By the time the situation was reported to the imperial court, most of the people's houses and crops had been submerged. They had nowhere to go and no food to eat, and the number of refugees in Liangzhou City was increasing.
If the dam cannot be repaired as soon as possible, the problem will only become more serious. The prefect of Liangzhou could not bear the consequences, so he had no choice but to report to the imperial court and try his best to make up for the losses.
The emperor was indeed very angry; his face was so dark it seemed to drip water, and his imposing aura made all the ministers tremble.
But the most important thing now is to send people to build dikes as soon as possible, appease the people of Liangzhou City, and prevent the refugees from spreading further.
The emperor pondered for a moment before breaking the deadlock, "What are your thoughts, my esteemed ministers?"
No sooner had he finished speaking than a minister stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, Liangzhou City is adjacent to the northern border and is an important defense line for our dynasty. The construction of the dike should not be done hastily.”
Now that the number of refugees in the city is increasing and morale is low, it is difficult to guarantee that they will not be instigated and exploited by those with ulterior motives. I believe that the selection of officials to send to Liangzhou should be made with utmost care.”
These words struck a chord with the emperor, but deciding who to send was indeed a major problem.
The northern kingdoms had long coveted Liangzhou and had repeatedly tested and provoked it, but they had never been able to find a way to attack the city.
The refugee issue is now like a critical gap; if not handled properly, it will widen and attract the covetous eyes of countless unscrupulous people.
"Do any of you ministers have any recommendations?" The emperor's majestic eyes swept over the crowd below, wanting to hear their thoughts.
The ministers looked at each other, but no one stepped forward; none of them wanted to be the first to speak up.
Li Wang stood calmly to the side. Without giving any signal, his men dared not make any rash moves.
The Prince was the first to lose his composure, saying, "Your Majesty, I believe that Lord Pei is the most suitable person to go to Liangzhou City."
Pei Qingyan, who had been mentioned, simply stared ahead calmly, a knowing smile playing on his lips.
The prince suppressed his anger and straightened his expression.
The incident in Nanyang caused such a big commotion that even the Prince Xian was implicated and banished from the capital. The instigators of all this were Song Zhiyu and Pei Qingyan.
One of these two men harmed his son, and the other harmed his brother; how could he not hate them?
Besides, he wasn't the only one who wanted Pei Qingyan dead.
The prince, with a smirk, seemed oblivious to the emperor's sudden darkening gaze, and continued speaking to himself, "Back then, when the dikes were built in Liangzhou, Lord Pei made a great contribution."
Although this statement is full of sarcasm, it is an undeniable fact.
In those days, Liangzhou experienced continuous heavy rain. The emperor was worried that the dikes, which had been neglected for many years, might cause an accident, so he summoned his ministers to offer their opinions.
Pei Qingyan, who had just taken office, solved the problem with just a few words, won the emperor's favor, and was ordered to go to Liangzhou, where he rose rapidly through the ranks.
The court officials nodded in agreement; they would have forgotten about it if the prince hadn't reminded them.
Putting aside the numerous displaced people in the city, the incessant torrential rain alone made this journey dangerous enough.
Pei Qingyan's reputation in Liangzhou City surpasses that of the local prefect. With him in charge, the people's hearts will be appeased, and a lot of unnecessary trouble will be reduced.
In this way, if Pei Qingyan is unwilling to go, it would be considered that he is afraid of death.
His Majesty despises those who are afraid of death, so if Pei Qingyan shows even the slightest sign of reluctance, he is very likely to be rejected by His Majesty.
Regardless of the outcome, they were all happy to see it happen. After all, he had climbed to such a high position at such a young age, and the Emperor valued him so much that even Prince Li was willing to offer him great benefits to win him over.
Those in Li Wang's faction especially hated him to the core. He was indeed capable, but he used his abilities in the wrong place.
Su Jinyang frowned. How could he not see that the Prince was deliberately targeting him? Just as he was about to retort, he saw Pei Qingyan gently shake his head at him.
“Your Majesty, I am willing to go to Liangzhou.” Pei Qingyan did not refuse. As clever as he was, he could naturally guess the prince’s thoughts.
Now, there are many displaced people in Liangzhou City, crops are destroyed, and the imperial court's disaster relief grain has not yet been distributed. The resentment in the hearts of the people will only grow deeper.
If something were to happen to him in Liangzhou, it would be exactly what many people wanted.
Upon hearing this, a dark glint flashed quickly in Li Wang's deep eyes.
He was just wondering how to get rid of Pei Qingyan without anyone noticing when this opportunity came knocking on his door.
Those who cannot be used by him should be destroyed.
"Lord Pei is truly righteous." The other court officials were overjoyed. Since Pei Qingyan had gone, they couldn't let them go.
Looking at the faces of this group of people, Zhou Xingzhi sneered inwardly. His clear voice rang out from the hall, "Father, the city of Liangzhou is ravaged by refugees. Lord Pei is a civil official. Why not send General Su along? This will not only protect Lord Pei's safety but also deter the refugees and expedite the construction of the dike."
As soon as he finished speaking, the faces of the people who had been secretly gloating froze.
The Crown Prince truly didn't speak unless he was completely silent, but once he did, he stunned everyone.
So this is how it can be done?
With Su Jinyang accompanying them, the danger of their trip to Liangzhou was reduced considerably, which was something they didn't want to see.
"Your Majesty, while the Crown Prince's words are not without reason, General Su commands most of the court's troops and guards the safety of the imperial city. He cannot leave easily."
Moreover, the Northern Kingdom has long intended to instigate war. I believe it would be best for General Su to remain in the capital.
Zhou Xingzhi smiled and did not refute him, but instead asked in return, "Does Lord Li know where Liangzhou is?"
Lord Li frowned and subconsciously replied, "It's just in the northern border region."
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