The system forced me to blow up the female lead's fishpond.

She was almost choked by Zhang Jiali's actions, immediately put down her chicken leg, and stared at the plain white figure in the center with confusion.

"What is it, Zhang Shaoqing?" Chu Shi sat on the throne, squinting at the white-robed youth kneeling in the hall, his eyes deep and serious.

Zhang Jiali bowed deeply and said, “Your Majesty, recently there have been severe floods in Shu Prefecture, with the three counties under its jurisdiction suffering serious damage. The floods have destroyed houses and crops, and there are disaster victims everywhere outside the capital, with people displaced.”

Shu Prefecture? Flood? How familiar that sounds!

Shen Zhizhi racked her brains for a long time before a flash of inspiration struck her, and the original description of this part of the plot came to mind.

Zhang Jiali had submitted a memorial to the imperial court about this matter, but it was rejected.

When he had exhausted all his savings but still couldn't provide enough relief to the disaster victims and was at his wits' end, Shen Qinshou tearfully begged Chu Tu for help, asking him to allocate some silver notes to her.

Chu Tu was always generous to her, spending lavishly on her.

After receiving the money, Shen Qinshou and Zhang Jiali distributed porridge together to help the disaster victims, and their relationship warmed up as a result.

Shen Zhizhi subconsciously looked up at Chu Tu and felt that the tip of his nose was faintly covered with the red nose of a clown, which looked quite comical.

But... the plot didn't develop that fast, did it? After all, the palace banquet was just their first encounter.

"Don't worry, host. Your transmigration into this book will have a butterfly effect," Ya Dan explained.

Shen Zhizhi: [So, my transmigrating into the book will cause some plot developments to change?]

Ya Dan nodded. "Yes, the host is here to change the villain's fate, so there's no need to be surprised by these changes."

Shen Zhizhi understood. Although Zhang Jiali didn't recognize Shen Qinshou yet because of her intervention, the aura of the male and female leads couldn't be ignored!

She needs to think of a way to organize this disaster relief porridge distribution; she can't let Shen Qinshou get involved.

Chu Shi rubbed his temples, clearly not taking the matter seriously. He replied dismissively, "So, what does Zhang Shaoqing mean?"

"I have heard that Your Majesty intends to build the Qifu Palace, but the people are suffering greatly. Could this matter be postponed? We should first allocate funds for disaster relief and properly settle the refugees who have come to the capital," Zhang Jiali replied in a deep voice.

Zhang Jiali's words undoubtedly struck the hearts of the officials like a thunderclap.

Everyone thought he must have gone mad.

His Majesty has been preparing for this Qifu Palace for a long time, and construction is about to begin in a few days. Now he wants to use this money as disaster relief funds? This Vice Minister Zhang is so audacious that even ten heads wouldn't be enough to take his life.

Chu Shi fumbled for the rim of the cup, his eyes filled with unreadable emotions, remaining silent for a long time.

After a long pause, he said, "What are your opinions, my esteemed ministers? If I do not take out this money, wouldn't I appear heartless and ungrateful, disregarding the people?"

For a moment, the hall was completely silent. The ministers who had been fawning over him shrank into a corner, not daring to utter a word.

Shen Zhizhi sighed.

Everyone knows that the current emperor of the Great Chu Kingdom is incompetent and greedy for pleasure, and he dotes on treacherous officials. Anyone who dares to speak frankly and offer advice will be framed.

Even if some of them shared Zhang Jiali's opinion, they wouldn't dare to be the first to speak out.

"I asked you what your opinions were? Are you all deaf?!"

The emperor's face, flushed red with alcohol, was now covered with frost, and he was instantly enraged.

The cup in his hand was smashed to the ground, startling all the civil and military officials, who all knelt down with a thud.

"Your humble servant deserves to die!"

"Emperor calm down!"

"What a bunch of useless trash! Besides saying 'despite dying,' what else can you say?!"

