Rebirth: Phoenix Riding the Ninth Heaven

"I understand there's been an unprecedented outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease there, decimating livestock. However, one of the Xiongnu Khan's subordinates has devised a sinister plan: to drive the infected sheep back to the border, allowing them to cross and enter our territory. Their intention is self-evident: to spread the disease and cause significant losses to our livestock. If our livestock industry is severely damaged, leading to a severe outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, the Xiongnu will seize the opportunity to march south and launch a massive invasion."

Upon hearing this, the Fourth Prince felt a raging fire burning in his chest. The rage had reached a fever pitch, threatening to consume him whole. Once war broke out between these two nations, they were unscrupulous and unscrupulous! All their brutal tactics were unleashed upon innocent civilians. Those heartless, unscrupulous villains deserved to be cast into the eighteenth level of Hell, eternally destitute! Yet, at that moment, the Fourth Prince took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the negative emotions surging within him.

At this moment, the Fourth Prince beckoned Luo Cheng and Forle to come closer, then muttered something to them for a long time. Luo Cheng had been listening quietly, but suddenly, his eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief, and he stared straight at the Fourth Prince, seemingly unable to believe what he had heard.

"Is this true?" Luo Cheng couldn't help but ask.

The Fourth Prince nodded solemnly and replied decisively, "Why not treat someone the way he treats you?"

After hearing this, Luo Cheng remained silent. After thinking for a moment, he took the order and turned to leave.

The Fourth Prince stared silently at Luo Cheng's figure as he gradually walked away until he disappeared. He seemed to have lost his soul, slumped woodenly on the large carved chair. His eyes, once bright and full of spirit, now became empty, staring blankly into the distance, as if trying to find the answer within him through the endless void.

At this moment, the Fourth Prince's heart was filled with conflict and entanglement. He couldn't help but reflect on whether his decision had been correct. By treating Luo Cheng this way, had he become an unforgivable sinner? However, as his mind reflected on the evil deeds of those people—their wanton oppression and cruelty to the innocent people under their rule—the Fourth Prince's eyes gradually regained some of their spirit, and his faith was reaffirmed.

"Hmph!" The Fourth Prince snorted coldly and said to himself, "I'm acting entirely out of public interest. What's wrong with that? They were the ones who started the trouble and stretched out their evil claws towards my people. Can you still blame me for fighting back too harshly?" Thinking of this, the Fourth Prince stood up abruptly, clenched his hands into fists, and a sense of righteousness gushed out of his body.

Things were a chaotic, hectic mess. The Fourth Prince knew full well that his time here would be fleeting. Tasks piled up, each one crucial: not only must the unstable border situation be stabilized, deterring those restless foreign enemies from making rash moves, but also effectively improving the lives of the people, from their daily needs to their spiritual and cultural needs, all requiring meticulous planning and arrangement.

Especially when it comes to food and drink, ensuring that every household has enough to eat is crucial. Furthermore, the troops sent out to search for sweet potato seedlings are about to return, crucial to resolving the food crisis. However, far away in the capital, Jingdu continues to pressure him, pouring in urgent letters, urging him to resolve these challenging matters as quickly as possible and return to the capital to report. He has been here for nearly a year, yet many of his concerns remain unresolved, leaving him deeply distraught and restless.

The Fourth Prince, taking advantage of this opportunity to go out on business, immediately summoned important officials and ministers from across the northwest. Gathered in the spacious and solemn meeting hall, they waited anxiously for the Fourth Prince's arrival.

As the Fourth Prince entered the hall, his majestic gaze swept across the room, and everyone bowed their heads in respect. He then methodically outlined the various preliminary preparations, one by one. He detailed the objectives, steps, and desired outcomes for each task, and offered strategies for addressing any potential problems.

However, the officials present were grumbling inwardly. They already lived in this desolate and barren northwestern frontier, where the benefits they could obtain on a daily basis were meager. Now, they were faced with such a heavy workload, all while being under the constant strict supervision of the Fourth Prince. It was truly unbearable!

