217 FCADW? IRTBTMOTMM

FlamingoBees

Translating Chinese Historical Dramas for your enjoyment... and mine! :)

Favoring Concubines and Destroying Wives? I Refuse to be the Mistress of this Marquis' Mansion

Chapter 217:

Sitting in the Town

"What's happening?"

Xiruo saw the group of students in green robes leading a charge, their mouths shouting something unintelligible. The famine-stricken people with red-eyed hunger were somehow motivated to surge forward, pushing toward the city gates.

One of the magistrates of Jiangqian Prefecture, who was supposed to be guiding them, looked overwhelmed seeing the scholars and the starving crowd below the city wall. He furrowed his brows and pointed at the group of scholars, visibly agitated. "These stubborn scholars! They've been clamoring since morning to bring their books inside, but we can't open the gates. Once the gates are opened, the flood of famine victims will rush in, and chaos will ensue!"

The magistrate was furious, his sleeves fluttering as he spoke. "They're all scholars of Confucian classics, yet they fail to share the government's worries and instead incite trouble. It's truly... They deserve a good beating!"

© translations belonging to flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.

Lin Yunwan glanced at the scholars from the Qingou Academy shedding their cloaks.

So, they were covering books.

She felt a pang of discomfort in her heart.

Xiruo also couldn't stand the magistrate's words and interjected, "Scholars love their books, it's only natural. It's like warriors cherishing their prized horses. Although these scholars are acting a bit rashly, sir, you also came from a scholarly background."

Why was there no sympathy at all? The magistrate shot Xiruo a glance, his face turning red with suppressed anger.

"He's the magistrate of Jiangqian Prefecture now! Can he be compared to those scholars?" He had to consider the people of Jiangqian! The people outside the city gates were already outside the city, and their fate was in their own hands.

The magistrate, seeing that Princess Huan didn't reprimand the maid despite being surrounded by maidservants, as if she hadn't heard the maid's disrespectful remarks, suppressed his anger and bowed. "Princess, with the situation below in such chaos, I cannot sit idly by. This is not a place for womenfolk to stay. Perhaps you should..."

He was trying to extricate himself and also wanted to send Lin Yunwan away.

Xiruo frowned. This was the territory of the prince. In matters both big and small, the princess had the authority to intervene in the prince's absence!

"Xiruo, let's go down."

"Yes."

Lin Yunwan first took her maids and servants to a temporary resting place.

Xiruo was a bit anxious. "Princess, you really aren't going to intervene?"

"If I don't intervene, why would I still be sitting here with a belly like this?"

Xiruo felt relieved. "I was really being too hasty."

Lin Yunwan chuckled softly. "It's not you being hasty. You're already married and no longer a maid of the Huan Prince's Mansion. You're now Madam Xu."

Xiruo smiled and nodded. She had just recently married into the Xu family, a family of generations of warriors, still practicing martial traditions, which were not as strict as those of the major clans.

Lin Yunwan continued calmly, "Jiangqian Prefecture pays over twenty thousand bushels of tax grain annually, and there are seven deputy magistrates at the third rank alone, not to mention the magistrate and several assistant magistrates. There are plenty of capable officials."

"That idiot just now was only concerned about his own official position. But Jiangqian shouldn't have all its officials like that. Let's wait and see."

"These classics can't withstand the test of water, and the scholars will surely become more anxious. They won't be able to hold out until tomorrow morning. If there's no further trouble by tomorrow morning, then it means the situation has settled."

"Women are not allowed to interfere in politics. It's best if we don't step in," Lin Yunwan said firmly.

Xiruo seemed to regain her determination immediately. "Understood."

Occasionally, she went outside to observe the rain.

Cuqing brought in tea and whispered, "Princess, it's ready to drink."

Lin Yunwan's eyes showed signs of fatigue. She drank the tea to refresh herself and waited in the resting area for half an hour.

Then trouble arose.

Xiruo returned after a brief inspection, her face grave. "Princess, they... they sent the deputy magistrate to negotiate with the students of the Qingou Academy, but they couldn't come to an agreement."

"The deputy magistrate then dispatched officers from the yamen and the guard station to suppress the students by force."

At this point, Xiruo shuddered. "I'm afraid some hot-headed ones might resist..."

Even Cuqing, being young, was shaken. "Doesn't that mean there could be casualties?"

That was precisely Xiruo's fear.

