The prince is more stable

Chapter 100: Settlement of Accounts after Autumn
Foot massage is also a way, and the technique is also a method.

Tao follows nature.

Zhao Xiaoqian is really not polite to others. He is the kind of person who takes advantage of others.

Jiang Miaoxian said she wanted to be a maid, so she was a maid, and a maid should do a maid's job. It was reasonable for her to massage her master's legs and feet.

In Zhao Xiaoqian's eyes, the most beautiful lady in the brothel, even if you spend a fortune, you still can't get close to her...

I really want to let those scholars and young men who have her in their hearts and eyes see how clumsy the leg and foot massage techniques of the courtesan they are obsessed with are.

Jiang Miaoxian was a little bit incredulous. She didn't believe that Zhao Xiaoqian would actually let her, the most beautiful woman, massage his feet.

This job... is an area she is completely not good at.

What should the Oiran do?
She should chat with talented men about poetry and articles, play the zither and the harp for them, dance for them and urge them to drink.

In short, she had never done the job of massaging legs and feet. No one would treat her like this as a popular courtesan.

But Zhao Xiaoqian did just that. Looking at his expression and actions at the moment, he didn't seem to be joking.

Biting her lower lip with her white teeth, Jiang Miaoxian hesitated for a long time, but still walked forward lightly, squatted in front of Zhao Xiaoqian, and gently massaged his legs.

Zhao Xiaoqian closed his eyes and lay on his back, letting out a comfortable sigh, but he said, "Your technique is not good enough, I need to practice more in the future."

Jiang Miaoxian glared at him fiercely and said angrily, "Don't forget, my lord, I am only your maid temporarily. When the flood in Bianjing City recedes, I will return to Zuihuayin."

"It doesn't matter. I'll just do my job as a monk and massage your feet as a maid. I'm a maid picked up for free, so I'll use her as long as she can." Zhao Xiaoqian said indifferently.

Then Zhao Xiaoqian suddenly asked, "By the way, how much would it cost to redeem you?"

Despite being angry, Jiang Miaoxian's heartbeat accelerated uncontrollably. She looked at him with watery eyes, "Sir, you wish to redeem me?"

"Let me ask the price first." Zhao Xiaoqian said calmly.

Jiang Miaoxian whispered, "I was sold when I was young. The brothel spent a lot of money on me, teaching me to read and write, compose poetry, play the piano, chess, calligraphy, painting, singing and dancing, etc... If you want to redeem yourself, I'm afraid the price will be high."

"Just name your price."

"Even ten thousand taels wouldn't be enough." Jiang Miaoxian looked at him hopefully.

Zhao Xiaoqian was stunned for a moment, then lay back down again: "It's immoral to steal someone's girlfriend. You should go back to being an Oiran."

"You!" Jiang Miaoxian gritted her teeth, breathing rapidly in anger, and pinched his right leg hard. Zhao Xiaoqian screamed with his eyes wide open.

…………

A memorial was handed to Zhao Xu, and the person who wrote it was Zhao Xiaoqian.

Zhao Xu's expression was both solemn and angry.

The content of the memorial was very straightforward; it was a summary of intelligence gathered by the Imperial City Administration's subordinates stationed in various locations.

After the Bianliang flood, many victims in the capital area were left homeless. Local governments marked out open space outside the city and set up tents to distribute porridge.

But after natural disasters, there will be man-made disasters.

The public security in the areas where disaster victims gathered became increasingly chaotic, with looting and bullying of victims common occurrences. In some places, there were even multiple murders. The government was busy with disaster relief and was overwhelmed with the cases, and had no manpower to investigate and prosecute them.

Zhao Xu suppressed his anger, read the memorial, and slammed the table.

"Investigate! Send all the officers of the Imperial City Bureau down to conduct a thorough investigation. In times of chaos, severe punishments must be used. Once the evil bandits are found, they will all be beheaded and displayed to the public. I demand the death of those who took advantage of the situation to loot!"

Zhao Xiaoqian bowed and said, "I obey your command."

Just as he was about to leave, Zhao Xu stopped him and handed him a long list.

Zhao Xiaoqian took it, glanced at it, and looked at him in confusion.

