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墨書 Inktalez
In the Golden Luan Hall of the Great Xia Dynasty, the atmosphere was tense.
"Yesterday, you all submitted a petition regarding the Salt Quota, which greatly pleased me! However, as for the ceremonial regulations established by the Former Emperor, I cannot simply disregard them, let alone abolish them. Do any of you Beloved Minister have other suggestions?"
The Xia Emperor sat high upon the dragon throne, casually inquiring of his ministers.
"Your Majesty, I believe that the regulations set by the Former Emperor were a necessity dictated by the circumstances of the time and should naturally be adhered to. However, now that our Great Xia Kingdom is at peace, it is time for Your Majesty to abolish the Salt Quota!"
The speaker was the current Left Chancellor, Song Renli. At this moment, he knelt with his knees on the ground, his forehead touching the floor, appearing entirely devoted to the Emperor's interests.
"I second this!"
"I second this!"
Dozens of ministers also knelt in agreement, filling half of the court with their bowed heads. These were all members of Song Renli's faction, naturally expressing their support for his proposal.
The New Emperor observed these kneeling figures in silence.
Clearly, this was not the answer he desired.
On the other side, Right Chancellor Zhao Ming, who had been personally appointed by the late Emperor and had weathered decades of court intrigues, remained untouched even after the New Emperor ascended to the throne.
Having seen much in his long life, Zhao Ming noticed the New Emperor's silence and understood that he was dissatisfied with this answer.
With a quick thought, he too knelt down.
"Your Majesty, I believe it would be inappropriate to abolish the Former Emperor's Salt Quota! If Your Majesty were to do so, history might label you as unfilial! I think we should not abolish the Salt Quota!"
This statement resonated well with Emperor Xia, causing him to relax his furrowed brow.
Seeing this reaction, Zhao Ming felt a surge of pride as he glanced triumphantly at Song Renli. When it came to serving the Emperor, Song Renli still had much to learn!
Emperor Xia believed that this Right Chancellor had found another way forward and promptly spoke up.
"What insights do you Beloved Minister have?"
Zhao Ming was taken aback. What did he mean by "seeing the situation"?
Hadn't he already stated his disagreement with the abolition of the Salt Quota?
Zhao Ming understood well the principle of being cautious around those in power; even silence could not afford him the luxury of saying the wrong thing.
However, now that Emperor Xia had posed a question, failing to respond would also lead to trouble.
Emperor Xia's gaze was fixed intently on this hopeful Right Chancellor, waiting for his reply.
Yet, at that moment, Zhao Ming found himself sidestepping the issue, his expression suddenly serious as he answered firmly.
"I believe it is unwise to abolish the Salt Quota; we should deliberate on this matter further!"
As soon as these words left his mouth, Emperor Xia's expression shifted from anticipation to confusion.
"Deliberate further? How can we take our time when He Dong is currently facing a salt shortage?"
Zhao Ming inwardly cursed himself for his blunder.
He had thought the emperor merely wished to maintain the Salt Quota, but instead, he had been handed this significant dilemma. Now, he found himself trapped—whether to answer or remain silent was equally perilous.
Regret washed over Zhao Ming; why had he volunteered in the first place?
For a moment, he struggled to find a solution and finally stammered out, "Your Majesty, I believe that while maintaining the Salt Quota system, we could secretly find alternative ways to supply salt."
Emperor Xia's eyes lit up. Finally! Someone had thought of this approach!
A glimmer of hope appeared on the horizon.
Zhao Ming was oblivious to the change in Emperor Xia's demeanor and continued speaking earnestly.
"Your Majesty, I believe we can send salt through civilian channels, which would not occupy the official salt quota."
As soon as these words were spoken, whispers erupted throughout the hall.
"How bold of the Right Chancellor! How dare he say such a thing?"
"Yet it does seem like a viable solution!"
"But sending salt this way, while not using the official quota, is still outright smuggling!"
The expression of the New Emperor shifted from anticipation to a blank stare, and upon realizing the implications, it quickly turned icy.
He asked sharply, " Beloved Minister Zhao, are you suggesting that I, the ruler of Great Xia, engage in the trade of smuggled salt? Do you not know that the emperor is subject to the same laws as commoners? Do you not understand that smuggling is a crime punishable by extermination of one's entire clan? I could charge you with treason based solely on this statement!"
