The next day, since Hongshi had returned, he went to court early and reported to the Fourth Prince about the disaster relief trip to Kaifeng, Henan.
Hongshi looked at the Fourth Prince with respect, slowly submitted all the reports, and quietly waited for the Fourth Prince's reply.
At first, the Fourth Prince didn't say anything, just quietly watched the Prince report, tapping his fingers lightly, his face revealing nothing, which really made people uneasy.
Hongshi slowly said at the end, "Father, I have finished reporting!"
After that, Hongshi stood quietly, and no one in the hall dared to make a sound; there was complete silence.
What Hongshi didn't know was that the spies sent out by the Fourth Master had already sent a message back to him, reporting that it was indeed almost exactly as Hongshi had said.
However, someone suddenly stepped forward: "Your Majesty, I believe that the disaster relief efforts have been remarkably effective, and I humbly request Your Majesty to consider this!"
Those below shook their heads at the person who had stepped forward. If he went up so rashly and offended the Emperor, they would lose more than a few heads!
In truth, Fourth Master already had a plan in mind, but he didn't say it aloud. The drought in Geshan Village was indeed severe. After Hongshi arrived, he actively provided disaster relief and distributed grain, earning the gratitude of the local people. It could be said that Hongshi did a good job. At least the people's hearts were with Hongshi; they felt he was extremely kind to them. Regarding this disaster relief, the people felt that Hongshi had rescued them from dire straits.
Without Hongshi, they might have all starved to death in the disaster. Hongshi was truly their savior, providing them with ample food. Unlike previous years, there were always a few corrupt officials, so Hongshi won the hearts of the people this time.
Knowing this, the Fourth Prince felt very relieved and satisfied with Hongshi's performance. Hongshi's actions this time were truly commendable, reassuring, and helped stabilize public sentiment. The Fourth Prince was also very pleased.
So the Fourth Master praised Hongshi a few times. Hongshi was a little happy, but he kept his expression unchanged, listened quietly, and then thanked him.
Hongshi thought about how the Fourth Prince had acted in front of the entire court, and he was overjoyed to hear what was coming next, but he had to suppress his emotions.
Finally, the Fourth Prince slowly said, "Shi'er did an excellent job this time, as I believe everyone below can see. Overall, I am very pleased with this disaster relief effort! The Second Prince has truly lived up to my expectations!"
The officials listened to the Fourth Prince's praise and whispered among themselves.
In truth, everyone knows that disaster relief, if done well, is good; if done poorly, it means certain death—that's the reality. Therefore, disaster relief is unsettling, but if done well, changes are inevitable. Throughout history, many issues have arisen from disaster relief efforts, and public opinion is divided. Success is a cause for celebration, failure means personal loss. Clearly, Hongshi has succeeded this time. However, even with success, the imperial court's intentions are unpredictable; we can only wait and see.
The Fourth Master only offered a few words of praise, and the people below responded in unison, secretly observing the expressions of the Fourth Master and Hongshi.
They couldn't read Hongshi's expression, and they couldn't guess the Fourth Master's expression either. They could only wait and see. However, they all thought that the Fourth Master would take this opportunity to reward Hongshi handsomely.
But to everyone's surprise, the Fourth Prince did not immediately bestow rewards upon him. Instead, after finishing his speech, he announced that there was nothing more to say and adjourned the court. This left everyone staring at each other in disbelief, but no one dared to say anything and could only leave dejectedly.
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