The Imperial Age with the Resurgence of Han Style

Chapter 165 "Secret"

"You... can't do it."

When Emperor Qianyuan heard his mother's words, anger suddenly rose in his heart.

The Queen Mother's words are tantamount to challenging the dignity of a great king!

After being silent for a while, he looked at his mother on the bed with a gloomy face, and asked in a deep voice: "Just because my mother is a native of Qi, are you so sure that our country, Qin, is not as good as Qi?"

"Emperor..." Queen Mother Qi Ziyi felt that her vision began to blur, and she could no longer clearly see the face of Emperor Qianyuan beside the bed. She felt that it was so far away, and her body felt relaxed for no reason, as if she was being taken away from this place. His tone was also a little erratic, as if relying on the instinct of life, he murmured: "Qin and Qi... are two... completely different countries. When my father (Qi Ziyi) married to Qin, Qi Tian had not yet claimed the title of Qin. When the Emperor) established the foundation of Hanzhou, he took a different path...from that of previous dynasties. This path was difficult at the beginning, but as long as the foundation is laid, the seeds are planted, and the seeds are carefully cultivated, over time, they will continue to absorb The nutrients will inevitably grow into... an unattainable towering tree, overlooking all living beings... I once tried very hard to bring Da Qin along that road, but after all, I did not have the means of my father. And ability. ...Emperor, although the Qin Dynasty has a huge territory, a large population, countless capable ministers and brave generals, and an endless stream of talents, you have not felt that there is always an invisible force that restrains all this and makes it impossible. Helping the Qin State to make great strides... After so many years, the political situation of Da Qin can be considered stable, and the rivers, seas and seas are clear. It has developed greatly compared with the pre-Ming Dynasty. However, if compared in terms of overall strength, Da Qin is still... not as good as Qi State. That’s it!”

"How do you think the Queen Mother should change this?" Although Emperor Qianyuan was quite dissatisfied with his mother's words, he still highly respected his mother's knowledge and her revolutionary actions decades ago.

The actions she took back then somewhat enhanced the strength of our Great Qin, and more or less satisfied his need to demonstrate his illustrious martial arts over the years. They were also the basis for the expansion of the empire.

"It won't work... we won't make it." Queen Mother Qi Ziyi's eyes began to blur, and her low voice sounded like she was talking in a dream, "Without great wisdom...great perseverance, it is difficult to change. My father-in-law once said back then, He was extremely lucky to come to Hanzhou and draw a completely different splash-ink landscape on a piece of white paper without any graffiti with the most ideal goal. Ha... Da Qin, this ancient land, has historically Thousands of years of civilization have long since fallen...too much ink, there will be too much interference, and there will be too many...obstacles. Unless..."

"Unless what?" Emperor Qianyuan leaned over curiously, wanting to hear his mother's low words more closely.

"..."

"Mother..." Emperor Qianyuan looked at his mother who had not made any movement for a while, and his heart tightened. He quickly stretched out a hand and gently touched his mother's breath, and then lowered it slumped.

Emperor Qianyuan looked at his deceased mother and suddenly felt a pain in his heart, the tip of his nose was sore, and his eyes became moist.

Decades ago, even if he still resented her frequent interference in government affairs, she was still his mother, giving birth to him, raising him, and protecting him.

For decades, he has been teaching him carefully, assisting him, and finally supporting him to secure the throne.

For him to be where he is today, and for Da Qin to be able to have such achievements, his mother owes a lot to it!

"My son... is unfilial..." Emperor Qianyuan murmured.

Before my mother died, she was probably resentful of some of her actions!

"Your Majesty..." When the imperial doctors, eunuchs, and maids outside the palace saw His Majesty coming out, they all bowed (knelt down) and saluted.

"The Queen Mother... has passed away." Emperor Qianyuan said in a deep voice: "The decree states that starting from tomorrow, the court will be suspended for one month, and the whole country will mourn."

"Your Majesty, my condolences." Upon hearing His Majesty's remarks about the passing of the Queen Mother, all the guards, including the guards standing around, knelt down and bowed their heads in condolences.

The eunuchs and maids serving the Queen Mother in the Feilong Palace couldn't help but cry with grief in their hearts.

"Grandma..."

Only a cry of mourning was heard, and the Crown Prince Sun Youlang staggered into the palace. Within a moment, there was a burst of hoarse crying.

Emperor Qianyuan looked back at the main hall, closed his eyes slightly, and sighed heavily.

The empress was sick, and the prince Sun Youlang was raised by his mother since he was a child. After his enlightenment, in addition to receiving education from the East Palace lectures in the Wenhua Palace, he stayed with the empress dowager most of the time. After he became an adult, although he moved to the Chunhe Hall of the East Palace, he still often came to greet the Queen Mother, discuss and study many political affairs of the court, and had a deep relationship with him, much closer than to his father and mother.

Now that the Queen Mother has passed away, the Prince is probably the saddest person in the entire palace.

"Your Majesty..." Wang Degui saw Emperor Qianyuan standing on the steps outside the palace in a state of despair. The people kneeling around him did not dare to get up without His Majesty's response, so he raised his head and called out carefully.

