"Very well, Zhao Jiaqi gave her husband a thumbs up, but at the same time offered a valuable suggestion: 'We must also prepare in advance for the evacuation of the people on both sides of the river. If the river water rises too much, we must first transfer the common people away. Houses can be rebuilt, money can be earned again, but if life is lost, hope is lost!'"
Fan Zehao learned a new spirit from his wife, which was that life was paramount.
"I will issue an imperial edict now and send it to Gao Wenbin via flying eagle so that he can handle it as soon as possible!"
Zhao Jiaqi chuckled. Her husband was truly making the best use of his resources. Gao Wenbin, who had been a dark guard for half his life, had retired from that identity after marrying Li Sisi.
They traveled with Li Sisi, visiting scenic spots and opening milk tea shops all over the Yun Kingdom. The family of four lived a very comfortable life. Occasionally, when Gao Wenbin saw something unjust, he would still write to Fan Zehao and help capture some corrupt officials.
It could be said that in places her husband couldn't see, there were fewer corrupt officials, and at least they no longer disregarded human lives.
"Be careful that Gao Wenbin doesn't turn on you!"
Fan Zehao, who was writing the letter, paused and then smiled, shaking his head. He said confidently, "He won't. He looks cold, but his heart is righteous. Even if you don't believe Gao Wenbin is someone who meddles in others' affairs, you should believe that Li Sisi is an upright person. Could they stand by and do nothing when faced with such a crisis affecting the people?"
Zhao Jiaqi believed Li Sisi, but her husband's analysis of people's personalities was becoming more and more adept.
With a letter, the eagle was quickly dispatched. At the same time, the Emperor also issued an imperial edict, ordering all prefectures and counties to speed up the dredging of river channels to prevent flooding during the rainy season.
The urgent dispatches traveled eight hundred miles to each prefecture. Officials such as governors, prefects, county magistrates, and town chiefs in charge of river sections became busy.
It was unclear when it started, but each region managed its own affairs, which was convenient, efficient, and faster. Every year, the governors could save a lot of official silver, which was used for the construction and maintenance of their territories. Although a significant amount was left, Fan Zehao did not collect it.
Instead, he used the remaining official silver each year to build roads.
His wife often said, "To get rich, first build roads."
Previously, conditions were insufficient. Now, conditions were adequate, and their strength allowed it. The common people were all fed and clothed. If they didn't plan for road construction now, he felt he would be letting down his wife's good intentions for the people.
The seventh day of the third month, the weather was clear, with a gentle breeze caressing the face, auspicious for weddings.
In the imperial palace, red silk fluttered, and large red "囍" characters were pasted on the palace gates. The capital was also decorated with lanterns and streamers, all in joyous celebration of Princess Gu Lun's wedding.
Guanju Palace.
Zhao Jiaqi broke the imperial palace's tradition and did not have Ren Junying get married from her own palace. Instead, like ordinary farmers, she watched her daughter's wedding from her courtyard.
Dressed in a phoenix crown and robes, the official matchmaker placed a red veil embroidered with mandarin ducks over Junjun's head. Standing beside her, dressed in a festive robe, with her black hair tied up with a golden crown, was Zong Han, with sharp eyebrows and a well-defined face, nervously standing next to the bride.
The two sat facing Fan Zehao and Zhao Jiaqi, who were seated in chairs, and listened to Fan Zehao's pre-nuptial advice to his daughter.
It was nothing more than matters pertaining to a woman's role within the household.
Her expression on the chair was not good. Zhou Qiangwei, seeing this, whispered to her, "Empress, it's a joyous occasion, you should smile!"
Smile?
She was already holding back tears, not crying.
Her daughter was marrying far away, and she wouldn't see her even once a year after she left. How could she smile now?
If Zong Han were to become a live-in son-in-law, she guaranteed her face would bloom with a radiant smile!
Zhao Jiaqi suppressed her tears and forced a smile at Zhou Qiangwei, saying, "Sister Zhou, I... I am smiling!"
Zhou Qiangwei blinked twice and thought to herself: Empress, please don't smile. It's better to cry!
However, she could understand the Empress's feelings. She herself had married off a daughter, but they lived in the capital, and she could see her every two or three days, so she didn't feel much sadness.
As the Emperor's words fell, a person in armor, heroic and spirited, entered from the palace gate. Everyone in the room looked at her.
Huo!
Princess Yu Meng had returned from the military camp, no wonder she dared to barge into Guanju Palace!
Before Zhao Jiaqi could even reprimand her, Yu Meng spoke to Zong Han first: "Big Brother-in-law, if my elder sister is bullied by you, my younger brothers and I won't stand idly by!"
Yu Meng patted her dazzling armor and haughtily raised her head to meet Zong Han's smiling eyes. "Although I am not yet a female general, I believe it will be soon. I will not tolerate anyone who bullies my sister. All the soldiers of the Yun Kingdom are my sister's backing. Think about it!"
Her words were as domineering as could be, but they struck a chord with Fan Zehao and Zhao Jiaqi.
The words were indeed fitting, but they couldn't let Zong Han lose face, after all, he was the ruler of a nation, and he had come personally to marry her, showing sincere intention.
Zhao Jiaqi cleared her throat. "Ahem, Mengmeng, don't be rude. Come here!"
The latter knew that her words were too blunt and had offended her future brother-in-law, and she also knew that she had not followed the rules today. Therefore, she did not argue but obediently stood beside her mother, her bright eyes occasionally glancing at Zong Han, who was about to take her sister away.
Seeing her daughter come over, Zhao Jiaqi began to admonish the bride, but as she spoke, she became choked with emotion, and Fan Zehao interrupted her before she could finish.
"Don't delay the auspicious time, let's go!"
As the Emperor's words fell, Yu Meng stepped forward and bent down: "I don't have any brothers, and my younger brothers are not here. Today, I, the eldest sister, will carry my elder sister to her marriage!"
Junjun, under the red veil, was already sobbing uncontrollably, her tears falling like pearls. The official matchmaker kept advising her, "Just shed a few tears to show your feelings, don't ruin your makeup!"
Junjun leaned onto her sister's slender back. Eleven-year-old Yu Meng looked rather thin, but she possessed a great deal of strength. In the military camp, she had been trained rigorously by her master. It was thanks to her diligent practice of martial arts that she could actually carry her sister.
All the way, Yu Meng steadily carried Junjun on her back. She listened to Junjun's instructions: "Sister, I can no longer be filial to Father and Mother. In the future, you must return often to accompany Father and Mother, and send me letters frequently so that I know how you and the younger brothers are doing!"
The more she spoke, the more reluctant she became, and her tears never stopped.
The wedding of the Yun Kingdom's princess was a spectacle that the entire capital witnessed as she departed.
The common people and officials had not forgotten her. During the past plague, the princess had also worked tirelessly day and night researching remedies.
Without her, without the imperial physicians, without the Emperor and Empress's resolve, they would not be standing here today to witness the princess's wedding.
This kindness was deeply ingrained in everyone's hearts.
Compared to the Huangfu royal family, they preferred the Yun Kingdom to be ruled by the Fan family.
Gao Wenbin, who was far away in the south, received the Emperor's letter and stamped his feet in anger. However, he could not act against his conscience and watch the people of several cities suffer.
Therefore, he joined forces with the governor to make a plan. Within two days, the Emperor's urgent imperial edict also arrived.
With the dual management, no flooding occurred. It was also thanks to the timely clearing of silt from the river channels, and the people, fearing that the flood would destroy their homes, voluntarily began to dig ditches to divert snowmelt from the mountains to the fields.
This saved them the trouble of irrigation, killing two birds with one stone!