Rebirth: Phoenix Riding the Ninth Heaven

After the Fourth Prince Zhu Qi was appointed as the new governor, he focused his efforts on mushroom production and cultivation. He knew that mushrooms were not only delicious but also nutritious. If they could be produced in large quantities and supplied to the people, it would undoubtedly be a great benefit to the country and the people.

To this end, Zhu Qi personally led the family to reclaim wasteland, build mushroom sheds, and invite experienced farmers from all over the country to teach them cultivation techniques. They carefully selected high-quality strains and strictly controlled environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity to ensure that every mushroom would thrive.

At the same time, the wife of the First Emperor's branch residence also actively responded to the call and vigorously promoted mushroom production and cultivation. She organized the servants and female workers in the residence to participate in the work, tirelessly sowing, watering, and fertilizing. She also specially formulated a detailed plan and rationally allocated manpower and materials to increase production.

To allow more people to enjoy the delicious flavor of mushrooms, they decided to add mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms to their daily porridge. This made the once-simple porridge more rich and varied, increasing satiety while replenishing essential nutrients. While people might still feel hungry, at least they could maintain their basic needs.

However, the sky remained overcast, with no sign of rain. This filled the people with worry, wondering how long the drought would last. Regardless, Zhu Qi and his wife were determined to do their best to ensure everyone could survive this cold and difficult winter.

After the tense meeting, ministers and wealthy locals generously donated the vast majority of their clothing and food. However, when the Fourth Prince saw these mountains of supplies, he couldn't help but feel an indescribable irritation. In his eyes, these clothes and food were a drop in the bucket compared to the enormous demand, not enough to support the refugees through the coming winter.

Although they now have some wood ear mushrooms and fungus to supplement their food supply, the food shortage faced by the large number of hungry refugees remains dauntingly large. After all, this winter will last for four or five months. If the people's food and clothing cannot be properly addressed during such a long period, the consequences will be disastrous! What should be done to ensure that every citizen can survive this bitterly cold and challenging winter safely? The Fourth Prince fell into deep thought, feeling lost and at a loss as to where to begin.

At this moment, the Fourth Prince suddenly had an idea, and the image of Baili Xi emerged in his mind. He thought, "Perhaps I could call Baili Xi over to discuss this matter. Who knows, with his wisdom, he might be able to come up with some brilliant ideas to deal with this difficult situation." But then another thought came to his mind: "No, I can't just sit here and fret while others do nothing. We must get everyone involved to work together and find a solution!" So, the Fourth Prince made a quick decision and sent for Minister Gao to come to the hall to discuss important matters concerning the people's livelihood.

At this moment, the spacious hall was packed with people. They stared at each other, their gazes filled with confusion and unease, wondering, "What on earth is going on here? Is this going to require donations like last time?"

They've been in a state of constant hustle and bustle these days. First, they've actively participated in fundraising campaigns, then devoted themselves to mushroom cultivation, and finally, they've been busy with disaster relief and evacuating affected people. Everyone is spinning like a top, so busy that they can barely keep their feet on the ground.

Yet, among this group, some truly dedicated themselves wholeheartedly and wholeheartedly. At the same time, there were also some officials whose hearts were not entirely focused on the people. For those who were solely focused on their own political achievements, completely disregarding the lives of the people, this disaster seemed of little consequence. In their eyes, the lives of the people were of little concern to them; after all, it was a natural disaster, not their own incompetence.

Yet, many dedicated officials, dedicated to the people, toiled tirelessly, striving to free them from displacement and ensure they could live a stable life. They worked tirelessly to provide a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness. When they discovered mushrooms, a fast-growing food, these officials, truly concerned for the people, were overwhelmed with excitement. They knew this might be the key to helping the people overcome their difficulties.

At this very moment, those diligent officials who dedicated themselves to their duties and served the people wholeheartedly arrived to participate in this important meeting. They were extremely excited, eagerly anticipating whether the Fourth Prince would come up with a new and wise plan to help the people successfully overcome this difficult crisis.

In stark contrast, however, were the officials who had always been perfunctory, muddled along, and indifferent to the suffering of the people. They were filled with anxiety and trepidation, constantly wondering, "Will they ask us to donate clothes and property again? My little savings are almost completely gone! What should I do?"

The Fourth Prince's gaze was sharp as he scanned the assembled officials. Their expressions varied, some complex, others revealing obvious uneasiness. Seeing this, the Fourth Prince couldn't help but sneer. These people, spending their days enjoying the splendor and wealth bestowed upon them by the imperial family, yet had no desire to help the royal family solve its problems.

Now that they're facing difficulties, they're still trying to shirk responsibility. Who gave them such audacity? However, despite his raging anger, the Fourth Prince knew that successfully dealing with this severe drought still required the assistance of these officials. Helplessly, he could only suppress his anger temporarily and wait for the right time to make further plans.

One of the Four Emperors slowly stood up, surveying the assembled crowd with a dignified gaze. He then spoke solemnly, "I've gathered you all here today in the hope that you can pool your wisdom and ideas to come up with a solution to help the people survive this harsh winter. You know, if the people are left without food and clothing, the consequences will be disastrous!"

He paused, then recalled the previous scene: "Last time, thanks to everyone's concerted efforts and generous donations of clothing, food and other supplies, the people were able to live a few days of peace. However, the situation is still grim now. This winter will not end for another four or five months before the warm spring comes. Such a long and cold season is really worrying. I am afraid that the people will not be able to hold on, and before the spring comes, they will be killed by this cold." At this point, one of the Four Emperors couldn't help but frown, his face full of worry.

As they watched the Fourth Prince in such a state, a feeling of endless desolation welled up in their hearts. They wanted to help him, but the situation was truly hopeless! All the money and food had already been taken away, and how would they survive the coming winter? They were truly helpless!

There wasn't enough money to buy winter necessities, nor enough food to fill their bellies, and even warm clothing was severely lacking. Was it simply a matter of sitting there and waiting for death? There seemed to be no other option. Everyone was silent, as if suffocating under the weight of this harsh reality.

Seeing everyone's silence, the Fourth Prince's face flickered with resignation. He took a deep breath and spoke slowly, "I've summoned you all here today not to pressure you to donate money or supplies. I simply hope we can pool our wisdom and resources to come up with a plan to overcome this difficult situation. As the saying goes, 'Three cobblers are better than one.' If we all work together and pool our wisdom, perhaps we can come up with a brilliant solution."

At this moment, a young-looking county magistrate slowly emerged from the crowd. His name was Qi Andang. He clasped his hands together, bowed, and said, "Your Highness the Fourth Prince, I have something to report!"

The Fourth Prince looked in the direction of the voice and saw a familiar face emerging from the crowd. It turned out to be Qi'antang, the magistrate of Huai'an County, to whom he had delivered grain to provide relief to the disaster victims when he first arrived in the northwest. The Fourth Prince immediately waved his hand, motioning for him to come closer and speak.

Qi Andang walked steadily to the center of the crowd. He bowed deeply and respectfully to the Fourth Prince before standing up and speaking slowly, "Your Highness, the winters here are exceptionally cold. Even when there aren't severe droughts, many people die of freezing or starvation every year. I believe these affected people could be temporarily relocated to villages or larger houses in the city. This way, everyone can gather together for warmth, saving a great deal of firewood and other supplies."