Huang Zongming was stunned, his face full of confusion.

He didn't understand why Jiang Chen brought up his brother, nor did he understand why Jiang Chen was asking about a dead man's salary.

The ministers were also very puzzled, but they already understood Jiang Chen's style of doing things.

It seemed that there was no connection, but in the end, His Majesty would definitely connect two seemingly unrelated things together.

The ministers all showed comfortable expressions, waiting to see Jiang Chen's brilliant move.

"I ask you, what was Huang Zongsheng's salary?" Jiang Chen asked again.

"About two thousand taels," Huang Zongming said.

Jiang Chen then asked, "Huang Zongsheng served as a garrison commander for a total of twenty years, if I remember correctly?"

"That's right."

"Okay, twenty years as a garrison commander, all the salary added together is forty thousand taels, plus the previous savings, I'll calculate generously, two hundred thousand taels should be enough, right?"

Jiang Chen's expression turned cold: "You spent one million two hundred thousand taels to buy these eight characters, what a grand gesture!"

"I ask you, where did you get the extra one million taels from?!"

Huang Zongming's eyes widened, and he finally understood the purpose of Jiang Chen's questioning about Huang Zongsheng's salary.

For a moment, Huang Zongming's forehead was covered in cold sweat.

"This…"

Huang Zongming stammered, unable to speak.

The extra one million taels was naturally obtained through embezzlement by him and Huang Zongsheng.

The ministers had an "as expected" look on their faces; so His Majesty was waiting for him here!

Indeed!

The younger brother of a garrison commander being able to casually take out one million two hundred thousand taels to buy eight characters was, under normal circumstances, simply impossible!

Jiang Chen then said, "I am not an unfeeling person either. Of these one million two hundred thousand taels, two hundred thousand taels belong to you."

Hearing this, a glimmer of hope burst out in Huang Zongming's eyes.

Was His Majesty going to spare him?

The ministers also showed puzzled expressions, which was not in line with His Majesty's style of doing things.

Only to hear Jiang Chen continue, "Two hundred thousand is one-sixth of one million two hundred thousand. In that case…"

Jiang Chen sneered, "Originally, you were to be beheaded, but now I sentence you to be cut in half at the waist!"

The hopeful look on Huang Zongming's face instantly turned into extreme horror.

Being cut in half at the waist was even more painful than being beheaded!

Huang Zongming shouted, "No! I don't want to be cut in half at the waist! I want to be beheaded!"

The horrified voice made the ministers in the hall couldn't help but get goosebumps.

His Majesty was still the same His Majesty.

With one move, he made people feel terrified.

After Huang Zongming was dragged down to be executed, the coldness on Jiang Chen's face dissipated.

"Yao Shouxin, tell me about your gains from this southern expedition to quell the rebellion."

Yao Shouxin stepped forward, took out a booklet, and said, "All the accounts have been fully recorded by this official, please review them, Your Majesty."

Feng Jin handed the booklet to Jiang Chen, who opened it and looked at a few pages, and couldn't help but reveal a happy expression.

"Good! Very good!"

The ministers stretched their necks and waited for Jiang Chen's conclusion, their curiosity growing even stronger after hearing this.

What kind of news made His Majesty so happy that he lost his composure?

Jiang Chen quickly flipped through the booklet, letting out bursts of laughter one after another.

After reading the account book, Jiang Chen said loudly, "The drought in our Great Wei can be overcome!"

The ministers were even more surprised.

Even after confiscating the property of those corrupt officials from various places, the Ministry of Revenue calculated that they could only survive until the New Year.

How could His Majesty conclude that the drought was over after reading a thin account book?

Jiang Chen smiled and looked at Yao Shouxin: "Beloved Minister Yao, please explain to everyone."

"Yes."

Yao Shouxin turned around and said loudly, "Gentlemen, the news originally reported to our Great Wei was a nationwide drought, but in fact, there was no drought in the Lingnan region, but rather favorable weather!"

"Moreover, Huang Zongsheng and others made full preparations before plotting the rebellion, hoarding a lot of grain!"

"This grain is enough for the people of our Great Wei to eat for a year with surplus!"

"Really?!"

After Yao Shouxin finished speaking, the ministers all looked disbelieving.

Was there such a good thing?

They originally thought that the rebellion of Huang Zongsheng and others might be the last straw that broke the camel's back of the Great Wei.

But unexpectedly, Huang Zongsheng and others were actually providing charcoal in the snow, sending warmth to the Great Wei!

Yuan Buyi couldn't help but shout loudly, "Heaven bless my Great Wei!"

The ministers came back to their senses and shouted, "Heaven bless my Great Wei! Heaven bless Your Majesty!"

"Hahahaha…"

Jiang Chen laughed loudly, without even correcting the ministers' superstitious thoughts.

With the grain hidden by Huang Zongsheng and others, the pressure of disaster relief was completely relieved.

Also in August, at the end of summer, the capital city, which had been dry for several months, suddenly became overcast, followed by thunder.

Immediately afterward, it poured down rain.

"It's raining!"

"Your Majesty, it's raining!"

Inside the Qin Zheng Hall, Feng Jin couldn't control his excited mood and ran in to report to Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen nodded with a smile. He had predicted this when the sky turned dark.

"Convey my decree, let Xu Changqing gather weather information from all over the Great Wei and report it to me immediately."

Five days later, Xu Changqing presented the collected information to Jiang Chen with a smile on his face.

After reading it, Jiang Chen breathed a sigh of relief.

The entire Great Wei had been raining these past few days.

The drought was over!

At the morning court, the ministers held umbrellas, but no one complained as they usually did. Instead, everyone was in a good mood.

Rain was good, rain was good!

After Jiang Chen appeared, the ministers took turns flattering him, attributing the credit for the rain to Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen waved his hand with a smile: "Gentlemen, don't say such things in the future. I have said that the weather is not determined by me."

The ministers smiled sheepishly, but still couldn't suppress the joy in their hearts.

Imperial Censor Ma Ren stepped forward at this time: "Your Majesty, this official has something to report."

Seeing Ma Ren come forward, the smiles on the ministers' faces disappeared without a trace.

A major event was about to happen!

Ordinary minor matters could be handled by a censor.

But now that the Imperial Censor was coming forward, it must be a major event!

Jiang Chen also frowned. Could it be that some minister had been up to no good lately?

"Speak."

Ma Ren then said, "Your Majesty, now that there is heavy rain, it is naturally a good thing for the drought-stricken Great Wei."

"But this official has discovered that it has been raining continuously for three days now, and it doesn't seem to be stopping. This official is worried that it will turn from a drought into a flood!"

The ministers had just relaxed because Ma Ren was not impeaching anyone, but due to Ma Ren's worries, their faces all turned to horror.

That's right!

How could they not have thought of this?

Could it be that the heavens had stored up several months of rain and were planning to finish it all in these few days?

Jiang Chen pondered for a moment, then looked at Wei Zhengli: "Beloved Minister Wei, when constructing water conservancy projects in various places, was the possibility of flooding taken into consideration?"