Chapter 48 Calm Your Anger

Chapter 48: Quell Your Anger

"The breach of the Yuanzhou River has flooded a total of eighteen prefectures and counties.

More than twenty-three thousand dwellings have been destroyed, over one hundred and fifty thousand hectares of farmland submerged, and approximately three hundred thousand victims affected."

Cheng Ge held the memorial, feeling its searing weight, and instinctively shot a glance at Zhou Mingqi.

"Over ten thousand people have drowned, and the number of missing is difficult to estimate..."

"Incompetents!" Zhou Mingqi slammed the table, his eyes blazing with fury.

"We beg Your Majesty to restrain your anger..." Everyone quickly knelt down.

Cheng Ge, gripping his brush, gave a violent start and looked around.

Then, he gingerly got to his feet and knelt beside the others, muttering stiffly, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger."

Zhou Mingqi's chest heaved violently, his face black with rage.

"Every year, funds are allocated to repair the embankments, yet this still occurs. We've been raising a bunch of useless fools!"

Cheng Ge sneaked a glance at Zhou Mingqi's furious expression, his own heart tightening.

"By my order, investigate this matter thoroughly and immediately. Punish any corrupt or negligent officials with the utmost severity!" Zhou Mingqi commanded.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Cheng Ge stole another glance. Seeing Zhou Mingqi's brow tightly furrowed, he dared not rise.

Zhou Mingqi sat at the table, rubbed his temples, and said slowly, "This is a thorny issue. Do you have any sound advice?"

Cheng Ge was stunned, his heart lurching. What did the emperor mean?

He was merely a Crown Prince's Tutor. Was this his concern?

Seeing this, Zhou Mingqi didn't press him. "I won't punish you. Simply state your opinion."

Cheng Ge swallowed hard and forced himself to speak. "Your Majesty, I believe the most pressing priority is to resettle the victims, open the granaries, and set up shelters so they have food and lodging."

Zhou Mingqi nodded slightly. Relief was the foremost concern, and he motioned for Cheng Ge to continue.

Cheng Ge adjusted his posture, rubbed his sore knees, and continued, "For the embankment repairs, costs must be recalculated. Appoint honest, capable officials to oversee, ensuring funds are used exclusively for their purpose.

Additionally, organize local residents to participate, offering compensation. This would provide livelihood for some victims and speed progress."

A flicker of appreciation flashed in Zhou Mingqi's eyes. "Go on."

"Furthermore, prepare lime in advance to spread in severe areas. This would disinfect and help prevent epidemics." Cheng Ge finished, cautiously watching Zhou Mingqi.

Zhou Mingqi's gaze sharpened. "Is there any basis for this method?"

Cheng Ge's heart tightened. He straightened his back, settling his weight onto his calves.

"Your Majesty, I learned this from medical texts. I also heard commoners used it.

Moreover, epidemics often follow disasters swiftly. Prevention is better than cure, so I believe it's worth a try."

Zhou Mingqi did not immediately agree. He looked at Cheng Ge for a long moment before turning to issue orders.

"Fu Quan, gather the Imperial Medical Academy to discuss whether this method of using lime to prevent epidemics is feasible. If it is, order the Ministry of Revenue to begin procurement."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Fu Quan took the order and hurried out.

Then, a long silence fell...

Cheng Ge felt his knees both numb and sore, wondering if he could get up yet.

He regretted kneeling with them in the first place. Looking up at Zhou Mingqi, he saw the guy was still reading the memorial he'd just been holding.

From the looks of it, he'd probably forgotten Cheng Ge was even there. Since the emperor didn't say anything, he didn't dare get up.

But Cheng Ge wasn't good at toughing things out.

Unable to bear it any longer, he kept shifting around, trying to make himself more comfortable.

Finally, he just gave up, spreading his legs and plopping down into a classic duck sit.

Cheng Ge let out a long sigh, finally comfy...

After a while, Zhou Mingqi set down the memorial, his eye accidentally caught the person on the floor.

