Chapter 100
Chapter 100
“When the Celestial Bell sounds, it heralds either great fortune or calamity!”
“The last time it sounded was twenty years ago, on the day the Second Prince was born. It rang ten whole times, signifying an auspicious omen!”
“Did anyone count how many times it rang just now?”
“Eleven! A full eleven times! It is unquestionably an omen of disaster! A great calamity is about to descend upon the Jian’an Dynasty!”
The officials dropped to their knees one after another and prostrated themselves, faces filled with terror as they cried mournfully toward the Son of Heaven upon the dragon throne.
Emperor Jian’s expression turned cold as frost. He rebuked them sharply. “I remain unalarmed upon this throne, yet after decades as officials, you lose all composure! What disgraceful behavior! Every one of you, stand up straight!”
The Son of Heaven’s majestic voice echoed through the towering hall. The officials trembled and hurried to their feet, though the misery remained on their faces.
The Imperial Observatory might have misjudged auspicious omens in the past, but it had never once mistaken an omen of calamity. Every dire celestial pronouncement inevitably brought corpses across the wilderness and countless deaths. Some had even led to the fragmentation of the realm and the fall of dynasties!
Yet the Son of Heaven upon the dragon throne appeared unconcerned. He gave a cold snort. “I would like to see what calamity dares disturb the peace of Jian’an!”
As time passed, Guo Tianheng, the Director of the Imperial Observatory, finally entered the Golden Throne Hall in purple robes with a jade tablet in hand, followed by four senior officials from the Imperial Observatory.
Every gaze instantly fell upon Guo Tianheng.
Guo Tianheng first looked toward Xie Chengze at the front of the hall, then walked solemnly before the emperor and bowed. “Your Majesty! In recent nights, this official has observed a bitter chill within the Purple Forbidden Enclosure and shifts among the stars. In particular, clouds and mist have gathered around the North Star, faintly portending wind and snow! This official also consulted the *Taiyi* and *Liuren* texts and combined their teachings with calendrical calculations. I fear that a snow disaster unseen in a century will strike the northern reaches of our dynasty!”
“This calamity will be no small matter. It may continue for dozens of days, blanketing mountains and rivers and freezing waterways solid. Farming will be obstructed, roads sealed by snow, and countless people will perish from cold and hunger!”
So it was a snow disaster…
Emperor Jian instinctively glanced at Xie Chengze. Xie Chengze immediately ducked his little head and pretended the matter had nothing to do with him.
Emperor Jian laughed inwardly, then considered for a moment before asking, “Do you know the exact date and the areas that will suffer most severely?”
“The snow disaster may cover an immense region. It is difficult to distinguish where it will be heavier or lighter, or which place will be struck sooner or later!” Guo Tianheng shook his head and sighed. “The celestial pronouncement has been delivered. I beg Your Majesty to prepare early and protect the people of Jian’an through this calamity!”
The officials began whispering to one another in alarm. “If it covers such a broad region, could even the capital suffer a major snow disaster?”
“There are so many northern prefectures and countless counties besides. If endless snow is coming, what are we to do?”
“First the floods in Yizhou, then famine in many regions, and now a northern snow disaster. Does Heaven mean to destroy the Jian’an Dynasty…”
“Silence!” Seeing the officials descend into clamor, Emperor Jian rebuked them. “A mere snow disaster is nothing to fear! Our urgent task is to devise countermeasures and ensure that the people survive this calamity safely!”
This crowd of useless fools could not compare with so much as half a hair on Ze’er’s head!
“Your Majesty speaks truly.” Prime Minister Li stepped forward. “This official believes we should swiftly dispatch capable officials throughout the regions. First, order local authorities to prepare ample grain and fodder against winter shortages. Then organize craftsmen to repair damaged homes before heavy snow causes roofs to collapse and kill their occupants. At the same time, allocate silver from the state treasury, encourage private donations, and gather disaster-relief supplies in advance – winter clothing, quilts, grain, medicine, and other necessities – to meet any emergency once the disaster strikes.”
The Salt and Iron Commissioner stepped forward and added, “Once the heavy snow arrives, roads throughout the realm will surely be blocked and grain carts unable to pass. We must also prepare coarse salt in advance to melt the snow when needed.”