Not only was she afraid, but everyone was! But the Jiangqian Prefecture authorities would never allow those people into the city.

Lin Yunwan's heart sank, and she felt a slight cramp in her stomach.

She placed her hand on her abdomen, frowning. "The prefect's audacity is too much!"

A deputy magistrate wouldn't dare to make such a decision; he was just a scapegoat.

Xiruo hurried forward, squatting down. "Princess, are you feeling unwell? Even if it's a big deal, it's not as important as you and the prince's child. Shouldn't you...?"

"I'm fine," Lin Yunwan interrupted. "Go fetch ink, paper, and inkstone, and also call your husband, Master Xu Tianyou."

With the princess issuing such instructions, it seemed she had everything planned out.

After hesitating for a moment, Xiruo nodded firmly. "Alright."

Cuqing went to get the writing materials, while Xiruo fetched Xu Tianyou.

Lin Yunwan took up the pen and quickly wrote on several sheets of paper. Due to the darkness, Cuqing held a lamp nearby. Lin Yunwan's eyes were dry as she wrote.

With swift strokes, she finished writing and then retrieved a golden seal from her pouch, pressing it onto the final piece of paper.

Lin Yunwan addressed Xu Tianyou outside the screen, saying, "This paper is sealed with the prince's private seal. Once you've finished reading it, immediately take it to the Prefect of Jiangqian and convey that it's the prince's intention. Assist the prefect in implementing each item written on the paper."

But everyone knew that Prince Qi wasn't in Jiang Qian. Lin Yunwan also knew that it couldn't be concealed, so she instructed Xu Tianyou, "There's no need to say more. Anyone who disobeys orders, regardless of their status, should all be detained in the prefectural yamen!"

Xu Tianyou clasped his fists. "I will obey the order."

Xiruo handed the paper to her husband.

Upon seeing the densely packed characters on the paper, Xu Tianyou felt embarrassed. "Princess, I'm not very literate."

Seeing her husband's awkwardness, Xiruo whispered, "I'll read it to you."

Lin Yunwan, on the other side of the screen, watched the couple whisper to each other and smiled faintly.

"Princess, I understand everything and will remember it," Xu Tianyou said.

Lin Yunwan nodded. "Go then."

Xu Tianyou tucked the papers into his chest, afraid they might get wet. He thought to himself that even as a military household, he would have to learn some reading in the future. Princesses who were literate like this were indeed admirable.

And so was his wife.

The Prefect couldn't sleep all night either. He was also afraid of losing his official hat and couldn't fall asleep at all!

He heard that the legitimate son of the commander of Jiang Qian's guard was coming to see him. He waved impatiently, "Just a reckless fellow, what trouble does he want to cause now?"

But his staff advised, "Sir, you'd better see him. He claims to bring a personal letter from Prince Huan."

"Prince Huan? Isn't he still in the vicinity of Yulin and hasn't returned yet?"

The staff leaned in and whispered, "Xu Tianyou married the Princess of Prince Huan's personal maid. Anyway, it's better for you to see him."

The Prefect waved his hand impatiently. "Fine, let him in!"

He said disdainfully, "I want to see what a reckless fellow and a woman with only backyard experience background want to do."

Xu Tianyou came in and quickly explained his purpose. He placed the papers in front of the Prefect and said, "The orders from Prince Huan are all written here."

The Prefect looked at them and was deeply impressed. How could such comprehensive measures be devised in such a short time?

But he guessed it was the Princess's idea. Unwilling to listen to instructions from a woman, his expression remained calm as he said, "Prince Huan isn't here..."

Xu Tianyou didn't care about that. Although he was a bit slow, his character was similar to Xiruo's. He drew his sword with a stern face and said, "The Prince's seal is affixed above, indicating his intentions. Those who disobey the Prince's orders shall be detained on the spot!"

The Prefect looked at the Huan Prince's seal on the last piece of paper and at Xu Tianyou's sword, feeling uneasy.

"Since it's the Prince's orders, I... I will certainly obey..." The Prefect yielded, but he didn't forget to distance himself: "In the future, all my actions will be in accordance with the Prince's instructions. I'll keep this document with the Prince's private seal."

Xu Tianyou never intended to take the papers with him. He urged impatiently, "Hurry and take me to handle the matter! Every moment's delay increases the risk of loss of life."

The Prefect stood up and led the way.

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