Chapter 337 Harem Discussion
Xu Zhenying quickly raised her hand to stop everyone from speaking. She said directly, "I conservatively estimate that I'll have to persuade at least half of you to quit. As for the evaluation method, first, we'll follow the old rules from the previous siege. Zhao Qiaonian's inspection team will take the lead and set up a public opinion collection point at the entrance of the imperial palace to see if the people have reported you for corruption, bribery, disregard for human life, or infringement of national interests. At the same time, the inspection team will send people to evaluate your past achievements and reputation for a comprehensive assessment. Secondly, we'll look at your performance over the next month. After a month, there will be an internal evaluation and scoring, both from your superiors and from your peers. Through these two methods, we will finally come up with a comprehensive score, and only those who rank high will have a chance of continued employment."
A single stone can cause a thousand ripples. When it comes to their own interests, everyone becomes emotional.
"Your Highness, please think twice. We have all been diligent and hardworking in our posts. Your Highness, upon your arrival, is already making drastic changes to the bureaucracy. This is detrimental to the stability of the entire country—"
"Yes, Your Highness. Although we are useless, we have been on the job for many years. If you suddenly lay off at least half of the staff, how will Bianjing City operate? This will inevitably cause a new round of chaos in Bianjing City—"
"You all should know that when a rebellious army enters a city, they usually kill a few ministers as a sacrifice to the gods." Xu Zhenying said this with a fake smile. Although she was smiling, her eyes were a little sinister. "Not only did I spare your lives, I also gave you a chance. I think people should be content. Don't you agree?"
The entire Baohua Hall fell silent in an instant.
It seemed that at this moment, everyone remembered that this princess had made her fortune by being a rebel! She must have killed many people!
The timid officials were so frightened that their faces turned pale.
The people from Jinzhou Prefecture all looked fearless.
"Also, don't think the court can't function without someone. My Jinzhou Prefecture is full of talented men and women, all skilled in both civil and military matters. I led them to transform the impoverished Jinzhou, Qiongzhou, and Bao'an Prefectures into prosperous and wealthy cities. While their time in office may not be as long as yours, their administrative experience and achievements are certainly not inferior to yours."
"Everyone, stop thinking that scholars are precious in the Great Zhou Dynasty. The literacy rate in Jinzhou Prefecture has reached over 30 to 40 percent. Three or four out of ten people can read. Don't think you're irreplaceable. As I said before, those who don't want to stay, don't want to eat this bowl of rice, and don't want to abide by my rules, Xu Zhenying, should go to the Ministry of Revenue immediately to settle their salaries and resign. This will make room for the good men and women of Jinzhou Prefecture. They've been eager to try and are fully prepared."
These words plunged the entire Baohua Hall into silence.
Even Wang Qiu Shuang was so frightened that she could hardly stand.
Is this the grace of His Royal Highness Prince Zhao?
When he gets angry, it's really scary.
General Bai, through his interactions with Feng'er over the past few days, knew that Xu Zhenying's words were mostly meant to intimidate. He stood up and asked sincerely, "Your Highness, if the civil officials are to report on their work and be evaluated, how will the military officers be arranged? Few of the military officers are literate, and most are not good at writing. Is this method of competition unfair?"
"Military commanders have their own special responsibilities. They have other tasks during this period, so they are temporarily put on hold. We will make arrangements after the Jinzhou army enters the city."
His Royal Highness Prince Zhao's first court meeting ended in a fearful atmosphere.
After Xu Zhenying left, all the civil and military officials were still in shock.
A timid person wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "God, writing a detailed performance report in two days is really too difficult! Why don't we protest collectively? Even if we can't change His Highness's mind, we can at least delay it for a few days——"
A colleague nearby glared at him, seemingly finding him lacking in perspective. "Why do you think His Highness Prince Zhao asked the people of Jinzhou Prefecture to report together? His Highness looks down on us, the old officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and wants to use these new officials to suppress us. The people of Jinzhou Prefecture can do things we can't do. Doesn't this mean that our governance is inferior to that of Jinzhou Prefecture?"
