I became a big shot in the quick transmigration world.

Chapter 882 His White Moonlight 15
The hardest-hit area was Gushuicheng, and the disaster zone extended for hundreds of miles around Gushuicheng.

After Lou Yunsheng's team entered the disaster area, everywhere they went, they saw such a tragic scene.

No one came to collect the bodies; they were scattered everywhere, along with pieces of flesh carried by the flowing water.

The reason it became body parts is because it was hit during the floating process and no longer has a complete body.

A foul stench permeated the air, and the scene was one of devastation.

It's hard to imagine that in just one month, this place has become a living hell.

Moreover, they hadn't even reached Gushui City yet.

It's hard to imagine what Gushui City looks like now.

Lou Yunsheng's entourage was quite large. Although they had traveled a long distance, their attire was extraordinary, forming a stark contrast with the local people on the roadside.

Every now and then, some passing disaster victims would muster up the courage to come up and beg for food.

When Lou Yunsheng saw these displaced people, he would try his best to give them some food.

However, such small amounts of aid are merely a drop in the ocean for the vast number of disaster victims.

Lou Yunsheng's expression was very serious.

He didn't smile once the entire way.

For the first half of the journey, Yu Muhuai dutifully maintained the distance between his master and his subordinates, never approaching Lou Yunsheng alone.

Yuwen Xue was either sitting in the carriage or resting in her room at the post station.

The team had very little time to sleep each day. Lou Yunsheng also had to handle official business after arriving at the post station, and he would finish very late every day. Yuwen Xue had already gone to bed long ago.

Moreover, the two had always slept in separate beds, so they hadn't spoken much along the way.

Lou Yunsheng's brow never relaxed after experiencing setbacks in his love life in the early stages and seeing the situation in the disaster area later on.

When he entered the disaster area, all those romantic notions had long been forgotten.

The actual situation in the disaster area is even more serious than what local officials reported some time ago.

Most of the surrounding government offices have already taken various measures to deal with the situation.

However, due to the suddenness of the flood, the wide affected area, and the large number of victims, the government's response measures were limited, which is why it urgently requested assistance from the imperial court.

The Emperor's decision to send Lou Yunsheng was not without reason.

Besides wanting to increase Lou Yunsheng's public prestige, they also wanted him to oversee the use of disaster relief funds.

Funds allocated by the imperial court for disaster relief and other support are most susceptible to corruption due to the long distances they travel and the large number of officials involved.

Although the current emperor is still capable of getting things done, he spends significantly more time on leisure compared to his predecessors.

If the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam will be crooked too; inevitably, there are quite a few parasites in Lanting Kingdom now.

The emperor had been enjoying himself and neglected these matters. By the time he turned around and wanted to rectify the situation, the officials had already formed a network of relationships.

It won't be so easy to shake it again.

Moreover, at this time, the emperor's health was gradually declining, and he was willing but unable to do so.

In the past, the imperial court's allocations would be reduced at each level after being drawn from the national treasury managed by the Ministry of Revenue.

There were fewer trips outside the capital, fewer stops at various local government offices, and fewer trips to cities in need of assistance.

After being exploited layer by layer, the amount of money that actually reaches the people is often only 50% to 60%, and sometimes only 10% to 20%.

People often talk about civil and military officials, but in reality, the vast Kingdom of Lanting has far more than a hundred officials.

The more people there are, the more complex the power dynamics become.

The emperor, unable to handle the matter, decided to simply hand it over to Lou Yunsheng.

He also wanted to see just how capable his youngest son really was. The disaster relief funds were a considerable sum, and many people had designs on them.

When the silver left the national treasury and reached Lou Yunsheng's hands, it was no longer the same amount as before.

Lou Yunsheng had carefully counted them and had a general idea of ​​what was going on.

However, his power in the court is not yet fully consolidated, and the positions of some veteran officials in the court cannot be shaken by him in a short period of time.

Even his father, the Emperor, can only turn a blind eye to some people, so it's even less his place as the Prince of Duan, who hasn't even ascended the throne yet, to care.

With these complex thoughts in mind, Lou Yunsheng traveled eastward and arrived at Guanglin Prefecture.

Guanglin Prefecture is the closest prefecture to Gushui City. After passing through Guanglin Prefecture, you will reach Gushui City, which was the most severely affected by the disaster.

Guanglin Prefecture was a prefecture composed of several towns, covering a large area and with a considerable population.

Upon arriving at Guanglin Prefecture, Prefect Zhang Chengdong personally came to greet them.

Zhang Chengdong was in his forties, with a large belly and a ruddy complexion.

Judging from his appearance alone, one would never guess that he was the prefect of a disaster-stricken area.

Zhang Chengdong, along with a group of subordinate officials, welcomed Lou Yunsheng and his entourage.

He then led Lou Yunsheng and the entourage toward his residence.

After entering the city, the streets and environment improved considerably.

Having witnessed too many tragic scenes along the way, Lou Yunsheng and his group were somewhat dazed when they first saw such a clean and tidy city.

Aside from the fact that there were more disaster victims, it was hard to tell that this was a disaster area.

The city is quite a distance from the Qingyuan River, so the impact is not that great.

To prepare for Prince Duan's arrival, Zhang Chengdong specially sent people to clean the city thoroughly a few days in advance.

That's why Lou Yunsheng is seeing this scene now.

Moreover, Guanglin Prefecture is wealthy.

Before arriving, Lou Yunsheng's secret guards had thoroughly investigated Zhang Chengdong.

They even found out how many women he kept on the side and how often he went to brothels.

Zhang Chengdong was not a local. He came from a poor family and had no money or power. He passed the imperial examination entirely through his own efforts.

But passing the exam was only the first hurdle; once he officially entered officialdom, countless troubles awaited him.

In his youth, Zhang Chengdong offended people because he was too straightforward. He served as a low-ranking official for five or six years, but his life remained impoverished.

Later, he figured it out and started to curry favor with the powerful and influential, and to fawn over his superiors.

Those who can pass the imperial examinations are usually quite intelligent.

He used his intelligence to cultivate interpersonal relationships, and gradually became very successful in officialdom.

Ten years ago, he secured the position of prefect of Guanglin Prefecture and was dispatched here by the imperial court.

Although it's not in the capital, Guanglin Prefecture has a good geographical location.

Nestled between mountains and water, this area is rich in natural resources, enabling its residents to not only be self-sufficient but also have enough money to live on after paying taxes.

As the highest-ranking official in the entire Guanglin Prefecture, Zhang Chengdong used this position to amass considerable wealth.

The honest and simple-minded boy he once was is gone forever; now, Zhang Chengdong's mind is filled with nothing but how to make money.

In the past, whenever funds from the imperial court passed through Guanglin Prefecture, Zhang Chengdong would try every means to withhold a portion of them.

First updateヽ(▽)ノ

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(End of this chapter)