Chapter 2071: You Can’t Do It
Opponents held a different perspective.
In their eyes, the two usurpers who had already seized the throne wouldn’t relinquish power just because the Emperor garnered public support.
Were they really expected to surrender the authority they had claimed?
Impossible!
Unless they were intimidated by the Emperor!
If the Emperor dispatched disaster relief, they might see it as a ploy, perhaps even orchestrating it themselves.
Disaster relief wasn’t a trivial matter; it required substantial funds and resources. With the treasury depleted, where would the Emperor procure the necessary aid?
Once the treasury was emptied, the two usurpers might exploit the opportunity to mobilize troops. What recourse did the Emperor have?
Thus, he couldn’t authorize disaster relief!
Of course, outright refusal wasn’t an option either.
In that case, the Emperor might opt to prolong the deliberation until the bitter end.
Furthermore, the Emperor issued a decree to the two insurgents, commanding them to organize disaster relief efforts, and to the magistrates in Jiangnan, instructing them to allocate funds and provisions for the relief efforts.
Whether they complied or not was their concern.
In essence, the Emperor needed to assert his stance.
Moreover, no one could fault such a stance!
If the two usurpers defied the decree, they would appear callous and risk alienating the people.
Ultimately, the Fourth Prince acquiesced to this suggestion, affirming his commitment to providing disaster relief. Efforts were already underway to amass funds, food, and supplies for transport to the disaster-stricken regions.
Simultaneously, the second and third princes, along with the prefects of Hangzhou, Yangzhou, Suzhou, and Jiangning, received orders to promptly unlock their warehouses and assemble provisions—food, medicine, clothing, and more—for dispatch to the disaster areas.
The Second and Third Princes erupted into laughter upon receiving the so-called imperial edict.
They couldn’t possibly “comply”!
They even resorted to physical violence against the eunuch bearer of the decree, promptly ejecting him.
Publicly, they ceremoniously incinerated the supposed “Edict.”
Simultaneously, they reassured the populace of their unwavering commitment to disaster relief. After all, as the ruling sovereigns, how could they disregard the plight of their own subjects?
They asserted that supplies were already in readiness and would unquestionably be dispatched.
As for the impostor Emperor in the capital, he was merely a regicide, having slain the rightful monarch. Who did he think he was, issuing orders?
They dared him to prove his purported preparations by delivering aid, rather than spewing empty rhetoric!
To underscore their sincerity in aiding the afflicted, the Second Prince promptly mobilized a substantial shipment of supplies. Thirty laden carriages paraded through the streets, bound for the disaster-stricken regions.
What did it matter how many supplies filled those carriages bound for the disaster area?
Who would dare inquire?
Who would risk divulging what they knew?
Observing the Second Prince’s gesture, the Third Prince swiftly followed suit, dispatching a consignment of relief supplies to the stricken region.
Both princes scorned and derided the Fourth Prince in unison.
Meanwhile, upon receiving the imperial decree, the prefectural magistrate of Hangzhou grumbled incessantly. He made no effort to prepare supplies, citing insurmountable obstacles. Truly, he claimed, he was powerless to assist…
Yet, daring to accept the decree proved perilous. First, the Third Prince, then the Second, clandestinely dispatched envoys to intimidate him.
Anyone brazen enough to heed the decree would learn a harsh lesson!
Jiangnan lay a considerable distance from the capital. While the Fourth Prince issued decrees with apparent candor, should a crisis unfold, his ability to intervene would be limited.
The state of Great Qin teetered precariously, precariously balanced amidst an enigmatic landscape of power dynamics.
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