Chapter 78

Chapter 78

This winter, with no heavy snow having fallen and the Lantern Festival already past, signaling the approaching end of the lunar New Year, almost everyone had concluded it would be a drought year. Unexpectedly, the snow they’d waited for all winter finally arrived.

Since the snow was a complete surprise, and the Pei family, with their villa nearby, had some understanding of the local villages, Pei Yue set out early in the morning with guards and stewards to check on the villages not far from the mountain. Fortunately, though the snow was heavy, it had only lasted one night and hadn’t reached disaster levels. Only a few households worried that further snowfall might collapse their homes.

In the capital, wealthy families often provided relief during emergencies. The Pei family had been distributing aid at various temples since the start of winter, and their servants were well-versed in such tasks, knowing exactly what to do. Seeing their efficiency, Pei Yue left some helpers in the village before returning to the mountain.

Mrs. Pei, relieved to hear that nothing major had happened in the village, said softly, "We are blessed by our ancestors, born into comfort and abundance. Since we have the means, we should always be benevolent and never stand idly by in such situations."

Ming Tang nodded in agreement. "Mother is right. I run a small rice shop in the capital and often distribute porridge and rice during winter." Not to mention, with such heavy snowfall yesterday, Zhe Liu surely organized help already.

Mrs. Pei raised her hand, intending to pat Ming Tang’s hand in approval, but noticed their sleeves were unusually close, hiding something beneath. Her hand paused mid-air, and she instead straightened her sleeve, saying warmly, "You are doing well."

The three were deep in conversation under the eaves. Inside the house, Pei Ze, watching the snowman take shape, noticed the adults were occupied and unlikely to pay him any attention. Quietly, he lifted the door curtain, cautiously stepped over the threshold, and prepared for his "escape."

No sooner had he stood up than Ming Tang, who had somehow appeared right in front of him, blocked his path.

Pei Ze looked up along her skirt to meet a gentle, knowing smile. His excitement vanished on the spot, and he obediently retreated inside, resting his chin in his hands and blinking at the three with an innocent grin. "A Ze’s being good~"

The well-behaved Pei Ze soon confirmed that as long as he stayed indoors, he could do whatever he pleased. Reinvigorated, he sat by the door and began issuing commands, directing the servants to quickly build three more snowmen in the courtyard. Together with the original one, they now stood in a group—three large and one small.

Satisfied, Pei Ze settled beside his lazy little cat, who suddenly meowed, stretched, and leaped gracefully over the threshold. Dashing through the snow, it stopped by the smallest snowman, crouched motionless as if trying to disguise itself as a tiny snow cat.

Alas, its pure black fur starkly contrasted with the pristine white snowmen, rendering its camouflage attempt a total flop and drawing bursts of laughter.

Perhaps sensing its defeat, the cat returned looking oddly downcast, curling up beside Pei Ze and flicking its tail weakly.

Amused, Ming Tang got a mischievous idea. That evening, she sketched something on paper before digging through chests with Wen He, then sat in the sitting room, sewing away.

When Pei Yue, waiting for her, rose to check, he found her under candlelight, diligently sewing. Upon learning she was making clothes for the cat, he was momentarily too stunned to speak.

Who had the time to make clothes for a cat...?

Still, this was the first time he had seen Ming Tang sew.

His thoughts were complicated. The next day, however, the cat—now decked out in a tiny white cloak—finally achieved its dream of blending seamlessly into the snowman family.

With a fresh quota for outdoor time, Pei Ze, bundled in thick layers, raced over to the snowmen. Noticing an oddly shaped addition beside the smallest snowman, he exclaimed, "Huh? Who made this little horse?"

He crouched and poked it gingerly. Instantly, the snowy lump sprang to life, shaking off its thin layer of snow.

The sudden movement startled Pei Ze, toppling him into the snow. Only when he saw the unmistakable black face peeking out from under the hood did he realize he’d been tricked.

Not one to stay mad at his beloved cat, he quickly recovered with the help of the maids and soon invented a new game—hide-and-seek with the feline.

Meanwhile, in the capital, the sudden snowfall also caused widespread chaos.

People scrambled to clear snow from roofs and roads, travelers were delayed, and merchants rushed to salvage goods damaged by the weather.

The Duke of Dingguo had planned to move out of his residence today, but the heavy snow left him frustrated beyond words. The only silver lining was that, having rested in bed for a few days around the New Year, he had opted against moving outside the city and instead prepared a townhouse in the capital.

Though the snow complicated things, being in the city meant the delay wasn’t too severe.

While main roads were mostly cleared, side alleys remained buried under thick snow, drastically reducing foot traffic. Thus, the procession of carriages passing through the city inevitably drew attention.

