Chapter 183: Black Heart

Su Yan was in the imperial study with Nalan Cui, reading books that could bury him.

Su Yan frowned, “Why are you reading so many books?”

Nalan Cui’s eyes flashed, “Guang Pingwang asked me to read these. He said that I should finish reading them before he returns.”

Su Yan heard that it was Gu Ruoyun who had arranged it, so she nodded and asked, “How long will he be gone for?”

She casually flipped through the thicker and thicker books and thought that he would be gone for at least a few months this time.

Nalan Cui replied, “If it’s soon, half a month.”

Su Yan widened her eyes in shock and asked, “Half a month? You want to read so many books in half a month?”

Nalan Cui nodded obediently as if he was not in a difficult position at all.

However, he suddenly raised his head with a faint look of exhaustion on his face.

When Su Yan saw this, her heart ached, “Did you not rest well last night?”

Nalan Cui replied, “I slept for half an hour this morning.”

Didn’t this mean that he did not sleep at all?

Su Yan could not help but feel a little angry. He was still a child and Gu Ruoyun really did not care about his health at all.

She said, “Take your time. There’s no rush. If you really can’t finish it, I’ll help you plead for mercy.”

Nalan Cui smiled, “Thank you, big sister. But I know that Guang Pingwang is doing this for my good. I’ll read it carefully.”

Su Yan lovingly stroked his head and said emotionally, “Just you wait. Sister will make you some delicious food. You’ve lost weight in the past few days.”

Nalan Cui watched her run out in a hurry and a smile flashed across his eyes.

He smiled triumphantly and continued to read the book in his hand.

Gu Ruoyun was still on the road and had no idea that a little fox was stepping on him to climb to the top.

A few days passed in a row and Su Yan was bored as she passed the time in the Imperial Garden.

The sight of a hundred flowers blooming in the Imperial Garden was extremely beautiful. However, one would get tired of seeing the same scenery too much.

Chu Tao sighed again and asked, “Why is Princess Consort sighing?”

Su Yan replied gloomily, “Tell me, what is Gu Ruoyun doing right now?”

Chu Tao replied with a smile, “So Princess Consort misses the Royal Highness.”

Su Yan’s face turned red and no matter how much Chu Tao asked, she would not say another word.

Nalan Cui’s expression had become increasingly cold in the past few days.

Su Yan had also heard some news. A portion of the refugees from the south had escaped before the riot. A large group of refugees had gathered at the city gates of the capital and had nowhere to settle down.

He had seen that scene when he had come out to tour the shops. It was truly a tragic sight.

The imperial palace, in the imperial study.

Nalan Cui frowned with anger on his face.

This group of ministers was really a bunch of useless good-for-nothings. Usually, they only knew how to plunder the people’s wealth, but at the critical moment, they did not give a single cent.

In exchange, he told a eunuch said, “Go and bring Elder Zheng here.”

The eunuch accepted the order and left.

Before long, Elder Zheng walked over in a hurry.

The moment he entered the door, he said, “Emperor, I just came back from the refugee camp. The number of refugees is really too many. Even the simple houses built are not enough.”

Nalan Cui looked at him silently and said, “Then according to Elder Zheng’s advice, how should we deal with it?”

Elder Zheng thought for a while and said, “I think we should open the national treasury and increase the amount of disaster relief silver. Otherwise, we really can’t do it because we are short of money and things.”

Nalan Cui smiled and said, “You are right, but the national treasury is empty. I’m afraid you will have to think of a way to provide disaster relief silver.”

Elder Zheng’s expression changed and he said with difficulty, “I have no way to deal with this silver?”

Nalan Cui’s expression changed, and he said coldly, “As an elder of the imperial court, if you can’t even solve such a small matter, then what’s the point of having you? I’ll give you three days. If you can’t solve this matter, then you don’t have to be an elder anymore.”

Elder Zheng immediately accepted the order with trepidation.