Bab 21: Small Things to Bigger Things
Imperial Doctor Wu was worried for Princess Feng Ning.
But when they finally reached Rou City, he felt that all of his worry had been unnecessary. Princess Feng Ning didn't even show any discomfort when she had to stay in the carriage and ate the same food as them. They were clearly not as tasty as the ones she used to eat back in the palace, but there was not even a voice of complaint from her.
This made him a bit awe. Even the soldiers were surprised to see Princess Feng Ning's action that was very closely related to them, yet she showed none of it on her face.
"Your Highness, we're here."
Feng Ning nodded and took a cloth to cover up her mouth.
Imperial Doctor Wu blinked his eyes. "Is it necessary to prepare from now?"
"I don't want to be infected and trouble the others." Xiao Yu's voice traveled from the carriage. Clearly, Feng Ning had written on her palm and instructed for her to say this to Imperial Doctor Wu.
As they entered the city, the governor came out to greet them.
Feng Ning frowned when she saw the condition of the people on the street. It was very dirty. There were a lot of waste on the ground that had been turned into some kind of paste that she couldn't recognize anymore.
And it was everywhere.
There were also some people who were walking around in tattered clothes.
The condition was very bad.
"Governor, I would like to have a talk with you."
"Your Highness?" the governor was stunned.
Imperial Doctor Wu looked at the street condition then at the carriage. For a moment, he seemed to have an idea of what Feng Ning wanted them to do. And as the princess, it was only natural for others to follow her words.
They entered a room.
And not long after that, the people came out again.
This time, their faces were dark.
Only Feng Ning was calm as she walked with her maidservants. She didn't seem to care about how hard her words were towards these officials.
That day, Feng Ning gave instruction through Xiao Yu for them to start cleaning the street and to fetch more water to clean everything. At the same time, she also told Imperial Doctor Wu that they had to put the patients in separate room compared to the other villagers.
The sicknesses were not that severe, but they spread faster with the poor hygiene.
'I'm glad that the monarchy is very valued at this time.'
Feng Ning could see that even though the governor's face didn't look good and he didn't want to follow her, he still did it. It was all because they were all afraid of the Imperial Family and what the Imperial Family could do to them. Even though she's a girl, she's still part of the Imperial Family.
'But what I can actually do is limited.'
The habit of eating cleanly had to be cultivated and it would naturally take time. In the meantime, Feng Ning took the time to help Imperial Doctor Wu to diagnose the patients.
It was flu.
Looking at it, Feng Ning recalled the history she learned about Spanish flu and how fast they spread. Thankfully, it was not deadly and after learning how to clean themselves better, the sickness no longer spread that much.
In a matter of weeks, the matter could be said to be over.
Imperial Doctor Wu was looking at Feng Ning as the latter wrote the report of what happened here. She would submit this to her uncle and let him evaluate what she had done.
"Your Highness, would you like to be the one to present this all." Imperial Doctor Wu was impressed when he read what Feng Ning had written.
Feng Ning shook her head and continued to write the rest. She could show them the writing, but she wouldn't be able to explain it because she couldn't speak. It would be better for Imperial Doctor Wu to represent her in regards of this matter.
"Don't worry, I'll surely do my best." Imperial Doctor Wu smiled.
It was only now he fully understood why Teacher Xi always lamented that Princess Feng Ning was not born as a male. Her ingenious ideas and methods were far surpassed what many other scholars could think.
Not only that, Feng Ning was also very quietly and silently learned everything wholeheartedly. As her teacher, he and Teacher Xi both felt that Feng Ning didn't get what she truly deserved.
Truly.
Heavens played a great joke for them.
And they were the only ones who knew how much potential this young girl at the mere age of 13 actually held.
Feng Ning finished writing everything and handed it to Imperial Doctor Wu. Even though she had all the ideas (which was actually her original world's knowledge), there were only part of it that could be implemented and she had to make the adjustment. Thus, it took her some time to write everything down.
"We'll go back to the Capital City, Your Highness. I'm sure that His Majesty will be pleased to hear about your achievement." Imperial Doctor Wu kept the papers close to him happily.
Pleased?
If her uncle decided not to kill her, Feng Ning would feel much better. She looked outside and felt that even if she lost her life through this event because of her uncle's paranoid personality, at least she had helped the people here.
And her writing might be able to help much more people.
'Or did I think too much?'
The current emperor is a very paranoid person and Feng Ning knew it very well because her mother and aunt's experience were often told by the servants. How the other members of the Imperial Family died because they posed a threat to him and all.
Feng Ning didn't want to be one of them.
But she just couldn't let these people died in front of her eyes.
'Really, being kind is only going to get me killed in the end.' Feng Ning thought to herself as she closed her eyes.
If her uncle still thought of her as a threat even though she was already a disabled like this, Feng Ning would just accept it. She was too lazy to fight back and only met with futile result that would not help her with anything.
