bookrandom Chapter 174 Fourth Brother, Having you is truly my blessing
Chapter 174 Fourth Brother, Having you is truly my blessing
To be honest, Yinzhu was quite nervous sitting there. It wasn't that he hadn't seen any big scenes before and was showing his fear when there were so many people around. It was that he was really scared. His father was obviously short of money, so his dividend this year... If, let's just say if, he told his father now that he had a stomachache and wanted to go back to rest, would it still be in time?
It's no wonder they're father and son. Just as Yinzhuo was about to leave, before he could even put his thoughts into action, Kangxi seemed to have noticed. Although he appeared to be discussing matters with the ministers sitting below him, he was already watching Yinzhuo's every move out of the corner of his eye. Just as Yinzhuo was about to get up, Kangxi swiftly pressed him back into his seat.
After his father pressed him back into his seat, Yinzhuo had only one thought in his mind—it's over, it seems I guessed right. He was fine when he came, but he can't come back now… But there's a saying, since you're here, make the best of it. Since he's already been targeted, he can't run away or escape, so he might as well just stay seated.
"Yinzuo, did you hear what we were discussing just now? Aren't you usually the one with the most clever ideas? Do you have any thoughts on this now?"
Yinzhu was lost in thought when his father suddenly called on him, catching him completely off guard. Fortunately, he was quick-witted and, after a moment of surprise, he realized what his father was asking about.
"Father, as you know, I have never handled this kind of task before, and I am not very familiar with the procedures the court has followed in disaster relief. Each of the ministers and elder brothers here has more experience than I do, so I will not presume to teach you. Just now, I heard that you and the other officials seemed to be quite troubled about how the disaster victims can safely get through the winter after the snow disaster. I have a small idea, so I'd like to share it with you and see if it is feasible."
Kangxi had only seen Yinzhuo standing there in a daze and thought he would ask him a question to bring him back to his senses. He hadn't expected Yinzhuo to come up with any feasible suggestions. Who would have thought that Yinzhuo actually had an idea? As the saying goes, whether there are dates or not, we have to try it out first. Anyway, listening to him won't waste anyone's time. Seeing Yinzhuo looking at him, Kangxi nodded to him.
"Then tell me, if the solution works, I won't try to take your share..."
Good heavens, did he just say that so casually? So blatantly, without any attempt to hide it? Yinzhu looked at his father in disbelief, but received no response from Kangxi. He could only awkwardly touch his nose and continue speaking.
"Yes, then I'll briefly explain my idea to you gentlemen. Please consider its feasibility before making a decision. I don't know if you've heard of dugouts. It's a relatively simple form of dwelling in desertified areas, used to protect against the sandstorms common in desert regions. The construction of a dugout is quite simple. You just need to dig a pit about a meter deep, square in shape, not too large, about two or three meters in area. Then, build a low wall about half a meter high around it using adobe or bricks, place a few rafters on top, and then build a raft made of branches or reeds on top. Finally, cover the roof with grass and mud. Don't be fooled by its simplicity; it's warm in winter and cool in summer. I think that since it can protect against sandstorms, it should also be warm. Of course, dugouts aren't without their drawbacks; ventilation isn't very good..."
Upon hearing Yinzhuo's words, Kangxi's eyes lit up. To be fair, Yinzhuo's method was indeed feasible upon careful consideration. Although it is said that a timely snowfall foretells a bumper harvest, too much snow can be a disaster. This year, many areas in the north experienced early snowfall after the onset of winter, and recently, many areas have reported disasters. Not only in distant places, but also near the capital, many people have had their houses collapsed by the weight of the snow. These dugouts are easy to build, and if they can truly be as windproof and warm as Yinzhuo said, they are indeed a good solution.
"What do you think?"
When Yinzhuo saw Kangxi turn to ask for everyone's opinions, he felt a sense of relief. Did this mean that his money was safe? Sigh, it seems he really needs to find a way to make money again, since his father's wealth is truly ruthless.
After a serious discussion, Emperor Kangxi and his ministers agreed that Yinzhuo's method was feasible. Since the method was feasible, the next step was naturally to discuss how to implement it. As for who to send to the disaster area for relief, Emperor Kangxi's idea was that everyone could make recommendations freely. Yinzhuo was not worried about this at all. After all, as long as he was not mentally ill, no one would recommend someone with no experience in handling affairs to do disaster relief.
As Yinzhuo had predicted, everyone sitting there was perfectly capable of handling the situation. After being recommended by everyone, his fourth brother, Yinzhen, was ultimately honorably elected as the person in charge of the disaster relief efforts. There's a saying, "It's not the formidable opponents you should fear, but the incompetent teammates."
"Father, since this plan was proposed by my sixth brother, why don't we send him to the disaster area with me for relief efforts? That way, even if problems arise later, we can make adjustments in time..."
"Let my sixth brother accompany me..." Yinzhuo's mind was practically filled with this sentence. He was stunned for a while before looking at his father for help. But what he saw was another blow. No, Father, what does that expression mean? Are you seriously considering the feasibility of this sentence?
Kangxi was indeed pondering the matter, and he was currently hesitant. If he didn't agree, his fourth son's words did make some sense. As the one who proposed the plan, Yinzhuo must have his own unique insights into its implementation. However, if he agreed, he was reluctant to let the boy go. Putting aside how much suffering the boy would endure on this trip, it was already close to the end of the year, and if he left, he probably wouldn't be able to return for the New Year...
"Yinzuo, what do you think? Are you willing to go to the disaster area with your fourth brother for disaster relief?"
Look at the question you asked. There are so many people below, and my status is right here. How could I say I didn't want to? Yinzhuo is now being forced into this situation by his father and brother.
"Father, your son is willing to go to the disaster area with his fourth brother for disaster relief."
Now that the matter was settled, it was better to act sooner rather than later. Yinzhen was also an impatient man. After everyone discussed and came up with a specific plan, he personally escorted Yinzuo back to pack his things, and then led everyone to set off for the disaster area overnight.
As night fell, snowflakes began to fall again. Yinzhuo, who was already feeling extremely cold while riding his horse, felt as if big snot bubbles were about to come out of his nose when the wind blew on him.
"Fourth Brother, having you is truly my blessing..."