Chapter 189 The Minister of Revenue is in pain
The Minister of Revenue immediately agreed, "Yes, yes, Your Majesty,
it will cost the people money!" The Minister of Revenue: How much money will it cost to spread lime all over the capital!
After a pause, the Minister of Revenue said with a smile, "In my opinion, we can wait until they find out which inn the infected person lives in, and then let Lord Liu spread more quicklime on the inn, and then spread quicklime on the street where the inn is located."
At this point, the Minister of Revenue's eyebrows flashed with pride.
"Your Majesty, do you think my suggestion is feasible? This way, we can save a lot of money!"
He looked up at Emperor Mingxi eagerly, as if waiting for Emperor Mingxi's praise and reward.
[What! Wait until we find out where the inn is! And only disinfect the street near the inn? ! 】
Xia Miaoyuan couldn't help it after hearing this, and ran to the front hall with his short legs, shouting at the Minister of Revenue in a fierce manner: "You are talking nonsense!"
All the ministers were a little confused for a moment.
"Children's words are innocent, children's words are innocent!" Xia Zhengqi smiled slightly, stood up and hugged his daughter in his arms.
【Ahhhhhh! Dad, you must not listen to the Minister of Revenue! 】
【They came here deliberately to spread the plague, so they will do their best to move around the capital. 】
【Besides, people are always moving, not fixed. How can it be effective if we only scatter the streets where the inns are located! 】
Xia Zhengqi held his daughter in his arms and sat down steadily. Then he put on a stern face and said in a stern voice: "The disinfection of the capital city must be carried out according to my order. It cannot be changed!"
"But, Your Majesty..."
Jingzhao Yin had just finished half of his words when Xia Zhengqi immediately shouted: "The epidemic is as fierce as a tiger. The earlier it is, the more people can be saved. Anyone who has any objections can go home and take a vacation immediately!"
Jingzhao Yin was so scared that he immediately lowered his head and swallowed the second half of his words.
Seeing that Emperor Mingxi had a tough attitude, the other ministers did not dare to speak out again, but they showed dissatisfaction on their faces.
"The emperor is becoming more and more arbitrary." Dongfang Yushi did not move his lips and complained in a low voice.
The Minister of Revenue, Jingzhao Yin and others put their hands behind their backs and gave Dongfang Yushi a thumbs up.
"Oh, and, Lord Liu, you are responsible for notifying the entire capital city that men, women, old and young should wear face coverings immediately. Close the four city gates and no one is allowed to enter or leave."
"Yes!" Jingzhao Yin replied with a sullen face.
[And Jiaxiang Town, Daddy, send people there quickly! I remember reading in the book that when the people from the court arrived in Jiaxiang, almost all the people in the town had died, and even the town's appellant had run away.]
Xia Zhengqi felt as if something had bitten him hard in the heart.
What? In this Jiaxiang Town, the epidemic was concealed and not reported, and the town's appellant had run away?
"I have found out that Jiaxiang Town is suffering from an epidemic. The situation is not optimistic and the court's support is urgently needed. My dear ministers, do you have a suitable candidate?"
"Or you can recommend yourselves."
The ministers below all gasped when they heard that it was not optimistic.
There is only one life. If you go to the epidemic area and get infected with the epidemic, you're done.
There was silence for a full cup of tea. When the Minister of
Personnel, Lord Yan, saw that no one took the job, he stepped forward and said, "This old minister is willing to go to Jiaxiang to treat the epidemic."
The new Minister of Personnel, Lord Yan, is the prince's teacher Yan Wenjing. He is upright and talented, but unfortunately he is old.
Xia Zhengqi looked at Lord Yan's white beard, sighed and said, "Lord Yan, I understand your sincere heart, but you are so old, it is really not suitable for such a critical mission."
"Let the younger ones go."
At this time, the Minister of War Bailifeng stepped forward and said, "I am not too old, I am willing to go."
Xia Zhengqi looked up and saw that it was his uncle, and he felt very warm in his heart.
After all, family members are reliable.
But he frowned again.
The Imperial Guards are still in crisis. If there is a problem with the Imperial Guards, the safety of the capital will be in big trouble. Then, the Ministry of War is what the court needs most.
"Lord Baili, although I also want you to go, but given the current situation, your Ministry of War still depends on you."
[The newly promoted Minister of War Qin Fengshu is very suitable. This person is courageous and knowledgeable, smart and cautious. 】
Xia Zhengqi's eyes lit up: "Lord Baili, how about Minister Qin of your Ministry of War?"
Bailifeng nodded repeatedly: "Lord Qin is very good."
"Then send Minister Qin of the Ministry of War to be in charge of the treatment of the epidemic in Jiaxiang Town."
Bailifeng looked at Xia Zhengqi sincerely: "Your Majesty, I can't go, so let my son go with Lord Qin, just as if he is doing your part for me."
"If the epidemic in Jiaxiang this time is really as the intelligence reports say, the situation should be critical now. Lord Qin must need help."
Xia Zhengqi's eyes were a little sore, and he nodded slowly.
"Okay, I will immediately draft an imperial edict to send Lord Xiao Qin as the anti-epidemic envoy, and Bai Liming as the deputy envoy to assist Lord Xiao Qin."
Xia Zhengqi stopped talking and said to the Minister of Finance Zhao Hui: "Immediately allocate 200,000 taels of silver to the anti-epidemic envoy so that they can set off as soon as possible."
Lord Zhao felt his eyes go dark and his legs go weak: "Two hundred thousand!?"
"Your Majesty, can you reduce it?" At this point, he already had some tears in his voice.
Zhao Hui felt like a knife was cutting his flesh, and the pain was unbearable.
Xia Zhengqi glared at him and said coldly: "No! If 200,000 taels is not enough, I'm afraid we will have to allocate more."
Zhao Hui's legs went weak and he almost fell to the ground. Fortunately, Bai Lifeng was quick to hug him.
[Tsk tsk tsk, it seems that the ministers of the Ministry of Revenue in every dynasty are all of the same character, stealing the door.] Xia Miaoyuan could not help but complain.
The ministers accepted their orders and bowed to leave.
The empress chatted with Emperor Mingxi for a few words, and immediately returned to Kunning Palace to preside over the precautions of the harem. The empress
summoned all the concubines, found white cotton cloth from the storehouse, cut it into a face towel of the right size, and ordered everyone to wear the face towel, and the palace people were not allowed to walk around without necessary circumstances.
Then the empress ordered people to collect a lot of wine from the storehouse and distribute it to each palace as a precaution.
By the time the palace corridor was covered with quicklime, it was time to light the lamps.
Xia Zhengqi finished his official duties and sat limply on the couch, not wanting to move at all.
"Emperor Daddy!" Xia Miaoyuan's childish voice came.
"Your Majesty, I was worried that you hadn't eaten yet, so I brought Miao'er to bring you some dinner." The empress walked into the front hall carrying a food box.
Xia Zhengqi looked at his fussy daughter, and a hint of joy appeared on his tired face.
Emperor Mingxi had just finished half of his dinner when he heard a commotion outside the door.
"What's wrong?" Xia Zhengqi raised his head alertly.
"Your Majesty, there is a letter from the Imperial Guards!" Debao's voice came in, his tone was urgent.
"Come in and tell me!" Xia Zhengqi threw down his chopsticks, took out a handkerchief to wipe his hands, and quickly walked to the dragon throne and sat down.
A dusty Imperial Guard came in, knelt on the ground and saluted Emperor Mingxi.
"No need to be polite, no need to be polite, tell me what's going on over there?"