After three months of severe drought, most people had already perished, so where could there be any extra water to nurture such a precious flower as peony?
Jiang Shouwei was the legitimate son of the Jiang family, also the youngest son of Jiang Yanxi. He furrowed his brow, his eyes already unable to open due to the scorching sun, and tugged at his elder brother's sleeve: "Brother, I really can't take it anymore, it's too hot. If they won't let us in, let's just give up! I want to go back."
Among their group, Jiang Shoucheng, another legitimate member of the Jiang family, was the oldest, already twenty years old, and the leader of these young lads.
He felt that the weather here was unnaturally hot, but he didn't get angry when they were refused entry. Instead, he smiled and poured water into cups for the two guards: "Gentlemen, we are from a reputable family in the capital. If other students have completed the tasks given by our teacher, and only we haven't, it would be too embarrassing. Please, gentlemen, grant us some convenience."
He held the lids of two water pouches in one hand, while Jiang Shouwei held the pouches for him.
The two guards, their throats parched, stared at the water in his hand. The young man was cunning, though; he had poured the water into the lids but just smiled at them, not giving them a drink.
One of the guards, his throat aching, reached out to grab the water pouch, but Jiang Shoucheng stepped back: "What are you doing, sir? It's against the law to forcibly take someone else's belongings."
The guards were already so thirsty that their eyes were red. Jiang Shoucheng realized something was wrong and quickly handed them the two cups of water, using the opportunity while they drank to ask: "Look, we won't make things difficult for you. Just tell us what's going on here. Otherwise, we can't report back to our teacher."
"Give us some more water..."
The guard who had tried to grab the water was now desperate: "Just a little more, and I'll tell you."
"You're crazy!"
The other guard, with better self-control, blocked him: "The governor has ordered us not to..."
"I can't care about that anymore!"
The desperate guard roared: "Look at the state of the city. These delicate young masters going in would only be treated like livestock, slaughtered and dismembered for food. They can give us water, let our families live a few more days, and report the situation to the court. Only then can our brothers and sisters be saved."
The guard he yelled at also reddened his eyes, deflated, and stepped aside.
Jiang Shoucheng handed the entire water pouch to that guard: "Now, can you tell us?"
"Yu Province is suffering from a severe drought. You can't enter the city. It's been three months, and the county magistrate has already reported the situation, but the governor of Yu Province has rejected the report and stationed heavy troops to prevent the news from spreading. The county magistrate is now trapped inside the city and can't get out. We are guards sent by the governor from Yu Province. Anyone trying to force their way in or out will be killed without mercy."
"The governor hasn't opened the granaries to distribute food, and even the water reserves here have been taken to the governor's residence. Even we, the public servants, get very little water. There are still our families in the city, but with the governor's actions, the drought has been too long, and there's no water. People are already... eating each other. Countless people are dying of thirst. If this continues... if this continues, our families will all die inside."
"What? A drought for three months and the governor hasn't reported it to the court. What does this governor of Yu Province want to do?"
"Naturally, it's to protect his own position. The Great Yan Dynasty has laws that if a natural disaster or human calamity occurs in the jurisdiction, and the local governor fails to manage it in time, it will affect his performance evaluation."
"These corrupt officials, for the sake of their careers, are ignoring the lives of the entire city's people. It's too cold-blooded, too outrageous."
The young men, encountering such injustice, felt their blood boil, wishing they could beat the governor of Yu Province to a pulp.
The guard, seeing the compassion in these noble young men's eyes, knelt and begged: "Please, gentlemen, save us! If this continues, everyone in the city will die."
"What are you doing?"
A fierce soldier on the city wall, holding a whip, pointed at the group below: "Arrest them."
The guards were startled and quickly pushed Jiang Shoucheng away: "Run! Those are the governor's personal soldiers. If you don't leave now, you won't be able to."
"Go!"
Jiang Shoucheng handed the water pouches to the guards, decisively grabbed Jiang Shouwei by the collar, and ran towards their carriage.
The young men behind him were all skilled in riding and archery, quickly mounting their horses or carriages and galloping away.
Jiang Shoucheng shouted: "Meet at Qin Province. My cousin is the most beloved imperial concubine of the current emperor. Whoever arrives first in Qin Province, report my and Shouwei's names to see Jiang Yankun, the Minister of Justice, who is our uncle."
The few who heard this were all surprised. The two brothers from the Jiang family had never revealed their identities. They thought it was just a coincidence that they shared the surname with the new noble family in the capital, but it turned out they were really family.
They were too low-key.
"Brother!"
Inside the carriage, Jiang Shouwei gripped the window frame excitedly: "Those bastards killed the guard."
Jiang Shoucheng lowered the carriage curtain and took out the report that the governor of Yu Province had rejected from his sleeve: "He was prepared to die when he asked us to save the people of Yu Province. He kept this report with him every day, probably entrusted by someone to fulfill his duty."
As for who had entrusted him, Jiang Shoucheng guessed it was the county magistrate of Yu Province.
Numerous carriages and horses scattered at the fork in the road. By the time the soldiers who had been delayed by the guards caught up, the young men on horseback were gone, and the carriages had mingled with nearby merchant caravans, leaving no trace.
They didn't know which road to chase.
"Your Highness, what soup shall we prepare today for the Nine Continents Peace Hall?"
Chef Gao laid out the ingredients: "Still liver soup?"
Jiang Xinyue shook her head: "Although the Gu worm is now confined to the emperor's arm, it still causes loss of appetite and weak digestion. Today, let's make a porridge with meat broth. I'll deliver it myself."
If she didn't go, the emperor would be upset.
"Your Highness, the Imperial Concubine... where is the Imperial Concubine?"
At the ChuangChun Pavilion, Lady Sun stumbled in: "Your Highness, the Imperial Concubine... Yun'er... Yun'er has been kidnapped."
Wet Nurse Lu, who was holding the Sixth Prince to breathe fresh air in the courtyard, was startled, thinking someone was trying to assassinate the prince. She quickly wrapped the little baby in her clothes and hid under the corridor.
Qian Shenghe was peeling oranges for the Fourth Prince when Lady Sun's shrill voice made him drop the orange, splattering juice all over the Fourth Prince's face.
But he didn't have time to care about the Fourth Prince; instead, he helped Lady Sun up and quickly said: "Your Highness has gone to the Nine Continents Peace Hall."
He didn't ask what had happened, not wanting to waste time.
Upon hearing this, Lady Sun immediately turned and ran out.
