Chapter 32 – He Had an Impulse

Standing on stage, Dong Xinrui wore a solemn and resolute expression.

“Everyone,” she began, “now that the severe cold has descended, the people are suffering miserably. Amid the snow and wind, many civilians and soldiers alike are enduring the harsh weather, hungry and freezing.”

“His Majesty is merciful and unwilling to increase taxes. In the palace, both the Empress Dowager and the Emperor have already cut down on food and clothing. Today, though I may be presumptuous, I hope each of you can contribute your modest efforts to help the people and the soldiers guarding the borders get through this brutal winter.”

After speaking, she placed her hands before her chest, lowered her head slightly, and performed a proper courtesy.

Everyone returned the gesture in response.

“The Prime Minister’s wife is truly noble in character!”

“She truly lives up to being the daughter of the Imperial Tutor!”

Dong Xinrui continued, “Tomorrow, we will set up donation registers at the gates of both the Princess Royal’s residence and the Prime Minister’s residence. At that time, I will present both the register and all your donations directly to His Majesty.”

Since the donation list would be presented to the Emperor, everyone was even more eager to contribute.

Who wouldn’t want a chance to appear favorably before the Emperor?

Up in the loft, the new Emperor, handsome and dignified, smiled faintly. “So this grand gathering at West Lake that Imperial Sister organized was actually to raise disaster relief supplies. This idea must have come from your wife and Her Highness, right?”

Fei Yan shook his head. “Your Majesty, I don’t know. But Xinrui is kind-hearted. In the past few days, she has used silver from her dowry to provide congee for the poor outside the city. I’m the one who has been incompetent.”

The Fei family came from a humble background and had a shallow family foundation.

Ling Gurong spoke gently, “I will reward Lady Dong.”

The donation capabilities of these people were remarkable. With their contributions, more than half of this urgent crisis could be resolved.

It seemed the inner palace indeed needed an Empress. An Empress could, at times, inspire the noblewomen to do what was within their power to help.

A noblewoman, trying to curry favor with Dong Xinrui, deliberately walked up to Tang Chaoyang and said with a smile, “Miss Tang, did you see that? Only a woman of such virtuous character like Miss Dong is worthy of Prime Minister Fei.”

Others who were eager for drama turned to watch Tang Chaoyang, curious to see if she would lose her temper.

Tang Chaoyang responded calmly, “A timely solution is a good thing. Miss Dong and Prime Minister Fei are well-matched in talent and looks—truly a perfect match.”

This time, the food crisis might be resolved. But what about the next time? And the time after that?

Tang Chaoyang also thought Dong Xinrui and the Princess Royal organizing this donation event was a good deed. Because of that, she wasn’t the least bit jealous of Dong Xinrui’s noble character.

The noblewoman who had been waiting for Tang Chaoyang to get angry was speechless upon hearing her praise Dong Xinrui and Fei Yan as a heavenly match.

Not getting the reaction she hoped for and instead being made to look petty, the noblewoman snapped critically, “What do you mean by ‘a timely solution’? Do you have a better idea? If so, why don’t you tell us?”

Tang Chaoyang casually glanced at the noblewoman. She did have a better idea—she had already written part of it today.

She intended to finish writing it and hand it to her grandfather.

But there was no need to reveal any of this publicly.

Given her current identity, standing out too much would only lead to a swift death.

Ignoring the noblewoman’s provocation, Tang Chaoyang walked up to the Princess Royal, saluted, and took her leave.

Her demeanor was neither humble nor overbearing.

Dong Xinrui watched Tang Chaoyang’s composed figure as she left. Although she had gained great fame today, a vague unease stirred in her heart.

Tang Chaoyang’s demeanor had become much more steady.

But then she reassured herself—so what if Tang Chaoyang had matured? She still couldn’t compare to her in anything!

**

Zhuque Alley.