Shen Yuan stepped forward and said gravely, “Coarse salt will inevitably be scarce and cannot clear long roads. This official believes relief supplies should be transported in advance and concentrated primarily in Liaozhou, Yingzhou, and Lanzhou.”
“Why those three prefectures, Minister Shen?” Emperor Jian asked in confusion. “If a major snow disaster occurs, surely the northernmost regions – Liaozhou, Shenzhou, and Shangjing – are most likely to suffer. Why do you name Yingzhou and Lanzhou instead?”
Xie Chengze looked at Shen Yuan as well.
He knew why it was those three. In the book, they had suffered most severely, with Liaozhou bearing the worst of it.
Without changing expression, Shen Yuan replied, “Since it is a once-in-a-century disaster, we should not expect it to follow ordinary patterns. Moreover, these three prefectures cut diagonally across many northern circuits and command numerous official roads. If a neighboring city faces disaster, news can travel quickly. Rather than report to the capital first, the prefectures can dispatch relief grain directly, saving precious time.”
“Mm. That makes sense.” Emperor Jian nodded. “The Ministry of Revenue, Ministry of Works, and Ministry of Personnel will coordinate disaster preparations. You must draw up a detailed plan as quickly as possible and win more time for the people!”
He then turned to Guo Tianheng. “I ask the Imperial Observatory to continue monitoring the heavens and ensure that you can predict the date of the snowfall and the worst-affected regions.”
Guo Tianheng bowed again. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
After the Imperial Observatory officials departed, the court began a heated discussion of the snow disaster. Listening from his chair gave Xie Chengze a headache, so he lowered his head and pulled a small, round tangerine from his sleeve.
Too many brain cells had died. He needed to replenish his energy manually.
Xie Chengze had just begun peeling it when someone beside him gave his sleeve a tiny tug. He looked up and heard Xie Zimiao whisper, “Second Brother, I want some too.”
Xie Chengze looked at him, then at the tangerine, and decisively placed it in Xie Zimiao’s hand. “Then you peel it, and I will give you half.”
Xie Zimiao nodded his little head, turned slightly away, and secretly peeled the fruit with his back to the officials. Once he finished, he took only three segments and furtively handed the rest back to Xie Chengze.
Unlike Xie Zimiao’s extreme caution, Xie Chengze was completely open about it. He plucked off a segment and tilted his head back, preparing to drop it into his mouth.
But the hall abruptly fell silent – so silent that the fall of a needle would have been perfectly audible.
Xie Chengze: ?
He lowered his head. Sure enough, the officials were staring straight at him, some with disdain, some speechless, and some frustrated by his failure to live up to expectations.
Emperor Jian was watching him expectantly as well.
Xie Chengze: …
That damned question-and-answer session. Late, but inevitable!
Xie Chengze lifted an arm and nudged Xie Jinyu’s thigh beside him. As he stuffed the tangerine segment into his mouth, he covered his lips and whispered, “My little Crown Prince, what were we talking about?”
“Disaster-relief funds. Yang Qinghui’s embezzled silver is scattered throughout the regions and has not yet been fully traced. Purchasing relief supplies will cost a great deal, and the silver currently in the state treasury may not be enough,” Xie Jinyu whispered, feeding him the answer.
“Oh, oh, oh.” Xie Chengze swallowed the tangerine and nodded with great seriousness. “Easy! Did this son not say it last time? Instead of scraping bits of silver from the corners of the state treasury, just confiscate someone’s estate! If one is not enough, confiscate ten!”
The officials: ???
Confiscate estates again?! Was there no end to this?!
“That would be inappropriate. A great disaster is approaching, and people’s hearts are already unsettled. We must not sow further panic among the officials,” Prime Minister Li rejected the proposal with a shake of his head.
“I see…” Xie Chengze furrowed his brow and thought with all his might. Finally, inspiration struck. “Then we will use the method the Crown Prince proposed last time and have the officials donate silver!”
The officials: ?
Donations again? Could he not think of anything new? Besides, what use would a hundred thousand taels be?!