Chapter 148 This is a sign of troubled times

Xiao Ning coughed lightly and said, "Actually, their singing is pretty average..."

Shang Xi looked at her, "Really?"

Xiao Ning: "Of course!"

Shang Xi: "Then I'll give you two more songs that I sing well, do you want them?"

"Uh..." Xiao Ning glanced at Shang Xi, thought of something, and replied with a smile: "Okay..."

Shang Xi immediately slammed his hands on the table, glared at her, and said angrily: "You are so beautiful!"

Xiao Ning's mouth twitched, wanting to laugh, but he held it back.

At this time, a maid came forward and replied: "Your Highness, Prince Consort, breakfast is ready."

Shang Xi stood up, glanced at Xiao Ning standing next to him, and said, "What are you still standing here for? Didn't you come here to eat for free?"

Xiao Ning: “…Yes.”

Xiao Ning raised his foot and followed behind Shang Xi.

Shang Xi stopped, and Xiao Ning, who was confused, also stopped.

Shang Xi took a half step back, stood shoulder to shoulder with her, and then whispered, "Actually, I play the piano much better than that guy."

Xiao Ning was stunned for a moment, "Oh, then Her Royal Highness the Princess is very powerful."

Shang Xi scratched the hem of his sleeve with his fingers, pursed his lips and said, "Do you want to listen?"

Xiao Ning: “…”

She swallowed and began to feel strangely nervous again.

"No... I have something to do later. Let's do it next time. Next time I have a chance, I will bathe, burn incense, and listen to the princess's elegant music."

Shang Xi's fingers, which were gripping the hem of his sleeve, turned pale from the force.

He forced a smile and said, "Oh, actually I didn't really want to play it for you. It was just a joke and you took it seriously. How funny."

Xiao Ning: “…”

Who are you calling funny?

Shang Xi left first.

She walked very fast, and the bracelets on her waist jingled.

Xiao Ning looked up and saw only his back, so he raised his feet and followed him.

All the way to the flower hall.

Breakfast was already on the table and it was very sumptuous.

Xiao Ning looked at Shang Xi. He had already walked to the main seat and sat down, with no intention of paying any attention to her.

Xiao Ning just found a seat and sat down.

Shang Xi placed the cup beside him heavily on the table and snorted coldly, "Why are you sitting so far away? Are you afraid that I'll eat you?"

Xiao Ning: “…”

I'm really scared.

But Xiao Ning finally moved his butt and got closer to Shang Xi.

"Your Highness, aren't you angry with me? Why do you want me to sit closer?"

Shang Xi: "...Who is angry with you?"

He wanted to be angry with her, but when he thought that she might leave after the meal, he couldn't be angry anymore.

Rather than being angry with her, he wanted to look at her a few more times.

And his anger would affect her mood, and he wanted to see her happy.

The two of them finished their meal in harmony.

Sure enough, Xiao Ning said goodbye as soon as he finished his meal.

Shang Xi looked at her, the corners of his lips twitched, revealing a smile: "You are always so busy, I don't know what you are busy with."

He can still spare some time.

But she always comes and goes in a hurry.

Xiao Ning looked at him, twirled his fingers, but finally held back and did not raise his hand to touch his head.

She can't always be so boundless.

"Take care, Your Highness. I'll take my leave."

Xiao Ning said this, bowed, turned and walked out.

Shang Xi looked at her departing back, opened his mouth, but in the end no sound came out.

Watching her disappear from his sight step by step, he turned around and walked in another direction.

…

"Your Highness, this is news from Yuzhou."

Shang Xi took the booklet handed to him by Furong and unfolded it to read.

There was a severe drought in Yuzhou, and seven cities and thirty-two counties had no harvest.

"I remember that some time ago, news of a severe drought came from Bingzhou."

Furong nodded: "Exactly. Besides Bingzhou, Qingzhou is also suffering from severe drought this year."

The drought was already very serious in May, but hedonism was prevalent in Dayong, from the imperial court to the local areas, and the nine-rank official selection system selected family background rather than talent.

Families of all sizes are connected, and officials at all levels protect each other.

Those officials are more concerned with calculating people's hearts and maintaining relationships, and few are willing to care about people's livelihood and understand their feelings.

The drought was delayed like this.

Shang Xi did receive the news, but this time he did not try to report the matter to the emperor.

He asked Furong: "Do you think I am cruel for doing this?"

Furong shook her head. "Those who achieve great things don't dwell on trivial matters. This will only solve the problem temporarily. A cancer that has become a bone marrow problem must be removed by removing the flesh and bones."

"If Your Highness could sit in that seat, it would be a blessing for all the people."

"Besides, with our current imperial court...even if we knew about the drought earlier, what would have happened?"

"It's nothing more than allocating silver for disaster relief, but Dayong suffers disasters of varying degrees every year. Ultimately, most of the silver ends up in the pockets of the powerful, and how much actually reaches the disaster-stricken areas?"

"Your Highness, once you've made up your mind, just go ahead and do it."

Fleur looked at him with a determined gaze.

Shang Xi exhaled, "I understand, you can go down first."

Furong frowned and retreated.

The study door was closed, and Shang Xi sat alone at the desk, looking at the piles of books on the table with a frown.

The booklet records the conditions of various places in detail.

Not only is there a severe drought in the north, but flooding is also beginning to appear in the south.

This year is destined to be an eventful one...

But this is also his opportunity.

…

Heavy rains continued in the south, and the river water was surging. It had already crossed the embankment warning line and was still rising violently. The news finally reached the emperor.

While the court was busy discussing the matter, the drought situation in several northern states was also reported to the emperor. The severe drought had resulted in a complete loss of harvest, and people in Bingzhou were even engaging in cannibalism.

“People are eating each other!”

"This is a sign of troubled times!"

The court did not have time to discuss the matter carefully, so it could only open the already empty treasury and allocate silver for disaster relief.

This time the emperor issued a strict order that the disaster relief money must not be used for other purposes, otherwise the person would be killed!

Unfortunately, corruption is rampant in Dayong, and the emperor's strict orders are of no use. After all, every disaster relief money, including military pay, has been embezzled, and in the end, everything is fine. If the emperor really wants to curb this trend, he may have to kill all his ministers.

But can he kill them all? Does he dare to kill them all?

If the aristocratic families can help the emperor sit firmly on the throne, they can naturally also pull him down from the throne.

After all, there are more than one people with the surname Shang.

The relief funds allocated did not alleviate the suffering of the people. Every day they only had a bowl of thin brown rice porridge that was no different from water.

People kept dying of starvation at the city gates and on the official roads...

Those who died of starvation were quickly eaten by others around them...

Public anger is at an all-time high.

Some people went to the government office in a group to make trouble, but were beaten to death by the yamen runners without the officials even showing their faces...

The rivers in the south eventually burst their banks. Before that, the local powerful clans and wealthy gentry had already fled with their families. Ordinary people affected by the flood could only take refuge in the mountains, live in caves, and wait for the flood to recede.

Officials did send people to dredge the river.

But when the money became so greedy, there wasn't much left for disaster relief. Even if he had kept a few, it would have been of little use.

Without financial and material support, what would it matter even if he requisitioned a large number of laborers?

The government’s food was quickly eaten up. How many days could the laborers work on an empty stomach?