The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress-Chapter 997 - 974: Honor Amidst Chaos 42

Xiao Ying and Xiao Song followed Xiao Yuan into the study.

Xiao Yuan took a letter from the desk and handed it to Xiao Ying: "Show this letter to Marquis Guangning when you see him."

Xiao Ying nodded in agreement.

Xiao Yuan continued, "Also, on your way back, if you encounter refugees, you can bring some back with you. This Lai County is vast and sparsely populated, it can accommodate many people."

Xiao Ying agreed once more.

Xiao Yuan then gave them detailed instructions and said to Xiao Ying, "Go to your mother to get some gold and silver for your travel expenses."

Only then did Xiao Ying and Xiao Song leave together.

After leaving the study, Xiao Ying slowed his pace a bit.

He thoughtfully pondered over what Anning had said to Dong Da in the main hall, feeling a surge of emotion in his heart.

This Dong Da, after offending the nobility, could still commit crimes and escape into the mountains; he was inherently a strong person. Just saving him once by Xiao Yuan shouldn’t have been enough to subdue him.

Xiao Yuan likely had to demonstrate his power to him, perhaps by showing him the strength of the village soldiers he trained or by taking him to fight pirates, showcasing his martial prowess. Only then would Dong Da submit.

On the other hand, Anning bestowed kindness.

She didn’t ask about anything else but inquired about the living conditions of Dong Da’s wife and children. She even knew about Dong Da’s wife’s back pain and prepared ointments for her, this gentle approach deeply moved Dong Da.

Xiao Yuan and Anning, by combining both sternness and compassion, truly subdued Dong Da.

Anning also mentioned letting Dong Da’s children come to her home to study, which was a gesture of goodwill and also a way of taking hostages. If Dong Da’s children came, he would have no choice but to work diligently for Xiao Yuan, always considering whether his children would be affected if he harbored any disloyal thoughts.

Thinking about all this, Xiao Ying secretly admired them and reminded himself to learn from them in the future.

Xiao Ying looked for Anning, who had already prepared the gold and silver for him. Additionally, she had prepared a lot of food, supplies, and even medicine.

After a day of preparation, Xiao Jin and the others set off early, heading north with their entourage and vehicles.

After Xiao Jin left, Xiao Yuan began gathering his men.

At this time, while Anning was working, Xiao Yin started talking about matters.

"Mother, I think it’s not good for our family to keep using the fire basins. Even smokeless coal still makes the house smoky, and we can’t close the doors and windows tightly. If it gets colder, the house will definitely be cold. I have an idea these days; could you find someone to make it so we can see if it’s better than the fire basins?"

Anning paused her work, looked at Xiao Yin with a smile, and said, "Our Yin’er is starting to think about things. Alright, I’ll find a craftsman for you to try it out."

Upon hearing Anning not dismissing her idea, Xiao Yin beamed with joy, "Mother, please find someone quickly; I need to get this made as soon as possible."

Anning nodded, "Alright."

What Xiao Yin wanted to make was a charcoal stove, a relatively simple object. However, it needed to be made of iron, making it a bit expensive.

But Anning didn’t lack money and found a blacksmith to make it according to Xiao Yin’s specifications.

After a few days’ work, the charcoal stove was finished. Xiao Yin then asked Xiao Yuan to help buy some coal to test how well the stove worked at home.

The results were naturally good, and Xiao Yin was delighted, asking the blacksmith to make several more.

After dealing with the charcoal stove, Xiao Yin approached Xiao Yuan, "Dad, how much money do we have? Can we build a sea ship? We are close to the sea here; if we make a big ship and sail out, there are many islands in the South Ocean with all kinds of spices and gemstones. We can trade Da Qi’s porcelain and silk for their spices and gemstones, then sell them to Jiangnan and the Capital. The profits would be huge."

Xiao Yin had no fear of revealing anything, speaking her mind openly to Xiao Yuan.

She thought of her family as ancient people, believing she could say anything without risking exposure, so she spoke boldly.

Little did she know that she had been exposed from day one. Xiao Yuan and Anning noticed something off about her from the start.

However, as Xiao Yin was a rebirth, she was indeed their biological child, who could be considered reincarnated without drinking Mengpo Soup, retaining memories from her past life. Since she was their child, Anning and Xiao Yuan would not mistreat her; instead, they even protected her more.

Moreover, Xiao Yin had a good temperament and was a kind and sensible child, so Xiao Yuan and Anning often covered for her.

"Build a ship, huh?" Xiao Yuan stroked his chin, "Big ships are hard to make, and we don’t have craftsmen here... Never mind, I’ll think of a way to find some craftsmen. If we can do business in the South Ocean, we can indeed make a lot of money."

At that time, Da Qi already engaged in some maritime trade, so what Xiao Yin said was not entirely out of place.

Xiao Yuan patted Xiao Yin’s head, "Buying silk and porcelain from Jiangnan to do business isn’t very cost-effective. It’s better for us to weave and fire porcelain ourselves. I need to discuss this with your mother. I’ll find someone to build the ships, and your mother will figure out how to arrange the looms and kilns. Once the ships are ready, we can take our own cloth and porcelain to exchange for the good things from the South Ocean. This way, we’ll reap the most benefits."

"Huh?"

Xiao Yin was genuinely surprised.

She hadn’t expected her father to not only have ambition and shrewdness in winning people over but also this kind of insight. She merely mentioned maritime trade, and he extended it to weaving and porcelain-making; this mind was truly... If he didn’t succeed, perhaps no one could.

Xiao Yin felt very optimistic about her father’s prospects, believing she was not far from her princess dream.

The Capital

Noble Consort Li lay softly on the bed, her brows tightly furrowed. She waved away the attending palace attendants, lowered the curtains, and softly questioned, "System, what is going on? I’ve done so much for you, and now you’re telling me you can’t exchange the Fertility Pill for me. You..."

The mechanical voice of the system sounded, "Host, you have not transferred the Qi Fortune to me. I cannot exchange the Fertility Pill for you. I request the host to quickly absorb Qi Fortune. Once it’s sufficient, you can proceed with the exchange."

Noble Consort Li, her eyebrows raised in anger, "Fine, very fine, you think I’m... lenient..."

"The host has harbored resentment towards the system and requires punishment."

As the mechanical sound faded, Noble Consort Li was overwhelmed with unbearable pain, to the point that she wanted to end her life.

On the road from the Capital to the Southern Yi, several carriages moved slowly.

The truth is, these people did not want to travel slowly, but due to the severe cold and snow-covered roads, it was impractical to go any faster.

These carriages all belonged to Marquis Guangning’s Mansion.

The Marquis Guangning’s Mansion, with a legacy of several generations, held significant influence in the court. The Old Marquis was kind to others and had taught many disciples. When their Mansion faced exile, many ministers in the court sent ceremonial gifts, and the Old Marquis’s disciples also sent items, so the Mansion never lacked silver or goods. However, the difficult journey southward took a considerable toll.

Additionally, there were many refugees along the way.

Most members of the Marquis Guangning’s Mansion were scholarly types, and encountering the refugees genuinely terrified them.

As they journeyed south, they witnessed civilian suffering. Along the way, they saw countless people who died from illness or froze and starved to death. Their expressions gradually shifted from sorrow to numbness. The endless human tragedies shocked and terrified them, filling them with fear and dread, such that they desperately longed to reach the Southern Yi as swiftly as possible, never wanting to see so many deaths again.