"Is there anything else, Prince Zhan?" Seeing Dongfang Zhan standing inside the door, neither speaking nor leaving, his deep gaze fixed on her, Shen Lixue couldn't help but ask in confusion.
"It's nothing!" Dongfang Zhan shook his head, withdrew his gaze, and strode out of the room: "I will go to the palace immediately!"
Two hours later, an imperial decree arrived from the palace, summoning Shen Lixue to the palace. The whole family was in an uproar!
The wolf-hair brush in Lei's hand snapped in two, the ink stains spreading and ruining the peace sutra he had just written. He was both angry and annoyed. What kind of idea did Shen Lixue have that could actually get her summoned by the emperor?
Shen Yingxue stood in her bedroom, grabbing antique vases and smashing blue and white porcelain pieces indiscriminately. Her angry gaze pierced through the latticed window, glaring hatefully towards the direction of the bamboo garden. That lowly country girl, she stumbled upon a method to control floods by accident. What's there to be proud of? I just hope that when she enters the palace, she doesn't anger the nobles and get executed.
Shen Minghui stood at the doorway of the inner room, watching Shen Lixue sitting in front of the dressing table carefully putting on her makeup. His face was terribly gloomy: "Why didn't you tell me about your flood control strategy?"
The flood control strategy solved the root cause of the flooding. If he had presented it to the emperor, he would have gained the emperor's trust, and the prime minister's mansion would have been able to rise to a new level. However, Shen Lixue actually asked Zhan Wang to report the plan to the emperor in her own name. As a young woman, the emperor would at most give her some rewards, but she would get nothing else. Such a good plan was wasted. She was extremely foolish.
"Father didn't tell me about the great flood in the south. If I hadn't heard the news from Prince Zhan, I wouldn't have known that most of Qingyan was flooded!" Shen Lixue replied casually. She knew her biased father too well. If she had told him the flood control plan, Shen Yingxue would definitely have been the one to enjoy the good reputation.
"Who told you that plan?" Shen Lixue was born in the capital but grew up in the countryside. Shen Minghui still refused to believe that the brilliant flood control plan that the ministers of Qingyan had racked their brains to come up with could have come from her.
Shen Lixue frowned: "I'm not a shameless person who uses his achievements to promote my own reputation. Of course, the flood control plan was my own idea."
Shen Minghui frowned deeply, his gaze towards Shen Lixue turning colder: "Is this really your own idea?"
“What else does Father think?” Shen Lixue stood up and gave Shen Minghui a cold look. He had no trust in her whatsoever, and she had long since given up all hope for him.
Shen Lixue walked gracefully past Shen Minghui and went straight ahead: "It's getting late, I need to go to the palace, please make way, Father!"
Shen Lixue stepped out of the room and basked in the sunlight. The scorching sun was bright and dazzling, but when she saw Shen Minghui, her eyes were cold and bone-chilling, and her face was gloomy and terrifying. This rebellious daughter actually didn't even put him in her eyes. She was becoming more and more audacious.
In the sweltering summer heat, large amounts of ice were placed in every corner of the imperial study, allowing gusts of cold air to seep out, making the study much cooler. The emperor sat steadily, his majestic gaze lingering on the memorials, intently revising them.
After Shen Lixue knelt and bowed in accordance with the proper etiquette, she lowered her eyes slightly and stood quietly on one side of the room. Dongfang Zhan stood on the other side, looking in one direction without saying a word. The entire imperial study was filled with soft breathing and the faint sound of writing.
After an unknown amount of time, the emperor put down the memorial and looked at Shen Lixue with a majestic gaze. The moment their eyes met, Shen Lixue showed no fear. She smiled gently, blinked, and her dark pupils, as bright and dazzling as black pearls, were as deep and calm as an ancient well. The emperor felt his eyes light up and his mood inexplicably improved: "How did you come up with the plan to control the flood?"
"Your Majesty, I grew up in the countryside. When I was young, I saw farmers diverting clear water from the river into their fields through small ditches to irrigate their farmland. That's why I came up with this flood control strategy!" Shen Lixue casually gave a reason. A flood control strategy from the 21st century would certainly work in ancient times.
"So the inspiration and strategy came from the countryside!" The emperor nodded, looking at Shen Lixue with a solemn expression: "Do you know that Jiangnan and Lingnan are a certain distance apart? How much manpower and resources would be needed to divert the floodwaters from Jiangnan to Lingnan?"
Shen Lixue smiled gently: "Your Majesty, the floods in Jiangnan are fierce and must be released as soon as possible. If we send people to dig rivers, it may be too late. The terrain of Jiangnan and Lingnan is similar. We can dig more wide and shallow waterways to divert the water to Lingnan!"
The emperor nodded approvingly, agreeing that this method was the fastest and most appropriate: "The Jiangnan region is suffering from severe flooding. Even digging shallow waterways will require a considerable amount of manpower, and many refugees will need to be appeased one by one. This is a massive undertaking..."
"When people are trapped by floods, they will surely feel panic and anxiety. Your Majesty can send those who have lost their homes and become displaced to dig shallow waterways. For each day they dig, they can be paid a certain amount. Once the refugees have a livelihood, they will not have any other thoughts. The shallow waterways can also be completed in the process..." The greatest power in the world is the power of the people. When there is a flood, the government's subsidies alone are far from enough. Mobilizing the people to save themselves is the best way.
"Excellent, what a brilliant plan that kills two birds with one stone!" The emperor carefully examined Shen Lixue. Her face was exquisitely beautiful, and her eyes were clear. If it weren't for the youthful innocence and naivety in her beauty, he would have thought that she was the brilliant and famous Lin Qingzhu from eighteen years ago.