"It's not easy to be an official!" Many people lamented, "especially in such a remote place with not much money, it's even more difficult! Without corruption and bribery, how can we have enough motivation to complete these difficult tasks?" Although on the surface everyone pretended to listen carefully to the orders, arrangements and teachings of the Fourth Prince, deep in their hearts, all kinds of disdain and uneasiness had already surged.

Those with power secretly contemplated how to leverage their connections to find ways to leave this desolate northwestern region; those without power racked their brains to figure out how to seize the opportunity and then escape unscathed. As for those officials who did nothing, they never considered dedicating themselves to the development of the northwestern region, only thinking about how to get a piece of the pie.

The Fourth Prince was well aware that the Northwestern officialdom was already terminally ill and corrupt, reaching a point where it could no longer be eroded. However, faced with such a dire situation, he did not rush into a large-scale rectification campaign. His primary task was to successfully complete this arduous mission.

He decided to tolerate these corrupt officials' misdeeds for a while. Once this mission was complete, he could finally settle the score. After all, he had to ensure he could weather the current crisis. As for the subsequent punishment of these individuals, he could leave it for later.

The Fourth Prince scanned the assembled crowd with a piercing gaze, his mind clear as to who could be entrusted with important tasks and who was merely a temporary tool. He knew that winning this difficult battle in the northwest would be no easy task, but with the right strategy and effective use of talent, he could maintain peace for the next five years.

Therefore, the Fourth Prince decided to temporarily put aside the idea of ​​punishing those greedy officials and let them go unpunished for a while. After all, sooner or later, these guys who deserved punishment would not be able to escape justice!

After everyone had left, the Fourth Prince slowly closed the door and placed his hands on his head, his brow furrowed in agony. He vigorously rubbed his temples, trying to ease the pounding headache, while sighing and lamenting inwardly, "Alas! In this world, the most unpredictable thing is the human heart! It's so fickle, it's impossible to tell good from evil."

The Fourth Prince knew that the people's hearts were also like this, easily swayed. Ordinary people often only cared about their own food and clothing. If they could eat well and wear warm clothes, they would believe that the ruler was a benevolent person. However, the people's hearts were so fragile, easily deceived and incited by others. If someone with ulterior motives used a small trick, offering a few small benefits or rewards, they would be easily exploited, becoming tools and pawns for someone else, blindly following the orders of those with ulterior motives.

Faced with such a complex and ever-changing situation, the Fourth Prince struggled to grasp the right balance and measure, making the right choices. He felt deeply overwhelmed by these challenges, and felt he still had much to learn and improve. Consequently, he secretly resolved to redouble his efforts, constantly accumulating experience and wisdom to better handle these challenging matters.

The Fourth Prince stood solemnly in his tent, methodically assigning various important tasks to his subordinates. Meanwhile, men carrying out special missions far to the south rode their steeds, galloping towards them at lightning speed.

Qi Jianlin led the way, leading Niu Dabao, his sturdy son, and several experienced villagers skilled in farming. The team totaled ten people, each shouldering a heavy responsibility. Their initial journey south had taken them over a month to reach their destination. The return journey was equally long, but unlike the journey there, they not only had to travel faster but also had to constantly monitor the health of their fellow farmers. After all, such a long journey was not easy for ordinary people, and even the slightest carelessness could lead to illness and collapse.

So, despite their eagerness to return, everyone had to slow down their pace. Stopping and starting along the way, over a month had already passed unnoticed. Thankfully, with everyone's meticulous care, the precious sweet potato rhizomes they carried were tightly wrapped and kept warm under their blankets. They only needed to find a suitable climate and fertile soil to plant them and let them take root and sprout. Niu Dabao and his companions, who were responsible for guarding these sweet potato rhizomes, were even more reckless, meticulously protecting these seeds of hope.

The seeds of hope are sown, hoping to reap an unexpected harvest. People work hard and are busy just to fulfill the demands of the people. Why is it so difficult to realize them?