Those unaffected by the snow idly wondered who’d be out in this weather, while the less fortunate hurried about their business.

Particularly near Elm Tree Lane, word spread that the local rice shop was distributing free rice again. By early morning, people had lined up with sacks in hand.

Most folks living nearby were from the capital’s less well-off families. The sudden snowstorm had hit them hard in one way or another, leaving many in distress. When word got out about the charity, they hurried over.

Since this rice shop had a long-standing tradition of distributing rice, the locals were already familiar with its rules, making the process surprisingly orderly.

When neighbors noticed someone heading in the wrong direction, they would call out to ask.

The questioned neighbor didn’t hesitate to share the news: "I heard a wealthy family in the eastern part of the city is also giving out rice porridge. Word is, it’s some prince’s place—they’re so rich they’re using premium rice. It’s just a bit farther, so I’m going to check it out."

Top-grade rice didn’t come cheap, and few in the capital used it for charity. Some who heard the news figured it wasn’t worth scrambling for fancy rice over a rough patch, while others immediately changed their minds and joined the neighbor, heading east.

Upon arrival, they found it just as described—a spacious setup with burly guards keeping things in line. Even the women stirring the porridge behind the stoves were dressed elegantly, a dead giveaway of the host’s high-class standing.

The women distributing the porridge neither boasted nor concealed the source. If anyone asked, they’d just say, "This was the Jin Princess Consort’s idea." If unasked, they remained silent, simply handing out rice or ladling hot porridge to those in line.

Nobles handing out freebies was old hat, and those who received the aid naturally expressed sincere gratitude. Praise was pouring in left and right.

Though the scene was harmonious, to certain observers, it was like nails on a chalkboard.

When the Prince of Chu passed by in his carriage, he paused briefly to take in the bustling activity. Returning to his residence, he snapped, "How’d he get the jump on me?" He had already begun similar efforts to win public favor before the new year and naturally seized this snowstorm as another opportunity, having given orders early.

Yet, he’d been one-upped—no one had expected such a minor detail to make him appear stingy in comparison.

It was an off-day for court, so it was still unclear how court officials would react. But he could already foresee that once court resumed, some bootlicker would definitely write up a report singing Prince of Jin’s praises. Though the emperor forbade courtiers from associating with imperial princes, such a justified reason would inevitably rally supporters.

—He had planned the same strategy himself and thus easily guessed others’ intentions.

Seeing him stew, the advisors and friendly officials sharing his study discerned his thoughts. After some consideration, one offered advice: "When my wife used to distribute porridge, though she could afford better rice, she deliberately avoided it—not out of frugality, but because she believed, ‘Stick to cheap rice, and only the desperate show up. Though the help is modest, it reaches those who truly need it. If we use premium rice, folks who ain’t even hurting would swarm in for a freebie, leaving the truly desperate unaided.’"

At this point, someone interjected with a surprised, "Your wife?" Surely not the current one?

The Prince of Chu, deep in thought, frowned and raised a hand, silencing the room. The speaker paused briefly before continuing as if nothing had happened: "Now, the Prince of Jin is using premium rice, the kind most households in the capital wouldn’t normally buy. Naturally, many who aren’t in dire straits will flock there. Crowds breed conflict, and when that happens..."

"When that happens, even the noblest act turns sour, and he’ll be blamed for poor planning and execution." After a moment’s consideration, the Prince of Chu agreed and immediately ordered arrangements to be made.

The rest day passed swiftly. When Pei Yue returned to the capital, he found himself unusually resentful of the snow.

—Travel was difficult in such weather. Originally, Ming Tang and the others had only planned a short stay at the villa, but now they’d have to wait until the snow melted and the roads cleared before returning.

The snow had persisted for days, pausing briefly during daylight only to resume at night. By now, it had piled several inches deep. Moreover, during his stay, Pei Yue had only seen how comfortably they lived—Ming Tang, in particular, visited the hot springs almost daily. The thought made their return seem indefinitely delayed.

Bound by duty and with the snow not yet severe enough to block the mountains, Mrs. Pei didn’t press him to stay, offering only a few words of caution before letting him go.

Ming Tang, however, felt a twinge of regret—sharing the hot springs with a beauty was far more enjoyable than going alone. Alas, her short-lived "royal treatment" was over.

She couldn’t help but let it slip. Pei Yue noticed her reluctance, but rather than dampening his spirits, it inexplicably lightened his mood. He sounded downright chipper on the way home.

Not long after they got into town, however, they encountered a crowd in a frenzy. Pei Yue reined in his horse, halting to avoid collisions, and sent a servant to investigate.

Upon hearing the report, he frowned: How’d they manage to screw up handing out porridge?