"Miss, I want to go with you."
Shen Qingwan refused without waiting for her to refute.
"There is a reason why I don't take you with me. You are innocent by nature. In a place like the palace where people are eaten without leaving any bones, I can't take care of you in every aspect. It would be dangerous to protect myself. Don't say anything more. I know my limits on these things."
Fu Yuheng also wanted to persuade her, but he had to give up the idea because of Shen Qingwan's firm attitude.
Brother Wu directly handed the banknotes he had been holding in his arms to Shen Qingwan.
"It will take more than a little money for the Empress to enter the palace. Please be careful. If you really can't do it well, just get out of here and we can find another way. My younger sister is the head of a palace in the palace after all. If there is an emergency, you can ask her for help."
"Thank you, Brother Wu, for reminding me. I will."
Shen Qingwan put away the banknotes and asked Fu Yuheng about his next plans.
"Your Majesty, you said before that you wanted to train the troops, but there is no place for you to train. There is no food or money around here. There are still some surplus things in the two military camps. Where are you going to get weapons from next?"
She knew that the Queen made so much money for her own enjoyment and would definitely not spend time on the weapons of the soldiers. It was already very difficult to ensure that there was enough food and grass, but there were still countless tough battles to be fought next. How could they do without sophisticated equipment
Fu Yuheng didn't want to make her worry, so he just told her what he was thinking honestly.
"Qingwan, do you remember that in Jiangnan, we once saved a local official who was devoted to the people and always put his own situation aside? He was almost killed by the plague while he was managing the flood in Jiangnan."
"You mean that self-righteous brother?"
The local official's courtesy name was Zijin, so I won't mention his specific name here.
"What assistance can you get from him?"
Shen Qingwan didn't understand.
"Wan Wan, how could you forget that in addition to the beautiful scenery, Jiangnan also has the most abundant food and fodder."
Shen Qingwan felt as if she had suddenly realized something, and quickly said, "Oh, how could I have forgotten about this? As long as we can raise enough money, the soldiers will have food and grass in the future."
"As for the money..."
Her eyes rolled around and she had bad thoughts in her mind.
"I know what you want to say, but it's not that easy to find mountain bandits and water bandits. This is not something that can be done in a day or two. It requires careful planning."
Fu Yuheng interrupted her thoughts and said everything she wanted to say. Shen Qingwan didn't mind and just smiled and closed her mouth.
Lianyun was naturally happy when she saw her young lady interacting intimately with the emperor.
But she felt more miserable than anyone else when she thought that the young lady would one day go to the palace to suffer.
"Miss, can't you bring me into the palace with you? I promise I won't cause you any trouble. I will listen to you in everything. Whatever you say is what I will do. Okay?"
Shen Qingwan still refused and frowned slightly: "Lianyun, you were not so long-winded before. What happened today? When will the decision I made change?"
Lianyun lowered her head pitifully, as if she didn't understand why Shen Qingwan did this.
"Why, Miss? Lianyun doesn't understand. Lianyun just wants to be with you."
Shen Qingwan held her forehead with her hand: "You... Forget it, I'll ask you a few questions. If you can really answer them all, I'll allow you to go with me."
"Miss, feel free to ask me anything. Lianyun will tell me everything I know."
Shen Qingwan gathered her robes and asked Lianyun seriously, "Girl, what if you and I can't share the same palace?"
Lianyun immediately frowned: "Then give money to the old woman who chooses people and ask her to put you and me in the same place."
"What if the money doesn't work?"
Shen Qingwan's questions were sharp and to the point. Lianyun was irritated by her many times and was speechless, just like this time.
"Miss… "
Shen Qingwan spread her hands: "Look, I asked you so many questions, but you couldn't answer any of them. What should I do? It seems that I can only give up on you and go to the palace alone."
Lianyun was so anxious that her eyes turned red and she was about to cry. Shen Qingwan quickly waved her hand to decline.
"Don't, you are already an adult, don't take this to heart. It's just a tour of the palace, right? I've been there before. Besides, I have a human skin mask, which is a great asset. Ordinary people may not be able to recognize me, so just put your mind at ease and watch your young lady walk the path she should walk. That will be a great favor to me."
Lianyun had nothing to say and sat dejectedly in her seat.
Fu Yuheng was helpless.
"Wanwan, why do you torture someone who cares about you?"
"There are so many people who care about me, not just her. Letting her hurt me and her at the same time, why bother?"
After going to the dormitory to rest in the evening, Fu Yuheng brought up this topic again.
"Wan Wan, you don't usually speak so harshly. Lian Yun is just a girl who is only a few years older than you, and she has been with you for so many years. Just explain to her in a gentle tone, and she won't bother you anymore."
Shen Qingwan curled her lips.
"How many times have you witnessed her stubbornness? She has served me since I was a child. Don't you know that some things can't be done by easy talk or negotiation? If I continue to talk, this girl might flood the Golden Mountain, and then I will be the one in trouble."
Fu Yuheng gently touched Shen Qingwan's forehead with his finger, then sighed and went to sleep.
Qingwan couldn't sleep in the dark.
Those negative emotions poured into my body like a tidal wave and I couldn't calm down.
She simply put on her clothes and went out for a long journey. She squatted in front of a patch of green grass and did not feel afraid at all.
It was completely dark at this time, and one or two light snoring sounds could be heard from the room occasionally. Shen Qingwan's emotions were inexplicably soothed.
She is scared.
Yes, she had told everyone she was afraid.
From the moment she entered the palace, she had always felt that it was like a scourge to her. In the past, she didn't have Fu Yuheng, but she had her own heart. Later, she lost her heart, but had to enter the palace with an empty shell to settle accounts with a woman who was full of malice towards her. She didn't even need to experience the torment and suffering to know how terrible it was.
She was afraid that if she failed, she would let down a lot of people.
I am most afraid of letting Fu Yuheng down.
That was his only counterattack, the best chance to take back his kingdom. If it was really ruined because of her few words, she would really die of guilt.
The door of the courtyard was suddenly opened, and Fu Yuheng came out with disheveled hair to look for her.