Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

"Your subject greets Your Majesty."

Princess Zhaoyang strode into the South Study, head held high, her steps steady, like a victorious female general returning to court.

"Yes, what is it?"

Emperor Ningkang looked at His Highness's daughter, and his usually gloomy face finally softened a bit.

Although Princess Zhaoyang never complained about him after he arranged her marriage and she returned from a life-or-death ordeal, he still felt somewhat guilty. That's why he promoted her to the rank of Grand Princess and bestowed upon her a large Grand Princess's Mansion.

In Emperor Ningkang's heart, this daughter had always been very sensible since she was a child.

Princess Zhaoyang did not immediately answer Emperor Ningkang's question. Her gaze first swept over Jia Lian and the Fourth Prince, then looked at the kneeling Prince Zhongshun. Her handsome eyebrows slightly raised, she turned around and performed the rites of a subject to his ruler, saying, "Your Majesty, since I returned from the Western Regions, I have witnessed the ferocity and cunning of foreign tribes and the vastness of our Great Wei. I have come to understand the hardships Your Majesty endures in governing foreign tribes and ruling over all people. Therefore, I often think of sharing your burdens."

Although I am of the Emperor's blood, I am ultimately a woman. In matters of state and military affairs, though I desperately wish to share the Emperor's burdens, I know I am powerless to do so. Therefore, I deeply regret and resent not being born a man, so I could stand alone in the Emperor's shoes.

The other day, in the Empress Dowager's palace, I overheard her saying that my father, the Emperor, intends to unify all the land under heaven in order to eliminate taxes. This is a grand national policy that will benefit our Great Wei for ten thousand years. However, even as the Emperor, the most exalted man in the land, there will inevitably be obstacles to accomplishing this great undertaking.

After I returned, I thought that among all the land in the country, the imperial clan owns the most. If Father Emperor's plan can gain the support of the imperial clan, not only can the land owned by the imperial clan be successfully taxed, but it will also set an example for the whole country, and all the people will be convinced. Then this grand plan will be half successful.

But then I thought again, my great Wei imperial family has stood strong for a hundred years, its branches and leaves flourishing. Although there are those who care about the world and share the burdens of the emperor, most of them are mediocre, short-sighted, and conservative. These people may not be able to understand the emperor's good intentions, and the emperor is burdened by the affairs of the country and will certainly not have the extra energy to deal with these people.

Your son thought that although he could not share the burden of the world's affairs with his father, he should serve his father and relieve his worries about the affairs of our imperial clan.

Therefore, if Father trusts your son, you might as well allow me to personally visit the various households of the imperial clan, explain the greater good to my uncles and elders, and persuade them to fully support Father's new tax reforms.

Jia Lian had already understood Princess Zhaoyang's meaning when she was halfway through her speech.

In fact, when Princess Zhaoyang brought up this matter with him last time, Jia Lian realized that her concern for it must stem from some ulterior motive.

Unexpectedly, he actually wanted to use this to gain an opportunity to make a contribution in front of Emperor Ningkang.

But whether this opportunity is a chance or a trap remains to be seen. Jia Lian has not yet figured out Princess Zhaoyang's exact thoughts, so he can only put aside his worries and wait and see.

Emperor Ningkang had not expected that Princess Zhaoyang had come to take on this matter.

For a fleeting moment, he was somewhat tempted. He was precisely struggling to find a suitable candidate for this position.

However, let Princess Zhaoyang go...

Emperor Ningkang felt uneasy. A glance at Prince Zhongshun, who was kneeling and weeping rather than accept the task, told him that this matter was not simple. How easy was it for a woman, a junior, to successfully persuade those foolish and stubborn people?

"I know your feelings. However, this matter is not as simple as you imagine, you..."

Seeing that Emperor Ningkang was about to refuse, Princess Zhaoyang smiled frankly and said, "Your subject knows that this matter is not simple. If Father has other candidates, then so be it. If not, then let your subject give it a try."

