Chapter 110: Since Mr. Chen said it, it must be correct

Du Gou and Li Shimin did not delay; after deciding, they made a brief preparation and hurried out of the palace.

Inside Cai Duke's residence, Du Ruhui had early on instructed Miss Xiao to make preparations, waiting for Li Shimin to arrive.

In Du Ruhui's room, Miss Xiao hesitantly asked, "Lord, setting aside whether this matter is true, even if it is, is it not a bit improper to hastily summon His Majesty?"

"Even taking a step back, Zi An truly has a solution, yet you still don't know it now."

"You sent Du Gou to invite His Majesty, but didn't let him say the matter was raised by Zi An; thus His Majesty may think you are the one who has the solution."

"If His Majesty truly comes and finds you have no means, what then when he blames you?"

Du Ruhui understood Miss Xiao's worry, yet he showed no concern, gave a faint smile, and explained:

"What would His Majesty blame? When did I say I have a method? I said nothing at all!"

"Do you think His Majesty is an unreasonable person? Just because of a single conjecture, you want to blame me?"

Miss Xiao thought it over, found it reasonable, yet still felt uneasy and said, "If His Majesty asks, he will inevitably involve Zi An, since he is the one who raised the issue, and only Zi An has a response."

"Would your actions be unkind to Zi An?"

Hearing this, Du Ruhui couldn't help laughing, "How do you know whether Zi An is just waiting to be dragged in?"

"What if Zi An told me those things precisely to use my hand to attract His Majesty's attention, then wait at home for the proclamation?"

……Huh?

Miss Xiao wore a bewildered expression, initially unable to react.

Yet she wasn't stupid; with Du Ruhui's hint, she gradually clarified some matters.

She twitched the corner of her mouth, "You officials, you're so scheming."

"Even Zi An, at such a young age, has already learned this trick."

Du Ruhui glanced at her, irritably saying, "Then why don't you consider Zi An's situation?"

"His parents died early, yet he is valued by His Majesty and Her Majesty, and has a close bond with the Crown Prince. If he lacked these, he wouldn't even know how he might be devoured later."

Miss Xiao fell silent for a moment upon hearing that, and did not bring up the matter again.

"Then… what if Zi An makes a mistake?"

"After all, this is all just Zi An's and your conjecture."

"What if we don't guess wrong?" Du Ruhui sighed, "Some matters must be guarded against."

"Moreover, for such a major issue, His Majesty will surely be extremely cautious; I estimate He will summon the Grand Historian."

"Likewise, He will discuss it with Brother Changsun and Brother Fang."

"By then, even if the guess is wrong, it won't be a big deal."

Miss Xiao didn't quite understand this; what does "even if the guess is wrong later, it's nothing" mean?

From yesterday's conversation between Chen Yan and Du Ruhui, their discussion was merely how to prevent floods and make preparations in advance.

Those all require massive expenditures of money and grain; if they err, won't His Majesty be furious?

"Lord, I don't quite understand."

Du Ruhui said with a hint of meaning, "Sometimes, matters aren't as simple as they appear on the surface."

"If one person is wrong, they may indeed be wrong, but if a group is wrong, it becomes that everyone is not at fault."

"The law doesn't even punish the masses, let alone a group of senior court officials and sons‑in‑law."

"You, stop worrying; even if the worst outcome occurs, it's merely a hardship for His Majesty, and we'll be perfectly fine."

Xiao: "......"

"......"

"His Majesty, my humble servant's father is inside."

Du Gou led Li Shimin to the doorway of Du Ruhui's room,

Li Shimin showed no hesitation, stepped forward, pushed open the door, and entered.

The Du Ruhui couple, upon seeing this, were about to pay their respects, but he halted them, "Enough, given your own health, drop the ceremony."

"You must already know the purpose of my visit today; I only wish to ask you, how likely do you think a flood is?"

"Do you have a solution?"

Li Shimin, now preoccupied with floods, did not want to waste time on such trivialities, and asked bluntly.

This time Du Ruhui was not stubborn, leaned back again, and said, "His Majesty, I have perused extensive historical records; from the Qin dynasty to the present, after each severe drought, rainfall surges, and I believe the probability of a flood this year is very high."

"Of course, this is merely my conjecture; I think His Majesty could summon the Grand Historian to calculate it."

Not seeing Li Shimin bring Li Chunfeng, he proactively raised the matter.

Li Shimin walked up to Du Ruhui, pondered, "I have already ordered someone to summon the Grand Historian; he should arrive shortly."

"Ke Ming, first tell me whether you have a response; regardless of the truth of this matter, it still warrants attention."

In fact, Li Shimin knew very well that, given Du Ruhui's temperament, unless he was highly confident, he would never have let Du Gou deliver a memorial during his convalescence.

After learning of the flood, even he himself thought Du Ruhui's words were not unfounded.

Because history records so many instances; one or two could be called coincidence, but with such frequency, it can no longer be explained as coincidence.

His sole hope now is that Du Ruhui, as he guessed, has prepared a solution.

Unfortunately, under Li Shimin's expectant gaze, Du Ruhui shook his head, "His Majesty, regarding this matter, I am also helpless."

"You should know that the Ministry of Revenue is currently running a deficit, with no surplus money or grain for us to respond."

Seeing Li Shimin's increasingly disappointed eyes, Du Ruhui shifted tone, "However, though I have no means, I know of one person who might have a solution."

"Oh?" Li Shimin's expression brightened, quickly asking, "Who is this person?"

Du Ruhui was about to speak when Li Junxian suddenly knocked from outside, "His Majesty, the Grand Historian has arrived."

Li Shimin was pleased, "Perfect timing, bring the Grand Historian in quickly."

The door opened, Li Junxian led Li Chunfeng inside; everyone turned and stared, all of them stunned.

I, Li Chunfeng, salute His Majesty!

Li Shimin stared at Li Chunfeng in disbelief, "Grand Historian, wh‑why have you turned into this?"

At this moment, Li Chunfeng no longer looked ethereal and dignified; his hair was disheveled, his expression gaunt, and two huge dark circles under his eyes were strikingly obvious.

Li Chunfeng said awkwardly, "His Majesty, I have been studying a subject lately and lost track of time, which is why I look like this now."

I won't hide it from His Majesty; I haven't rested for nearly three days, I ask His Majesty's forgiveness.

Studying a subject?

Li Shimin twitched the corner of his mouth, but now was not the time to worry about that; he immediately told Li Chunfeng the statement Du Ruhui had made earlier.

Grand Historian, calculate for me how likely the flood incident is.

Li Chunfeng frowned and thought for a moment, "Cai Duke, I do not know—were you the one who first discovered this flood incident?"

Du Ruhui said, "I was just about to tell His Majesty that, regarding the flood, it was actually Zi An who first discovered it, I…"

"Who?" Li Shimin raised his voice, "Chen Zian, Chen Yan?"

"Exactly, it was indeed Marquis of Weinan Chen Yan." Du Ruhui nodded.

Li Chunfeng, upon hearing the name, exclaimed, "So it's Mr. Chen after all; then it's no wonder."

He said confidently, "His Majesty, there's no need to calculate this; since Mr. Chen said so, it must be correct."

Li Shimin: "......"

Du Ruhui: "......"

"......"