"Let's all get back together." Emperor Qianyuan waved his hand, then stepped down the stairs and strolled outside.

"Immediately announce the entry of three cabinet ministers into the palace."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Xuan Dazong is entering the palace and handling various affairs of Feilong Palace."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"The minister of the Ministry of Annunciation entered the palace and assigned the Queen Mother the funeral etiquette affairs."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"..." In less than a moment, the entire Forbidden City was lit up with countless lights. Chamberlains, palace maids, ceremony officers, and eunuchs carrying edicts were rushing between the various palaces, making a bustling noise in the cold night.
-

"Is Marquis Changxing the Queen Mother's illegitimate son?"

Under the night, the city of Nanjing is completely silent. Residents who have been busy all day have washed up early and fallen asleep.

With the passing of the Queen Mother, the majestic Forbidden City fell into an inexplicable throbbing and panic.

On the banks of the Qinhuai River, the Rouge Willow Lane, with lanterns hanging high, singing and dancing, extravagance and agitation, seemed extremely noisy, and it was the most lively time of the day.

The wealthy salt merchant spends a lot of money, hoping to win the smile of the beauty on the boat.

The wealthy businessmen in overseas trade casually threw out rare and exotic treasures from all over the world, which made countless girls admire them and couldn't hide their surprise.

The gentle and elegant young man, full of knowledge, talked eloquently, pointed out the country, or sang poems and lyrics, which attracted the heads of the flowers.

There are also those princes, nobles and dignitaries who took off their official robes and robes in the court hall, put on brocade clothes and satin, were light and simple, sneaked in quietly, lay down on the soft bed, drank a glass of wine with the girl, listened to the leader singing a ditty, and washed Go away from the intrigues of the day.

Tonight, the latest "skinny horse" is for sale on the largest colorful boat on the Qinhuai River. This news began to spread from this beautiful boat a month ago. Wealthy businessmen had already heard the news. Some businessmen came by boat a few days ago. Most of the boats were filled with silver dollars and gold coins in boxes.

It's still some time before "Shou Ma" appears, and the wealthy businessmen have already been placed neatly in the hall by the girls in the party, or in comfortable cubicles, with all kinds of fragrant tea and assorted crisp fruits on display. , there are even fresh products such as coffee and cocoa produced in the Nanyang territory of Qi State.

Several business owners from Qi State also changed their clothes and came to see the folk splendor of Qin State and experience the smoke, rain and dust of China.

Although they don't look like luxury businessmen on their appearance, their hair, double-breasted shorts, good conversation, and generous tips allow the stewards on the party boat to recognize these people as "rich" at a glance. The people of Qi did not dare to neglect and took a seat by the window in the hall.

While drinking the sweet and glutinous rice wine, eating delicious snacks, sniffing the refreshing powder, and looking at the gauze curtain in front of the hall from time to time, a few people chatted without saying a word.

As they talked, they talked about the Changxing Hou Mansion being confiscated and exterminated by the Qin court during the day.

"The rumors in the market should not be taken seriously." Liang Yifeng said with a smile: "The Changxing Marquis was born to Emperor Chengde, but he lived in our Ryukyu territory until he was four or five years old."

"It's strange. Since Marquis Changxing was born to Emperor Chengde, he is also the brother of the current Qianyuan Emperor of the Qin Dynasty. How could he live in Ryukyu since he was a child? Oh, and why is his surname Kang instead of Sun?" Niu Xianting asked curiously.

"Because the mother of Marquis Changxing was exiled by the current Queen Mother of Qin." Liang Yifeng said: "It is said that when Emperor Chengde was still King Rui, the mother of Marquis Changxing almost got killed by King Rui because she violated a taboo. According to the rules of their palace, they would have probably killed her quietly. But the then Princess Rui, who is now the Queen Mother, could not bear to commit the crime, so she sent the concubine to Ryukyu, sparing her life. . But the exiled princess fell ill and died not long after she stayed in Ryukyu, leaving behind a child, the Marquis of Changxing who was executed today."

"Oh, if that's the case, then why are there so many rumors in the market that the Marquis of Changxing is the illegitimate son of the Queen Mother?"

"Damn, this is not the case that the Beiming gang deliberately smeared the Qin royal family, spreading rumors and making things out of thin air in order to disrupt the Qin state." Liang Yifeng shook his head and said: "More than forty years ago, the Queen Mother visited various prefectures in the south of the Yangtze River. When she was in Ningbo , happened to meet the old servant of King Rui's concubine who was exiled to Ryukyu, holding the four or five-year-old Marquis Changxing in his arms and preparing to send him to Nanjing to recognize his relatives. Seeing that the child was pitiful and that he was the flesh and blood of the late emperor, the Queen Mother took him with her. Back to the capital."

"Unexpectedly, Da Zongzheng of the Qin State did not recognize that this child was of royal blood, and was worried that he would be a wild child born to an outsider by King Rui's concubine, which would tarnish the Sun family's blood. There was no choice but to arrange a residence for the Queen Mother. He asked the old servant to raise the Marquis of Changxing and changed his surname. Speaking of which, the Marquis of Changxing was also smart and intelligent since he was a child. He was proficient in everything he learned, especially the improvement of various utensils. Qin State imported from Qi State. Many steam engines came, and he was forced to improve their efficiency by several levels. If they were left in our country, they would definitely be elected to the Royal Academy of Sciences."

