"Some are willing to go, while others are still hesitant, wondering if the Princess's words are true. Perhaps the artisans are worried about their elders and young at home, thus they remain undecided!"
Huangfu Jintao held Zhao Jiaqi's letter, his head hanging low as he pondered. After a moment, he took it upon himself to handle the matter: "I will arrange for more skilled artisans. They will travel north on an official ship with your people, to be delivered as quickly as possible. I'll also bring some of Pin Ting's favorite foods!"
Speaking of Pin Ting, Yao Jingyun's eyes welled up with tears. She immediately knelt on the ground, choking back sobs, "Your Majesty, Pin Ting is with child. May this concubine visit her at the fiefdom? I miss her!"
Huangfu Jintao looked at her tear-streaked face, then thought of his own illness... there were only a few things he could do for this mother and daughter.
He helped the kneeling woman up, showing a rare hint of tenderness: "Go, go see her. Tell her that her father misses her too, and that she should bring the child to see me after she gives birth!"
The rare affection of the imperial family was all bestowed upon these two women.
The next day, the Emperor issued an imperial decree, allocating a group of skilled artisans from the palace, numbering over fifty. This did not include the thirty or so people Yao Jingyun's family had found.
The ministers at court dared not voice their anger, yet the person absent from the capital could still stir up such a storm.
The entourage, grand and imposing, traveled north and after half a month, finally arrived at the princely manor in the inner city.
Fan Zehao, leading Zhao Jiaqi, went to greet them: "Your subject, your subject's wife, pays respects to the Imperial Noble Consort. May Your Ladyship be well!"
Yao Jingyun helped up Zhao Jiaqi, who was visibly pregnant, and looking at her slightly protruding belly, she smiled and said, "Looking at your belly, you must be three or four months along!"
"Three months!"
Yao Jingyun was surprised: "Oh, Pin Ting is also three months along! You two sisters-in-law are truly fated!"
"Your Ladyship speaks the truth. We have an old saying in the countryside, 'Those not of the same family do not enter the same household!'" Zhao Jiaqi seized the opportunity.
Since the Imperial Noble Consort was willing to be friendly with her, she was naturally pleased. They had chatted for only a short while when they heard Pin Ting, awake from her nap, calling out urgently from outside.
"Mother Consort, Mother Consort...!" Her voice preceded her as she rushed to call out to Yao Jingyun.
Mother and daughter reunited, there were bound to be many things to discuss. She and Fan Zehao exchanged a look, then found an excuse to withdraw.
"Your Ladyship, there are still a hundred or so artisans outside who need to be arranged. Your subject and the Princess will see to their arrangements, and we will host a banquet for Your Ladyship tonight!" Fan Zehao bowed respectfully.
Yao Jingyun waved her hand, refusing: "Being away from the capital, things are not the same. Let's forgo such complicated matters. You only need to arrange for those artisans. They are here by imperial decree, and they will certainly not engage in deception or try to curry favor. The Emperor has put a lot of thought into this matter for you!"
The Consort's words were pointed, and Fan Zehao understood. He guessed that Xiao Ce had submitted a secret memorial to the Emperor, informing him of the situation here, otherwise, why would an imperial decree have been issued for these people.
At this moment, he was grateful to Huangfu Jintao: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern. Your subject will protect this pure land with his life!"
The two withdrew from the front hall, leaving this heartwarming moment to the mother and daughter, while they went to arrange the accommodation for these people.
Fan Zehao, Zhao Jiaqi, and Xiao Ce worked until evening, finally arranging for all these people. At the same time, the two of them were beginning to get a headache.
Xiao Ce looked at Zhao Jiaqi, who was smiling and unaware of worries: "Princess Consort, suddenly ninety-six people have arrived. The cost of food and clothing for them will be a considerable sum of money!"
Based on his understanding of Zhao Jiaqi, she would not engage in losing ventures. His very clever mind guessed that she might be sending these people to the trade city to be her tools for making money, Xiao Ce mused inwardly.
"Brother Xiao, tomorrow you will divide these people up, list the number of people for each trade, their names, and their special skills. This must be completed before lunch. I will handle the rest; you only need to cooperate with me!"
Xiao Ce put his hands on his hips and nodded. He, a dignified supervisor, was reduced to an assistant here, a far cry from his former life as a swaggering commander of the Imperial Guards in the capital.
It was truly as the saying goes: "A dragon in shallow water is bullied by shrimp, a tiger on flat ground is harassed by dogs. A proud cat is fiercer than a tiger, but a phoenix fallen from the sky is worse than a chicken."
Circumstances change!
The next day, at breakfast, Xiao Ce had people deliver the list. His efficiency was swift, earning him praise from Zhao Jiaqi: "Brother Xiao is so efficient! I will seek his help again in the future; I trust him with my affairs."
Fan Zehao looked at the thick stack of papers, his mouth twitching slightly. He wondered whether to tell his wife the truth, but then decided against it, not wanting to damage Xiao Ce's image in her eyes.
He said with a false smile, "Yes, if you have matters, seeking his help will ensure they are handled quickly. He works with great efficiency!"
After speaking, Fan Zehao inwardly apologized to Brother Xiao, thinking that for the sake of future peace, he had to endure some hardship.
Good brothers should be willing to stab each other in the back! This was the time to show his mettle!
Zhao Jiaqi scanned the submitted list, her brow furrowed slightly.
The Emperor had sent twenty blacksmiths and ironworkers, the largest group for any project. Indirectly, she discovered a clue: the Emperor was clearly using the pretense of observing Zongsheng Kingdom's iron smelting technology.
She smiled softly, realizing that stealing technology required great skill, patience, and courage.
After breakfast, she locked herself in the study, refusing to see anyone, until all her plans were laid out. Only then did she emerge.
The moment she appeared, Gou'er quickly stepped forward to report: "Princess Consort, Her Ladyship has been waiting in the front hall for a long time and asked the Princess Consort to come over once she was done. She did not mention any specific matters."
"Mm," she nodded.
After walking a few steps, she remembered that three imperial chefs had come with the group. She stopped and instructed Gou'er: "For the three new imperial chefs, have them each prepare a few of their signature dishes at noon."
She wanted to see how the imperial chefs' cooking differed from the regular chefs and to taste something new, as these chefs had served the Emperor and were rarely accessible.
In the front hall, Pin Ting and Yao Jingyun had become inseparable, with endless stories to share. When Zhao Jiaqi arrived, they finally stopped their chatter.
"Greetings, Your Ladyship!" Zhao Jiaqi curtsied slightly.
"Outside the palace, there's no need for so much ceremony. Rise quickly!" Yao Jingyun personally helped her up, gently patting her hand, her eyes full of affection.
She smiled and said, "Since I left the capital, Pin Ting has constantly told me about your care for her. Before I came, I was quite worried that she would suffer, but I didn't expect her life to be so comfortable. This has greatly relieved my worries. You will have to work hard as an elder sister-in-law from now on; I entrust her to you!"
Yao Jingyun had changed her address to 'I', indicating that her words came from the bottom of her heart. Zhao Jiaqi understood the love parents have for their children, especially when their daughters marry and leave home.