Whose little lady is so crazy?

Chapter 704 Little Gray Kicked Someone

After dinner, Yu Rui didn't go back to rest immediately. Instead, she watched her daughter Yao Guang and Zhao Hua clearing the table again and again, their little mouths chattering away non-stop.

Zhao Hua also helped, but she was still very careful, afraid of accidentally breaking the dishes.

Although she could simply use her own money to buy a new one, and accept the loss as compensation, she didn't want Yaoguang and her older siblings to think that she, this pampered princess, was incapable of taking care of herself and was utterly useless.

Another thing is that she heard from Yao Guang that the bowls and plates they are using now are custom-made by porcelain craftsmen, and the patterns on the bowls and plates are all drawn by Yao Guang and her older brother and sister.

Although Lords Xiao and Meng had left and returned to the fenced courtyard, they both saw the light in the main hall, but did not go over.

Because the two of them knew that if they went there now, they would inevitably be criticized.

To say they were just joking would be a bit much, but to say they were being sarcastic wouldn't be quite right either.

Actually, whether you say they're flattering or just greedy, they don't care.

Those who have worked together for many years know each other's personalities very well.

They are all inflexible, rigid in their ways, never seeking power or wealth, and disapproving of the behavior of others.

Another reason for this situation is that, although they did not know Hong Xiaoduo's specific identity, she was someone the Prince Consort met and brought back from Prince Yi's side. They felt that Yu Sishi was accompanying him out of consideration for Prince Yi's reputation.

I feel that I have wasted Yu Sishi's precious time and energy.

After spending a day with Hong Xiaoduo, Xiao and Meng realized that she wasn't the kind of person who was unreliable.

Think about it, this young lady, judging from her clothes and behavior, is not from an ordinary family.

What are they trying to gain from this? What could they possibly want?
Those who can be guests at Prince Yi's residence can simply work on Prince Yi if they have ulterior motives.

Why bother coming here and going through mountains and rivers? What's the point?

So the two adults went straight back to their rooms to rest.

As a result, the other officials in the Water Conservancy Department were unaware of what Hong Xiaoduo had done during the day, let alone what they had eaten for dinner.

The next morning, Pang Daren and several others got up, washed up, and went out of their rooms. They didn't see Yu Sishi, Xiao, or Meng at breakfast. They asked the servants and learned that they had gotten up before dawn and had breakfast at Hong Xiaoniangzi's place.

Then he left again, saying that he hadn't finished his business yesterday.

"You went again?" The huge man was quite surprised.

You've been putting on an act all day, isn't that enough?

If the capable person she helped find had arrived, then doing this would be understandable.

The servant below added that this time they were also taking two horse-drawn carriages.

"See? What did I tell you? I didn't even take the carriage yesterday, but I did today. Humph, if you're so capable, why don't you take the carriage? You can't even handle one day?" the powerful man laughed disdainfully.

"I wonder when those so-called helpful people will arrive. Maybe they'll just stay here until they come? Actually, if it weren't for the fact that we need Director Yu to accompany them through all this trouble, it wouldn't matter how long they stay here. Anyway, they don't need to trouble our department with their food and lodging." An adult expressed great sympathy for his colleague, Director Yu.

"Alright, let's not waste any more energy on this matter. Chief Envoy Yu is only considering Prince Yi's feelings, or he may just be eager to solve our problem. Even if we don't like it, we have to understand."

"Quickly review our survey results again, then go to the nearby villages and consult with some elders to ensure the safest approach," said the powerful man. The dam they were preparing to build wasn't a small agricultural reservoir, nor was it medium or large; it was an extra-large one, which presented many challenges.

The extreme challenges posed by the local natural environment are the primary problem. The dams must be built in areas prone to torrential rain or with complex geology, as summer torrential rains can easily trigger flash floods, directly threatening the safety of downstream areas.

Furthermore, the rocks here are hard conglomerate, and using the fire-and-water method to crack the rocks would be very inefficient and extremely risky.

Another major issue is the selection of materials and the stability of the dam construction, which directly affects the lifespan of the project.

Relying on local materials, the soil and stones are easily eroded or deformed.

Therefore, should we use grass to wrap mud to enhance the tensile strength of the dam body, or optimize the diversion of sediment and reduce the risk of siltation by using the principle of deep dredging and low weir construction?

If the materials are not chosen properly, it could lead to disaster, such as a dam collapse.

The imperial court ordered them to build dikes here, which was a matter of benefiting the country and the people, not a matter of harming the lives of ordinary people.

The construction of dikes cannot be taken lightly; it requires utmost rigor.

The construction of a dam is not something that can be accomplished by the hard work of the Water Conservancy Department. It is a long-term and large-scale project that requires a lot of manpower, material resources, and financial resources.

The safest solution has not yet been determined. Although the imperial court has not urged or set a deadline for a solution, everyone is very anxious.

After dark, when Hong Xiaoduo and her group returned to their camp, they learned something from Tianxuan.

Xiao Hui kicked out one of the Water Conservancy Department's subordinates because that person wanted to take advantage of Hong Xiaoduo and the others' absence to go into that tent and see what those heavy things they brought back the day before were.

As a result, it was kicked by Little Grey, who was roaming outside. The doctor from the Water Conservancy Department examined it and found that it had not broken any bones.

"The one who got kicked got so angry that he called two guards, but the prince consort's men told them to leave. Let's leave two people to keep an eye on him tomorrow," Tianxuan said while cooking.

I'm not entirely comfortable leaving Little Grey to guard the place alone.

After cooking lunch for everyone today, he tidied up and returned with his master to the city to buy ingredients. By the time they returned, the situation had calmed down.

The prince consort's men tactfully advised Tianxuan that the donkey should be tethered, as it was fortunate no one was hurt.

Tianxuan immediately asked what had happened, saying that Xiaohui wouldn't kick someone for no reason.

Then the prince consort laughed and said, "It's not because someone was trying to get close to their tent that it kicked them, is it? It's a donkey, not a dog that's good at guarding the house for its master."

Tianxuan told them that although Xiaohui was not a dog, it was indeed good at guarding the house. When they didn't believe her, she even asked them to come closer to the tent to try it out.

But to everyone's surprise, even when the other person was about to open the tent flap, Xiao Hui didn't react at all, and Tian Xuan was laughed at instead.

"Ugh, Little Gray made Second Brother a laughingstock. I won't give it my apple tonight, hmph!" Yao Guang said angrily from the side.

"Just not giving it apples is too lenient a punishment. Why not just withhold its hay for dinner too?" Hong Xiaoduo said sternly, seeing how much the little girl cared for her second brother.

"No, no, no, that's too serious. I guess the reason Little Gray didn't stop my father's people from entering the tent is because it thought that since Master and Second Brother were there and they didn't stop them, it must have allowed them to enter," Yao Guang said anxiously.

Hearing this, Hong Xiaoduo smiled approvingly and gently stroked Yao Guang's nose, saying, "I always said our Yao Guang is the smartest."

"Mother, should I go and talk to Father and ask him to investigate who's spying on us? You're helping them, aren't you?" Yao Guang said somewhat resentfully, feeling a little indignant after being praised...