Qi Rong searched all over the Liu Kingdom and invited several renowned masters in dam - building and bridge - construction. With everyone's joint efforts, a new dam - building strategy was finally formulated.
Qi Rong, together with other officials, submitted a memorial to the emperor. Although the new plan extended the construction period, after seeing the proposed construction of the dock and the opening of the Lingchuan waterway, Emperor Qi Hong immediately gave his approval.
After the strange phenomenon at Long Field, people in the surrounding areas were in panic, and rumors spread among the people that the Liu Kingdom might be on the verge of decline.
The emperor was extremely angry when he learned of this! He tried his best to suppress the rumors and executed many people. Although the rumors gradually subsided, they still had a considerable impact on the royal family.
Therefore, the emperor also wanted to re - establish his image among the people through the dam - building, bridge - construction and the establishment of the commercial dock.
After the implementation of the new strategy, everything gradually got on the right track.
Yun Xi also began to prepare for the mountain - sealing. She recruited people from the surrounding areas and trained them to pick blood swallows' nests. After sorting, impurity - removing, air - drying, and finally packing and storing them, they only needed to wait until a certain quantity was accumulated before unified transportation.
After the establishment of the commercial dock in Lingchuan, it would be much easier to transport the blood swallows' nests out.
Everything was proceeding in an orderly manner. Although Yun Xi didn't return to the capital, after Prime Minister Yun Sheng received her letter, he no longer interfered with her decision to stay in Lingchuan.
This really surprised Yun Xi, because in the past, her father would never have allowed her to stay away from the capital for such a long time, especially by Qi Rong's side.
In Lingchuan, her days were very fulfilling, so she had no time to think carefully about her father's change.
However, during this period, a major event occurred in the capital, and the situation in the court changed rapidly!
The reason was that the crown prince, Qi Yu, was deliberately poisoned and his life or death was uncertain. And the person who poisoned him was actually Yun Ni, the second daughter of Prime Minister Yun Sheng!
The crime of harming the royal family, especially the current crown prince, implicated the Prime Minister's Mansion. Yun Ni was immediately imprisoned in the death - row prison.
As for Prime Minister Yun Sheng, he was captured by the imperial bodyguards as soon as he returned to the capital from Long Field. He was even transferred all the way to the Three - Judicial Departments and finally thrown into the Imperial Prison.
Some people described the Imperial Prison of the Liu Kingdom's imperial bodyguards as "a place where souls fly in boiling fire, extremely cruel and indescribable". People all knew that Prime Minister Yun Sheng was implicated by his daughter, but they didn't know that the real reason for a prime minister to be thrown into the Imperial Prison was another matter.
Someone once secretly advised the emperor that Prime Minister Yun Sheng had close contacts with the royal family of the Li Kingdom. During the period when Prime Minister Yun Sheng was away from the capital, there were frequent appearances of Li Kingdom's dead - set warriors in his mansion, seemingly looking for something.
It was speculated that this thing might be the tiger amulet that had disappeared for nearly a decade since the previous emperor's death!
As a symbol of the highest royal power, the tiger amulet could mobilize the three armies. Therefore, in the Liu Kingdom, the tiger amulet had always been in the hands of the emperor.
When a new emperor ascended the throne, as the justifiable monarch, he would naturally take over the tiger amulet from the previous emperor. However, Qi Hong had usurped the throne by killing the previous emperor, which was an open secret, but no one dared to say a word.
Although Qi Hong had tried to get the tiger amulet from the previous emperor, the previous emperor never revealed its whereabouts until his last breath.
This had always been a thorn in Qi Hong's heart. Every time he thought of the tiger amulet, he couldn't help but fly into a rage!
For ten years, he had spared no expense in secretly searching for the tiger amulet, but every time he ended up in vain. This time, finally hearing the news of the tiger amulet, regardless of its authenticity, Qi Hong would rather kill a hundred innocent people than miss any chance!
Even if the person involved was the current prime minister!
Therefore, taking advantage of the incident that Yun Ni poisoned the crown prince, Emperor Qi Hong detained Yun Sheng, hoping to force him to hand over the tiger amulet through torture in the Imperial Prison.
Yun Xi, who was far away in Lingchuan, had no idea about this. Moreover, due to Qi Rong's order, no one dared to tell her about it.
The dam - building project was already halfway through. On this sunny and pleasant day, two unexpected guests came from the capital.
They were the son and daughter of the current Grand Tutor Yu, the Yu siblings, Yu Chengyang and Yu Xueming.
After several days of long - distance travel, Yu Xueming looked listless and had lost some weight. Her elder brother, Yu Chengyang, felt extremely heart - broken.
"I've already told you to stay in the capital. You insisted on coming with me. Now you're suffering, aren't you?"
Yu Chengyang carefully handed a cup of water to his sister's lips and gently admonished:
"You've drunk too little water these days. Your throat is hoarse. Drink this ginseng tea to moisten your throat quickly."
Taking the ginseng tea and sipping a few mouthfuls, Yu Xueming was in a bad mood, but there was always a smile on her face.
"As long as I think that I'll be able to see Brother Rong soon, I'm willing to endure any hardship!"
Looking at his silly sister who had been frequently asking for directions along the way, Yu Chengyang felt quite helpless.
"You know very well that he doesn't have feelings for you. Why are you so stubborn?"
Hearing her brother's words, Yu Xueming didn't take it seriously and immediately retorted:
"Who says Brother Rong doesn't have feelings for me? He just hasn't discovered my good points yet. As long as I work hard enough, I don't believe I can't win Brother Rong's true heart!"
Yu Xueming said it with full confidence and never admitted that she wasn't favored by Qi Rong.
She even always thought that Qi Rong's kindness to Yun Xi was only based on the previous emperor's betrothal arrangement.
If she had been the one betrothed to Brother Rong back then, Brother Rong would have regarded her as a special person and then been infatuated with her.
So, Brother Rong's feelings for Yun Xi were not romantic feelings at all. After he realized this, he would notice her who had always been guarding by his side.
Because she was confident that her love for Brother Rong could surpass anyone else's!
Looking at his sister's unrepentant look, Yu Chengyang reached out and tapped Yu Xueming's head, sighing:
"How could I, Yu Chengyang, have such a silly sister?"
"I'm not silly at all!"
Yu Xueming raised her chin and said coquettishly:
"Brother, you clearly don't like the young lady from the Duke's Mansion of the Military Merit. Why did you still agree to Father's request and go to propose marriage?"
"Do you want to spend your whole life with someone you don't like?"
Yu Chengyang felt extremely helpless about his sister's words and didn't know how to explain it to her for a moment.
"You, your head is only filled with love affairs and you don't consider other things."
He didn't know if his sister was lucky or unlucky.
The Li family was a royal relative and had a prominent position in the court. There were countless people who wanted to curry favor with them. However, his father's influence in the court was very small and he might be replaced at any time.
Since the Li family intended to form a marriage alliance with the Yu family, they naturally had no room to refuse.
Moreover, he didn't have a beloved woman, so it didn't matter who he married.
When the Yu siblings arrived in Lingchuan, it was noon. Qi Rong had received the news early in the morning and didn't go to supervise the work. Instead, he waited in the mansion.
From afar, seeing Qi Rong's tall and straight figure and handsome face, Yu Xueming cast away her previous dejection. Her eyes instantly lit up with joy and her smile was as bright as a flower.
"Brother Rong!"
Not caring about the propriety between men and women, she got off the carriage and rushed into Qi Rong's arms.