National Division

Chapter 91 Shen Xian: You old fool, you really don't know what's good for you... (10,000-word update, please vote!)
Qianyuan Hall, Main Hall
As King Zhao Yang Youxing and Cai Heng were talking, several prime ministers, except for Yao Zhiwei, Xu Shi and others who came forward to exchange pleasantries, all watched coldly from the sidelines.

Just then, a high-pitched voice from an eunuch outside the hall announced, "The Princess has arrived."

The ministers who were conversing in the hall all stopped talking and turned their gazes to the beautiful woman whose every move exuded elegance and grace.

Cai Heng led the way, followed closely by Yao Zhiwei, and they all approached, cupping their hands and saying, "This old minister greets Your Highness the Eldest Princess."

Princess Zhenguo also held the position of Imperial Clan Minister. Because of her kindness and compassion, she often protected Li Jing's clan members when the Empress Dowager launched a massacre against them and executed many ministers. The ministers admired her virtue.

Even Cui Yan stepped forward and bowed to greet him.

"Gentlemen, there's no need for such formalities." The princess spoke softly, her voice gentle and melodious.

With unhurried steps, her hair adorned with a gold hairpin and jade earrings on her delicate earlobes, she exuded unparalleled elegance. To her left was Shen Xian, dressed in the robes of a fifth-rank official, and to her right was Xue Zhihua.

Handsome men and beautiful women entered the hall, subtly sweeping away the stench of decay and filth.

When Yang Youxing saw the Princess, his slender eyes lit up, and he said, "Qingluan, you've come."

Not far away, Faming looked up and saw the beautiful woman with stunning looks, and a fleeting glint of light flashed in his old eyes.

This woman has a connection with Buddhism!
A variety of thoughts welled up in Faming's mind.

It is said that the Empress, widowed for many years, nourished herself with the flames of the Vermilion Bird, and her desires must have been burning fiercely.

If one can present a male concubine to gain his favor, it should be able to promote the propagation of Buddhism.

Even if this plan fails due to the protection of the dragon's energy, then we should try to find the princess who protects the nation.

He has a junior brother named Baoyun, who is handsome, eloquent, and well-versed in Buddhist and Taoist studies. He is also skilled in poetry and prose. If he were to form a bond with the princess through the path of joy, it would greatly benefit the propagation of Buddhism.

The eldest princess, with her elegant and graceful face, remained calm and reserved, her expression carrying a hint of distance: "Brother Zhao, you've arrived quite early today."

The princess frowned secretly, a sense of displeasure rising in her heart, at the sight of this person addressing her so intimately in front of the prime ministers.

Ten years ago, the Empress Dowager tried to matchmake the Eldest Princess and the Prince of Zhao, but the Eldest Princess refused. Since then, the Prince of Zhao has not married a principal wife and has publicly declared that the position is vacant for the Eldest Princess.

The people of the capital were amazed by the King of Zhao's deep affection, and this became a popular story.

However, in reality, King Zhao had several concubines, as well as other beautiful and alluring maids.

Perhaps sensing the continued distance in the beauty's words, King Zhao did not engage in much conversation with the eldest princess. His narrow eyes, hidden beneath his silken eyebrows, narrowed slightly as he turned his gaze to Xue Zhihua, and said with a warm smile, "Just now in the Hall of State Affairs, I heard Prime Minister Cai say that Duke Xue and General Champion will be returning to the capital in half a month."

Xue Zhihua's elder brother, Xue Yi, was the Left Valiant Guard General, whose military rank was Champion General, and he held the official rank of the third grade.

Xue Zhihua continued, "The war in Tanzhou has dragged on for half a year, and my brother has been fighting on the front lines for several months. My mother has been worried about him for a long time."

"Erlang is a renowned general of our time. I heard that he led his troops as the vanguard in this battle and captured six cities in succession. Even Prince Qing was captured alive by him." King Zhao praised him, his tone revealing no attempt to win him over or curry favor.

He didn't take Shen Xian, who was wearing a scarlet official robe, seriously, standing next to the princess.

Shen Xian secretly observed the situation in the hall. On the left was the King of Zhao and several monks. The old man who was in charge had a kind and peaceful face, but his eyes had been shifty just now, hiding a fleeting ferocity.

The middle-aged official on the right, dressed in a purple robe, with a gold and jade belt around his waist and holding an ivory and jade tablet, should be the prime minister of the Great Jing Dynasty.

