The prince led hundreds of officials to pray for rain, but the rain in Yongcheng still did not fall. Jiang Qingshan was raising grain everywhere, and Liang Luoshan was still checking the accounts of Trent. Helianhou was frightened, and after Han Cheng died, he fell seriously ill, and he did not dare to leave the door these days.
"This account can't be evaded," Helian Hou sighed while lying on the bed, "The queen mother is under house arrest in the deep palace again, and God will kill my Fei family!"
Young Marquis Fei Shi was frightened by Li Jianting at the banquet that day, and he didn't dare to run around anymore, guarding his father, scolding: "Why are you greedy for so much? With such a large sum of money, I can't even fill it now. ."
"How can you blame me? Who am I for?" Helian Hou was in tears, barely standing up, pointing at Fei Shi, "If you are fighting for a bit of anger, why should I beg someone like that? Look at you, you can't understand writing and writing, and you can't succeed in martial arts. Inheriting the title of nobility is also waiting for death. If I don't go out of the way, what will we do with Fei in the future?"
"Yes, yes," Fei Shi heard his father panting, and hurriedly helped Helian Hou down again, "I'm a jerk, I'm an idiot, don't make yourself mad."
Helianhou covered his chest to calm down, and said with tears in his head, "If this is a house raid... I don't even dare to think about it..."
The princess of Zhaoyue held the child with white flowers on her temples. She stayed at home with her after she left. Hearing the bad news of Pan Shi, she was a lot haggard. She handed the baby over to the nurse, and motioned for those who were serving to go down.
"If I knew it now, why was it in the first place," Zhaoyue County's almond-eyed red eyes, "How many people have been killed by this account."
"Yes, this account has indeed killed people," Helianhou wailed, "but if you didn't have this account, how could you marry into the Pan family? Your honor is due to this account. When the Hua family was at its peak. , Hua Siqian is in power, and we have to get on the pirate ship. After Hua Siqian's death, I hoped that Shi'er would become a half-officer, at least be able to speak in the court, but he became Shit, I can't do anything about it."
The Fei clan in Trent had very few heirs, and the only direct descendant was Fei Shi. If Marquis Helian did not plan ahead, they would be the second Xue clan. But even if the Xue clan was on the decline, there was still a Xue Xiuzhuo, but Fei clan was really nobody in the clan.
Thinking of this, Hou Helian got up again and asked, "What was the name of the child who used to be a servant in Jinyiwei?"
Fei Shi said, "You mean Fei Sheng?"
"Yes, yes! Fei Sheng," Helian Hou said, "I was the guarantee that he could take up his father's post. Han Cheng promoted him at the time because of my face. Later, he ran away with Xiao Chiye, Right now, I'm serving Shen Zechuan at Zhongbo."
Fei Shi's expression changed, and he said, "That's a chaotic party! If you have anything to do with him, you will be killed."
"Such a big hole can't be filled," Helianhou raised his voice. "Not only do we have to loot the house and Gejue, but maybe also ask for beheading. Look at the Pan family, how many people are still alive? You have to die on the road." The more he talked, the colder his heart became, "It's better to switch to Zhongbo... Tao Ming from Huaizhou has run away..."
Fei Shi sat in a daze. He was born in a gold and silver nest. He was still a young marquis. He has always been a big Zhou minister. Suddenly, he was asked to hang out with chaotic ministers and thieves, which made him feel absurd and ridiculous. He sat for a while, and said, "No, how can I be a servant of the three surnames? Chengzhi did not treason until his death. I am best friends with him, and I cannot do such unfaithful and unrighteous things. Besides, Shen Zechuan is a sinister person. Good relationship, Fei Sheng is also greedy for fame and power... It won't work."
"When disaster strikes, who cares about loyalty and righteousness?" Hou Helian hated that iron could not become steel, "You should not learn what you should have learned, but you have learned all about Pan Lin's sourness!"
