Last time, she was ordered by Consort Zhao to deliver snacks to the Crown Prince. She dressed up specially, but in the end, she didn't even enter the study and didn't see the Crown Prince. She originally thought that the Crown Prince definitely didn't like her. She had even presented herself, but the other party didn't even glance at her. However, Consort Zhao's words today made her overjoyed.

"Sheng'er, you still haven't told me what exactly happened. Let Mother see if there's anything I can do to help."

"It's not a big deal. It's just that there have been successive years of drought, and many refugees have flooded into the capital. Now we need to allocate funds for disaster relief and appease the displaced people, but the national treasury is empty, so Father is in a very difficult situation."

"So it's this matter. Mother has also heard a bit about it." Consort Zhao waved her hand, and the maids walked in carrying several boxes. "Sheng'er, these are Mother's personal savings. Take them and help your father with disaster relief. Although it's not much, it's still a token of my heart."

"Mother, there's no need."

"Take it. As a noble concubine, I am supported by the world, and as the mother of the Crown Prince, who manages the affairs of the six palaces, I should set an example at this time." As soon as Consort Zhao finished speaking, Shang Yufu gracefully stepped forward and made a deep curtsy. "After hearing what Your Highness said, I am deeply touched. I don't have much silver. I will write a letter to my father and ask him to set up porridge - giving sheds to show my heart."

"Very good, very good. Yufu's idea is wonderful. I didn't even think of so much." Consort Zhao's face was filled with a beaming smile.

He Lingsheng stepped forward and said softly, "Then thank you, Miss Shang."

Shang Yufu's face turned slightly red. "I will go back and write to my father now. I take my leave first."

After Shang Yufu left, the smile on Consort Zhao's face gradually faded. The maid helped her down from the main seat.

"Sheng'er, do you see? With just a word from you, you can get everything you want."

"During the morning court, those old foxes like Shang Nian put forward some measures that only treat the symptoms but not the root cause. As soon as the topic of silver came up, they all pretended to be poor. Who doesn't know that when Shang Nian married his daughter into the Dingguo Prince's Mansion, the dowry was countless."

"So this girl, Shang Yufu, must enter your Eastern Palace. Whether she will be the main concubine or a side concubine will be decided by your father."

"Yes, Your son will abide by Father and Mother's decision."

After He Lingsheng left, Bixi waved her hand to let the maids take the boxes away.

Consort Zhao sneered. "With such a mind, she still dreams of entering the Eastern Palace as the Crown Princess?"

"Miss Shang is still young and needs more experience." Bixi helped her rub her shoulders and said with a smile. "However, Miss Shang's temperament is quite easy to manipulate."

"What's the use of being easy to manipulate? What I want is not a malleable girl, but a daughter - in - law who can assist Sheng'er in firmly securing the position of the Crown Prince, a daughter - in - law with means and a sharp mind."

"Your Highness is right." Bixi said in a low voice. "The granddaughter of the Duke of Zhenguo, this servant has made inquiries. You will surely like her."

"I have already thought about it, but the Duke of Zhenguo holds military power. If I bring it up, the Emperor will surely be suspicious. This matter needs to be carefully considered."

After receiving Shang Yufu's letter, Shang Nian couldn't stop sighing.

"Ever since that little wretch Shang Ruoyi took away all the dowry, our mansion has been emptied. Where do we have the silver to set up porridge - giving sheds? If we could take out the silver, when the Emperor mentioned it in the morning court today, could I not have agreed?"

The first wife took the letter, read it, and said in a deep voice, "Fu'er has already promised in front of the Crown Prince and Consort Zhao. We must save face no matter what. Didn't you hear Fu'er say that if this matter is done well, she can become the Crown Princess?"

Shang Nian furrowed his brows. Judging from his many years of experience in the court, this matter should have nothing to do with the position of the Crown Princess.

But as the first wife said, the words had already been spoken, and they had to do it.

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"That little wretch Shang Ruoyi, don't let me catch her. Otherwise, I'll make sure she pays."

Relying on the water obtained from the baobab trees, Shang Ruoyi and the others walked for a few days and finally arrived at a town. The situation here was not much better than that in the capital. A large number of refugees were gathered at the city gate, looking as if they were on the verge of death.

Shang Ruoyi's heart sank.

Since ancient times, disasters have always been accompanied by plagues. After people die, if the corpses decay and are not dealt with in time, a large number of viruses will be produced, which is the plague.

Coupled with the underdeveloped medical conditions, diseases spread extremely fast, and it is very difficult to control the plague.

But this was not something they needed to worry about. After replenishing supplies at the post station, they were about to leave. However, from then on, there would be nothing but mountains ahead, and there would be no more post stations. This time, the supplies distributed to each person were a few catties of brown rice, which they could cook and eat on the way. As for other things they wanted to eat, they could only look for them in the mountains by themselves.

Once they entered the mountains, there was no need to worry about the prisoners escaping. They might get lost in the mountains and never be able to get out before they even ran out of the mountains.

Shang Ruoyi proposed to go shopping again. Zhang Hu thought for a while and said in a low voice, "If you have enough silver, you can buy some winter clothes and winter quilts. The temperature will get lower and lower as we go north."

Hearing this, Shang Ruoyi quickly thanked him. "Thank you, sir, for your reminder."

She went to the bedding and ready - made clothing stores and bought a lot of cotton - padded quilts and clothes. Then she went to the shoe store and bought cotton - padded shoes. When there was no one around, she put some of them into the space and tied the remaining things into a huge bundle, which she carried on her back. She also bought several bamboo baskets in the market and put the purchased ingredients in them. She put the bought chicken and pork into the space so that they could be taken out and eaten when they reached the place of exile.

Shang Ruoyi came to the city gate. The He family members were startled when they saw her carrying so many things. He Jingxi quickly stepped forward and carried the largest bundle on his back. He Yunyi and Cong Fangzhi carried the bamboo baskets on their backs.

The prisoners were extremely envious when they saw this. Those who still had some silver on them stepped forward one after another and asked if they could buy some from her.

Shang Ruoyi took out a little from the bamboo basket and sold it to them. She had deliberately bought more for this very purpose, to win people's hearts. After all, when they reached the place of exile, if they wanted to live comfortably, they would inevitably need servants to wait on them.

Zhang touched the hidden silver and jewelry. Altogether, there were only forty or fifty taels. She took out two taels of silver, walked up to Shang Ruoyi, and said in a low voice, "I want a few pairs of shoes."

Shang Ruoyi weighed the two taels of silver and sneered. "Second - aunt, these two taels of silver can only buy two pairs."

Zhang gritted her teeth and took out another two taels of silver and handed it to Shang Ruoyi.

She watched the people of the Dingguo Prince's Mansion put on new shoes, and she was extremely jealous. At the same time, she also regretted a bit. If she hadn't had a falling - out with Shang Ruoyi at the beginning, the people of the Dingguo Prince's Mansion would naturally have included her in everything. Now, she had nothing.

Shang Ruoyi took out some and handed them to her, smiling. "Second - aunt, you're not short of silver after all."

Zhang's face was extremely ugly. She picked up the four pairs of shoes and went back.

He Jinghe put on the new shoes and smiled. "I didn't expect Mother to have hidden silver."

"Humph, who would be as stupid as your wife? She can't even hide a bit of silver. A girl from a common - family background really shouldn't be married. Look at that Shang Ruoyi. She bought so many things. She must have a lot of silver on her. Maybe she even has gold."

As soon as she finished speaking, many people's eyes fell on her.

Zhang was right. Perhaps all the assets of the Dingguo Prince's Mansion were with her. There must be a lot of good things.