After the rebirth, the queen took the Meiqiang tragedy script

On February 23, the emperor, who had suspended court for five consecutive days, finally appeared at the morning court session.

Ye Qinghuai sat down on the dragon throne, and the entire Hall of Supreme Harmony fell silent. The court was completely still; no one spoke, everyone awaiting the emperor's address.

Ye Qinghuai's gaze swept quickly across the assembled officials, finally settling on Chen Yuansi, who stood at the head of the line. The elderly Grand Secretary, though his head was bowed, slightly raised his eyes to look at the Emperor on the dragon throne.

He exchanged a brief glance with the emperor before lowering his gaze.

His gaze was calm, just like his usual sleepy expression when he went to court.

But it was this seemingly ordinary glance that made Ye Qinghuai feel reassured.

Last night at the Chen residence, she offered almost every condition favorable to Chen Yuansi, appealing to his emotions and reasoning with him. However, this old minister, known for his composure, did not immediately agree, but said that he needed to "think about it for a while longer."

But the glance Chen Yuansi gave him before the morning court session made Ye Qinghuai understand his decision.

"My lords, I was unwell a few days ago and neglected state affairs. It is thanks to the concerted efforts of the cabinet and you all that no mistakes were made. Thank you for your hard work." Ye Qinghuai adopted a very humble posture from the very beginning.

"This old minister is humbled. It is our duty to share Your Majesty's burdens," Chen Yuansi said, picking up where Ye Qinghuai left off.

Upon hearing this, many court officials echoed, "Your humble servant is terrified."

Standing beside Chen Yuansi, Gu Shihai couldn't help but raise his head and glance at Chen Yuansi, his eyes full of surprise. He thought to himself: Wasn't he in the middle of a big fight with the emperor because of Lu Yanchen? How come he's now joining forces with the emperor?

Ye Qinghuai continued Chen Yuansi's words, "Although I have been resting in the palace these past few days, I have not been idle. I was very worried about the rebellion in Qing County some time ago, and immediately sent people to investigate. The front line reported to me that the rebellion was caused by a famine-stricken peasant uprising. I was very puzzled when I heard this. In recent years, our Great Jing has enjoyed favorable weather and abundant harvests, and Yingzhou is a place with plentiful granaries. How could there be famine-stricken peasants?"

"Later I understood that it was all because of the Western Rong. In September of the first year of Suihe, the Western Rong invaded Fengyang County in Yingzhou, causing damage to thirteen villages and towns, and the Fengyang granary was looted. In September of the second year of Suihe, the Western Rong burned Lintan County. In August of the third year of Suihe, the Western Rong launched a surprise attack on Tongliang Pass. In less than four years of Suihe, the Western Rong harassed our borders more than ten times, burning, killing, looting, and committing all kinds of atrocities, causing Yingzhou to lose more than 100,000 taels of silver and hundreds of thousands of shi of grain."

"Last year, the Northern Barbarians launched a surprise attack on Lijia Ridge, and the Western Barbarians seized the opportunity to cause trouble on the border of my Yingzhou. I originally thought that the Western Barbarians were just a nomadic people who were not worth fearing, but now it seems that they are a major threat to the western border of my Great Jing. Now is the time when our army is strong and well-equipped, and the Northern Barbarians are in turmoil. It is the perfect opportunity to stabilize the western border. Therefore, I have issued an imperial edict."

After speaking, Ye Qinghuai gave Li Baoquan, who was standing to the side, a wink.

Li Baoquan immediately stepped forward, took out the imperial edict he had prepared beforehand from his robes, and began to read it aloud in the main hall—

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: I have heard of your merits and reward your exceptional talent. The Western Rong have repeatedly caused trouble on the border, which I am deeply concerned about. Lu Yanchen, the commander of the Western Expedition, is loyal and upright in his guards, brave and skilled in battle. He is hereby granted the title of General Who Guards the West and is ordered to suppress the rebels. During the campaign, he may draw troops from various prefectures."

It was the imperial edict that Ye Qinghuai wrote to Lu Yanchen in Qing County.

The court officials in the main hall immediately looked around and began whispering among themselves. Yingzhou was far from Shengjing, and although Ye Qinghuai had already read out the decree in Yingzhou, most people in the capital had not yet received the news. This was nothing short of a bolt from the blue for the court officials.

Gu Shihai's reaction was the most obvious. He was both surprised and angry. Upon hearing this, he suddenly looked up at Ye Qinghuai on the throne, only to find that the emperor was also looking at him.

The young emperor looked down at him, his gaze clear, his eyes filled with the same stubbornness and determination he both knew and hated in a wolf cub.

He immediately turned his gaze to Chen Yuansi, who was standing to his left, his furrowed brows full of impatience, as if urging Chen Yuansi to make trouble for the emperor.

But Chen Yuansi kept his eyes down, his gaze seemingly fixed on the jade steps, completely oblivious to everything happening in the court.

A chill ran through Gu Shihai's heart, and a bad premonition arose within him.

His face darkened, and he turned to look at the emperor, saying, "It is an undeniable fact that Lu Yanchen colluded with rebels to kill court officials. Your Majesty, by entrusting this person with the power to mobilize provincial troops, are you not afraid of causing chaos in the world?"

Gu Shihai's words silenced the court once more, and everyone turned to look at the tense emperor and his minister. Only Chen Yuansi remained staring at the jade steps before him, not even lifting his eyelids.

"Tan Chunhui concealed the famine and ignored the starving corpses all over the streets. Faced with boiling public resentment, he insisted on violent suppression. He has long lost the essence of being an official and is unworthy to be the magistrate of Qing County. If Lu Yanchen hadn't happened to pass by Qing County and quelled the matter, and had Tan Chunhui continued to act recklessly, there would have been even greater chaos!"

"If it weren't for Lu Yanchen's interference, the state army could have quelled those few rioters in Qing County in just a few days. Why has it dragged on until now? Your Majesty's current treatment, rewarding the rebels instead of punishing them, and even elevating them to high positions, is this how our dynasty rewards merit?"

"There are tens of thousands of disaster victims in Qing County, and 100,000 soldiers and civilians refuse to leave the city. In your opinion, Grand Secretary Gu, how can the state army quell the rebellion within a few days?" Ye Qinghuai asked, suppressing his anger.

"No matter the reason, rebellion is rebellion, and according to the law, one should be executed. Good intentions alone are insufficient for governance, and laws alone cannot govern themselves. Your Majesty's indulgence of rebels will only encourage evil and cause our dynasty's laws to fall into disuse." Gu Shihai persisted.

"Does Grand Secretary Gu mean that when the people suffer from disasters, the court not only fails to provide relief but also levies their grain taxes, and the people want to reclaim some of the grain they paid to survive, is this considered an unforgivable rebellion?"

Gu Shihai was taken aback by Ye Qinghuai's question before replying, "The tax collection is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Revenue, and I am not familiar with it. However, the law is the foundation of governing the country. Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven. How can you let the laws of the court become a joke just because you sympathize with a few disaster victims?"

Ye Qinghuai looked at Gu Shihai, whose face was flushed with anger, but his expression remained unusually calm.

She paused, then said slowly, "That's right, I am the emperor of the Great Jing. But first and foremost, I am also a subject of the Great Jing."

Her gaze swept over the assembled officials in the court, and she said, "I have no way to punish those who steal and rob because of disaster, nor can I punish parents who abandon their children because of poverty and hunger. I believe that in these matters, the ones who should truly be punished are not them, but me, this incompetent emperor, and all the officials standing here. It is we who have failed to make Dajing a place where they can live in peace." (End of Chapter)