Chapter 60 - A Big Hole for You!
As the night descended, Chu Junyi secretly entered Yingyue Courtyard and complained as soon as he was in the room. “Ninghua, Madam Zhao is also living in your courtyard, and yet you sent for me here so openly. Are you really not afraid of her framing you?”
Holding a book in her hand, Shen Ninghua leaned back on the chair deep in thought. She suddenly restored her senses when she heard his voice. “Just let her frame me. The only thing she could rely on is the baby, so she wouldn’t dare to use her mind too hard. If she lost the baby, wouldn’t my father eat her alive?”
Chu Junyi couldn’t help but laugh. He stretched himself lazily and said, “Your place is so comfortable. It’s much better than my courtyard.” As he said that, he lay down on a soft couch. “Why did you call me here?”
Shen Ninghua put down the book in her hand and looked a little more solemn. “You must have heard about the flood in Ping City, right?”
“Yes, I’ve heard about that. I also heard that the entire Ping City was flooded. Why are you interested in this?”
Shen Ninghua lowered her eyes and said, “There will definitely be a great plague after a catastrophe. If my guess is correct, something big will definitely happen in Ping City.”
The smile on Chu Junyi’s face slowly disappeared as he looked at Shen Ninghua with curiosity in his eyes. If Shen Ninghua was simply skilled in dealing with backyard affairs, she could only be praised as a smart girl. But if she also had her unique insights into national affairs, she could really be exalted as an exceptional lady!
“Ninghua, how can you be so sure?”
Shen Ninghua was anxious and didn’t find the abnormality in Chu Junyi’s expression. “Ping City is surrounded by mountains on three sides. The Pan River runs through the center, flowing in from the northeast and out from the southwest. Although the amount of water has always been very large, it is always stable due to the blockade of the mountain range. Even if there is a flood, it should not be serious. But this time, the mountains slid and would no longer be able to block the flow of water from the upper reaches. The entire Ping City was completely engulfed by the flood.”
Chu Junyi nodded. “You’re right. No one expected that the mountain range to the northeast of Ping City would actually be broken by the current.”
Shen Ninghua frowned. “There are 40,000 people in Ping City alone. At the downstream of Pan River, there are Yang City, Jun City, and Heng City…These cities are the granaries of the Da’an Dynasty. If anything happens to them, one-third of the people of Da’an will starve!”
“What you said makes sense, but it shouldn’t be too serious. The downstream channel of the Pan River is very wide, and there are rarely any floods.” Chu Junyi replied after pondering for a long time.
Shen Ninghua sneered. “The river broke through at night, and the entire city was flooded. More than half of the 40,000 people in Ping City were either killed or injured. Although it’s already autumn, the temperature is still very high. If a plague occurs in Ping City, and the river flows downstream through it, the majority of the Jiangnan region will become lifeless!”
Chu Junyi widened his eyes and was extremely shocked. “What you said is the worst case scenario. It shouldn’t end up like this. The emperor has already dispatched an imperial commissioner to relieve the calamity. Food and medicinal ingredients are also continuously being shipped over. The plague won’t happen so easily. Are you a little over-concerned about the situation?”
Shen Ninghua turned to look at him. “If I was over-concerned, then that would be the best result. But what if?” In her previous life, there was a flood in Ping City. Although many people died, no one expected it to be so serious. The plague seemed to erupt overnight. Within three months, the cities nearby were completely deserted and everyone in Da’an was distressed and terrified as if living in hell.
In order to gain a good reputation, Baili Jinze secretly gathered many talented people to find prescriptions that could curb the plague. She stayed up with him for seven days and seven nights, searching for the right prescription, and luckily she had really found one. She gave him the prescription, and he used it to save the people of the Jiangnan region. After the plague was over, the people of the Jiangnan region practically revered Baili Jinze as sacred. As a result, his strength increased dramatically and he had the capital to seize the throne.
This time, she originally wanted to use this prescription to set up Shen Xuanye and the Zhao family, but she didn’t expect that the flood would attack the Ping City ahead of time.
Chu Junyi was silent. It was always wise to play safe. If what Shen Ninghua said really happened, the entire Da’an would be forced into a predicament. If the country was weak, other countries would take advantage of the situation. At that time…
“Ninghua, do you have a solution?”
Shen Ninghua slowly said, “Take preventive measures.”
Chu Junyi stared at Shen Ninghua, and his eyes were filled with a peculiar light. Did she really have a solution?
“What are the preventive measures?”