At the age of fourteen or fifteen, she is still a child, yet she has come up with this ingenious method of flood control. Her intelligence is extraordinary, and she is indeed worthy of being Lin Qingzhu's daughter.
"Father, Miss Shen has come up with such a brilliant plan, you should reward her accordingly!" Dongfang Zhan, standing on the other side, suddenly spoke up, his smile gentle and warm eyes revealing a hint of tenderness.
"Of course!" The emperor laughed heartily, in a very good mood.
Shen Lixue curtsied: "I am honored by the praise from Prince Zhan, but I am unworthy of it. I was just lucky and happened to have lived among the common people. Your Majesty is wise and allows women to discuss state affairs, which gave me the opportunity to share Your Majesty's burdens. I dare not accept the reward and ask Your Majesty to take it back."
Shen Lixue's humble and composed attitude won the emperor's favor once again. The emperor smiled kindly and said, "Your flood control strategy has relieved my worries and averted disaster for the people. As a meritorious person of Qingyan, how can you not reward me?"
“Miss Shen, Father has always been fair in his rewards and punishments. He punishes those who make mistakes and rewards those who make merits. So please don’t refuse!” Dongfang Zhan said with a smile, his gentle eyes slightly deepening as he looked at Shen Lixue.
The emperor waved his hand, and immediately a palace servant acknowledged and left the imperial study. When he returned, more than ten palace maids carried in more than ten trays, filled with gold and jewels, dazzling the eyes.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Shen Lixue smiled faintly, but didn't even glance at the gold and jewels; she had no interest in these material possessions.
The eunuch showed the gift list to Shen Lixue, and after confirming that it was correct, he ordered the palace servants to carry the gold and jewels away and send them to the Prime Minister's residence.
The emperor wanted to discuss the specific details of the flood discharge with his ministers, so Shen Lixue couldn't stay any longer and took her leave of the imperial study. Her blue figure walked in the sunlight, and Dongfang Zhan watched her without looking away: "Father, don't you think it's a bit of a pity that such a talented and beautiful woman is only the Princess Consort of Anjun?"
The emperor's sharp gaze suddenly shot towards Dongfang Zhan: "What do you mean?"
"It's nothing, I just feel that a woman like her marrying Prince An might prevent her from showcasing her best abilities!" Dongfang Zhan shook his head, as if lamenting Shen Lixue's fate, and strode out of the imperial study: "I'll see her off!"
On the bluestone path of the palace, Shen Lixue walked slowly. Dongfang Zhan caught up with her, but she was not surprised at all, as if she had known he would come: "Prince Zhan, the flood in Jiangnan is no small matter. Will His Majesty ask the officials to donate money?"
Dongfang Zhan was taken aback, then nodded: "That's right!" Officials all have a lot of silver in their homes, and it's not unreasonable for them to donate some money in the face of a once-in-a-century flood.
"Then I will donate all the gold and silver jewels bestowed upon me by the Emperor!" Shen Lixue said with a sincere smile.
Dongfang Zhan was taken aback again: "Why?"
Shen Lixue smiled gently: "I have enough to eat, wear, and live in at the Prime Minister's residence, so I don't need money. On the contrary, the people in Jiangnan who have been affected by the disaster, whose homes have been flooded and who have been displaced, are in great need of money!"
"Why didn't you tell Father Emperor directly in the Imperial Study?" If you had donated the reward in front of Father Emperor, he would have praised her highly, and there might have been even more rewards. Shen Lixue is a smart person, why didn't you do that?
"His Majesty is busy with countless affairs of state and is also troubled by the floods in Jiangnan. How could I dare to bother him with such a trivial matter!" As an emperor, he is wise and decisive, but he is also suspicious. If Shen Lixue donates the reward she received directly, the emperor will praise her, but he will also think that she is scheming.
By donating the silver as an ordinary person, she would be free from such concerns, and it would be a pure donation for the people. The emperor would only think she was kind-hearted and would not suspect anything else.
"Tomorrow is the day the ministers will donate!" Dongfang Zhan said softly, his eyes becoming even more profound. Even after Shen Lixue had taken her leave for a long time, he stood still, unmoved, his gaze fixed on the direction she had gone.
When the gold and silver jewels bestowed as a reward were delivered to the Prime Minister's residence, the wolf-hair brush in Lei's hand broke again. Her facial muscles twitched for a long time before she could barely maintain her composure. She picked up a new brush and scribbled haphazardly on the rice paper to vent her anger.
Seeing the chest full of gold, silver, and precious jewels, Aunt Jin was consumed by jealousy and went to Yun Garden in tears.
Shen Yingxue's face was pale, her small hands clenched into fists, her long nails digging deep into her flesh, her eyes filled with resentment. "That bitch, she actually bestowed so many gifts! Such a huge benefit, I can't let her keep it all to herself!" she said. "Father, my sister is really amazing. She managed to get so many gifts from the Prime Minister's mansion. Let Aunt Zhao count them and send them to the Elegant Garden, where gold and silver jewelry are kept!"
Ya Garden is Lei's small warehouse. Once gold and silver jewelry enters there, it belongs to the mother and daughter, and no outsider can take it away.
Shen Minghui took out a generous reward and saw the eunuch off. Looking at the long list of gifts, he was shocked, but his face remained calm. He echoed Shen Yingxue's words: "Someone, go and invite Aunt Zhao!" These rewards were more than the dowry in Lei's small warehouse. This daughter often disobeyed him, so it was not in vain that he raised her for so long.
Shen Minghui and Shen Yingxue spoke in unison, and Shen Lixue knew very well what the father and daughter were thinking. However, she was going to disappoint them this time: "Father, you've gone to a lot of trouble, but these gifts don't need to be put into the warehouse!"