HCB Chapter 154 Drought
Chapter 154 Drought
The maid took the order and left, while the queen paced back and forth in her bedroom, feeling anxious.
After a few days, the palace maid brought back some news.
The queen learned that although the emperor was disappointed in her, he had not completely given up on her, and that the prince was actively learning how to govern the country and working hard to improve his abilities. The queen felt relieved and realized that she still had a chance.
She began to plan her next move.
The Queen knew that if she wanted to regain power, she had to find allies.
She thought of those ministers who had once approached her. Although they had distanced themselves from her after the emperor learned that she was forming a clique for personal gain, she believed that as long as they were given enough benefits and promises, they would definitely stand on her side again.
Therefore, the queen used her trusted palace maids to pass messages to the outside world and secretly contact those ministers.
She promised them that as long as they supported her at the critical moment, she would reward them generously.
At the same time, she began to reflect on her past behavior, trying to find a more reliable way to achieve her goals.
During the days of house arrest, the queen pretended to be submissive on the surface and reflected on her mistakes every day.
But in fact, she was secretly accumulating strength and waiting for the opportunity to come.
She knew that this power struggle was far from over, and she had to move forward bravely for her own and the prince's future.
Drought hit the south, leaving thousands of miles of land barren and the people were suffering terribly.
The emperor was extremely anxious and busy with state affairs all day, and had no time to pay attention to the queen who was under house arrest.
The atmosphere above the court hall was solemn.
The emperor frowned, looked at the civil and military officials, and said in a deep voice: "The drought in the south is severe, the people are displaced, and the local corrupt officials are corrupt, so the relief grain sent by the court has reached the hands of the people. Now, I must select a suitable person to go to the disaster relief to relieve the suffering of the people."
The ministers looked at each other, each thinking of the right candidate.
The emperor was worried about the disaster relief in the south, and his ministers also had their own thoughts.
At this time, a minister stood up and said respectfully: "Your Majesty, I think that His Royal Highness Prince Chen is the right person to provide disaster relief in the south. His Royal Highness Prince Chen is wise and courageous, and he cares about the people. If His Royal Highness Prince Chen goes to the south to provide disaster relief, he will be able to properly handle the disaster and save the people from the dire situation."
As soon as these words were spoken, there was a burst of discussion in the court.
Someone agreed, "His Royal Highness Prince Chen is indeed capable of handling this matter. He is usually fair and has great prestige, and will definitely live up to your majesty's trust."
However, some ministers expressed different views.
Another minister stepped forward and said earnestly, "Your Majesty, I think the Crown Prince is the best candidate. The Crown Prince is kind-hearted and has always put the people first. The people in the south are suffering from the drought this time, and the Crown Prince will surely feel the same way and go all out to seek welfare for the people. Moreover, the Crown Prince is the crown prince of the country, and this disaster relief is also a training for him, which will be of great benefit to the future of the country."
The debate in the court became increasingly fierce, with ministers supporting Prince Chen and those supporting the Crown Prince each holding their own views and refusing to give in to either side.
The emperor sat on the dragon throne, listening quietly to the arguments of his ministers, weighing the pros and cons in his mind.
The Prince of Chen is indeed capable and has a certain prestige in the court.
However, as the crown prince is the heir apparent to the throne, if he can make some contribution to this disaster relief effort, it will also help him gain experience for his future succession to the throne.
The emperor frowned slightly and fell into deep thought.
At this time, when the prince learned that someone had recommended Prince Chen to compete with him for the opportunity to go to the south to provide disaster relief, he felt both pressured and full of fighting spirit.
He was well aware of the importance of this opportunity, which not only concerned the life and death of the people, but also his own position in the emperor's heart and his future succession to the throne.
The prince found the tutor and said worriedly, "Teacher, someone is recommending the Prince of Chen to compete with me for disaster relief in the south. What should I do?"
The Grand Tutor pondered for a moment and said slowly: "Your Highness, there is no need to worry about this matter. You just need to stick to your original intention, put the people first, and show your kindness and wisdom, and His Majesty will make the right choice."
After hearing the words of the tutor, the prince felt relieved and secretly made up his mind to stand out in this competition, benefit the people and live up to the expectations of the emperor and the people.
When the prince heard this, he became even more worried.
He was well aware of the suffering of the people and also understood the arduous task of disaster relief.
He came before the emperor and said respectfully, "Father, I am willing to go to the south to provide disaster relief. I will do my best to ensure that the relief grain can be distributed to the people and save them from the dire situation."
The emperor looked at the prince with a hint of relief in his eyes, but also a bit of worry.
"My son, I am very pleased that you have this intention. But the situation in the south is complicated. You have never experienced such a difficult thing. I am worried that you will not be able to cope with it."
The prince said firmly: "Father, although I am inexperienced, I have a heart for the people. I believe that as long as I uphold justice, I will be able to complete this mission. Moreover, I have the help of the Grand Tutor and a group of upright people around me, so I will definitely live up to your trust."
The emperor thought for a moment and nodded slightly. "My son, you are very courageous. Since you are so determined, I will agree to your request. But you must remember that this disaster relief is related to the lives of the people, so you must not take it lightly."
The prince was overjoyed and immediately knelt down to thank the emperor. "I will definitely fulfill my mission."
In the Queen's bedroom, she learned about the drought in the south and that the Emperor was selecting people to provide disaster relief, and she had an idea.
She realized that this might be an opportunity to break the confinement dilemma. She called her trusted maid again and ordered: "Go and find out whether the prince has been sent to the south to provide disaster relief. If the prince goes, you must find a way to get in touch with the people around him and ask them to pass on the news to me at the appropriate time."
The maid took the order and left, while the queen continued to plan her future in her bedroom.
After receiving the order, the prince began to actively prepare for disaster relief.
He summoned the Grand Tutor and some experienced ministers to discuss strategies for disaster relief.
The Grand Tutor said, "Your Highness, the first priority for disaster relief in the south this time is to investigate corrupt officials and ensure that the relief grain can be smoothly distributed to the people. At the same time, we must appease the people and stabilize the situation."
The prince nodded in agreement. "Master, what you said is absolutely right. I will definitely follow your advice."
Afterwards, the prince led a large relief team and embarked on a journey to the south.
Along the way, the prince saw the tragic plight of countless people affected by the disaster, which strengthened his belief. He vowed to let the people live a stable life.