The man realized it later and said, "So that's how it is."
But then she continued to wail, "Prince Zhao has taken drastic measures right from the start, and has been especially harsh on us ministers. If we fall into her hands, even if we pass this civil servant assessment, I'm afraid we'll have a hard time in the future—"
"Alas, Lord Liao, let's get through this difficult time first. It's just that the people from Jinzhou Prefecture haven't arrived yet. Once they do, there won't be any chance for us to show off. I've heard that the people from Jinzhou Prefecture fight each other even more fiercely. Who knows, we old ministers might not be a match for them."
"When I think about having to share the throne with a woman in the future, my heart aches."
As soon as this person said this, several colleagues around him immediately moved away from him, as if they were afraid of being seen as his accomplice.
You still can't see the situation clearly. You keep saying that women should attend court, but don't you see that the person in greatest power is a woman?
Inside the Qifeng Hall, young Zhou Jin and Zhou Yu were lying on the table practicing calligraphy.
Zhou Jin was very focused.
But Zhou Yu found that his mother was always absent-minded.
Although Zhou Yu is only eight years old, she has experienced a lot in the recent period of time and can already read people's expressions at such a young age.
She also understood that after her father's death, she seemed to no longer be the noble princess she used to be.
She also gradually realized how dangerous the situation they were in was.
She tugged at her mother's sleeve, looked up anxiously, and asked, "Mom, is someone here to arrest us?"
Empress Yuan Chun shook her head and hugged her daughter tightly. "No. I just heard a commotion outside and wondered if something had happened."
"Did His Royal Highness Prince Zhao enter the palace?"
Yuan Chun was shocked, "My son also knows His Royal Highness Prince Zhao?"
Zhou Yu nodded. "I heard it from Nanny Li and the palace maids. I was hiding in the garden and heard them whispering that Prince Zhao was a good man, and maybe all the eunuchs and maids in the palace could leave the palace early and go back to their parents—"
Empress Yuan Chun was slightly stunned, she just hugged Zhou Yu tightly but said nothing.
She doesn't know whether Xu Zhenying is a good person or not.
But she knew that Xu Zhenying was an extremely powerful person.
She was already terrified just by having to mediate with Feng'er, not to mention Xu Zhenying.
Kings in ancient times were all ruthless.
Xu Zhenying rose to this position as a woman, and her methods and schemes might be even more vicious than Zhou Mian's.
How could they, an orphan and a widow, escape from such a man?
They had just escaped from the tiger's den, but fell into the wolf's den.
Sure enough, soon, when it was getting dark, Empress Yuan Chun heard a flurry of footsteps outside the Qifeng Palace. Li Ma, her personal maid, hurried in, her voice shrill and frightening, "Empress, Prince Zhao is coming—"
Empress Yuan Chun's heart skipped a beat, and she subconsciously protected her son and daughter behind her.
The lights flickered slightly.
The sound of swords clashing is clear and pleasant.
Her Qifeng Palace had not seen so many soldiers for a long time.
The soldiers came in like fish pouring into water. Empress Yuan Chun saw shadows of people outside the window paper, and finally stopped in front of the door of her main courtyard.
A gentle knock on the door revealed the visitor's nonchalance and confidence in victory.
As if sensing their mother's uneasiness, Zhou Jin and Zhou Yu both hid behind Empress Yuan Chun.
Zhou Jin even recalled the terrifying experience some time ago. This time, he held his sister's hand tightly like a man. Even though the little guy was trembling with fear, he still comforted his sister: "Don't be afraid, sister, I will protect you!"
A familiar voice sounded.
"Your Majesty, I am Wang Qiushuang. His Highness is here to see you. Please open the door."
It was indeed her.
Empress Yuan Chun's chest rose and fell slightly, and she forced herself to calm down. She looked around, but there was nowhere to hide, so she had to comfort her children with a few words, and then asked Li Ma to open the door.
So what if you don’t open the door?
If she hesitated any longer, those sword-wielding soldiers would kick open the door of her palace and drag her out without mercy.
