Seventy-two Emergency Response Plan (Part 2)

  What else can I do? It's unbearable! A person over 50 years old still has to farm, it's heart-wrenching.

  "I just saw the old man over 50 years old still having to farm, I really couldn't bear it in my heart, so I decided to buy an ox to give to him as a gift, to reduce his burden and not let him work too hard. With the help of the ox, farming will be relatively easier and faster." Suning said slowly, Li nodded and continued writing: "The population of the Tang Dynasty is sparse, and there are even fewer able-bodied men who need to go to war, so the land has no one to farm it, that's why the elderly also have to farm, this is normal too."

  Su Ning felt a chill in her heart. Li Er's tone was so calm, so indifferent, as if this thing should have happened...

  "What makes Your Majesty think this is normal?" Su Ning suddenly felt a surge of anger, and thus emphasized his tone, saying to the carefree Li Second Emperor; Li Second Emperor was taken aback, looked up at Su Ning with a hint of anger on his face, and saw the serious dissatisfaction in his eyes. Suddenly, Li Second Emperor felt that this gaze was very similar to Wei Zheng's gaze, and every time Wei Zheng showed this gaze, it was when Li Second Emperor had to accept Wei Zheng's verbal reprimand, and Wei Zheng would never give up until he achieved his goal!

  Emperor Taizong of Tang suddenly felt a thread of unease, the unease that had been cultivated from facing Wei Zheng's verbal attacks for so long. He asked somewhat uneasily: "What's wrong?"

  Su Ning said with some indignation: "Is it also normal for a man over 50 years old to work in the fields? It is true that the population of the Great Tang is small, and it is also true that the land of the Great Tang is vast. The Great Tang needs a large number of strong men to go out and fight, but Your Majesty has clearly stated that the Great Tang was founded on benevolence and filial piety. What is benevolence? What is filial piety?! Your Majesty sees that people over 50 years old still need to work hard in the fields, and yet you are so indifferent to it!?"

  "Is this a benevolent and filial act? Where is the benevolence? Where is the filial piety? I observe Your Majesty's tone, and it seems to me that you think this matter is normal, that it would be abnormal if it didn't happen. Is this how you govern the country with benevolence and filial piety? Is this how the Tang Dynasty was founded on benevolence and filial piety? Born into nobility, raised in luxury, can you truly understand the suffering of the common people? Can you comprehend that even the lowliest slaves of wealthy families do not lack food and clothing, while elderly farmers suffer from hunger and cold, and this is considered normal?! All officials in court say that agriculture is the foundation, but how can this policy be considered as prioritizing agriculture? When those above set an example, and Your Majesty views it with indifference, how are the officials below supposed to treat it?"

  Su Ning burst out with indignation in his heart, expressing strong dissatisfaction towards these rulers who have been living in the temple for a long time and do not know the hardships of the people. He himself did not know why he would be so angry to question Li Er's majesty, questioning his Zhenguan governance! Questioning the historian's beautiful Spring and Autumn writing style!

  Emperor Li looked at Su Ning in surprise, vaguely seeing the shadow of Wei Zheng, blinked and shook his head, still seeing that slightly angry and childish face. Emperor Li was somewhat dissatisfied with the hint of guilt he had just felt when facing Wei Zheng, but looking at Su Ning who had been in court for only a few days and was still a child, yet speaking to him in an angry tone like Wei Zheng.

  Compared to Wei Zheng's detestable old poker face, Su Ning's tender complexion made it impossible for Li Er to get angry. The slightest dissatisfaction disappeared without a trace, replaced by some delight and fondness for Su Ning.

  Only the minister who dares to speak out and remonstrate is a true loyal minister. This principle is understood by every emperor, but not every emperor can remain rational and appreciative when faced with his ministers' outspoken remonstrances. Emperor Taizong of Tang was no exception; he couldn't always maintain his composure and rationality, and more than once had the idea of killing Wei Zheng. However, after his anger dissipated, he felt grateful for having a minister like Wei Zheng who dared to remonstrate with him, and also took pride in his own magnanimity, which would be recorded by historians as a testament to his greatness.

  After all, he is just too narcissistic...

  "Alright, alright, I was wrong, I was wrong. So what do you think I should do?" Li Er lowered his brush and looked at Su Ning with great interest, smiling; seeing Li Er's face with a hint of mockery, Su Ning suddenly felt belittled, shook his tiger-like body in anger, and became even more enraged: "How can Your Majesty be so flippant?! I am here to offer advice! Not to play jokes!"

  Su Ning got angry, and his true nature was exposed. Li Er felt even more amused in her heart, thinking that it was a rare sight to see such a young child call himself a minister and get scolded by the emperor. Her affection for Su Ning increased even more, but her expression turned serious: "Alright, alright! So, Su Ai Qing, what do you think I should do?"