Zhou Mingqi: "..."

Zhou Mingqi thought his eyes were playing tricks on him and couldn't help but look several more times, finally confirming his eyes weren't playing tricks.

He just couldn't figure out how Cheng Ge pulled off that pose.

Cheng Ge seemed to sense Zhou Mingqi's gaze, like he was pulled by some invisible force, and instinctively looked up at him.

When their eyes met, time seemed to stop.

Their gazes locked in the air, as white wisps of smoke from the incense burner and the warm, sweet scent of agarwood curled through the hall.

Seeing the emperor had finally noticed him, a real live person, Cheng Ge's heart leaped with joy, and he shot him a fawning smile.

His lips were bright, his teeth white, and his eyes clear and captivating—unforgettable.

Zhou Mingqi froze for a second. He quickly looked away, and after a brief silence, his voice came out a little low: "You may rise first."

Cheng Ge thought he'd have to keep kneeling, so the sudden words caught him off guard. But he quickly snapped back to reality and hurriedly replied, "Oh... thank you, Your Majesty."

With that, he scrambled to his feet, using his hands and feet.

In his haste to stand, he wobbled unsteadily, even swaying a bit.

Just then, a young eunuch stepped forward quickly, bowed, and softly reminded, "Your Majesty, it's time for the meal."

Hearing that Zhou Mingqi was about to eat, Cheng Ge rejoiced inwardly, seeing it as the perfect chance to slip away.

So he quickly said, "Then I shall take my leave..."

But before he could finish, Zhou Mingqi interrupted with an unexpected remark: "Join me for the meal."

Cheng Ge was stunned, never having anticipated such a response from Zhou Mingqi.

For a moment, he stood there, his expression a bit dazed.

Zhou Mingqi rose and walked out, and only then did Cheng Ge snap out of it, quickly following behind.

Cheng Ge stared at the exquisite food before him, his head still spinning a little—was he really eating at a state banquet?

Several palace attendants stood by, and Zhou Mingqi glanced at Cheng Ge, who was still standing, and said, "Sit."

Cheng Ge snapped out of it and quickly sat down. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

He sat upright, his hands properly placed on his knees, his eyes glued to the food on the table, swallowing hard, yet he dared not pick up his chopsticks.

Seeing him like this, Zhou Mingqi found it somewhat amusing. "Loosen up, no need to be so stiff."

Cheng Ge gave a nervous chuckle, carefully picked up his chopsticks, took a small bite of the dish, and chewed super slowly.

The attendants beside them carefully served the dishes for both.

The royal household had strict rules; although the food was varied and abundant, the portions for each dish were small, mainly to stop anyone from poisoning the food.

Still, the dishes were refined, and Cheng Ge was totally hooked by the smell, trying every dish.

Watching him, Zhou Mingqi got hungry too and ate quite a bit as well.

After the meal, Cheng Ge thought he could return to the Eastern Palace, but instead, Zhou Mingqi called him over to do more work.

"Your Majesty, whose virtue matches heaven and earth, whose fortune rivals the sun and moon..." Cheng Ge's head was nodding like a bobblehead, fighting to stay awake.

Helplessly, having just eaten, he was feeling a bit sleepy from all the carbs.

"Hmm, I understand. Tell him not to return to the capital," Zhou Mingqi said as he picked up his teacup to drink.

But before he could take a sip, a drop of red ink splashed into his tea out of nowhere, quickly spreading.

Zhou Mingqi paused, lifting his gaze to the culprit, Cheng Ge.

Cheng Ge's head was nearly buried in the memorial, his small mouth constantly moving.

And even more absurdly, the imperial brush stained with cinnabar ink was spinning and twirling between his fingers, almost forming a flower.

The red ink, with his fingertips as the center and the imperial desk as the radius, splattered indiscriminately.

Zhou Mingqi reached up to touch his face, his fingers meeting a wet patch. He pulled them back to see a smear of red on his fingers.

Zhou Mingqi: "..."