As soon as such shocking words came out, not only Li Chengyun and the others, but even the old emperor were a little stunned.

A wisp of anger appeared on Li Chengyun's face, and he sneered: "His Royal Highness the Prince, let's not talk about how our emperor is for the time being, how is the Great Qin River." Lao Chen just wants to ask, how did it become our fault if the country is not well governed? ”

"The prince's words made the old ministers and others feel cold." Yang Rucheng beat his chest and feet, and there were turbid tears flowing out of the corners of his eyes. The body is rickety, as if it has aged ten years in an instant.

His voice was hoarse and weak: "Although the old man does not dare to boast of being a good minister in the world, he does not dare to compare with Xiao He and Zhuge . But the old man works hard for the Great Qin River every day, and he doesn't sleep day and night, can't he still be a conscientious person? ”

As if he was disheartened, he trembled and asked: "The old minister just wants to ask His Royal Highness the Prince, what did the old man do wrong to let you say this?" ”

For a while, the entire hall was filled with a resentful atmosphere, and everyone looked at the crown prince Zhao Su with a little puzzled and complaining.

Putting aside the partisan dispute for the time being, we only talk about handling government affairs and serving the emperor. Whether it is Yang Rucheng, or Li Chengyun and Yuwen Chengshun. They have been working diligently, correcting the recitals all day long, and it can be said that they have worked hard and made great achievements.

Even Wei Chiwei felt that what the prince said was a bit excessive.

Zhao Yu began to fight unevenly, and accused: "Big brother, what you said is a bit excessive. What the three adults did is obvious to all.

Over the years, they have been assisting their father in governing the Great Qin River. To say a big disrespectful word, the great Qin country can have the current peaceful and prosperous era, not only because of the credit of his father, but also because of their credit. ”

Yuwen Chengshun burst into tears, knelt on the ground with a thud, and cried: "Old decay, please make decisions for us, if Your Majesty also thinks that we are so unbearable." I immediately resigned and abdicated to make way for Xian. ”

While speaking, Li Chengyun and Yang Rucheng also knelt on the ground trembling and kowtowed to the old emperor.

Three old men in their fifties and sixties knelt on the ground and wept bitterly, which was really sad.

The old emperor hurriedly reassured: "The three Aiqing are all pillars of the imperial court, how can I think you are incompetent." Li Chengfu, quickly help the three Aiqing up. ”

Father-in-law Li hurriedly stepped forward and wanted to help Li Chengyun and the three of them up.

It's just that they just caught the prince and have a handle, how can they stop there. One by one, they were prostrate on the ground but they didn't want to get up, and they wanted the prince to make it clear why all the fault was on them.

"Big brother, although you are stupid, your brain is still a little abnormal. provoke the three of them at once, and the younger brother wants to see how you settle this matter. Zhao Heng stood aside, sneering secretly in his heart.

The old emperor complained a little at this time that the prince was ignorant, so why did he provoke the three of them.

After Zhao Su bowed his hand to the old emperor, he looked down at the three cabinet ministers kneeling on the ground and asked, "Three adults, I will ask you alone." What are the duties of a courtier? ”

Yuwen Chengshun straightened up his waist and shouted: "Your Highness, the role of the courtier is to assist the king and be the herdsman of the Son of Heaven. ”

"Taibao is right, but I want to ask, can you govern the people of the world well for the herdsmen of the Son of Heaven?" Zhao Su asked rhetorically.

