Chapter 152: Rivaling for Credit

In truth, the intention was simply to keep the Highness from getting directly entangled in this entire matter.

Especially the Third Prince, who found himself completely at his wit's end at this juncture.

If he were to bluntly declare his desire to take charge of Jiangcheng, and the subsequent fallout were handled with even the slightest impropriety, it would inevitably incur the Emperor's displeasure.

What on earth were they still agonizing over at a time like this? Why weren't they hurriedly devising a proper course of action for the aftermath?

To compound matters, an uninvited guest had arrived at his doorstep.

Upon seeing who the visitor was, Han Qing could not help a flicker of surprise.

"To what do I owe the honor?"

Zhu Yunzhi had actually brought along a generous array of costly gifts.

Was he planning to go through the motions to win him over?

How amusing.

"I wanted to ask if you might have any viable solutions for the famine currently plaguing Luojing."

Han Qing shook his head once more.

"Can you truly be entirely in the dark?"

"I have yet to witness the specific conditions firsthand, nor can I afford to make reckless conjectures."

Han Qing explained in a measured tone.

This was a thoroughly reasonable stance; at the very least, it was impossible for them to ascertain anything else at this preliminary stage.

"Yet if I were to take on this assignment, would you be willing to assist me?"

Zhu Yunzhi stated his intentions without beating around the bush.

Although it might seem somewhat unreasonable, after all, when striving for the supreme throne, how could one afford to fixate solely on immediate gains?

"You may proceed with an easy mind. However, if we are truly to resolve the crisis in Jiangcheng, I must inevitably accompany you there."

He spoke with complete candor.

The situation was exceedingly transparent.

The Emperor clearly intended for the princes to compete with one another, to see who truly possessed the capability to act for the welfare of the common people rather than merely indulging in polished rhetoric.

"I understand."

Zhu Yunzhi nodded.

With this single assurance, resolving subsequent matters would prove vastly easier.

At the very least, there was no longer any danger of acting with excessive haste and driving certain individuals into an awkward predicament.

The Emperor also wished to watch them contend, intending for the two of them to travel to Jiangcheng together, and subsequently present their respective governing strategies.

Should a particular strategy prove genuinely effective, His Majesty would undoubtedly adopt it.

This could be considered treating them with absolute equality, leaving no room for anyone to maliciously forge connections or curry favor.

Particularly when it concerned the interests of others.

Thus, no matter how anxious those courtiers might feel, they dared not stir up any trouble.

Fair though this method was, it consumed an immense amount of time.

Yet not a single official dared to object.

Han Qing accompanied him to Jiangcheng.

What met their eyes was utter desolation, accompanied by throngs of refugees fleeing in all directions.

Once upon a time, this had been a place of yearning and prosperity for many.

Who could have imagined it would be reduced to such a lamentable and wretched state?

"Go and investigate how the common folk within the city are living."

He commanded out of the blue.

On other occasions, they might have feigned ignorance, but that was no longer an option.

"My lord, I just returned from questioning the locals. A full third of the population has already fled Jiangcheng."

Alas!

To think it had deteriorated to such a degree.

"Do we know what caused such a severe drought here? Can it be attributed solely to a shortage of water resources?"

Han Qing asked coldly.

He refused to believe that relying solely on the heavens could bring a region to such a desperate pass.

"No, sir. The entire upper reaches of the river have dried up, and nearly all the nearby lakes and streams have virtually ceased to flow."

The shadow guard reported truthfully.

Neither they nor anyone else had anticipated such a crisis, and every single person wore an expression of nervous dread, terrified that the ultimate blame would fall upon their own heads.

If that was the case, the root of the problem extended far beyond a mere natural disaster; the disruption of irrigation channels was likely a major factor.

Relying purely on natural forces would probably prove insufficient.

Proper irrigation required specific tools, or drawing living water from the upstream sources to revive the region.

However, this necessitated negotiations with the prefectures further up the river.

Han Qing calmly analyzed the situation.

"You should now know where to begin. You may write down this proposal and present it directly to the Emperor."

Hearing these words, his companion was filled with boundless joy.

After all, the entire burden had been resting squarely on his shoulders.

Though Zhu Yunzhi had harbored doubts previously, he now placed absolute trust in this man.

"Very well."

Once they submitted the proposal directly to the throne, the Emperor did not delay in the slightest.

He immediately issued a decree ordering the prefectures along the upper reaches of Jiangcheng's river basin to open their floodgates without fail, warning that no negligence would be tolerated.

Once this decree was handed down, Jiangcheng finally began to receive a normal flow of irrigation water.

Yet Han Qing was far from satisfied with this temporary relief.

While effective, this method could only address the immediate emergency.

Jiangcheng desperately required a massive reservoir dam. On one hand, it would store water during specific seasons; on the other, it would provide a lasting sense of security, ensuring they would never again have to fear crop failures due to water scarcity.

However, undertaking a project of such staggering magnitude required the Emperor's explicit sanction.

Whatever these few individuals discussed among themselves carried no official weight; pushing the matter forward prematurely would only complicate things further.

"Are you suggesting we construct a dam?"

Zhu Yunzhi asked abruptly, feeling that the idea bordered on whimsical fantasy.

Such an undertaking was by no means an easy feat.

Once other officials caught wind of it, they would undoubtedly impeach him on various charges.

"Would you content yourself with merely solving today's crisis? The entire town is facing such a severe ordeal; even if we manage to stabilize it for two or three years, what comes after?"

Han Qing retorted sharply.

He ought to ponder carefully whether he truly possessed the capability to ascend to the supreme throne of the future.

If his vision remained so short-sighted, he might as well relinquish his ambitions right now.

"Very well."

One week later.

The water crisis in Jiangcheng had been preliminarily resolved.

The Third Prince returned looking thoroughly disheveled and covered in dust.

He had to admit that the strategists in his employ were utterly useless; they had failed to play a single pivotal role, and the solutions they offered only served to entangle matters further, drawing even deeper scorn from the Emperor.

"Your Majesty, this subject believes that Jiangcheng is far from being a barren wasteland. If Luoyang is to fully recover its prosperity in the days to come, the construction of a large-scale water dam is an absolute necessity."

What?

Upon hearing this, the assembled officials exchanged glances of astonishment.

This was no child's play.

Once a massive engineering project was initiated, the ensuing financial expenditures would be endless.

Moreover, the Qing Empire had only recently emerged from a war.

To drain the nation's strength further in such a manner would plunge the country into perilous jeopardy!

"Your Majesty, what the Prince of Chen is proposing is exceedingly imprudent! We implore Your Majesty to think twice!"