Chapter 354: A Plot to Kill
"It hadn't even been two days since the sun came out, and it started snowing again." Li Chen frowned.
Sitting outside, Wan Jiaojiao stretched out her hand to watch the snowflakes melt in her palm, but she turned her head happily and said, "Your Highness, this snow is a good thing."
"People say that if it snows on New Year's Eve, it means a good harvest for the coming year."
Li Chen let out a light chuckle and said, "I hope so."
A light snowfall in winter foretells a good harvest, and this is actually based on real evidence.
In winter, heavy snowfall will cover the ridges of the fields, making them decompose more slowly into the soil. This enriches the land, so that the next spring's planting will naturally yield a better harvest.
But unfortunately, with these natural disasters occurring year after year, floods have submerged countless fields. Not to mention next year's harvest, there are even doubts about how many people will survive this coming winter.
Thinking this way, Li Chen looked forward to the sweet potatoes that were still being experimentally planted in the royal hunting ground.
As long as everything goes well, next year sweet potato promotion will be successful and the food shortage problem can be greatly alleviated within two to three years.
Only after the people's hunger is addressed can there be the energy and focus to mend this already deeply fractured empire.
"How much time is left until we reach the East Palace?" Li Chen asked.
Wan Jiaojiao looked at the road ahead and said, "Past this street, it's to the official road, about a quarter of an hour away."
"Good."
Li Chen nodded, lowered the curtain, and closed his eyes to rest.
The carriage swayed and lurched along the street. The people around hurried about, their expressions anxious. There were fewer people still out and about than there had been when I left this morning.
Suddenly, it started to snow. Everyone rushed home to be with their families for the Lunar New Year.
The laughter of children echoed through the streets and alleys. Li Chen heard it and couldn't help but relax his mood a little.

Governing a country is not easy, and it becomes even more difficult when there are countless people vying for power and profit within the nation.
Even if I could be reborn again, I would always try to accomplish something...
Just as Li Chen was thinking about these things, the carriage came to a stop.
"Your Highness, we've arrived."
The voice of Wan Jiaojiao came from outside.
Li Chen lifted the curtain and sure enough, the East Palace gate was right in front of him.
By this time, it was getting late. After changing his clothes, he was about to set off immediately for the Qianyuan Palace in the Imperial Palace, so he said: “I’m not going down anymore, go straight to the East Palace.”
"Good," Wan Jiaojiao replied, just about to drive the carriage, when she saw two men, one fat and one thin, approaching each other and shouting insults.
"Liu Laosan, I've put up with you for a long time. I've wanted to beat you up for ages. Don't go looking for trouble during this festive season!"
That short, stout man was chasing after him, cursing obscenely all the while.
The tall, thin man ahead turned back and shouted as he ran, "Hu Lao Er, I've been putting up with you for a long time! If it weren't for the New Year, I'd beat you until your teeth were on the ground!"
Two men were pulling and chasing each other, slowly moving towards the carriage.
Wàn Jiāojiāo frowned, glancing around.
There were few people on the street. Everyone was hurrying home, and no one stayed to watch the commotion. This was in front of the East Palace, a place where normally no one would dare to be so loud and unruly.
As the two figures drew closer to the carriage, Wan Jiaojiao instinctively felt a sense of unease.
"Stop, you two! What are you doing!?" Wan Jiaojiao exclaimed.
And at this moment, the two guards on duty at the East Palace gate also walked over.

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