boyutpedia Chapter 253 Another Disaster Relief Effort
Chapter 253 Another Disaster Relief Effort
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger! I deserve to die! I deserve to die!" Chang Le kowtowed repeatedly.
The court officials all knew that the Emperor had a very good temper and rarely spoke harshly to his subjects. Shen Lian's outburst of anger today truly terrified Chang Le.
Although she didn't know what she had done to offend the emperor, Chang Le kept kowtowing and begging for forgiveness.
"Alright, alright! Don't you know I don't like bootlickers?" Shen Lian waved his hand in disgust.
"Your Majesty, I truly do not know what I have done to offend you. Please enlighten me!" Chang Le said pitifully, his forehead red from kowtowing.
"Look at you, looking so disheveled! What kind of behavior is this! Get up right now!"
“I hate officials who deceive their superiors and cover up the truth! Why didn’t you report the fact that many people froze to death in the heavy snow outside the city? Other ministers can say they didn’t know, but you’re in charge of the city management bureau, so don’t tell me you didn’t know either?” Shen Lian asked, glaring at Chang Le.
"Even the Empress, who is still in the inner palace, knows this, but I didn't!" This is the reason why Shen Lian was annoyed.
“Your Majesty, every year in the capital, some people freeze to death or starve to death! In the past, the court never cared about these things! So I forgot to report it! I deserve to die!” Chang Le stood up and wiped his sweat.
"That was the Manchu Qing Dynasty, is it the same as my new dynasty? Have you forgotten what I did in the capital five years ago?" Shen Lian glared at him and said irritably.
"It was all my oversight. I will immediately dispatch city management officers to treat the refugees inside and outside the city!" Chang Le said, bowing.
"Go quickly! Send out all your city management officers. I will have the Prefect of the Capital and the garrison cooperate with you! Gather the disaster victims immediately and begin relief efforts."
"Also, we need to compile a list of people inside and outside the city who cannot afford food and clothing. We will gradually begin providing relief!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Chang Le wiped his sweat and quickly withdrew.
Shen Lian then issued an imperial edict to the cabinet, vehemently criticizing the officials of the various cities and the capital prefecture. He accused them of being indifferent to the lives of the common people and of tarnishing the reputation of the new dynasty.
He ordered the court to immediately provide grain for relief, and at the same time, he took 100,000 taels from his own treasury to provide relief to the people in the name of three women in his harem.
Having received the imperial decree and made the necessary arrangements, Wang Kaiyun and his companions personally went to the palace to apologize. This was the first time Shen Lian had ever been angry with them, and the officials were all terrified.
"Please rise, gentlemen!" Shen Lian waved his hand as he looked at the officials kneeling below.
"Don't blame me for getting angry. You all hold high positions, but many of you probably came from humble backgrounds! I hope that after you become wealthy and successful, you can maintain your original aspirations and focus more on the common people."
"When I said 'the world belongs to all people' last time,' it wasn't just empty rhetoric. You have to understand that we all depend on the people for our livelihood; without them, we are nothing."
"My new dynasty has no need for old bureaucrats who only know how to deceive their superiors and flatter their subordinates. Those who don't care about the people, are unwilling to do their jobs, and are incapable of doing their jobs will be dismissed by me sooner or later!" Shen Lian said sternly with a stern face.
"Your Majesty is kind and benevolent, and cares deeply for the people, surpassing all previous emperors! It was all our negligence, and we are guilty!" The officials pleaded guilty one after another.
"Alright, enough with the nonsense! Let's get moving! Making mistakes isn't scary, what's scary is knowing you're wrong and not correcting it! I won't forgive someone like that."
"Every time the imperial court conducts disaster relief, it inevitably breeds corruption. Pass down my message: the Empress and I will send people to assist with the relief efforts. Anyone who dares to reach out for help will be killed on sight. Don't blame me for not warning them!"
Let alone in ancient times, even now, some Red Cross societies are still doing such things. Shen Lian knows that it's impossible to completely stop it, but his strong intervention is only in the hope that these people will restrain themselves a bit.
"Furthermore, Mr. Wang, please come up with a plan. Immediately after the coronation ceremony, begin the maintenance and reconstruction of the capital."
"I originally planned to start next spring, but it seems I can't wait any longer. Providing these disaster victims with some job opportunities will allow them to make a living until the new year. Remember, the wages can't be set too low. At least one worker's daily work should be enough to feed a family of three, understand?"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Wang Kaiyun stood up and bowed in response.
"Alright! Go and get back to work!" Shen Lian waved his hand, dismissing the ministers.
"Sigh!" Shen Lian sighed. Now that he was the emperor, all the officials below would naturally fawn over him. They would all try their best to make the coronation ceremony a success and satisfy him.
Such things, which could freeze hundreds of civilians to death, are thankless tasks that might incur Shen Lian's wrath, so naturally no one would report them!
Throughout history, reporting only good news and suppressing bad news has been a common problem in officialdom! Shen Lian is now determined to break this despicable unspoken rule.
Back in the palace, Shen Lian told Nie Xiaoqian and the others what had happened. The three women were very happy; being able to contribute was better than them spending all their time in the palace. They had done a lot of relief work before.
"Your relief committee has come to the capital too?" Shen Lian asked curiously, having only been in the capital for a few days. Had all these guys followed him?
“My older brother came to Beijing the day before yesterday. He came with Director Zhou and the others!” Xiao Yue’er said with a smile.
Director Zhou? Oh! Zhou Shunda, I think! Shen Lian remembered him. This guy had supported him a lot over the years. He'd also made a fortune; he was probably one of the wealthiest people in the world now.
"Yue'er, tell your brother and the others! From now on, they will all be relatives of the emperor. They should leave business matters to the servants! Remember to be law-abiding and not compete with the common people for profit!" Shen Lian took the opportunity to give them a warning.
Xiao Yue'er and Zhao Ruyi's families will also be granted a title. Although it cannot compare with the Nie family, it is still a significant step up for them.
Now that they're all nobles, it's not appropriate for them to go out and do business!
"Let them find a place to stay temporarily upon arriving in the capital! After the inner city is cleared and the enthronement ceremony is completed, I will bestow a house upon them!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Zhao Ruyi and Xiao Yue'er quickly stood up to express their gratitude. The Nie family had their own marquis's residence, and Shen Lian also saved money by purchasing a house.
The private room on the third floor of Zhengyanglou was bustling with people! Zhou Shunda sat at the head of the table, smiling broadly as he faced the compliments from everyone.
He was already a bit overweight, but in recent years he's become even more chubby. With his big belly and chubby face, he looks like a Maitreya Buddha.
After Shen Lian captured the capital and overthrew the Qing Dynasty, Zhou Shunda eagerly urged Xiao Lin's family to come to Beijing. Zhou Shunda knew very well how he had risen to power.
He'd only been in the capital for three days when a blizzard struck, and he was just worried about not having a chance to show his face to the royal family! Well, here comes his chance!
Back in Shandong, his relief committee organized numerous activities each year, which allowed him to become quite familiar with Prince Qi and his consort. When he went out into the world, everyone gave him face.
Now that the prince has become the emperor and the princess has become the empress, the distance between them is definitely greater, and a businessman like him can't possibly get close. But there's still the relief committee!