  "This is almost it! Suning pouted and said: "I think, Your Majesty should make some changes in the system and laws, only in this way can we establish a sound response measure."

  "Continue." Li Er felt something was off, and it had all been brought up to the law? Was this kid for real?

  "Your Majesty, don't you think that whenever a disaster occurs in a local area, such as drought, flood, or locust plague, the first thing the people do is not to try their best to make up for it, but rather to lament and seek help from the local government, even fleeing; and the first thing the local government does is not to implement effective countermeasures and assist the disaster victims, but rather to ask the imperial court for help; and even the imperial court does not immediately come up with an effective policy, but instead argues endlessly for several days or even longer?"

  The Emperor Li nodded solemnly: "What you said is quite right, I also often get a headache about it."

  "Your Majesty, would you like it to be that when disaster strikes one day, the people do not blame themselves and organize their own escape, but instead take immediate action, while also seeking help from local officials? The local officials will immediately come up with a plan to assist and provide material support. At the same time, they will report the situation to the imperial court and Your Majesty can immediately issue an order for the three provinces to take action according to established guidelines, without any delay?"

  Li Er was shocked and asked eagerly, "How can this be achieved? If it's really possible, wouldn't that be the best?! Come on, kid, tell me quickly, does your master have any good ideas?"

  Suning felt somewhat depressed, this was not all the old man's credit, it was the crystallization of the wisdom of the working people! Of course, this is not the time for debate, Suning organized his language and said: "As I just said, I do have a corresponding countermeasure, but that requires the imperial court to make corresponding changes in the system and laws, and also needs a very long period of time."

  Li Er waved his hand: "This is not a problem, you quickly say the countermeasure."

  Suning said in a hurry: "My plan is called an emergency response plan."

  "Emergency response plan?" Emperor Li II asked in confusion.

  Su Ning nodded: "To be specific, it refers to the prior judgment of various disasters and the storage of various materials needed for disaster relief, as well as specific action strategies. Taking floods as an example, when a big flood occurs, the fertile fields are flooded, houses are flooded, roads are flooded, and countless people and livestock die. For the Tang Dynasty, the harm is enormous. Your Majesty, in the past, once a flood occurred, how did the court respond?"

  Emperor Li II said: "Naturally, it's countless times of emergency and seeking help, the court is in an uproar, but can't come up with many ideas, only knowing how to ask for money and grain, but can't see any improvement, wasting a large amount of money and grain. In the past, during these times, it was when I had the most headaches!"

  Suning said: "This is what I am worried about, my countermeasure first step is to divide the disaster into degrees, according to the county, state and province level to divide the degree of disaster, this is the first step; County-level degree can be green warning, with green mark, that is within a state, not enough for a small-scale disaster in a state area; State-level degree is yellow warning, with yellow mark, that is several states are not enough for a medium-sized disaster in a province area; Province-level degree is red warning, with red mark, is a national heavy-duty disaster!

  Blue alert: generally speaking, the probability of occurrence is frequent, but the harm is very small, sometimes it can be solved by the people themselves, and the county government can also solve it. The highest level will not affect the safety of a state. This is the extent of the blue alert. As for the green alert, it refers to a disaster that affects one or several states, although it is not enough to cause a major disturbance in the Tang Dynasty, but it poses a greater threat to the tax revenue and grain income of the Tang Dynasty. The court will also be informed, but ultimately, it is not enough to shift the focus of the court, and the power of several states or one province can solve it.

  As for the red alert, it is the most dangerous warning, similar to a major disaster like a locust plague, which can shock the entire country of Tang and cause huge losses in taxes and food supplies, even leading to large-scale deaths and displacement of civilians. Such disasters cannot be solved by the power of one state or prefecture alone, but require the mobilization of the entire nation's resources to resolve, and will also bring about severe aftermath, causing a series of problems including civilian resettlement, food shortages, official dereliction of duty, and deaths in the line of duty.

  This is the third-level warning, each level of warning has a corresponding solution and response measure. We can draft a proposal and start storing relief materials from today on. Natural disasters may come at any time, we need to stock up a considerable amount of materials in order to respond calmly and orderly when disaster strikes, rather than arguing endlessly on the court like before, wasting the precious opportunity for rescue.

  "When the blue alert is issued, the blue emergency plan will be activated; when the green alert is issued, the green emergency plan will be activated; and when the red alert is issued, the red emergency plan will be activated. Your Majesty can immediately issue an order, and the three provinces will act on it at once, without needing to debate in court or review by the gate officials. It will be done immediately! There won't be any delay of a good opportunity!"