"Anyway, I'm not leaving," Fei Shi said sternly, "you are a marquis anyway, I don't believe that the cabinet really dares to do it."
"Why don't you dare?" Zhaoyue County Lord wiped away her tears. "Without the Queen Mother, the Crown Prince will investigate and deal with it according to the law. When the cabinet's ticket comes, raiding the house and killing the head is a one-night event." She remembered Pan Yi, and covered her face and cried, " That's how Pan copied it."
"Look at your sister, she still has a child," Helian Hou said, bursting with tears, "you just have the heart to see your old father put to death, your sister exiled, and the whole family becomes a tomb in the mass grave."
"But I can't leave," Zhaoyue County Lord raised his head and wiped away his tears, "Shi'er is right, Fei Sheng is very good at working in Jinyiwei, and he is greedy for fame and power, and he can't impress him without benefits. Daddy listen to me. Now, there is a drought in Yongcheng, Jiang Qingshan is raising grain in Qidu, and Tao Ming in Huaizhou has run away again, and the court is in a dilemma. You might as well sell your Zhuangzi and use the money to raise food for the court."
Helian Hou said: "But there is no food everywhere right now, I'm afraid I won't be able to raise money."
"Whoever sells Daddy's food will buy it back." Zhaoyue County Master tucked the veil. "As for Feisheng, if it is really useful in the future, I will talk about it later."
* * *
A few days later, the ice basin was replaced in Mingli Hall. Li Jianting was looking at the book, and Fuman bent over and waited by the side, holding the fan to gently fan the prince.
"His Royal Highness has been watching for an hour," Fuman said softly, "let's rest."
Li Jianting closed the book, and before he opened his mouth, Fuman turned his head and shouted outside, "Bring up the cold sour plum soup - Your Highness, it's hot, drink some sour plum soup to cool off the heat."
Fuman has been favored recently, Li Jianting seems to be still angry with Fengquan, and only Fuman stays by his side to serve. Fu Man Chunfeng was very proud. He had never dared to make decisions for the prince before, but after several trials, he found that the prince did not blame him, so he became more daring.
While Li Jianting was wiping his hands, Fuman cleaned up the table for the prince. Li Jianting saw that he had placed the books one by one and classified them according to region and department, and asked, "Why should this Mingzang book be put together with Yuan Fu? I remember that they are not from the same town."
"His Royal Highness doesn't know, they are teachers and students," Fuman smiled, "The promotion of Lord Ming is the promotion of Yuan Fu."
Kong Qiu served as the prime minister of the cabinet, and there were too many officials from various ministries evaluated during the inspection. According to the rules, these officials could call him "teacher". Li Jianting took over government affairs not long ago. He really didn't know that all the ministries were so complicated. If he didn't pay special attention to this kind of thing, it would be difficult to remember.
Fuman is currently only serving in front of the royal family, and when the crown prince ascends the throne, he may become an eunuch holding a pen, which can hold a red pen for the emperor. But Li Jianting was not Emperor Xiande. She was in charge of government affairs and was just young. She didn't need an eunuch to handle such important affairs for her.
Li Jianting understood and said, "You know better than me."
Fuman was slightly stunned when he heard the words, and responded very quickly: "The servant was not doing business in the previous dynasty. This matter was mentioned by Yuan Fu in the office last time, and the servant remembered it when he was serving on the side."
"It's a good thing," Li Jianting said with a gentle expression, "I can't remember it clearly, and I'll have to remind you later."
Fuman took a peek at Li Jianting while he was picking up the bowls, and saw that the prince had an ordinary expression and a humble speech, which was no different from usual.
"Are you gentlemen here?" Li Jianting said, "Let me in when you arrive."
Kong Qiu, Xue Xiuzhuo and others who had just arrived outside the Mingli Hall heard the incoming call. They bowed together and said, "My ministers see your Highness."
"All of you gentlemen are my teachers," Li Jianting motioned to Fuman to help Kong Qiu, "Why do you need to be polite when you enter the hall? I should give Yuan Fu a student salute."
