The next morning.
Early morning in the Jinluan Palace.
"If you have something to report, please report it. If you don't, please leave the court!"
The sharp voice of the eunuch Cao Wanchun echoed in the magnificent palace as usual.
"I have a report."
Grand Tutor Wang Mingsong was the first to stand up.
The Han emperor looked at him with both eyes and said majestically: "What do you want to report?"
"Your Majesty, the floods in Jiangbei and Moxi are getting more and more serious. A large number of refugees have flocked to the imperial capital, with a number of more than 30,000!"
Wang Mingsong said immediately.
The Han emperor's face froze and said: "What? How come I don't know about this? What do local governments do for a living? Why don't they open the warehouses to provide relief!"
"Your Majesty, the floods destroyed the roads, and the letters submitted to the court could not be delivered in time. As far as I know, the local governments have opened the warehouses to provide relief, but there are too many refugees and they can't take care of them." Wang Mingsong responded respectfully.
"How are these refugees now?"
The Han Emperor asked hurriedly.
He was an emperor who loved his people like his own children. He knew that water can carry a boat but can also overturn it. If the refugees were not properly settled, there might be civil unrest.
Most of the rebellions in history were caused by hunger and the court's inaction, which led to the emergence of uprisings again and again.
The Han Emperor Qin Mu knew the seriousness of the problem, so he did not dare to be careless in dealing with this matter. He said: "If the refugees arrive in the imperial capital, they must not be stopped. Let them enter the city in an orderly manner and open the warehouse to release grain."
"Your Majesty, the refugees have settled outside the city, and someone has gone to provide relief for the court." Wang Mingsong said with a bow.
"What? Who can help me solve my worries? I will reward him heavily."
The Han Emperor's eyes lit up.
Could it be a wealthy businessman in the imperial capital?
"Your Majesty, it's the eldest prince and the eighth prince!"
Hearing Wang Mingsong's words, the Han Emperor's face suddenly froze.
Civil and military officials began to discuss.
"It's the two princes? I didn't expect that they were still outside the city after being expelled from the palace."
"The two princes can provide disaster relief for the court, which shows that they have inherited your majesty's benevolence. Good, it's really good."
The Han emperor was filled with mixed feelings and murmured: "Where did they get the food for disaster relief?"
Wang Mingsong continued: "The two princes sold their property and exchanged it for silver to buy food from various rice merchants in the city, but the number of refugees was too large. It is estimated that they can't hold on for too long with the power of the two princes alone."
"Big brother, Eighth brother, you actually..."
The old face of the Han emperor suddenly surged with shame. How could he not know whether these two sons had money? The so-called property was probably the reward he gave over the years.
Now that both of them have been expelled from the imperial capital, this money can be said to be their lives, but they sold it for silver just for disaster relief.
What good two sons.
But he beat them all the way out.
Thinking of this, the eyes of the Han emperor turned red.
Wang Mingsong saw this scene, and a sneer flashed in the depths of his experienced eyes.
"Where is the ninth prince? Such a big thing happened outside the city, what is he doing?" After the Han emperor restrained his emotions, he frowned and asked majestically.
"The ninth prince stayed in Wutong Garden and didn't go out. I don't know what he is doing." A civil servant stood up and said.
The Han emperor's face became gloomy at a visible speed: "There are 30,000 refugees outside the city, homeless and hungry, and he is having fun in Wutong Garden?"
The ninth prince Qin Ying used to have a bad reputation in the palace. He stayed in Wutong Garden all day, drinking and having fun with those beautiful maids.
Could it be that he has become as ridiculous as before?
"Come out of the palace with me, I want to see the refugees." The Han emperor didn't want to think too badly of Qin Ying. After all, he saw the recent changes of his son. Maybe he just didn't know?
This is the thought.
The Han emperor left him alone for the time being and quickly left the palace with all the civil and military officials.
At the same time.
Outside the city.
Thirty thousand refugees lined up neatly in a long line, each holding a bowl, looking expectantly at the huge porridge shed in front of them.
The smell of vegetables and meat in the air made the refugees' already hungry stomachs protest even more. If it weren't for the officers and soldiers maintaining order, they would have been in chaos.
There were several large pots in the porridge shed that were larger than water tanks, boiling hot and fragrant vegetable and meat porridge.
The eldest prince Qin Dang personally went to the battle. Although his arm had not recovered yet, he still used one hand to grab a large wooden spoon to stir the rice porridge in the pot.
The eighth prince Qin Zhou squatted on the ground.
Both of them were soaked in sweat, especially Qin Zhou, whose face was blackened and choked by smoke.
"Old Eighth, can Lord Wang's method really make my father change his mind? Can I return to the palace by saving a few refugees and showing some kindness?" Qin Dang asked while cooking porridge.
From the sound, it can be heard that he is not very willing.
"Brother, I really doubt whether there is water in your head. Don't you know what the emperor likes most?"
Qin Zhou looked at him speechlessly, holding back the twitch of his mouth, and patiently explained:
"The emperor cares about the people of the world. We provide disaster relief to please the emperor. Once he is happy, won't everything be easy?"
"After eating the porridge, these refugees will definitely be grateful to us and become our supporters. This will enhance our prestige among the people. If we have the support of the people, the emperor will have to consider withdrawing the exile order!"
"So Lord Wang's move can not only allow us to return to the court, but also win the hearts of the people. It is simply killing two birds with one stone."
