As soon as the New Year atmosphere was over, Xiaoman and Ziyou were already out of confinement. The two were taking care of the affairs of the palace. Aunt Su was responsible for taking care of Xu Xin. Zhu Muchen would go to the Forbidden Army Camp in his spare time.
Hearing the news from Pang Man, the Guo family father and son encountered bandits on their way westward, and both of them were killed. As for the Guo family's female relatives, they couldn't bear the suffering and were riddled with diseases. They finally got their due retribution.
But according to Pang Man's investigation, His Highness Taisun did everything, and Zhu Muchen accepted this favor in his heart.
In the weather in April, Zhu Muchen went to the supermarket and saw a mother and daughter followed by a group of ragged people, showing their skin and bones. Everyone on Zhuque Street covered their noses and hid behind them.
"Aji, please stop the carriage aside and follow me down to take a look."
"But the prince's subordinates are all refugees. If I hurt you, how can I explain to the three masters when I return home?"
Aji was quite worried, but when Zhu Muchen heard his tone, it turned out that everyone in Wuchang City knew about this, and he had been busy at home these days, and it was as if he had been kept in the dark, with a look of anger on his face.
, "You don't report such a big thing?"
Aji felt aggrieved at being killed by the prince. He was preparing to report it, but every year when there were refugees, he always left them alone. But there were too many refugees. No matter which city he went to, no one could take them in. They were all local people.
The wealthy people gave out porridge. In the past, the old princes also set up porridge shacks outside the city, but it was not too late yet.
Zhu Muchen slowly walked in front of a group of refugees. When the refugees saw this man wearing brocade clothes with dragon patterns, they all surrounded him and complained, "My lord, please have mercy on us and give us a bowl of porridge."
The refugees were really pitiful. Zhu Muchen set up porridge shacks outside Wuchang that day to prevent the refugees from disturbing the local residents. He also set up tents to give the refugees a place to go. As for the people in the city, anyone who had a poor family could go there.
Register outside the palace and withdraw a certain amount of grain.
But among them, there are those who dare to pretend to be poor and hungry people from their families. Zhu Muchen has also figured out a way. Anyone who dares to pretend to be a poor and hungry person will be punished by thirty sticks. No matter life or death, everyone will not be able to eat the thirty sticks from the forbidden army camp.
Come on, now no one dares to pretend.
Not only were there a large number of refugees outside Wuchang, but also in other cities. Pang Man learned the news that there was a severe drought in Shandong, Henan, Huguang and other places. In addition, last year's war with the Tatars and the imposition of taxes meant that the surplus grain in the hands of the people was already
Not much. We encountered two hailstorms this year, so there is probably no harvest. Now there is a serious famine, and refugees are everywhere.
Similarly, in Nanjing, Zhu Di suffered from headaches. After finally spending the New Year, headaches and troubles came again. After the Northern Expedition, there was a famine, and the throne might not be guaranteed.
In the morning, the ministers handed in memorials one after another, which had already filled the entire imperial study desk, but Zhu Di had no intention of reading.
Looking at the children, grandchildren, and ministers who came, Zhu Di waved the paper and said, "God is unkind this year, do you have any good ideas?"
As soon as these words came out, those ministers moved their mouths, but they all shook their heads in disappointment. Is there any good way to do this?
If it was a one-city affair, then the surrounding cities could provide support, but there were too many places, and everyone could only bow their heads like quails. The most favored Zhu Zhanji proposed several plans one after another, but they were all rejected one by one.
After the Northern Expedition, the national treasury was empty. If you want to support the refugees, you really can't get it. I'm afraid the fate of the Ming Dynasty is in jeopardy.
"How about asking the rich to help the poor, the poor can live, and the rich have done good things, why not do it?" said the Minister of Rites.
After saying this, the other ministers looked at him with a look of resentment. This sounds nice, but if you really want to release the refugees, don't you have to take them into your homes? Who is willing to take the refugees into your homes?
The Minister of Rites had no choice but to shut up, with a sad expression on his face. Even Zhu Di felt that it was unreliable. Although the refugees wanted to be stabilized, if the refugees were stabilized and the officials in the capital were not satisfied, wouldn't troubles still arise?
At a deadlock, Zhu Zhanji has also checked many good news from the city in the past few days. They all cried out for grievances in the memorials, and even the refugees began to harass the people in the city. Every day, the city's defense forces were turned upside down day and night, but they could not suppress the refugees.
I have a headache.
"My grandson discovered that Wuchang City has not been affected by the famine so far. There are even a large number of refugees going to Wuchang City. The people have praised Wuchang City. The famine memorial in Wuchang City has not yet been received."
When His Highness Taisun said this, Zhu Di vaguely remembered someone saying it before, but in the final analysis, there were too many things going on around him and he forgot about it.
"Wuchang City, you said that King Chu's fiefdom was not affected by famine?"
Zhu Muchen's character was not such that he could drive the refugees out. How he did it made even Zhu Di curious.
Yang Rong and the other two people looked at each other and stood up, "Back to the emperor, the king of Chu farmed the fields rent-free and had a great harvest last year. Now the refugees have gone. Not only do they have porridge to drink, but they also have a stable land and even the remaining land."
