Chapter 326 Communication
Rong Que also thought about letting the monk pass, and had no objection to this.
As for Zhen Ze, he needs to observe him further.
The issue of sending doctors to treat the epidemic has been discussed in detail, and the next thing is the provision of relief grain.
Every year when disasters occurred in various places, the imperial court would allocate disaster relief funds and seek donations from all sectors of society. All the money raised would be used for post-disaster reconstruction and disaster control.
The most fundamental thing is to buy food.
Although the local government offices and county yamen all have granaries and store grain, the grain may not be enough.
Duke Xue has been managing the grain operations throughout the country. During this process, if he interferes a little, Rong Que will lose control of the relief grain.
This is what Rong Que is most worried about, and this is why he must completely resolve the matter against Concubine Qi this time.
Only after he captured him could he use it as a threat to force Duke Xue to not only not help but at least not to interfere.
If he fails to capture her, not only will he be led by Duke Xue in the matter of Concubine Qi, but he will also completely lose the initiative in subsequent disaster relief.
Harem struggles are never just games between women.
"During the Hundred Flowers Festival, no female relatives from the Xueguo Mansion came, but He Chao's news was very timely. If we can invite the wife of the chief escort, it means we have invited the female relatives from the Xueguo Mansion. I'm afraid this person will be difficult to invite."
Rong Que's worries were not unreasonable. For so many years, Duke Xue had allowed a fool to pretend to be his son and put his own son next to him to run an escort agency. How could he let his daughter-in-law enter the palace?
It's this critical juncture again.
Su Qingqing narrowed her eyes slightly, with a cold look in her eyes, just like the high and murderous aura that she had every time she charged.
"Don't worry, this person will definitely come."
Not only does she come, she also makes this person come on his own initiative.
"You need to have a backup plan for the food issue. If Duke Xue interferes, we'd better be able to handle it like a duck in water."
Rong Que stroked Su Qingqing's hand. "At present, the only countermeasure that He Chao and I have come up with is to call for military rations. However, this method is very risky. Once the military rations are called, I am afraid that Da Qi or Nan Liang will get the news."
Getting the news does not necessarily mean going to war, but harassment on the border is enough to cause trouble for the court . Sending troops without rations is tantamount to seeking death.
Su Qingqing could sense Rong Que's many constraints, and she raised her hand to stroke his thin cheek, "Don't worry, everything can be solved. As for the food problem, we can't use the military rations. Let's think about it..."
Speaking of this, Su Qingqing suddenly paused, a bright color flashed in her eyes, and she looked up at Rong Que, "Maybe, I really have a good idea."
"What?"
"Duke Xue's son runs an escort agency, so it must have branches. If you count all the branches across the country, to support these people, doesn't it require money and food? Do you think the escort agency bought these food by itself, or did Duke Xue secretly provide them to him? No, no, no matter whether they bought them by themselves or were provided by Duke Xue, why can't we take them for ourselves?"
Rong Que looked at Su Qingqing with a look of confusion in his eyes, "You really have a strong sense of banditry!"
Su Qingqing smiled, "The son should pay for the father's debt. Since Duke Xue is not honest, we can ask his son for the debt. It's just right. Don't we want to find out the details of this escort agency? If someone robs their stored food, how do you think they will react?
Will it be a big deal or will it be solved quietly? As long as they react, we can find more breakthroughs based on their reactions.
Besides, it would be a good idea to send Duke Xue to Guangdong and Guangxi to provide disaster relief."
The next morning, Su Qingqing dressed up and left the palace with Xiao Rui.
Both of them were dressed in neat men's clothes. Xiao Rui followed Su Qingqing, feeling a little uneasy. "My queen, your belly is not even three months old yet. Can we do such a big activity?"
Su Qingqing rolled her eyes.
It’s such a huge amount of activity. People who don’t know may think it’s a huge amount of activity just based on this sentence.
But in fact, they just left the palace on foot.
Just walking!
For a general who fights on the battlefield, who practices boxing, swordplay and whipping every day, is it a big amount of activity to walk out of the palace?
Without paying any attention to Xiao Rui, Su Qingqing just walked straight towards the palace gate.
Knowing that there was a high possibility that someone was following them outside the palace, Su Qingqing was extra careful once she left the palace gate. Sure enough, as soon as she and Xiao Rui stepped onto Gulou Street, they noticed three tails following them.
In order to prevent Xiaorui from acting unnaturally, Su Qingqing didn't say much and went straight to Fengyinglou, the largest restaurant in Kyoto.
Going up to the third floor, Su Qingqing's younger brother, the little prince of Zhao State, Su Heng, was already waiting in the private room.
"What's wrong, sister? Why do we have to meet here? It would be much better to go to the mansion. You are pregnant and it's not safe to eat outside."
This morning, when Rong Que went to the morning court, Su Qingqing asked Xiao Rui to go to the Prince's Mansion and asked him to meet at Fengying Tower under the pretext of delivering tea and snacks to Su Heng.
Xiao Rui went outside to order food. After the door was closed, Su Qingqing said to Su Heng, "You have been in Great Yan for a while. It's time to go back."
Upon hearing this, Su Heng's expression changed immediately, "I won't go back, and I also received a letter from my father and mother. They knew you were pregnant and were worried, so they asked me to stay here!"
Su Heng was afraid that Su Qingqing would chase him away, so he spoke immediately.
While Su Qingqing told Su Heng that she disagreed with him staying, she dipped her fingers in tea and wrote on the table.
Su Heng was stunned.
[I need Weiyuan Escort Agency to escort you]
[I'm not asking you to really go back]
[Just pretending to go back]
"Why are you so disobedient, kid? What can happen to me here? I am the queen, the only woman in the palace, and the queen mother has been locked up. What are you worried about?"
While writing, Su Qingqing scolded Su Heng.
Su Heng kept his eyes on the table, but his mouth cooperated tacitly, "No, how can there be no danger? Didn't a crazy woman from the cold palace die inexplicably in the womb a while ago? Moreover, Xiao Rui also captured a palace maid with high kung fu skills from the imperial kitchen. This is dangerous. I won't go back."
"Even if you don't go back, it doesn't mean much to me. You live in the Prince's Mansion and I live in the palace. Can you protect me or what? Doesn't Zhaoguo need you anymore? Don't be like this. Father and mother need you, and Zhaoguo needs you too. When my child is born, I will take the child back..."
"Don't say anything. I won't reply anyway, even if you kill me!"
Su Qingqing slammed the table and said, "You have no say in this matter. You have to go back whether you want to or not. Come with me to pick out some gifts for my father and mother. We will set off early tomorrow morning."
Su Heng stared at Su Qingqing.
Su Qingqing kept silent and pointed outside the door.
Su Heng nodded, made a gesture of agreement, and then slapped the table, "How can you be like this? Eat by yourself!"
After saying that, he stood up and left.
