Chapter 485 What should we do?

The sky was dark, as if a rainstorm was brewing.

A strange undercurrent was gathering over Shangjing, and the strong wind swept the black branches and fallen leaves through the streets. The windows were shaking.

I don’t know whose clothes were not put away, and they were torn by the wind and swept into the sky, and then thrown hard on the old locust tree. From a distance, they looked like ghosts hanging in the air.

Gu Fuju was wearing an official robe, with a jade belt lightly buckled around his waist. He walked hurriedly, with a deep pool of calmness in his eyes. After being summoned, he entered the palace.

"Grandmaster, you are finally here."

The eunuch looked around and saw him and hurried forward to lead the way.

Gu Fuju kept walking.

The eunuch said beside him: "Several princes are here, and the six ministries and nine officials have gathered. By the way, there is also Lord Zhu from the Hanlin Academy."

Gu Fuju lowered his eyes and concealed his emotions.

Zhu Wei, the head of the Hanlin Academy?

Responsible for drafting confidential edicts.

That was Emperor Ying Qian's man.

Since Yang Changzheng was imprisoned, Zhu Wei has become the top leader around Emperor Ying Qian.

Although the head of the Hanlin Academy has no fixed rank, these people can decide the life and death of officials with a stroke of the pen.

If it weren't for absolute trust, Emperor Ying Qian would not have placed him in the Hanlin Academy.

But Yang Changzheng got into trouble, the position of Shangshu Ling was vacant, and various forces were eyeing it covetously, and everyone wanted to promote someone around them to take the top position.

Emperor Ying Qian would not do as they wish.

I'm afraid...

Gu Fuju's eyes flickered.

In the inner hall, the tense atmosphere was on the verge of breaking out.

Ying Yin knelt on the ground: "The court is in a hurry to open the warehouse to release grain, and people are panicking. Especially in places with serious disasters, officials must be sent immediately, one for disaster relief, and the other for comfort, to inform the victims that the court will not ignore them, to prevent people from making trouble."

"The situation is serious. If conditions permit, the victims can be allowed to temporarily enter the government warehouse to avoid the water."

"Requisition government offices and temples as disaster factories for temporary resettlement."

Ying Zhi also said anxiously.

"The bodies of drowned people must be buried within three days. I think that if officials are to be sent, the Imperial Hospital should also send personnel to go with them, bringing medicinal materials such as Atractylodes lancea and Realgar. Cook a large pot of anti-plague soup and distribute it."

Avoid the plague.

Emperor Ying Qian's eyes were heavy, and

he walked back and forth. It can be seen that he was anxious.

He finally stopped in front of Ying Cheng, who bowed his head and said nothing.

"Do you have anything to say?"

Ying Cheng was embarrassed.

"Your son is stupid."

Emperor Ying Qian was disappointed and shouted angrily: "The people of Jizhou and Zhuozhou, and the four cities of Yuzhou Prefecture are imprisoned! Do you know how many people will die?"

"No... I don't know."

"What do you know! You don't know how to resist floods and disaster relief! As an heir to the throne, you have no responsibility at all. I brought you by my side and taught you personally! But you haven't made any progress! An ignorant fool who only shrinks when encountering things!"

He got angry at a glance.

It doesn't matter if you don't know. If you watch more and participate more, you can always learn skills.

But Emperor Ying Qian hated Ying Cheng, and he had no intention of competing with his brothers!

After the death of the crown prince, none of these sons won his heart!

Emperor Ying Qian seemed to have forgotten that when the crown prince was still alive, he didn't seem to care much.

But now that he was dead, there was no interest entanglement, and he began to think of the good things about the crown prince.

Emperor Ying Qian roared with all his strength, and he couldn't help dizziness. A black shadow flashed before his eyes, but even so, he didn't forget to kick Ying Cheng.

His body also staggered back and was supported by Zhu Wei.

But when he got close, he could smell the rotten smell on Emperor Ying Qian's body that couldn't be hidden even with incense. Zhu Wei remained calm, as if he couldn't smell it.

"Your Majesty, calm down and take care of your body."

Ying Cheng's body was kicked crooked, he fell to the ground, and then he knelt down again timidly.

