Rebirth: Phoenix Riding the Ninth Heaven

Emperor Qian felt as if his head was about to explode. He sat on the dragon throne, watching the ministers bicker and blame each other, his heart filled with frustration and anger. Was this the country he ruled? Were these the ministers who so often professed their loyalty to him? Their selfishness and egoism were now fully exposed.

A flood in the south, seemingly a minor incident, ignited a fierce internal struggle within the imperial court. Each official sought to maintain their position and power, even at the expense of others. Emperor Qian felt a wave of deep disappointment, realizing that governing a state was far more difficult than he had imagined. Within this vast bureaucracy, each possessed their own selfish desires, and as emperor, he had to confront these human weaknesses.

He recalled his ideals and ambitions as a young man, when he had vowed to make the country prosperous and the people live and work in peace and contentment. But now, facing the pressures and challenges of reality, he began to doubt whether he could really achieve these goals.

Yet, Emperor Qian did not give up hope. He knew that as emperor, he must shoulder the responsibility of leading the country. He decided to take action to rectify the government and severely punish those selfish officials. He would also strengthen local supervision to ensure the livelihood of the people. Although the road ahead was fraught with difficulties and challenges, Emperor Qian believed that with unremitting efforts, he would be able to overcome the difficulties and restore vitality to the country.

Emperor Qian thought about the urgent memorial from the south.

At first, a few tiny raindrops drifted from the sky, gently landing on the eaves with a crisp sound. However, this was only the prelude to a storm. Soon, these small raindrops quickly gathered into streams, forming curtains of water that beat against the windows like countless hurried footsteps. Soon, the whole world was shrouded in a dense curtain of rain.

The wind howled, carrying rain that lashed the trees fiercely. Branches swayed in the wind, leaves trembled in the rain, as if dancing a desperate dance. The streets suddenly overflowed with water, forming swift streams that washed away everything in their path. The roads became makeshift rivers, forcing carriages to navigate with difficulty and pedestrians to carefully cross the currents.

Flooding. Previously tranquil lakes and rivers became turbulent under the torrential rain. Rivers surged, overflowing their banks and engulfing nearby land. Fields and villages became part of the vast ocean in the blink of an eye, with the lower floors of houses submerged and livestock floating helplessly on the surface. Fishermen scrambled to gather their nets, only to watch helplessly as their boats tossed and lurched in the surging waves, threatened to capsize and sink at any moment.

While this disaster may not be of significant scale, it is by no means a trivial matter to be taken lightly. Without a swift and effective response and arrangements, the victims could be plunged into deeper distress, even leading to greater chaos and crisis. This would not only impact them personally but also potentially have serious consequences for society as a whole. Therefore, we must attach great importance to this issue and take proactive measures to address it.

Emperor Qian calmed down and made up his mind that arguing like this would not produce any results, so he directly issued an order. No matter if they were willing or not, they should do it. No matter if they complained or were angry, this matter had to be done. After sorting out the clues,

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the clouds, illuminating every corner of the palace. Emperor Qian sat in the imperial court, his gaze firm and majestic. His voice echoed throughout the court: "I have decided that the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War will jointly handle the flood disaster in the south!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole court was in uproar. The ministers began to discuss the matter, but they all knew that this was the emperor's order and must be carried out.

Emperor Qian continued, "This flood in the south has severely impacted the lives of the people and the stability of the country. Therefore, I demand that you properly handle this matter within one month. Any negligence or delay will be severely punished!"

His eyes swept over everyone in the court, as if warning them not to slack off in the slightest.

Emperor Qian then added: "The Ministry of Revenue must ensure the adequate supply of disaster relief supplies and their rational distribution to the affected areas; the Ministry of War must organize the army to assist in emergency rescue work and protect the lives of the people."

Finally, Emperor Qian emphasized: "This mission is of great importance, and it concerns the safety of the country and the well-being of the people. I hope that all of you, my dear ministers, can do your best and live up to my expectations. If anyone fails in his duty, I will punish them severely!" After that, he waved his hand to signal the end of the court.

The ministers knelt in gratitude, promising to do their utmost to complete the task. In the days that followed, the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War worked closely together to rapidly launch flood relief operations in southern China. They toiled tirelessly day and night on the front lines of the disaster area, striving to help the victims restore normal life and work. After a month of arduous efforts, they finally succeeded in bringing the disaster under control, earning the praise and gratitude of the people.

Regardless of whether the ministers in the court were willing or not, they did a very good job on the surface in this flood. As for any future troubles, we can only wait and see.

During this time, Emperor Qian had been busy dealing with the floods in the south, and he was so busy that he had no time to pay attention to the harem. After more than a month of hard work, he finally received good news, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He decided to visit his mother and relax.