As soon as the door opened, Empress Yuan Chun saw Xu Zhenying in the crowd.
Young indeed.
Ridiculously young.
He is so young that people can hardly believe that he is the famous Prince Zhao.
However, this person does not look like the legendary rat-faced or dull-looking person. She looks very ordinary, even pretty, with two shallow dimples on her lips, which makes people feel close to her.
Especially when she saw herself, she had a smile on her face, which slightly loosened the string in Empress Yuan Chun's mind.
As the saying goes, the face reflects the heart. Xu Zhenying's face looks very friendly, and there is not even any murderous intent in his eyes.
She was accompanied by Feng'er, Wang Qiushuang, Eunuch Luo and several military generals.
She walked into the house calmly and confidently, and Empress Yuan Chun immediately looked at her warily.
As soon as Xu Zhenying walked in, he saw Empress Yuan Chun's two children.
Empress Yuan Chun protected the children behind her like a hen protecting her chicks.
Xu Zhenying noticed Empress Yuan Chun's nervousness, so she squatted down and pinched Zhou Jin's cheek. Then she took out two pieces of winter melon candy from her bosom and handed them over, while trying to smile as kindly as possible. "What a beautiful child. Here, I'll treat you to some candy."
Zhou Jin stared at her blankly.
There seemed to be crystal clear tears in her eyes.
Zhou Jin subconsciously looked at his mother. Empress Yuan Chun kept her lips tightly closed and remained on guard. Little Zhou Jin sensed something and did not dare to reach out to take it.
Xu Zhenying smiled and took Zhou Yu's hand, stuffing the candy into her hand, "Here, share some with your brother."
Zhou Yu held it in his hand.
Empress Yuan Chun said, "Zhou Yu, you and Nanny Li take your brother out to play for a while."
Zhou Yu looked at his mother with some worry, then at Xu Zhenying.
She knew that the sister in front of her who was talking and laughing was the legendary His Royal Highness Prince Zhao.
Soon, His Royal Highness Prince Zhao will replace his brother and become the new emperor.
After the two siblings left, Xu Zhenying waved his hand again, signaling everyone else to leave, leaving only Feng'er, Zhou Houfang, Qian Zhenniang, Ming Xiaoshuang, Chang Yuanshan and others.
Seeing so many women in the house, and even female soldiers patrolling outside her palace in the past two days, Empress Yuan Chun was shocked.
I knew that women in Jinzhou Prefecture could become officials or soldiers, but I was still shocked when I saw it with my own eyes.
He even had a small hope in his heart: Xu Zhenying, who could get women to work, must not be a simple character. Maybe she was really different from other rebels, and maybe the three of them could really have a way to survive.
Xu Zhenying sat down, and then said to the crowd, "Please choose a seat. Empress Yuan Chun... well, I will call you Madam Zhou from now on. Please take a seat as well."
Empress Yuan Chun sat down, but her tense body betrayed her nervousness.
"Mrs. Zhou, don't be nervous. I came here to ask you what your plans are for the future."
Yuan Chun smiled bitterly, "What plans can I have? The life and death of the three of us, mother and son, depends entirely on your Highness's decision."
Xu Zhenying said, "It seems Madam Zhou has quite a few misunderstandings about me. I don't like killing people. I don't like violence when I can handle things with my brain. Life is not easy for everyone, and life is priceless. Madam Zhou is only in her twenties, in the prime of her life. Why are you always so pessimistic?"
Yuan Chun thought to herself: Xu Zhenying's words are too condescending. After all, the victors are kings and the losers are bandits. Since she won the city of Bianjing, naturally, everything she said was right.
Empress Yuan Chun lowered her head and asked, "Your Highness, are you here to ask for the Imperial Seal?"
Xu Zhenying was slightly stunned, then looked at Feng'er, "Didn't they say the Imperial Seal was stolen by Zhou Mian's men? But they were captured by our men halfway, and we didn't hear anyone say who had the Imperial Seal."
Feng Er said, "That's right, but I had already anticipated that they would definitely try to steal the imperial seal, so I made a fake one and gave it to the Queen."