This kind of demeanor, not to mention that Emperor Ying Qian looked down on him. Even the ministers on the side shook their heads and didn't take him seriously.

"Taifu, please come in."

The voice of the eunuch came from outside.

Emperor Ying Qian suppressed his anger and sat down with the help of Zhu Wei.

Gu Fuju hurried into the hall from outside, brushing past the kneeling Ying Cheng with his skirt, and stepped forward to pay his respects.

"Fuju."

Emperor Ying Qian's voice was filled with sorrow, and he held his forehead with one hand, unable to hide his deep weariness.

"What do you think we should do?"

He leaned back, saying nothing, and no one knew what he was thinking.

But Gu Fuju knew that if Emperor Ying Qian really cared about the people, not so many people would have died in the famine years.

He was just doing it for the court officials and for the people.

What are you asking?

The six ministers have all been called here, don't you know what's going on?

But Gu Fuju knew Emperor Ying Qian's intentions.

Gu Fuju bowed his hands: "Previously, in order to prevent floods, important officials in various dynasties gave plans, and many of them proposed post-disaster resettlement."

"I will also think about it for some time, and then cooperate with the files of past dynasties. The first thing to do is to draft a disaster relief decree."

Emperor Ying Qian straightened up slightly, as if listening carefully.

Gu Fuju glanced around.

"Minister of Revenue."

"Your humble servant is here."

"The Ministry of Revenue is responsible for coordinating the allocation of money and grain, calculating the silver for disaster relief, and reducing taxes."

The man did not respond.

It sounds simple, but it is not easy to do.

Gu Fuju looked at the Minister of Works, Mr. Zhou.

"The Ministry of Works is responsible for the emergency repair of river embankments, on-site inspections of post-disaster reconstruction, and priority for flood diversion and loss reduction."

The Minister of Works was Zhou Yurou's father. After hearing this, he just remained silent.

Gu Fuju's voice continued to sound.

"The Ministry of War assists in the transportation of relief supplies, mobilizes personnel to maintain order, and prevents riots by refugees. The Ministry of Justice supervises the distribution of relief money and grain, and investigates corruption. Each provincial government will open a porridge shop."

"Reduced taxes, exempted taxes and grain for three years in severely affected areas, and reduced taxes in neighboring areas. Stabilize grain prices and crack down on hoarding."

"..."

He continued word by word.

No one in the hall said anything.

Gu Fuju didn't care.

After finishing the last word, he raised his eyes slightly.

"Do you have any objections?"

The six ministers looked at each other, and finally the Minister of Justice, Lord Yao, stepped forward.

"Grandmaster, you have taken care of it, and we should do our best, but the national treasury... is empty, and disasters are everywhere. It may be difficult to get the disaster relief funds..."

Emperor Ying Qian did not move, just watching.

Gu Fuju: "Adjust the treasury silver of the six provinces and cut down on expenses."

The six provinces are the six rich places in the Great Jin.

Expenses include the imperial palace and the salaries of all officials.

He said calmly: "Yang Changzheng is in prison, and the silver confiscated from the Yang family is not a small amount. It can be seen that corrupt officials are guarding gold mines."

He was willing to be the blade in the hands of Emperor Ying Qian.

"The treasury has been empty since His Majesty ascended the throne. Shouldn't the six ministries reflect on themselves?"

"Let alone anything else, the military pay of the Wei family army is borne by Wei Zhao alone. The Ministry of Revenue is known as the headquarters of money and grain in the world. Why are the food and fodder sent there and the clothes to keep the soldiers warm all delayed? Does the Ministry of War have a role to play in this?"

"Yang Changzheng's case has not yet been tried. Are the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Justice suspected of corruption and abuse of power, or of shielding corrupt officials?"

————

"You mean, the Grand Tutor had a quarrel with people from the six ministries in the palace?"

Yu Tingwan just woke up from a nap and learned about this from Wei Zhao. He was shocked.

"It wasn't a quarrel."

Wei Zhao boiled tea with a silver spoon, scooped up the extremely finely ground tea powder and gently sifted it into the porcelain. The tea soup gradually surged with new snow, and white mist was lingering: "The old man was calm and composed, and he made those old guys in the six ministries blush with just his mouth."