“Your foster father Xiao Jingran has come back. Old General Xiao is the most patriotic. If you tell him about what happened in Ping City, he will definitely report to the emperor. My eldest brother offered a prescription. That prescription can cure a dying person, let alone strengthen a person’s body. The plague happened because too many people died after the flood, and the corpses couldn’t be disposed of in time. Since that is the case, we should do our best to save people’s lives. It is best if the emperor agrees to give the prescription to the downstream cities of the Pan River, so that everyone can take some medicine in advance.”
Chu Junyi raised his eyebrows mockingly. “How could the royal family be willing to give out the prescription?”
“If they are reluctant to give out the prescription, they can prepare medicine according to the prescription and send the medicine over. That would save much trouble. The fur cannot exist without the skin underneath. In the face of the catastrophe, the emperor can distinguish what is really important!”
“Ninghua, are you concerned about the people of Ping City?” Chu Junyi stared fixedly at her eyes, wishing he could see her heart.
“I care about myself.” Shen Ninghua’s expression was cold. “It’s just that when there’s a way to save some people, why not save them?”
Chu Junyi sensed something unusual, but he couldn’t figure out exactly what it was. “Ninghua, you are Prime Minister Shen’s daughter. Even the destruction of the entire Jiangnan region will not affect you. If you wanted to save those people, it might bring you infinite trouble. You won’t take action unless there is a benefit. What do you want from this? Fame or power?”
Shen Ninghua coldly glanced at him and said, “If I want fame, then the prescription will not be offered by the Shen family, but by me. If I want power, then I will not reject Baili Jinze’s offer of kindness.”
“Then what exactly do you want? If you don’t tell me, I won’t be able to feel at ease.” Chu Junyi’s gaze followed closely behind her, not letting go of any of her emotions.
“I want to dig a big hole.”
“What…what?” A big hole? Chu Junyi was stunned.
Shen Ninghua curled her lips. “That’s right, I want to dig a hole, big enough to bury the Shen family. Can you feel at ease now?”
“Alright, since you said it, I’ll help you.”
“No,” Shen Ninghua looked at him half-smilingly. “You’re not just helping me. You’re also helping yourself. The credit of saving tens of thousands of people is enough to make you a top-ranking official. No matter why you want to get close to the royal family, it’s enough.”
Chu Junyi relaxed and leaned against the soft couch. He sighed slightly, “Ninghua, you are really too smart.”
Shen Ninghua picked up the book again. She lowered her eyes and the thick eyelashes cast a faint shadow on her cheeks. Under the illumination of the candlelight, she looked tranquil and beautiful. “If I’m not smart enough, will you come to cooperate with me?”
Chu Junyi rolled over and propped his head up to look at her. Suddenly, he thought of the words “tranquil days”. The longer he stayed with her, the more he couldn’t see through her. Sometimes, she was as quiet and pure as a flower, sometimes she was as cold and sharp as a sword, and sometimes she was as intelligent and wise as a fox…He had seen many intelligent and beautiful women, but no one had ever been able to attract his attention all the time like her.
Shen Ninghua looked up. “What’s up?”
Chu Junyi’s eyes slightly rolled to hide his peculiar expression. “Nothing. I’m just thinking about how to help you dig a deeper hole. After all, if someone falls in it, we don’t want him to climb up again.”
Shen Ninghua was stunned when she heard this. Then she laughed. “If he wants to climb up, just fill in some more earth and bury him. I think many people will be eager to fill the hole when he falls into it.”
“That’s true.”
Shen Ninghua looked at the sky and said, “Aren’t you going back now?”
Chu Junyi lay on the soft couch and said discontentedly, “You call me in and then drive me away. You’re so ruthless to me.”
Shen Ninghua smiled coldly and raised her fingers to grab two pills. “Do you want me to give you a ride?”
Chu Junyi jumped up and said, “Forget it. You’ve worked hard all day, so I won’t bother you anymore. I’m leaving.”
“Wait a minute.” Shen Ninghua suddenly called out to Chu Junyi.
“What? Are you reluctant to let me go?” Chu Junyi teased.
Shen Ninghua ignored his teasing and paused for a long time before saying, “If it’s convenient, I hope you can help me find a person in Ping City.”
Chu Junyi’s smile faded. “Who?”
“A twelve-year-old lad. His name is Yun Chuan.” Shen Ninghua stood up and took out a book from the bookshelf. She cut open the pages of the book and took out a folded square piece of paper. “Here is his portrait. If you can find him, I hope you can tell me.”
