Zhang Ruhui had departed, yet Zhao Zhen's emotions remained unsettled for a long time.
Ten thousand piculs of grain!
They had simply given it away, without mentioning a single coin?
As he looked at Han Mo again, his gaze became increasingly complex.
Could these Taoist priests of the Shenxiao Palace truly be so understanding?
He, for one, did not believe it!
But if not for that reason, then what was their true motive?
To curry favor with him?
Don't be ridiculous. While he was indeed a prince, there were twenty-five other princes like him.
Moreover, their numbers were still on the rise!
This was no joke, for his father, the Emperor of the Great Song, the current Son of Heaven, aside from calligraphy, painting, and cultivation, his only other great loves were beautiful women.
The number of women in the harem grew incessantly, and when the harem was insufficient, courtesans were brought in to fill the gap.
If things continued at this rate, the number of princes would likely surpass thirty in no time.
In the eyes of ordinary people, he was a distinguished prince, His Highness Prince Xin of the Great Song.
But in Lin Ling Su's eyes, he was merely a prince without true standing, neither doted upon by his mother nor favored by his maternal relatives. What was there to curry favor for?
When calculated this way, the only remaining reason was Han Mo himself.
Now, his curiosity about Han Mo grew even stronger.
"Your Highness, why are you looking at me like that?"
Noticing Zhao Zhen's peculiar gaze, Han Mo asked somewhat awkwardly.
"Brother Han, I am truly curious, how did you persuade them?"
"This..."
Upon hearing Han Mo speak, Zong Ying also perked up his ears.
"The secrets of heaven cannot be revealed!"
"I..."
Zhao Zhen could not help but roll his eyes.
"Now is not the time to discuss this, Your Highness. The situation has escalated to this point, and the few of us might not be enough! Your Highness, have you considered what the next steps should be?"
Given the current progression of events, there was very little Zhao Zhen could accomplish on his own.
After all, as a prince, the number of personnel he could mobilize was extremely limited.
As for other matters, such as the resettlement of refugees and the prevention of epidemics, each of these required a substantial number of people.
In the current situation, Zhao Zhen alone could not manage it.
While the exact number of refugees gathered outside the city had not been meticulously counted, Han Mo estimated there were at least over a hundred thousand people.
To handle this matter properly would require the intervention of a powerful figure.
"Brother Han, you mean..."
Zong Ying looked at Han Mo with some confusion.
Although he had observed for many years, he had no experience as a civil official. Since entering the observational phase, he had always focused on the upper echelons.
He had no experience in such matters, and still naively believed that with grain, the problems of the refugees would be smoothly resolved.
"A great disaster is often followed by a great epidemic. With over a hundred thousand people gathered here, their drinking water, food, and shelter are all problems. If preventive measures are not taken promptly, once an epidemic breaks out, who can stop it? Do not forget, the population of Bianliang city is as many as a million!"
"This..."
After Han Mo finished speaking, both Zhao Zhen and Zong Ying were utterly dumbfounded.
"Then, according to Brother Han's intention, what should be done about this matter?"
Zong Ying quickly asked.
"This is not the place to talk. Let us find another spot."
Glancing at the noisy crowd around them, Han Mo frowned and pointed towards the Bian River in the distance.
"Brother Han, please!"
Zhao Zhen quickly made a gesture of invitation to Han Mo, then arranged his subordinates to the side.
"There are no outsiders here, so Han Mo will be blunt!"
Having arrived at the Bian River, Han Mo no longer held back.
Since he had decided to join Zhao Zhen's side, they now needed a concrete strategy.
"Brother Han, please speak your mind!"
"Your Highness has decided to enter the contest for the throne, but have you ever considered how you intend to compete?"
Facing the cold wind, Han Mo asked softly.
"This..."
This was a question Zhao Zhen had not yet contemplated.
"Brother Shou Zheng, do you have a plan in mind?"
Han Mo once again looked at Zong Ying.
Zong Ying's face flushed with embarrassment. Like Zhao Zhen, he had never seriously considered this matter.
Furthermore, both of them were complete novices when it came to the art of power; they had no experience to draw upon for such matters.
"We wish to hear Brother Han's esteemed opinion!"
Zhao Zhen cast a deep glance at Zong Ying, then turned his gaze back to Han Mo.
"If that is the case, then Han Mo will offer his humble opinion. If there are any improprieties, I request Your Highness and Brother Shou Zheng to correct me!"
"Brother Han, please!"
Zong Ying said with some shame.
"In truth, while this matter may seem complex, to put it simply, it boils down to nine characters! Build high walls, store plentiful grain, delay claiming kingship!"
Han Mo cleared his throat and said earnestly.
"Build high walls, store plentiful grain, delay claiming kingship?"
Zhao Zhen repeated softly.
"From the current perspective, for Your Highness to ascend, there are essentially four issues! Firstly, Your Highness is neither the legitimate nor the eldest son, making the Crown Prince's claim more justifiable. Secondly, Your Highness's reputation is not prominent; he lacks renown among the literati. Thirdly, Your Highness's character is too unyielding, failing to please His Majesty! Fourthly, Your Highness does not form factions and lacks strong support in the court!"
Han Mo did not mince words, directly stating his thoughts.
"Brother Han is indeed a wise man. Your words strike at the heart of the matter with every sentence, piercingly accurate. I implore Brother Han to teach me!"
After listening to Han Mo's words, Zhao Zhen bowed to Han Mo once again.
"Your Highness is too kind!"
Han Mo quickly moved aside, refusing his bow.
"Your Highness, please let Brother Han finish!"
Zong Ying's eyes gleamed with fascination, and he hurried to help Zhao Zhen up.
With just these few words, he was already utterly convinced of Han Mo's wisdom.
"Then I shall continue with my humble opinions! Firstly, regarding not being the legitimate or eldest son, Your Highness need not pursue this point too vigorously. This is because, since the founding of our Great Song dynasty, not all emperors have inherited the throne as the eldest legitimate son! While it is preferable, if not the case, Your Highness need not feel inferior!"
"Brother Han's words are truly profound! Zong Ying is deeply impressed!"
Both Zhao Zhen and Zong Ying had been stuck on the first point. Now, with Han Mo's analysis, they felt a sudden enlightenment.