"I would not dare!"
Zhao Ming realized he had misspoken and hurriedly bowed his head in apology.
The crowd in Golden Luan Hall recognized that Emperor Xia was in a fit of rage; everyone felt uneasy and dared not speak.
More importantly, they could not discern the Emperor's thoughts at this moment—neither abolishing nor maintaining the current situation. It was truly a headache.
With no other recourse, everyone knelt down to plead for forgiveness.
Seeing this scene, Emperor Xia felt an immense sense of frustration within.
Could it be that all the officials in court were truly inferior to Chen You alone?
However, this was not the time for anger; as an emperor, it was essential to possess the virtue of magnanimity.
"Enough! All of you, rise!"
"Your Majesty, I am here!"
"Send more pickled vegetables from Hexi to Hedong. As for the smuggling issue, do not mention it again!"
"Your wisdom is unmatched, Your Majesty! I shall obey!"
After receiving the decree, Zhao Ming quickly retreated and blended into the crowd of officials.
"Furthermore, convey my command! The Black Lotus Society has misused the dragon emblem and overstepped the ceremonial protocols, committing an offense against the throne! I will conscript one hundred thousand troops nationwide to suppress the Black Lotus Society."
The ministers exchanged bewildered glances. What has come over Emperor Xia?
The Black Lotus Society had once aided Great Xia during the reign of the Former Emperor; why now call for troops to suppress them?
The officials did not dare to delay and quickly responded.
"We shall faithfully follow Your Majesty's command!"
Yet Emperor Xia seemed oblivious, continuing to issue orders.
"In order to command this hundred thousand strong army, I will promote four Grand Generals to guard the four corners of the realm. All military power across the nation will be entrusted to these four generals! At the same time, I will elevate Duke of Defense Wei Meng to the position of Guardian General and bestow upon him the title of Earl of Dingguo! He will directly oversee the four Grand Generals."
At first glance, everyone thought that Emperor Xia had run out of titles and rewards for Duke of Defense, which is why he was appointed as Guardian General.
But upon closer reflection, it seemed that this was a direct move to strip him of military authority, and Duke of Defense could not refuse.
This was not a punishment but rather an imperial favor!
Wei Meng was taken aback upon hearing this!
Had Emperor Xia really decided to make a sacrifice so soon in his second year on the throne?
Wei Meng's expression changed several times before he finally knelt down.
It was settled; he had already reached a position of great power. If Emperor Xia desired military authority, then let him have it.
As long as his family remained safe, that was all that mattered. If Emperor Xia still felt uneasy, he could choose a day to lay down his armor and return to the fields!
With this thought, Wei Meng calmed himself and spoke loudly.
"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!"
Emperor Xia looked coldly at Wei Meng kneeling before him, a sneer forming in his heart.
Just a mere warrior, how dare you, Wei Meng, defy my will!
Regardless of whether the relics of the Former Emperor are genuine or not, I will first strip you of your military power and see what kind of storm you can stir up.
Emperor Xia withdrew his cold gaze and signaled to the Chief Eunuch beside him.
The eunuch's voice rang out in a high-pitched tone.
"Those with matters to report may do so; those without may leave the court!"
Today’s court was filled with an atmosphere thick with impending turmoil; the ministers dared not linger for even a moment longer.
"Long live the Emperor! Long live! Long live for ten thousand years!"
After bowing in thanks, they exited the Golden Luan Hall.
Only Emperor Xia remained, sitting high on the dragon throne, gazing southward as if his sight crossed thousands of mountains and rivers to see the exiled Chen You.
His gaze was icy, his demeanor indifferent.
"A mere eunuch thinks he can toy with power and royal strategy!"
"A mere martial artist dares to defy my will!"
At this moment, Chen You was teaching in the private school. Seeing Su Niantang appear again made him feel a headache coming on.
"How can a mere New Emperor cause so much trouble? Is this woman really not a spy sent by you?"
Su Niantang was oblivious to Chen You's gaze and was lost in thought while writing in the script of the Xia Dynasty.
"How can a mere scholar possess firearms? Could he be a Western missionary? And what Sister Hua said, could it be true?"
Thinking of this, Su Niantang's face flushed with embarrassment. When she came back to her senses, she realized she had made mistakes in her writing.
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