all for Iraq
Qi Yan stared at Nangong Jingnu for a long time before slowly moving her body and getting off the step bed.
Dressing, washing, and a series of actions were performed silently to ensure that Nangong Jingnu would not be disturbed.
Qi Yan glanced back, pushed the door out of the bedroom, and said to the palace maid who was guarding the door: "Your Majesty is sleeping, don't let anyone disturb her."
Slave: "Yes."
Qi Yan called Qian Tong to the study, wrote a handwritten letter and handed it to him: "Memorize it."
Qian Tong: "Yes."
Qian Tong memorized the book and returned it to Qi Yan, who destroyed it in front of Qian Tong and said, "Go to the restaurant in the north of the city and buy some almond cakes."
Qian Tong: "Yes."
The almond cake is just a pretext for leaving the palace. The century-old house in the north of the city was taken over by the Sifang Qianzhuang the year before, and it is now one of the strongholds where Qi Yan and Qian Yuangufeng communicated.
Qi Yan: "Bring this token with you."
Qian Tong: "Yes."
Qi Yan: "Go, hurry up and hurry back."
After Qian Tong left, Qi Yan took another volume and wrote half of it. Originally, Qi Yan only planned to write a program for Nangong Jingnv, but she didn't want to write it. It is full of scars, and it may collapse suddenly if one is not careful. Every reform must pay attention to the scale and gradually plan it.
Qi Yan simply spread out and wrote, this file is the third volume of "On the Ten Malpractices of the Old Politics".
One volume and one volume, the two completed ones are: "On the Disadvantage of the Court's Prevention and Disruption" and "On the Disadvantage of the Duplication of Officials and Expenditure".
Qi Yan did not study ink, but just looked at what she had written.
Nangong Jingnu's weak appearance reappeared in front of Qi Yan's eyes from time to time, and she couldn't concentrate on writing.
Qi Yan returned to the dormitory, and saw Chen Chuansi, the chief servant standing at the door. The maid seemed to be explaining something. When the maid saw Qi Yan coming back, it was like seeing a savior: "Prince, Niangniang... The master is back, and the master said to the master. , the slaves are just doing what they are ordered to do."
The emperor's husband is an awkward position in the inner court. It is the first time for the female emperor and the emperor's husband. Many palace servants do not know what to call Qi Yan.
Chen Chuansi saluted, and said, "Da Gong, Your Majesty has entered the palace, please see Your Majesty."
Qi Yan: "Did you say something?"
Chen Chuansi: "Never."
Qi Yan: "Then you look at him, are you in a hurry?"
Chen Chuansi: "This... a servant can't say it well, it seems to be the same as usual."
Qi Yan: "That's not in a hurry, you went back to him: Your Majesty is resting, let him come back another day, you say it is me."
Chen Chuansi: "Yes."
After Chen Chuansi left, the palace maid silently wrote down Qi Yan's new name, and peeked at Qi Yan again, and was relieved to see that the other party was not unhappy.
Qi Yan: "You did a good job, continue to stay here and don't let anyone disturb you."
Maid: "Yes."
Qi Yan entered the bedroom, and Nangong Jingnu slept deeply without even changing her posture. Qi Yan moved the round stool and sat beside the bed, looking at Nangong Jingnu with pity.
…
Nangong Jingnu slept well, from noon to dusk. When she woke up, she saw that Qi Yan was sitting at the round table reading a book, and there were no lights in the hall.
Nangong Jingnu: "Why don't you light the lamp? Reading books like this hurts your eyes."
Qi Yan raised her hand and put down the scroll in her hand: "Your Majesty is awake? Did you sleep well?"
Nangong Jingnu propped up the bed and sat on Qi Yan, snorted and supported her forehead: "My head is still a little heavy, how long have I slept?"
Qi Yan: "In less than three hours, is Your Majesty hungry, let the kitchen come over to eat?"
Nangong Jingnu shook her head: "No appetite, oops!"
Qi Yan walked over: "What's wrong?"
Nangong Jingnu: "I announced that Gongyanghuai will enter the palace in the afternoon, how could I forget about it?"
Qi Yan: "Eunuch Chen came to report, and I have asked Baishi to come back another day. Your Majesty can rest assured."
Nangong Jingnu stopped putting on shoes and socks: "That's good."
Qi Yan: "Is there something wrong with the military attache? Why is Your Majesty in such a hurry?"
Nangong Jingnv patted the seat next to her, and Qi Yan sat over. Nangong Jingnv leaned on Qi Yan's shoulder and said, "I received two 800-mile rush papers last night. There was a severe drought in Gyeonggi, and the crops were not harvested. Hundreds of thousands of people were displaced, and countless granaries and dwellings were destroyed. The Ministry of Household and Ministry of Industry made accounts overnight. The imperial court needed 2.3 million taels of silver and 230,000 dan of grain to be effective. To quell this natural disaster, but the Minister of the Household told me that the imperial court can’t even provide 2 million taels. Even if it is reluctantly allocated to the disaster area, the salaries of the imperial officials and the expenses of the inner court will be tight.”
Next, Nangong Jingnv recounted the accounts reported by the Minister of the Household last night to Qi Yan, and finally said with emotion: "If I had known that the restoration of an undiscovered palace would cost 8 million taels of silver, I would definitely persuade the emperor to advise him. , I thought about it overnight. From now on, the expenses of the inner court can be saved. In a few days, the ladies of the harem will be sent to the fief... those who have children will go to their mother's family. Palace staff, strive to spend less than 500,000 taels in the inner court every year, 800,000 taels is too much. The previous funerals cost a lot of money, but they were all a sum of money. It's over. But the Minister of the Household told me yesterday that the annual cost of the army's salaries and ordnance maintenance is as high as 4 to 5 million, and the money is not returned to the House of Commons. Where to go, Wei, and then go directly to the Ministry of Household to pay for the money with the approval document, this is impossible."
