I play the role of Jiajing in Zongwu: What crime have I committed?

After about half an incense stick's time, Mei Changsu's breathing finally calmed down.

He looked at Meng Zhi's temples, which were soaked with sweat, and a look of guilt appeared in his eyes.

"Brother Meng, thank you for your hard work!"

"What nonsense are you spouting!"

Meng Zhi's voice suddenly rose, then he quickly lowered it again.

"As long as you are safe and sound."

He hesitated, unsure whether he should say what he was about to say.

Mei Changsu gazed at him silently, then suddenly smiled and said, "Brother Meng, are you asking about my plans for the future?"

Meng Zhi nodded heavily: "After all, today at the Fengtian Hall..."

The words, however, turned into a sigh.

"Hehe, don't worry, Brother Meng."

Mei Changsu looked out the window, his gaze gradually drifting into the distance.

"Nihuang will eventually marry. My body is crippled, and my days are numbered. How can I delay her life?"

He looked away, a fleeting pain crossing his eyes before turning into relief.

"Marrying Jingyan would put my mind at ease than marrying someone else."

"Ah, you've suffered." Meng Zhi sighed deeply, slapping his rough hand heavily on his knee.

Mei Changsu shook his head slightly, his pale face revealing a hint of determination.

"As long as the Crimson Flame Army can be exonerated and my Lin family can be cleared of wrongdoing, what is this little bit of suffering?"

Then he changed the subject, and Mei Changsu's brows furrowed in deep thought: "But Emperor Liang's actions today are really strange."

"Given his suspicious nature, and with the past of Prince Qi still fresh in his mind, how could he suddenly betroth Nihuang to Jingyan?"

"yes!"

Meng Zhi scratched his head: "I never expected him to suddenly bestow a marriage upon me."

Mei Changsu nodded slightly: "But judging from the reactions of the Crown Prince and Prince Yu, it seems that they already knew about this."

Then the room fell silent.

After a long silence, Mei Changsu suddenly raised his eyes and asked, "Brother Meng, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Guards, you are always by the Emperor's side. Have you noticed anything unusual about Emperor Liang lately?"

Meng Zhi frowned, carefully recalling recent events, and then said, "Nothing else, except that His Majesty has recently shown particular favor to eunuchs."

"Not only was a new Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs established, but several literate eunuchs were also assigned to help review memorials."

"A eunuch reviewing memorials?"

Mei Changsu was taken aback, his eyes filled with even more doubt.

"Although Emperor Liang was not a wise ruler, he was certainly not a foolish one either. How could he have committed such a folly?"

"His Majesty said it was due to his advanced age and failing eyesight that he couldn't see the memorials clearly."

Mei Changsu shook his head.

"I don't think so. Didn't you say just a couple of days ago that he was going to Zhaoren Palace every day to favor Consort Yue?"

"Not only Consort Yue, but Consort Hui is also a frequent visitor."

"So, from this perspective, how does he seem like an old, senile person?"

Chapter 23 Establishing a Cabinet and Writing Qingci (a type of Buddhist scripture).

Mei Changsu pondered, his fingertips lightly tapping the table, producing a rhythmic sound.

"There are too many suspicious points in this matter, so I'll have to trouble Brother Meng to keep a close eye on things."

"Leave it to me!"

Meng Zhi patted his chest confidently, then asked, "What about Prince Jing?"

"After today, I'm afraid he'll despise you even more."

Mei Changsu raised the corners of his lips slightly, revealing a meaningful smile: "Just what I wanted."

"Today, I lost my composure in the palace. The mention of 'Xiao Jingyan' has aroused Emperor Liang's suspicion, and he actually thinks that Jingyan and I are old acquaintances."

"If I don't go with the flow, how can the Crown Prince and Prince Yu still trust me, an advisor who has a past connection with Prince Jing?"

Meng Zhi frowned, his voice tinged with anxiety.

"But what you said has already made the Crown Prince and Prince Yu think that you are nothing but a figurehead."

"It's alright."

Mei Changsu smiled slightly and took out a sandalwood box from under the table. The box was carved with delicate cloud patterns and gleamed with a dim luster under the candlelight.

Click!

With a slight sound, the lid of the box opened.

Inside the box were dozens of ebony tokens, each engraved with the name of an important official position in the imperial court.

The Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Rites... all six ministries and nine ministers were included.

Mei Changsu lightly tapped his fingertips and precisely picked up the wooden plaque engraved with the words "Ministry of Revenue".

He gripped the token firmly in his palm, his eyes flashing with sharpness as he looked up.

"As long as I help Prince Yu to cripple the Crown Prince's finances, he will understand."

Just then, a gust of cold wind swept in from outside the window, and Mei Changsu's voice was as cold as a knife.

"Jiangzuo Mei Lang's reputation is not undeserved."

The next day at 3:45 AM.

Before dawn, the area outside the Daming Palace was already filled with high-ranking officials and nobles waiting to enter the court.

With three cracks of the whip, the heavy palace gates slowly opened, and officials filed in according to their rank, lining up neatly in front of the Qian Yuan Hall.

"His Majesty has arrived!"

Yan Song's shrill voice pierced through the hall, and all the officials below the steps immediately knelt down like wheat fields swaying in the wind.

The crimson court robes spread out like a solemn ink-black on the blue brick floor.

Between three kneelings and nine kowtows, they shouted "Long live the Emperor!"

