During dinner, the two men took the initiative to talk with Huangfu Xian.
At the wine table, Fan Zehao poured himself a glass of fruit wine and asked, "Your Highness Xian, we are straightforward people, no need for indirect talk. Speak your mind!"
Huangfu Xian raised an eyebrow and sneered, "What makes you say that? I'm here to learn from Your Highness. I said so when I arrived, but you didn't believe me. What could I do!"
Fan Zehao: "Really?"
"Otherwise!" Huangfu Xian retorted!
"Don't you resent me for pulling your maternal grandfather from officialdom, reducing him to a commoner!"
Huangfu Xian sighed softly, placed his wine glass on the table, and looked directly at Fan Zehao, speaking solemnly, "My maternal grandfather is old, and the Emperor already intended to replace him. Even if you hadn't forced him down, the Emperor would have. Therefore, I have never resented this matter, only been angered by it!"
"There's one more thing I must make clear to you. The disappearance of the Princess Consort during the autumn hunt had nothing to do with my side consort. It truly wasn't us. No matter how foolish I am, I wouldn't lay a hand on a woman. We are here with you this time with the sincere intention of learning how to open up markets between our two countries!"
Huangfu Xian spoke word by word, his eyes direct and unblinking. Zhao Jiaqi couldn't find any clue from his expression.
There was only one possibility: he was telling the truth!
After a long silence, Huangfu Xian's mood became very low, and he said, "I also want to sit on the throne, and I have indeed caused trouble for the Emperor. A prince who doesn't want to be emperor is not a good prince!"
The three of them listened to Huangfu Xian ramble. These words had been suppressed in his heart for a long time, and now that he spoke them, he felt much lighter!
"Besides, although my fiefdom is not very poor, it's not rich either. If I can't be Emperor, can't I at least be a landlord?"
This reason was simple enough, and true enough!
Fan Zehao had no reason to obstruct such a wish!
"Since you want to learn, then learn from the Princess Consort. Regarding trade between the two countries, you must clearly understand the other party's intentions, lest you be fooled in the end!"
He still offered some kind reminders, truly afraid that this young man might act impulsively again and invite trouble, which would be disastrous for Huangfu Xian.
Huangfu Xian was delighted with Fan Zehao's words and raised his wine glass to toast the Princess Consort, but Zhao Jiaqi was quite displeased.
Huangfu Xian and Fan Mingyue hadn't been learning from Zhao Jiaqi for long when the Princess gave birth. It was even faster than her first child. She had barely entered the delivery room before the baby was born without much fuss.
It was another little daughter, which greatly annoyed Ping Ting. She thumped her chest and complained to Zhao Jiaqi, "Sister-in-law, I've truly disgraced myself in the capital! I told everyone this baby would be a boy, but it's another little girl!"
Zhao Jiaqi wanted to laugh but couldn't. Not laughing felt wrong, yet Ping Ting's appearance was indeed amusing.
"A daughter is good. She cherishes her mother, much better than a son!"
This remark earned Ping Ting a look of disdain. "Easy for you to say, you're not the one worried. If I had your skills, I wouldn't be so dejected!"
Zhao Jiaqi sighed inwardly, blaming her for not giving birth to a son!
What to do?
Should she encourage her to keep trying?
"Sister-in-law, I'm telling you, I am determined to give birth to a son, or I will keep giving birth until I do!"
Looking at Ping Ting's gritted teeth, Zhao Jiaqi shivered.
She cautiously asked, "Could it be that Fan Lao Er dislikes you for giving birth to daughters and insists you have a son?"
Ping Ting's head snapped around as she glared at Zhao Jiaqi, her eyes wide. "How dare he!"
"If he dares to dislike me, I'll skin him! I want a son because when our daughters marry off, our son can stay with us, unlike my birth mother who was so lonely!"
She fell silent towards the end, but Zhao Jiaqi understood her thoughts. One could only say that every family has its own burdens.
The weather in April gradually warmed up, but there were no significant rains. Since ancient times, farmers have depended on the heavens for their livelihood.
If it didn't rain in this weather, the crops in the fields would surely wither and die.
"Husband, I see the sun is scorching and the temperature is higher than usual. It hasn't rained for over a month. If this continues, I fear there will be a drought. We should make plans early!"
When everyone heard the Princess Consort mention the possibility of a drought, they felt a deep sense of dread.
Fang Jingchen looked up at the sky. It was a clear azure blue with only a few wisps of white clouds. He was indeed worried. "If there's a drought, this place experienced one over twenty years ago, and it hasn't happened since. If a drought occurs, the common people will suffer immensely!"
Not only the common people would suffer, but they themselves would also find it difficult. Thinking about a life without water, how arduous it would be!
Zhao Jiaqi withdrew her gaze and said, "It's best to take precautions."
Everyone watched the Princess Consort's retreating back, pondering how to prevent this natural disaster. A few days later, Zhao Jiaqi summoned everyone to the study.
A model for drainage and water storage was presented before them.
After Zhao Jiaqi's detailed explanation, they finally understood. When water was scarce, the water stored in the pits could be channeled to the fields through branches.
If there was flooding and the fields were full of water, the gates of the branches could be opened to allow the water to flow back into the storage pits.
If the pits were full, the gates between the storage pits and the river would be opened, and the excess water would be discharged into the river!
In essence, this was modern hydraulic engineering, but in ancient times, it was a monumental project that would benefit the country and its people.
"Brilliant, truly brilliant! This method can avert natural disasters. Sister-in-law, how did you come up with this? You know, the people in the Ministry of Works have been researching this for years, but there has been no progress. They are simply useless!"
Huangfu Xian, following Fan Mingyue, also began calling Zhao Jiaqi "Sister-in-law."
He also called Fan Zehao "Brother" incessantly, without considering how inappropriate it was after their estrangement for so many years!
However, he never changed, and Fan Zehao and Zhao Jiaqi could do nothing about his thick skin!
"Since you think it's feasible, then tomorrow we will start encouraging the common people to work. Each prefecture will be responsible for its own section, striving to complete it in the shortest possible time!" Zhao Jiaqi issued the command, and everyone unanimously agreed.
Fan Zehao tapped the table with his five fingers. "Tomorrow, we'll first find the people responsible for building the dam, let them familiarize themselves with it, and then lead the common people in the work."
While they were talking, Huangfu Xian on the other side was sketching blueprints. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell what he was doing.
As expected, after finishing the blueprints, he consulted Zhao Jiaqi again and waited until the next day to leave. He and his side consort, Fan Mingyue, returned to their fiefdom that afternoon.
In May, after this project was just completed, it began to rain heavily. It rained almost every few days, and it continued for a whole month. It really worried them.
The rain was too unpredictable!