Chapter 38 Just Laugh Like That for Me
The Emperor decreed that taxes in five prefectures be temporarily reduced by 40%. Corvée labor duties were halved to allow the people to rest. If the remaining prefectures submit their tributes before the end of the year, their taxes the following year will be reduced by 40%, the same as the first five prefectures.
The imperial edict caught the high-ranking officials off guard. Even Wu Xue was astonished when he read it.
Lin Xiang stood beneath the throne, holding his jade tablet, and tears welled up in his eyes as he gazed at the young man who had only attended court after more than half a month.
He wanted to rebuke this ill-conceived measure, but then he thought that His Majesty's willingness to care for the people was a great step forward, and he couldn't spoil the moment, so he had no choice but to hold back in front of everyone.
Even though Yan Dibai was lying on his back sleeping, Prime Minister Lin did not reprimand him as he usually did.
Lin Xiangyu led the way, truly the first time he had ever sung praises. Regardless of what the people were thinking, they all looked ecstatic, and the court was bustling with excitement, far surpassing the howling north wind outside.
After the court session ended, Prime Minister Lin stayed behind with a young man. Wo Xue carefully shook Yan Dibai's sleeve. The young man was fast asleep and was very displeased to be woken up.
This displeasure was no match for the old man's loud "Your Majesty!" Yan Dibai immediately covered his ears and opened his eyes.
Tears welled in Lin Furu's eyes, yet his usually solemn face broke into a smile:
"Your Majesty has finally grown up."
Yan Di raised a white eyebrow and glanced at him again. Sure enough, she noticed a glint in the old man's triangular eyes, and was immediately surprised.
"Did Prime Minister Lin cry?"
Lin Xiang's face stiffened, and he coughed lightly, saying:
"Your Majesty, this old minister is simply delighted!"
"However, the reduction in taxes and corvée labor is too great, creating a tangled web of problems. The number of people working cannot be reduced suddenly. Doing so would surely disrupt order and make things difficult. The most pressing issue now is that the people are lacking food and clothing. In my humble opinion, it would be better to grant them a few more days of rest. If Your Majesty can continue to do so in the future, I fear my tears will flow like rivers!"
Lin Xiang sighed, “Your Majesty could recite the Four Books and Five Classics backwards at the age of six. He is the most intelligent child I have ever taught. If Your Majesty were to earnestly study the essentials of governance and truly care for the people’s livelihood, what would you have to worry about in the future? I will know this even when I am in my coffin!”
When he got excited, Prime Minister Lin listed out one by one the many measures he had planned beforehand. He completely disregarded the young men and servants he had brought with him, his eyes shining and spittle flying as he relentlessly expounded on the grand plan he had constructed in his mind.
He spoke eloquently about his good intentions, but little did he know that Yan Dibai had no intention of truly being a good person.
Yan Dibai's face grew increasingly impatient, yet he couldn't get a word in edgewise. He wanted to shout something, but when he met the old man's tearful eyes, he couldn't bring himself to say it.
Then a pair of eyes glanced at Wuxue, intending to have him pull the person away.
How could Wo Xue dare? He gave a dry laugh and stood there dawdling for a long time without moving.
Even as Prime Minister Lin spoke of several reforms, Wo Xue was still barely standing on the edge of the steps, her feet not even touching the ground.
Yan Dibai raised an eyebrow and glared at him. Wo Xue shuddered and shrank back a few inches. Yan Dibai couldn't stand it anymore. He grabbed the book that had been sprayed with spittle, shook it off, and threw it aside. He stood up, intending to kick him out.
Suddenly, a soft "Your Majesty" came from the back hall, drawing everyone's attention at the same time.
It is Yangliuqing.
…The two of them had been in a rather awkward situation these past few days, and Yan Dibai hadn't expected her to appear at this crucial moment.
Qingqing approached with a cup of freshly brewed tea, her head bowed. Under the constantly shifting gaze of Prime Minister Lin, she set down the teapot and stepped back into the row of servants.
Yan Dibai subtly observed her without making a sound.
Yang Liuqing was adept at reading people's expressions; she couldn't possibly be unaware of the situation. Just then, a teacup was brought over…
I have something to say.
Lin Xiang scoffed, "It's you again." With a flick of his head, the old man began again:
"Your Majesty, this old minister has another important matter to report. Your fondness for actors and your excessive favoritism towards palace maids are almost limitless. There is much gossip and disputes throughout the land, and you have been allowing your servants to act recklessly and damage your reputation."