If it succeeds, I will be overjoyed. If it fails…”

Princess Zhaoyang smiled calmly, "Anyway, I am just a woman. Even if I am rejected or slighted by my uncles and elders, it is just a small matter and has nothing to do with Father's reputation. There is still room for maneuver in the future."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Ningkang's heart stirred.

Prince Zhongshun, who had been kneeling, knew that the main reason Emperor Ningkang was dissatisfied with him was because he hadn't agreed to persuade the imperial clan. Seeing someone else take on the task, he was naturally eager to oblige, and quickly advised, "My niece is so filial; Your Majesty, why not grant her wish and let her try? I think it's better for her to go than for me."

Firstly, my niece is a young woman and a junior, so if she were to visit, her uncles and elders would naturally feel embarrassed to treat her lightly. Secondly, my niece is different from my brother. Wherever my brother goes, whatever he says or does, everyone assumes it is at your behest, Your Majesty.

But my niece is different. Even if she can't convince those people, it would be good for her to hear the true thoughts of the imperial family. If my brother knew their real ideas, it would be much easier to implement this tax law in the future.”

Before Prince Zhongshun could finish speaking, he was glared at by Emperor Ningkang.

Emperor Ningkang was well aware of Prince Zhongshun's meaning; he was probably certain that Princess Zhaoyang could not persuade anyone in the imperial clan. That's why he said he wanted to hear the "true thoughts" of the imperial clan members. But these so-called true thoughts were probably just Prince Zhongshun's own true thoughts, which he dared not say to their faces.

Sure enough, people lose their sense of righteousness and public duty when faced with their own interests. He used to think that Prince Zhongshun was a useful person, at least he was very loyal to him, but now, compared with Princess Zhaoyang, he felt very disappointed.

"Alright, then I'll let you give it a try. If it's beyond your capabilities, you don't have to force yourself."

Emperor Ningkang stopped looking at Prince Zhongshun and turned to Princess Zhaoyang.

Princess Zhaoyang bowed and accepted the order, then added, "By the way, Father, I have another request."

"You say it," said Hen.

"Your Majesty, I wish to request an imperial decree granting me a temporary position in the Imperial Clan Court..."

Princess Zhaoyang smiled and said, "I did this for the sake of convenience. Otherwise, if I were to visit my uncles and elders like this, I'm afraid they wouldn't even let me in the door. In that case, even if I had three heads and six arms, I would be helpless."

Although Princess Zhaoyang smiled easily and her words were reasonable, they still gave Jia Lian a slight jolt.

It turned out to be the case.

He said that Princess Zhaoyang didn't need to go to such lengths to take on this difficult task; that was her true intention.

Even Jia Lian couldn't help but admire Princess Zhaoyang's excellent timing! At this moment, Jia Lian looked up at Princess Zhaoyang in front of him, the princess who was already his woman. Although he could only see half of her profile, Jia Lian already believed that this woman would become his greatest help, just as she had promised.

Prince Zhongshun reacted a little slower than Jia Lian, but he too realized something, and his mind suddenly tightened.

It should be noted that Princess Zhaoyang was originally a princess with a formal title, just like a prince after being granted a title, with a rank equivalent to that of a prince.

Not to mention, she is now a true princess, with a status far above the princes and princesses, second only to the crown prince.

Therefore, Princess Zhaoyang's status is even higher than that of a prince. This is because, like the crown prince, there is only one eldest princess, while any prince can be granted the title of prince once he grows up, provided he has not committed any major offense.

According to this calculation, if the Duke of Zhaoyang were to enter the Imperial Clan Court, his position would certainly not be low, as that would be against the established rules.

King Zhongshun suddenly regretted it. If he had known that Princess Zhaoyang had such thoughts, he would never have spoken up for her.

Furthermore, he had just angered Emperor Ningkang. If Emperor Ningkang were to lose his mind and give his position to Princess Zhaoyang, wouldn't all his years of hard work and painstaking efforts be in vain?