Xu Zhenying was stunned by Feng'er's outrageous actions and said, "The Imperial Seal is not easy to forge, right? Zhou Mian must be familiar with it. How did you trick him?"
"It's a lucky chance. I was just giving it a try. I bet Zhou Mian wouldn't have the time to be distracted by the urgency of the situation. I asked Master Xu to have a craftsman make a fake seal of comparable weight. Zhou Mian was so crazy and drunk at the time, I'm afraid he didn't even notice it was fake."
Empress Yuan Chun was slightly surprised when she heard this. Xu Zhenying didn't even know that the real jade seal was in her hands?
If that’s the case, then why did she come to see me in such a hurry?
Empress Yuan Chun had experienced a palace coup and was sensitive. She wondered in her heart if the master and servant were acting in front of her?
But Xu Zhenying's astonishment didn't seem fake—
As expected, Xu Zhenying turned to look at Empress Yuan Chun, "The real imperial seal is in Madam Zhou's hands?"
Yuan Chun's shoulders tensed. "Yes. I know you all want this imperial seal, but..."
Empress Yuan Chun's face was filled with despair, and she knelt on the ground with a plop. Tears welled up in her eyes, and her voice was mournful. "Your Highness, my Zhou family has no one left. We have no soldiers, no power, no people. We are an orphan and a widow, and we can't achieve anything, let alone dream of regaining our position. I am willing to offer the imperial seal with both hands, and I only ask you to spare our lives. Or... or..."
Empress Yuan Chun trembled as she prostrated herself on the ground respectfully. "Or perhaps spare my children's lives... You can take my life... But Zhou Jin and Zhou Yu are still young. I beg Your Highness to show mercy and spare them! They will be mere commoners in the future and will never hinder Your Highness's great cause. I beg Your Highness to consider that I killed the retired emperor and did my best to help Your Highness's great cause... Let them grow up safely—"
Xu Zhenying didn't say anything, but Feng'er got anxious first, "Hey, it seems that you didn't listen to a single word I said to you before."
Xu Zhenying stood up and helped Empress Yuan Chun to her feet. She smiled helplessly, "Why do you all think I, Xu Zhenying, am a ruthless killer? My great cause is already accomplished. Why would I want the lives of a helpless woman and child like you?"
Empress Yuan Chun's face was pale, and her body was trembling slightly. "Your Highness, from ancient times to the present, no king who lost his country has ever had a good ending. But my son... he is only five years old, and he hasn't even had time to be enthroned. He can't be considered an emperor..."
Xu Zhenying helped her up, and Zhou Houfang and others also hurried to help, letting Empress Yuan Chun sit in the chair.
Xu Zhenying then asked, "I understand Madam Zhou's concerns. But I also have a few questions for you. First, are you loyal to your army?"
Empress Yuan Chun looked at her with confused eyes, then shook her head slightly.
"Secondly, do you have any subjects willing to follow you?"
Empress Yuan Chun shook her head.
"Finally, do you have the money and food to support the operation of a country? In other words, do you have the ability to recruit soldiers and horses?"
Empress Yuan Chun seemed to have thought of something, and there was a glimmer in her eyes.
"When I broke into Bianjing City, it was almost effortless. All the civil and military officials obeyed my orders. No one listened to your Zhou family's orders, and no one was willing to fight for you, the Zhou family. The people of the Zhou family have lost their hearts. The common people welcomed my arrival with lights and decorations. Madam Zhou, don't you understand? The reason why the king of a fallen country has no good end is because he is still valuable to be exploited, or in other words, there are still people who miss the previous dynasty. But look at this Bianjing City, listen to the cheers inside the city, you should know that the Zhou family is doomed, and no one is willing to follow you, the Zhou family. You are of no value to me."
Empress Yuan Chun clenched her teeth tightly. She didn't know whether she should be happy that His Royal Highness Prince Zhao seemed to really want to give them a way out, or sad that the Zhou family was so unpopular.
