Seeing Li Qian's frown, many ministers below were startled.
Qin Hui hurriedly said again: "Your Majesty, I was negligent."
"This disaster in the three counties resulted in the death of approximately 2,000 people, more than 300 officers and soldiers guarding the embankment, and countless houses flooded and destroyed. A total of more than 900,000 people were displaced by the disaster. The chiefs of the three counties and nine counties have already Begin to resettle the victims."
More than 2,000 people died directly, and more than 900,000 people were destroyed and exiled.
Li Qian leaned on the dragon chair and did not react for a while. Hearing this shocking number, he was a little shocked.
The ministers were still very surprised when they saw His Majesty the Emperor.
It stands to reason that His Majesty the Emperor has grown up in the palace since he was a child, and the scope of his activities is at most within the capital city. He has never seen scenes of people being exiled due to disasters.
Since you were a child, you have lived well and lived well, so how have you ever known about the sufferings of the people?
But what's going on like this now? Could it be that they were frightened by the more than 900,000 disaster victims?
Impossible? Does he know what the scale of 900,000 people is? Does he know what it would be like to have 900,000 people gathered together?
Is it possible to be frightened just by imagining it?
Although Qin Hui wondered why the cutoff of water transportation could not scare the emperor, and reported the number of victims to scare him, he finally achieved his goal.
"This year's summer grain from Hengshan, Baling, Liyang, Jiangxia and other counties has all been taxed. After the canal was blocked, the canals did not set sail and the grain was stranded in the area."
"Your Majesty, I would like to ask the imperial court to send envoys to the Xingyang section of the Yellow River to take charge of the Tongji Canal to provide relief work for the victims, rebuild the embankment, and dredge the river."
Li Qian seemed to have come to his senses and said subconsciously: "Yes, we need disaster relief."
More than two thousand lives were lost in one fell swoop.
What came out of Qin Hui's mouth might be just a light word, but when Li Qian heard it, it felt heavy in his ears.
There are more than 2,000 people like him, more than 2,000 families, including fathers, sons, husbands, and wives...
These are only those who died directly; more than 900,000 people lost their homes and suddenly became victims of the disaster.
It is uncertain how many more of these people will die during the subsequent resettlement process...
"Prime Minister Qin, how do you plan to provide disaster relief?"
Several black lines appeared on Qin Hui's forehead. Your Majesty, did you listen to me?
"Back to Your Majesty, I have discussed with Prime Minister Yan and have decided to use work as relief in the disaster-stricken areas, dispatch the victims to areas where floods have receded, dredge canals and rivers, and provide food from the court to help the victims rebuild their homes."
Before Li Qian could speak, the generals beside him couldn't sit still.
Yang Su, the general of the left-leading army guard, frowned and asked: "Is Prime Minister Qin joking? Originally, the food in the capital was not enough. If the food consumed by the work-for-work relief was added, what would happen to the food and salary consumed by the forbidden army in the capital? The border army What about my food and salary?"
This question brought out the common concerns of all the generals, and they all looked at Qin Hui.
"This is an extraordinary period, and extraordinary measures must be taken."
Qin Hui looked fearless and glanced at the generals: "Food and wages for the frontier army cannot be delayed. The capital's food reserves must be supplied to the frontier army first!"
Many military attachés nodded one after another. They had no objection to this point. The border troops must not cause any problems.
However, the total amount of food is only so much. If it is supplied over there, it will not be available here.
So the question is, who should be deducted?
I saw Qin Hui continue to say: "Beijing officials and imperial craftsmen are also a major expenditure on rice. Now that there is a shortage of food, we and other officials naturally have to set an example."
"Before the grain arrives in the capital, the officials of the capital, Lu Mi, will have all their daily food rations halved!"
As soon as these words came out, there was a small commotion among the civil and military officials below, but it soon subsided.
The salaries of officials in the capital are very generous.
For example, Yan Maoqing, a third-rank minister of Dali Temple, has four hundred shi of rice every year, nine hectares of farmland, thirty-eight servants assigned by the imperial court, and nine plates of daily food every day, including fine grains.
Two liters of rice and two halves of japonica rice, two liters and four halves of noodles, one and a half pounds of wine, four halves of mutton, four halves of sauce, four halves of vinegar, three melons, and three to five kilograms a day in spring and winter.
carbon.
Although it is a bit helpless for such a generous salary to be cut, many adults don't particularly care.
After all, they have the filial piety of foreign officials and do not rely on their salaries to live. Those who are really affected are the middle and low-level officials and those who are honest.
Mr. Wei Zheng Wei seemed to have thought of something and frowned slightly.
Seeing that the officials did not have much objection, Qin Hui continued: "This year there is sufficient rain, and the harvests in Guanzhong, Gyeonggi and other places are good. To further trouble the people, an additional 30% of the grain tax will be levied as border wages."
"This is a major military matter, and I believe the people will understand it."
Many people in the court frowned slightly, and Wei Zheng stood up and retorted: "Prime Minister Qin, since the salaries of the officials in the capital have been reduced, is it inappropriate to impose additional border salaries?"
Qin Hui frowned slightly: "What do you think, Doctor Wei?"
Wei Zheng was wearing a bright red official robe, his face was serious, and he looked at Qin Hui: "Although there is enough rain this year, the Yellow River has been overflowing and floods have spread. Most of the counties and counties along the river have deployed people to guard the embankments. The people cannot farm at the right time, and the harvest is not as good as in previous years."
Okay, maybe a few points worse."
"The Prime Minister of Qin has reduced the salaries of the officials in the capital. Maybe the adults here don't care, but what should the officials below do?"
"If you can't take it from above, you must take it immediately. Looting the people is the most common method used by these people!"
Having said this, Wei Zheng glanced at the many officials present and said in a deep voice: "Officials raided, increased grain taxes, and floods in the Yellow River have all fallen on the people. Where will they go?"
No matter where the people go, they will naturally turn against his mother!
When Wei Zheng said this, the officials below didn't express anything, but Li Qian, who was sitting on the dragon throne, felt nervous.
I have only been emperor for a month, is my career coming to an end?
Although there are many outstanding people in the court, it may not be impossible to deal with the uprising of the people.
But Li Qian also knew that Daqian was already very fragile now. It was really like a gravel palace, maintained by a certain balance.
The revolting people may become the external force that disrupts the balance.
"Prime Minister Qin..." Li Qian felt a little heavy.
Whether it's for his own life or for the thousands of people and families outside, Li Qian doesn't want this to happen.
Just when Qin Hui was about to open up his airs and have a good chat with Wei Zheng, he heard Li Qian's voice and hurriedly turned around and raised the wat board: "What are your orders, Your Majesty?"
"Besides raising food and wages, is there any other way?" Li Qian looked at Qin Hui and asked quietly.
Qin Hui reacted immediately, cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I also discussed the second method with Prime Minister Yan yesterday."
Yan Song also stood up slowly, holding a scepter and said: "Your Majesty, the largest expenditure on food and grass in the capital is to supply the imperial army in the capital."
"As long as the rations and wages of the Imperial Army are reduced by 80%, there is no need to impose additional border wages and we can complete the work-for-relief program."