Shen Qingwan didn't have the habit of sleeping in, and the current flood was so severe that she didn't feel like staying in bed.
She lost her sleepiness when the sky turned slightly white. Lian Yun got up early, and when she heard some movement in the room, she went in and helped her get up.
"Why did the queen get up so early? It's not even daybreak yet." Lian Yun said in a coquettish tone. She couldn't help but feel sorry for her own queen. She came to the flood-stricken area in the south of the Yangtze River and was bullied by Li Chaoyang, yet she still had to get up so early.
But Shen Qingwan only curled the corners of her lips slightly, then frowned slightly, her voice was calm but also concealed a trace of worry, "How can I sleep peacefully with the flood in Jiangnan?"
After saying that, he stopped talking and let Lianyun help him change his clothes.
She asked Li Chaoyang to find a simple set of women's clothing, otherwise the fancy clothes would not only be inconvenient to move but also too restrictive, and the men's clothing was really only servants' clothes, which was not very suitable.
Wearing a light green outfit, Lianyun just tied up her hair, had a quick breakfast, and left the yard at a normal time.
As soon as she entered the hall, she saw Jiangnan Li Chaoyang had been waiting for a while. When he saw her, he hurried forward and bowed, "Your humble servant greets Her Majesty the Concubine."
Shen Qingwan clearly heard respect in his words. Different from the previous perfunctory and disdainful tone, the corners of her mouth curled up and her tone softened, "Li Chaoyang, there is no need to be polite."
Li Chaoyang admired her wisdom. He thought she came here just to pretend to win the emperor's favor, and he couldn't help but have a little more respect in his eyes.
"I want to go to the flood-affected areas." She looked directly into Li Chaoyang's eyes, watching his doubts turn into disbelief. "Only by going there in person can we get the most authentic information and find the most accurate treatment methods."
Li Chaoyang looked embarrassed and said uncertainly, "It's a bit risky for your Majesty to go there. The flood is serious..."
"It's because it's serious that I want to go and have a look." She interrupted Li Chaoyang's persuasion firmly, "I'm not here to talk about it, so please lead the way, Lord Li Chaoyang."
As she spoke, she turned around and bent humbly. She had made up her mind and no one could stop her.
Li Chaoyang sighed, and had no choice but to lead her to the flood-stricken area and bring some guards to guard there in case of any danger.
Looking at the village flooded by the flood, the roofs of the houses were floating in the water in a disorderly manner, revealing desolation everywhere.
"Why are there no soldiers guarding here?" She didn't see any soldiers when she came here just now, and this place seemed to have become a deserted place.
"If the flood doesn't recede here, it won't be effective for the officers and soldiers to guard it. It will only be a waste of manpower." He carefully looked at her gradually gloomy face and continued: "I have sent people to the shallow flood area to provide assistance."
"Although this place is desolate, it is not necessarily uninhabited. If there are civilians trapped here, wouldn't they have escaped the net?" Her tone sounded very serious, even a bit reprimanding. Li Chaoyang was about to explain something, but Shen Qingwan looked away from him and stared straight ahead.
A wooden basin suddenly floated out from the corner of a house in front, and a child, about three or four years old, was sitting in it, crying weakly and helplessly.
The cries were like needles piercing her heart, and that part of her heart felt like it was being pulled up by someone. She frowned and stared at that place anxiously.
"That's a child!" Her voice suddenly rose, "What are you still standing there for? Go and save him!" Shen Qingwan's clear eyes seemed to be covered with a layer of mist, and the guards next to her hurriedly went into the water to pull the floating child over.
She hurried to pick up the child. The child, who was only three or four years old, cried so hard that it was heartbreaking. The more she saw strangers, the louder she cried, muttering, "I want my parents... my parents..."
The child's voice was intermittent, but it made her eyes red for no reason. She didn't care about anything else and squatted in front of him, "We will find your parents, baby, don't cry." She softened her voice and kept comforting him, stroking his back soothingly, "Don't cry, don't cry."
Li Chaoyang frowned, "My Lady..."
"You should first arrange for this child to go down, and search for his parents. Find them as soon as possible." Her voice was resolute and left no room for rebuttal.
Li Chaoyang responded and asked the guard to take the child away. "I will do my best to search for his parents, but the flood is so severe that I'm afraid he is in great danger."
Shen Qingwan said nothing after hearing this, but just sighed. After searching for a whole day, she still couldn't find the child's parents, and the child had been comforted to sleep.
Shen Qingwan walked out of the room with a worried look on her face. She told Lianyun to take good care of the child, as she was afraid that his parents would never come back.
After Li Chaoyang made the arrangements, he went to find Shen Qingwan, "My Lady, I really can't find it."
"Send more people to the coast or search by boat for survivors. Don't give up even if there is a glimmer of hope." She didn't want to see more people displaced.
Li Chaoyang also had the same idea, so he didn't say anything more. He just said solemnly, "I understand. I will give the order immediately."
She nodded with satisfaction, watched Li Chaoyang retreat, and sent people to search for survivors.
When Li Jieyu woke up in the morning, she found that Li Chaoyang's house was missing, both Shen Qingwan and Li Chaoyang were gone. When they came back, Li Jieyu was told that both of them were busy and it was inconvenient for them to see her.
Now that he had finally found Shen Qingwan, he hurried over to meet her.
"Sister, where have you been all day?" Li Jieyu no longer cared about her status as she hadn't seen anyone for a day and glared at her in dissatisfaction.
Shen Qingwan glanced at her coldly and said sarcastically, "Are you impatient, sister?" She stared at her coldly, "Even outside the palace, you must pay attention to your identity and don't embarrass the emperor."
She was choked by these words and froze in place, without saying a word. She glared at her hatefully but she easily resolved the glare. Then she saw Shen Qingwan glanced at her indifferently.
"What do you want from me?" She didn't want to put on false formalities outside the palace, but Concubine Li was so short-sighted that she insisted on doing so.
Seeing her calm and composed appearance, Li Jieyu could only calm down her anger and feel extremely resentful in her heart.
"I want to ask whether you have gained anything today?" Her eyes were filled with expectation. "I want to know whether there is any news about my father and mother?"
She traveled thousands of miles to Jiangnan, giving up the splendor and wealth in the palace, for the sake of her parents. Besides, if she didn't start with this, she would be trapped...
Thinking that she still knew how to care about her parents, Shen Qingwan's dissatisfaction subsided a little, and her tone became a little calmer. "I have asked Lord Li Chaoyang to send people to search. As long as anyone has not been in trouble, they should have been found." She spoke solemnly. She had asked Li Chaoyang in advance, but there was still no news about the whereabouts of Li Jieyu's parents.
"As for your parents, there is still no news..." Seeing the light in her eyes dimming a little bit, she felt a little reluctant, "It's only temporary, there is still a chance."