Chapter 43: Open and Secret Investigation
Yinzhen and Yin'er traveled all the way to the hardest-hit area of ​​Huzhou.

Wherever I looked along the road, regardless of gender, age or status, everyone had panicky eyes, chapped lips and thin bodies, and it looked like they were starving.

Yinzhen couldn't bear it, so he scattered the cakes and food prepared in the car all over the place, resulting in a large group of disaster victims following their convoy.

If there had not been soldiers guarding the place, Yinzhen had no doubt that they would have dared to charge the carriage and rob it.

In sharp contrast to this is the Huzhou prefect's prominent little belly, which cannot even be covered by his wide official robe and is mischievously revealed to everyone.

Yinzhen's expression gradually turned cold. Yin'er put on a wicked smile and started to link arms with the prefect. He took the opportunity to pat the prefect's big belly and said, "The memorial received by the emperor said that it was extremely urgent. The land of fish and rice in Jiangsu and Zhejiang was flooded. The people lost this year's harvest and are still short of food. But from the way I see you, you don't look like you've been in trouble."

The prefect subconsciously tightened his stomach upon hearing this, and said with a simple smile: "Master Jiu, you are joking. This subordinate is born this way. Even drinking cold water will make you fat. I have been worried day and night these days, and I have lost a lot of weight."

"Then I have wronged you." Jiu Ye said with a playful smile, "I wonder where Fourth Brother and I will live this time?"

The prefect glanced at Yinzhen, who seemed to be on vacation, and thought for a moment: "Originally, the temporary palace was a perfect place for the two masters to live, but it was flooded and is now uninhabitable. If the two masters don't mind, why not..."

"Let's go to your house." Yinzhen interrupted him, "We two brothers didn't come here to waste time and money. We will stay at your house for a while. I hope you don't mind disturbing us."

The prefect's face froze. Although he was reluctant, this situation was within his expectations, so he led Yinzhen and his party to his house.

As expected of the residence of a prefect of a state, the guest house was so large that it could accommodate hundreds of people in their group, not to mention the careful and thoughtful arrangements. Everyone could take a hot bath, as if no major disaster had occurred.

After Yinzhen and his entourage had settled down simply, they discussed with Yinlu how to proceed.

"We will split into three groups later. You and I will each lead one group to conduct an open inspection. The prefect will definitely send people to accompany us. Even the places we are going to are the routes they have prepared in advance. Xu Qing will disguise himself as a disaster victim while we are away to get a deeper understanding of the situation."

"Has the granary in Huzhou really been washed away by the flood?" Yinzhen raised a question. "We brought grain money for disaster relief, but the officials in Huzhou Prefecture won't use it. Anyone who dares to raise his hand will be chopped off by me!"

Yinzhen said angrily: "It's obvious that this prefect is not a good official. Wait until I find something to hold against him."

In the next few days, Yinzhen and Yin'er visited almost all of Huzhou. Along the way, there were indeed many disaster victims gathered in groups of three or five, and some charity halls were distributing porridge in the name of individuals. Although the bowls were all rice soup and there were almost no rice grains, it was a life-saving straw for the people of Huzhou.

Yinzhen had seen people who queued repeatedly being beaten and kicked and driven away. They were hungry, cold and still being beaten. If this continued, Huzhou would sooner or later be in turmoil.

There were also some old men and women who looked very simple and honest, who would kneel down when they saw the prefect and call him "honest magistrate".

After listening to more people's stories, Yinzhen roughly understood that the reason why so many merchants in Huzhou Prefecture were providing porridge was because of the efforts of the prefect.

The prefect looked very embarrassed. "In reply to the Fourth Prince, I took the initiative to reduce the tax of these merchants by two points next year, and they responded actively. Otherwise, they would say that they have no food at home. Our official grain is ruined, and the relief grain from the court has not arrived. If I don't take this desperate measure, the number of people who have starved to death in the past few days will be this number."