Chu Junyi took the paper on which there was the portrait of a lad. The brush strokes were extremely exquisite and vividly revealed the lad’s bright smile. Even through a piece of paper, people could feel his carefreeness.
“Your sweetheart?”
Shen Ninghua rolled her eyes at him and said, “He saved my life.”
Chu Junyi’s heart suddenly relaxed and the smile on his face deepened. “Will your benefactor be in Ping City?”
Shen Ninghua said annoyedly, “You really care too much.”
Chu Junyi put away the portrait. “Alright, alright, I won’t ask anymore. Don’t worry. If I see this boy, I’ll bring him to see you. I’ll leave first.”
Shen Ninghua was silent for a moment. “Don’t bring him back to me. You can settle him down and give him enough money.”
Chu Junyi paused before he waved his hand and jumped out of the window.
Madam Zhao had been lying on the bed for a long time, but the nausea in her chest made it difficult for her to fall asleep. She simply got up for a walk. But just as she arrived at the door, she saw a black figure jumping out of Shen Ninghua’s room. She covered her mouth abruptly, afraid that she would cry out in alarm.
In the middle of the night, what did it mean for a black shadow to appear in the room of an unmarried young lady? It wouldn’t make sense if she didn’t have an adultery!
Madam Zhao’s eyes lit up and were filled with suppressed excitement and ecstasy. She had caught hold of Shen Ninghua, and if she made good use of it, she would definitely put Shen Ninghua in a death trap! Today, she had just sworn that she would definitely punish Shen Ninghua, and tonight, she got a handle against Shen Ninghua…She almost burst out laughing loudly.
After a while, she calmed down. “I can’t be hasty now. If I went and told Master, that little bitch Shen Ninghua might say that I’m framing her, so I must find some concrete evidence!”
When she thought that Shen Ninghua would be swept out of the family soon, Madam Zhao was in a good mood, and she no longer felt sick in her chest. She rubbed her belly with a smile and whispered, “Baby, you are the blessing star of your mother. Everything has been developing in a good direction since your arrival.”
When Madam Zhao fell asleep, a black figure jumped down from her roof.
The next day when Shen Ninghua got up, Qing Que reported to her. “Miss, Master Chu was seen by the First Lady when he left yesterday.”
“Huh?” Shen Ninghua raised her eyebrows slightly. “It’s not a big deal if she saw it. She didn’t dare to take any move without any solid evidence, so let her be happy for a few days. Hong Ling, is there any news from Ping City?”
“Miss, there is nothing new.”
Holding a book in her hand, Shen Ninghua leaned back on the chair deep in thought. She suddenly restored her senses when she heard his voice. “Just let her frame me. The only thing she could rely on is the baby, so she wouldn’t dare to use her mind too hard. If she lost the baby, wouldn’t my father eat her alive?”
Chu Junyi couldn’t help but laugh. He stretched himself lazily and said, “Your place is so comfortable. It’s much better than my courtyard.” As he said that, he lay down on a soft couch. “Why did you call me here?”
Shen Ninghua put down the book in her hand and looked a little more solemn. “You must have heard about the flood in Ping City, right?”
“Yes, I’ve heard about that. I also heard that the entire Ping City was flooded. Why are you interested in this?”
Shen Ninghua lowered her eyes and said, “There will definitely be a great plague after a catastrophe. If my guess is correct, something big will definitely happen in Ping City.”
The smile on Chu Junyi’s face slowly disappeared as he looked at Shen Ninghua with curiosity in his eyes. If Shen Ninghua was simply skilled in dealing with backyard affairs, she could only be praised as a smart girl. But if she also had her unique insights into national affairs, she could really be exalted as an exceptional lady!
“Ninghua, how can you be so sure?”
Shen Ninghua was anxious and didn’t find the abnormality in Chu Junyi’s expression. “Ping City is surrounded by mountains on three sides. The Pan River runs through the center, flowing in from the northeast and out from the southwest. Although the amount of water has always been very large, it is always stable due to the blockade of the mountain range. Even if there is a flood, it should not be serious. But this time, the mountains slid and would no longer be able to block the flow of water from the upper reaches. The entire Ping City was completely engulfed by the flood.”
Chu Junyi nodded. “You’re right. No one expected that the mountain range to the northeast of Ping City would actually be broken by the current.”
Shen Ninghua frowned. “There are 40,000 people in Ping City alone. At the downstream of Pan River, there are Yang City, Jun City, and Heng City…These cities are the granaries of the Da’an Dynasty. If anything happens to them, one-third of the people of Da’an will starve!”