Chu Shi was furious and slammed his fist on the table, completely losing his composure.

"Isn't what you said inappropriate, Lord Shaoqing?" Hua Pengtian, who had been sitting silently at the table for a long time, suddenly spoke up.

Shen Zhizhi looked at his face, which couldn't hide his cunning and shrewdness, and immediately felt uneasy. Her temples throbbed and her nerves were on edge.

Oh no, Zhang Jiali offended him in the courtyard just now, that old bastard will definitely not let him get away with this.

Hua Pengtian slowly rose from his seat, his gaze falling on Zhang Jiali kneeling on the ground, and he let out a cold laugh.

He then bowed to Chu Shi on the high seat and said, "Your Majesty, the Qifu Palace must be built so that the Crown Prince can enjoy favorable weather and abundant harvests."

Chu Shi's expression eased slightly, but he hadn't even caught his breath yet.

But then Zhang Jiali continued, "Now that all the crops have been destroyed, it's questionable whether the people can even survive, let alone have a bountiful harvest."

Hua Pengtian sneered repeatedly, thinking that Zhang Jiali was indeed a fool who didn't know how to read the room.

The Emperor was clearly unwilling to allocate funds for the construction of the Qifu Palace, yet he still dared to spout such nonsense; he must have a death wish.

Taking advantage of the situation, Hua Pengtian fanned the flames, "Lord Shaoqing, the national treasury is empty right now, with income not meeting expenditures. Where would we get extra money for disaster relief and helping the people? Using the money from the Qifu Palace for relief? How could you even think of that!"

Faced with his provocation, Zhang Jiali naturally refused to back down, saying, "The Qifu Palace can be built at any time. The immediate problem is the disaster victims. If we don't help them, we'll have no way to silence the public's criticism."

The two held firm to their own opinions and argued endlessly, resulting in a stalemate.

Shen Zhizhi looked at Chu Chouchi beside her. He had his eyes half-closed and his long index finger was gently tapping the table. He seemed indifferent to what was happening in the hall.

She couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Second Prince, what do you think?"

Chu Chou's crimson eyes remained unchanged as he calmly glanced at the white-robed man kneeling on the ground. "Utterly foolish. Why insist on getting involved in this mess? Wouldn't it be better to protect yourself?"

Shen Zhizhi was on the verge of tears. This is why he is the protagonist, and you are the villain!

With the mission of making him realize the importance of love and peace, Shen Zhizhi moved closer to him, along with the sandalwood chair, and earnestly persuaded him.

"Hey, Your Highness, actually, you can't say it like that."

Chu Chouchi's body trembled. Her fragrance, carried by the breeze, filled his nostrils, making his ears burn.

He turned to the side, seemingly casually saying, "Otherwise what?"

"Hehe..." Shen Zhizhi poured him a cup of tea in a flattering manner.

"Your Highness, the people are homeless and penniless. Even filling their stomachs is a luxury. They are truly pitiful."

As she spoke, she observed Chu Chouchi's expression. Seeing that he showed no emotion, she breathed a sigh of relief and continued:

"Lord Shaoqing is truly a good man. Despite his high position, he still cares deeply about the people. He is a rare and excellent official."

Chu Chouchi's fingers, which were lightly tapping the table, suddenly stopped, and his dark pupils narrowed slightly. "What? You think he's better than me?"

This absurd question startled Shen Zhizhi, who looked slightly confused.

Seriously? This guy won't even let others praise other people in front of him? That's so domineering!

After finishing her internal monologue, she looked up and smiled ingratiatingly.

"Of course not. The Second Prince was born into a life of luxury and naturally does not understand the hardships of ordinary people. But it is normal for Minister Shaoqing, a commoner, to understand the suffering of the people."

Chu Chouchi narrowed his eyes, extremely satisfied with her explanation.

He picked up the wine glass on the table and drank it all in one gulp. "Then, what do you want me to do?"