There wasn't a single word in those words that Yan Dibai wanted to hear. He glanced sideways and pursed his lips, a half-smile playing on his lips:
"When did I ever have a good reputation?"
"I am tired."
Wo Xue immediately went to see the person off, but Prime Minister Lin pushed him away angrily:
"Why is His Majesty refusing to listen to the lessons again?!"
Wo Xue quickly tried to evade the question, but Prime Minister Lin spoke loudly again:
"Since you have decreed that I should be a wise ruler, you must take concrete and practical measures! Reducing taxes is absolutely unacceptable! I have a method to ensure that the granaries are well-stocked, following the Ever-Normal Granary system!"
Yan Dibai was about to lose all patience and was about to splash ink on the old man's head when his sleeve was tugged.
He instinctively glanced sideways, and the annoyance on his face suddenly dissipated slightly.
It's Yangliuqing again.
The girl grabbed his sleeve and shook it slightly, a hopeful look on her face.
"Your Majesty, after hearing what Prime Minister Lin said, I remember now. My family has been poor for many years, and since childhood, I have longed for abundant food and fields full of gold and grain..."
Qingqing secretly tugged at her sleeves, lowered her head and spoke respectfully and politely. She deliberately softened her tone, making her look like a charming little palace maid.
The veins at the corners of Yan Di's eyes started twitching.
Did Yang Liuqing deliberately come here to perform?
Feeling Yan Dibai's wicked gaze, Qingqing lowered her face even further to the ground.
She found it disgusting too, but such a good opportunity was too good to pass up; she feared she would regret it for the rest of her life.
It's okay if it's disgusting, as long as we do something meaningful.
Thinking this, the girl raised her face and fiercely captured the boy's arrogant and haughty eyes. Under Yan Dibai's strange gaze, she gently curved her head.
His eyes twitched; at this moment, she became even more submissive.
"Your Majesty often cares about the people's plight in private, but never speaks of it. Now that Minister Lin is here with his students, Your Majesty—"
Yan Dibai immediately understood what she wanted to do, and a chill ran down her spine. "That's enough."
Prime Minister Lin was naturally overjoyed: "Really?! Your Majesty actually—"
"Enough!" Yan Dibai exploded, his eyes flashing as he glared at Yang Liuqing, who had deliberately tricked him into roasting him over the fire, and sneered:
"Since they are most in need of food, we can send them some seedlings to plant in March and May. After the harvest, they can pay taxes based on the number of seedlings sent."
Yan Dibai spoke casually and decisively, and Wo Xue subconsciously thought to herself that it was just child's play. But then the old prime minister's arm in her hand suddenly twitched.
Don't let the unreliable Emperor make you faint again! He hurriedly tried to hug him, but Prime Minister Lin pushed him away forcefully and excitedly bowed deeply to Yan Dibai:
"Your Majesty is wise! Your Majesty is wise!!! Giving a man a fish is not as good as teaching him how to fish. The fundamental solution is to repay loans with loans. In this cycle, we will surely gradually enrich our granaries. As long as we get through this harsh winter, the court will temporarily provide subsidies. In about half a year, we will see results."
He was so happy he didn't know what to say next, and after a long while he hurriedly said:
"This old minister will discuss this with the Ministry of Revenue immediately!"
For the first time since Yan Dibai ascended the throne, Prime Minister Lin left laughing heartily.
As soon as everyone left, Yan Dibai immediately began to settle scores: "Yang Liuqing, what are you doing! Who gave you the right to make decisions on your own?"
Qingqing glanced outside and saw that Woxue had already closed the door with practiced ease. Suppressing the awkwardness of the past few days, she awkwardly touched her nose, looking completely innocent.
"I didn't say anything."
Yan Di chuckled: "You're still lying? Do you really think I won't punish you?"
He reached out to grab her, but Qingqing flinched, sensing his anger. She immediately made a gesture of surrender.
"Does Your Majesty not wish to see the green seedlings in spring and the golden grains in autumn?"
Yan Dibai frowned slightly: "Why am I looking at that thing? Don't change the subject!"
Qingqing chuckled, then, as if struck by a sudden thought, she lowered her eyes, darted them from side to side, and then grinned at him, revealing eight bright, shining teeth:
“When I was a child, I was always happy to see new seedlings. As long as new ones were planted, we would have something to eat. The land would not go to waste, and people would not be anxious. As long as we worked hard, they would grow round and round. As the days went by, we were very happy.”
