The Enchanting Imperial Concubine (Book 1)

Chapter 174 - Refusal

On the second day of the second month, the first southern tour since the establishment of the Nan Qi dynasty officially commenced.

The effects were quite evident.

Hearing that the Emperor was personally inspecting the livelihood of the people in the south, the rumors indeed began to change.

The common folk were still simple and believed that the Emperor's visit would mean help for them.

As a result, starting from the day Ning Chen set out, many people along the way spontaneously gathered to kneel in reverence.

Ning Chen was not one to be pretentious; he simply abandoned the carriage and chose to ride on horseback, allowing the people to see their Emperor with their own eyes.

Such a down-to-earth gesture meant that by the time Ning Chen arrived in the disaster-stricken area of Lanzhou, the rumors had nearly settled.

Although the snow disaster was severe, it did have its benefits.

Due to the cold weather, the bodies of the deceased would not decompose quickly, thus preventing the outbreak of diseases.

Moreover, the situation was easier to handle; it only required distributing sufficient warm clothing and food to resolve the issues.

This was also why Ye Yun proposed the southern tour, as it was not as risky as the northern tour.

By March, as the weather warmed up, the disaster situation in Lanzhou was basically resolved.

The letter Ning Chen sent back outlined the situation, stating that everything was proceeding smoothly, and the next step was to inspect the remaining regions.

At the same time, the results of the handling of the Lanzhou matter were announced nationwide.

Lanzhou's governor, Han Xingke, was sentenced to death, his property confiscated, and his descendants barred from taking the imperial examinations for three generations. The county magistrates of all counties in Lanzhou were dismissed and investigated, and Chu Yunhuai was appointed as the county magistrate of Dinghe County.

Lanzhou was a large state with five counties. Apart from the magistrate position of Dinghe County, there were five other vacancies, which stirred the hearts of the officials in court.

Although being a county magistrate wasn't a high-ranking position, it was often where one could achieve results and gain experience. Sending a younger family member to work there for a few years and then finding a way to bring them back to the capital would make a significant difference.

Moreover, the position of governor was even more coveted, and everyone was curious about who would end up with it.

Regardless, the matter in Lanzhou was now properly resolved, and everyone was just waiting for the Emperor to complete his southern tour and return to the capital.

During this time, the inner palace was relatively stable, although the Empress was not in good condition.

Having exhausted herself during the New Year celebrations, the Empress, who was already three months pregnant, almost had a miscarriage just a few days after Ning Chen left the capital.

This incident made the Empress dare not cause any more disturbances; she obediently followed the physician's advice and rested in bed, avoiding the usual morning greetings from the other consorts. However, she still retained her power in the palace.

Everyone in the palace understood that Zhao Jieyu's daily visits to Fengxi Palace were not to accompany the sick Empress but to do the work on her behalf.