Fancheng in the north, Xiangyang in the south.

Two cities guard the middle reaches of the Han River, one north and one south. The Yanchi City of the two cities reaches the riverside and echoes across the river. Li Chao's mood becomes more and more complicated when approaching Xiangyang Wharf.

In history, three years after the two cities of Xiangfan were lost, the Mongolian army captured Lin'an, and Empress Dowager Xie and Emperor Gong of Song became prisoners of the Mongols. Three years later, the Mongolian army completely destroyed the Southern Song Dynasty in the Battle of Yashan, and Lu Xiufu carried Zhao Bing, the last emperor of the Southern Song Dynasty, and committed suicide by dying for the country.

No matter how strong a city is, it cannot save a corrupt empire. Just like the most indestructible Constantinople in Europe, it was destroyed by the Turks and the demise of Byzantium in the millennium.

"Teacher, the solidity of the country lies in virtue, not in danger."

Prince Chengqian answered Li Chao.

As a result, this answer only gave Li Chao a roll of his eyes. Although it is impossible for the survival of the empire to rely solely on the risk, it is even more impossible for the word "De".

Both virtue and danger must be taken into account, but one cannot be missing.

The Confucian argument that excessively emphasizes virtue but not danger is actually biased. If you really need to have virtue, then what kind of martial arts are there to practice? In other words, when facing a robber, can he abandon evil and do good by just relying on his mouth?

When Confucians say this, just listen. If the emperor really believes it, it is hopeless. Of course, we cannot blindly believe in danger. No matter how strong the city is, it will be broken, and no matter how dangerous the natural barrier can be crossed.

There are four barriers in Guanzhong, and the dynasty in Guanzhong can be established, and it will still perish. There are natural dangers in the Yangtze River in Jinling, and the court in Jiangnan can be established as short-lived.

However, with danger, it will definitely be of great help to the survival of the dynasty. Otherwise, what city should be built and what army should be maintained. Virtue and danger are complementary and indispensable.

Chang'an.

It hadn't rained for two months. Li Shimin was worried and had a big bubble in his mouth. The imperial doctor asked Li Shimin to rest with peace of mind, but Li Shimin could not let it go.

"I want to pray for rain!"

In the Political Affairs Hall, Li Shimin looked at the countless reports of drought and said helplessly. In fact, Li Shimin knew very well that praying alone would not bring rain, but the drought was so serious that many landlords even experienced locust plagues. The people of the world said that this was God’s punishment and warning, and Li Shimin also needed to make a gesture to comfort the hearts of the people of the world.

"I will issue an edict to commit crimes!"

Li Shimin's eyes were red. He didn't want to say this, but it wouldn't work if he didn't say it now.

"Your Majesty, the world is drought and the rain will not come for a long time. That is a dereliction of duty by the minister. As the prime minister, I am requesting to resign!"

The emperor said that the emperor had issued an edict to make a crime, and the Left Pushe Xiao Yu could not sit still. If there was a warning and punishment from God, it should be the prime minister who would take responsibility first, and the emperor would not be allowed to take responsibility once.

"I lost my minister, please resign!" Chen Shuda, the right servant of the Shangshu, also requested his resignation.

"I am dereliction of duty." Li Shimin sighed.

Xiao Yu and Chen Shuda resigned one after another. When a major disaster occurs, the prime minister resigns. This is also a common practice. Just like after a particularly serious incident in later generations, some cabinet prime ministers resign or the cabinet is disbanded. However, this kind of resignation usually takes not long after the prime minister.

Of course, there are also some prime ministers and political enemies who take the opportunity to bring the prime minister down.

The people were hurt by the disaster, and the prime minister, as the head of the government, actually resigned. In the eyes of later generations, it may be a bit strange and difficult to understand. However, the ancients believed in the response of heaven and man, and believed that natural disasters were God's warning to the rule of the world. The yin and yang were in conflict with each other, and the prime minister was responsible for the discord.

When natural disasters come, the prime minister cannot refuse to blame, so of course he needs to resign.

On the other hand, when encountering disasters, if you change the prime minister or even change the prime minister's team, you can temporarily divert your attention, and even if the new prime minister comes to power, you can even more actively rescue disasters.