“What you said makes sense, but it shouldn’t be too serious. The downstream channel of the Pan River is very wide, and there are rarely any floods.” Chu Junyi replied after pondering for a long time.
Shen Ninghua sneered. “The river broke through at night, and the entire city was flooded. More than half of the 40,000 people in Ping City were either killed or injured. Although it’s already autumn, the temperature is still very high. If a plague occurs in Ping City, and the river flows downstream through it, the majority of the Jiangnan region will become lifeless!”
Chu Junyi widened his eyes and was extremely shocked. “What you said is the worst case scenario. It shouldn’t end up like this. The emperor has already dispatched an imperial commissioner to relieve the calamity. Food and medicinal ingredients are also continuously being shipped over. The plague won’t happen so easily. Are you a little over-concerned about the situation?”
Shen Ninghua turned to look at him. “If I was over-concerned, then that would be the best result. But what if?” In her previous life, there was a flood in Ping City. Although many people died, no one expected it to be so serious. The plague seemed to erupt overnight. Within three months, the cities nearby were completely deserted and everyone in Da’an was distressed and terrified as if living in hell.
In order to gain a good reputation, Baili Jinze secretly gathered many talented people to find prescriptions that could curb the plague. She stayed up with him for seven days and seven nights, searching for the right prescription, and luckily she had really found one. She gave him the prescription, and he used it to save the people of the Jiangnan region. After the plague was over, the people of the Jiangnan region practically revered Baili Jinze as sacred. As a result, his strength increased dramatically and he had the capital to seize the throne.
This time, she originally wanted to use this prescription to set up Shen Xuanye and the Zhao family, but she didn’t expect that the flood would attack the Ping City ahead of time.
Chu Junyi was silent. It was always wise to play safe. If what Shen Ninghua said really happened, the entire Da’an would be forced into a predicament. If the country was weak, other countries would take advantage of the situation. At that time…
“Ninghua, do you have a solution?”
Shen Ninghua slowly said, “Take preventive measures.”
Chu Junyi stared at Shen Ninghua, and his eyes were filled with a peculiar light. Did she really have a solution?
“What are the preventive measures?”
“Your foster father Xiao Jingran has come back. Old General Xiao is the most patriotic. If you tell him about what happened in Ping City, he will definitely report to the emperor. My eldest brother offered a prescription. That prescription can cure a dying person, let alone strengthen a person’s body. The plague happened because too many people died after the flood, and the corpses couldn’t be disposed of in time. Since that is the case, we should do our best to save people’s lives. It is best if the emperor agrees to give the prescription to the downstream cities of the Pan River, so that everyone can take some medicine in advance.”
Chu Junyi raised his eyebrows mockingly. “How could the royal family be willing to give out the prescription?”
“If they are reluctant to give out the prescription, they can prepare medicine according to the prescription and send the medicine over. That would save much trouble. The fur cannot exist without the skin underneath. In the face of the catastrophe, the emperor can distinguish what is really important!”
“Ninghua, are you concerned about the people of Ping City?” Chu Junyi stared fixedly at her eyes, wishing he could see her heart.
“I care about myself.” Shen Ninghua’s expression was cold. “It’s just that when there’s a way to save some people, why not save them?”
Chu Junyi sensed something unusual, but he couldn’t figure out exactly what it was. “Ninghua, you are Prime Minister Shen’s daughter. Even the destruction of the entire Jiangnan region will not affect you. If you wanted to save those people, it might bring you infinite trouble. You won’t take action unless there is a benefit. What do you want from this? Fame or power?”
Shen Ninghua coldly glanced at him and said, “If I want fame, then the prescription will not be offered by the Shen family, but by me. If I want power, then I will not reject Baili Jinze’s offer of kindness.”
“Then what exactly do you want? If you don’t tell me, I won’t be able to feel at ease.” Chu Junyi’s gaze followed closely behind her, not letting go of any of her emotions.
“I want to dig a big hole.”
“What…what?” A big hole? Chu Junyi was stunned.
Shen Ninghua curled her lips. “That’s right, I want to dig a hole, big enough to bury the Shen family. Can you feel at ease now?”
“Alright, since you said it, I’ll help you.”
“No,” Shen Ninghua looked at him half-smilingly. “You’re not just helping me. You’re also helping yourself. The credit of saving tens of thousands of people is enough to make you a top-ranking official. No matter why you want to get close to the royal family, it’s enough.”
Chu Junyi relaxed and leaned against the soft couch. He sighed slightly, “Ninghua, you are really too smart.”
