The husband I snatched halfway through his life is strange.

The rain subsided at some point. The morning light of dawn spilled over the damp, green eaves, where the lingering traces of the night's rain dripped intermittently, and verdant moss sprouted from the cracks in the stone slabs.

The wind that rushed towards me carried the fresh scent of pine needles.

Last night's sudden rain had gathered into mirrors on the official road, reflecting the cloud shadows that Ying Yin had hurriedly shattered.

From afar, one could see a large number of people standing outside the emperor's sleeping quarters.

Civil officials stood to the left of the palace gate, while military officers stood to the right.

There weren't many people, but they were all important officials in the court.

The civil officials were whispering among themselves, but Gu Fuju, who stood tall and straight, was the most disciplined. He glanced at them briefly and then fell silent.

Minister Yang remained indifferent to this situation.

He had long disliked Gu Fuju's behavior, as if all civil officials had to defer to him.

But Gu Fuju's reputation was undeniable, and there was nothing he could do about it.

The civil officials' side became very quiet.

But there weren't many rules for military officers.

Wei Zhao, in his wheelchair, paid no attention.

"What's going on? It's one thing for His Majesty to summon us, but why did he even call in General Wei, who is recuperating from an illness?"

"I don't know. The eunuch who summoned him kept his mouth shut and couldn't get any information out of him. Could it be that His Majesty's headache has worsened?"

"I do know some of the inside story."

Marquis Zhongyong's expression was solemn.

As soon as he spoke, several military officers looked over and clasped their hands in salute.

"We would appreciate your guidance, Lord Marquis, so that we may be mindful of our words and avoid offending His Majesty."

There's nothing to hide.

Marquis Zhongyong said, "That Taoist priest Baopu observed the celestial phenomena at night and yesterday told His Majesty that many places in the Great Jin, especially remote areas, have been experiencing prolonged rains, which may cause rivers to overflow and fields to be submerged, resulting in floods. His Majesty probably wanted to consult with us on countermeasures."

"Flooding?"

Not only were the military officers in turmoil, but the civil officials were also unsettled.

Some military generals did not believe in gods or Buddhas.

"What utter bullshit! How can you believe what a charlatan says?"

Minister of Justice Yao found it ridiculous.

"With the plum rain season fast approaching, it's normal for it to rain frequently in various places, as it happens every year. Therefore, the Jiangnan water towns and cities that rely on the river for their livelihood are prone to flooding during the flood season. The most serious damage is that the dikes are destroyed, the fields are damaged, and the roads are flooded."

People wouldn't be foolish enough to run to the riverbank, so very few people would be swept away.

"The term 'flood disaster' is simply alarmist."

Some officials, though mindful of potential dangers even in times of peace, still felt it was impossible.

"Regardless of whether what is said is true or false, we must always be on guard. The people must come first in everything."

Lord Yao said coldly, "How can we prevent this? Lord Zhu's words are truly laughable. Do you know how many places in the Great Jin Dynasty receive rain? Does the court intend to exhaust all its financial, material, and human resources to relocate those living near the river?"

As the Minister of Justice, he frequently encountered many troublesome people.

I know best that those at the bottom of society are the hardest to communicate with. They are not only plagued by poverty and illness, but are also the most prone to extremism.

"Would ordinary people be willing to abandon their ancestral graves and move them? How much persuasion would it take?"

"What will happen after the relocation? The national treasury is empty, where will they live? How will they make a living? If something really goes wrong, then all this effort will be worthwhile. But if after all this fuss, everything goes smoothly, then that Taoist priest has played a fool of everyone in the Great Jin Dynasty, from the emperor to the ministers to the common people. How many times can his head be chopped off?"

With that, he flicked his sleeve and let out a cold laugh.

It has a very stylish air about it.

Many people agreed with him and nodded in agreement.

Ying Yin then stepped closer.

Just as everyone was about to bow and pay their respects, the palace doors were opened.

Emperor Yingqian was pushed out by the fourth prince, Ying Cheng, with the second prince, Ying Zhi, following behind.

Many people's thoughts are in a state of flux.

The fourth prince has completely turned his life around.

Having not left the palace for a long time, and with the light not being too glaring, Emperor Yingqian still felt slightly uncomfortable.