Without waiting for the three of them to speak, Zhao Su continued: "In the tenth year of Renhe (the old emperor's year name), the Yellow River flooded, and several prefectures and counties on the North Road of Beijing became a Ze country, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians were killed. Shousuke-sama, do you remember? ”

When Li Chengyun heard about this flood, his face suddenly turned pale, and he said weakly: "The minister naturally remembers." ”

Zhao Su continued: "At the beginning, you were the governor of Yingchang, in charge of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians. What did you do when the Yellow River was about to burst after dozens of days of heavy rains? ”

Li Chengyun was not allowed to open his mouth at all, so Zhao Su shouted: "If you don't strengthen the river embankment, you don't evacuate the army and civilians, and if you don't send people to inspect the river embankment, flood control is alert." Instead, he played all day long and asked the court how to deal with it. ”

Li Chengyun's cloudy eyes shot out two fine lights, looked directly at Zhao Su, and asked rhetorically: "Dare to ask Your Highness, if the old minister is not to write to the court, what should he do?" ”

Zhao Su was categorical: "Naturally, it is to lead people to strengthen the river embankment and evacuate the military and civilians. If you can keep the embankment, you will keep it, and if you can't hold it, you will dig the embankment where no one is there and release water. ”

As soon as these words came out, Li Chengyun's body seemed to be evacuated, and he sat on the ground without blood. Why didn't he think of this in the first place, and if he had done this, would those hundreds of thousands of people still die?

Seeing that Li Chengyun no longer spoke, Zhao Su came to Yang Rucheng's side again and asked: "Lord Yang, there was a great drought in Jingzhao Mansion in the eighth year of Renhe, and the people were displaced. How did you do it in the first place? ”

Yang Rucheng said proudly: "His Royal Highness the Prince, the old minister was the prefect of Jingzhao Mansion. When the drought came, Lao Chen opened a warehouse and released grain for more than ten days, saving tens of thousands of people. ”

His practice at that time can be said to be countless people, although it is not appropriate to open a warehouse to release grain without permission, but for the sake of the people, he braved the world's condemnation and saved hundreds of people. Even now, he doesn't think he's doing anything wrong.

Zhao Su nodded approvingly: "Yes, Lord Yang did not arrive when the disaster relief materials arrived. Risking the world's disapproval to open a warehouse and release grain, it has indeed saved tens of thousands of people, which is a merit that cannot be erased. ”

Without waiting for Yang Rucheng to be proud, Zhao Su turned around and continued: "The granary of Jingzhao Mansion can allow 500,000 soldiers and civilians to eat for more than a month. Lone wants to ask Lord Yang, why did you open the warehouse and release grain for ten days, and then there was no food? ”

"This ...... Naturally, the victims are everywhere......" Yang Rucheng also wanted to defend.

Zhao Su didn't wait for him to finish speaking, and said directly: "It's good to open a warehouse and release grain, but the measures you took when you put grain were wrong." You didn't set a purchase limit, and each victim received two buckets of food.

Did you know that many of the victims have to receive food several times a day, and they can't eat enough food? Some of the victims were unable to enter the city, and they did not receive a single food until they starved to death. Even many of the victims had just received food on their front feet, and then sold it to local tyrants.

The granary, which is enough for 500,000 soldiers and civilians to eat for a month, was squandered by you in just ten days. As a result, the price of grain soared, and the people were given food for their children. ”

Yang Rucheng's face was pale, he obviously lived tens of thousands, how could he still be his fault in the end.

He stiffened his neck and asked, "Your Royal Highness the Prince, don't stand and talk without backache, if it's you, what should you do?" ”

Zhao Su said: "First: send people to count the number of victims. Second, set up grain distribution points at four gates in each county. Thirdly, each household shall be given three days of rations every seven days according to the registered population.

Fourth: Once it is found that there are people who resell grain, they will not be spared. According to this policy, the granary can last for at least two months. ”

"Your Royal Highness the Prince, why is there only three days of rations in seven days, which is not enough to eat at all?" Yang Rucheng's face changed slightly, and he was still a little puzzled.

Zhao Su sighed: "When the disaster is studied, you can only let the victims be hungry, not full. ”

"Why?"

"Because if you don't have enough to eat, you won't starve, but if you don't eat, you'll starve. As long as they can survive for two months, as soon as the relief food for the imperial court arrives, all the victims can be redeemed. ”