Reborn to Become A Queen: The Real Heiress's Comeback-Chapter 357: Falling into Water

The next day, as dawn was just breaking, Zhan Lan was the earliest to rise, and when Vermilion Bird got up and left, she quietly asked, "Where is Mu Yan?"

Vermilion Bird pointed towards the room next to Zhan Lan’s, saying softly, "Let him sleep a little longer."

Vermilion Bird nodded, thinking to herself that Madam indeed cares much for Master!

After leaving the hostel, Zhan Lan went out to meet Shen Shan’s people; she counted the disaster relief grain, which was sufficient to feed the disaster victims for ten days.

Moreover, the court’s relief grain had also arrived. As long as there was food, the grievances of the common people would diminish, and no riots would occur.

The Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue also came with the team. When Zhan Lan returned to the hostel, she saw Zhan Xincheng, who had just assumed his position not long ago.

Upon seeing Zhan Lan, Zhan Xincheng greeted her warmly, "Lan’er, you’re up so early."

Zhan Lan nodded slightly, "Uncle, I’ll go in and change my clothes."

Zhan Xincheng nodded, watching her enter the room.

After closing the door, an almost imperceptible smile appeared on Zhan Lan’s face.

Zhan Xincheng was now right under her eyes, making things easier to handle.

Mu Yan, Zhan Lan, Chu Yin, and Zhan Hui quickly finished their breakfast and headed together toward the vicinity of the reservoir.

The disaster relief was progressing steadily, and all four of them breathed a sigh of relief.

Here, they also saw a familiar face—Huang Gun, the current Minister of Public Works, who was counting the stones needed for the reservoir construction.

After finishing the count, he suddenly saw the four people not far behind him, and with his mud-covered feet, he ran towards them, grinning widely.

"Ah, you’re here too!"

The four of them were rather disapproving of him and did not really pay him much attention. Huang Gun then became serious and said, "This official has seen the Prince, Princess, Young General, General’s Wife."

His words made Chu Yin and Zhan Hui blush furiously.

"I’m not a General’s Wife..." Chu Yin retorted.

Huang Gun scratched his head, solemnly saying, "Then, it must be the Young General’s lovely wife!"

Chu Yin’s face turned crimson, "Don’t talk nonsense..."

Huang Gun raised his finger and pointed at Dugu Yan, who was directing village soldiers to pitch tents, saying, "She said it!"

Chu Yin: "..."

Zhan Lan watched Dugu Yan and Huang Gun get together; even the serious matters became less serious, but fortunately, both knew when to act appropriately.

The four of them said goodbye to Huang Gun and went downstream to visit the common folks.

"Prince, shall I have the soldiers follow you?" Vice Minister Chen Zi grew a bit worried about Mu Yan’s safety after yesterday’s events.

Mu Yan said gravely: "There’s no need. Using our true identity, we won’t hear the true voices of the people."

Chen Zi nodded, saying, "What the Prince said is extremely true."

The four, dressed plainly, reached the disaster-affected people.

Zhan Hui asked worriedly, "Yin’er, is your leg feeling better?"

Chu Yin briskly walked on, ignoring him, causing Zhan Hui to shake his head helplessly, realizing Chu Yin wouldn’t speak properly with him for a while.

Zhan Hui was carrying the medicine box, and Chu Yin allowed him to carry it as they bandaged a child with a leg injury.

Zhan Lan looked at the common people crowded under a crude shelter; she and Mu Yan continued walking forward, hearing the discussions among the people.

"Did you hear? Yesterday, County Magistrate Wu Jianghai and his son were taken away by the soldiers!"

"Serves them right! Bah, scum!" an old man, bending over, spat on the ground.

"Those two have been causing trouble in Heiling for many years, tormenting the people. Finally, someone dealt with them!" freeweɓnovel.cѳm

"The court attaches great importance to this disaster relief. I see that many officials and soldiers have arrived. I heard that several high-ranking officials from the capital have come!"

A man sitting under the tree said, "In my opinion, the entire Wu Family deserves to die!"

"Keep your voice down, the Wu Family’s influence here is like a deeply rooted tree, not so easily removed!"

"Did you hear? The one who built the reservoir three years ago was Wu Jianghai’s younger brother, Wu Jiangliu, that guy is shady!"

"I heard, he loses a wife every three months, they say he brings bad luck to his wives, but I think there’s a bigger story there!"

While they were talking, the arm of the speaker was poked by someone next to him, reminding him, "Aren’t you afraid of dying? Didn’t you see there are strangers here, stop talking nonsense!"

Several people nibbled on their cornbread and looked towards Zhan Lan and Mu Yan.

"Do we have such handsome young men here? Keep your voices down."

The quieter they spoke, the more it drew the attention of Zhan Lan and Mu Yan.

"Gentlemen, I’m wondering if the Wu Family is well-known around here?" Zhan Lan squat down to ask.

The people sized up Zhan Lan and said, "Better not to meddle in Wu Family’s affairs, it won’t do you any good!"

Zhan Lan smiled and said, "The court has sent so many officials here, can’t they handle the Wu Family’s influence?"

The man sitting under the tree finished his last bite of cornbread and spoke with spittle flying, "A mighty dragon can hardly suppress a local snake; Wu Family’s affairs are complicated, and after those officials leave, this place is still Wu Family’s territory!"

Zhan Lan puzzled, said, "But, I just came from the county, I saw the Wu father and son paraded through the streets, they are to be executed in three days, can they still come back to life?"

Few people looked mysteriously at Zhan Lan and said, "That’s really hard to say!"

An elderly man looked towards Zhan Lan and Mu Yan, alerting with a hoarse voice, "Youngsters, better not to pry into these affairs, it does you no good!"

"Thank you, elder!" Zhan Lan stood up and left with Mu Yan.

As they walked, she said, "It seems the Wu Family’s influence is deeply intertwined and very complex locally."

Mu Yan agreed, "Earlier I heard them saying that the one who built the reservoir was Wu Jianghai’s brother Wu Jiangliu, let’s go to the reservoir and take a look."

Zhan Lan nodded, it seems Mu Yan also feels that this dam breach might not just be due to a natural disaster.

The two of them continued along the valley, the trail beneath their feet was slippery. Mu Yan said, "Let me carry you."

Zhan Lan held his hand and smiled at him, "No need, I’m not that delicate."

Mu Yan nodded, and as they walked on the slippery road, suddenly it started to rain heavily.

Mu Yan took off his coat and held it over both of their heads.

Protected by Mu Yan, Zhan Lan looked at him with half his shoulder exposed, feeling warmth in her heart.

Reborn, she understood many things with Mu Yan; someone who likes you would rather get wet themselves than let you be cold.

Someone who doesn’t care about you, when both are under the rain, still pretends it’s about sharing hardships together.

She adjusted Mu Yan’s coat over him, and Mu Yan curved his lips into a smile.

The two hurried along, looking for a place to take shelter from the rain when they passed a wooden bridge, suddenly, the bridge broke with a crack.

Zhan Lan was shocked, feeling weightlessness, she and Mu Yan both fell into the water at the same time.

"Lan’er!"

Mu Yan tightly grabbed Zhan Lan’s hand, and the two swam towards the bank together, but they couldn’t resist the rapid flow, after a while, they were washed ashore downstream.

Zhan Lan lay on the bank, coughing violently twice, expelling the water from her lungs.

"Mu Yan!"

She saw Mu Yan not far away, staggered over to him, pressing on his chest a few times.