Prince Jin sat in Qingzheng Hall, with Grandmaster Geng, Prime Minister Liu, and others standing before him.
Prince Jin spoke indifferently, "The drought situation is now under control, but the people still lack food and clothing. Minister Liu, send word to other countries asking them to prepare and transport grain to Jin Country to relieve our drought situation. Moreover, Lu Country is situated in a rich and fertile land, let them send more."
Prime Minister Liu bowed, "Yes."
Grandmaster Geng observed Prince Jin, "Your Majesty is wise, indeed it is appropriate to borrow grain from other countries to support our people."
Prince Jin raised an eyebrow, "How is it borrowing? Did I say borrow? I am having other countries supply grain for the sustenance of my subjects."
Grandmaster Geng didn’t know what to say.
This behavior of Prince Jin was indeed shameless, but it was very beneficial for Jin Country.
He wanted to say, well done.
Prime Minister Liu looked somewhat worried, "Your Majesty, what if the other countries don’t agree?"
"If they don’t agree, send troops to urge them. What’s there to fear?" Prince Jin said expressionlessly, "Our Jin Country’s cavalry is unrivaled, why would we fear any difficulties from other countries?"
Prime Minister Liu laughed, "What Your Majesty says is true."
Prince Jin then discussed a few more matters with Grandmaster Geng before dismissing the ministers.
He got up and entered the inner chamber, where by this time Anning, who was initially lying on the bed, had awakened.
She opened her large eyes, and looked around the room with a puzzled face.
Upon seeing Prince Jin, Anning jumped in shock, "Your Majesty?"
Prince Jin walked over and patted Anning’s head, "Awake?"
Anning nodded, then curiously asked, "How come I see Your Majesty? Am I not dead?"
Prince Jin smiled, "I couldn’t bear to let you die, so I bargained with King Yan to bring you back."
Anning blinked, her face innocent.
"Fooled you, you really are naïve."
Prince Jin sat down smiling.
"I am not naïve at all."
Anning a bit annoyed, crisply rebutted Prince Jin, "I’ve read lots of books, I excel at all arts including music, chess, calligraphy, painting. I can also dance... I am not naïve at all."
"Alright, you’re not naïve," Prince Jin placated her good-naturedly.
Anning was truly awake now, and somewhat crossly pinched Prince Jin, "Your Majesty is teasing me. What you previously gave me was not any poison at all, you... only know how to scare people."
Prince Jin laughed and drew Anning into his arms, "How could I possibly let you drink poison? It was just a tease, who knew you would take it seriously."
Anning turned her face away, "I don’t want to talk to you anymore."
After a while, she couldn’t help but speak to Prince Jin again first.
Prince Jin looked very happy, and was particularly patient when talking with Anning.
After talking for a while, Anning suddenly jumped down from the bed, "Oh no, oh no, I forgot my mother and little brother are still in Qifang Palace, I don’t know how they are now, I need to rush over and check."
Prince Jin held Anning back, "I have already had your mother and little brother sent away, you don’t need to worry."
"Really?" Anning also smiled, "Your Majesty is so thoughtful. What were my mother and little brother like when they left? Were they angry with me?"
Prince Jin’s eyes darkened slightly, then he smiled and pacified Anning, "No, they were quite happy."
Anning tilted her head, "Mother said if I don’t obey, King Lu will make things difficult for the Xie Family, but I didn’t agree to their terms, how could they be content?"
Prince Jin smiled and tickled her nose, "Because I told them that I would soon bring the Xie Family to Jin Country. Once here, I will treat them well, so they were very happy."
Upon hearing this, Anning also felt joyful, "Really? Your Majesty, you are so kind."
Prince Jin laughed heartily.
Outside the Hostage Mansion
Madam Xie and Xie Anchang were driven out of Prince Jin Palace.
They were truly terrified.
They even thought that Prince Jin knew that Anning had come to seduce him intentionally, so he had ordered Anning’s death. These two, with unsteady steps, were helped back to the Hostage Mansion.
Inside the Hostage Mansion, Feng Chengxi was anxiously waiting.
Seeing Madam Xie and Xie Anchang return, he hurriedly went up to them: "How did it go? Did our cousin agree?"
Madam Xie sat down on a chair with a flop, then burst into tears.
Xie Anchang sat down like he had lost his soul, motionless.
Feng Chengxi then had a very ominous premonition.
He nudged Xie Anchang: "Cousin, how did things go with our cousin sister?"
Madam Xie cried out loud: "Gone, dead, dead..."
Feng Chengxi’s heart sank, realizing something bad must have happened, and he began to worry.
Xie Anchang sighed deeply, then also shed a couple of tears: "Anning is dead, Prince Jin ordered her death."
Feng Chengxi staggered back two steps, his face in disbelief: "How could this happen? Our cousin sister was highly favored, and Prince Jin broke many precedents for her, how could he bear to order her death?"
Feng Chengxi absolutely couldn’t believe it.
After all, Anning was considered the most beautiful woman in the world, her beauty was rare, and any man who saw Anning would not have the heart to trouble her, let alone let her die.
Xie Anchang sighed deeply again: "Anning was a fool, just a fool, we were all wrong, we shouldn’t have raised her to be ignorant of the ways of the world, just naively kind-hearted, she... when she learned about our plans to have her cause chaos in the court of Jin Country, she ran crying to find Prince Jin, and when we followed, we saw Prince Jin holding the lifeless Anning."
These words completely changed Feng Chengxi’s expression.
He exclaimed in great shock.
Madam Xie still immersed in the grief of losing her daughter: "My son, my Anning is gone, how can it be alright?"
"Prince Jin must know."
Feng Chengxi’s thoughts were different from Madam Xie: "He must be in a fury by now, perhaps he will soon dispose of us."
As a hostage in Jin Country, Feng Chengxi was entirely at the mercy of Prince Jin.
His life was in the hands of Prince Jin, who could have him killed as easily as turning his hand.
"That’s right, really bad news."
Xie Anchang also realized the gravity, he suddenly stood up: "What should we do?"
Feng Chengxi was trying his best to calm himself: "Let me send someone to find out more first."
Feng Chengxi sent someone to gather intelligence from the palace, and soon the person he had sent came back: "Your Highness Crown Prince, it’s bad news."
Feng Chengxi and Xie Anchang asked simultaneously.
"Prince Jin is sending envoys to various countries to seek more grain, asking our Lu Country to contribute more grain to help relieve the drought in Jin Country."
Upon hearing this, Feng Chengxi’s face turned pale.
He collapsed into a chair, his right hand pounding heavily on the table: "Anning has brought me great harm, great harm indeed..."
Xie Anchang also understood, he grabbed Feng Chengxi: "Think quickly, you can no longer stay in Jin Country, otherwise your life is at risk."
Madam Xie also couldn’t bother crying now: "Crown Prince, we need to leave quickly, we need to run, otherwise..."
Feng Chengxi gave a wry smile: "Yang City is as secure as a fortress, Jin Country’s laws are strict, how can we escape? We might be captured before even getting out of Yang City."