"Let's see if it rains in Dengzhou today." Shen Xihe understood Xiao Huayong's concern. Since even the Imperial Observatory could make mistakes, the person Shen Xihe had sought out—someone whose background he knew nothing about—might also be wrong.
Shen Xihe wanted to use the rainfall as grounds to grant amnesty in the Imperial Harem and release palace maids. If the other party's prediction turned out to be incorrect, and she released the people without any rain, it would severely damage her authority. Your Majesty might also seize this opportunity to cause trouble.
Shen Xihe had no intention of giving up such a perfect chance to swiftly cleanse the Imperial Harem.
If she missed this opportunity, and since she had already revealed her ambitions to Your Majesty, once the Dengzhou matter was resolved and Your Majesty had free rein, he would certainly not allow her to firmly control the Imperial Harem.
Xiao Huayong tilted his head slightly, his deep black eyes fixed on her. He remained silent for a long while but said nothing more.
The pitter-patter of rain began to fall. Shen Xihe's expression softened, and she couldn't resist stepping out of the room to stand under the eaves. The cool breeze, carrying the scent of moisture, and the gentle sound of raindrops lifted her spirits inexplicably.
Xiao Huayong, who followed her, had never liked rainy days before. For a long time, rain had meant the onset of his illness, his body growing cold in the damp air. But after enduring so much, he had grown indifferent to it—neither liking nor disliking it.
Rarely did he see her standing in the misty rain, her brows relaxed and joy written all over her face. Unconsciously, he began to like rainy days too. Sharing tea, playing chess, strumming the qin, painting, and quietly listening to the rain with her seemed like an entirely new kind of pleasure.
The rain brought joy not only to Shen Xihe but to many others. Though Dengzhou was hundreds of miles away, and rain here didn't guarantee rain there, it was still a source of hope, wasn't it?
Yet these people were destined to be disappointed. By midnight, Dengzhou still hadn't seen a drop of rain, and news of the unrest among its people urgently reached the imperial desk late at night. Except for the frail Crown Prince Xiao Huayong, Your Majesty summoned several princes and ministers to the Taiyun Hall to discuss countermeasures overnight.
Though Xiao Huayong wasn't urgently summoned, he was still disturbed. He threw on his robe and rose from his bed, gazing at the post-rain night sky, which seemed freshly washed, exceptionally dark and clear. "Dengzhou remains rainless."
"The person Father sought help from is a highly respected recluse. If he didn't know, he wouldn't speak carelessly. Since he gave a precise date, he must have been certain it would rain." Shen Xihe hadn't rested at all, waiting for the outcome.
She didn't want to let this opportunity slip and tried to persuade Xiao Huayong.
His long, delicate eyelashes, like a veil, lowered slightly, partially obscuring his dark, bright eyes. The usual depth in them lessened, replaced by a hint of affectionate amusement. "I understand."
"Huh?"
Understand? Understand what? This abrupt, cryptic statement left Shen Xihe utterly confused.
"Leave the rest to me. You need not concern yourself with this matter any further. I will ensure you achieve your wish." Xiao Huayong gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze before turning and walking away along the corridor.
Rainwater dripped from the eaves, splashing droplets that vanished into the hem of his robe, lightly lifted by his steps.Shen Xihe slowly turned her foot but did not pursue, pausing for a moment before retracting the shoe peeking from beneath her skirt. She tucked the pearl-adorned toe back beneath the gauzy hem, her slender neck tilting upward to gleam with a pearlescent sheen through the misty drizzle. Her calm gaze remained fixed on the fragmented curtain of rain, unblinking for a long while, lost in unknowable thoughts.
The downpour at the temporary palace lasted a full day and night, continuing as a persistent drizzle even after daybreak. Yet in Dengzhou, the scorching sun still beat down relentlessly. The last thread of resilience among the common people snapped completely, their parched eyes shattering all remnants of hope as spiderweb-like blood vessels clouded their vision. Frenzied with desperation, riots erupted first in the two major counties of Wendeng and Qingyang, swiftly spreading to Mouping County, Huang County, Penglai County, and beyond.
The speed caught Prince Jing Xiao Changyan, stationed in Dengzhou, completely unprepared. Though strict and decisive in military command and fearless in battle, he now faced ordinary citizens—the entire population of a prefecture.
Xiao Changyan intended to harshly suppress the initial and largest uprising in Wendeng County, but was stopped by the Eleventh Prince, Yan Wang Xiao Changgeng: "Eighth Brother, you must not."
"The people seek survival—they are not vicious bandits. Since Wendeng leads this rebellion, capturing the ringleader will intimidate the rest!" Xiao Changyan declared coldly.
"Eighth Brother, there must be more to this," Xiao Changgeng urgently explained. "If these were ordinary riots, your approach would surely quell them. But someone must be manipulating events from behind the scenes. Previous dynasties experienced droughts lasting up to two years without such violence. We brothers have been in Dengzhou over a month, diligently attending to affairs—the people have witnessed this. Even the Imperial Observatory's predictions have circulated."
"Though yesterday brought no rain and the people are disappointed and resentful, as you said, they seek survival. They wouldn't rebel without dire desperation. If you suppress them by force now, they may believe the court has abandoned them, driving them to resist more fiercely. Then the chaos would become uncontrollable—how would we answer to His Majesty?"
Xiao Changyan's grip tightened on his sword, tendons bulging on his hand. How could he not recognize the deception? Yet the instigators had been cunning, inciting the entire prefecture overnight like bandits setting fires everywhere, plunging Dengzhou into chaos.
Without swift and forceful suppression, the rebellion would snowball beyond control.
"Each locality has troops. The people are merely gathering in protest," Xiao Changgeng proposed. "Since they seek survival, why not distribute grain to sustain them? This could temporarily appease their grievances while we uncover the mastermind."
"Is there enough grain?" Xiao Changyan asked.
"Rest assured, Eighth Brother. I've tallied each county's population. The provisions requested from the Ministry of Revenue have been gradually delivered to county granaries—enough to sustain each county for several days." Xiao Changgeng nodded.
Xiao Changyan clapped his brother's shoulder approvingly. "Fortunately, I heeded your advice to early distribute the grain. Otherwise... I leave the remaining matters to you. I'll investigate who's undermining us!"
With that, Xiao Changyan strode away with his long sword.
Xiao Changgeng stood still, the corners of his lips lifting in a faint smile tinged with bitterness.That day, he had proposed sending grain to the counties of Dengzhou with great fanfare, originally just to reassure the local people. Little did he expect it would once again become a pawn in Crown Prince's schemes.
This Crown Prince brother of his always knew how to utilize everything at his disposal, forever remaining aloof while quietly profiting. He committed all manner of misdeeds, yet no one could ever pinpoint when his wicked hand had reached out.
"The unrest among the people in Dengzhou—was it your doing?" The news traveled quickly, and Shen Xihe soon learned of it.
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