What An Xin said was so shocking that they forgot to react.
"But where does the poisonous gas in the lake come from? How can there be poisonous gas in the water?" Jing Lan paused and asked softly.
An Xin said, "Why can fish survive in water? The fact that fish can live in water means that poisonous gases can exist in water. But where do these poisonous gases come from? I'd like to talk to you about the origin of Duanfeng Mountain. Duanfeng Mountain is also known as Feilai Mountain, a mountain that suddenly appears in a plain. It's either the work of nature or the result of volcanic eruptions. A hundred years ago, a violent volcanic eruption suddenly occurred north of the city. This event was recorded in history, and some even said it was divine wrath, which led to the downfall of the previous dynasty and the formation of the Dayi of today! But it was also this volcanic eruption that formed Duanfeng Mountain. A great mountain appeared here overnight, and people called it a sacred mountain. There are many beautiful legends about Duanfeng Mountain, but beneath these beautiful legends lies a great danger. The volcanic eruption caused a storm, and the rainwater accumulated rapidly, forming a huge lake in the crater, which is the lake on the top of Duanfeng Mountain today!"
The entire hall fell silent. Everyone stared at An Xin in shock. How could this girl know so much detail about events from a hundred years ago?! Could this girl be incredibly knowledgeable about everything from astronomy to geography?!
The way everyone looked at An Xin slowly changed.
Yan Zhen looked at An Xin and slightly raised the corners of her lips.
Jing Lan's eyes were unfathomable.
An Xin was clearly the most composed of them all. Her expression was nonchalant, as if she were discussing something completely unrelated to herself: "Why did the volcano erupt? Yes, as you all think, it's divine punishment for the previous dynasty. The previous dynasty was rife with corruption, the emperor and his ministers were in cahoots, the people suffered, and the exorbitant taxes were like tigers… Such a corrupt dynasty was bound to be punished by heaven! But besides volcanic ash and lava, the volcano also emitted many deadly poisonous gases. If those gases had spread quickly, the consequences we see today wouldn't have occurred. However, after the eruption, there were several days and nights of torrential rain, causing the lake water to rapidly condense, preventing the poisonous gases in the crater from dissipating. They were all trapped in the lake water, accumulating over the years. Now, a hundred years later, you can imagine the extent of the accumulated poisonous gases, even if I don't say it!" An Xin suddenly sneered, "Is there anything else you don't understand?" Of course, the so-called divine punishment was utter nonsense, but this explanation seemed more acceptable to these old fogies.
An eerie silence fell over everyone.
Yan Zhen chuckled softly, "Xin'er used seawater, is it because seawater can detoxify?"
An Xin said seriously, "The only way to neutralize the poisonous gas accumulated in the lake is with seawater. Of course, if you gentlemen have any good ideas that can both save the national treasury expenses and neutralize the poisonous gas, that would be great. If not, you can also abandon the capital and move the capital elsewhere. But compared to moving the capital, the manpower and resources required to transport seawater are just a drop in the ocean, right?"
The entire hall was silent, not a sound could be heard.
An Xin said calmly, "I have said everything I need to say. As for how to do it, that is beyond my consideration. If Your Majesty insists on not believing me, that's fine too. My parents have suffered a lot of grievances in the capital. It would be better for them to live a comfortable life farming in the village. Your Majesty can let my father retire and return to his hometown to live out his old age."
Huang Yixuan was taken aback and said, "Why would you suddenly decide to retire and return to your hometown?"
An Xin scoffed, "Waiting in the capital is the same as certain death, isn't it?"
Huang Yixuan suddenly paused, exchanged a glance with the Empress Dowager, whose attitude softened considerably as she smiled and said, "An'er, are you saying that the eruption of that mountain was due to the wrath of Heaven?"
An Xin rolled her eyes and said, "Yes."
The Empress Dowager's expression changed slightly: "But now a hundred years have passed, and this poisonous gas has reappeared in the world. Is it also because Heaven is not pleased with my Great City?"
An Xin thought to herself, "What is all this nonsense?"
"How can divine punishment be stopped by human power? But the matter of poison gas can be changed by human power. When heaven gives you a chance to change it, but we do not change it, then even the gods are powerless!" An Xin said casually. She was already tired of talking about Fengxian Village, and the consequences of delaying for even a day would become more and more unpredictable. These ancient people were really annoying!
“Miss An is so clever, do you have a better way to solve this? Seawater transportation is a big deal. What if the stone collapses before the seawater arrives?” Zhou Ruoyi said with a worried look.
