The King of Beijing in the Red Mansion

Tanchun shuddered when she heard that. Her face flushed red and her body felt a little numb. She said in a trembling voice, "Brother-in-law, I can do it myself."

How can she face her brother-in-law when she lets him help her undress?

Having said that, without waiting for Shui Rong to stretch out her hand, Tanchun swiftly took off her shirt, leaving behind a deep blue apron with a pattern of "Lian Nian Yu". She quickly stepped into the bathtub, her snow-white shoulders hidden in the rippling water.

Seeing this, Shui Rong smiled. Although Tanchun was outgoing by nature, she was a girl after all, and shyness was engraved in her bones.

After washing for a while, the two wiped their bodies with towels, and Shui Rong carried Tanchun to the embroidered couch in the inner room.

During the bathing earlier, Shui Rong did not do anything else except massaging Tanchun's tired body. But to be honest, compared with Yuanchun, this younger sister is indeed a younger sister, the difference is huge, but it feels different.

Sitting on the embroidered couch, Shui Rong lowered his eyes to look at the shy girl in front of him, then leaned over and whispered a few words into her crystal clear ears.

Upon hearing this, Tanchun raised her bright eyes and glared at the young man. As early as the first chapter, she knew that her brother-in-law loved to play tricks, and she always had to scold him with words, but he would wink at her afterwards.

Pursing her pink lips, Tanchun knelt straight, her eyebrows raised, and shouted: "Brother-in-law, I am your sister-in-law. You are not worthy of your elder sister by doing this."

Chapter 208 Emperor Yongkang's Test

Qianqing Palace, Xinuang Pavilion.

The emperor summoned Shui Rong, who was wearing a dragon robe and led by an eunuch, walked into the western warm room. Seeing Emperor Yongkang sitting on a brocade couch, he bowed and said, "Your humble servant greets my brother."

When Emperor Yongkang saw Shui Rong, his stern eyebrows softened a little, and he said gently, "Little Sixteen is here, please sit down first."

In a moment, the eunuch brought a brocade cushion, and Shui Rong sat down calmly without being polite. He looked at Prince Zhongshun beside him, his eyes flickered slightly, and greeted Prince Zhongshun beside him: "Cousin Zhongshun is here too."

Upon seeing this, Prince Zhongshun nodded amiably without saying anything more.

Shui Rong was paused when he saw this. For dignitaries like them, every move might reveal deep meaning. He had already had a bad feeling when he saw King Zhongshun before. In addition, King Zhongshun's attitude now was rather cold, not as friendly as before. This made Shui Rong realize that today's matter was not a simple one.

Thinking of this, Shui Rong looked at Emperor Yongkang and asked directly, "I wonder why your Majesty summoned me?"

Emperor Yongkang smiled dumbly upon hearing this and asked, "Why can't I summon you if I have nothing else to do?"

Shui Rong was speechless. Why did you summon him for no reason? You can't say that you are here to express your "brotherhood"!

Of course, Shui Rong didn't dare to say this directly, and replied with a smile: "My royal brother is busy with all kinds of affairs. Normally, he would like to use two hours for one hour. How could he summon me for no reason?"

To be honest, Emperor Yongkang has been diligent in his work since he ascended the throne. Apart from other things, every time Shui Rong met him, he was mostly reviewing memorials. Generally speaking, he would not summon him specifically when there was nothing else to do.

Emperor Yongkang looked a little strange when he heard this. He stared at Shui Rong and said with a disappointed tone, "Little Sixteen, you are a member of the royal family, my blood brother. This Daqian country still needs your help in governing it."

Shui Rong was speechless. Was this really a talk of brotherhood?

I remember that I said this when he was conferred the title, but it was only to win him over. Now that he has been law-abiding and has made no mistakes since he took charge of the Governor's Office, there is no need to earnestly win him over.

Regardless of what Emperor Yongkang intended to do, Shui Rong stated: "I will follow your lead, my brother."

Expressing one's stance is one thing, but whether or not one can do it is another.

Emperor Yongkang did not dwell on this matter. He reached out and took out a memorial from the table and handed it over, saying sternly, "This is a memorial submitted by the governor of Shandong. The matters mentioned in it are of great importance. I am not sure about it. Please check it for me."

Shui Rong stared at the memorial in front of him, and his heart sank. It was definitely not a trivial matter that could make Emperor Yongkang, the emperor, unsure.

He wanted to decline politely, but Emperor Yongkang mentioned "brotherhood" and acted very open-hearted. If he didn't even take the memorial, it would be tantamount to insulting Emperor Yongkang.

