Chapter 183

By the time autumn harvest arrived, the stark contrast between the harvests on both sides of the great river became evident.

Due to a shortage of manpower, Northern Qi had to collaborate with Hu tribes, forcibly conscripting many foreign tribes from Hu lands to plow and cultivate the fields.

However, farming requires experience, and how could these nomadic Hu people be expected to properly tend the seedlings and cultivate the land? When autumn came, their fields yielded very little grain.

On the other hand, in Great Qi, despite the earlier turmoil surrounding millet seeds, the introduction of sweet potatoes from the vassal states proved timely.

This crop was easy to grow, and when harvest time arrived, a single shovel could unearth plump, red tubers in clusters.

Moreover, sweet potatoes offered diverse ways to be consumed—they could be ground into flour, pressed into noodles, or cut into pieces and dried.

Because of this, the people of the three counties who had risked everything to flee across the river now had a means of survival.

By the following year, more refugees from the three counties were expected to arrive.

Before long, those grain-producing counties would inevitably be squeezed dry by corrupt officials, turning them into empty husks.

Signs of food shortages in the three counties began to emerge.

Watching his soldiers survive on thin gruel for three meals a day, Feng Wu had no choice but to seek alternative solutions.

He gathered money and turned to the allied nations for grain purchases.

Among them, the state of Liang had ample food supplies, but they seized the opportunity to raise prices, hoping to offset their earlier losses from overpricing Qi’s silk fabric.

As a result, Feng Wu found his coffers stretched thin.

Meanwhile, the common folk in the counties below were already suffering from excessive taxation.

After much deliberation, Feng Wu turned his sights on the noble families who had defected to his side.

Feeding a tiger with one’s own flesh—whoever does it, suffers.

The Meng and Yang families initially tried to evade the matter with various excuses.

But Feng Wu was in dire need of money and had no patience for his so-called “loyal subjects.”

Instead of wasting words, he simply sent troops to surround their mansions, sealing them off entirely.

No one was allowed to leave until a sufficient amount of gold was handed over.

Encircled for ten days—an event later known as the “Mansion Siege for Grain”—the family heads ultimately caved under pressure and reluctantly chose to pay to avoid further disaster.

With gold in hand, Feng Wu successfully purchased dozens of boatloads of grain from Liang, resolving the immediate crisis.

This turn of events, however, made those noble families who had remained in the capital secretly rejoice in their prudence.

At least they had not fled across the river.

As long as the war continued, the grain stores of the three counties would remain an insatiable black hole.

Gold doesn’t simply fall from the sky.

Watching their wealth drain away like water through a broken dam was painful for anyone.

The Meng and Yang families, who once flaunted their wealth and supported Feng Wu, now felt the sting of real losses.

It was said that even their clansmen began to voice doubts, questioning their patriarchs’ decision to flee to the three counties in the first place.

Meanwhile, Emperor Shengwu of Great Qi, though not particularly fond of the noble families, had neither increased taxes on the common people nor levied gold from the aristocracy since the war began.

The provisions and military supplies were all managed solely by his own strategies and planning.

His skill in governance became increasingly evident, earning the unwavering trust of the court officials.

Thus, from the moment the war with the three counties began, all discord within the imperial court gradually faded.

By the second year of the war, Great Qi’s ruler and ministers had united in purpose, fully prepared to outlast and wear down the three counties.

Feng Liwu had silenced the discord within the court, and as a result, the pressure on him lessened considerably.

This finally gave him some free time to spend with his beloved wife.

During the two years she had been away from the capital, many changes had taken place around Luo’an City.

However, Feng Liwu had never had the time to accompany her for a stroll and see them.

Jiang Xiurun, on the other hand, had never been one to indulge in leisure.

Whenever she had a break from palace duties, she would either visit the counties to inspect the crops and water dams or take their children to the frontlines to visit her husband, who had worked tirelessly for the empire.

Now that they were back in Luo’an City, they had yet to enjoy its sights again.

Taking advantage of the pleasant weather, the Emperor of Great Qi took his wife and children out in disguise for a walk by Yangzi Lake, just outside Luo’an City.

Another harsh winter had passed, and little Xueyan had already begun to toddle around.

By the lakeside, the plump, fair-skinned little princess, dressed in a pink skirt, wobbled forward under the guidance of her older brother.

She swayed her chubby little hips, babbling as she walked.

The sight of the two small children toddling ahead brought a smile to Jiang Xiurun’s eyes as she followed behind them.

At the start of the year, Baoli had received his formal name, Feng Lan, bestowed by his father, the Emperor.

He had also been accepted as a disciple by Master Mufeng and had begun his studies in the imperial academy.

Master Mufeng was one of the greatest scholars of his time.

Even if the Emperor himself had personally invited him, he might not have agreed to enter the palace as a tutor for the imperial prince.

However, for the sake of his cherished disciple, Young Master Jiang, Master Mufeng gladly made an exception.

Of course, what truly convinced him was Feng Lan’s intelligence.

Despite his young age, Feng Lan could already set up traps while playing chess with Master Mufeng—displaying a cunning wit that was undoubtedly inherited from his mother.

Seeing such potential in the boy, Master Mufeng felt a natural fondness for him and was willing to personally guide his early education.

Now that Baoli had begun his formal studies, he had taken to teaching his little sister in an exaggerated scholar’s manner.

As they walked, he leaned close to Xueyan’s chubby cheek and whispered softly, “Yan’er is so good, walking for so long without complaining. Later, big brother will teach you how to write big characters, and then I’ll draw kitty whiskers on your face. How about that?”

Xueyan had no interest in writing big characters, but she loved it when her brother drew cat whiskers on her face.

Hearing this, she immediately giggled and planted a wet, slobbery kiss on her brother’s cheek.