Some officials, who had not seen the emperor for a long time, quickly concealed the astonishment in their eyes.

Emperor Yingqian had lost a lot of weight and looked several years older. The exposed burns were so red and swollen that they were oozing pus.

Wei Zhao, who hadn't reacted before, was now quite unhappy.

Because Emperor Yingqian also used a wheelchair.

The bastard copied him?
Wei Zhao's wheelchair was made by Wei Shouzhong himself when he was still in Ze County.

During Wei Zhao's use of it, he noticed many inconveniences and made numerous changes.

Although it was made of ordinary wood, Wei Zhao found the wheelchair very convenient to use and remembered the kindness shown to him. Otherwise, he wouldn't have brought it all the way from Ze County back to the capital.

But the wood used by the dog emperor was Phoebe zhennan.

It immediately made his wheelchair seem quite ordinary.

Tsk. Wei Zhao's gaze was deep and unfathomable.

accurate.

Emperor Yingqian dismissed the greetings from the crowd and glanced around.

"Everyone is here?"

Emperor Yingqian: "I was in the palace just now and I also heard you discussing this."

His gaze lingered on Lord Yao for a moment at the very end.

"Old fifth."

Suddenly, Ying Yin was called out by name.

"What do you think of what Minister Yao said?"

This is interesting.

Everyone knows that Minister Yao is the Second Prince's father-in-law.

When Ying Zhi's legs became weak, he immediately became close to Ying Yin. He even sent his second daughter to serve Ying Yin.

Ying Yin hurriedly and respectfully replied, "This..."

He had just uttered one word when Emperor Yingqian interrupted him.

"Fourth brother, you speak."

Ying Yin maintained a respectful demeanor, revealing no other emotions.

He panicked when he agreed.

Minister Yang was eager to hear what his prospective son-in-law would say.

No.

To agree to something is like trying to make mud stick to a wall – utterly hopeless.

"My son, I don't know."

He was at a loss for words and stammered, "Your...your subject deserves to die."

If it were any other prince, he would have been scolded long ago.

However, Emperor Qian did not scold Ying Cheng.

After all, Ying Cheng was not well received in the palace since childhood, so it would be a miracle if he could actually say something eloquent.

Trying to force growth by pulling up seedlings is not an easy task.

"You're honest enough to say you know what you know and not know what you don't know."

The compliment received: ...

Ying Yin was unhappy that the emperor had tricked him, but Ying Zhi was actually not happy either.

Because even the emperor didn't bother with him.

He was completely ignored.

However, Ying Zhi arrived early and overheard Emperor Ying Qian instructing his attendants to invite Bao Pu, and that talismans and cinnabar were prepared.

Now he has specially left the palace.

He then realized that the focus today was probably not just on the floods.

Emperor Yingqian looked at Gu Fuju.

Seeing this, Gu Fuju, who had been silent all along, stepped forward and cupped his hands in greeting.

He did not say whether he agreed with Baopu's prediction.

They did not respond, but agreed with what Minister Yao said.

It only says what will happen if flooding occurs.

"The rain is incessant, and the world is as if it is submerged in water. Seedlings will rot if they are soaked for too long, and wheat ears will mold and rot if they get wet. No new grain will be put into the granaries, and the old grain will gradually run out."

"The imperial court intended to open the granaries to provide relief, but the roads were muddy and difficult for carriages and horses to travel on. Starving people were trapped in one place, their cries echoing across the fields, and refugees and bandits were rampant."

“The torrential rains and floods not only harm farmers, but also damage the foundation of the nation. In my opinion, they are even worse than droughts.”

旱？
"This……"

Someone whispered, "It's not that serious, is it?"

"Yes."

But these words were spoken by the Grand Tutor.

Is there any need to question the Grand Tutor's knowledge and abilities?
"General Wei."

Someone thought of Wei Zhao, whose knowledge and skills were also first-rate, and asked, "What do you think of this matter?"

Wei Zhao was very accommodating and finally spoke up.

"The fields and houses were all flooded, and rotting corpses and filth were soaked in the yellow soup, drifting with the current."

He said, "After the floods and droughts, there will inevitably be a major epidemic."

(End of this chapter)