Ultimate Path to Heaven

Chapter 54 Distributing Porridge Outside the City

After leaving the city lord's mansion, Lin Miao returned to her usual innocent and naive self, while Xiao Jin's thoughts were somewhat heavy.

Father?

Lin Miaoxiao unconsciously thought of her father in this other world and recalled what her mother, Xiao Muyu, had said.

"My mother must still have my father in her heart..."

Xiao Muyu clearly had many concerns about revealing everything once the blood feud was resolved.

Xiao Jin thought that his mother's concerns were ultimately about him. If he were strong enough and no longer subject to any threats, would his mother no longer have any concerns?

No matter why my father abandoned my mother and me... I vow to see him again...

But Xiao Muyu's words implied that Xiao Jin's father was not in the Sixteen Provinces of "Yanyang," but in another world.

"Besides strengthening ourselves, we also need to get everything sorted out as soon as possible... Chu Xiong?"

For some reason, Xiao Jin unconsciously thought of Chu Xiong again, and felt from the bottom of his heart that God was playing tricks on him.

Night falls.

The next day.

City Lord's Mansion.

"Greetings, Seventh Prince!"

"No need for such formalities!"

Zhang Shi'an, who came from the canyon, bowed and said, "Xiao Muyu went to the Northern Region the day before yesterday, but I don't know why she left the Xiao family boy behind..."

Before Zhang Shi'an could continue, the Seventh Prince Chu Yuan slammed his fist on the table in anger: "Why wasn't this news sent promptly that Xiao Muyu was going to the Northern Region?!"

"..." Zhang Shi'an said in a panic, "It was inconvenient inside the valley, and I only left the valley after receiving the news."

After suppressing his anger, the Seventh Prince Chu Yuan gestured for Zhang Shi'an to continue.

"I received news before I left the valley that the Xiao family boy and Lin Yan's sister should already be in Huizhou City..." Zhang Shi'an's words didn't sound so certain.

"Oh?" Seventh Prince Chu Yuan was visibly excited, but then fell into deep thought.

After Zhang Shi'an finished speaking, the Seventh Prince Chu Yuan muttered to himself, "Another ninth rank!" Chu Yuan's fists clenched unconsciously, and he looked very annoyed.

At this moment, Zhang Shi'an looked at Chu Yuan with obvious fear and fell completely silent.

Zhang Shi'an was aware of Qin Huang's ninth-rank status, but Ye Bufan only guessed. As for Xiao Jin, Zhang Shi'an didn't believe such a young man could be a ninth-rank, after all, he knew nothing about Wang Suiyue's ninth-rank status.

Even if Zhang Shi'an guessed that Xiao Jin was a ninth-rank official, the Seventh Prince Chu Yuan would probably not believe it.

After an unknown amount of time passed in the dead silence, the Seventh Prince Chu Yuan suddenly picked up his pen and began to write something.

moment.

"Someone come here!"

The well-dressed guards stood at attention, fists clasped in greeting.

"This letter must be delivered to Father Emperor!"

After the guards left to carry out their orders, the Seventh Prince Chu Yuan muttered to himself, "With a father like this, I suppose the temple will be at my disposal."

"If that's the case, then everything becomes much simpler." Chu Yuan muttered to himself, then glanced coldly at Zhang Shi'an, his usual laziness gone. "Go and find out where the two are. Stay in Huizhou and await further orders for the time being!"

After Zhang Shi'an left to carry out his orders, the Seventh Prince's lips curled into a lewd smile: "Guards, I'm in a good mood today. Tell them that everything is arranged at Jinxiang Pavilion!"

Jinxiang Pavilion is not only the largest brothel in Huizhou City, but also the best place for wealthy young men to compose poems. The Seventh Prince Chu Yuan often goes there, and even the Ninth Princess would occasionally disguise herself as a man and visit.

Tongzhou Grain Store.

"If all goes well, we should be able to gather enough provisions throughout the entire Southern Region in half a month at most. I just wonder, young master..."