The Great Jingxing system of ministers and chancellors was based on collective wisdom and effort, with each side acting as a check and balance. The Empress Dowager also appointed lower-ranking officials or trusted literary ministers as members of the Secretariat and Chancellery, who were of the third rank and conveyed her decrees, thus sharing the power of the chancellor.

At this moment, Minister of War Wei Xueqian noticed that Shen Xian, who was young and tall, lingered on the fifth-rank scarlet official robe beside the princess for a while.

He secretly wondered if this person was Shen Xian, whom Prime Minister Cui and Prime Minister Cai were arguing over.
Wei Xueqian had not read the "Policy on Governance" and had been busy these past two days with the preparations for the army's return to the capital after suppressing the rebellion.

Just as everyone finished exchanging pleasantries, an eunuch stepped out from the side and announced in a high-pitched, shrill voice: "The Empress has arrived."

The people who were whispering among themselves stood in two lines according to their official rank and seniority.

Shen Xian stood beside the eldest princess, his gaze fixed on the outside of the palace.

The Empress, accompanied by the Imperial Advisor Murong Yue and Consort Gu, entered the palace amidst a throng of palace maids and eunuchs, like a star surrounded by the moon.

Because this was a small-scale state meeting, the Empress was not accompanied by the Left Remonstrance Official or the Right Supplementary Official; only some close ministers were present.

As for the prestigious and important official positions of the third rank, such as the Attendant Gentleman of the Palace, they were all granted to the Taoists of Taiqing and Yuqing, as well as a small number of disciples of Shangqing.

Empress Dowager disliked the two religions and rarely summoned them to serve her. Instead, she often appointed scholars from the Zhaowen Academy, Jixian Academy, and Hanlin Academy as literary attendants.

The Empress wore an ochre-yellow brocade dress with a pattern of phoenixes and pearls, woven with gold thread, exuding wealth and nobility. She wore a red and silver cloud-patterned shawl over her shoulders, and the hem of her palace dress swept across the clear and bright jade steps.

He walked from the ranks of officials on both sides to the golden throne in front of the screen with beaded curtains, turned around and sat down.

"Your subject greets Your Majesty the Empress, may you live a thousand years!" King Zhao Yang Youxing was the first to bow, followed closely by Chancellor Cai Heng, and several other prime ministers also bowed.

Even though Cui Yan was filled with resentment, he still bowed to the "demon queen" at this moment.

The beautiful woman's hair was piled high like layers of clouds, adorned with gilded hairpins, and pearl necklaces and precious jade ornaments complemented each other, making her skin appear even more fair and her complexion even more radiant.

Her face, with its national beauty and elegant demeanor, was adorned with a blush that lingered around her eyes and cheeks, gradually fading from deep to light, exuding a captivating charm with a touch of aloofness. Beneath her jade-like nose, her lips were plump and lustrous.

He spoke slightly: "All of you, rise."

Two slender, fair, and delicate hands held the armrests of the golden throne beside her, her demeanor graceful and her expression relaxed and natural.

Since the reign of Emperor Hongxi, the Empress Dowager and the late Emperor had jointly handled state affairs and were known as the Two Saints. They had been in charge of the government for many years, and the delicate texture of the armrests was imbued with the aura of the beautiful woman.

"Thank you, empress."

The officials rose and stood respectfully.

The eunuch Gao Yanfu held a whisk in his hand, his face devoid of a smile, exuding an air of authority. Gu Nanzhu held a jade ruyi in her hand, her gentle features carrying a hint of competence.

The Empress's narrow, phoenix-shaped eyes swept over the ministers and officials, finally settling on Wei Xueqian's face. She asked, "Minister Wei, has the King of Wei's memorial arrived?"

Upon hearing his name called, Wei Xueqian, a third-rank official in the Secretariat and Minister of War, stepped forward from the crowd, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, His Highness Prince Wei said that some former members of the Qing rebels have fled to the mountains and forests of Chenzhou and Langzhou, where they have become outlaws. We need to leave troops to suppress them."

"Those rebels are ignorant of the might of Heaven. When the imperial army descends, even a commoner like Prince Qing cannot be protected, let alone you?" The Heavenly Minister's face was as cold as frost, and his voice was filled with a chilling killing intent. He said, "Minister Wei, the Ministry of War has issued a document to the prefectures and counties. Any soldiers who have captured and brought forward the rebel generals will not be held guilty and will be returned to the Guards' Office, and will be promoted three ranks!"

Upon hearing this, Wei Xueqian's expression hardened, and he bowed in agreement.

