Leng Yu looked at Lin Dong with a serious expression, and after a moment of silence, he said slowly:
"Seven days, give me seven days. Within seven days, I will definitely come up with a reasonable solution for you."
Lin Dong lowered his head and pondered, pinching the corners of his clothes awkwardly with his hands. Because he was too thin, the blue veins on his face were clearly visible.
Leng Yu just looked at him quietly, waiting for his reply.
After a while, Lin Dong stood up from the ground and nodded heavily with expectation in his eyes.
"Alright, I'll go out and tell everyone. We'll wait here for seven days. If you can't come up with a reasonable solution within seven days, we'll rush to the capital and demand an explanation from the Emperor, even if it means death. These people have already made up their minds not to return..."
When he said this, a look flashed in Lin Dong's eyes. Leng Yu knew that he felt sorry for these people, so he had such a look.
Leng Yu stood up from the chair, walked up to him, and patted his shoulder.
"Lin Dong, I admire your courage, but don't be reckless, otherwise you will only hurt everyone. Go ahead! I've ordered someone to prepare dinner. After everyone finishes eating, let's stay and have a good rest!"
Lin Dong looked up at Leng Yu, this thin man, with tears in his eyes and his lips moving constantly.
"It took us three months to get from Zhejiang to the capital. During this time, no one cared about our lives. We didn't dare enter the city or go to crowded places for fear of causing resentment. Even so, we endured countless people's contempt and abuse along the way. Being able to have a full meal was something we only dreamed of. Prince Yu, on behalf of tens of thousands of people affected by the disaster, thank you for this full meal..."
His words made Leng Yu's heart twitch. How much suffering must this man have gone through to make him cry at the slightest provocation?
He patted his shoulder silently. Lin Dong nodded to him, turned around and walked out of the tent.
As soon as he left, Xiao Lingzi came in.
"Your Highness, as you instructed, I had the cooks make porridge, adding two steamed buns and some pickles for each person. This simple meal used sixty dou of rice and thirty dou of flour. Over a hundred cooks from the barracks were dispatched, and they were still exhausted."
Leng Yu sat on the chair, frowning, took a sip of tea, and sighed helplessly.
"In your opinion, what should we do with these disaster victims?"
Xiao Lingzi scratched his head while standing there. "I don't know. There are too many people. No place would be suitable for them. There's no place big enough to accommodate them."
“Where do they come from and where do they go back to?”
"How is it? According to these people, the houses of the people in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas have been completely flooded, the food has been completely destroyed, and the fields have been destroyed, making it impossible to farm. If we send them back, we will first have to consider the travel expenses, their housing, and their future survival. So many problems require a huge amount of money. How can we make a decision without the emperor's approval?"
"The Emperor's decree is in my hands. He has given me full authority to handle all affairs, including those of the disaster victims."
"Then, according to Your Highness, do we need to use the silver in the national treasury?"
"right."
Leng Yu nodded solemnly, then stood up.
"Let's go to the Ministry of Revenue and check how much cash is available in the treasury, and then we can handle this matter appropriately."
After saying that, he quickly stood up and strode towards the door. Xiao Lingzi didn't dare to stay any longer and followed him quickly.
When Leng Yu came to the Ministry of Revenue with Xiao Lingzi, Xiao Shuangzi and other people, Lord Zhang hurriedly came to greet them with officials from the Ministry of Revenue.
"Prince Yu, how did you find time to come to the Ministry of Revenue? I am investigating the memorial, but there is no result yet..."
Leng Yu glanced at Lord Zhang coldly. For some reason, he always felt that there was something wrong with Lord Zhang.
"Let me see how much silver is available in the treasury right now."
Hearing this, Master Zhang frowned and mumbled back:
“This…this…”
"Which one is this? As the Minister of Revenue, shouldn't you be able to tell me how much cash is available in the treasury? Why are you hesitating?"
Seeing Leng Yu's voice suddenly rise, Master Zhang nodded in response.
"Yes, Prince Yu is right. According to my investigation last month, the national treasury has 8.5 million taels of silver available..."
so much?
When he heard this number, Leng Yu took a breath. For so many years, he had never asked about the affairs of the national treasury. He did not expect that there was so much cash available in the treasury of Daning State. In this way, it would be easier to deal with these disaster victims.
Thinking of this, he frowned and nodded secretly:
"That's enough..."
After saying this, he was about to turn around and leave when Lord Zhang hurried forward and asked:
"Your Highness, I shouldn't tell you the amount of silver in the treasury, but the Emperor has given you a decree granting you full authority over all matters. I dare not disobey your order, but I don't know... what you intend to do with the silver you asked about."
Leng Yu glanced at Master Zhang from the side, a sharp look flashed in his eyes, and he asked in a cold voice,
"Master Zhang, I don't need to ask for your instructions when I do anything. Just take care of your treasury and your Ministry of Revenue. Also, the silver I asked you and your subordinates to hand over yesterday must be handed over before dark tomorrow. For everything else, just follow my orders at any time..."
His words left Master Zhang speechless for a moment, and he nodded hurriedly.
"Prince Yu is right. I have spoken too much."
"Goodbye!"
After coldly saying these two words, Leng Yu led his subordinates and quickly walked out of the Ministry of Revenue.
As he watched his back leave, Lord Zhang's forehead began to sweat.
An official nearby asked cautiously:
"Is Prince Yu planning to open the national treasury to provide aid to these disaster victims?"
Mr. Zhang's expression became increasingly grim. He frowned and said to the people around him:
"Each of you prepare one thousand taels and hand them over before dark tomorrow. I have something to do, so I'll be leaving first."
Leaving these words behind, he strode towards the door with a serious expression.
After Leng Yu left the Ministry of Revenue, he asked someone to call Liu Dechang to Prince Yu's Mansion, and he rushed back to Prince Yu's Mansion directly.
Leng Yu had just arrived at Prince Yu's Mansion when Liu Dechang arrived right after him. When they met at the gate of Prince Yu's Mansion, Leng Yu was still sighing,
"Father-in-law, you have such great speed that you got here so quickly?"
Liu Dechang dismounted and said with a grin:
"I was just about to visit Prince Yu's mansion and ran into your people head-on. I knew you asked me to come, so I arrived just in time."
"Please come in, father-in-law. I have something important to discuss with you."
After saying that, Leng Yu led the way in front, and Liu Dechang followed closely behind, and entered the gate of Prince Yu's Mansion with him.
Originally, Liu Dechang wanted to come and see Xiaoling, but seeing that Leng Yu was anxious, he followed Leng Yu to the main hall of Prince Yu's Mansion.
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