Chapter 322: Decay
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Inside the palace in Chang’an.
After reading the report from Qingzhou, Emperor Xiao Wenxuan immediately summoned Fei Ji.
Inside the imperial study, the two men sat in silence for a long while.
“Your Majesty, I also received some news from Jizhou. Just like Prince Qi said, there was indeed a drought last year around Bingzhou and Jizhou. Until now, not a drop of rain has fallen. The people in Prince Yong’s territory have run out of food. Their suffering is beyond words.”
“Bingzhou, Jizhou, and Qingzhou again… Decades ago, the empire almost collapsed because of the chaos in those three places. Now this natural disaster comes. What are we supposed to do?” Xiao Wenxuan’s eyes were full of deep concern.
He still remembered—back then he was only the second prince of the Great Yu Empire, ordered to suppress the rebellion in those three places. The rebel army had enormous momentum, like a wave crashing through everything.
To put down the rebellion, the imperial guards fought desperately. There were countless battles, big and small. It took three years to finally behead the rebel leader, Zhang Dong. But the cost was heavy—more than sixty percent of the imperial guards were lost.
But it was that very war that gave him control over the military and secured his path to the throne.
Fei Ji looked at Xiao Wenxuan. “There’s no other way now. We must distribute food for disaster relief. But the court doesn’t have much left. Your Majesty must issue a decree and ask the other regional lords to provide grain—especially those ruling the wealthier lands, like Prince Chu, Prince Wei, Prince Shu, Prince Yan, and Prince Runan.”
“That’s the only thing we can do… but I doubt it’ll work,” Xiao Wenxuan sighed. These lords were already pushing the limits of loyalty. How could they be willing to provide relief?