The Empress then asked, "What are the Ministry of War's plans? When will the army return to base? How will the rewards and honors for military merits be determined?"

Wei Xueqian's purplish-red face showed even more respect as he said, "The meritorious generals are all listed in the register of the military secretary. After the Ministry of War sends people to check and confirm that there are no errors, they will be promoted and given titles according to custom. The generals and soldiers who died in battle will be paid for with money by the Ministry of Revenue. However, the regulations for compensation are still being drafted."

"Is there any precedent for the compensation regulations?" the Queen asked.

Wei Xueqian said, "Your Majesty, according to the precedent set by the late Emperor, officers and soldiers should be granted permanent land for their preferential treatment. However, there is no land left in the country to be allocated for such purposes."

At the beginning of the founding of the dynasty, Emperor Taizu of the Great Jing divided the land in the country into ten parts. He set aside 20% as Taoist land to support Taoist priests, and 10% as public land to be used for the financial expenditures of governments at all levels.

The remaining 70% was used to distribute land to the people of the world.

However, in the century since the founding of the nation, land annexation has become rampant, and the population has also increased dramatically.

Of these, 20% of the land was taken by the royal family, powerful clans, and influential families, while the remaining 50% belonged to the self-cultivating farmers who were the foundation of the Great Jing Dynasty. This was the basis for the establishment of the Weifu military system, also known as the "good family sons."

The Empress frowned and said, "Prince Qing's fiefdom covers hundreds of thousands of acres. Can't it be allocated?"

As she spoke, her phoenix eyes fixed on Cai Heng, and she asked, "Cai Qing, what's going on?"

Cai Heng hesitated for a moment, then said in a hoarse voice, "Previously, the Prince of Wei submitted a memorial requesting that the Prince of Qing be granted a fiefdom of land, and Her Majesty granted it."

At that time, the King of Wei and his men achieved a great victory over the rebel army of the King of Qing and recovered several prefectures. The Empress was overjoyed and granted the King of Wei's request.

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager also recalled the matter, a hint of unease flashing in her eyes. She frowned and said, "I remember there was such a thing. Does Minister Wei have any plans to deal with it?"

The emperor's words are law, and the fiefdoms granted in his joy cannot be taken back.

However, in such situations, the King of Wei would usually have to be sensible and give back a portion, rather than keeping it all. Wei Xueqian's purplish-red face showed a thoughtful expression as he said, "We can only use silver to provide relief and rewards, but there is still a significant shortfall."

The Empress Dowager said, "The Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue should come up with a plan as soon as possible and submit it to the Secretariat. Minister Cai, you will oversee this."

Cai Heng quickly cupped his hands in agreement.

The Empress Dowager continued, "With 200,000 troops stationed outside, the daily consumption of provisions is in the tens of thousands. If they can return to the capital sooner, the court can spend less of the national treasury and allow the King of Wei to return as quickly as possible."

Wei Xueqian cupped his hands and said, "As I and the King of Wei previously discussed, we can return to the capital first."

The diva nodded in approval.

Wei Xueqian then took out another memorial and said, "Your Majesty, the Governor of Youzhou said that the Khitan troops are making frequent moves, and it seems that they are colluding with the enemy state of Da Rui to carry out a rebellion."

"What did the Prince of Yan say?" The Empress frowned slightly, her clear phoenix eyes showing concern.

"Your Majesty, the Prince of Yan has already transferred troops from Fanyang and Pinglu to guard against any unrest from the Khitan," Wei Xueqian said, bowing.

From the end of the Hongxi reign of the Great Jing Dynasty, with the decline of the Fubing system and the internal and external troubles, the Southern Army could not be mobilized to deal with border affairs, so it could only be stationed in military garrisons to guard the border.

The Empress's clear, cold voice echoed in the hall: "Closely monitor the movements of the Khitan. As for the Great Rui..."

Mentioning this country, the Empress seemed quite troubled, her jade-like face as solemn as ice.

As he spoke, he turned his gaze to Murong Yue and asked, "Grand Preceptor, is there any possibility that Great Rui will attack us this year?"

At this moment, all the prime ministers in the hall looked at the Grand Preceptor Murong Yue.

Of all the people in the hall, only Murong Yue could clearly explain matters related to immortality.

The Imperial Advisor, Murong Yue, said, "In the northern grasslands, the mists between immortals and mortals have risen again, and the Great Wall of Sword Qi is blocking the way. Mortal bodies cannot overcome this, and we cannot defeat them in a short time."

