Tao Lengshuang and Madam Sheng stopped their conversation as if by telepathy.
"Lengshuang was just talking about moving back," Madam Sheng said with a smile, beckoning Xiao Feng. "Have you finished your martial arts practice, Xiao Feng?"
Xiao Feng trotted to his maternal grandmother and nodded obediently. "I'm done. Grandpa praised me. Grandma, Grandpa said he has some matters to attend to and will be here later."
Madam Sheng wiped the sweat from his forehead with her embroidered handkerchief, sighing. "Look at your father, he didn't even wipe your sweat when you were all sweaty."
She had Xiao Feng's attendant take the child to wash up and change. "Remember to give the young master a cup of ginger sugar water, be careful he doesn't catch a cold."
The attendant answered, "Yes," and led Xiao Feng away to wash.
"What were you and Godmother just talking about?" Mo Lingxi had a premonition it wasn't anything good.
Madam Sheng showed no hint of it. "Didn't I just say we were talking about moving out? I thought it would be lively with you all living in the manor, but Lengshuang wants to move back."
Tao Lengshuang hummed and asked Mo Lingxi why he was back so early. "Didn't you say you'd be back very late today?"
Fortunately, he had returned early, or something would have gone wrong.
Mo Lingxi said he came back for a look and would have to go to the palace later. "By the way, Godfather has to go out for a while. There are some uprisings in certain places that require his presence."
Tao Lengshuang was not very willing, but Madam Sheng was accustomed to it. "In the early years, your Godfather was always fighting on the front lines and rarely came home."
Tao Lengshuang frowned. "Does Godfather have to go?"
Mo Lingxi understood her concern. "Godfather's reputation is well-established, so it would be better for him to handle it."
While Tao Lengshuang understood, she was unwilling for General Sheng to take such a great risk. "The situation outside is still quite unstable."
Mo Lingxi took her hand and comforted her. "Rest assured, I've made all the arrangements."
"If you've made all the arrangements, then you go. Why send Godfather?" Tao Lengshuang withdrew her hand irritably.
Mo Lingxi's heart sank. His wife was siding with others. "I have to assist the Crown Prince, so I can't go out. Besides, wouldn't you worry if I went out?"
Tao Lengshuang was worried; she had only spoken out of anger.
"Isn't there a better way?"
"The mountains are high and the emperor is far away. More importantly, there is a famine, and diseases are spreading."
Tao Lengshuang couldn't do anything about these two matters. She had medicinal herbs but couldn't save so many people. The key was that she didn't have much food.
"It would be great if we had a large supply of sweet potatoes."
Mo Lingxi knew this well and sighed. "To have a large supply of sweet potatoes, it will take at least three years."
"Too long." She had plenty of sweet potatoes in her spatial medicinal garden, but she couldn't take them out.
Mo Lingxi also knew it was too long. "The court is trying to find solutions, but even with money to buy supplies, it's only a temporary fix."
Tao Lengshuang pondered how to solve this problem. For the disaster victims, the most important thing was to survive, have something to eat, and a place to live.
"How many people are affected by the disaster?"
Mo Lingxi replied, "Estimates are around five to six million people."
Tao Lengshuang gasped. The population in ancient times was also immense, and the disaster was widespread.
She couldn't handle it, she couldn't handle it. The number was too large.
If it were tens of thousands, she might have a solution, but for millions, she was truly at a loss.
"Actually, if they were given land and some food seeds to get through the winter, everyone would be willing," Madam Sheng said.
Upon hearing this, Mo Lingxi and Tao Lengshuang had a vague idea. They asked Madam Sheng to elaborate.
Madam Sheng didn't understand these matters well; she had only heard the servants in the manor chatting. "It's hard to leave one's homeland. No one would want to leave their hometown unless absolutely necessary."
"If they could have seeds and food to get through the winter, they could find something to eat in the spring. With lighter taxes, many people would be willing to return to their hometowns."
Tao Lengshuang nodded slowly and said to Mo Lingxi, "Godmother's method can be tried. Give them a certain amount of money, food, and seeds. Those willing to return can go back, and those unwilling can be settled on the spot."
"Also, if they are willing to go to more remote areas, we can give them some land and more seeds."
Mo Lingxi had an idea and instructed Tao Lengshuang a few times before heading to the palace.
Tao Lengshuang thought that she would probably have to wait until these matters were resolved before she could take Xiao Feng away. She couldn't just leave without taking care of anything.
"It's a little over a month until spring."
Madam Sheng said, "Lengshuang, do what you've decided. These matters will only increase. However, I suggest you talk to Prince Mingrui properly."
Tao Lengshuang pursed her lips. "We've talked, Godmother. I don't expect to find a man who can protect me for a lifetime, but I don't want to be trapped in the inner courtyard in the future, fighting over a man."
Madam Sheng also disliked such a life. "Indeed, it's not good for several women to make things difficult for each other and fight over a man."
"Godmother won't persuade you anymore. Do what you've decided, and Godmother will support you."
Tao Lengshuang had already made up her mind. If Mo Lingxi's attitude remained unclear, she would choose to leave once all matters were settled.
"Madam, Eldest Miss, someone has delivered a letter."
At this moment, a maid entered with a letter. "It's for the Eldest Miss, and they said you'll regret it if you don't read it." httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
Tao Lengshuang took the letter and read it. The contents made her raise her eyebrows. The Luo family hadn't caused trouble for a while, and she didn't expect Luo Yang to specifically write to her.
Luo Yang, who couldn't even recognize a single character, had likely hired someone to write this letter.
"Lengshuang, who wrote to you?" Madam Sheng asked.
Tao Lengshuang briefly explained. "She's threatening me to give up the position of Princess Mingrui, saying that the position rightfully belongs to her and that I stole it."
Madam Sheng had inquired about Tao Lengshuang's relationships and naturally knew of this Luo Yang. "Such a low-class thing dares to claim the position of Princess Mingrui as hers. It's truly laughable."
Tao Lengshuang said indifferently, "She's a village beauty, always thinking highly of herself. For her, the position of Princess Mingrui is merely trivial; she probably thinks the position of Empress should be hers."
Madam Sheng was amused to the point of anger. "I've met so many people, but I've never seen a so-called village beauty so boastful."
"Lengshuang, are you going to meet her? It's clearly a trap."
Tao Lengshuang threw the letter onto the small table and smiled faintly. "Godmother, I won't go, but someone has to, right?"
Madam Sheng understood and nodded in agreement. "Yes, we should send someone to see. How about this? Since we're free right now, let's mother and daughter go and have a look. Perhaps there will be some excitement."
Tao Lengshuang thought it was a good idea, so she, Madam Sheng, along with a maid and hidden guards, went out to the place mentioned in the letter.
It was a private room in a restaurant.