Xu Zhenying said slowly, "Zhou Zhong...is also a man with a miserable life. He was pushed onto the throne like a target, and he lost his life for a throne that didn't belong to him, leaving you, an orphan and a widow, alive in this world."
At this moment, Empress Yuan Chun burst into tears and even cried uncontrollably.
I didn’t expect that the person in the world who understood my late husband’s grievances the most was the always hostile Prince Zhao.
Xu Zhenying supported Empress Yuan Chun and sighed softly, as if he felt sorry for Zhou Chongming's unjust death. "Since the Imperial Seal is in your possession, it must be handed over. It's not safe to keep it in your hands. I will establish an archive, and the Imperial Seal will be placed there as a commemoration of an era for future generations to admire. This palace will also become a place for office use only, so you will naturally have to move out."
It was not until this moment that Empress Yuan Chun was certain that Xu Zhenying really had no intention of killing them!
The tense string in my head also relaxed.
At this moment, she was overwhelmed by the great joy of escaping death, and she was so happy that tears streamed down her face. She didn't know whether to cry or laugh.
Feng Er also sighed, "Madam Zhou, I've already told you that our princess is different from everyone else in the world! She is a very kind person. What could she possibly do with your lives?"
"Mrs. Zhou, I came to see you today mainly to reassure you, but also to give you two choices. The first is that I will give you some money and let you leave the city. From then on, you can hide your identities and live your own lives. The second is to keep your names and identities, stay by my side, and I will protect you. Of course, you can also work like Secretary Wang. Your children will be like ordinary people and can become officials or soldiers. Your children will be like other people."
Xu Zhenying had expected Empress Yuan Chun to hesitate for a moment, but she blurted out without hesitation, "I choose the second option! I... don't want to be a deserter, and I don't want to disgrace my late husband's reputation. I want to live with my children in dignity."
Xu Zhenying was stunned for a moment, as if he had thought of something, then smiled. "Okay. When you're settled outside the palace, come find me. I'll arrange for you to attend the first batch of literacy classes. After you graduate from the literacy classes, I'll assign you a job."
Empress Yuan Chun was overjoyed and walked into the house. Soon, she brought out a wooden box.
Xu Zhenying knew that it was the imperial seal that Zhou Mian refused to let go of until his death.
The ancients seemed to attach great importance to this thing, as if with it, they could raise their arms with justification, regard themselves as emperors, and stir up the world.
In other words, whoever obtains the imperial seal will rule the world.
Such a dead object is given a meaning far beyond its own value.
I really don't understand materialists like Xu Zhenying.
Xu Zhenying didn't even take over and let Chang Yuanshan take over.
Chang Yuanshan was frightened, his arms were tense and he was obviously very nervous.
How can I not be nervous?
Possessing this imperial seal means that His Royal Highness Prince Zhao is the legitimate emperor of the Great Zhou!
Moreover, he was the first person in Jinzhou Prefecture to touch the imperial seal!
This honor is unique in the world!
Chang Yuanshan suddenly felt that the responsibility on his shoulders was heavy!
"Okay, since you're all set, I won't bother you any more. But you need to vacate this Qifeng Palace as soon as possible. This palace will be used solely for official business, and no one will live there. So, whether you or the other palace servants, you'll all have to leave. If you have any problems, feel free to contact Secretary Zhou."
Zhou Houfang quickly saluted Empress Yuan Chun and said, "Madam Zhou, if you have any questions, please come to me."
Empress Yuan Chun's chest heaved, as if she couldn't believe that she had escaped death like this -
However, Xu Zhenying had already turned around and left with his men. When passing through the yard, Zhou Yu stood in front of his brother calmly and pulled his brother behind him.
Zhou Yu was obviously afraid of her, but he still smiled at her. It was really weird that such a young person had already learned to fake a smile.
Xu Zhenying noticed her little action and smiled bitterly in his heart: She is such a kind and amiable young lady, why do children avoid her like a monster?
In her past life, she was very popular among children——
never mind.
No matter how hard she tried to smile friendly, the little princess probably thought she was there to take her life.
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