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

Zhu Houcong walked slowly from Longwei Road, his black robe with twelve ceremonial patterns shimmering with dark gold in the morning light.

He raised his hand, gesturing, "All of you, rise."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

After the officials expressed their gratitude and returned to their places, Zhu Houcong, sitting upright on the dragon throne, swept his piercing gaze across the steps.

On the left, at the head of the civil officials' ranks, Crown Prince Xiao Jingxuan, Prince Yu Xiao Jinghuan, and Prince Jing Xiao Jingyan stood side by side, their python robes and jade belts particularly eye-catching.

Subsequently, the six high-ranking officials each held an ivory tablet, including He Jingzhong, Minister of Personnel, Qi Min, Minister of Justice, and Lou Zhijing, Minister of Revenue, as depicted in the TV series.

Among the military officers on the right were Duke Qingguo and Marquis Ningguo, Xie Yu, and others.

Zhu Houcong gently tapped the dragon head relief on the armrest of the dragon throne, the sound mingling with the rising north wind outside the palace.

"Yesterday, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau reported that the handle of the Big Dipper was pointing to the direction of Xu and Hai, which is half a month earlier than in previous years."

His gaze swept over Lou Zhijing, the Minister of Revenue.

"Do the Six Ministries have any strategies to deal with the extreme cold?"

Lou Zhijing, the Minister of Revenue, holding an ivory tablet, stepped forward steadily and bowed as he presented his report.

"Your Majesty, the Ministry of Revenue, together with the Ministry of Works and the Court of Imperial Stud, has drafted the 'Winter Defense Regulations of Renyin Year,' which consists of ten measures to prepare for the severe cold."

He raised his head slightly, his voice steady and clear:

"Firstly, warehouse scheduling."

"The Jing-Tong Warehouse currently holds 2.8 million shi of rice and wheat, which can be opened at any time for relief."

"Furthermore, all prefectures and counties have been ordered to check the grain reserves in the public granaries and to set up warm sheds according to the 'one granary every ten li' system to provide shelter for refugees from the cold."

"The Imperial Medical Academy has prepared 300,000 catties of cold-dispelling medicinal herbs such as Saposhnikovia divaricata and Cinnamomum cassia, which have been distributed and stored in various prefectures."

Secondly, the supply of firewood and charcoal.

Lou Zhijing took out a silk scroll from his sleeve and continued reading.

Zhu Houcong, seated on the dragon throne, tapped his knuckles rhythmically on the gilded armrests as he listened intently to Lou Zhijing's report.

It must be said that Lou Zhijing, though flawed in his personal morality and having a penchant for S&M, was not without his flaws.

However, he was quite adept at handling political affairs.

Since he took charge of the Ministry of Revenue, the national treasury accounts have been clear, tax collection has been orderly, and the operation has been well-organized.

Although he was a member of Crown Prince Xiao Jingxuan's faction, in the imperial court, factional strife and infighting were inevitable.

Lou Zhijing did get quite close to the Crown Prince, but that doesn't prevent him from being a capable minister.

A ruler should know how to appoint people to good positions, taking advantage of their strengths and avoiding their weaknesses.

The Yangtze River is clear, while the Yellow River is muddy. We should not use either one side simply because it is clear, nor should we abandon the other side simply because it is muddy.

If we abandon something simply because of a moral failing, wouldn't that be like throwing the baby out with the bathwater?

Therefore, Zhu Houcong secretly decided that he was willing to give Lou Zhijing a chance, and it all depended on whether he would take the opportunity.

"Alright, we'll do as Lou Qing says. You'll be fully responsible for this matter."

Zhu Houcong finally spoke, his voice steady and authoritative.

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Lou Zhijing respectfully returned to his court post.

The hall fell silent for a moment, with only the faint sound of sandalwood burning in the bronze crane incense burner.

Zhu Houcong looked around at his ministers and continued, "In addition to this, I have two more things to announce."

His gaze shifted to Prince Jing at the very front of the line.

"The first matter is the marriage between Prince Jing and Princess Nihuang."

Upon hearing this, all the officials in the hall held their breath and listened intently.

Many of them had heard about it since yesterday, but they were still secretly surprised to hear Zhu Houcong announce it in court today.

"The marriage selection ceremony for Princess Nihuang has concluded. Prince Jing is capable of governing the country with both literary and military skills, which greatly pleases me."

"I have issued an imperial edict to grant the marriage; an auspicious day will be chosen for the ceremony."

These undisguised words of praise immediately created a subtle atmosphere in the hall.

Several courtiers were exchanging glances discreetly.

I heard some time ago that the Crown Prince and Prince Yu were punished for vying for the title of "Kirin Talent".

Prince Jing was promoted to a Five-Bead Prince as soon as he returned to the capital, and now he is paired with a powerful ally like the Mu family of Yunnan.

They couldn't help but suspect the emperor's intentions.

Zhu Houcong took in all of this, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips.

He paused deliberately for a long time until the water from the bronze kettle in the corner of the hall made a clear "tap" sound before he slowly spoke.

"The second matter is that I will establish a cabinet specifically to write petitions for me, and the location will be the Wenhua Hall next to the Yangxin Hall."

"Blue Scripture?"

The officials looked at each other, completely bewildered.

How could they not know what Qingci was?

Qingci, also known as Lvzhang, is a petition or prayer offered to Heaven during Taoist rituals.