Chapter 229
As Gu Zhen said in this letter, on the second day of the twelfth lunar month, Gu Zezhi, Gu Zhen, Liu Shijing, and others returned to the capital with a thousand troops.
The emperor met them in the imperial study.
After only half a month’s absence, the emperor felt that Gu Zhen seemed to have grown taller and thinner, but he was very energetic. The emperor felt a lot more relieved, and the smile on his face became a lot more evident.
“What about the situation in Linpu Town?” The emperor went straight to the point.
Liu Shijing was a knowledgeable person. He knows that it was not his turn to speak here, so he was silent.
Gu Zezhi took a look at Gu Zhen, and Gu Zhen maintained a posture of bowing and solemnly replied.
“Replying to imperial father, this son, great uncle, and Lord Liu visited the surrounding area of Linpu Town to help the people strengthen their houses, and also made some civilians move out of Linpu Town and temporarily move to ancestral halls and county government offices, and some rich rural gentry took the initiative to lend their homes to the Imperial Court for temporary use.”
“The snowstorm lasted for ten days. The rivers were frozen, and the snow was heavy. Lord Liu ordered the county magistrate to hire local civilians to sweep the snow and put soil on the official roads to prevent slipping. The people were able to come in and go and didn’t suffer much damage by the snowstorm.”
“The emergency relief for the victims had been delivered to Linpu Town five days ago…”
Gu Zhen grew up in the imperial palace and never went out. He didn’t know what kind of houses these people lived in before but after visiting Linpu Town with Gu Zezhi and Liu Shijing this time, he knew that some people lived in such a poor life.
Those thatched houses looked precarious and could not withstand such disasters like snow and hail. Fortunately, they moved these people away ahead of time.
Although some of his words were still a little childish, they were well-organized and reasonable, and have made great progress.
The emperor looked at Gu Zhen as if he were a little adult. His son has always been good and smart, but since he was still young, he was a little playful. However right now, seeing his son, he has a new level of awe.
He was more intelligent than he thinks.
Gu Zhen was young, so his report was broad and limited. After he finished speaking, Liu Shijing added some detailed information about how some of the local crops had been frozen, and how the cattle, sheep, and poultry animals were uniformly placed by the government.
And specific households that were greatly impacted have been registered so that the government could personally come to them and implement the situation. Afterward, the relief would be differentiated according to the disaster situation and requested for the local government to be exempt from taxes for one year.
The emperor was quite satisfied. This time, he was able to reduce the loss in Linpu Town to the lowest point which was considered an achievement.
After giving Liu Shijing a commendation, he dismissed him. Then he said to Gu Zhen.
“My son, your mother misses you very much these days. Go see your mother first.”
It was the first time that Gu Zhen had left Empress Wei for so long. He also missed Empress Wei and responded happily.
After he saluted, he departed happily.
Only the emperor and Gu Zezhi were left in the imperial study.
The emperor smiled and said, “Zezhi, your father and mother have already arrived in the capital. You can go back early if you have nothing to do later.”
Duan Wang Ye has a manor in the capital. It was given to him by the previous emperor when he came of age. In the beginning, Duan Wang Ye and Duan Wang Fei were also married in this manor in the capital.
When Gu Zezhi arrived in the capital in October, he lived in the Duan manor.
Gu Zezhi smiled and replied, “Yes, Your Majesty.”
The emperor looked at the Gu Zezhi who was a table away from him and the smile on his face was even thicker.
At his age, he could almost be Gu Zezhi’s father, and looking at this little cousin, he inevitably has a kind of loving kindness towards the younger generation.
The emperor stroked the teacup in his hand and said.
“I have already decreed you to marry. Next, you should do a good job for me, and find a title before getting married. Don’t let me down!”
The emperor seemed to exhort but also seemed to casually say.
Gu Zezhi gave a gentle “Hmm”, and a soft smile rippled in his eyes. His eyebrows and eyes were gentle, reflecting the light of the room.
Long before the emperor set off from the Hunting Palace to return to the capital, he told Gu Zezhi that when Duan Wang Ye arrived in the capital, he would give him and Qin Jiu a marriage.
The emperor rarely plays as a matchmaker and this couple he recently match made him surprisingly in a good mood. He said.
“Zezhi, you did a good job on this errand.”
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