"You also know that the Queen Mother is the daughter of the ancestor of our Qi State. She was greatly influenced by our Qi State. During her reign, she also carried out a period of reform and new policies, established large-scale industries, and encouraged new learning. In this context, the Queen Mother So he greatly appreciated what Changxing Marquis had learned and his abilities, and entrusted him with important tasks. At one time, he was also asked to take charge of Qin's industrial development plan, and to establish an academy of science similar to ours in Qi."

"Everyone knows that whether it is engaged in industry or scientific research, it is real and cannot be done carelessly, let alone deceitful and deceptive. This Changxing Marquis relies on the strong support of the Queen Mother , really did things in an orderly manner, and kept many of Da Qin's government-run factories in order, and introduced many machines from our Qi country. Even if the production efficiency cannot keep up with our large domestic factories, it is at least much better than those simple manual factories. Some officials and principals who were not very obedient were fired without mercy, and some officials who were corrupt and bribed were even sent to prison."

"Although the Marquis of Changxing was repeatedly impeached and criticized by many officials, under the protection of the Queen Mother, he still sat firmly in the position under his buttocks, and was frequently rewarded and comforted by the Queen Mother. So, I don't know when, he Rumors circulated that the Marquis of Changxing had a tough background because he was an illegitimate son born from an affair after the Queen Mother had been a widow for many years, and was raised in another place. When he was four or five years old, he was brought back under the pretext that Emperor Chengde had left his child. to Nanjing."

"The meticulous work sent by the Northern Ming Dynasty to the Qin State was even more unbearable. They constantly polished many details of this rumor and spread it widely. They claimed that the Queen Mother was the Zhao concubine of the former Qin Dynasty. She was a widow in the palace and could not bear to be an empty harem, so she raised her." Among Lao Ai's generation, Changxing Hou was the illegitimate son of one of them. Hey, what a coincidence. That Lao Ai's title was Marquis Changxin, and Kang Wenrui's title was also Marquis Changxing. This pronunciation It's obviously the same. Think about it, after a lie has been spread by thousands of people and instilled repeatedly, over time, the lie becomes true in some people's ears."

"Oh, that's right." Qi Zhenglun smiled brightly and said: "If this Changxing Marquis is unknown and willing to remain calm, the rumors will spread and everyone will not be able to find a target. As time goes by, they will naturally dissipate. . However, this Marquis of Changxing maintained the protection of the Queen Mother, acted in a high-profile manner, and was domineering and bold. From time to time, he caused some incidents that attracted the attention of the Qin Dynasty. It was inevitable that people would regard him as an alien and look for him. However, Could it be that the Emperor of Qin also believed this rumor and became so jealous that he used an excuse to execute the Queen Mother when she was seriously ill?"

"Believe it or not. In the Qin State, the emperor's dignity does not tolerate any blasphemy or slander. If this violates a taboo, then he must not confiscate his family and exterminate his family!" Liang Yifeng lowered his voice, "Furthermore, if Emperor Qianyuan wanted to establish the authority of the emperor, how could he Allowing a half-brother of unknown origin to act in such a high-profile manner? And cause such rumors? If the Queen Mother had not saved his life before, maybe Emperor Qianyuan would be merciful and give him a way to survive."

Several people were chatting, and they were all lamenting what happened to the Marquis of Changxing.

Regardless of the fact that the Qin State has been at peace for decades, its literary style is at its peak, the market is prosperous, and it looks like a prosperous age. But to be honest, their court still had very strict control over the people. The monarchy was extremely powerful, and the emperor had absolute power of life and death. Even if they are relatives of the emperor and important ministers in the court, once they fall out of favor and lose power, they will inevitably be mercilessly attacked by the imperial power. It was commonplace to deprive one of his official status, deprive him of his fame and property, and confiscate his property. It was also common to have his family confiscated and his relatives killed.

Unlike us in Daqi, His Majesty and the cabinet have a clear division of responsibilities and do not interfere with each other. As long as they do not involve serious criminal offenses, even if you are dismissed from office, you will not lose your dignity, let alone your life and family. and relatives. When there are serious differences on some major national policies, His Majesty must discuss them with the cabinet, respect each other, and discuss carefully before promulgating and implementing them.

Of course, this was also a good start for Emperor Taizu, who gave the cabinet a lot of independent governance power, allowing the imperial power and the cabinet to support and restrict each other, forming a delicate balance.

In addition, our country, Da Qi, does not have those messy stubborn forces, and everyone in the country can be united. This is why we have such a prosperous country, and our people, Da Qi, have gradually gained enough arrogance in this "heavenly kingdom". !

"Girl, I'm here to pay you a visit!"

The gauze curtain behind the gorgeous boat was lifted, and a woman came out supporting a graceful and beautiful "skinny horse", which immediately attracted the attention of all the wealthy businessmen and guests present.

(End of this chapter)