…
Capital City.
The news of Princess Feng Ning came up with ideas to suppress the disease outbreak spread and a lot of people talked about it. However, they felt a pity because the princess wouldn't be able to supervise it personally and even had to use Imperial Doctor Wu to do her bidding.
She could only wait from the back.
Even when delivering the news, she did it slowly because she couldn't speak.
In the palace, the Emperor was looking at the report in his hand that was given by Imperial Doctor Wu. He had naturally heard of what his niece did this time. It was nothing more than influencing the people to pay more attention to cleanliness, but it was also a fact that the disease outbreak was curbed not long after her arrival and implemented her ideas.
Thus, it was hard to decide whether her ideas were actually very effective or not.
"Zhen is pleasant that my niece can do so much." The Emperor looked at the officials below him. His eyes narrowed. "Heed my words, Princess Feng Ning is kind and compassionate. She had helped a lot of people in Rou City. From now on, I'll bestow Princess Feng Ning official title 'Xing' and also the Rou He Palace for her."
Official title.
It was surprising that an ordinary princess would be able to get a title on her own. However, the officials felt that it was not too much when they thought of what Princess Feng Ning, no Princess Xing had done.
They felt that the name was very suitable for her as Xing meant fortunate. The people who stayed in Rou City was very fortunate to have Princess Feng Ning had the appropriate solution for them.
Thus, the officials were satisfied with this result.
After that, the Emperor write the edict and dispersed the court. He had no mood to stay here any longer.
At the back, an official looked at the departing back of the Emperor and felt that he really needed to give a report.
…
Prang!
In the Imperial Palace, Princess Lin Mei Ni smashed the nearby porcelains. The servants around here were terrified when they saw it.
"She got a title?" Princess Lin Mei Ni asked with terrifying tone.
"Y…Yes, Your Highness. Princess Xing."
"Xing huh, yeah, she's very fortunate." Princess Lin Mei Ni gritted her teeth. If only it was possible, she wanted to kill her own cousin.
All these years, she had been seeing Prince Feng Hao Shui gloating as if he owned the entire world just because he was the only male successor. Not only that, her own father had told her that he would select him as the crown prince if there was no other successor on his own.
He had children, yes.
But the Emperor didn't have any son.
He only has this one daughter who was trying her best to prove herself through all kind of means so that she would be acknowledged.
But instead of getting what she wanted, Princess Lin Mei Ni had to hear the piercing news of her own cousin getting the title she had been coveting all these times. It was Princess Feng Ning, no Princess Xing, first time outing, but she had brought such unexpected result that alarmed the Emperor.
How could she not be jealous?
Princess Lin Mei Ni was so jealous that she wanted to kill her own cousin.
"Your Highness, no matter how good Princess Xing is, she's still a mute. His Majesty wouldn't suddenly fancy her." the servant was trying her best to calm Princess Lin Mei Ni down.
Mute.
It was the sore point of Princess Feng Ning.
Why did almost everyone forget that there was actually the third princess in the Imperial Family?
It was because Feng Ning rarely came out.
Being a mute, she would not be able to do anything even if she attended a banquet. The princess herself locked herself inside her own residence and didn't even come out even once for the past 7 to 8 years.
If not for this outing that was suggested by an Imperial Doctor, who was also Princess Feng Ning's teacher, she might not even come out.
"Indeed. She's just a mute." Princess Lin Mei Ni sneered.
The servants heaved a sigh of relief when they saw Princess Lin Mei Ni calming down. If the princess were to throw tantrum, they were sure that they wouldn't be able to end well today.
They didn't want to end the day with them crouching on the bed while being in pain.
"She's just lucky this time. Father is right. She's just lucky."
Prang!
After throwing one last porcelain, Princess Lin Mei Ni felt much better. She knew that her father purposely gave that title so that people would think that Princess Feng Ning was merely a lucky princess.
She's not a capable one.
She's just lucky this time.
With time, they would forget about this mute princess.
"I only have a few more months before I reach adulthood age." Princess Lin Mei Ni narrowed her eyes. "Come to think about it, I can pick the person who will accompany me for my adulthood ceremony, right?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
The adulthood ceremony for women was very simple. They only have to insert the hairpin on the bun of the person who had the ceremony on that very day. After that… there's nothing else.
It was indeed that simple.
Princess Lin Mei Ni thought about her cousin as a smirk formed on the corner of her lips. "In that case, let's settle with Princess Xing. Isn't she a fortunate princess? I would like her to share her fortune on my good day."
The servants were stunned. Then, they bowed down.
"Yes, Your Highness."
Princess Lin Mei Ni clenched her fist. She thought that only Prince Feng Hao Shui would be her opponent, but this Princess Xing was also quite annoying. She would like to see what the other party would dare to do if she were to pull her to the limelight.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone