The Slender Waist-Chapter 538 - 384: The Fierce Bandit Seeks Refuge

The children from the village school got up very early.

While a line of people still lingered outside, the clear sound of reading could be heard from within.

Feng Yun glanced down at Yuan Shangyi and, seeing the brightness in his eyes, knew that he liked it here.

"When the Prince of Danyang lectures, Ayuan may come to supervise and admonish."

It was called supervision, but in fact, it was to let him experience the learning atmosphere of the children in the village school.

Yuan Shangyi indeed became happy and turned to look at Puyang Zong.

"Can my cousin teach well? Could he possibly mislead the children?"

Puyang Zong, who was following at a distance, just so happened to hear this remark. He stiffened his back, thinking to himself, back in the capital when he was studying, he was one of the outstanding figures among that group of people.

Who didn’t say he was diligent and good at studying?

But the doubt behind the Young Emperor’s back, he could not refute.

He just gave a light hum, indicating that he had heard.

Yuan Shangyi stuck his tongue out, and Feng Yun gently laughed and patted him.

"No matter, if he doesn’t lecture well, we simply won’t let him lecture anymore."

Yuan Shangyi nodded his little head, "Okay."

Puyang Zong’s expression darkened, as if his heart was being sliced by a knife, tasting once more the flavor of being despised.

Without saying a word, he felt completely repulsive to everyone, eyes not eyes, the nose not a nose.

Pitiful, pitiful him.

From then on, his days dragged on like years.

Feng Yun entrusted Puyang Zong to the teacher responsible for the village school and then found the textbooks for the village children for Yuan Shangyi to look at.

Just as they were arranging class times, Village Chief Yang rushed over in a hurry.

"Village Chief’s wife, Village Chief’s wife... something bad has happened."

Yuan Shangyi was examining mathematics in the village school and raised his head in alarm upon hearing the sound.

Feng Yun patted his small shoulder reassuringly, shooting Village Chief Yang a look.

"Don’t rush, speak slowly."

Village Chief Yang had never seen the Young Emperor up close before and glanced at him.

Seeing the little fellow dressed in fine silk brocade, he thought he was some noble’s son newly sent to study and nodded without paying much attention, then hurriedly reported to Feng Yun.

"The families of Lu Guiquan and Yu Baochuan have come to blows."

Feng Yun frowned, "Why are they fighting?"

Village Chief Yang let out a sigh, "Over water. The two families live close by and share the same well. It’s been peaceful up until now, but lately, hasn’t there been a drought? The well water is also running low. If one family takes more, the other doesn’t have enough. Just now... they went from arguing to fighting, nearly coming to blows with knives."

Feng Yun listened and was silent for a long while.

She had dealt with Lu Guiquan’s family during the last locust plague and knew them to be the type who only took advantage, unwilling to endure the slightest loss.

While Yu Baochuan was currently in charge of the graphite mine on Jieqiu Mountain, one of the first five villagers to sign up. Normally, whenever Feng Yun had any arrangements, the Yu family was also the most active in responding, only their nature was somewhat weak.

If they hadn’t been pushed to the brink, Yu Baochuan’s family would never have fought Lu Guiquan’s.

After pondering for a moment, she told Village Chief Yang, "First, pacify both families, let them cool down. If they can reconcile with a handshake, naturally, that would be best. If they truly can’t come to terms, then come to Changmen, and listen to my decision."

Village Chief Yang immediately nodded his head and left promptly as he was instructed.

Yuan Shangyi put down the book he was holding, "Wife, why are they fighting over water?"

There were far too many things the Young Emperor didn’t know.

Feng Yun gave a slight smile and was about to explain when Puyang Zong preempted her.

"Because of this year’s drought, water is scarce everywhere."

Feng Yun looked at him with surprise.

She hadn’t expected that this prodigal would also care about the livelihood of the people?

Yuan Shangyi asked, "So what do we do?"

That question stumped Puyang Zong.

He knew about the water scarcity, but as a member of the imperial family, he could always be guaranteed priority in everything. Water scarcity would never affect the Grand Princess’s residence, so he had never considered what to do without water...

"It turns out that cousin doesn’t know either."

Yuan Shangyi glanced at him before turning his eager eyes back to Feng Yun.

"Wife, what do we do about water scarcity?"

Feng Yun gave a wry smile.

To avoid the disaster of drought, the first step would have to be accumulation.

Digging wells, building ponds, stocking up on more food.

But humans cannot fight against nature.

She said, "In a year of severe drought, the commoners have no choice but to migrate. Without water, they go where water is available to survive..."

But in the face of widespread drought, many people can only die tragically in famine, and there’s nothing that can be done about it.

A faint disappointment surfaced in Yuan Shangyi’s eyes.

So there are problems in this world that the wife cannot solve...

Seeing his expression, Feng Yun suddenly felt a little heartbroken.