Zhao Xu said in a deep voice: "All the people on the list will be questioned. After a strict interrogation by the Bingjingwu, they will be handed over to the Dali Temple for sentencing. They will be punished severely and severely. Those who are the leaders... will be beheaded!" Zhao Xiaoqian's gaze returned to the list again, and then he realized that these people were all court officials.

Officials from the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Revenue to the Ministry of Water Resources and the Ministry of Finance are all on the list.

The most comprehensive list was from a department under the Ministry of Works called "Du Shui Si". From the Chief Supervisor to the Chief Supervisor, and even ordinary clerks, all were on the list. It was basically a complete sweep.

"Sir, who are these people..." Zhao Xiaoqian asked curiously.

Zhao Xu snorted coldly: "The Yellow River burst its banks, Bianjing was flooded, the whole country was in turmoil, and people's hearts were unstable. Zi'an doesn't think this is purely a natural disaster, right?"

"In the fifth year of Yuanyou, the imperial court allocated 500,000 strings of cash to the Ministry of Works to repair and reinforce the Yellow River embankment in Kaifeng. As you can see, just four years later, floods submerged Kaifeng."

"Wei Jie secretly reported yesterday that the majority of the 500,000 strings of cash allocated by the imperial court were embezzled by officials from the Ministry of Works and the Dushui Bureau. The flooding of Bianjing is directly related to these thieves, and they cannot escape responsibility!"

"They have caused me such a terrible situation, displaced the people of the capital, and unsettled the people of the country. How can I tolerate these villains?"

Zhao Xiaoqian understood, and a murderous intent arose in his heart.

They even dared to embezzle the money for building the dike. How many people have been harmed by these beasts? They really have no bottom line at all.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I will definitely bring all these thieves to justice, and Bingjingwu will treat them well."

Zhao Xu nodded with a gloomy expression.

There is another reason for investigating and prosecuting these officials: they are all members of the Yuanyou old party.

Although such a serious disaster occurred in the capital, the court had to continue to operate and national policies had to continue to be implemented. The trend of the new party replacing the old party was unstoppable.

The case of the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Revenue embezzling funds for dike construction was a legitimate way to prosecute a large number of old party officials and then add new party officials to the mix.

Zhao Xiaoqian understood what Zhao Xu meant, including the meaning that was inconvenient to say out loud.

In the next few days, the water level dropped again, and the flood in Bianjing City had basically receded, but the city was severely damaged. Officials in Kaifeng Prefecture and several cities in the capital were busy with disaster relief, clearing silt, and rebuilding the city.

However, the Imperial City Division under Zhao Xiaoqian had already begun to take action against officials.

You must be responsible for the sins you commit. If you embezzle money, you will pay the price with your life.

The political environment of the Song Dynasty was indeed relaxed, and the so-called gentleman politics was very popular. The Song Dynasty was the most respectful and supportive of civil servants throughout the dynasties.

But the so-called rule of "no punishment for scholars and officials" also has a bottom line.

Such a serious disaster was caused, countless people drowned and became displaced, and even officials were almost drowned in the flood. It would be unjustifiable not to execute him for such a serious crime.

So, just as the main streets of Bianjing City were cleared, the markets and shops in the city gradually opened, the imperial palace and the residences of the powerful were tidied up, and the emperor and his ministers were preparing to return to Bianjing City, the Imperial City Administration suddenly took action and questioned a large number of officials.

This time no one dared to protest, no one even dared to say a word.

They knew what these officials had done and felt deeply that they deserved to die.

Apart from beheading, they will have no other outcome, and no one in the court, civil or military, will plead for them.

The court officials hated them so much that they even wanted to seek compensation from these criminal officials.

It caused us so much trouble. We had to camp in tents in the wild for nearly half a month even though our bodies were precious.

Beheading the head is not enough to satisfy the hatred, the house must be confiscated!
After the Imperial City Division arrested these criminal officials, they were sent directly to the Bingjing Division. When it came to torturing and interrogating prisoners, those perverts in the Bingjing Division were undisputed authorities.

At the end of July in the first year of Shaosheng, this huge disaster finally came to an end.

Many cities in the capital area have returned to their original appearance, and the city of Bianjing has become prosperous again.

It was also on this day at the end of the month that Zhao Xu issued an edict, ordering all civil and military officials to return to the capital, and each official to return to his or her position and perform his or her duties.

A devastating disaster has finally passed, and the tenacious spirit of China has once again triumphed over nature.

(End of this chapter)