The Empress has abandoned me? I'll support a new emperor and destroy your kingdom!

When the news reached Princess Jingguo's residence, Qingdai said with great worry, "Your Highness, the floods in the south are so severe, and the court can't provide much money or grain. Your journey there..."

"It's precisely because the court can't provide the funds that we must go." Yun Jin had already changed out of her court robes and was in her study discussing with Pang Xiaopan and Ye Xiao, who had rushed over. "Xiaopan, how much cash do we have left? What about our grain reserves?"

Pang Xiaopan quickly reported the figures: "Princess, the recovered embezzled funds from the Jianghuai Salt Case, as well as the recent profits from businesses such as 'Fuguitang,' after deducting various expenses and development investments, currently have approximately 1.2 million taels of cash available for emergency use."

Regarding grain, the grain reserves of "Huitong Trading Company" in various granaries, plus the grain we purchased from the Jianghuai region and the portion originally intended to stabilize salt prices, can urgently mobilize approximately 300,000 shi of new grain. We can also purchase a batch at high prices from the grain markets of Jiangnan and Huguang, but this will take time and will cause fluctuations in grain prices.

"One million two hundred thousand taels, three hundred thousand shi, plus the five hundred thousand taels and two hundred thousand shi given by the Emperor..." Yun Jin calculated in her mind.

"A total of 1.7 million taels and 500,000 shi of grain. Although far from what is needed, if managed properly, it should be able to support the initial relief efforts and stabilize public sentiment, and barely manage to cope."

Xiao Pan, immediately organize reliable personnel, vehicles, and ships in the name of the merchant guild to secretly transport our own silver and grain in batches along different routes to the core area of ​​the disaster zone.

Don't go through the official granaries; distribute the goods directly from designated points. I will have the "listening" personnel along the route cooperate with you.

"Yes!" Pang Xiaopan accepted the order.

"Night Owl, select fifty of the most capable and reliable men left behind by Commander Zhao. Have them all change into civilian clothes and infiltrate the disaster area in batches to ascertain the true extent of the disaster in each prefecture and county, the movements of officials, and local forces, especially any powerful figures who may be hoarding goods or obstructing relief efforts. Here is the list; keep a close watch on them."

Yun Jin handed over a list containing the names of officials and wealthy merchants in the south who might be detrimental to disaster relief, which Su Che had already collected through "Di Ting".

"Understood!" Night Owl took the list, his eyes sharp.

"Qingdai, you will come with me. This time we will travel light, bringing only the necessary documents, accounting staff, and a small number of personal guards. We will use the imperial procession; a show of force will suffice. Our focus is on the people below, on the disaster victims." Yun Jin's thoughts were clear as she issued a series of instructions.

Three days later, the imperial envoy's entourage departed the capital.

Unlike the massive expedition that marched south to the Jianghuai region last time, this time the team was much smaller, but the atmosphere of solemnity and efficiency was even more intense.

Yun Jin refused the grand welcoming banquets offered by local officials, and continued on her journey without stopping, avoiding any cities she encountered, only replenishing the necessary supplies, and rushed to Yuanling Prefecture, the core of Jinghu Road, which was the hardest hit by the disaster, as quickly as possible.

What I saw along the way was shocking.

The once prosperous land of fish and rice is now a vast expanse of water.

Villages were destroyed, farmland was lost, and the victims gathered like ants on the high ground and along the main road, their clothes tattered, their faces pale, and their eyes filled with despair and numbness.

Occasionally, one could see sparse porridge stalls set up by the government, with long queues for porridge that stretched as far as the eye could see. The porridge was so thin that one could see their reflection in it, and there were also instances of officials rigging or whipping disaster victims.

Yun Jin's face was ashen. She ordered people to record what she saw and heard, but did not immediately lash out.

She knew that the root of the problem lay not with these clerks, but with those above them.

Ten days later, they arrived at Yuanling Prefecture.

The prefect led all the city's officials out of the city for ten miles to welcome them, and set up a welcoming banquet with delicacies from land and sea, and a full range of dances and music.

Yun Jin sat in the main seat, looking at the table full of food and wine. She recalled the tragic situation of the disaster victims she had seen along the way. Anger rose in her heart, but she remained calm on her face.

"My lords," she put down her chopsticks, her voice calm, "I am here on imperial orders to provide disaster relief, not to attend this banquet."

The disaster is raging, and the people are in dire straits. How can we enjoy delicacies here?

The banquet was cancelled, and the money was converted into cash and used as relief funds.

"Now, bring me all the treasury accounts, detailed reports on disaster situations in various regions, the whereabouts of allocated funds and grain, and the status of soup kitchens. I need to review them immediately."

The prefect's smile froze, and he said awkwardly, "Your Highness must be tired from your journey; perhaps you should rest first..."

"I'm not tired," Yun Jin interrupted him, her gaze sweeping over the officials. "Or is it that your accounts... are shady?"

The officials' expressions changed, and they dared not speak further. They quickly ordered someone to fetch it.

The account books were quickly brought over and piled up like a mountain.

The skilled accountants that Yun Jin brought immediately began to verify the information.

She herself, along with Qingdai and several guards, disregarded the advice of the prefect and others, and rode directly out of the city to the "West City Outer Highlands" where the most disaster victims were gathered and the situation was most severe.

The scene before us was even more horrific than anything we had seen along the way.

The makeshift shacks were densely packed together, with sewage flowing everywhere and a terrible stench.

The disaster victims sat or lay down, their eyes vacant. The cries of children, the groans of the sick, and the sounds of fighting over a little moldy food filled the air.

The government's soup kitchens had long since run out of food and ceased operations; only a few simple soup stalls set up by kind-hearted people were surrounded by dense crowds.

Upon seeing Yun Jin and her entourage, who were dressed smartly and exuded an extraordinary air, the disaster victims cast numb, wary, and even subtly hostile glances their way.

"Fellow villagers!" Ignoring Qingdai's attempts to stop her, Yun Jin walked to a slightly higher mound, mustered her strength, and her voice clearly echoed throughout the noisy camp, "I am Princess Yun Jin, the Imperial Envoy sent by the court to provide disaster relief! The court is aware of your suffering and has specially allocated funds and provisions to provide aid!"

There was a stir among the disaster victims, but most people still looked on with suspicion.

The imperial court? Imperial envoys? They'd heard of them countless times, but what about the grain? What about the money?

"I know you are hungry, you are cold, and you have lost your homes and loved ones!"

Yun Jin raised her voice, filled with sincere emotion, "Empty words are useless! From this moment on, I hereby swear: within three days, I will ensure that every disaster victim here can eat two meals of thick porridge every day!"

Within ten days, the epidemic will be eradicated, winter clothes will be distributed, and temporary shelters will be built to protect against the wind and rain!

Anyone who embezzles relief funds or bullies disaster victims, regardless of their official rank, will be executed by me with the Imperial Sword!

With a clang, she drew the imperial sword bestowed upon her at her waist, its cold gleam reflecting the sun: "This is the Imperial Sword personally bestowed by His Majesty, as if he were here in person! My words are the law of the land!"

The refugees were awestruck by the imposing sight, and seeing that the sword didn't seem fake, a glimmer of hope gradually ignited in their eyes. Someone tentatively asked, "Princess...Your Highness, is what you said...truly true?"

"Whether it's true or false, we'll see in our actions." Yun Jin sheathed her sword, turned around, and said sternly to her accompanying guards.