She didn't know how to farm or grow flowers and plants. Living in a highly competitive province, studying was the top priority. But her home was in a semi-rural area, with farmland not far away. They grew rice and wheat, soybeans, mung beans, red beans, corn, sesame seeds…
It can save money. Grandma works in the fields every day to feed them.
Fish and shrimp roam the river, and large willow trees and fruit trees grow along its banks, all lush and green.
In her nineteen years of memory, the best scenery has always been the vibrant green of spring and the brilliant gold of autumn.
For those at the bottom who drift with the tide, this is something incredibly important and precious.
Therefore, when Qingqing heard Yan Dibai's intention to buy green seedlings on credit, her heart was instantly stirred.
…I could really empathize with Lin Xiangru when he was moved to tears.
Well, the directness of this sentence is consistent with Yan Dibai's personality and style. But the decisiveness revealed in it made both her and Prime Minister Lin instantly see a bright future.
She clearly only wanted to come out and indirectly advise Yan Dibai, but instead, she was enlightened by him.
Qingqing's joy welled up spontaneously:
"Your Majesty is truly remarkable; your very first move has garnered high praise from Prime Minister Lin. Your Majesty's makeup is also becoming increasingly beautiful. A thin layer of powder, so clear and fair." She momentarily abandoned any sense of distance, searching for something on his face to compliment him:
"Your Majesty's eyebrows are beautifully drawn, the corners of your eyes are well-defined, your hair is beautiful, and your heart is becoming increasingly broad. Your Majesty will surely be a capable emperor."
She wasn't usually this talkative. But these past few days, she's inexplicably become much more talkative. Perhaps she's too excited today, and has almost forgotten the awkwardness between them before. All she sees is the stiff expression on the boy's face.
Yan Di swallowed hard. She actually felt her face burning.
Who praises someone like that? His concubines, servants, and even his elder sisters would at least praise him with words like "heroic and brave" or "exquisitely beautiful." Not one of them would go on and on like that, praising everything from his hair to the shape of his lips.
Yan Dibai wanted to mock her: Why don't you use your wits when you're flattering someone?
However, as he turned his head away and listened to her launch into a tirade of praise, he felt a strange mix of emotions—a sense of comfort and warmth.
This odd behavior couldn't overcome Shuxin's feelings. Yan Dibai glanced at her discreetly, his voice surprisingly low, like a naughty child who had done something wrong, outwardly defiant but inwardly hesitant:
"Am I that good?"
Qingqing nodded repeatedly: "If Your Majesty can always be this good, why worry about not having anyone to love and respect you?"
“…”
Yan Dibai choked for a moment, then muttered:
"I don't need anyone's adoration..."
Qingqing smiled and said, "Okay, then I'll secretly admire you."
Yan Dibai: "..." Suddenly she didn't want her to be so happy.
He suddenly sat down on the low stool and stared at her intently. Then, mimicking Qingqing, he grinned, revealing eight teeth, and burst into wild laughter, bending over and over.
He laughed until Qingqing was stunned, then Yan Dibai calmly looked directly into her slightly bewildered eyes.
"From now on, smile like this for me."
"Um?"
Yan Dibai chuckled and turned to toss the paperweight around, one eye peeking out from his black hair as he glanced at her sideways.
"Your smile is particularly ugly; it makes me want to laugh too. When I laugh, I feel better."
Qingqing: ……
His face fell, and he turned away to tidy up his belongings.
Yan Dibai suddenly raised the corners of her lips to the sunlight, concealing the spring-like glint in her eyes.
*
Feng An fed Dai Yun, who was lying in bed, a dose of medicine and went out, just in time to see Prime Minister Lin hurrying out of the palace. He watched quietly for a while, then leisurely left.
Lin Xiang walked very fast. The students hurried behind him, constantly asking questions:
"Teacher, how are you?"
Lin Xiang laughed even more heartily, "Gong Yu, what do you think of His Majesty's actions?"
The boy pondered for a moment: "If the teacher says it's good, then it must be very good."
Lin Xiang suddenly stopped, bent down, grabbed a handful of snow, scattered it into the air, stood with his hands behind his back, and gazed at the bright light.
"Yes, good!"
