Shen Qingwan has been in the Jiangnan area for some time. Her many initiatives to dredge rivers and save the people have been spread by word of mouth among the people, and stories about her kindness and love for the people are circulating in the streets and alleys.
Because Shen Qingwan had been out investigating the people's sentiments for several days in a row, her body was weak and she could not bear it for a while. Lianyun saw that she looked tired and had a bad complexion. She felt anxious and wanted to help her share her worries but she had no way to do it.
In the afternoon, Lianyun walked into the house with a bowl of medicinal soup. Shen Qingwan was looking through the details of the flood control report recorded by Governor Li Chaoyang during this period. She read it very carefully and seriously, and did not notice that Lianyun had come in.
Lianyun's heart tightened. She admired and felt distressed for her own queen. She petitioned alone to come to Jiangnan to control the floods. She dared to do things that many men dared not do. She was far better than some concubines in the palace who only knew about fine clothes and delicious food and wealth. Lianyun couldn't help but sigh in her heart.
She flipped through the notebook until she heard Lianyun put the medicine bowl on the table. Then she looked up in surprise and said, "When did you come in? I didn't even know."
Lianyun carefully carried the medicine bowl and placed it in front of her, and also placed a few pieces of bitter cakes, and said softly: "Your Majesty, you have been working hard these days. Although the governor has tried his best to prepare everything he can for us, this place is not as good as the palace after all. Chen Er and I went to the pharmacy to find some herbs for your body. You should drink it while it's hot."
"You are still considerate." Shen Qingwan stroked her temples and took the medicine from her hand with a smile, which showed some fatigue. Lianyun pursed her lips and wanted to persuade Shen Qingwan to rest more, but she felt that she would not listen to her.
Shen Qingwan finished drinking the medicine soup and saw her standing there in some embarrassment. She guessed what she wanted to say. She looked up at her and smiled very gently, "The governor and I are both for the people of this area. At this critical moment, people's livelihood issues are the top priority. When the flood is over, we will have plenty of time to rest when we return to the palace."
"I'm just worried about your Majesty's health. You've been away for several days, and you're tired from the journey and can't sleep well at night. Not to mention that your Majesty is a woman, even if you were a man it would be a lot of trouble." Lianyun curled her lips, her eyes full of disapproval.
"I know, you don't have to worry about me. I know my own body well, so it won't be a problem." Shen Qingwan waved her hand, then put the medicine bowl back on the plate, motioning Lian Yunduan to leave. She saw that the flood control was getting better little by little, and at this critical moment, she absolutely could not slack off.
Lianyun knew that she couldn't persuade her, so she could only try her best to make some supplements for Shen Qingwan and take good care of her daily life. As soon as she opened the door, she met Chen Er. He asked whether Empress Lianyun was in the house. After getting a positive answer, he walked quickly to the door, holding a bamboo basket covered with cotton cloth in his hand. Lianyun was a little puzzled, but didn't ask more questions.
"Your Majesty, I have something to report." Chen Er stood at the door and bowed to Shen Qingwan, and placed the bamboo basket at his feet.
"What's the matter?" Shen Qingwan raised her head and glanced at him indifferently, then continued to wait for his report.
"In the past few days, many people have been delivering food to the governor's mansion, and they also left notes saying that they are for the queen, thanking her for her kindness. The queen has not returned home in the past few days, so the servants have accepted the food on her behalf and will make arrangements when you come back."
"Deliver food?" Shen Qingwan closed the report and stood up, only to notice the bamboo basket next to Chen Er. Chen Er lifted the cotton cloth covering it, and found it was full of eggs, vegetables, and even a slaughtered chicken.
She was moved. Although these common foods from farmers' homes were not as good as the various delicacies in the palace, in such a flood period, the people were able to take these out to thank her. They were all saved from their own rations, which was not easy.
"I can't accept these things," Shen Qingwan covered them with cotton cloth, and then said to Chen Er seriously, "Take these and go to the gate of the governor's mansion with me."
When she reached the door, she saw that some people were delivering food from time to time, so she hurriedly stopped them and raised her voice slightly, "I have received your gratitude, but I cannot accept this food. If you have the conditions, please keep it to help the poorer people. In many areas severely affected by floods, it is still difficult for the people to get food. Please also tell those who have delivered food to come and take it back." Then she asked Chen Er to put the bamboo basket at the door, and asked a servant to guard it nearby, waiting for others to claim it.
Shen Qingwan's action spread widely and won her the respect of more people.
A few days later, Chen Er went out on patrol with Shen Qingwan and heard a commotion on the street from a distance. She was a little worried and quickened her pace to see what was going on. Chen Er walked in front of her on the left to help her avoid the crowd.
As she approached the center of the crowd, she saw a ragged man arguing with a vendor selling steamed buns. After asking the onlookers, she learned that the ragged man was a refugee from a faraway suburb who had not had a full meal for a long time. He was so hungry that he stole a few steamed buns from the steamed bun shop, but was caught by the vendor.
The refugee had no intention of running after being caught. He simply sat on the ground and started eating buns. When the stall owner criticized him, he shouted loudly: "I have no money. If you want money, go to the government! The people in the south of the Yangtze River have been displaced by the flood. How can I pay you with money?"
"It's not me who made you homeless." The stall owner's eyes widened, and he stood with his hands on his hips, shouting, "How can you be so unreasonable? You stole my buns and felt so confident about it!"
"Anyway, I don't have any money!" The man finished the bun, wiped his mouth, stood up and wanted to leave, but the stall owner pulled his tattered clothes tightly and didn't let him go.
"If you like my tattered clothes, I'll give them to you." The man sneered and looked at the stall owner.
"Stop arguing." Shen Qingwan pushed through the crowd and walked in front of the two of them. At this time, some people in the crowd recognized her as the empress sent by the court to assist in flood control, and they all cheered.
She remained calm as she looked at the man and continued, "I brought some silver with me. This is to pay for the buns. You can keep the rest and find a job to eat first."
"Are you the goddess who controlled the floods?" The man's voice was a little excited. "I have heard about it a long time ago. I will repay you for your kindness today someday!" After saying that, he kowtowed three times and left.
This small disturbance was quickly resolved under Shen Qingwan's mediation, and the crowd quickly dispersed.