Have the people secretly escorting the shipment been arranged?"

The man in black nodded. "Everything has been arranged. There will definitely be no more incidents with the grain seeds being robbed."

Guo Ruomei squinted slightly. "It better be that way. You may leave now, and follow the grain convoy. If anything happens, send a carrier pigeon immediately."

"Understood."

After the man left, Mei Shuang entered with tea. "Madam, now you can be at ease."

Guo Ruomei took the tea and shook her head. "As long as the grain seeds aren’t in the ground, I can’t be at ease." She said, lowering her head to sip from the cup.

Looking at the jasmine flowers blooming in the tea, a faint smile finally appeared on Guo Ruomei’s lips. "By the way, that young lady from the Yan family has helped us twice now."

However, the smile quickly faded, and she muttered, slightly frustrated, "She has sharp eyes, though."

Last time, when she finally had a chance to interact with her son, that girl had ruined it.

Mei Shuang, remembering the time when the eldest young lady of the Yan family had seen through their disguise, felt somewhat embarrassed.

They had been a bit too hasty, otherwise, how could such a young girl have noticed something was off?

Guo Ruomei took another sip of tea, then fell into thought. "Go tell Shen Qiao to properly teach the eldest young lady of the Yan family, and make sure she learns the etiquette and skills of the noble ladies in the capital."

Mei Shuang nodded in agreement.

Shen Qiao was the Yan family’s tutor. Initially, to thank the eldest young lady of the Yan family for saving her young master, Guo Ruomei had sent someone to visit Shen Qiao, which led to Shen Qiao teaching the young ladies of the Yan family. Without that, given Shen Qiao’s reputation in Xingzhou, the Yan family wouldn’t have been able to afford her.

At the Zhou family residence.

Old Master Zhou was also following the situation with the grain seeds. Upon learning that the Yan family had helped gather more than 20,000 stones of grain, he couldn’t help but sigh.

"When luck comes, it’s unstoppable. Last year, when Yan Zhigao first arrived in Xingzhou, he was ostracized and bullied by everyone in the local Prefectural . But now, even the Provincial Advisor Du has had to bow down and seek peace with him."

Master Zhou nodded, his tone slightly sour. "Isn’t that right?"

Old Master Zhou gave him a sidelong glance. "I heard that this time, the young prince took the three Yan brothers to the Commander's Office. Originally, Cheng Ye wasn’t included, but it was the eldest young master Yan who suggested it, and that’s how he went along."

Master Zhou didn’t seem too concerned. "Cheng Ye studies literature, so he wouldn’t be of any use at the Commander's Office. It’s normal for the young prince not to bring him."

Old Master Zhou shook his head in disappointment. "It’s not about use or not. It’s about whether the young prince takes our Cheng Ye along for the ride. Never mind, you wouldn’t understand."

"Anyway, as long as the Yan family keeps doing well, we’ll continue to benefit. It hasn’t been long, and we’ve already gained quite a bit."

(End of Chapter)