Baoli, imitating their mother, returned the gesture by planting a loud, smacking kiss on his little sister’s plump cheek.

Meanwhile, Feng Liwu and Jiang Xiurun strolled hand in hand along the lakeside.

Above them, the mountains and waters stretched beautifully, filled with the vibrant blossoms of early spring; below them, his wife’s fair face and cherry-red lips were enough to intoxicate a man’s heart.

Ahead, their beloved children toddled hand in hand; beside him, his beautiful wife accompanied him as they shared the empire together.

Feng Liwu couldn’t imagine what life would be like without the woman by his side.

Thinking this, he wrapped his arm around her slender waist, pulling her closer, wanting to hold her even tighter.

However, Jiang Xiurun, feeling slightly embarrassed, pushed against his chest and scolded playfully, “We’re outside, not in the palace! What kind of decorum is this, hugging and clinging to me in public? Does Your Majesty think himself an innocent child now?”

Feng Liwu found Jiang Xiurun’s words reasonable.

Looking up, he spotted a waterside pavilion by the lake and immediately took her hand, intending to lead her there.

After all, wouldn’t it be better to have some cover before indulging in affectionate closeness?

Following the direction of his pointing finger, Jiang Xiurun turned her gaze towards the pavilion.

The moment she caught sight of the familiar-looking structure, her body tensed slightly.

This waterside pavilion… hadn’t been here before.

It must have been built during the two years she was away.

In her past life, however, this pavilion had already existed long ago. It had been named “Jieyou Pavilion”(Pavilion of Solace).

Due to its tranquil surroundings, exquisite cuisine, and scenic views of the mountains and lake, it had been a well-known establishment in Luo’an City.

It was also a favored gathering place for Jiang Xiurun to cultivate connections among the noblewomen of the capital.

How many times had she hosted lavish gatherings here? How many times had she indulged in drinking sprees until she nearly ruined her own stomach? Yet, despite all her efforts, in the end, her homeland was destroyed, and her elder brother took his own life.

All of it had been nothing but a futile dream.

The flood of memories stirred a deep sorrow within her.

Moreover, hidden within this pavilion was a secret she wished she could forget, even in death.

When she was reborn, those dream-like fragments of memory had long faded.

But now, seeing this familiar building, they resurfaced once more…

Feng Liwu pulled her forward, but Jiang Xiurun hurriedly tugged at his sleeve and said, “We shouldn’t go in. We have Baoli and Xueyan with us—how can we bring them to a winehouse for leisure?”

Feng Liwu continued leading her onward, not looking back as he replied, “That’s no winehouse. It’s merely a private waterside retreat I had built. I always meant to bring you here to enjoy the lake view, but I never had the time. Now that we’re free, we can finally explore it.”

It’s not a winehouse in this lifetime?

Jiang Xiurun was taken aback, uncertain, and hesitated for a moment before allowing Feng Liwu to pull her inside.

Though the purpose of this waterside pavilion had changed across lifetimes, as soon as they stepped through the moon gate, she saw that the courtyard’s pavilions and towers were exactly the same as before.

A chill ran up Jiang Xiurun’s spine.

Feng Liwu had said that this waterside retreat had been built under his command.

Then in her past life… had the true owner of Jieyou Pavilion also been Feng Liwu?

She had frequented this place so often, hosting guests, that over time, she had practically treated it as her own.

Once, after a banquet, she dismissed her attendants and lingered by the lake to enjoy the night breeze.

Unbeknownst to her, she had stepped onto empty air and nearly fallen into the water.

Luckily, the pavilion master had been standing at the corner of the terrace for fresh air at that very moment and caught her just in time.

He had exerted too much force, and in her drunken haze, she collapsed directly into his arms, remaining there for quite some time before finally rousing herself.

Later, the pavilion master arranged for her to rest in one of the private rooms upstairs.

He was courteous and restrained, never overstepping any boundaries.

Only when she woke up did she realize that she had spent the entire night at the pavilion.

As a mistress for the general, she had no one in her household who would question her if she didn’t return home at night.

So, she simply had her maid concoct a convenient excuse for the steward and dismissed the matter.

From then on, she and the pavilion master became acquainted.

On the nights she didn’t wish to return home after a banquet, he would occasionally accompany her for a game of chess or a casual conversation.

As for his appearance, Jiang Xiurun found that she could no longer recall it clearly.

She only remembered that he was tall, but his features were ordinary, without anything particularly memorable.

Even if she tried to picture him, the memory quickly faded.

However, back then, this man—reserved, cultured, and unfailingly respectful—had seemed remarkably rare to her.

Jieyou Pavilion had become a sanctuary for her—a place where she could catch her breath amidst the endless social maneuvering.

The pavilion master had also been a keen businessman, as he always remembered her extravagant preferences with astonishing precision.

If she had taken a liking to a particular tea, he would have it prepared in advance.

If she grew tired of old melodies, he would quietly place an exclusive music score by her resting couch.

If she drank too much, a meticulously prepared hangover remedy would be waiting for her.

Thinking back on it now, that fleeting acquaintance had been so meticulous… it sent a chill down her spine.

Yet at the time, she had thought nothing of it. She had taken it for granted—until an unexpected incident shattered her complacency, leaving her with nothing but regret…

As Feng Liwu stepped into the pavilion, he remained unaware of Jiang Xiurun’s internal turmoil.

Enthusiastically, he pulled her along and said, “The architectural plans for this place were drawn up long ago. When I was still the Crown Prince, I instructed the shadow guards to build a winehouse here—it was meant to be a hub for gathering intelligence.”

“But after I ascended the throne, things moved too quickly, and this project was left unfinished. It was only recently that it was finally completed.”

“I found this place elegant, so I decided to keep it for your enjoyment.”