Kong Qiu sat down and said with a smile, "Your Highness is now different from the past. You don't have to abide by the rules of teachers and students anymore. Mingli Hall is the place to handle government affairs. There are only monarchs and ministers here, and ministers do not dare to overstep them."
Li Jianting looked at Kong Qiu and couldn't help laughing: "There is something good today."
Kong Qiu is unsmiling, mature and prudent, and is rarely so happy. Sure enough, the next moment I heard Kong Qiu say: "I heard Jiang Qingshan's report this morning that the relief food for Yongcheng has been raised."
"So fast," Li Jianting was overjoyed, "Did you borrow food from Hezhou?"
"It's Marquis Helian," Kong Qiu smiled slightly, "Marquis Helian knew that the land tax was wrong. In order to let His Highness get off lightly, he sold the farm and raised food on his own to solve the problem for the people of Yongcheng."
The land tax of Trent is a case that everyone in the hall knows nothing about. The court wants to recover the part of the empty deficit, and also wants to return the fertile land to the people. Helianhou must bear the guilt, but if he does so, the cabinet should also consider it as appropriate. ruling.
"The so-called law is inexorable, so Your Highness can't let the petty people take a chance and rely on the opinion of his ministers," Xue Xiuzhuo knelt down, "Although Helianhou has prepared food for Yongcheng, he still has to investigate and deal with it according to the law."
"We are investigating the land tax, and the blame is to restore the people's livelihood in the eight cities. Since Marquis Helian is willing to raise food for Yongcheng, he has a heart of repentance." Cen Yu said, "His Royal Highness should govern the world with benevolence and filial piety. Killing Fei's family is only afraid of losing people's hearts."
Cen Yu is an old minister, or an old minister from a poor family, but at this moment he wants to protect Helianhou, precisely for Li Jianting. Marquis Helian raised food for disaster relief, no matter what, he had a benevolent name in Yongcheng. If Li Jianting insisted on copying him all over, for the remaining aristocratic families who were still watching, the only way to go is to fight to the end.
As early as when he was investigating Dan City's account, Cen Yu repeatedly persuaded Kong Qiu to slow down. Now that Duanzhou has won a great victory, all the six states are under Shen Zechuan's command. Once the war is settled from Beiping, the next one will be Qidu. The so-called dripping stone wears, since the family is in a deep state, it cannot rush for a while, otherwise it will hurt the heart, where is there any spare energy to deal with Zhongbo? Moreover, Dancheng's heavy husband and Mintian have to re-examine the Yellow Book. If the court wants to concentrate on medical treatment, it must be carried out on the premise of no external aggression.
"The Xiandenian court left room for them, but the eight cities intensified, and this led to the reselling of official food." Xue Xiuzhuo said, "If you can't kill the chickens and show the monkeys, how can you make them shudder?"
"Now the Sheji is dying," Cen Yu also knelt down, "Libei and Zhongbo rebelled one after another, the chaotic party gathered Jiangye, and Shen Zechuan—"
"It is precisely because the Sheji is in critical condition that it is necessary to defend the dynasty. If the family cannot be eradicated as soon as possible," Xue Xiuzhuo kowtowed heavily, "How can we calm the rivers and mountains?"
Cen Yu raised his head and said bitterly: "The powerful medicine has been given, Pan, Han, Hua, and Wei have collapsed, and the aristocratic family's restraint is not as good as before. At this moment, if the external trouble is not eliminated, it will be a big disaster. Your Highness, if you govern a big country, if you cook a small fresh food! "
Li Jianting was silent in thought.
The heat wave was rolling outside the hall, and it was so quiet. After a long time, I saw that the little eunuch looked in a hurry, hurried to the front of the hall, and said something to Fengquan.
"His Royal Highness!" The bead curtain swayed, Feng Quan said, "The Queen Mother is critically ill!"
All the people in the hall changed their color.
The author has something to say: â‘ : Selected from Tao Te Ching