Qi Yan: "So Your Highness wants to talk to Baishi about this?"
Nangong Jingnu rubbed against Qi Yan's shoulder: "Yes, this money is the court's annual fixed expense, so it won't work like this."
Qi Yan: "The truth is correct, but I'm afraid there will be a lot of resistance in implementing it."
Nangong Jingnu: "You mean it will cause dissatisfaction with the military attache group?"
Qi Yan: "There is a part, now I finally understand..."
Nangong Jingnu: "Understand what?"
Qi Yan: "Why does the military attache group in the world only follow the leader of the Taiwei's house? It is reasonable to say that it is difficult to unite in such a way that people in the world are in a variety of ways. It turns out... Taiwei Lu has been spending the court's money to buy personal love all these years. Taiping, does the maintenance of the military in various places really need so much money?"
Nangong Jingnv: "It's hateful, no wonder the emperor..."
Qi Yan: "Huh?"
Nangong Jingnu was silent for a moment, and said leisurely: "It's okay to talk to you, the emperor asked me to beware of the Taiwei's mansion, gradually take back the military power, and when the time is right, I will uproot the Taiwei's mansion."
Qi Yan's eyes flashed a ray of light, and she calmly analyzed: "This is the best time to find Lu Quan to settle accounts. As the saying goes, it is easy to change from frugality to luxury, and from luxury to frugality is difficult. Even if the military attache group knows it. Duming doesn't need so much military expenses at all, but... it's not wise for His Majesty to put his hand into their pockets as soon as he ascends the throne."
Nangong Jingnu was a little anxious: "Why don't I understand? It's just... Hundreds of thousands of people are waiting, I really... I want to pull out all the things in the house and sell them, but the Ministry of Rites said that I have those things now. They have all become imperial objects, and they can't move rashly."
Qi Yan took Nangong Jingnv's shoulder and patted her comfortably: "Your Majesty loves the people like a son, and I understand your feelings. But this year's military expenses have already been settled, and it will not help to look for it now. If you want to fill the national treasury, Saving money alone is not enough. Money is not saved, Your Majesty should think about the source."
Nangong Jingnv: "I just issued the edict on tax reduction and exemption, do I have to change the order?"
Qi Yan shook her head: "No, according to the minister's opinion, it's time for His Majesty to hold an Enke."
Nangong Jingnu: "What does this have to do with Yinzi?"
Qi Yan replied: "According to the law, the descendants of merchants cannot participate in the imperial examinations. Your Majesty can announce a decree. This time, Enke will be divided into two competitions, one for the students of the world, and one for the merchants. However, this It is not without conditions. It is necessary for merchants from all over the world to pledge a certain amount. The court can also change the household registration for one of the descendants of the merchants who pledged to make the donation. As for all the pledged funds, His Majesty will make it clear that it will be used for disaster relief, the accounts will be open and transparent, and the criticism of selling officials and vassals will be avoided.”
Nangong Jingnu's eyes lit up, and she said excitedly, holding Qi Yan's arm: "This is a good way! How did you think of it?"
Qi Yan smiled without saying a word, looking at Nangong Jingnu's sad face, there was a gentle warmth in Qi Yan's eyes.
Where is a good way? But it's the only way Qi Yan can give Nangong Jingnv her little family background.
Qi Yan: "Your Majesty, I think it's time for the General Wang to return to Youzhou."
Nangong Jingnu: "I originally wanted to talk to the eldest sister to see if I could borrow the two million taels that the eldest brother-in-law took away from the imperial court, and then return it to him later."
Qi Yan shook his head: "Forget it. However, the annual military expenditure of the entire country's army is only four million taels. It is really expensive to invite General Wang to go this trip."
Seeing that Nangong Jingnu didn't say a word, Qi Yan changed her words: "There is one more thing, the eldest sister and Danyang County Master can return to Youzhou together, and Fu'er will stay in the capital."
Nangong Jingnu: "You want Fu'er to be a proton? That's not good..."
Qi Yan: "There's nothing wrong, if Your Majesty does nothing, you will be disturbed by the Great General's Palace. Your Majesty may go to Big Sister, just say... Yuxiao has reached the age of Kaimeng, please help her find a few families of the right age. The children go to the imperial study to study together, so that Yuxiao will not be lonely alone."
Nangong Jingnu: "Okay, listen to you."
Qi Yan turned her head and stared at Nangong Jingnu without speaking.
After a few breaths, Nangong Jingnu's cheeks became more and more red, and her expression twitched.
Nangong Jingnu lowered her head, bit her lip, and murmured, "National mourning observance, not allowed..."
Qi Yanwan didn't expect Nangong Jingnu to say such a thing, her breathing stagnated, and her expression became unnatural.
Qi Yan: "My minister... Actually, I just want to ask if Your Majesty is hungry this time, and it's time to eat."
Nangong Jingnu said "Ah" and turned her back while covering her face.
Qi Yan also smiled, but there was a trace of sadness in his eyes.
If you had to hide your identity in the past, it was a last resort, but now that the overall situation has been decided, you really shouldn't hide it anymore...
Just wait, wait until Xiaodie is settled and help Jingnu through this difficult time, it is time to face it.