The small Emperor, already aware of his concern for the people, how could she let the child be disappointed?

So she thought for a moment and added, "Andu is a land reliant on water resources, which are abundant. Perhaps there are other solutions. Allow me some time to ponder this."

The Young Emperor immediately became excited, grasping her hand and saying,

"I just knew it, my wife will certainly have a way."

Feng Yun inwardly sighed.

In her bid to be a hero in front of a child, tonight she had to burn the midnight oil again, poring over books...

When Feng Yun returned to the village, she thought the quarreling families would not rest and would come looking for her at the estate, so she prepared to go back and resolve the dispute.

What she didn’t expect was to see the youth, Ao Qi.

He came charging alone on horseback, leaving behind a trail of dust in the dry air all the way to the estate gate before halting his horse with a "whoa" and leaping down, striding towards Feng Yun.

Feng Yun was quite surprised.

The tall horse entered her vision, with a tall, handsome young man astride, as if he was riding the fiery daylight, charging from the distant horizon towards her.

It had been a while since they last saw each other. She stopped in her tracks, stunned for a moment, before slowly breaking into a smile.

"Xiaoqi? What brings you here?"

Ao Qi’s face was full of joy, which slowly diminished in her calm tone.

Just that moment, his ears heard nothing but silence, his eyes saw no one else.

Only Feng Yun.

In all of Changmen, in the whole world, he could only see Feng Yun and no one else.

But now coming back to his senses, he saw that Feng Yun was holding the hand of the current Young Emperor.

"Subject Ao Qi, greets Your Majesty."

Ao Qi bowed, his voice dropping a few notches.

When he turned back to Feng Yun and uttered a low "Greeting, Aunt," his throat was even more hoarse.

"I come with orders to bring good news to Aunt."

"Good news?" Feng Yun had encountered nothing but headaches these days. Where would there be any good news?

She walked up slowly, gazing quietly at Ao Qi.

"From whence comes this joy?"

Ao Qi looked towards the twilight behind her, his eyes sparkling, seemingly filled with her lovely figure, pure and fierce. Yet, his voice had to be restrained and sober.

"Three days ago, as I passed through Wanning’s Xiufeng Mountain with my uncle, we joined the campaign against bandits..."

"The mountain bandits have been eradicated?" Feng Yun didn’t wait for him to speak and interjected.

She felt compassion for the remnant bandits from Wanning’s garrison, so her emotions were conflicted. She wished Pei Jue could quickly resolve the matter to no longer leave the people to endure fear and gossip...

Yet she also hoped the people on the mountain might escape by luck, reform, and start anew.

Ao Qi caught the light in her eyes and bowed.

"The leader of the Xiufeng Mountain bandits, Hou Zhun, agreed to lay down his weapons and submit to Changmen..."

"What?" Feng Yun thought she had heard wrong.

Not to submit to the Northern Yong Army,

But to submit to Changmen?

Feng Yun gazed intently, glancing at Yuan Shangyi for a moment.

"It’s hot outside, let’s talk in detail inside the house."

She wasn’t worried about Yuan Shangyi’s thoughts, but about those around the Young Emperor; she didn’t know whose confidants they were, and what they might say after hearing the conversation.

Ao Qi also realized he had been too cheerful just now and that his words were incorrect, so he quickly corrected himself,

"Not submit, but to seek refuge."

He glanced at the Young Emperor, who remained silent and well-behaved with slightly pursed lips, and he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"For many days, the bandits defended their position resolutely, growing more stubborn in battle. My uncle said that with the New Dynasty just established, it would be inadvisable to engage in widespread slaughter, therefore, persuading them was the primary goal."

Feng Yun had guessed as much.

If Pei Jue personally went there, it was not for slaughter.

She asked, "What happened next?"

Ao Qi’s handsome face grew cold, killing intent gradually gathering in his eyes, and that somber look was no longer that of the boy he once was.

"After being besieged for many days, with supplies on the mountain exhausted, last night the bandit leader finally agreed to meet and talk with my uncle, but only if my uncle took two guards up the mountain."

Feng Yun tensed slightly, "Did he go?"

Ao Qi said, "He went."

He gazed deeply at Feng Yun, his voice heavy.

"My uncle went up the mountain alone."

Feng Yun looked at him in surprise.

That look, tender and full of concern.

Ao Qi slowly bowed his head, not wanting to see those eyes, "Naturally, Hou Zhun was not willing to surrender, but he seemed to respect my uncle’s bravery for coming alone. He didn’t make things difficult and sat down to have a serious discussion."

As he spoke, he couldn’t help but steal another glance at Feng Yun.

"I am not aware of the specifics of their conversation. In any case, the result was... Hou Zhun refused to surrender to the Northern Yong Army but agreed to wash his hands of his past, disband the bandits, seek refuge with my wife, mine the mountains, and cultivate the land."