hotmtlnovel Chapter 298 The treasury is empty
Chapter 298 The treasury is empty
"What's the method? Tell me quickly!" the Fourth Prince asked hurriedly.
"There is definitely a way, but Jiang Youzhen's status is still a bit low at the moment, so we can only temporarily improve her reputation and build momentum. In the capital, when your pigeon letter arrives, the emperor will definitely notice her. This is the first step."
Jiang Youzhen has no family background and is currently only a scholar. It would be a pity if he only serves as a staff member.
In this case, let her rise quickly. Once she enters the vortex of power, she will have to choose only one side to rely on.
Pure minister? Tong Huaian laughed at himself. It didn't exist. Because in the court today, unless you are already in a high position, it will be difficult for a pure minister to gain a foothold.
When the Fourth Prince heard this, he thought it made sense.
"According to the time, the carrier pigeon should be arriving soon." He thought for a long time and suddenly felt a little worried.
"What if we recruit Jiang Youzhen, but she ends up joining another camp? Wouldn't that cause trouble for us?"
Tong Huaian was silent. In fact, the answer was obvious. This was also a test from the Fourth Prince.
After a moment, he said, "Deal with it as you should."
The Fourth Prince nodded in satisfaction upon hearing this. "It's not that I'm cruel. You know, Jiang Youzhen is quite capable. If she really becomes our enemy, she will be a very strong obstacle. It's already difficult to deal with the others, and adding her will make it even more difficult."
"I will convince her." Tong Huaian said quickly.
The fourth prince smiled, and then said he wanted to rest.
Tong Huaian took his leave and walked out. He glanced at the study room where the lights were turned off and couldn't help but frown.
He suddenly thought, is it really a good thing to bring Jiang Youzhen in like this?
The Fourth Prince was not as calm and indifferent as he looked. He was indeed protective of his own people, but once he became ruthless, he could be cruel.
He sighed, hoping that Jiang Youzhen would not be so stubborn. Once the secret letter reached the emperor, Jiang Youzhen would become the center of the storm, and it would be a bloody storm.
This time they pushed Jiang Youzhen out, which really forced her to grow up. I hope she can handle it, right?
Capital
"Your Majesty! It's late, you should go to bed early!"
Steward Zhou saw the emperor rubbing his brow tiredly, and immediately stepped forward to dissuade him.
"There are still so many memorials." The emperor took a look at the memorials piled on the desk and felt a headache.
"Your Majesty, do you have a headache again? Then I'll light some calming incense for you." Butler Zhou felt very distressed when he saw the silver hair mixed in the emperor's temples. The emperor was busy with all kinds of affairs every day, which had consumed too much of his energy.
Many of them were the mess left by the previous emperor, so he naturally didn't dare to say anything.
"Your Majesty! A secret letter has come from Tongzhou Prefecture in the Northern Province!" A dark shadow appeared in the imperial study.
"Oh?" The emperor thought about it, and then he remembered that his two sons had gone to Dongyuan Prefecture to pick up the princess. Wouldn't they have to pass by Tongzhou Prefecture on the way?
The emperor took the secret letter, which was two small notes, and read it carefully by candlelight.
Manager Zhou was very curious because the emperor had a strange expression. He started out with a smile, then became confused and appreciative, and finally became pleased.
"Who said there are no young geniuses in my kingdom? Look, I didn't expect that there is such a unique insight." The emperor was very happy, his face full of smiles.
Manager Zhou was a little curious, but didn't dare to say much.
"I will definitely announce this matter in the court during the morning session to see if those old fellows who are just sitting there doing nothing will be ashamed." The emperor took a close look at the name, Jiang Youzhen!
It said that Jiang Youzhen was not from a noble family, but from a farming family, which was what he found incredible.
A farmer's son actually has such a broad vision. Isn't he smarter than those ministers in the court?
However, when the emperor took a look at the final signature, he immediately hesitated.
"The second brother does have some abilities, but unfortunately, he has too many little ideas." The emperor smiled, and then placed the secret letter in the copper basin.
Manager Zhou raised his eyelids but remained silent.
"Burn it!"
Two days later, just after the hour of Mao and before daybreak, the ministers were already waiting outside the Taiji Hall.
"It's time to go to court!" With a shout, the Taiji Hall became lively.
The emperor has held morning court once a day since he ascended the throne, more frequently than the previous emperor.
"Okay! If you want to quarrel over these trivial matters, go back and quarrel!" The emperor felt a buzzing in his ears and had a severe headache.
"Your Majesty! I think Princess Changsui is a widow and it is not appropriate for her to stay in the palace for a long time. It will damage Your Majesty's reputation. The Empress Dowager's decree is very inappropriate. How can the Yifang Palace be built? Not only will it cost a lot of money, but it will also have a great impact on Your Majesty's reputation."
The Left Vice-Chief Censor Shi Chengwei stepped out. Everyone in the Inspectorate was very dissatisfied with this matter. They had already reported this matter to the Empress Dowager yesterday at the morning court, but the Emperor fought back with the excuse of filial piety. Today he brought up the old matter again.
"Your Majesty, I second the motion!"
Chen Xinyu, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, also stepped forward. This matter was truly absurd. Everyone knew that the Empress Dowager had ulterior motives in doing this, and it was really damaging to her reputation.
"Princess Changsui is not a concubine in the harem, nor is she a princess. It is inappropriate and against the rules to build a Yifang Palace for her in the palace. There has never been such a precedent."
Court officials kept coming out to criticize this matter, saying that it was a joke that a woman from outside the imperial court could live in the harem.
What's more, she is a widow. If the news gets out, where will the emperor's face be? Even if she is the empress dowager, she cannot disregard the emperor's reputation and etiquette. If such a thing gets out, wouldn't it be a huge joke?
"What's more, the treasury is short of money now, and it is really extravagant and wasteful to build Yifang Palace with great fanfare. The flood season will come in a few months, and it is the time to reinforce the dike. The treasury has just paid the military salaries, where will the money come from?"
The Ministry of Revenue has the most say in this matter. You are so poor, why do you want to build a palace? Where is the money? Where will it come from? Shangshu Du Yikun's face was extremely ugly.
"Your Majesty, please ask the Queen Mother to withdraw the imperial decree!"
Many court officials stood up and held up memorials, all of which were reports implicating the Empress Dowager.
"I will discuss this matter with my mother again." A gleam of light flashed in the emperor's eyes.
"But speaking of building dams during the flood season, what suggestions do you have, my dear ministers?" The emperor looked at the people below and took in their expressions.
The ministers were all stunned. Just now they were talking about the Empress Dowager's plan to build a palace, and the Emperor agreed to discuss it. They knew that the Emperor would definitely give an explanation on this matter.
However, before they had time to be happy, they heard the emperor talking about repairing dams during the flood season.
Everyone was puzzled. In previous years, wasn't this question raised in April or May? Why was it raised now?
"What? Weren't you all eloquent just now? Now you've all become gourds with sawed mouths?" The emperor snorted coldly.
Everyone shrank their necks, and their brains started working rapidly.