The prefect gestured with his hands, looking extremely distressed.

Yin'er's situation was similar to Yinzhen's, with the same model and the same grateful people.

Even lying seems perfunctory.

When he returned to his residence at night, Yinzhen put away his joking face and asked in confusion: "Fourth brother, do we look like fools?"

Yinzhen had been holding back his anger for the whole day, but was amused by Yin'er's words: "We are not stupid, and neither are they. It's just that they don't think they need to care about us."

"Fourth brother, you mean, behind his back?" Yinzhen reacted.

"That's enough food for the entire Jiangnan region to last at least half a year. How can the prefect have such a large sum of money?" Yinzhen sneered, "Now the price of food has skyrocketed, and it's a rare commodity. He can make several times the profit by reselling it." "Those merchants who give out porridge are also their people!" Yinzhen reacted, "They said they would reduce next year's taxes, which is another large sum of money."

"Even fleecing is not so clean!" Yinzhen muttered, "What should we do with Fourth Brother? These are all speculations, there is no evidence."

Yinzhen pondered and said, "Leave the task of finding evidence to Lord Xu. We will open the granary tomorrow to provide disaster relief and appease the victims first. The prefect will detain him first. If he is truly honest, I will personally apologize to him."

Yinzhen was stunned for a moment: "Just turn it off?"

"close!"

Yinzhen took back the words that were about to come out of his mouth. If he imprisoned the person so directly, he would definitely be impeached by the officials. But his fourth brother didn't seem to be afraid at all.

Yinzhen seemed to know what Yinlu was worried about, but he did not explain.

In the current situation, if he doesn't want to rely on the prince anymore, he will have to be a lone minister in the eyes of the emperor.

******
Honghui resumed his daily visit to the Yangxin Palace. When Kangxi had time, he would teach him personally. When he didn't have time, he would put him in the upper study to study with his uncles.

Honghui was young, not even six years old, so he did not study formally in the palace like Hongxi.

However, the princes in the palace were all curious about this little nephew. Kangxi was very busy, but he still took time out of his busy schedule to personally inquire about Honghui's studies, which shows how much he cared about him.

The little princes who were raised in a free-range manner had an inexplicable jealousy in their hearts, which was gradually revealed in their actions.

That day, Honghui came back from a nap in Yonghe Palace and found something unusual about his seat.

Because he was short, and Kangxi had specifically instructed that he sit in the middle of the first row.

Everyone who has been to school knows that this position belongs to the top students in the teacher's eyes, and students who don't like to study hate this position. As long as you sit there, you are truly under the teacher's nose, and basically there is no time to slack off.

Honghui remembered that when he left at noon, all the books were put in order on the table. At this moment, rice paper was scattered on the table and the floor, and there were traces of ink on the books and papers.

Someone deliberately knocked over the ink tray on his desk.

The Fourteenth Prince saw that Honghui looked strange, so he hurried forward to check and jumped up: "Who did it?"

The room was silent, no one acknowledged it.

The Fourteenth Prince frowned and said, "Are you bullying your nephew Honghui because he is young? If you have the guts, come out and fight me! What kind of descendant of the Aisin-Gioro family are you if you are a coward?!"

Honghui carefully put away the books that had been stained by ink, feeling a little distressed: "Fourteenth Uncle, forget it, they are all my uncles and brothers, just playing with Honghui, don't mind it."

The Fourteenth Master looked at the Holy Mother Hui in disbelief: "No way, Honghui, did you get stupid after the fall last time? Don't be afraid, as the Fourteenth Uncle is here."

Honghui shook his head, his eyes red as he carried the schoolbag Yihua had made for him: "It's all because Honghui isn't cute enough, Fourteenth Uncle, please don't say anything."

After saying this, Honghui burst into tears and trotted all the way towards the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

The princes were left looking at each other in bewilderment, their faces changing drastically.