The Empress said coldly, "That's why they want to cause internal strife in my Great Jing, so that they can conquer cities and seize territories without lifting a finger in the future."

Shen Xian listened to the Empress Dowager handling military affairs from below, his expression slightly paused, and his eyes flickered.

On the way to Beijing, Xue Zhihua gave a brief account of the current situation in the imperial court.

He also had some understanding of the political situation in the Great Jing Dynasty. The Empress Dowager bestowed titles upon the Yang family princes, most of whom were county princes, but all of them had only one character in their names, which showed their great honor and status.

Among the princes of the Yang family, there were many talented individuals.

King Yang You of Zhao was skilled at accumulating wealth; King Yang Sizhao of Wei was adept at commanding troops and coordinating logistics; and King Yang Siwei of Yan was brave and skilled in warfare.

Known as one of the Three Kings, he should have been a Prince of the First Rank, but fearing opposition from the old officials of the Great Jing Dynasty, he was temporarily granted the title of Prince of the First Rank. This was more of a temporary measure, or rather, a test of the court officials' reaction.

In addition, there were Yang Youning, Yang Youde, Yang Youxu, Yang Simin, Yang Siming, Yang Sihong and other clansmen, who either assisted in the administration of the Six Ministries or commanded the Imperial Guards.

Of course, the talents and moral character of these people varied greatly.

He is both a good-for-nothing and an average person.

The three princes of the Yang family were undoubtedly the empress, able to curb the powerful support of the Li Jing clan.

The Empress's jade-like face turned slightly cold as she said, "In this campaign to quell the rebellion, the soldiers of the Guards lacked training, and initially suffered repeated defeats. Furthermore, during the Battle of Tanzhou, the Left and Right Guards suffered numerous casualties. Has the Ministry of War reflected on this?"

Wei Xueqian cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, the Southern Guards have been out of practice for a long time. The soldiers and officers are all sons of noble families and meritorious officials. They heard that the casualties at the front were heavy and many people had deserted. Only after Duke Xue strictly enforced military law did things improve."

The sky was filled with a frosty expression as he rebuked, "Our dynasty has only been established for a little over a hundred years, yet our military has deteriorated to such an extent?"

As Shen Xian listened in the hall, he thought to himself, if this were the late Tang Dynasty in a parallel universe, the Southern Imperial Guards would flee at the sight of the enemy and would be almost incapable of fighting.

Wei Xueqian said, "Your Majesty, I also intend to enforce strict discipline."

"The Ministry of War should quickly produce a plan for reorganizing the army and submit it to me," the Empress Dowager said in a clear voice.

Wei Xueqian bowed and agreed.

The Empress Dowager turned to Cai Heng, the Grand Chancellor, and asked, "Minister Cai, have you prepared the funds and provisions for the compensation of fallen soldiers and the rewards for meritorious officers?"

“Your Majesty, this old minister, together with the Ministry of Revenue, has raised 30% of the funds. The Ministry of Revenue can do no more.” Cai Heng said, explaining, “At the beginning of the year, the payment of back pay to the northern border troops consumed a lot of resources.”

The Empress Dowager turned her gaze to the refined and scholarly Wei Cong and asked, "Minister Wei, what did the Ministry of Revenue say?"

Minister of the Left, Wei Cong, bowed and said, “Your Majesty, the national treasury is short of funds and grain, and the Ministry of Revenue is still raising funds. In the past two years, the court has launched repeated military campaigns, coupled with continuous natural disasters. A lot of money and grain has been spent on disaster relief, and there has been a large-scale construction project. All these factors have led to the national treasury being unable to make ends meet and becoming increasingly empty.”

At this moment, Cui Yan's expression turned solemn. Holding an ivory jade tablet, he cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I request that the construction of the Mingtang be temporarily halted, taxes and levies reduced, military and political affairs streamlined, and the people given time to recuperate."

After leaving the court, Lu Dezhen, the Chamberlain, bowed and said, “Your Majesty, now that the war has just ended, the imperial treasury is empty. We should be frugal. I request that the palace’s expenditures be reduced.”

Upon hearing this, Yao Zhiwei and the others remained silent.

Because this is a real predicament, and Lu Dezhen's words are just repetitive and there's not much to criticize.

