This sparked a discussion among the court officials.
Some ministers believed that the behavior of these displaced people was extremely egregious.
If we are not careful, we could be taken advantage of by those with ulterior motives. If someone causes trouble, it could be detrimental to the rule of Dacheng. We should take strong measures to suppress them in time.
However, some ministers felt that these refugees were merely forced by circumstances and should be guided and comforted.
If the methods are too harsh, it may hurt the people's feelings and be detrimental to Dacheng's rule.
The two sides argued endlessly, turning the entire court into a chaotic marketplace, much to Emperor Rongcheng's annoyance.
At this moment, a young eunuch quietly approached Dexi and whispered something in his ear.
Upon hearing this, Dexi's eyes lit up, and he immediately stepped forward and whispered the news to Emperor Rongcheng.
Emperor Rongcheng paused for a moment upon hearing this before nodding.
Having received Emperor Rongcheng's approval, Dexi then sang loudly:
"Ministers, please be patient. We have just received new information from Ji Province. Why don't we listen to the latest news first, and then we can discuss this further?"
After Dexi finished speaking, everyone fell silent.
At this moment, a man who looked like a guard slowly walked in.
He first knelt down to pay his respects, and only after receiving Emperor Rongcheng's approval did he raise his head and say:
"Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince has just sent word that the matter of the refugees in Ji Province has been resolved."
After these words were spoken, everyone present fell silent for a moment before the ministers began to discuss them.
"Resolved?"
"How was it resolved?"
"How is this possible?"
"With so many people involved, how could it be resolved so simply?"
...
The entire court was thrown into chaos once again.
Emperor Rongcheng was so annoyed that he simply snorted coldly.
"I will now rise. You may come up here and continue your argument, shall we?"
Upon hearing this, all the ministers knelt on the ground, trembling with fear.
"We dare not."
"Your Majesty, please forgive me!"
Finally, things quieted down.
Emperor Rongcheng then continued speaking:
"How did the Crown Prince resolve this matter?"
The guard immediately continued:
"When His Highness the Crown Prince arrived at the Prefect's residence, the Prefect was indulging in revelry. After His Highness punished him, he immediately led his troops to the place where the people were gathered."
"But when His Highness arrived, he found that all the refugees had already been subdued."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Rongcheng could not hide the astonishment on his face.
"Uniforms? Did they say how they were made?"
The guard shook his head and respectfully presented another memorial.
"This is a memorial written by His Highness the Crown Prince. Please take a look at it, Your Majesty."
Dexi took it and handed it to Emperor Rongcheng.
Emperor Rongcheng opened the memorial and found that, in addition to describing the events of that day, it also contained a record of what had happened that day.
It also recounts the story of the governor of Jizhou who accidentally fell off a cliff and died on his way back.
Emperor Rongcheng did not react to this.
He also bears responsibility for the current state of the refugee crisis; his death is no big deal.
In addition, he wrote about the situation in Qi County that Shen Hechuan had inquired about, and explained that the situation there was very serious. He hoped that Emperor Rongcheng would send someone there as soon as possible to arrange disaster relief, and that he would go to Qi County as soon as possible.
The report made no mention of how those refugees were subdued.
This aroused Emperor Rongcheng's suspicions, and he thought he should wait until Shen Hechuan returned before asking him.
Thinking of this, a great weight was lifted from his heart.
He immediately arranged for a suitable person to temporarily serve as the governor of Jizhou.
In addition, other officials were appointed, and a large amount of grain was transported to Qi County.
After everything was arranged, a smile appeared on his face.
"Excellent! The Crown Prince has lived up to my expectations and resolved this matter so smoothly, relieving my great anxiety. He deserves a reward."
Seeing Emperor Rongcheng's expression, the court officials all began to agree with him, praising Shen Hechuan's abilities and saying that the Crown Prince was the future hope of Dacheng.
These were all familiar topics, and although Emperor Rongcheng felt a little uncomfortable, he could still accept them.
Afterwards, the court officials began another heated discussion about how to reward His Highness the Crown Prince.
Some ministers said that His Highness the Crown Prince's actions were for the sake of our great cause and were only right and proper, so there was no need for further praise.
Some ministers, however, said that His Highness the Crown Prince's actions were of great merit and deserved a great reward. They argued that not only should His Highness be given more power, but it was also time to select a Crown Princess for him.
The Crown Princess should also be chosen from a powerful and influential family so that she can wholeheartedly assist His Highness the Crown Prince.
Actually, that makes sense. After all, Prince Rui has fallen, and His Highness the Crown Prince, as the heir apparent, should rightfully enjoy these privileges.
However, these words made Emperor Rongcheng frown instantly.
He couldn't help but think of the conversation between the two palace maids in the Imperial Garden that day, and his expression changed instantly.
But the courtiers who were arguing were completely unaware and continued to debate the matter.
It wasn't until Emperor Rongcheng snorted coldly, stood up, and stepped down from the dragon throne that everyone immediately stopped talking and knelt down.
Seeing Emperor Rongcheng's expression, Dexi knew what the emperor was thinking. He immediately sighed inwardly and shouted, "Court adjourned."
With that, he immediately followed Emperor Rongcheng.
After Emperor Rongcheng strode away, the few courtiers kneeling on the ground smiled slightly with satisfaction.
When Emperor Rongcheng came out of the main hall, he looked at the vast imperial city, but was at a loss as to where to go.
He was happy when he learned that Shen Hechuan had resolved the matter, and he wanted to go to Jingyu Palace immediately to tell Jiang Xianhao the good news.
However, the scene he had just recalled made him too afraid to step into Jingyu Palace.
He wandered aimlessly for a while and somehow ended up at a remote palace.
Before I even got close, I could hear the sound of reading coming from inside.
He frowned slightly and couldn't help but look inside through the half-open courtyard gate.
Only then did they realize that the person reading inside was none other than Prince Rui, whom they hadn't seen in a long time.
Since the day he was injured, Prince Rui has not appeared before Emperor Rongcheng again.
Emperor Rongcheng initially thought he was recuperating from an injury.
Later, he was implicated in Consort Hui's affair, and he no longer wanted to see his son.
Over time, he gradually disappeared from his sight.
After all, that's what the imperial palace is like.
A prince who has fallen out of favor will soon be forgotten in the palace.
However, he did not expect that this child, who was not very bright and did not like to read, would now be so diligent in this remote palace.
It seems that the series of events that happened before have helped him grow.
Emperor Rongcheng saw that Prince Rui was reading a book, so he did not disturb him and simply turned and left.
He spoke only after leaving the palace.
"Let Prince Rui attend court tomorrow."
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