He looked at Emperor Ningkang with pleading eyes.

Emperor Ningkang pondered for a moment and felt that Princess Zhaoyang's request was reasonable. He also knew that for those members of the imperial clan, the Imperial Clan Court was probably even more prestigious than his own position as emperor! Very well, giving her a position would serve as a warning to those people.

As he was pondering what position would be suitable, he suddenly caught a glimpse of King Chungshun's eyes, and a sudden, inexplicable surge of anger rose within him.

He knew Prince Zhongshun all too well; how could he not see the worry in his eyes? For a moment, he really wanted to take this opportunity to temporarily strip him of his position and make him reflect and learn a lesson. But in the end, he remembered that this was his own brother, born of the same mother, and that he had done his best for his cause back then, running errands for him.

With a snort, he said, "In that case, I'll temporarily appoint you as the Deputy Director of the Imperial Clan Court, to assist Prince Su in managing the Imperial Clan Court alongside your fourteenth uncle. We'll discuss the specifics after you've reported to the Prince Su."

For Emperor Ningkang, adding a position as Deputy Grand Master of Ceremonies was a trivial matter. At least he felt somewhat relieved; whether it actually happened or not was another matter, the fact that someone had taken the initiative to handle the lobbying was something to be happy about.

Now that we've put that matter aside, it's time to talk about those outrageous things.

At this thought, Emperor Ningkang felt a surge of murderous intent. He had devoted himself tirelessly to the revitalization of the empire, barely getting a good night's sleep for days. Instead of understanding and supporting him, these members of the imperial clan were slandering him behind his back—this was truly unforgivable!

"What else do you have to say about your good son and those scoundrels?"

Emperor Ningkang looked at Prince Zhongshun, his voice low and somber.

Prince Zhongshun was still reeling from the jealousy and dissatisfaction he felt at Princess Zhaoyang's easy access to him as an equal in the Imperial Clan Court when he heard these words and his heart trembled.

Just as Emperor Ningkang knew him well, he knew his elder brother all too well. His tone indicated that today's matter had truly angered him.

A thought flashed through his mind, and he completely changed his previous attitude of trying to plead and make excuses. He knelt down decisively and said, "It is your fault for not disciplining him properly, allowing that unfilial son to mix with those scoundrels from the imperial clan. If I don't beat him so badly that he can't get out of bed for three months after I get back, I will be unworthy of the name 'Wei' in my name, and even more unworthy of my imperial brother's love and trust for me!"

He has several sons, and he absolutely cannot lose Emperor Ningkang's trust.

His reaction finally eased some of Emperor Ningkang's dissatisfaction with him, and he said coldly, "You don't need to lift a finger. I don't think you can discipline them properly anyway. Let me teach them a lesson for you."

Dai Quan.

"Your servant is here."

"Go and tell those scoundrels that if they are truly dissatisfied with the government or with me, I will give them a chance to come and explain themselves to me."

Dai Quan shrank back, knowing that Emperor Ningkang was just saying it in anger. Who in the world would dare to come and argue with you personally? Even if there were, it would definitely not be those good-for-nothing playboys from the imperial clan.

"I'll give them one hour. If they don't dare to come, they can't blame me for not giving them a chance. I think they've been living comfortable and easy lives for too long. They don't know the proper relationship between ruler and subject, nor do they know how hard it was for our ancestors to build this empire."

"I will send a squad of imperial guards to escort them to the Imperial Ancestral Temple, where they will be made to reflect on their actions before the ancestral tablets. They are not to be released without my decree."

Dai Quan received the imperial decree and left. Seeing that Emperor Ningkang had made up his mind, Prince Zhongshun also slunk away.

The fourth prince was dissatisfied. "Father, they insulted you so much, and you just let them off so easily, only sending them to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to keep vigil for our ancestors?"

