Li Zhiyue was also waiting.

She had invested all her belongings into silk. If this storyline changed, she would lose everything.

There was no news of the silk burning yet, but a tragic piece of news came instead: just after midnight last night, an earthquake struck the northern region.

It occurred deep in the night while everyone was asleep. In one county town, most people perished in their sleep. Nearby cities and villages were also affected… The court immediately dispatched troops for rescue and disaster relief.

The earthquake was mentioned in the book, but for the characters in the story, the impact of the earthquake wasn’t even as significant as that of the silk.

Therefore, Li Zhiyue had no recollection of it.

Otherwise, she might have been able to give an early warning.

Just as in the book, the natural disaster in the north didn’t affect the capital much.

The wealthy people in the capital still ate and drank as usual, living in luxury and indulgence.

Many impoverished scholars wrote poems and essays condemning the extravagance of the rich:

“So many people in the north are homeless, and yet the rich in the capital still tour around in carriages and hold lavish banquets. Has our great Wei nation fallen to such a state?”

“The wine and meat of the nobles stink, while the bones of the frozen poor lie on the roadside. The ancients did not deceive us!”

“If the court does not take disaster relief seriously, there will inevitably be a refugee crisis. Once they gather, there will surely be unrest. How can there be peace then?”

“No matter how they riot, it won’t reach the capital. The powerful naturally don’t care. It’s the common people who suffer…”

“Go quickly to the Shan Yi Hall, there’s a young woman leading a donation effort for the northern disaster victims!”

A large crowd surged toward Shan Yi Hall.

Shan Yi Hall was a medical clinic built by the court, offering free consultations to the poor. People queued there daily for treatment.

At this moment, a canopy was set up beside the hall. A slender woman stood at the front, speaking with a clear and righteous voice:

“The green mountains share the rain and mist; when has the bright moon ever belonged to separate lands… Though we have never met those affected in the north, we are all people of Great Wei, living under the same blue sky. When one region is in trouble, all should come to aid. I, Lu Jingxue, though born in poverty, am willing to give my all to help the victims through their hardship!”

As she spoke, she removed the hairpin from her head, the pearl earrings from her ears, and the bracelet from her wrist, placing them all into a tray.

She also took out a pouch of silver from her sleeve. “This is the money my brother needs for his future imperial exam expenses. I will donate it all. The lives of those victims are far more important than my brother’s education!”

“Bravo!”

“Miss Lu, what a noble act!”

“A truly virtuous woman, a model for all!”

Many passersby were moved by her passionate words, especially those from humble backgrounds, who also contributed generously.

Even though they were poor, they could still do what little they could.

The women donated hairpins and jewelry.

The men gave silver and coins.

Even a street beggar wiped his tears and threw his day’s food money into the tray.

Lu Jingxue picked up those copper coins, walked to the beggar, and said gently, “You don’t even have food or shelter yet, no need to donate. Take this and have a full meal.”

The beggar, choked with emotion, insisted on donating, forcing the coins into her hands.

A flash of disgust flickered in Lu Jingxue’s eyes. She quickly put down the coins and quietly wiped her fingers with a handkerchief, afraid of getting them dirty.

After standing there for a while, she was utterly exhausted.

But she knew she had to do this. The Princess Royal’s household had fallen into decline. Her engagement to the Fourth Prince had suddenly vanished without a trace.

She had to step into the public eye, earn a good name, and make herself valuable in the eyes of the powerful…

Seeing more and more people coming to donate, Lu Jingxue tilted and collapsed to the ground.

“Miss Lu fainted from exhaustion!”

“For the disaster victims and justice, Miss Lu led by example—truly admirable!”

“Compared to her, those aristocratic families with their fine dining—who among them is wealthier than Miss Lu? And yet, only she stepped forward!”

“No wonder Grand Tutor Song accepted this stepdaughter. With Miss Lu, the Song family will also earn a reputation for kindness.”

“Look at the Marquis of Xiangyang’s household, that Miss Li. Just to prepare a dowry, she bought an absurd amount of silk—so extravagant and outrageous!”

“The Marquis of Xiangyang’s household is so wealthy, and yet they haven’t donated a thing to the disaster victims.”

“Hah, the rich only care about enjoying themselves…”

Lying fainted on the ground, Lu Jingxue heard these remarks, and the corners of her lips curved slightly.

Those with a good reputation win the hearts of the people and might even be remembered in history.

She and Li Zhiyue were not walking the same path. She wanted to reach the highest heights, while Li Zhiyue only pursued luxury and indulgence.

If the rich had little reaction to the earthquake, the next piece of news sent every noble lady into panic:

“The ships from Jiangnan to the capital carrying this year’s silk caught fire midway! The ships were all connected—every last one burned to ashes!”

“What about the silk?!”

“Everyone on board died. What silk? All gone, completely burned!”

“Heavens!”

You see, nearly all the silk in the capital every year came from Jiangnan. Jiangnan bought raw silk from all over the country, processed it into fabric, and shipped it to the capital every autumn and winter, without fail.

The batch that arrived last fall had already been mostly used up.

The remaining stock had all been bought out by the Marquis of Xiangyang’s household.

That meant there would be no new silk in the capital for a long time!

Not until spring’s end, when silkworms spin silk again, merchants purchase it, and go through the complex weaving and dyeing process—at the earliest, silk would appear again in the market in six or seven months.

For the wealthy, not being able to buy silk for half a year was a disaster.

Forget about needing several new outfits each month—just think about weddings. Every family marries off daughters or brings in daughters-in-law. You can’t use old cloth! You must buy new fabric, or people will laugh at you!

Some major families reacted quickly, sending people to Yu Prefecture and Ji Prefecture to buy silk.

Some sharp-nosed merchants rushed to Li’s Teahouse the same afternoon the news broke. When they didn’t find Li Zhiyue there, they hurried to the grand theatre—and finally managed to catch her.

Li Zhiyue was at the theatre auditioning new dan performers, planning to have them share Little Ling’er’s workload.

Three shows a day was too much for one person.

She had just picked out four promising girls and was discussing the details when Mo Yu came in to report: the silk ships from Jiangnan had gone up in flames!