, the King of Chu is willing to distribute it to the refugees and let them settle down..."
With land, the refugees will have a home and food, so they will naturally stop making trouble. Zhu Di suddenly realized that the King of Chu was really a good plan, but the land in the hands of each feudal king was their lifeblood, and no one was willing to let it go.
The king of Chu let him out in advance, so he was not affected by the famine. It was an unexpected surprise.
Yang Rong bravely continued: "The other vassal kings were in chaos, but the King of Chu was very orderly. He is really a genius of the world."
It's okay that he didn't speak, but when he spoke, Yang Shiqi next to him wanted to slap him. What the emperor was most afraid of was that the vassal king was so powerful that he put such a big hat on King Chu's head. If the emperor got angry,
That means corpses are everywhere.
Zhu Zhanji looked at Grandpa Huang's face and stood up to recommend it highly, "The King of Chu had meritorious service in the Northern Expedition, and now he is also capable of fighting famine. Not only did he take in the refugees, but he also preached it every time he set up a porridge shed to give out porridge.
The emperor's merits and deeds are clear and clear, and can be seen by the sun and the moon."
His Highness Taisun tried to turn the tide. Sure enough, Zhu Di's face looked much better. I have to say that Zhu Muchen was really a talent. Zhu Di thought about it. If there were such ministers around him, would he still have to deal with this group of drunkards? Would it be such a headache?
His Highness Taisun struck while the iron was hot and strongly recommended, "The vassal kings live in separate places, but it is not easy for someone as capable as the King of Chu. The capital is in troubled times now, so it is better for the emperor to let the King of Chu enter the capital to assist the court in disaster relief."
Only when the King of Chu came to the capital did the contact between them seem to be natural and they could see each other more often. His Highness Taisun's words were not only for Zhu Muchen to gain a more sacred heart when he came to the capital, but also to prepare for the future unification.
The King of Han, Zhu Gaoxu, who had been silent for a long time, rarely had the same opinion as his nephew. "Since the King of Chu can come up with a solution, he must be willing to do it. Why don't my father give him a chance to display his ambitions?"
With the request of the King of Han and His Highness Taisun, Zhu Di's mentality was shaken. No official in the capital could stand up to provide relief. If the King of Chu could relieve the urgent need, his throne would not be secretly impeached by people with ulterior motives, saying that God was punishing him.
Seeing that the emperor was still hesitating, Zhu Gaoxu said again: "I am willing to spend money to help the court tide over this famine, but the specific strategy has to wait for the King of Chu to arrange it."
As soon as he said this, Zhu Zhanji couldn't help but be surprised. He raised his head and looked at Zhu Gaoxu. This was an iron rooster. He was willing to pay?
Zhu Di had a look on his face, quite surprised. According to the reports from the spies, there seemed to be no contact between the King of Han and the King of Chu, so why would he stand up for the King of Chu?
But now it's urgent. Although I didn't understand the stakes, there are people who are willing to take the money, who are willing to dig into their pockets, and who are willing to contribute. Together, Zhu Di can get a reputation, so why not? The frowning brows finally relaxed.
, Longyan Dayue approved: "Since both your uncle and nephew have requested from me that they want to transfer the King of Chu to the capital, then I will allow you to write an imperial edict immediately and send it to Wuchang City."
After leaving the imperial study, Zhu Zhanji was about to leave when he was stopped by Zhu Guangxu, the king of Han Dynasty, "My nephew is really amazing. After a few words, my father listened to you. I heard that you are friends with the King of Chu."
.”
"What did the emperor say? It was just a few words when he was in Tatar. However, the emperor had never had contact with him, but he was willing to cooperate with him, which surprised his nephew.
"
The two of them had their own thoughts, and their words were full of edge. Zhu Zhanji sneered in his heart, maybe the emperor's uncle took a fancy to King Chu's ability, so he tried his best to recruit him, in order to keep a good person when he met King Chu.
Just an impression.
Although he and the King of Chu had a life-and-death relationship, who could say for sure about royal matters? Zhu Zhanji secretly decided in his heart that he must be better to the King of Chu in the future in order to win his support.
In Wuchang City, Pang Man led a group of senior men from the Forbidden Army Camp, who were responsible for maintaining order to prevent the refugees from stampeding over food.
Zhu Muchen watched for a while on the city wall and sighed slightly in his heart. He saw that the refugees from other cities were all coming this way. Some vassal kings even drove the refugees out and pointed out a clear path, which was
Wuchang City.
Outside Wuchang City, almost within ten miles, everyone is a refugee.
Bai Xiaoman stood next to him, "My lord, you divided all the fiefdoms you got. Although this can solve the problem next year, it is getting more and more difficult this year."
Touching her shoulder, the two of them stood side by side at the top of the city. Accepting the gratitude of the refugees, Zhu Muchen said calmly: "I have already discussed with the major grain stores in Wuchang City. They have the grain that has been accumulated in previous years, and will provide relief this year."
For refugees, the tax will be reduced by half next year, and they will be given priority in purchasing food, which will be much cheaper than purchasing it elsewhere."?