Chapter 229: Father-in-law - Rebirth of the Noble Daughter

 Chapter 229: Father-in-law

Zhu Jin prepared some food and sent it to the study along with the jade dew soup.

Since Feng Jinxu's return, he had spent two to three hours every day in the study. Madam Wen, not wanting to disturb him, spoke to guard Fu Yi outside.

“This is for the master. Be careful not to damage your eyes. Also, inform him that my family has sent word they will arrive in the Eastern Capital by the end of the month. I would like to discuss arrangements for their accommodation with him when he has time.”

“Madam, rest assured. I will inform the master shortly.”

“Thank you, Fu Yi.”

After Madam Wen left, Fu Yi gently knocked on the door.

“What is it?”

Feng Jinxu’s voice, emotionless as ever, might have frightened others, but Fu Yi was accustomed to it.

“Madam has sent some food.”

“Come in.”

Once inside, Fu Yi closed the study door and placed the box of food on the four-sided table under the window, unpacking everything.

The aroma was enticing and the presentation was exquisite, clearly a result of Zhu Jin’s skills.

“Master, Madam also sent a message saying that news from Shu Zhou indicates they will arrive in the capital by the end of the month. Madam wishes to discuss how to arrange accommodation for her family with you.”

“Understood.”

As Feng Jinxu continued writing meticulously, Fu Yi did not dare to approach or look. He knew Feng Jinxu detested subordinates who eavesdropped or intruded.

Only after Feng Jinxu finished writing did he take a break to eat some of the food.

The dishes prepared by Madam Wen were unfamiliar, especially the ones made by Zhu Jin, which varied daily, showcasing her culinary skills.

“The issues in Zhejiang will soon come to light. We will need to draw grain from other areas to cover the shortfall. Since Shu Zhou is a grain-producing region, we might need to make preparations ahead of time.”

One issue he didn’t mention was the rainfall this year. As Ah Yao had predicted, the rain had been falling intermittently since late February.

Though spring rain is precious, it was excessive and unregulated this year.

If it continued for months, it could lead to problems like flooding of riverbanks and land erosion, making farming and grain production difficult.

After contemplating this, Feng Jinxu set aside the food and penned another letter, handing it to Fu Yi.

“Send this letter to Shu Zhou and deliver it to my father-in-law. He is the governor of Shu Zhou and will handle it.”

“Understood!”

Realizing the urgency of the matter, Fu Yi expedited the letter at the post station, making it much faster than usual.

In about seven or eight days, Governor Wen Zhonghe of Shu Zhou received the letter from his son-in-law in the capital.

As a native of Shu Zhou, his excellent climate and geography made him appear younger than his actual age, though he was in his fifties. He looked not much older than Feng Jinxu.

A bit plump with a fair complexion, he did not resemble a typical official but more like a prosperous merchant.

“Ah? In seven or eight years, this is the first time I’ve received a letter from my son-in-law. Let me see what he has to say.”

As he read the letter, his initially smiling expression turned serious.

Though he often appeared as a benevolent and kind figure, his skills and methods were no less formidable than those of the court officials in the capital. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have held the position of governor in Shu Zhou for decades.

He had turned down several promotion opportunities, preferring not to leave his homeland or get entangled in court politics.

If he hadn’t trusted Feng Jinxu, he wouldn’t have married his daughter off so far away.

The contents of the letter, though personal speculation, suggested it was better to be prepared. Moreover, the Prince’s army was stationed there, and it was his responsibility as governor to ensure the safety of the region and supply the army with provisions.

He ordered an increase in grain collection for the government granaries.

Shu Zhou had always been prosperous, with its people skilled in both farming and commerce, so collecting grain was not difficult.

Soon, the government granaries were overflowing. Since grain was being exchanged for money, many citizens, expecting harvests in three or four months, preferred to sell their grain for cash and use it for business, resulting in long queues at the government office.

Governor Wen couldn’t stop the situation, leading to a 'grain backlog.' Seeing the granaries could no longer hold the grain, he quickly sent a request for aid to the Prince’s army.

Currently in charge of the Prince’s army was Yang Xu, a trusted confidant of Xiao Tingyi. Yang Xu was the elder brother of Yang Zhao.

Both were orphans of the Yang family, saved and taken in by Xiao Tingyi when they were very young. They were raised to become generals who protected the Great Jin Dynasty.

Now both were third-rank military officers and highly regarded by the soldiers. Yang Xu, being more steady, was assigned to handle affairs within the army, while Yang Zhao served as Prince Xiao’s bodyguard.

Soon, the news from Governor Wen and the Prince’s message were both on Yang Xu’s desk.

In the southwestern Prince’s army, unmarried generals lived in the barracks and seldom returned to their residences.

Yang Xu was no exception. Though the general’s residence stood prominently on a bustling street in Shu Zhou, he rarely visited.

After training the troops, he entered the main tent and read both messages. Finding them to be of the same request, he couldn’t help but chuckle.

The Prince’s army and the governor both wanted him to stockpile grain—was it a coincidence?

He told the nearby soldier, “Order the granaries in the Prince’s army to be opened to the governor. Tell him to send as much grain as he needs. In the future, he can use this order to collect it.”

He handed over the order with a large 'Ding' character, a symbol of rank among the Prince’s army’s high-ranking officers.

“Yes, sir!”

The soldier hurriedly delivered the order to the governor. That afternoon, a continuous flow of grain from Shu Zhou was transported to the Prince’s army.

Shu Zhou people were accustomed to such military logistics and took it in stride.

Many even donated their own stored grain, grateful for the peace and protection provided by the Prince’s army.

The excitement of grain stockpiling in Shu Zhou was matched by the buzz in the Eastern Capital.

The annual spring imperial exams had finally begun. Scholars who had studied hard and young nobles eager for success gathered in front of the examination hall, blocking the area completely.

The Feng family was among the well-wishers. Feng Jinyao and Yin Canwen rose early, enjoying an auspicious breakfast with phrases like 'Today’s successful examination,' 'Wonderful writing,' and 'Grand plans ahead,' making Feng Jinyao almost laugh out loud.