The others were clearly starting to feel fear. Everything seemed calm on the surface, but who knew that they might turn into corpses in the next moment? It was terrifying!
An Xin said calmly, "No!"
Zhou Ruoyi paused slightly, her pretty face flushing slightly, and said awkwardly, "Miss An is a smart person. Dayi is facing a life-or-death situation. Miss An is wise, yet she still hides things over such trivial matters..."
An Xin glanced at Zhou Ruoyi. The woman was beautiful and had a pleasant voice, but the things she said made people feel uncomfortable.
"Life and death? What makes you say that? The territory of Dayi spans tens of thousands of miles. How could it be a matter of life and death over a small Duanfeng Mountain? What are this young lady's intentions?" An Xin glanced at Zhou Ruoyi coldly, her words showing no mercy, which immediately made Zhou Ruoyi blush.
"I...I..." Zhou Ruoyi's face showed a wronged expression. She was a beautiful and delicate woman, and her pitiful appearance immediately aroused the sympathy of everyone. The young gentlemen even whispered comforting words. They wanted to blame An Xin, but because of Yan Zhen, they dared not speak.
“There is no other way but sea transport!” An Xin originally wanted to rack her brains to think about both sides, but seeing everyone’s faces, she immediately lost interest. “Since this young lady is so concerned about national affairs, why not offer the Emperor a good plan? With your intelligence, you certainly won’t refuse.”
As soon as An Xin finished speaking, Zhou Ruoyi's body trembled suddenly: "Miss An, I think you might have some misunderstandings about me..."
An Xin said impatiently, "I've exhausted all my energy on the Fengxian Village matter, how could I have the mind to misunderstand you? Besides, who are you? Do we even know each other? Even if we do, we don't know each other, so what's there to misunderstand!" An Xin felt that her words were becoming increasingly vicious, saying whatever was most hurtful.
Zhou Ruoyi swayed precariously, on the verge of tears.
An Youwei hurriedly scolded, "Xin'er, how can you talk like that?!" Then he cupped his hands to Zhou Ruoyi and said, "Miss Zhou, Xin'er is ignorant, please don't take it to heart."
"Hmph, Lord An's daughter is certainly eloquent! My little girl is clumsy with words, so she'll just have to suffer in silence." A cool voice came from Zhou Ruoyi's father, Zhou Huaishan, who held one of the Three Dukes.
An Youwei's expression suddenly froze.
"Alright, alright, stop talking." The Empress Dowager frowned. "Your Majesty, this matter is of utmost importance. What An girl said makes perfect sense. What does the Right Chancellor say?"
Yan Zhen smiled slightly and said, "To eliminate any worries, what Xin'er said is the best course of action."
The Empress Dowager looked at Yan Zhen and smiled, "The Right Chancellor has always worked hard for the affairs of our Great City. I'm afraid this matter will require your help."
Yan Zhen smiled faintly and said, "Your subject will do his utmost until his dying breath."
An Xin subconsciously pursed her lips. "He devoted himself to the cause until his dying breath?"
The Empress Dowager laughed and said, "This girl An is really clever. Even the Feng family couldn't solve this kind of case. By the way, didn't we invite the Feng family?"
Jing Lan smiled faintly and said, "Your Majesty, something happened in the Feng family and they were unable to come."
The Empress Dowager looked at An Xin and said, "You little girl, although you were a bit rude, you have at least made a great contribution. Do you want any reward?"
An Xin frowned slightly. The Empress Dowager's transformation was like that of two completely different people; the speed at which she changed her expression was truly astounding.
Huang Yixuan smiled and said, "Didn't Mother say she had already decided on the rewards?"
The Empress Dowager suddenly laughed and said, "This Emperor isn't on my side anymore. An'er, you're not getting any younger now. How about I make a decision for you and find you a good marriage?"
Although An Xin wasn't concerned about any rewards, she was still startled when she suddenly heard about such a reward, and exclaimed in surprise, "A marriage!?"
Yan Zhen's eyes suddenly flashed as she glanced at the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager, however, seemed completely oblivious and laughed, "Yes, what's past is past, let's not mention it again. People should always look forward to life, and you should too, shouldn't you? Among all these young gentlemen in the court, do you have any that catch your eye? Just say so!"
An Xin shivered. She never expected that the Empress Dowager would have such a unique sense of humor. These young men in the court were picking and choosing!
An Youwei was also dumbfounded, speechless.