But the Mingtang... is a project that the Empress Dowager has repeatedly urged to complete, how can it be abandoned?
Prince Zhao, Yang Youxing, stepped forward from the ranks and retorted, "Prime Minister Cui, you are mistaken! The construction of the Mingtang is to demonstrate the majesty of the imperial family and to communicate with Heaven to pray for favorable weather and peaceful times. This matter has been calculated by the Imperial Observatory and the Imperial Preceptor, and it is a matter of great benefit to the nation. Moreover, the expenditure of national funds is not much; more than half comes from the imperial treasury, and some is donated by wealthy merchants in the capital. How does it have anything to do with an empty national treasury?"

Prime Minister Cui gave Yang Youxing a cold look: "Every tael of silver and every grain of millet is the hard-earned money of the people. How can the King of Zhao say that it has nothing to do with the empty national treasury?"

Yang Youxing frowned and said, "Prime Minister Cui's words are somewhat unreasonable."

Watching this scene, the eldest princess thought to herself that Yang Youxing was not good at debating and was no match for Cui Yan, who was good at philosophical discussions.

Cui Yan came from a prominent family and became famous for his exceptional eloquence in his youth. When he came of age, he was first appointed as an advisor by the late Emperor Hongxi, and later rose to the positions of Director of the Imperial Academy and Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

He then served successively as Vice Director of the Chancellery, and later as Attendant Gentleman of the Palace and Attendant Gentleman of the Palace.

The sons of the five prominent families and seven prestigious clans could start with a prestigious and important position of the fifth rank.

Therefore, he was indignant that Shen Xian had been promoted to the fifth rank at such a young age.

How dare a country bumpkin be compared to the scions of noble families?
"The Mingtang is a matter of national importance. Emperor Taizong has always been concerned about it, in order to demonstrate the majesty of the imperial family. Now that construction has begun, abandoning it would be a waste of resources and manpower." The Empress Dowager temporarily silenced Cui Yan and said, "Reduce the palace expenses. Nan Zhu, let the Palace Secretariat handle this matter. Give some older palace maids and eunuchs money and silk and let them go home to reunite with their families."

Gao Yanfu quickly replied, "This servant obeys the decree."

As Shen Xian listened to the Empress handling state affairs from below, he thought to himself that although she was resolute and decisive, she was sometimes inevitably affected by the emotional aspects of being a woman.

While Shen Xian was "sitting on the mountain watching the tigers fight," Cui Yan persisted and challenged, "Your Majesty, nowadays demons and evil spirits are causing chaos and harming the people. Some people in the capital say that this is all because treacherous officials are in power. I hope Your Majesty will befriend virtuous ministers and stay away from villains!"

Attendant-in-Ordinary Lu Dezhen, standing to the side like a straight man, held his jade tablet and asked, "Prime Minister Cui's words are puzzling. I wonder who is the virtuous minister and who is the villain?"

Cui Yan said coldly, "Emperor Taizong once said that petty people are good at observing people's expressions and flattering others. Therefore, when emperors select and appoint people, they should not indiscriminately grant titles and positions because they are pleased, or indiscriminately impose punishments because they are angry. For example, Lai Jing was a prisoner. He gathered hooligans and ruffians to inform on and frame others, making all officials feel insecure. Now I have heard that the Censorate is in charge of the case of Prince Qing. They have been killing court officials indiscriminately, using torture and coercion, and framing others. I think Your Majesty should dismiss him from his post and hold him accountable for his crimes!"

Upon hearing this, Yue Sihui, the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, was greatly shaken. He looked at Cui Yan with reverence and inwardly cheered.

Minister Cui is truly a pillar of the nation; these words have struck a chord with him!

Shen Xian listened from the side and thought to himself that Cui Yan was standing on the moral high ground.

The Empress could still make amends by using Zhou Liang, but using him to express respect was indeed somewhat unpopular.

Moreover, Lai Jing also introduced Hou Sizhi, Li Renjing, Wang Hongyi, and other peddlers and laborers who had once made a living selling cakes.

However, Cui Yan suddenly spoke sharply: "Now, the Empress, in a moment of pleasure, has chosen the son of a county official and hastily promoted him to the rank of fifth grade official. This allows sycophants to advance through flattery. If this continues, everyone will follow suit, and the country will cease to exist!"

As he spoke, his aged gaze fell upon Shen Xian beside him, as if he were nothing more than a blade of grass.

Clearly, with Cui Yan's keen eye, he had already guessed Shen Xian's identity.

Upon hearing this, Shen Xian raised his eyebrows, his eyes growing increasingly cold.

That old fool is truly courting death, actually setting fire to him!

(End of this chapter)