It hadn’t been long since the heavy snow began to fall continuously.
The common people were suffering, but the court was also in distress; the treasury was running low on silver.
With the continuous natural disasters, rumors spread in the capital that Emperor Muwu had lost his virtue, which led both his sons to rebel and meet untimely deaths, bringing wrath from Heaven upon the people.
The ministers heard the rumors but dared not mention them in front of Emperor Muwu. Only Elder Cao, with a somber expression, directly asked, "Your Majesty, with the continuous natural disasters over the past two years, the people are cursing you for being incompetent. Why don’t you issue a self-reproach edict to stabilize the people’s hearts? Perhaps this would appease Heaven’s anger?"
Sighing, Emperor Muwu looked at Ye Siheng, then stopped speaking. "I will write it immediately and ask for high monks to chant prayers, beseeching Heaven to stop the snow."
His younger brother now had a higher ambition, and he must hold on, refusing to pass the mess to him.
Elder Cao nodded in satisfaction. "Then we should not delay, Your Majesty, please write it quickly."
Ye Siheng raised an eyebrow and said, "Your Majesty is not reckless or immoral; over these years, you have never increased taxes. Most of Mu Nation’s people have farmland and food. Why should you issue a self-reproach edict? If Heaven decrees death, it results in disasters; can this be blamed on one person?"
Elder Cao countered, "But the snow continues to fall, and the people, in their ignorance, will only say that the rulers are unjust! Your Highness, we know your wisdom, but we need to stabilize the people’s hearts to prevent them from being incited to rebel!"
Emperor Muwu nodded. "Elder Cao is right. My reputation is not what matters most; stabilizing the situation is essential to prevent bloodshed."
He turned to persuade Ye Siheng. "Younger brother, the court’s treasury is empty, and with the snow blocking the roads, it’s hard to provide relief; we can only do this."
After saying this, he sighed repeatedly, looking dejected, just as before, as if his life were nearing its end.
Elder Cao stroked his beard, glancing intentionally at Chu Hanlin. "If only some wealthy merchants would step up to help with disaster relief, the Emperor wouldn’t be in such a difficult position."
"Indeed," Emperor Muwu gently shook his head. "But I can’t force merchants to give money; otherwise, what difference is there between me and a bandit?"
Ye Siheng glanced at the two of them.
No wonder Elder Cao was so aggressive; it turned out they were working in concert.
Although Chu Hanlin was a military officer, he was no fool.
Emperor Muwu and Elder Cao merely wanted his son to .
This little rascal was supposed to keep a low profile and not be too conspicuous.
Now, with the court short on silver, they were looking to him and the Qian family.
Once or twice was fine, but his son’s money didn’t grow on trees. If they set a precedent, there would be no stopping it.
Moreover, he didn’t know how his son felt about this and didn’t want to make decisions for him, so Chu Hanlin stood tall, pretending to be foolish, unaware of Emperor Muwu and Elder Cao’s underlying intentions.
Seeing Chu Hanlin so resolute, Elder Cao became anxious and spoke directly: "Lord An Guo, your second son has a successful business, and his birth mother is from the Qian family. Now that the Emperor is distressed and the court is in trouble, he should step up!"
Chu Hanlin rolled his eyes inwardly.
Elder Cao was acting for the good of the nation, but he was from a humble background and often looked down on aristocratic families.
Little did he know that the wealth of those families was built over many generations of hard work.
Scholars studied hard,
but military officers risked their lives on the battlefield to earn their respect!
Now that Elder Cao had spoken in front of the Emperor, Chu Hanlin felt he couldn’t refuse.
Just as he was about to speak, Ye Siheng had already said, "Previously, Second Brother and Lady Ming had already d money to make winter clothes for the people. They have already spent quite a bit. Though Second Brother has a large business, his money isn’t endless."
Elder Cao snorted, "How could the second son be out of money? His wedding is going to cost over a hundred thousand taels. If he were to use that money for disaster relief, it would not only resolve the urgent needs of the court but also allow him to accumulate merit. What’s not to like?"
Prime Minister Lu wanted to shrink back, but Elder Cao shot him a glare: "Your future son-in-law is Second Son; with just one word from you, both our families could accumulate boundless merit!"
Prime Minister Lu was furious. Previously, he had been cautious and ended up drinking poisoned tea; now, accepting the goodwill of his future son-in-law, he learned that the winter clothing had cost them ten thousand taels.
Not to mention, last year’s heavy rains had also caused them to spend money to help the people rebuild their homes.
His future son-in-law had already contributed quite a bit; wanting a slightly more luxurious wedding was not unreasonable!
Prime Minister Lu snorted even louder and rolled his eyes. "The Emperor previously agreed to let my future son-in-law have a grand wedding, and now you want him to forgo it. Do you not regard the Emperor? Where should I put the face of our two families?"
Elder Cao frowned and retorted, "It’s not about not having it; it’s about having a more modest one."
"Modest? My son won’t remarry; I have only this daughter. Are you suggesting she should marry in rags?" Prime Minister Lu countered. "Elder Cao, do you intentionally make these underhanded tricks to trouble me because our political views differ at times?"
Elder Cao became furious: "After knowing each other for many years, do you still not understand my character? If I wanted to trouble you, I would do it openly! Right now, the court is out of silver, and that’s why I’m asking your future son-in-law to help gather funds!"
The two glared at each other, nearly coming to blows in front of everyone.
It was Ye Siheng who suddenly tapped the table, coldly saying, "This is a national snow disaster. How much can the merchants really ? I will take the lead with ten thousand taels, and the officials can contribute money or effort."
Elder Cao did not expect Ye Siheng to be so straightforward; with the Ninth Prince leading, the officials would definitely not contribute little.
He immediately added, "Your Highness is noble! I will fifteen hundred taels!"
As for rice, food, and old clothes, he would have his wife prepare some as well.
Ye Siheng glanced at him. "Elder Cao is concerned for the people; this comforts me. However, doing good also requires knowing your limits. You should discuss with your wife before deciding how much silver to give."
Elder Cao brushed him off, "I’m the head of my family; I can make decisions without consulting my wife."
Ye Siheng disliked this attitude, thinking him stubborn and disrespectful to his wife.
He said, "You are a good official and a good teacher, but not a good husband or father. I know you care for the people and the country, but you are also the pillar of your family; you can’t only think of others. Sometimes you must consider your family as well."
The senior ministers were present.
Elder Cao’s face turned slightly red; he was furious and swept his sleeves. "If everyone protected their own like Your Highness, then the court would have no laws to follow. I have a clear conscience!"