Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 445 New Policies (Part 1)

After the court assembly ended, the officials dispersed.

Pei Yun, Mao Hongling, and the others stayed behind and held a small meeting.

“The civil officials have no foundation and no troops, so replacing or eliminating them is not difficult.” Speaking directly to his true confidants, Pei Qinghe did not mince words: “The real troublesome ones are the military generals. They are used to ruling their own territories and acting as local emperors. Many of them are forced to bow to me because of the circumstances, and they may not be truly convinced in their hearts.”

"You all saw today's grand court assembly. General Song was caught off guard by me, and feeling guilty and in the wrong, he had no choice but to comply. The other generals were unwilling to truly clean up the camp. Even General Song, after returning, will only pretend to chase away ten or eight people to give me an explanation. I can't do anything about him for the time being."

The first to speak was surprisingly the youngest, Pei Feng: "Isn't the Emperor going to inspect the military camps? We don't need to wait half a year. We can start once spring plowing is finished in Yan County. Let's kill a few more during the inspection and give them a shock!"

Pei Xuan, Gu Lian, and Sun Chengdu nodded in agreement.

However, Mao Hongling, being cautious and meticulous, said: "This matter should not be rushed. If it goes too far, I'm afraid some military officers might develop rebellious intentions and cause a mutiny."

Pei Yun coldly said, "It doesn't matter if there's a mutiny. We can openly send troops to surround and suppress it, kill the commander, and take over the territory."

Bohai Commandery, Changle Commandery, Runan Commandery, and Daifang Commandery all originated from this!

Mao Hongling still disagreed: "Let's take it slow. The new dynasty has just been established, and the emperor needs to establish his authority and win over the hearts of the people. If the methods are too ruthless, the generals will be pushed to the limit, and more people will rebel. The Pei family army will be exhausted by internal strife. What if the Xiongnu launch an attack then? How will we deal with the situation if the Southern King Qiao and General Situ take the opportunity to launch an attack?"

Pei Xuan, Gu Lian, and Sun Cheng nodded in agreement again.

Meng Bing, who had been silent until now, spoke up: "Cleansing up the military camp will take time and effort. In the short term, we should use intimidation to deter them. Then we should tighten control step by step. We cannot force the military generals to rebel."

Pei Qinghe nodded slightly: "Like boiling a frog in lukewarm water."

“That’s right.” Meng Bing said seriously, “Also, when patrolling the military camp, we must bring enough men to guard against any unpredictable behavior.”

Everyone looked at Pei Yan and Yang Huai.

Pei Yan has always been by Pei Qinghe's side and is now the commander of the Emperor's personal guard. Yang Huai currently leads the cavalry battalion. Since they are both leading troops in the field, the heavy responsibility of protecting Pei Qinghe's safety naturally falls on Pei Yan and Yang Huai.

Pei Yan puffed out his chest and said menacingly, "With me here, no one can get close to the Emperor."

Yang Huai also said, "Don't worry, everyone. We will bring more cavalry with us and will definitely protect the Emperor's safety."

Yang Huai seems more composed and reliable.

Everyone then looked at Pei Qinghe.

Pei Qinghe pondered for a moment and made a decision: "Let's stick to the previous plan. I'll give the prefects and magistrates of each county six months to see how they perform. The military officers will also have six months to let them organize the discipline of their troops. After six months, I will lead the cavalry battalion and the personal guard battalion on an inspection tour."

"To establish authority through killing, one cannot kill indiscriminately. In short, one must have a sense of proportion."

That depends on the individual's methods.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

After finishing their business, everyone had lunch with Pei Qinghe.

Even after becoming emperor, Pei Qinghe remained frugal. His lunch consisted of a substantial meal of six dishes, a soup, and rice. Even ordinary wealthy families ate more elaborate and sumptuous meals than this.

Everyone was used to being in the military camp, and the hot soup, rice, vegetables, and meat made them feel quite content. No one drank alcohol, and after they had eaten their fill, they dispersed.

Only then did Pei Qinghe and Shi Yan have a moment alone. "Are you sober yet?" Pei Qinghe asked softly with a smile.

Shi Yan rubbed his forehead and smiled wryly, "My head still hurts a bit. I need to rest. I can't get anything done today."

Pei Qinghe also sighed, "I never feel tired when I lead troops in drills, riding horses and shooting arrows. But after only half a day of court meetings, I'm already a bit tired."

"It is clear that being the emperor is indeed a demanding and exhausting job."

She was used to fighting and killing, but sitting on the dragon throne with a serious face to hold court and discuss matters with the ministers was both unfamiliar and exhausting for her.

Pei Qinghe was usually calm, composed, and at ease; it was rare for her to frown and complain like this. Shi Yan chuckled, "Everything is difficult at the beginning. You'll get used to sitting on this dragon throne for a while."

There's no need to go into details about casual conversations between husband and wife.

After the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, the military officers bid farewell to the emperor and departed one by one.

The Emperor, being of such high status, did not need to personally see them off, and instructed Pei Yan to escort the military officers on their behalf. Pei Yun and Pei Xuan departed a little later, on the eighth day. Gu Lian and Sun Cheng set off on the tenth day.

Pei Qinghe urged Pei Feng, "You should go too."

Pei Feng said in a low voice, "I'll leave after the fifteenth. It's a long way to take Fang Jun, and if I leave, I might not see my cousin Qinghe for a year or two. I want to stay a few more days."

A year has passed, and Pei Feng is now sixteen. In public, he maintains a stern expression, displaying the demeanor of a cold-faced young general. Only in private, in front of Pei Qinghe, does he reveal a hint of his childishness.

Pei Qinghe softened her heart: "Alright, let's wait until after the Lantern Festival to set off."

Pei Feng grinned.

Pei Feng, who had been waiting a few extra days, set off promptly after the Lantern Festival.

Pei Qinghe summoned Prime Minister Pang and other civil officials to discuss matters.

The upcoming spring planting season is the most important event for the new dynasty. A successful spring planting ensures a bountiful autumn harvest, allowing the people to reap the rewards of their hard work, fill their stomachs, and pay their land taxes. Only by collecting sufficient taxes can the court support the large army in the north.

"In the past few years, spring plowing in Youzhou has been done very well. The people are so poor that they can't even afford to buy seeds. They can borrow seeds from the government or on credit from the Shi family's grain shop. The Shi family has contributed a lot to this, and it is also thanks to Shang Shishu's careful planning and efforts."

Pei Qinghe didn't exaggerate; he praised Fashion Books objectively and also assigned the important task of spring plowing this year to Fashion Books: "Fashion Books will take charge of spring plowing this year."

Shi Yan bowed and accepted the order.

Pei Qinghe then said to Prime Minister Pang, "Prime Minister, in my own words, draft an official document and send it to all government offices. Let them learn from the practices here in Youzhou. No matter what method is used, the people must have seeds to grow. They must not be left to lie fallow!"

Prime Minister Pang composed himself and agreed, but in his heart he couldn't help but think of the Jian'an Emperor who had died young.

When Emperor Jian'an was alive, he often lamented his ill-fated destiny in the palace, or remarked that the court was controlled by General Zhang, and that he had done very little of anything of substance. As for matters like spring plowing, he would at most give a word or two, and then consider himself a wise and enlightened emperor.

Looking at Pei Qinghe, he was issuing orders one by one in an orderly manner, showing great familiarity with spring plowing. It was clear that these were things he had done in previous years.

It is a blessing for the people to have such a benevolent emperor.

(End of this chapter)