Whenever Emperor Ningkang heard the Fourth Prince's arrogance, he instinctively wanted to unleash the "Seven Wolves." But for some reason today, he only glared at the Fourth Prince once, and his gaze softened involuntarily.

He probably felt that he hadn't raised his son in vain, since his son knew how to protect his father.

So he calmly countered with, "Then, in your opinion, how should we deal with them?"

"We can't be lenient with those scoundrels. In my opinion, giving them eighty lashes would be too lenient!"

Emperor Ningkang quietly watched the earnest Fourth Prince speak, and suddenly sighed inwardly. So be it, so be it. A peaceful and uneventful life is better than his own life of scheming and worry.

Jia Lian happened to see the tender look in Emperor Ningkang's eyes as he gazed at the Fourth Prince, and thought to himself, "This kid really is a fool who's lucky." Perhaps, in Emperor Ningkang's heart, this mischievous, unruly son was his ideal salvation.

Jia Lian somewhat understood why Emperor Ningkang treated those members of the imperial clan this way. It would have been easy to beat them up, but there was no need.

Today, there are quite a few members of the imperial clan involved in these cases, and most of them come from families with relatively high status within the imperial clan.

Emperor Ningkang currently needs to maintain harmony with the imperial clan and cannot easily exert his authority. Moreover, such a punishment, though seemingly mild, is actually more effective than a beating in making those imperial clan members and their respective families tremble with fear.

As long as these members of the imperial clan remain in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, the imperial clan will have a handle in Emperor Ningkang's hands, which he can use against them whenever he wants.

The fourth prince, unaware of Emperor Ningkang's thoughts, continued to nag and urge for severe punishment.

But he seemed to have forgotten that he had been busy for most of the day and hadn't even eaten, so his stomach was empty.

As he clung to Emperor Ningkang's desk, seemingly trying to reason with him, his stomach suddenly emitted a continuous alarm, startling everyone who heard it, including himself.

The fourth prince immediately clutched his unruly belly, wishing he could disappear into a crack in the ground.

Emperor Ningkang laughed instead and asked, "What's wrong? Haven't you had lunch yet?"

"Didn't I say before that we were originally going to eat, but we ran into Wei Xianxiao... and those bastards and got delayed?"

Emperor Ningkang then beckoned to the eunuch beside him and said, "Order the Imperial Kitchen to serve the meal."

Seeing the harmonious relationship between the father and son, Jia Lian didn't want to disturb them, so he took the initiative to resign.

The Fourth Prince is such a loyal friend. "Father, Jia Lian hasn't eaten yet because he's been busy helping you catch those scoundrels. Let him stay and have a meal with me."

Emperor Ningkang then said to Jia Lian, "You may stay as well."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Father, I just had a light lunch and I'm a little hungry. Let me have lunch with Ling'er and the others."

Emperor Ningkang looked at her, and Princess Zhaoyang returned his gaze openly.

Emperor Ningkang was at a loss for words. He knew his daughter definitely liked Jia Lian, but unfortunately, the other party...

Well, I probably shouldn't have agreed to let Jia Lian be her envoy in the first place. Giving Jia Lian a chance to be a hero and save the damsel in distress has probably made her even more obsessed with him now. She's currently unemployed in the capital, not even knowing which husband to settle down with. If she's still thinking about other married men... this girl is driving me crazy.

Nodding, he suddenly said, "It won't be easy to get those members of the imperial clan to support the new tax law. At the crucial moment, you can promise that, in addition to the land exempted according to their titles, the portion collected will be returned to them by the palace as an annual reward."

You can decide for yourself how to say it specifically.

Emperor Ningkang and his court officials had discussed the matter for so long; how could they possibly have no feasible solutions at all?

That was originally what he was going to tell King Chungshun, but as soon as King Chungshun heard the beginning, he shook his head like a rattle-drum, making it impossible for him to continue.

Princess Zhaoyang smiled and said, "If that's the case, I'm even more confident. Thank you, Father."

"Um."

……