After thinking it over again and again, Shui Rong reached out and took the memorial, and began to read it carefully. However, after reading it, his pupils shrank, and he couldn't help muttering, "The tax will be distributed according to the land area."

Shui Rong also knew a thing or two about "taxing taxes according to the amount of land". In short, it means paying taxes according to the amount of land. He didn't expect that there would be someone in the world of Red Mansions who would come up with this idea.

But if you think about it carefully, the world of Red Mansions is basically the same as the previous life. The land tax is a continuation of Zhang Juzheng's "One Whip" policy. It is not surprising that a smart person came up with this policy.

At this time, Emperor Yongkang stared at Shui Rong without saying a word. Instead, he calmly held the teacup and sipped it. Prince Zhongshun beside him did the same, waiting for Shui Rong to finish reading the memorial.

Shui Rong flipped through the memorial knowing full well what was going on, but he was guessing in his heart what the Emperor Yongkang's intention was. Since the memorial was brought out, he must have intended to implement it. However, he also knew that if the "taxation per mu" was implemented, the more land the more tax would be paid. Most of the land in the Daqian Dynasty was in the hands of the gentry and the wealthy. Apart from anything else, the royal family members were the biggest "landlords" in the Daqian Dynasty. Once the policy was implemented, it would touch upon the interests of the gentry and the wealthy. If he was not careful, it might cause turmoil in the court.

"Equalizing the land tax and tax" is a new law. The implementation of new laws in every dynasty was always accompanied by bloodshed. The reason why Emperor Yongkang and Shui Rong were so open with each other was simply because he wanted to gain Shui Rong's support. The other reason was because Shui Rong had the military power in his hands.

In the Daqian Dynasty, there were probably only two princes with the most respected status. One was Prince Zhongshun, who was in charge of the "money bag" of the world. He was the right-hand man of Emperor Yongkang and naturally supported him.

The second is Shui Rong, who is in charge of the military power of the Central Army Governor's Office. If he also supports it, the coordinated support of this civil and military man can reduce the impact within a controllable range.

After thinking this through, Shui Rong closed the memorial and asked, "What do you think, cousin Zhongshun?"

After all, Shui Rong was in charge of the Governor's Office, and this new law was not his responsibility. On the other hand, Prince Zhongshun was an official in the Ministry of Revenue, and issues related to taxation should be the responsibility of Prince Zhongshun.

Prince Zhongshun, who was standing by, was speechless when he saw Shui Rong kick the ball to him. He groaned and said, "Little Sixteen, you have also read the report of the Shandong governor. Those wealthy gentry families, relying on tax exemption, desperately bought land. Land annexation is becoming more and more serious, and the lives of ordinary people are getting harder and harder. Now the country's tax revenue is decreasing year by year, and the court can no longer bear it. If the new law can be implemented, not only can the burden on the people be reduced, but the treasury will also be enriched, which is good for both the country and the people."

Shui Rong remained silent upon hearing this. It was a good thing for the country and the people, but it harmed the interests of the gentry and the powerful, and the power was in the hands of these gentry and the powerful.

By the way, Shui Rong also belongs to the gentry and dignitaries, including Prince Zhongshun and the Duke's Mansion.

In detail, there was too much resistance to implementing the new law and it would offend quite a few people. No wonder Emperor Yongkang was so cautious. Even as the Son of Heaven, he was not sure.

After a pause, Shui Rong raised his eyes to look at the obscure Emperor Yongkang, and said in a deep voice: "Brother, if the new law is beneficial to the Daqian Dynasty, I think it may be worth a try."

Shui Rong was not in a position to say much about the new laws, because he already held military power. In addition, he was married to the Duke of Rong, so it was not appropriate for him to interfere in political affairs. Therefore, even if Shui Rong knew about a series of policies that were beneficial to the court, such as "equalizing the land tax and the land tax" and "returning the fire consumption to the public", he would not make any suggestions.

With Shui Rong's identity, he no longer needs to rely on this to gain wealth and glory.

At present, Shui Rong did not talk about the pros and cons of the new law, but only said that the new law was beneficial to the court. While expressing his support, he did not comment. After all, for Shui Rong, "spreading the land tax" was nothing more than paying land tax, which would not harm his fundamental interests.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Yongkang looked at Shui Rong with relief. He implemented the new law in order to strengthen his country, but many people only cared about immediate interests and ignored the court. "Being related to the country" was just empty talk. It was rare to find someone like Shui Rong who was able to understand the overall situation.

