Chapter 387 Opening the Warehouse and Releasing Grain
Shengjing, in the court.
Emperor Jing directly threw the memorial requesting disaster relief for the Xiangcheng dike breach at His Highness, angrily scolding: "Hundreds of thousands of people in Xiangcheng and other cities have been affected by the disaster. The Guanglin dike upstream of the Jinjiang dike has collapsed. If the Jinjiang dike also collapses, then the people affected will not be just hundreds of thousands, but more than half a million!"
"The court pays you so much, but you keep repairing the dike every year, and it keeps breaking down. Are you just eating and doing nothing?"
The angry voice of Emperor Jing echoed above the heads of everyone in the hall, and everyone lowered their heads. The Jinjiang River embankment has been repaired every year, but it can't stop the water from flowing through it. I heard that it rained for a month in Xiangcheng, and it was either light rain or heavy rain. No matter how well the embankment was repaired, it would be useless!
A few days ago, the prince brought back the iron ore and the good news of the successful suppression of bandits. Emperor Jing was very pleased and gave rewards one after another. Who knew that it would not take long before Emperor Jing scolded them.
"Who among you can tell me what to do this time?"
Emperor Jing snorted coldly, and after he finished speaking, someone echoed him: "Open the granaries and release the grain."
"Disaster relief funds to help the people rebuild their houses."
“…”
Emperor Jing twirled the emerald jade ring on his thumb, his dignified gaze sweeping over the officials in his palace. He asked, "There's a drought in the north, and the soldiers in Yongzhao are ready to move. All the grain after the autumn harvest has been allocated to the military. Where is the food left?"
"As for the silver..." Emperor Jing looked at an official in the hall and said, "Liu Chang, tell me, how much silver is left in the treasury?"
Liu Chang, who had taken the position of Minister of Revenue after Xiao Fu's accident, was called upon this time. Liu Chang stood up, holding his tablet, and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, last month, 300,000 taels of silver were allocated for disaster relief in the north. At the end of last month, another 200,000 taels of silver were allocated for raising military rations. This month, the salaries will be paid..."
Liu Chang read out the figures one by one, and finally said, "There are only 50,000 taels of silver left in the national treasury."
After saying that, Liu Chang added, "Your Majesty, the Ministry of Rites said that the Empress Dowager's Autumn Banquet will be held at the end of the year, and they need to allocate 50,000 taels of silver."
Liu Cang swallowed his saliva, and after reporting, he lowered his head, looked at his nose and his nose at his heart, not daring to say a word. He originally thought that the Minister of Revenue was in charge of money, which must be a lucrative job, but only after he took the position did he realize that this was not a job for one person!
The Ministry of Works asked him for money, saying they wanted to build water conservancy projects and roads.
The Ministry of Rites said that the Empress Dowager's Thousand Years Banquet needs money, and sacrifices also need money...
The Ministry of War also asked him for money to recruit soldiers. What if a war breaks out with the Yongzhao Kingdom? What will he do without soldiers?
Only the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Personnel were left, but they all came to him for money. Even if he agreed to all of them and sold them by the pound, it would still not be enough to pay them.
At this moment, Yao Qian, the Minister of Justice, who was standing at the end, stepped forward, nervously clutching his tablet, and replied, "Your Majesty, I am originally from Lancang County, Hongdu. This year, my clan sent me a large amount of rice. They say Lancang County has a bumper harvest, with an output of over 700 kilograms per mu! Presumably, there must be food relief."
"What?"
"Impossible. A yield of 500 kilograms per mu is a blessing from God." Zhang Qiu, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, retorted. As the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, he knew best how much grain could be grown in the fields!
"Minister Zhang, my clan elders told me this, they can't possibly lie to me." Yao Qian said respectfully, "The grain can't be fake, right?" Yao Qian's words were powerful.
The Minister of Revenue wanted to say something, but Emperor Jing, who was sitting on the dragon throne, had already spoken: "Go and get the memorial from the magistrate of Lancang County." It was impossible for the magistrate of Lancang County not to submit such a big matter.
Soon, the memorial from Lancang County Magistrate Rong Xun was delivered to Emperor Jing. The emperor's serious face softened after reading the memorial. When he saw the back of the memorial, he raised an eyebrow and asked, "Is the Xiao family's old house in Hongdu?"
Xiao family?
Which Xiao family?
The people in the court were confused. Weren't they talking about the Lancang County grain issue? Why did they bring up the Xiao family?
For a moment, the court was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop!
…
"It's done!"
When Xiao Jiuyue received the pigeon letter from Jun Lie, she excitedly took the good news and immediately rushed to the main courtyard: "Lianxin Luokui, go and call my mother and my brother, as well as the people from the second and third wives."
"Miss, the Third and Fourth Young Masters are both in the academy." Luo Kui asked doubtfully, "Should we call them over?"
"That's not necessary. Call my mother and the people from the second and third rooms."
Xiao Jiuyue ran all the way to the main courtyard holding up her skirt.
"Miss, the old lady has just finished chanting the scriptures and is praying. Is there anything wrong?" Mother Jiang walked out of the house and saw Xiao Jiuyue running towards her with beads of sweat on her forehead. She was afraid that she had something urgent to do.
"Good news, great news." Xiao Jiuyue couldn't wait any longer and walked into the small Buddhist temple built specially for Old Madam Xiao. She had never believed in gods or Buddhas, but after traveling through time, she would chant scriptures and recite Buddhist scriptures with Old Madam Xiao, and would follow the beautiful mother to the temple to burn incense and pray for blessings.
After the blessing was over, Xiao Jiuyue helped Old Madam Xiao to stand up. Old Madam Xiao looked at Xiao Jiuyue sideways and said with a smile: "Could it be that someone has sent money again?"
Fengchun Tower, Candy House, and Zhiyun Tower are all lucrative businesses. After the initial shock, Old Madam Xiao had gotten used to it. She believed her granddaughter was smart and was used to making money doing anything.
"Or have the grapes from Aishan been delivered?" Old Madam Xiao knew that Xiao Jiuyue had been talking about Aishan's grapes recently, saying that she wanted to make some wine.
"Grandma, there's some fresh and exciting news coming from Shengjing." Xiao Jiuyue raised the note in her hand, deliberately keeping it a secret.
Madam Xiao had just sat down when the Buddhist beads in her hand were almost torn apart. Her deep-set eyes suddenly lit up, piercing with a look of brilliance: "Could it be that the Emperor has agreed to re-investigate the Xiao family case?"
"Nothing can be hidden from grandma." Xiao Jiuyue handed the note directly to Old Madam Xiao. She stood aside and kept an eye on Old Madam Xiao, fearing that her grandmother would be too happy and her body could not bear it.
Agreed, recheck.
The slip of paper was small, with just four short words written with such force that one could almost sense the writer's joy. She said, "Grandma, this is Jun Lie's handwriting. There's a mark here."
Xiao Jiuyue pointed to the time at the signature, 31. This was the time she and Jun Lie had agreed on. When sending letters via carrier pigeon, the information written was very vague, for fear that it would be picked up by others. They kept it brief, and they were also afraid that others would imitate it, so they always included numbers.
"Okay, okay, okay." Old Madam Xiao's tears streamed down her face. Her hands, holding the note, trembled. She clasped her hands together and said with an expression of praying to the heavens, "God, may the Xiao family's ancestors bless us. The Xiao family will definitely be vindicated. Nothing will happen to them!"
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