When Qin Zhou finished speaking, the eldest prince Qin Dang secretly praised, but then echoed, "It should be killing three birds with one stone. Don't forget the cruel plan of Master Wang Teng."
"Yes, killing three birds with one stone!"
While the two were talking, they saw a commotion at the city gate.
A large number of imperial guards wearing yellow and black armor led the way. Surrounded by the imperial guards, all civil and military officials came to the city gate.
Their centerpiece was naturally the yellow dragon robe.
"Here he comes, my father is here." Qin Zhou hurriedly reminded.
"Great, my father is really here."
Qin Dang saw that it was indeed the Han emperor who came, and he worked harder and said to the soldiers next to him: "You can let the refugees in and start distributing porridge."
The soldiers immediately released the refugees after hearing this.
The refugees who had been hungry for a long time immediately rushed into the porridge shed.
"Come, drink the porridge as much as you want." Qin Dang scooped up the vegetable and meat porridge and poured it into an old woman's bowl.
"Thank you... Thank you, Your Highness."
The refugee old woman drank the porridge while speaking.
She didn't care that the porridge was hot, and took a bite. The warm taste of the food instantly made her
feel like she was reborn, and she burst into tears immediately.
Qin Zhou came over with a smile, "Old man, is the porridge delicious?"
"It's delicious, delicious."
The old woman swallowed in big mouthfuls, and the way she swallowed so voraciously made Qin Zhou's eyes flash with disgust. The stench from their bodies almost made Qin Zhou want to kick them.
But when he thought of the plan, he still endured it.
"Since it tastes good, shouldn't you thank us?" Qin Zhou said with a smile on his face: "If it tastes good, just shout it out loud!"
Hearing this, the old woman said cautiously: "I shouted, can I still drink another bowl?"
"Hahaha." Qin Zhou laughed: "Of course."
"Thank you, the two princes, everyone come and drink the porridge. The two princes are kind-hearted, which is a blessing for our Han Dynasty and the people."
Hearing this, everyone responded.
"Thank you, the two princes."
"The princes are kind-hearted."
...
The Han emperor, who was far away at the city gate, was surprised when he heard this deafening sound.
He knew that the two were helping refugees, but he didn't expect that they would actually do it themselves. The eldest prince Qin Dang, not to mention, had been at the border since he was a child and was used to suffering.
But the eighth prince Qin Zhou, who had been by his side since he was a child, had never been short of fine clothes and delicious food, and could actually get along with the refugees?
The two princes had no airs of the royal family and did not despise the refugees, which greatly changed the impression of the Han emperor on them.
"Your Majesty, this is Your Majesty."
Someone saw the Han emperor.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty is here, we are saved, we are saved."
"Your Majesty, please make a decision for us. My home was washed away by the flood, and four people died in my family. I am the only one left to escape here!"
"Thanks to the two princes for distributing porridge, otherwise my daughter would have starved to death today."
A group of refugees rushed towards the Han emperor. If it weren't for the cold light flashing from the long swords of the imperial guards, they would have rushed over.
Seeing these people in front of him, all of them were in tattered clothes, their faces were bruised, their faces were yellow and their eyes were bloodshot. They were like walking corpses.
They didn't know how many days they had been hungry. Some of them even had babies in their arms, but their lives had long been silent.
The scenes in front of him were like sharp knives piercing the heart of the Han emperor.
"Father!"
At this time, Qin Dang and Qin Zhou threw down the porridge spoons in their hands, ran over and knelt down.
"Father, please save these refugees."
"They are so pitiful."
The Han emperor looked at them.
The brothers' faces were covered with sweat. Qin Dang's arm was not healed yet, but he held on regardless of the pain. Qin Zhou's face was black, and his originally gorgeous clothes were stained with many stains.
Especially when they came over, the first sentence was to beg the Han emperor to help the refugees.
This really touched the heart of the Han emperor, and his old face was moved.
"You have worked hard."
The Han Emperor put his hands on their shoulders and said, "Go back, I will settle these refugees."
Hearing the words of the Han Emperor, Qin Dang was delighted. Just as he was about to speak, he was stopped by Qin Zhou. He shook his head and said, "Father, my brothers and I have committed a serious crime. You have done us the greatest favor by not killing us. How can we have the face to go back!"
"Old Eight, you..."
Qin Dang was immediately anxious when he heard it, but Qin Zhou did not give him a chance to speak, "Father, after we help these refugees, we will leave the imperial capital immediately and will not hinder you at all. 's eyes, nor does it bother the ninth brother. "
"You don't have to go."
The Han emperor's face suddenly became majestic, and he shouted: "Isn't it just flirting with a princess from another country? What's the matter? Can't my son afford to provoke her?"
"Come back with me. The imperial edict was issued by me, and of course I can take it back. I don't know who dares to object!"
"What you did today is very good. I didn't realize before that you two brothers love the people so much. It seems that I am too partial to the ninth brother and neglect you."
After the Han emperor spoke, all the civil and military officials behind him nodded.
Although changing orders every day will have a bad impact on the emperor's majesty, he is his son after all, and he has done good things for the country and the people. What can't be forgiven?
Among the officials, Wang Mingsong's old face showed a sneer of success. At this point, the plan is going as he thought, and everything is going well.
The two princes have decided to return to the palace.
Next, it is time to take action against the ninth prince Qin Ying.