Inside the private room.
Cui Yuanzhao stood properly, his face showing grievance, with a faint redness visible on his cheeks.
Cui Renshi sat to the side with a gloomy face, looking at Cui Yuanzhao with disappointment.
The father and son remained silent.
After facing the cruel test of Cui Renshi's feather duster, Cui Yuanzhao went through the initial pleading for mercy, then anger, and finally had to sincerely apologize.
After all, he was Cui Renshi's only son, and Cui Yuanzhao finally got through it all.
He secretly sized up his father, the prime minister, and asked with a fawning smile, "Father, why are you out so late instead of resting?"
Cui Renshi rolled his eyes at Cui Yuanzhao, "If I hadn't come out, how would I have discovered that you were hiding here? You even had another falling out with the Xiao family. I think you're just trying to drive me crazy!"
Cui Yuanzhao muttered a few words, not daring to refute.
But soon, he realized something.
It seemed that the father in front of him had not come to Zuixianju specifically for him, which could be inferred from his words.
Moreover, if he wanted to take me back, he wouldn't have come alone; he would have brought several servants from his mansion.
What could that be for?
Thinking about this, Cui Yuanzhao suddenly had an idea.
What makes Zuixianju so special now?
hot pot!
Although my father spoke dismissively about hot pot during dinner, it seemed he had never actually tried it himself, only heard about it from others by chance.
That's why I made a special trip over at night?
He then accidentally discovered that he was also at Zuixianju, so he was furious and came to teach them a lesson...
The more Cui Yuanzhao thought about it, the more convinced he became that this was the case, and there was no other possibility.
The atmosphere became heavy.
The waiter stood aside, unsure whether to leave or stay.
It was incredibly awkward for a moment.
Finally, he mustered his courage and asked, "Sir, young master, would you like those five plates of meat?"
"want!"
Cui Yuanzhao hurriedly shouted.
Unexpectedly, at almost the same time, Cui Renshi also spoke up.
Cui Yuanzhao confirmed his idea and chuckled.
Upon seeing this, Cui Renshi said with a cold face, "What are you laughing at? Haven't you had enough of the feather duster?"
"Dad, calm down. There's a proper way to cook hot pot, especially when you get angry, otherwise it will affect the taste. Let me explain in detail..."
As he spoke, Cui Yuanzhao sat down next to Cui Renshi.
One was speaking carefully, while the other seemed indifferent but listened patiently. It was a stark contrast to the previous scene, a truly heartwarming picture of a loving father and filial son.
When the Prime Minister himself came to Zuixianju, the servants dared not neglect him, and several plates of meat were quickly served.
"Is this hot pot really as good as you say?"
Cui Renshi was somewhat skeptical, thinking that this brat was just trying to please him.
"It's true, Dad. I've already eaten two plates. It tastes absolutely amazing. You should try it if you don't believe me..."
Choi In-sik, maintaining the airs of a father and prime minister, simply nodded and said, "I hope you weren't lying to those people, otherwise I'll be very disappointed."
Soon, the father and son from the Cui family began to wolf down their food.
Both of them noticed that the other was taking meat from the pot faster and faster, almost as if they were fighting over it.
Cui Renshi showed no intention of yielding to his son. Instead, he said with a dark face, "Since you've already eaten, don't eat anymore. Leave it for your father."
Cui Yuanzhao shook his head vigorously, his mouth never idle, as he stuffed another piece of meat into his mouth.
Seeing this, Cui Renshi made a gesture to raise his hand, but seeing Cui Yuanzhao quietly pick up another piece of meat, he didn't bother to move and quickly focused his attention on the food.
A few moments later, the plates of meat were all gone.
Cui Yuanzhao turned back, still somewhat unsatisfied, and was about to call the waiter for a few more plates when Cui Renshi said in a deep voice, "That's enough, there are other things to eat here."
Cui Yuanzhao scratched his head and laughed, "How can these taste as good as meat..."
That being said, Cui Yuanzhao had not actually tried any of the other ingredients in the hot pot when he arrived at Zuixianju.
Seeing his son grinning and behaving inappropriately, Cui Renshi said with a stern face, "Eat, eat, all you know is eating."
"Dad, why are you scolding me again out of the blue..."
Cui Yuanzhao felt extremely wronged, as he hadn't done anything at all.
But then I thought about it again. My father seemed to be worried about the famine these past few days. Could it be because of this?
Indeed, the disaster in Kuizhou was devastating, and the victims couldn't even get a bite to eat, while the emperor was feasting in the capital, eating meat endlessly...
But what does this have to do with me?
Cui Yuanzhao puffed out his cheeks. "Father, I know you're in a bad mood because of the famine, but it won't help you get angry at me. You can't help with disaster relief by scolding me."
"Then tell me, how else can I provide disaster relief!" Cui Renshi retorted angrily.
Cui Yuanzhao's eyes lit up, and he put down his chopsticks.
"Father, to be honest, I have indeed thought about ways to provide disaster relief, and I think they make a lot of sense."
Um?
Cui Renshi was somewhat disbelieving of his good-for-nothing son. He never showed any seriousness except for eating, drinking and having fun. When they invited the Grand Tutor to teach him, he was so angry that he was bedridden after less than three days.
If I hadn't been so strict with him, this kid probably wouldn't even know a few characters by now.
Seeing that his father didn't believe him, Cui Yuanzhao chuckled.
"If you ask me, disaster relief is very simple. I have come up with three methods, any one of which can help us get through the disaster smoothly."
Cui Renshi was skeptical. "Tell me about it."
Anyway, it's just something to listen to, it's not a big deal.
Cui Yuanzhao solemnly said, "First, enough food. As long as there is enough food for the disaster victims in the major disaster areas, the disaster will naturally pass easily without any worries."
A slap landed on Cui Yuanzhao's head.
After letting out a cry of pain, Cui Yuanzhao looked innocently at Cui Renshi and asked, "Why did you hit me again?"
"Food, food, don't we know that food can be used for disaster relief? But do you know how many mouths are waiting to be fed in the disaster area? Where can we find so much food?"
As Cui Yuanzhao was being scolded, he rubbed the spot where he had been hit and said in a low voice, "The second way is to let the people in the disaster area grow their own land and be self-sufficient. We don't need to do anything about it either."
Cui Renshi slammed his hand on the table. "The people in the disaster area can't even guarantee their daily food supply. You want them to farm? By the time the crops are ripe, it will be months later. Every single one of them will starve to death!"
Fearing he would be beaten, Cui Yuanzhao hurriedly said, "Then there is a third way."
After hearing the first two methods, Cui Renshi lost interest in his son's ingenious ideas.
But Cui Yuanzhao still spoke earnestly, "We call on the high-ranking officials and nobles in the capital to donate money, and then combine that with the silver from the national treasury to buy grain and send it to the disaster area..."
Upon hearing this suggestion, Cui Renshi fell silent.
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