Hongshi had been in Kaifeng for several days to provide disaster relief. The Fourth Prince was initially worried that Hongshi wouldn't be able to endure the hardship, but unexpectedly, Hongshi went directly to Geshan Village, the village of Prefect Guan Bin, which was the hardest hit by the drought. This truly surprised the Fourth Prince, who privately mentioned it to Lanqin, expressing his high expectations for Hongshi's transformation.
Fourth Master found something strange about the matter, but he felt that Hongshi was being instigated by someone. Lanqin, however, laughed and said, "Master, you're overthinking it..."
Fourth Master shook his head, dismissing the idea, hoping that he was just overthinking things.
The next day, after the morning court session, the Fourth Prince saw that everyone was silent and was about to speak again when suddenly a person stepped out from the ranks and loudly said, "Your Majesty, I have something to report!"
Everyone in the hall was taken aback. Who dared to make such a loud, unrestrained neighing sound? The Fourth Prince looked down and asked, "Who was speaking just now?"
"Your subject, the Duke of Great Britain, respectfully reports..."
"What do you need to report?" the Fourth Prince asked kindly.
"Prince Hongshi has been in Kaifeng, Henan for many days to provide disaster relief, and the results are remarkable. Not only has the disaster been effectively controlled, but the local officials have also been disciplined. I have heard that the local people are very supportive of Prince Hongshi, so I think Your Majesty should reward him to appease the people..." Duke of Yingguo raised his eyebrows and said.
Fourth Master was surprised and also felt embarrassed. He said calmly but with a hint of pressure, "Hongshi did make a contribution to the disaster relief, but the time was a bit short. Shouldn't we wait until the disaster situation in Kaifeng is completely settled before talking about his merits?"
The Duke of England knew that since the Fourth Prince had said that, he was clearly looking for an excuse to refuse, so he secretly exchanged glances. The Empress's faction immediately stepped forward and slowly said, "This humble subject thinks Your Majesty is being too cautious. Hongshi is a prince, and Your Majesty's eldest son. It is truly commendable that he would volunteer to go to the disaster relief effort. Moreover, Your Majesty is aware of the disaster situation in Kaifeng. Since he has done so under such difficult circumstances, the prince's contribution is invaluable..."
The Fourth Prince looked up and saw that the speaker was an old minister in the court. The Fourth Prince could not directly refute him, so he just smiled.
Seeing that the Fourth Prince remained silent, the Duke of England stepped forward and said confidently, "Your Majesty, Hongshi's abilities have been proven, and besides, he is no longer young. Should Your Majesty consider promoting Hongshi to a higher rank?"
A thought flashed through the Fourth Prince's mind. He glanced at Tian Wenjing and Zhang Tingyu below, and the two quickly exchanged a look. They both understood. Tian Wenjing stepped forward first, bowed to the Fourth Prince, and said in a gentle tone, "Your Majesty, what the Duke of Ying said is absolutely right..."
The Duke of Yingguo was taken aback, expecting Tian Wenjing to object, but instead, he agreed, which surprised him somewhat. Tian Wenjing continued, "However, the Prince has not yet returned, and the disaster relief work has been ongoing for quite some time. If we rush to reward him with any progress, wouldn't that be too hasty and give the Prince a reputation for putting on a show? Therefore, I believe it would be better to reward him all at once when everything is settled and the Fourth Prince returns to the capital in glory."
The Duke of England glared angrily at Tian Wenjing, who pretended not to notice. Zhang Tingyu quickly stepped in to defuse the situation: "Your Majesty, this humble subject believes that the ministers are all thinking of the Prince's best interests. Since the Prince's merits are truly deserved, there's no need to rush..."
The Duke of England exclaimed indignantly, "Your Majesty..." Before he could finish, the Fourth Prince waved his hand, signaling him to stop. The group behind the Duke of England looked somewhat disappointed, all staring at the Fourth Prince. The Fourth Prince, however, smiled faintly, "I am well aware of Hongshi's contributions. Lord Li and Lord Tian have considered things carefully. I have decided to wait until Hongshi returns to the capital before making further plans..."
After the Fourth Prince had spoken, no one said anything more. The events of the morning court session had made the Fourth Prince suspicious of both Hongshi and the Duke of Yingguo.
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