The snow fell heavier and heavier with no sign of stopping. Since the military affairs were not yet finished, they had to stay in the military camp for a few more days.
Worried that Xiao Rongyan might catch a cold and fall ill, Chu Liuyun took the initiative to find him. "Your Highness, it looks like it will snow for a few more days. If the heavy snow blocks the roads, it will be hard to return to the city. Why don't you head back first?"
Xiao Rongyan really wanted to leave, but he also wanted to earn a good reputation for sharing the hardships of the soldiers and citizens.
"How can I leave when the military affairs aren't finished? I will return with you when the time comes."
Chu Liuyun replied, "If the snow doesn't stop, my father and I might have to stay in the camp until the New Year. Will Your Highness be alright with that?"
Xiao Rongyan gritted his teeth. "No problem. The snow will probably stop in a few days anyway."
Seeing his firm attitude, Chu Liuyun had no choice but to drop the matter.
It kept snowing. Even by the next day, it hadn't stopped; instead, it grew heavier and denser.
The generals rode on horseback braving the wind and snow, while the soldiers marched in three columns. At first, Xiao Rongyan and Chu Liuyun rode horses together, but later, unable to bear the cold, Xiao Rongyan hid inside a carriage where extra charcoal basins had been added.
Xiao Rongyan's guards quickly relayed the news to Pan Yong, the Minister of War.
The next day during the morning court assembly, when the topic of the troop rotation at the western suburbs camp amidst the snow came up, he immediately stepped forward to report.
"The day before yesterday, His Highness Prince Ying, along with the Duke of Zhenguo and his son, went to the western suburbs camp to supervise the military rotation. This is the military report delivered this morning."
The Emperor opened the military report. It stated that Xiao Rongyan braved the wind and snow, working day and night alongside Chu Liuyun to supervise the troops, observe the military conditions, and even eat and sleep alongside them.
Glancing at the vast expanse of white snow outside the hall, Xiao Chengjing smiled and nodded in praise. "Prince Ying has done well this time. He has finally lived up to my expectations."
Pan Yong happily stepped back to his place.
Currently, neither of the two princes in the court held military power. If Prince Ying could gain the Emperor's approval, he might be able to compete for military authority in the future.
Standing in front of Gu Qishan, Prince Qi turned his head with a gloomy expression and glared at Pan Yong, his heart filled with regret.
He shouldn't have said what he did at the birthday banquet. His cleverness had backfired, indirectly helping Xiao Rongyan instead.
Why hasn't the Northern Shuo Kingdom attacked yet? It would be best if he went to the battlefield and died.
While resting at night, a guard lifted the flap of Chu Liuyun's tent, carrying a charcoal bucket with an aggrieved expression.
"Young Master, I just went to the storehouse to fetch charcoal. The official in charge said that His Highness Prince Ying took three days' worth of supplies all at once last night, sent someone to take more at noon today, and just went again. You and the Master only have half of your charcoal allowance left for this month."
Chu Liuyun was very strict in his military governance. Food and military supplies in the camp were strictly allocated, with no exceptions, not even for himself and the Duke of Zhenguo.
Xiao Rongyan was an unexpected addition. To avoid affecting the others, his expenses were deducted from the quota of the Chu father and son.
The more he used, the less Chu Liuyun and the Duke of Zhenguo had.
Looking at the charcoal bucket that was less than half full, Chu Liuyun sighed and instructed, "Tell the official to advance next month's allowance first. I will personally replenish it in a few days."
The guard nodded helplessly. At this rate, let alone next month's, even the month after next's allowance would be used up.
Outside the window, the wind and snow continued endlessly, painting the world in a vast expanse of white. However, the officials inside the Ministry of Works office were sweating profusely with anxiety.
The desks and floor were covered in half-drawn, rejected drafts, and even the walls were plastered with all sorts of bizarre sailboat design blueprints.
Everyone had been brainstorming in the office non-stop for three days and three nights. They had pulled out tens of thousands of strands of hair and were nearly going bald.
The exhausted Vice Minister of Works struggled to lift his head from the desk, the heavy dark circles under his eyes making it look like he had been punched twice.
"My Lord, we really can't hold on any longer. During the morning court today, I almost fell asleep in the Hall of Supreme Harmony."
Ou Shinian's fingertips trembled as he picked up his teacup. "We still don't have a single clue. How do you expect me to explain this to the Emperor?"
Hearing this, the others slumped dejectedly onto their desks. The strong scent of ink in the air made them dizzy.
Looking around at the messy floor and a group of exhausted subordinates, Ou Shinian took a deep, trembling breath.
"Forget it. Everyone go back and rest. I will try to think of another way."
The crowd slowly raised their heads, froze for two seconds, and then stood up to leave one after another.
They ran faster than rabbits; in just a few blinks, the room was empty.
Only the two Vice Ministers were left, who apologetically said, "We will take our leave," before decisively slipping away as well.
Ou Shinian looked at the empty room with a splitting headache. He was so sleepy he could barely keep his eyes open, so he simply lay down on the floor and fell asleep basking in the warmth of the charcoal basin.
An hour passed, and suddenly, a hoarse scream echoed through the Ministry of Works office.
The imperial guards stationed nearby hurried in with their swords drawn, only to find the Minister of Works, Ou Shinian, clutching his burning hair and jumping up and down in place.
Looking down, they noticed several pieces of paper scattered on the floor were also on fire, and they quickly stomped them out.
Fortunately, the fire had just started, and it was extinguished after a few stomps.
The air was filled with the smell of burnt feathers. Ou Shinian's hair, scattered over his shoulders, was curled out of shape, looking worse than a chicken coop.
The imperial guards looked at each other in dismay, not knowing how to comfort the Minister of Works, whose hair was half-burnt. Since it was ruined like this, he would probably have to cut it off.
When Ou Shinian left the palace, his eyes were vacant. The servants waiting outside the palace almost didn't recognize him when they saw his scorched hair.
"What did you say? Ou Shinian's hair was burned off?" Xiao Chengjing, who was reviewing memorials in the imperial study, stared at his personal eunuch in disbelief.
The head eunuch replied, "The imperial guards saw it with their own eyes. The bottom of his hair exploded like a large broom; he's practically bald."
Xiao Chengjing couldn't imagine what Ou Shinian looked like now. "Charcoal fires are used frequently in winter. Tell the maids and eunuchs to be more careful to prevent fires."
The head eunuch nodded. "Your Majesty is far-sighted. I will give the orders right away."
In truth, after the incident, both the imperial guards and the Internal Affairs Department had already increased patrols in their respective areas.
The news of Ou Shinian's hair catching fire spread quickly. After passing through dozens of mouths, the rumor eventually turned into Ou Shinian becoming completely bald, and some even claimed he had been burned to death.
The Ministry of Works officials, who had gone home and slept soundly, only woke up the next day to find out that their office had nearly caught fire yesterday and had even burned their superior.
