The more Lu Feng listened, the lower he leaned, wishing he could disappear into the ground.
The old general was absolutely right. That was exactly what the young master intended to do, and that's how it turned out.
But he hadn't given up pleading for his master, "Your Highness, the young master has lived a life of constant caution for so many years, afraid of making even the slightest mistake and causing trouble for the family. This time, however, he acted impetuously due to his youth and lack of foresight. The young master will definitely change in the future..."
"Smash!" General Lu grabbed the teapot and smashed it down, roaring angrily, "He still wants to change? What makes him think he can change? He's about to lose his life! Is he going to go and repent to the King of Hell?"
Lu Feng looked up in horror, somewhat unable to believe it.
Although the Crown Prince is fond of the Princess, he is now the Prince Consort. As long as he treats the Princess well in the future and wins her heart away from the Princess, everything should be fine.
Why can't you repent? Why are you going to die?
The strategist reassured the old general and then explained a few more words to Lu Feng.
"The princess is the emperor's legitimate daughter, of the highest rank, and is also on good terms with Princess Kangle. The heir apparent deceived her first, which is extremely disrespectful. The woman he admires is also a close friend of the princess, which is probably what angers the princess the most."
"The Emperor's intention in bestowing this marriage was to win over the Lu family and secure the southwest. The heir is the link, but if the princess becomes pregnant and gives birth, the child, who will be a blend of royal and Lu family blood, will be the best candidate to inherit military power."
"At that time, the prince will be useless, and... he will surely die!"
Lu Feng's face turned deathly pale, and his lips trembled for a long time before he finally managed to say, "No wonder, no wonder the princess disregarded the mourning period and insisted on consummating her marriage with the young master. This servant originally thought that the young couple's quarrel in bed was just a pretense, but I never expected that the princess was trying to... take the young master's life!"
General Lu paced back and forth on the ground with his hands behind his back. Even though he hated his son for being so irresponsible, he couldn't bear to see him die such a young and tragic death.
The strategist thought for a moment and suggested, "General, the Li family and the Marquis are not particularly ruthless, and they have a long-standing relationship. If the young master stops provoking them, they will certainly not take advantage of their misfortune."
"Now, as long as we can appease the Third Princess or get the Emperor to spare the Crown Prince's life, this matter will be over."
General Lu nodded and replied, "I'll still have to trouble you to make a trip to Xindu. You must save that brat's life no matter what. I'll lead men to wipe out the Maitreya Cult immediately, so that we'll have some confidence in front of the Emperor."
"Yes, General, rest assured, I'll pack my bags and set off. But General, please be careful."
The strategist gave a few instructions and bowed.
The old general patted him on the shoulder; they were old friends of many years, so there was no need for further words.
Lu Feng knelt on the ground, watching the old general put his helmet back on, covering his half-white hair, and felt a pang of sadness in his heart.
Children are all debts!
Who could have imagined that the heir, who had brought peace of mind to his family for twenty years, would make such a grave mistake on his first attempt...
Back in Xindu, everyone knew about the grain and porridge donation that very evening.
After finding out the whole story, everyone hated Marquis Dingbei with a passion that made them grit their teeth.
If you don't have the ability to cause trouble, don't try to be a hero. Now you're dragging everyone down with you. You're incredibly stupid!
But no matter how much they criticize, no one dares to take any action at this time; on the contrary, they should actively respond.
Because the emperor killed the empress dowager, imprisoned the imperial concubine, helped the crown prince ascend the throne, married off the princess, and then the empress died.
After a series of events, no one knew what he would do next.
If this is meant to be a warning to others, then jumping out at this point and being made an example of would be tantamount to courting death.
So, the donated grains and vegetables arrived immediately the next morning.
Li Lao Er was temporarily appointed to take charge of providing relief to disaster victims outside the city.
The reason is simple: he had been managing the city's relief agency.
In recent years, the elderly and children in the relief department have been living better and better lives. They have enough to eat and wear, and the children are even able to start their own education and occasionally do some small business to earn some pocket money.
Most importantly, the entire new city benefits from this.
Not only were there no beggars on the streets, but the area was also spotlessly clean.
There is no snow in winter, no standing water in summer, no fallen leaves in autumn, and no willow catkins in spring.
They absolutely made the best use of everyone's talents!
Of course, these are all minor matters, but truly intelligent people know that it is not easy to do so.
This is also why Li Lao Er, without any official title, held the position of Earl and gained a firm foothold in the court.
There are many refugees outside the city now, and we still need to arrange food and lodging, maintain order, and finally find a way out.
This job was the one that Li Lao Er was most familiar with, and it was perfect for him.
When Li Lao Er was summoned to the Imperial Study, he was somewhat prepared, since he had guessed it when the porridge was distributed at Suijintan.
But when he actually heard the emperor appoint him personally, he still acted as if he were extremely apprehensive.
"Your Majesty, I was merely leading the elderly, women, and children of the Relief Bureau to make a living; it was hardly any skill. Now, with so many refugees, I am truly worried..."
"My dear minister, there's no need for modesty. This task is perfect for you. I trust you completely! Just treat these refugees like the elderly, weak, women, and children in the relief bureau. As long as you ensure they don't cause trouble, once the Maitreya sect is wiped out and the south is at peace, sending them back to their hometowns will be a success. At that time, I will remember you for a great service!"
The other senior officials were also afraid of taking on this hot potato, and they all tried to dissuade him.
"Yes, Lord Li, this matter is best left to you."
"Lord Li is cautious and thorough in his actions, and is just right to appease the refugees."
“Lord Li, this is a great opportunity to share the Emperor’s burdens; you must not postpone it.”
Li Lao Er sneered inwardly, but his face remained hesitant.
After a long pause, he finally replied, "Your Majesty, I am merely a minor earl, and I am capable of arranging food and lodging for the refugees. However, in the hearts of the refugees, the people they respect and trust the most are Your Majesty and the Crown Prince!"
"How about this, Your Highness, please take the trouble to occasionally leave the city to meet with the displaced people and appease their hearts. What do you think?"
The emperor was pleased with what he heard and immediately agreed.
"The Crown Prince is the heir apparent of the country. Such natural disasters and man-made calamities are to be expected. My dear minister, please act freely and consult with the Crown Prince on any matters."
The Crown Prince smiled and said, "I'll have to trouble you from now on, Lord Li."
Li Lao Er bowed repeatedly, and then raised several specific difficulties, all of which would be of great help in settling the remaining people.
The Emperor and the Crown Prince immediately issued the order and were even more satisfied.
Those in positions of power prefer pragmatic ministers.
Even if someone lacks ability, as long as they take on a task, they will do it wholeheartedly, which naturally puts people at ease.
Several high-ranking officials were filled with mixed feelings, some of them annoyed. After all, they had been busy for two days, but in the end, Li Lao Er had lost favor with both the Emperor and the Crown Prince.
More than anything, they regretted it, wondering if they would have made such a splash if they had taken the job.
But then they reconsidered and backed out.
The greater the merit, the greater the risk...
Subsequently, the emperor summoned all the censors and told them not to waste their salaries in the new capital, but to leave the new capital and go south to several prefectures to serve as inspectors.
The number of refugees on the road was constant; we couldn't let them all eventually gather outside the new capital.
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