Inside the Imperial Study
"Your Majesty," Shao'an clasped his hands in a fist salute.
Yao Yao wasn't used to people kneeling before her all the time, and since she considered Shao An a friend, she made an exception for him, allowing him not to kneel.
"How is it?" Yao Yao asked.
"Your Majesty, just as you predicted, signs of famine have begun to appear in the north. What should we do next?"
Shao'an frowned as well, after all, this was no small matter. With famine in the north, the grain in the south might not be enough for the northerners.
Moreover, a large number of refugees will definitely flock to the south at that time, and then things will get chaotic.
Moreover, famine has always been extremely harmful to a country.
"Tsk, I already have a solution. It's just that those old fogies in the court are all eyeing my harem, so dealing with them might be a bit troublesome."
Upon hearing this, Shao'an knew that he was being pressured to select concubines again. Moreover, besides him, many senior officials, seeing their good relationship, wanted to indirectly persuade him to hint to Yaoyao about selecting concubines.
However, he refused them all.
The next day at court
As soon as Yao Yao voiced her idea, a minister objected.
"Your Majesty, I believe this is unacceptable. Regardless of whether the famine is real or not, the South-to-North Water Diversion Project alone consumes a huge amount of manpower! If the information is incorrect, then... Your Majesty, please rescind your order!"
"Your Majesty, please rescind your order!"
Yao Yao's expression turned cold. "Am I asking for your opinions? Even without drought or famine, the people of the North have always lacked water resources. Isn't that a policy that benefits the people?"
"Anyway, the South-to-North Water Diversion Project will commence immediately!"
With Yao Yao directing the project, it proceeded smoothly and systematically. The court officials, of course, dared not say anything more.
When the north went three months without a drop of rain and relied entirely on water from the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, the world learned of it. This project was indeed successful.
Another year has passed in the blink of an eye. There are only four months left until the original owner's death.
001 said that she could not avoid the original owner's time of death and would eventually have to leave.
So from the moment she entered this world, she secretly cultivated the royal family members she had carefully selected, intending to step down after she passed away.
That year, the ministers repeatedly petitioned for the selection of a concubine, but all their requests were rejected. The ministers were already in despair.
As the original owner's death date drew ever closer, Yao Yao dropped a bombshell in the imperial court.
She is stepping down.
These words were quite surprising. Yao Yao had been on the throne for almost two years. Although two years was a short time, both the court officials and the common people had great faith and respect for this emperor.
Because he promulgated laws for the Great Qi Dynasty that were all beneficial to the country and its people, he was clearly on the path to becoming a wise and benevolent ruler for all time.
As a result, the emperor was still a young man! And he was about to abdicate! Fine, you abdicate, but you have no heirs, so who will you give the throne to? Air?
This incident directly drew the attention of the Empress Dowager.
"Mother" Yaoyao looked at the woman in front of her who had obviously aged a lot.
Since the death of the late Emperor Qi, she has devoted herself to Buddhism, and this is the first time she has appeared in public.
"You're going to step down?"
Yao Yao wasn't surprised that she knew, given the huge splash.
"Um"
The Empress Dowager did not ask her why she abdicated, but instead asked directly, "To whom did you abdicate?"
"Don't worry about this Empress Dowager. I've already chosen her. She won't let the people down."
"Hmm." She had come to understand many things since the incident with the late emperor. Besides, she trusted Yao Yao's decision.
"Yes, you just need to handle it well."
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