For several days in a row, Li Xi was so busy that she had almost no time to rest.
Kyoto has been plagued by troubles lately. First, the fake medicine incident has not been properly resolved, and then news of mass proselytizing gatherings in various places has emerged.
Faced with these thorny issues, Li Xi, the newly appointed Lieutenant General, had to devote his energy to dealing with them.
She had just led her team to successfully raid an illegal missionary den and returned home exhausted to rest.
Just as she was about to have a sip of tea to relieve her fatigue, she suddenly heard a cry of alarm from outside: "General, something terrible has happened!"
Li Xi frowned, a sense of unease rising in her heart.
She stood up, strode to the door, and shouted at the doorway, "What's the matter that you're in such a panic?" Her voice revealed a hint of authority and anxiety.
The soldier outside the door, panting heavily and looking terrified, replied, "General, a severe flood has occurred in Yancheng, and His Majesty urgently summons you to the palace."
Upon hearing this, Li Xi abruptly stood up and said urgently, "Prepare the horses!"
I didn't expect the food from the government to be so bad. I was so hungry that I didn't even have time to eat a few bites of hot food.
Wan Yue quickly stuffed a few roujiamo (Chinese hamburger) into her hands, saying, "Eat it on the way, be careful not to hurt your health."
"Hmm." She quickly mounted her horse, cracked the whip, and the sound of hooves echoed throughout the street.
When she arrived at the council chamber, there were already quite a few people waiting.
The atmosphere in the council chamber was heavy, and everyone's faces were solemn, as if they were all waiting for some important news.
Li Xi's arrival slightly disrupted the previously quiet atmosphere.
She is now a favorite of His Majesty, receiving much attention and favor.
Sure enough, as soon as he appeared, a lot of people gathered around him.
"General Li, did you just finish your work and come over?" It was Prince Liang who came to speak.
He had a smile on his face and looked very friendly.
The crown prince walked over with a smile, breaking the surrounding tranquility.
Li Xi was somewhat surprised by the Crown Prince's enthusiasm, after all, this Crown Prince was known for his arrogance.
However, she still responded respectfully: "Your Highness, I came here as soon as I received His Majesty's decree after finishing my work."
The Crown Prince nodded slightly, his gaze lingering on Li Xi for a moment, as if he were sizing up the person before him.
He thought to himself, "This lieutenant general seems quite capable, but I've heard he's very close to Prince An..."
Upon reaching this point, the Crown Prince frowned, a hint of doubt creeping into his mind.
"Could it be that this person has already sided with that fellow Qi Yu?" the Crown Prince wondered to himself, his expression growing increasingly serious.
If that's the case, then it's going to be troublesome.
Qi Yu has always been dissatisfied with himself, and if he were to get such a capable assistant, it would probably bring him a lot of trouble.
The crown prince decided to observe for a while before making a decision.
After all, people's hearts are unpredictable, and we cannot easily draw conclusions based on rumors alone.
If he could win over this General of the Central Army, it would be a good thing for him. But how could he get him to work for him? The Crown Prince fell into deep thought.
"His Majesty has arrived!"
As the announcement echoed, the emperor's figure appeared in everyone's sight.
"My beloved ministers, what are your thoughts on the flood in Yancheng? The floodwaters are now overflowing, and the local people are displaced. I am deeply concerned and hope that you can offer practical and effective solutions." The emperor's voice was deep and powerful, exuding an unquestionable authority.
The prince immediately snapped out of his reverie, realizing that this was an opportunity to showcase his talents.
After bowing respectfully to the emperor, he said in a deep voice, "Father, I believe that resolving the flood in Yancheng requires a three-pronged approach. First, we should immediately dispatch elite troops to Yancheng to carry out flood relief and ensure the safety of the people."
Secondly, officials from the Ministry of Works should be dispatched to the disaster area to assess the damage and formulate a reconstruction plan. Finally, I suggest establishing a special fund to support the relief and reconstruction efforts for the victims.
The emperor nodded slightly, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes. He secretly agreed, thinking to himself, "This is a good idea."
However, this is not enough; he needs more opinions and suggestions to improve the plan.
He then looked at everyone and asked, "Does anyone else have any suggestions?"
The crowd looked at each other in bewilderment, and then began to murmur amongst themselves.
Some suggested increasing manpower and material resources, while others believed that the quality of dike construction should be improved, and still others advocated providing aid to the disaster-stricken areas.
For a time, the imperial court was filled with endless debate.
Seeing this, the emperor turned his gaze to the silent King of Liang.
He knew that the Prince of Liang had participated in the construction of dikes and had some experience and insights into water management. Therefore, the emperor hoped to hear the Prince of Liang's opinion.
"Third Prince, what do you think of this matter? I remember you once went to repair the dikes, so you should know something about these things, right?" the emperor asked gently.
Upon hearing this, King Liang slowly stood up.
After bowing to the emperor, he replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Your Majesty is absolutely right. However, with the floods raging and the people suffering, we must take effective measures to deal with this disaster."
Your Highness, I propose that Your Highness lead troops to fight the floods and provide disaster relief in order to stabilize public morale.
At the same time, rescue teams should be immediately organized to go to the disaster area to rescue trapped people and distribute necessities such as food and medicine. In addition, efforts should be intensified to reinforce the dikes to prevent further flooding.
These suggestions are all pretty much the same, and they follow the same procedure, but the question is who to send.
The emperor's gaze swept across the princes, finally landing on the crown prince. "Does anyone wish to volunteer?"
The princes looked at each other, each weighing the pros and cons in their minds.
At this critical juncture, every choice could determine their future fate, and they were all reluctant to make a hasty decision.
The Crown Prince stepped forward first. “Father, I am willing to lead troops to the disaster area to fight the floods and provide disaster relief to alleviate the suffering of the people. I know that this journey will be fraught with danger, but as the Crown Prince, I should share the burden of the people and be loyal to the country.”
The emperor nodded slightly, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes.
Although he was of mediocre talent, he still had a heart that cared deeply for the country and its people.
He nodded and said, "Your Highness, I am very pleased that you have this intention. However, the situation in the disaster area is complicated, so you must act carefully and not act rashly."
The Crown Prince knelt on the ground and solemnly said, "Your subject will certainly follow your father's teachings and live up to your trust."
The emperor then looked at the other princes and ministers and asked, "Which of you, my dear ministers, is willing to go to the disaster area?"
At this moment, a young general stepped forward. "Your Majesty, this humble general is willing to accompany the Crown Prince to the disaster area to jointly fight the flood and provide disaster relief. Although I am young, I am willing to do my part for the people."
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