Chapter 23: Water Management

"Zhiyan is deeply grateful to the Princess!"

"However, I do have one lingering curiosity."

"Pray, speak your mind, Princess."

"Why do you trust me?"

Wen Zhiyan spoke with sincerity, "Because the Princess and I are both women. You can better understand my misfortunes and empathize with the suffering I have endured along this path. If women are unwilling to truly help one another, I truly do not know who else I could possibly believe in."

Li Youwei was moved by these words, which dissolved a portion of her suspicions regarding Wen Zhiyan.

Li Youwei asked again, "Then what did you say to Prince Fu, and how did you convince him to send you to me?"

Wen Zhiyan smiled. "I told Prince Fu that if he wishes to seize the throne, the support of the Eldest Princess is indispensable. Others may not know it, but as a younger brother who grew up alongside you, Prince Fu knows better than anyone how brilliant you are and how you have bided your time to avoid overshadowing the princes before His Majesty."

Li Youwei was startled. "You—how did you know?"

"My father once boasted that, let alone the sons born to the Emperor, even the Emperor himself might not possess the clarity of vision that the Eldest Princess does."

"Then... how do you intend to make me believe you?"

Wen Zhiyan reached into her robes and pulled out a jade pendant. Li Youwei recognized it instantly. "This is Li Honghui's personal jade pendant."

"The Princess has a sharp eye."

Wen Zhiyan placed the pendant into the Princess's hand. "To put my mind at ease, Prince Fu gave me this as a guarantee. He has been secretly raising a private army; this pendant can mobilize his forces. My life is entirely in your hands, Princess."

Li Youwei held the pendant up. Under the light, the jade was as clear as a pool of spring water.

She could not hide the agitation in her heart. "Wen Zhiyan, you must understand: having reached this point, there is no turning back. If you dare to deceive me..."

"Zhiyan knows this well. My life is bound to yours, Princess. Should I ever deceive you or fail to assist you with a sincere heart, I shall submit to whatever punishment you deem fit."

"Very well. I shall trust you this once!"

Thus, the alliance between Li Youwei and Wen Zhiyan was established. Of course, Li Youwei did not trust her completely; she sent her own people to watch Wen Zhiyan at all times and secretly intercepted the carrier pigeons Wen Zhiyan sent out on several occasions.

However, Wen Zhiyan showed no flaws. In her letters to Prince Fu, she openly confessed that the Princess had decided to defect to his side, becoming his ally to assist in toppling the Prince of Qi.

At that time, the Prince of Qi had received orders from the Emperor to travel to the Shu region for flood control. The geography of Shu is peculiar; one moment you are on a plateau, and the next you might be in a canyon. The floods originate from the peaks of the western mountains, and without proper reconnaissance of the terrain, there was a high risk that the entire army could be submerged.

Some in the imperial court interpreted this appointment as a sign that the Emperor intended to pass the throne to the Prince of Qi, and they were deliberately building momentum for him. If the flood control succeeded, it would be a major achievement, making the eventual elevation of the Prince of Qi all the more legitimate.

Li Youwei spent the night studying the maps of Shu. She informed Prince Fu of a specific route that others would easily mistake for the correct path, but which was actually a dead end—though not one that would cause injury to the soldiers. It was simply a path that could not be completed, and from which there was no turning back.

After completing this, Li Youwei enjoyed her life at the manor, waiting for news from the capital.

Half a month later, the troops led by the Prince of Qi ran into trouble. The Prince of Qi was stubborn and refused to listen to his advisors, believing he understood the maps well enough. Instead, he led all his soldiers into a marsh, and it was rumored that the Prince of Qi himself had broken his leg.

When Wen Zhiyan broke the news to Li Youwei, the Princess was lying on a rocking chair, basking in the sun and letting Wen Zhiyan feed her peeled grapes.

As the sweet and tart juice burst in her mouth, Li Youwei spat out the seed and laughed. "Prince Fu... not going for the kill against the Prince of Qi is something I did not expect."

"The Princess is benevolent and could not bear to see the soldiers injured, so the path you chose was perfect. Even if Prince Fu had wished for the Prince of Qi to never return from Shu, he could not have surpassed the arrangements you made. Truly, the Princess is brilliant."

"You certainly know how to flatter me."

Li Youwei smiled with pride. "Tell Prince Fu, he must absolutely not step forward now. He must ensure that other officials in the court urge him to go to Shu to assist the Prince of Qi. Prince Fu should decline repeatedly, even recommending others... but the final result must lead His Majesty to believe that Prince Fu is the best candidate."

"The Princess truly rivals Zhuge Liang!" Wen Zhiyan's eyes lit up. "If Prince Fu were to volunteer himself now, His Majesty would surely suspect that the Prince of Qi's misfortune was orchestrated by him..."

"Exactly. You haven't spent all this time by my side in vain; you see things quite clearly."

"Indeed. I am like the person who stays near vermilion and gets stained red; having spent so much time with the Princess, I have become much sharper myself."

Li Youwei naturally knew she was intelligent, but having suppressed herself for so many years without practical experience, this first successful strike gave her a much clearer understanding of her own abilities.

A vague sense of expansion took root in her heart.

Li Youwei became more confident than ever, and her attitude toward Wen Zhiyan improved significantly.

"The pastries you offered last time—although I gave them to the servants, I remember the taste was quite good. Make another batch and bring them over tomorrow."

"Yes! As long as the Princess wishes to eat them, I can prepare them at any time."

A gentle breeze blew by, lifting the locks of hair on both their heads, and both felt a faint sense of anticipation for the future.

The subsequent events unfolded even more smoothly than Li Youwei had imagined. She pointed out the correct path to Li Honghui and suggested that instead of merely controlling the water, they should utilize it.

The terrain of the Shu region rises and falls significantly, making it an ideal place for building reservoirs. If the floodwaters that plagued the region every year were stored for use during future droughts, wouldn't that be a benefit that killed two birds with one stone?

Li Honghui was no fool. After hearing Li Youwei's suggestion, he mobilized the soldiers and local disaster victims to build reservoirs upon arriving in Shu.

In less than a month, the largest reservoir in the country was completed, and it was said that it was already teeming with plump fish.

Two months later, it was reported that the previously uninhabited areas were now full of residents who made a living by fishing. They even had the first catch of the year iced and sent over thousands of miles to the capital to express their gratitude for the Emperor's vast benevolence.

For a time, memorials of praise from below drifted like snowflakes onto the Emperor's desk. When Li Youwei visited her father, she could clearly see that his health had improved significantly, and he could not stop singing the praises of Prince Fu.

That day, Li Youwei ate the fish from Shu. The soup was delicious, the meat firm, and father and daughter enjoyed a truly happy meal together.

Meanwhile, Prince Fu's prestige in the court rose with the tide. Under Li Youwei's instruction, he closed his doors to visitors, refusing to receive any officials who came to pay their respects. When asked, he would say that having been away from the capital for so long, he missed the Empress Dowager and the Emperor and wished to spend more time in the palace accompanying them.

Li Youwei could see that her imperial father was even more satisfied with this humble and respectful attitude from Prince Fu.