The Prodigal Son's Happy Life - Chapter 120

[Chapter 120 People are in dire straits]

in dire straits. Zhao Hao thought for a while and then said: “Master also asked me a few questions.”

Emperor Chu said: “What questions?”

Zhao Hao hesitated and said: “Why does the fruit fall when it is ripe? On the ground, why does water flow to lower places, and?”

After asking several questions in succession, Emperor Chu felt like there were thousands of horses galloping in his heart.

What are these problems?

But if you think about it carefully, it is thought-provoking.

Why are these?

After a moment, Emperor Chu raised his eyes, looked at Zhao Hao, and asked: “Can stone and water be made into ice?”

Originally, he just regarded this as a joke, but now after seeing what happened before, he couldn’t help but Pay a lot of attention to it.

Maybe

stone and water can actually be made into ice?

Zhao Hao looked serious, nodded, and said firmly: “The mung bean smoothie my father ate just now was made by my son with stones and ice.”

Emperor Chu thought for a while and asked: “This stone and water “What’s so special about it?”

Zhao Hao said, “Saltpeter is used for stone, and saltpeter is used for water.

“

Emperor Chu thought for a moment, waved his hand and said, “Go find some saltpeter.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Liu Cheng responded hurriedly.

In less than one stick of incense, there were two more basins of water and a bag of saltpeter in the Nuan Pavilion.

Emperor Chu looked at Zhao Hao standing in front of two basins of water and thought there would be some special move.

I remember that when he was young, the late emperor advocated the immortal way, and Taoists often came to the palace.

When those Taoists were refining elixirs, they would mutter words and make some strange movements.

But unexpectedly, Hao’er didn’t recite a spell or use a charm, he just poured the saltpeter into the iron basin outside.

“Is this good?”

Emperor Chu blurted out in surprise.

Zhao Hao nodded and said, “Father, wait a moment and you can see the ice.”

Emperor Chu suppressed his surprise and stared at the small basin inside.

Sure enough, in just half the time it took for the incense to be burned, a deep cold air began to emit from the basin, and then, it condensed into ice at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Although it was just smoothie and had not solidified, it still shocked him.

It turns out that making ice from water and stones is real!

After the shock, comes contemplation.

Although saltpeter is not as common as firewood in the capital, compared with ice, it is just an ordinary thing.

In the past, every July, when the heat was unbearable, people inside and outside the capital always suffered from heatstroke. In severe cases, they even died of dehydration.

If this method of making ice with saltpeter can be promoted in the capital, how many people in the capital alone can benefit from it.

As the emperor of a country, no matter what happens, the first thing he thinks of is the people.

Emperor Chu looked at the ice in the basin, touched Zhao Hao’s head, and laughed: “Haoer, do you know how many people will benefit if the ice-making method is promoted in the capital?”

Zhao Hao shook his head. He shook his head and said: “My son, I don’t know.”

Emperor Chu glanced at Zhao Hao and was about to say something when he heard his childish voice: “My son, I have something to say.”

Emperor Chu was a little surprised and nodded: “Tell me.”

Zhao Hao raised his head, looked at his father with a pair of innocent eyes, and asked, “I thought that the people actually didn’t care about the method of making ice.”

Emperor Chu didn’t expect that Zhao Hao, who was just a child, would actually Having the courage to refute himself, he looked at Zhao Hao with some doubts and asked: “What do you mean by this?”

Zhao Hao seemed to have thought of something, and said with a serious face: “I think that in the eyes of the people, ice is not necessary. Saltpeter can be used to make ice, which is certainly a great joy for the nobles in the capital,

but it is meaningless for the common people, because even if saltpeter can be used to make ice, they do not have the extra silver to buy saltpeter. All you need is a bowl of porridge and a steamed bun.”

Hearing this, Emperor Chu was very surprised. He looked at Zhao Hao and said, “Continue.”

Seeing that his father did not reprimand him, Zhao Hao became bolder and continued. He said: “My son, I dare to ask my father, does he know the meaning of the words “the people are in dire straits?”

Emperor Chu’s face was a little dark.

I am the emperor, when will it be a child’s turn to ask questions.

Fortunately, this child is just his son, so it won’t embarrass him too much.

Even so, he didn’t answer. He just laughed it off as a child’s joke.

Zhao Hao paused for a moment. Seeing that his father did not answer what he meant, he continued: “I think the meaning of the people’s lack of livelihood is very simple, that is, the lives of the people are not as good as those of pigs and dogs.

The masters of the Hanlin Academy always teach me some important things. It’s true, but no one told Erchen what it meant for

people to live in poverty. It wasn’t until he met his master who took him to help the refugees that he realized that there were so many people in the capital who were not as good as pigs and dogs.”

After hearing this, Emperor Chu His face was completely black.

Fortunately

, there were only himself and Liu Cheng in Nuange.

Otherwise, if Hao’er’s words were heard by civil and military officials, they would kneel on the ground, cry to heaven and earth, and die to apologize.

“Ahem.”

Emperor Chu was a little embarrassed and said, “It shouldn’t be like this.”

“My son, I saw with my own eyes that someone in the capital got into a fight over a bowl of porridge that was only enough to satisfy their hunger.

The bowl of porridge was just bloody.

It is made of millet, so thin that you can see the bottom of the bowl, and occasionally you can see some vegetable leaves. My father’s hounds have mutton bone and meat porridge every day, but the people of the capital have to fight for even such a bowl of porridge. Go grab your life, and your ministers will see you.”

Children’s hearts are mostly kind.

Thinking of that day, children of the same age as myself, with sallow faces and thin muscles, were kneeling on the ground, just to fill their stomachs.

Zhao Hao felt extremely uncomfortable, choked with sobs and almost speechless.

Emperor Chu was completely shocked when he saw this scene.

The Central Plains was hit by a disaster, and some refugees left their homes and moved north to the capital in search of a way to survive.

He knew this.

We also discussed with the cabinet ministers and decided on relief methods.

I thought the situation would be better, but I didn’t expect that

this was just the land of Gyeonggi, under the emperor’s feet, and the food relief would never be withheld, but the people were already suffering to this extent.

Not to mention the disaster-stricken Central Plains.

Thinking of this, Emperor Chu was a little angry. He looked at Liu Cheng and asked, “Is what the prince said true?”

As the chief ceremonial officer and the pen holder, Liu Cheng was almost the eyes and ears of the Emperor Chu. He had an independent intelligence agency under his command. It is similar to the Dongchang system of the Ming Dynasty.

On weekdays, he would also report to Emperor Chu.

But this matter was never mentioned.

Liu Cheng broke into a cold sweat and said in a trembling voice: “There are indeed refugees in the capital, as His Highness the Prince said. They are

only a few who are not as good as pigs and dogs. Most of the refugees have received relief from the imperial court. Although they are not as good as ordinary people, they are enough to make a living.”

Zhao When Hao heard this, he became angry, stared at Liu Cheng with a pair of bright eyes, and said loudly: “In the eyes of Eunuch Liu, are the hundreds of refugees just a minority?”

(End of this chapter)