If the disaster is repeated, the prime minister cannot resolve it after the replacement, and even the emperor will be punished.

Even if Xiao Yu and Chen Shuda and the two servants did not resign, the censors in the Censorate could spray them to death with saliva. Whether they wanted to leave or not, they could only step down first when encountering such a major disaster, unless the emperor really insisted that they would not resign.

The Minister of State Yang Gongren and the Secretary of State Gao Shilian also resigned.

In the end, Li Shimin accepted the resignation of Xiao Yu and Chen Shuda, but did not agree to the resignation of Yang Gongren and Gao Shilian, nor did he agree to the resignation of Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui.

It is impossible for the prime ministers in the court to all leave their posts, and the court will be in chaos.

"Xiao Yu served as the envoy of Xuanfu in Henan and was promoted to Pingzhang. Chen Shuda served as the envoy of Xuanfu in Hebei and was promoted to Pingzhang!"

"Fang Xuanling was promoted to the Left Master Pushe, Du Ruhui was promoted to the Right Master Pushe!"

The ten ministers in the court, Pei Ji and Feng Delun, were long overthrown and could not be regarded as matters. Li Chao and Changsun Wuji took office one after another, and now Xiao Yu and Chen Shuda have also taken office again, and only four ministers are left in the court.

The left servant is the Fang Xuanling, the right servant is the Du Ruhui, the right servant is the Minister Yang Gongren, and the Secretary Gao Shilian.

Although the other six people still had the title of Three Officials and Pingzhang, they actually had left the Political Affairs Hall.

Li Shimin sighed, this time, it was just two phases, but the drought will definitely continue and will be even worse next year. What should I do then? Who else?

"When the two prime ministers arrived in Henan and Hebei, they must step up disaster prevention. Time is getting more and more urgent. Extraordinary things can be done." Li Shimin confessed. After accepting the resignation of the two prime ministers, Li Shimin directly arranged the two to Henan, Hebei. This is the hardest hit area next year. With these two prime ministers going to guard and preside over the presidency, Li Shimin was also more at ease.

"Li Wenyuan killed thirteen people when he first arrived in Shannan, but the effect was extremely good. Now, the large grain merchants in Shannan are enthusiastic about buying grain, and the situation suddenly opened up. It is reported that in just a short time, Li Wenyuan has bought more than 5 million stones of grain, and the results are gratifying."

Speaking of Li Chao killing people in Shannan, Li Shimin only admires and no other things.

He killed only thirteen people and received five million stones of food. It was worth it, it was too worth it.

Now Li Shimin is almost driven crazy to prevent the disaster. Not to mention killing thirteen people, he gets five million stones of grain. It’s really urgent. He will kill 130 people or 1,300 people.

When Li Chao was still in the capital, he said that when he was posting a disaster prevention note, it was said that extraordinary things should be done at the most extraordinary times. He wanted to buy food from large households and to make disaster relief and stable situations the first priority. When everyone heard this, they only thought Li Chao dared to say it.

But as soon as Li Chao arrived in Shannan, he killed thirteen people, uprooted a hundred-year-old clan and destroyed the other twelve clans. This thunderous momentum and decisiveness even Li Shimin and the prime ministers who had just received the news later were shocked.

But then the situation in Shannan opened up so quickly that Li Shimin and the others were extremely surprised.

"Please rest assured that with Li Wenyuan and the jade in front of me, I will definitely not hesitate after I arrive at the place. If someone in the Central Plains dares not cooperate with the court to prevent and relieve disasters, the old minister will also kill him!"

Li Chao's murder effect was so good, and the two prime ministers Xiao Yu and Chen Shuda had already been determined to do extraordinary things.

"Well, the situation is like this, so I'm not polite to them. In addition, you should try your best to collect and reserve grain. In Shannan, Li Chao has asked everyone to fish, hunt and dry meat, pick wild vegetables, dry and prepare for wasteland, and even people from all over the country raise chickens, ducks, pigs and sheep, etc. You can follow suit. As long as the grain reserves can be increased, everything can be tried!"

"I understand!"

"I issued an edict to Li Chao in Shannan, and added Li Chao's 200 households. I specially granted Li Chao's third son the founding baron of Shangluo County!"
Chapter completed!