Nodding slightly, Emperor Yongkang said in a gentle tone, "It's good that Little Sixteen has this intention. I will consider this matter for a while and discuss it again during the court meeting."

Shui Rong was moved when he heard this. If Emperor Yongkang really wanted to consider this, there would be no need to mention the court meeting. Perhaps this was to remind Shui Rong that the policy of "distributing the land tax to each acre" would be discussed at the court meeting. This was just to give Shui Rong a heads-up in advance.

Moreover, the implementation of "equalizing the land tax" is a matter of great importance and can be discussed at the court meeting. If the opposition is too strong, it can be withdrawn in time.

Thinking about this, Shui Rong roughly understood that Emperor Yongkang's asking for advice was not only to gain Shui Rong's support, but also a test for Shui Rong.

Chapter 209 Miaoyu: An unintentional act?

Beijing Prince's Mansion, Cuicui Temple.

Miaoyu, dressed in a Taoist robe, sat cross-legged on a cushion, flipping through a Buddhist scripture in her hands, muttering to herself with her red lips and white teeth, looking calm and indifferent, like a quiet and pleasant painting.

Not long after, the maid Die'er walked in and said softly, "Miss, the prince is here."

When Miaoyu heard this, her slightly frowned brows relaxed a little, and when she opened her half-closed eyes, her heart was filled with unspeakable joy.

Ever since Shui Rong and Yuanchun had a tea-drinking and philosophy-discussing gathering here last time, Miaoyu felt uneasy, and the image of that "vulgar man" always appeared in her mind, so much so that she meditated every day.

Soon, Miaoyu heard the sound of light footsteps outside, and then she closed her eyes and muttered to herself.

Shui Rong walked in and looked at the young Taoist nun who was meditating and chanting. Her loose Taoist robe could not hide her slender figure and graceful curves.

Seeing Miaoyu was indifferent, Shui Rong couldn't help but laugh in his heart, and said in a clear voice: "Master, just concentrate on your practice. Well, I won't disturb you and will go back first."

Miaoyu's delicate body trembled when she heard this. She put down the Buddhist scriptures in her hand, stood up, looked at the young man with bright eyes, put her palms together, and asked solemnly: "Amitabha, I am here to see you, Your Majesty. I wonder what your purpose is in coming here?"

Shui Rong couldn't help but laugh when he saw this. Master Miaoyu couldn't pretend any longer and became anxious.

After a pause, Shui Rong said gently, "I came to see Master to drink tea and discuss Taoism. I hope Master will be generous in giving me some advice."

Shui Rong was feeling quite unhappy during his previous trip to the palace. After returning to the palace, he came to Master Miaoyu's place to drink tea and talk about Taoism, which helped him relax.

Miaoyu saw the smile between Shui Rong's eyebrows, and seemed to sense a hint of teasing in the boy's eyes. Her willow-leaf brows couldn't help but slightly frowned. She didn't know why, but she always felt that she seemed naked in front of the boy.

Sighing secretly in her heart, Miaoyu thought that she was overthinking, so she clasped her hands together and said, "Your Majesty, please sit for a moment. I will go and prepare."

Having said that, Miaoyu went into the inner room.

Shui Rong was not polite either. He landed calmly on the cushion, looking at the Buddhist scriptures left on the cushion. He vaguely saw that it was the Buddhist "Meditation Mantra". He couldn't help but smile knowingly. Reciting the "Meditation Mantra" while meditating and practicing, it can be seen that Master Miaoyu's mind is not at peace!

Not long after, Miaoyu came out from the inner room and sat opposite Shuirong. After tidying up, she fanned the stove with a palm-leaf fan while boiling tea. Her every move revealed her elegance.

After a moment of silence, Master Miaoyu was unhappy. The young man in front of her said that he came here to taste tea and discuss Taoism, but when she burned incense and brewed tea, the young man didn't say a word. What did this mean? Could it be that he just came here to taste tea?

After a pause, Miaoyu raised her cold jade face, looked at the young man with her bright eyes, and said in a clear voice: "Your Highness, there is a hint of melancholy between your brows. I don't know what is troubling you."

Shui Rong frowned when he heard that, and looked at the Taoist nun's clear and elegant face, and couldn't help but admire her in his heart. Although Miaoyu was neither clean nor empty, her vision and insight were extraordinary. She could see through Shui Rong's depressed look at a glance.

However, Shui Rong didn't care much about this matter. Since Miaoyu had taken the initiative to come down, there was no need for him to be too cautious. After a pause, Shui Rong said, "Mundane matters, could it be that Master is also interested in this?"