His smile was enigmatic: "I underestimated that little maid."
"Excellent."
Outside the Xianning Palace, very few people knew about the Green Sprouts Law.
Yan Xifang was uneasy.
The maid cooked her a lot of sweet soup, but she didn't touch a single bite.
Unable to bear seeing her mistress so worried these days, she could only comfort her again: "The young emperor is probably just acting on a whim. How can he possibly manage the affairs of the country with such a childish attitude? Reducing taxes and corvée labor is just wishful thinking, mere empty talk. The young master An is making plans in the palace, and the second young master is making arrangements outside. You don't need to worry."
Yan Xifang was deathly pale: "You don't understand."
"Although I am his older sister, I have never truly seen him for who he is."
The maid remained unconvinced: "Even close brothers keep clear accounts; you can't judge a book by its cover. There's nothing strange about that."
Yan Xifang shook her head: "It's different."
Whether it was stealing cakes as a child or shielding him from disaster, even if he exposed all his injuries to Yan Dibai, he would not show the slightest worry on his face.
Yan Xifang was puzzled by her younger brother several times.
Why did he always smile at everyone he met since he was a child, especially at her?
He laughs when she cries, he laughs when she laughs, he laughs at everything she does.
For decades, he seemed to have only one expression.
Even when she first heard him openly crying and cursing at the banquet, she was stunned for a long time and couldn't come to her senses.
Yan Xifang hadn't been entirely unaware of the possibility of her trying to get information indirectly. However, regardless of the source, the information she obtained was identical to what Yan Dibai had told her.
He was born this way.
If we are born this way, then what about the obedient children we were before?
After much thought, she could only come to one conclusion.
It's fake.
"...When Feng An was planning a peasant uprising in Jizhou, he was entangled by a woman. That woman was later taken in by Shao Lang at the Nameless Nunnery?"
"yes."
The maid didn't seem to care much. "Young Master Feng'an also said that she's just a village girl. This woman had met Xiao Yuanjing before and had been pestering you for half a year. I'm afraid something might happen to her in the future. Since Young Master Feng'an is mindful of the life-saving grace and doesn't intend to kill her, then we can only lock her up. The world is in such chaos, this is already the best place for her."
"...What is he doing leaving the palace today?"
The maid smiled and said, "It's only been half an hour, nothing much can be done. If the lady is really curious, just send someone to ask and you'll know."
After reporting, the maid took out a piece of paper: "Madam, the Second Young Master requests to meet you on the first day of the new year."
Yan Xifang's pale face suddenly regained color: "But at the beginning of the year..."
"You need not worry. The Second Young Master has prepared many fine things. Just have someone mix them into the young emperor's tobacco and he will be confused and unable to bother you."
The silk handkerchief was slowly opened, and white powder appeared like fine snow. Yan Xifang was stunned for a moment, then picked up a little and put it on her fingertip.
The maid smiled confidently: "The elixir of immortality is extremely rare. Madam, you should make a decision."
“Even if the Li family’s troops occupy the area ten miles outside the nameless temple, this is still the capital. Xiao Yuanjing has been eyeing us covetously, and Prime Minister Lin is deliberately letting him fight us. We have all the advantages, and we cannot, and need not, delay any longer.”
The maid went out to fetch hot water, leaving Yan Xifang to ponder alone.
Amidst the cawing of crows, Yan Xifang stared at the powder. She lightly licked a tiny speck from her fingertip. Her pupils dilated abruptly, an indescribable dizziness washing over her.
Yan Xifang gripped the small table with her five fingers, breathing heavily. She smiled for no apparent reason.
Shaolang used this thing to murder his father and drag the old patriarch to his death. Now, it's her turn to uphold justice and punish her brother who can't distinguish between human and ghost.
She did it for the sake of the world.
We really can't wait any longer.
When the maid returned, the beauty said, "But there is one more person to deal with before that."
“Yang Liuqing is quite intelligent, and the only one who has won his favor so much. If she is willing to serve me, I will guarantee her and her entire family's wealth and honor. If she is not,”
Yan Xifang carefully wrapped up the powder, a sorrowful look on her face: "Don't blame me..."
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Author's Note: Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2023-10-02 23:30:20 and 2023-10-05 18:32:46!
Thank you to the little angel who threw the landmine: 1 "lol";
Thank you to the little angel who irrigated the nutrient solution: 庶乎近焉i 15 bottles;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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