Rebirth of the Phoenix Princess novel Chapter 877

After Steward Guo left, Qin Yi poured a cup of osmanthus tea for Yun Shang. The sweet fragrance of the osmanthus soon permeated the room. Yun Shang cupped her chin with her hands, squinted her eyes, and tapped the table gently.

Qin Yi put the teapot aside and said gently, "Your Highness, do you want all our stores to dole out?"

Yun Shang sat up straight, pondered for a moment, and nodded. "Your Highness has just become the Crown Prince. It would be best if he can get good reputation from this natural disaster."

Saying that, she seemed to be lost in thought. After a long moment, she continued, "But we don't know what's going on now. I'll discuss with His Highness whether or not we should do that after he returns home. Maybe he could come up with some good idea. Send someone to check what's going on now. And see that if there is any businessman providing food or other stuff for the refugees in the city?"

Qin Yi replied in a soft voice. She looked at the teapot on the table, and seemed to be a little hesitant. "Your Highness, you might have to take precaution for one possibility. Not long ago, someone deliberately set up the pestilence to frame the Empress. Now there is also something weird with this case. The drought is indeed a natural disaster. But how could there be a large number of refugees all of a sudden? I always feel that there is someone behind this."

Yun Shang looked up at Qin Yi with a bit of admiration in her eyes, "Qin Yi is very thoughtful. You can ask the secret guards to check when the refugees have appeared outside the Jin City. You'd better ask people to disguise as refugees and sneak in. Figure out where most of the refugees come from, how long it took to get to the Jin City, and how is the situation of the disaster-affected areas."

"Yes, Your Highness." Qin Yi agreed in a low voice, swept a quick curtsy and left.

At dusk, the secret guards who went to investigate reported, "These refugees are all poor people from Liucang City, Nanyang City and Siyang City. The drought has lasted for almost half a year, which made them gain nothing from the fields. Before the autumn harvest, all the rice plants have died." So those poor people have no food to eat. The local officials did present memorials to the court and the court did provide relief supplies. But those relief goods haven't handed out to the people in the stricken areas with the officials taking a cut at every stage."

"So they had to beg along the way. Thinking that Jin City is the Imperial City and His Majesty will certainly help them, they all came to Jin City. Seven or eight days ago, some of them arrived at the Jin City. They just begged along the street, and not too many people noticed that there were suddenly more beggars in the city. It's just that more and more refugees are swarming in and they are discovered."

"Currently, there are three or four hundred refugees in the city, and more than one thousand people outside the city who haven't entered the city. No one has yet been seen giving alms to them."

Yun Shang frowned slightly, with doubts in her eyes. "Isn't it the best time for all businessmen to come out to help the refugees and flaunt themselves as a kind person? Why didn't anyone stand out this time?"

"It's said that some official has secretly informed them not to give alms to the refugees for the time being." The secret guard said in a low voice.

Yun Shang was full of doubts, "Official? Which official? Why did someone give such an order?"

This question seemed to be difficult for the secret guard. He hesitated and didn't say anything. Yun Shang waved her hand and said, "Forget it. I'll ask Qian Yin later. Our shops must have also received the order."

"What do you want to ask?" Luo Qingyan's voice came from outside. Qin Yi, Hua'er and the secret guard hurriedly greeted Luo Qingyan. Yun Shang also stood up. As the autumn approaching, Luo Qingyan had added an robe outside the court uniform. Yun Shang walked to Luo Qingyan, took off his robe and changed a more comfortable one for him. Then she sat down and walked Luo Qingyan through what had happened today.

Qin Yi came with clear water to let Luo Qingyan wash his hands. Luo Qingyan took the brocade handkerchief and wiped his hands before he said gently, "You don't need to ask Qian Yin about it. It was me who gave the order."

Yun Shang was stunned, bewilderment in her eyes, "Why? If the court officials know this, they may gossip behind your back."

Luo Qingyan smiled and sat down at the table. Qin Yi hurriedly poured a cup of tea for him. Luo Qingyan took a sip of the tea and said, "I've already told His Majesty about this. Those so-called philanthropists were just pretending to help the refugees to gain some fame. I'm afraid few grains of rice could be seen in the porridge, which would be of little help."

Looking at the tea leaves in the cup that were gradually unfolding, Luo Qingyan kept silent for a moment and said, "Tomorrow I will summon the famous rich businessmen in the Jin City to have dinner in our mansion. Ask someone to prepare some special dishes. I'll have to let them spend some fortune." "The relief supplies the court has given out haven't been handed to the victims of the natural disaster because of the corruption. I'm afraid it needs to be investigated thoroughly." Yun Shang said with a frown.

"Corruption is always what all the emperors and people hate most, but it's not easy to get rid of it. I'm busy with the autumn imperial examination which will be held in four days. As for going to the disaster areas to relieve the people, I have a better candidate." Luo Qingyan looked up at Yun Shang with a smile resting on his lips.

Yun Shang raised her eyebrows and smiled, "Your Highness, why are you smiling like that? What tricks are you planning?"