Miaoyu raised her eyebrows when she heard this. The boy's perfunctory attitude was so obvious, how could she not know it? Moreover, as a nun, how could she be interested in worldly matters?

Looking at the young man with cold eyes, Miaoyu said calmly: "Mundane affairs are like passing clouds and smoke, why bother to dwell on them? As the saying goes, 'Even if you have a thousand-year iron gate, you will eventually have a bun made of earth', Your Majesty is obsessed with appearances."

Shui Rong raised his eyebrows upon hearing this and stared at the quiet Miaoyu, but he didn't take it seriously in his heart. Although what she said was simple, he actually didn't see through it. And now, she actually used this to provoke him.

Not only that, there was a hint of sarcasm in the beauty's words, which was a satire on Shui Rong's excessive persistence.

Thinking of this, Shui Rong raised his eyes to look at the beauty and said in a clear voice: "Master is a person from the secular world, different from the rest of us. Now I have a virtuous wife and a happy family, so why shouldn't I be content? Even if I need a bun, it's worth my time to step into the prosperous world. It's better than Master's lonely life with a green lamp and an ancient Buddha."

Miaoyu was already feeling upset when she heard about the virtuous wife at home. Now Shui Rong was mocking her, and she couldn't help but feel angry. She shouted, "I am devoted to Buddhism, so how can I be lonely? Your Majesty, please don't pollute this quiet place with worldly things."

Shui Rong sneered in his heart when he heard this. He thought that Miaoyu was caught in a weak spot, which was why she was angry. If she was really devoted to Buddhism, why would she show such joy on her face because of Shui Rong's words?

Seeing this, Shui Rong smiled and said, "When drinking tea and discussing the Dao, one can speak freely. Master, you are obsessed with appearances."

Miaoyu: "."

After taking a deep breath, Miaoyu's face regained its calm. In the previous discussion, when she mocked the young man, she did not get angry despite the young man's respected status. But she, a nun, violated the precept of anger, which was indeed wrong.

Shui Rong couldn't help feeling proud when he saw Miaoyu calm down again. In fact, with Miaoyu's talent, her eloquence was much more than that. However, Shui Rong had grasped Miaoyu's softness from the beginning, so it was normal that he couldn't win the argument.

At the moment, Shui Rong likes Miaoyu's noble character, but he can't argue with his appearance.

However, too much talk will lead to mistakes. It is okay to make a sarcastic remark or two occasionally, but you cannot poke at the sore spots. If you do so, I am afraid that the holy nun will not be able to bear it and her Buddhist heart will collapse.

After a pause, Shui Rong asked, "Master Miaoyu is from Suzhou?"

Miaoyu looked up at the young man, with a hint of doubt in her brows. She didn't know why the young man asked about her background. She groaned, lowered her eyes and replied, "I am from Suzhou."

Shui Rong nodded slightly and said, "There is heaven above and Suzhou and Hangzhou below." The scenery is charming, the water town is picturesque, and the people are smart and intelligent. There is even a saying that "beauties come from Suzhou and Hangzhou". Now I see the appearance of Master Tai. She is beautiful and intelligent, has a noble character, rich talents, and elegant taste. It can be seen that what they say is true. I yearn for it."

When Miaoyu heard this, her bare hands holding the palm-leaf fan paused, her heart trembled slightly, and a few blushes appeared on her cold and beautiful face. The young man's words were nothing more than praise, but what did "my heart longs for it" mean? There was a hint of teasing in them.

However, for some reason, Miaoyu did not feel disgusted, and even felt a hint of joy in her heart. She pursed her pink lips, tried her best to remain calm, lowered her eyes and said nothing.

On the table, the tea stove was emitting steam. After a moment of silence, Miaoyu took out a green jade cup, poured a cup, and handed it to Shuirong.

Shui Rong's gaze fell on Miaoyu's jade-like fingers, a string of red sandalwood beads on her fair wrist, and her snow-white arm exposed.

After a pause, Shui Rong reached out to take the green jade bowl. It was inevitable that they touched each other. Shui Rong only felt a soft and tender feeling. However, he did not linger on it. He put it down as soon as he touched it, and tasted the green jade bowl. He said leisurely: "It is really good tea."

At this moment, Miaoyu's cold cheeks were covered with a barely perceptible rouge, and her clear and bright eyes flashed with a hint of shame and anger. She had never thought that the young man would actually touch her fingers. For a moment, Miaoyu's heart was flustered and ripples were huge.

What a scoundrel!

But when Miaoyu saw the boy's calm face, she couldn't help but doubt in her heart, as if the boy's action was unintentional.