Before Ye Bufan could finish speaking, the old manager of the grain store walked in: "This old servant greets the young master!" He then clasped his hands in greeting to Ye Bufan. "The secret guards have just reported that Zhang Shi'an from the canyon has appeared in Huizhou City."

The guards had only scouted the canyon before, but since entering it, they have been closely monitoring all developments related to it.

"Zhang Shi'an is in charge of intelligence in the canyon, so it's not surprising that he's showing up in Huizhou now. You may leave." Ye Bufan clearly didn't take Zhang Shi'an seriously.

"Wait!" The name Zhang Shi'an was quite sensitive to Xiao Jin. "Closely monitor all of Zhang Shi'an's movements and report in a timely manner who he is in contact with in Huizhou City."

The old shopkeeper was visibly taken aback for a moment before respectfully replying, "This old servant obeys!"

After the old shopkeeper left to carry out his orders, Ye Bufan asked, puzzled, "What does the young master mean by this?"

"Just keep an eye on it for now!" Sensitive as he was, Xiao Jin couldn't explain why, but the system was certain of one thing: Zhang Shi'an was hostile towards him, though the nature of that hostility was still unclear.

Seeing Xiao Jin's reaction, Ye Bufan refrained from pressing further and returned to the main topic: "This noon, the Ninth Princess will be distributing porridge outside the North Gate. I wonder if the young master..."

In fact, before leaving, Xiao Muyu gave Ye Bufan two options, one of which was to have Xiao Jin contact the Ninth Princess. Perhaps it was a test for her son Xiao Jin, or perhaps she had some other intention.

"What time is it now?" Whether it was a test or something else, Xiao Jin took it seriously.

"Young Master, there is still half an hour until noon. I imagine the Ninth Princess has already sent someone to the North Gate."

As he pondered this, Xiao Jin asked again, "Has the grain been sent?"

"It was delivered directly to the North Gate this morning."

"I don't understand what this woman is thinking." Xiao Jin shook his head helplessly and stood up.

"Young Master, what's going on...?" Ye Bufan asked, puzzled, as Xiao Jin got up to leave.

"You all go about your business, I'll just wander around the North Gate by myself." With that, Xiao Jin walked out.

Xiao Jin walked along the street from the grain store, and it took him about the time it takes to drink two cups of tea to slowly arrive at the North Gate.

Upon exiting the city gate, one sees a simple wooden shed built against the wall on the right.

At this moment, under the blue brick stove in the shed, freshly chopped firewood was neatly piled up, and the water droplets remaining in the iron pot were steaming and hissing under the residual heat of the stove, with a few wisps of white steam rising up.

The maids were busy with their tasks, such as rinsing the salt jar and washing the rice. The head maid stood in front of the shed, her fingertips brushing against the sandalwood handle of the porridge ladle, her silver bracelet tapping against the edge of the ladle, producing a clear and melodious sound.

With all preparations complete, Princess Chu Wan was nowhere to be seen.

Xiao Jin didn't care and looked away...

A dark mass of figures stretched out crookedly along the official road. Several teenagers huddled under a withered locust tree, repeatedly tightening straw ropes around their empty bellies. The muffled cough of an old man came from his tattered hemp clothing.

"this......"

Xiao Jin could see about two or three hundred people, mostly the elderly, the weak, and children. He couldn't understand why the people in Qingxi Village, despite their hardships, were so numerous.

Little did people know that in the southern regions, farmers who had no land to cultivate, as long as they had able-bodied members, had all their fields confiscated, leaving behind the elderly and children who often starved to death.

This was not only due to the Eighth Prince increasing grain taxes, but also to the so-called aristocratic families acting for profit, and there were many who simply survived by themselves.

Of course, Xiao Jin didn't understand the situation, but it reminded him of his childhood days as a child wandering the streets... and he felt a strange pang of sadness.

As noon approached, the carriage emerged from the city gate, and Xiao Jin saw the Ninth Princess being helped down by her maid. Now, having shed her palace attire, the Ninth Princess's unadorned face was even more striking than that of ordinary palace ladies, giving Xiao Jin a unique feeling.