Wu Lanxi showed great concern in the face of the famine.

This surprised Tang Huan.

It is said that businessmen value profit, but Wu Lanxi seems to be a little different.

He couldn't help but ask, "Boss Wu wants to do disaster relief?"

"Who wouldn't want to provide disaster relief? Apart from corrupt officials in the court, who could bear to watch the disaster rage and the people suffer? Can Lord Tang just sit idly by?"

Facing Wu Lanxi, Tang Huan sighed softly, "After I die, even if the floodwaters rise high."

Even if the world is flooded after I die?

This statement reveals a strong sense of selfishness.

A selfish and self-serving image naturally emerges.

Wu Lanxi closed her eyes and shook her head helplessly.

Tang Huan didn't want to discuss this topic any further, so he stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "Boss Wu, I can't hold my liquor, so I won't keep you company any longer today. I'll take my leave now. I'll show you around Qihuai County another day."

He turned around unsteadily and walked all the way to the stairwell.

Wu Lanxi kept her eyes glued to the man's back the whole time.

"Disaster relief is difficult, yet not that difficult. It's a pity..."

After leaving behind a meaningful remark, Tang Huan disappeared.

Wu Lanxi sighed in disappointment.

Seeing this, Lin Wan'er quickly walked to the top of the stairs, turned around and said, "Your Majesty, you've really left."

Upon hearing this, Xie Wu hurriedly stood up and shouted, "Your Majesty, please forgive me!"

As he spoke, Xie Wu knelt down in front of Wu Lanxi and kowtowed forcefully.

The drunkenness on Wu Lanxi's face vanished, and her smile gradually froze.

At this moment, she transformed once again from a merchant into a high and mighty empress.

Wu Lanxi glanced down at Xie Wu.

"You have disappointed me greatly."

"He has also disappointed me greatly!"

Xie Wu knew things were bad; if His Majesty lost faith in Tang Huan, the entire Qihuai County would be their biggest crime.

The root cause was Tang Huan's ruthlessness in disaster relief efforts.

He quickly said, "Your Majesty, there is more to this matter than meets the eye. Lord Tang is not as he appears on the surface..."

Wu Lanxi squinted her eyes, "Just because there are corrupt officials interfering, they can just watch the disaster victims starve to death while they themselves hide in Qihuai County and enjoy themselves?"

One is the sky, the other is the earth.

On one hand, things are thriving.

They were suffering greatly.

Xie Wu broke out in a cold sweat and shouted, "Your Majesty, you may not know this, but Lord Tang is not a selfish person. Even though he was disappointed with the officials in the court, he still tried to do something for the disaster relief."

"Oh?" Wu Lanxi snorted, clearly not quite believing it.

"Your Majesty, when Lord Tang first came to Qihuai County, how was the situation here any different from that of Kuizhou and Youzhou today? The entire county had only about two thousand people, and only one or two of them could eat their fill and stay warm. The rest of them were struggling to survive."

"There were countless elderly, weak, sick and disabled people, and only a handful of young and strong men who could work. Yet, under these circumstances, Lord Tang took the lead and led the people to reclaim wasteland, giving everyone something to eat and helping them get through the most difficult time."

"A mere scholar, yet he wandered among the laborers, eating and living with them, without a single complaint."

"Your Majesty, don't you want to know why I'm covering up for Lord Tang? It's because I've seen everything he's done. My wife was one of the people Lord Tang saved back then. She was almost starving to death when Lord Tang gave her his own piece of cornbread, which saved her life."

"Does Your Majesty think that someone who has gone to such lengths for Qihuai County would be the kind of person who would betray principles for personal gain?"

Xie Wu's eyes were filled with tears, and his gaze did not waver in the slightest as he stared straight at Wu Lanxi.

Wu Lanxi was overwhelmed with emotion.

"Are you... are you telling the truth?"

Could it be that Qihuai County truly had such a tragic and desolate side?

Wu Lanxi looked out the window, finding it hard to imagine that beneath the bustling streets of today lay the former refugees and the remains of the tragically deceased.

"How could this be fake? Did Qihuai County suddenly become what it is today? It was Lord Tang who gradually transformed it into this state."

According to records, Qihuai County was indeed one of the poorest counties in Daqing, with almost no place worse off.

"Does Your Majesty know how Lord Tang changed Qihuai County?"

How to change it?

Wu Lanxi was unaware.

It's hard to imagine.

That's impossible.

"Lord Tang is right. Disaster relief is both difficult and not difficult."

"Is this a reconciliation?" Wu Lanxi pressed.

Tang Huan said this before leaving, and now Xie Wu said it again, giving Wu Lanxi hope.

“It’s difficult.” Xie Wu said solemnly. “The difficulty lies in the fact that corrupt officials exploit the area at every level. No matter how much silver is sent to the disaster area, it will be siphoned off step by step, leaving very little behind.”

"It's not difficult, because all the disaster victims need is a bite to eat."

Xie Wu said earnestly, "Your Majesty, did you notice that there was an ingredient called potato in the hot pot just now?"

Potato?

Upon hearing this word, Wu Lanxi suddenly thought of something.

It seems that Tang Huan had mentioned before that he had developed some seeds that were very suitable for planting in disaster areas.

"Tell me in detail," Wu Lanxi said, becoming somewhat impatient.

In the dim light, she saw a glimmer of hope.

Xie Wu explained, "This potato was developed by Lord Tang over many years. It is easy to cultivate, grows extremely fast, and can even grow in drought-stricken or flood-prone areas."

"Is this really true?" Wu Lanxi couldn't help but stand up from her chair.

Lin Wan'er said with some reluctance, "Your Majesty, even if these potatoes are as Xie Wu said, it would still require an enormous quantity to help Kuizhou and Youzhou overcome the disaster, not to mention that it is absurd to ask the disaster victims to grow them."

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