When he arrived at his mother's bedroom, the nanny beside her warmly welcomed him into the Grand Empress Dowager's palace. Upon seeing Emperor Qian, the Grand Empress Dowager was extremely happy, and said with eyes full of heartache: "My son, you have worked so hard this past month! Look at you, you have lost so much weight!"

Emperor Qian saw the concern on his mother's face, and a wave of guilt welled up in his heart. He slowly said, "Mother, I have been busy with government affairs lately and cannot spare the time to visit you. I beg your forgiveness."

The Empress Dowager sighed softly, a trace of heartache and understanding flashing in her eyes. She gently stroked Emperor Qian's hand and said softly, "Emperor, you bear the responsibility of the world. State affairs are the most important, but you must also take care of your health."

Emperor Qian nodded, his eyes firm yet helpless. He knew that as the ruler of a country, he had to shoulder this responsibility, no matter the cost. But in the face of his mother's concern, he still felt an immense sense of guilt deep in his heart.

The Grand Empress Dowager seemed to see through the Emperor Qian's thoughts and smiled comfortingly, "My son, don't blame yourself too much. I know you have always been filial, but sometimes you just can't help yourself. As long as you can govern the country well and ensure that the people live and work in peace and contentment, that will be the greatest filial piety to me."

Emperor Qian nodded gratefully, tears glistening in his eyes. He knew his mother's tolerance and understanding, and he also understood the heavy responsibility he shouldered. He secretly vowed to strive to fulfill his duties as emperor and live up to his mother's expectations.

Emperor Qian then asked with concern, "Mother, how is your health? Are you feeling unwell? If you need anything, please let me know. I will immediately arrange for the best imperial physician to come and treat you."

The Empress Dowager smiled and shook her head gently, indicating that nothing serious was wrong. She told the Emperor that she had been feeling well recently and that there were no major problems. At the same time, she reminded the Emperor to balance work and rest and avoid overwork.

Emperor Qian listened attentively, nodding his head in agreement. He assured his mother that he would take care of his health and not worry her. He then chatted with his mother about some trivial matters, sharing bits of their lives.

After lunch with my mother, I left the Queen Mother's palace and wandered aimlessly through the gardens. Suddenly, I remembered that I hadn't seen Ma Xiuxiu for a while and missed her terribly. So, I decided to head to the harem immediately.

As Emperor Qian hurried on his way, he ran into Qiao Xinran. Qiao Xinran's eyes instantly reddened upon seeing me, and she said softly, "Your Majesty, I haven't seen you for a long time. Do you dislike me anymore? I've lost a lot of weight because I miss you..."

Emperor Qian looked at Qiao Xinran, his thoughts instantly drawn back to the past, when they were still very much in love. He couldn't help but soften his voice, "Of course I miss you, but the court has been busy lately, and the flood in the south has just been resolved, so I couldn't wait to come to the harem to visit you and my son."

When Qiao Xinran heard what Emperor Qian said, her eyes sparkled with joy. She asked softly, "Your Majesty, did you really come to visit me specially?"

Emperor Qian smiled slightly and nodded: "Of course, I have always been thinking about you and your son." He reached out and gently stroked Qiao Xinran's face, his eyes full of tenderness.

Qiao Xinran felt the emperor's love and care, and her heart was filled with happiness. She held the emperor's hand tightly and said affectionately, "Your Majesty, I have been waiting for your arrival."

Emperor Qian smiled and responded, "I know, I won't let you down. I will spend more time with you and my son in the future." The two smiled at each other, their eyes filled with love.

Qiao Xinran led the Emperor Qian towards her palace, her steps light and quick, as if she couldn't wait to share something important with him. The Emperor laughed heartily at Qiao Xinran's gesture, his eyes gleaming with fondness. He let Qiao Xinran hold his hand, feeling the warmth and softness of her palm.

Emperor Qian's gaze fell on Qiao Xinran. Her hair was as smooth as silk, gently flowing and emitting a faint fragrance. Her face was delicate and beautiful, her skin as white as snow, with a healthy glow. Her bright eyes, in particular, shone like stars, full of life and energy.

Looking at Qiao Xinran's delicate appearance, Emperor Qian couldn't help but feel pity. This woman, once held in his palm, still retained her innocence and beauty. Although the years passed and women in the palace came and went, Qiao Xinran remained the most special person in his heart. Moreover, they had not seen each other for a long time, and Emperor Qian's longing for his son became more and more intense.

As the two of them approached the palace, Emperor Qian's anticipation grew stronger. He imagined the scene he was about to see, wondering what kind of surprise Qiao Xinran would bring him. At the same time, he also looked forward to seeing his son again.