After leaving West Lake, Tang Chaoyang returned to Wutong Courtyard to change clothes, then headed straight to Zhuque Alley to wait for Gu Yuan.

She had arrived a bit early.

She entered the study, ground ink, laid out paper, and continued writing the unfinished plan from earlier.

“Establish state granaries to prepare for years of disaster. Currently, most of the land is held by powerful families. The court should encourage the people to reclaim wastelands, reduce taxes, improve irrigation systems, enhance grain quality, and promote regionally suitable crops… In Fujian, there is a type of sweet potato with tuberous roots…”

Tang Chaoyang was so focused on writing that she didn’t stop until the blind old servant knocked on the door to call her. She looked up and saw it was likely Gu Yuan who had arrived.

She quickly put down her brush and went to perform acupuncture for him.

Not long after she left, a secret guard appeared in the study.

Whenever the Emperor came here, the secret guards would always check the surroundings for safety.

The secret guard saw the pages of writing Tang Chaoyang had left on the table.

In the neighboring room, Ling Gurong had already taken off his clothes.

With the experience from yesterday, he no longer felt embarrassed today.

Perhaps because he often trained, his body was lean and muscular, with a healthy bronze complexion.

Knock knock—two knocks came from outside the door, and then the door creaked open.

Tang Chaoyang entered the room. She glanced at the man lying obediently on the bed, waiting for the acupuncture, and walked over.

“How are you feeling today?” she asked.

Ling Gurong replied helplessly, “Headache, nausea when eating, my whole body feels awful.”

It was only in front of Tang Chaoyang that he dared to reveal his vulnerability.

Tang Chaoyang saw the faint trace of helplessness on his face, along with a hint of grievance that even he probably didn’t realize.

She smiled softly. “Just hang in there—it’ll pass.”

By age, she was actually two years older than him. Knowing he had been poisoned with poppy derivatives since he was fifteen or sixteen stirred a sense of compassion in her.

If he hadn’t met her now, one could imagine what kind of life he would face in the future.

He might have died early, or lived under someone’s control.

He might have encountered another doctor and eventually discovered the poisoning, but by the time it was treated, the damage to his lifespan would have already been done.

Just as Tang Chaoyang had guessed—in her previous life, Ling Gurong didn’t find out he had been poisoned until he was thirty.

By the time he was forty, he was already bedridden and waiting for death. Half a month after Tang Chaoyang’s death, he too died, his body destroyed by the poppy.

A wise and benevolent ruler, who had once governed a flourishing age, fell before his time.

In the room, Tang Chaoyang was fully focused on performing acupuncture for Ling Gurong.

Once she finished, she gently pulled the blanket over him to keep him warm.

“I’ll go decoct the medicine for you. This time I need to control the order and timing of the herbs myself. I asked Blind Uncle to prepare a medicinal bath for you—it should help with your headache and muscle soreness.”

She didn’t explain further. Quickly tidying up the acupuncture needles, she left the room.

Shortly after she left, a secret guard appeared again. In his hand were two sheets of paper, which he respectfully presented to Ling Gurong.

“My Lord, these were written by Miss Tang.”

Ling Gurong got out of bed. Calmly, he took his robe from the rack and draped it over his shoulders. Then he took the pages from the guard.

At first, he held them with one hand. But as he read, he switched to using both.

The more he read, the brighter his eyes became. He secretly admired her.

The contents on the two pages seemed to be unfinished—what a pity!

Most of the proposals matched his own ideas.

More importantly, she had thought of things he hadn’t.

Even regarding regional farming techniques and how to increase grain production—things he had consulted with the Ministry of Agriculture about—this plan was far more detailed.

Ling Gurong thought of what she had said at the teahouse that day.

She really did have a way to ensure the people could be well-fed!

Compared to today’s fundraising event organized by Dong Xinrui and the others, this plan was like a giant dwarfing a child’s game.

He had an impulse—an urge to see what she looked like beneath that disguised face.