As expected, Wu Lanxi immediately brought up the issues of Youzhou and Kuizhou when she opened her mouth.
The courtiers received the hint yesterday and have all prepared their best rhetoric.
Therefore, no matter how Wu Lanxi questioned them, they always had something to say in response.
After all that was said and done, they couldn't find a single guilty person!
It was as if the high grain prices in Youzhou and the worsening disaster in Kuizhou were all the emperor's fault.
Wu Lanxi could only sneer.
"Very well, since none of you are willing to take responsibility, I have nothing more to say. Then my beloved ministers should think carefully about how to resolve the issues in these two states!"
Upon hearing this, Cui Renshi immediately stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, the solution to the problems in these two places is actually quite simple. The high grain prices in Youzhou are mainly due to a grain shortage. If we can send more grain to Youzhou, the grain merchants will be unable to sell their stockpiled grain, and the prices will naturally come down."
"The same applies to Kuizhou. It's just that the people are starving due to the natural disaster. There's no other way but to send them money and grain to help them get through this difficult time."
To put it bluntly, they just want money.
And he asked Wu Lanxi for money!
How could Wu Lanxi not know this?
Her face was grim, and she said coldly, "Minister Wang, how much silver is left in the national treasury?"
Wang Tianze quickly stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the national treasury has been depleted for a long time. Last month, even the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven had to be simplified. General Pang's request for winter clothes has not been fulfilled. We really cannot afford to provide any extra silver for disaster relief."
Wu Lanxi closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
The expected plea for poverty.
In short, all the ministers were greedy and corrupt, but when it came to important matters, they couldn't produce a single tael of silver.
She could only look at Cui Renshi, her eyes filled with contempt and anger: "Prime Minister Cui, tell me, if the national treasury has no money, how will you provide disaster relief!"
Cui Renshi sighed, looking completely innocent: "Your Majesty, the national treasury is empty, as all the ministers know, and I am helpless as well."
He wouldn't specifically ask Wu Lanxi to take money from the imperial treasury for disaster relief.
But everyone knows that the national treasury is empty, and if His Majesty wants to solve the problem, then His Majesty has no choice but to pay out of his own pocket.
Unless His Majesty also slacks off and ignores these problems.
That doesn't matter.
In any case, it's only the emperor who gets scolded.
Wu Lanxi knew exactly what they were thinking, but she was truly at a loss.
"Since there's no other way, let's adjourn the court session and discuss it again once we come up with a solution!"
Upon hearing this, the ministers felt no remorse whatsoever; instead, they all breathed a sigh of relief.
Another morning court session has passed by, and I can now comfortably slack off for the rest of the day.
After the court session, the officials could not go home immediately; they had to go to their respective offices to report for duty.
Cui Renshi and several first-rank officials basically worked in the same place, so they walked side by side and chatted as they arrived at the public room.
"Prime Minister Cui, I heard your young master has caused trouble again?"
As soon as he entered the public housing, someone greeted Cui Renshi with a smile and started a conversation.
Hearing this, the others also came forward: "This time there was quite a commotion. They even smashed up Qi Dashanren's brothel. What happened that made them so angry?"
Cui Renshi's face was grim. If something really happened, then it wouldn't matter if that unfilial son smashed it.
But nothing happened to him. Just because he lost some money, he went to a brothel and got drunk and acted crazy.
If he hadn't personally met with the benevolent Qi afterwards, given him a thousand taels of silver, and helped him resolve two thorny issues, this matter probably wouldn't have been so easily resolved.
After all, Qi Dashanren also had the support of a powerful figure.
"It's nothing, just youthful impulsiveness and a desire to show off."
He didn't want to talk about these things, so he changed the subject: "Hey, did you try the tea with added white sugar that His Majesty served us today?"
Everyone shook their heads.
"That looks like a rare item. Someone, come here."
Cui Renshi called over the young page and gave him five taels of silver: "Go and buy some for us to try. We'll see what this white sugar is all about, with such a pure taste."
"yes."
After the page left, the ministers showed no intention of doing their work and continued to chat amongst themselves.
About half an hour later, the young page boy ran back, his face covered in sweat.
Seeing that his hands were empty, Cui Renshi frowned: "Couldn't you find a place to buy white sugar?"
The young page wiped his sweat and said, "I found it, but sir, that white sugar costs one hundred taels of silver per tael, and I only brought five taels of silver with me. I can't buy it!"
"What?"
Everyone was stunned upon hearing this.
"One hundred taels of silver per tael? What kind of impoverished wretch dares to sell something for such an exorbitant price!"
The young page said with a wry smile, "My lords, the sugar seller isn't some big boss, just a general store. But he said he won't sell for less than one hundred taels of silver, and he only sells one hundred boxes a day. Today, he's already sold twenty boxes, leaving only eighty. Take it or leave it."
Goodness, not only are they expensive, but they're also limited edition!
Is this buying sugar or selling gold?
Cui Renshi sneered: "It's just some sugar. Do you really think it's something rare? Let me ask you, if a box of that white sugar costs a hundred taels of silver, would anyone actually buy it?"
"Yes!" The young page nodded vigorously. "Quite a few. When I went there, there were five people buying, and when I left there were still seven or eight people in line."
Of course, all the people queuing up were shills hired by Wu Lanxi.
This move was also taught to me by Tang Huan.
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