Shen Ninghua picked up the book again. She lowered her eyes and the thick eyelashes cast a faint shadow on her cheeks. Under the illumination of the candlelight, she looked tranquil and beautiful. “If I’m not smart enough, will you come to cooperate with me?”
Chu Junyi rolled over and propped his head up to look at her. Suddenly, he thought of the words “tranquil days”. The longer he stayed with her, the more he couldn’t see through her. Sometimes, she was as quiet and pure as a flower, sometimes she was as cold and sharp as a sword, and sometimes she was as intelligent and wise as a fox…He had seen many intelligent and beautiful women, but no one had ever been able to attract his attention all the time like her.
Shen Ninghua looked up. “What’s up?”
Chu Junyi’s eyes slightly rolled to hide his peculiar expression. “Nothing. I’m just thinking about how to help you dig a deeper hole. After all, if someone falls in it, we don’t want him to climb up again.”
Shen Ninghua was stunned when she heard this. Then she laughed. “If he wants to climb up, just fill in some more earth and bury him. I think many people will be eager to fill the hole when he falls into it.”
“That’s true.”
Shen Ninghua looked at the sky and said, “Aren’t you going back now?”
Chu Junyi lay on the soft couch and said discontentedly, “You call me in and then drive me away. You’re so ruthless to me.”
Shen Ninghua smiled coldly and raised her fingers to grab two pills. “Do you want me to give you a ride?”
Chu Junyi jumped up and said, “Forget it. You’ve worked hard all day, so I won’t bother you anymore. I’m leaving.”
“Wait a minute.” Shen Ninghua suddenly called out to Chu Junyi.
“What? Are you reluctant to let me go?” Chu Junyi teased.
Shen Ninghua ignored his teasing and paused for a long time before saying, “If it’s convenient, I hope you can help me find a person in Ping City.”
Chu Junyi’s smile faded. “Who?”
“A twelve-year-old lad. His name is Yun Chuan.” Shen Ninghua stood up and took out a book from the bookshelf. She cut open the pages of the book and took out a folded square piece of paper. “Here is his portrait. If you can find him, I hope you can tell me.”
Chu Junyi took the paper on which there was the portrait of a lad. The brush strokes were extremely exquisite and vividly revealed the lad’s bright smile. Even through a piece of paper, people could feel his carefreeness.
“Your sweetheart?”
Shen Ninghua rolled her eyes at him and said, “He saved my life.”
Chu Junyi’s heart suddenly relaxed and the smile on his face deepened. “Will your benefactor be in Ping City?”
Shen Ninghua said annoyedly, “You really care too much.”
Chu Junyi put away the portrait. “Alright, alright, I won’t ask anymore. Don’t worry. If I see this boy, I’ll bring him to see you. I’ll leave first.”
Shen Ninghua was silent for a moment. “Don’t bring him back to me. You can settle him down and give him enough money.”
Chu Junyi paused before he waved his hand and jumped out of the window.
Madam Zhao had been lying on the bed for a long time, but the nausea in her chest made it difficult for her to fall asleep. She simply got up for a walk. But just as she arrived at the door, she saw a black figure jumping out of Shen Ninghua’s room. She covered her mouth abruptly, afraid that she would cry out in alarm.
In the middle of the night, what did it mean for a black shadow to appear in the room of an unmarried young lady? It wouldn’t make sense if she didn’t have an adultery!
Madam Zhao’s eyes lit up and were filled with suppressed excitement and ecstasy. She had caught hold of Shen Ninghua, and if she made good use of it, she would definitely put Shen Ninghua in a death trap! Today, she had just sworn that she would definitely punish Shen Ninghua, and tonight, she got a handle against Shen Ninghua…She almost burst out laughing loudly.
After a while, she calmed down. “I can’t be hasty now. If I went and told Master, that little bitch Shen Ninghua might say that I’m framing her, so I must find some concrete evidence!”
When she thought that Shen Ninghua would be swept out of the family soon, Madam Zhao was in a good mood, and she no longer felt sick in her chest. She rubbed her belly with a smile and whispered, “Baby, you are the blessing star of your mother. Everything has been developing in a good direction since your arrival.”
When Madam Zhao fell asleep, a black figure jumped down from her roof.
The next day when Shen Ninghua got up, Qing Que reported to her. “Miss, Master Chu was seen by the First Lady when he left yesterday.”
“Huh?” Shen Ninghua raised her eyebrows slightly. “It’s not a big deal if she saw it. She didn’t dare to take any move without any solid evidence, so let her be happy for a few days. Hong Ling, is there any news from Ping City?”
“Miss, there is nothing new.”
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