After the New Year's Day, all officials attended the court meeting. Su Juan woke up early and yawned because she did not sleep well the night before.

Liu Miaoqing followed her into the hall and met many colleagues along the way. She whispered, "I heard that the Ministry of Justice has not made any progress in the investigation of the case in Xuzhou. Someone will definitely bring it up today."

I guess when Xuzhou is mentioned, someone will inevitably want to report the Ministry of Revenue. After all, the Ministry of Revenue has been attracting too much envy in the past year.

"Let's wait and see." Su Juan looked around. Because of her promotion, her standing position in court meetings had changed. She could no longer fall asleep at the back.

The Minister of Revenue, Mo Youqian, teased, "Xiao Su, you are the youngest of the six ministers I have ever met."

At the beginning he felt that Su Juan was very capable and could be of great use, so he kept cultivating her. He didn't expect that only a short time later, after returning from a trip to Xuzhou, she would rise rapidly!

Su Juan smiled implicitly, "I have to thank Lord Mo for his cultivation of this humble official."

Minister Mo smiled and narrowed his eyes, "To be honest, I know how to read faces. When I first saw you, I felt that you had the appearance of a pillar of society."

"Mr. Mo, you are too kind."

Su Juan was almost unable to respond, [Stop talking, you're blushing from all the praise. ]

Many court officials looked over and blushed.

How thick-skinned is Minister Su? How could he blush?

[It's true that Mo Youqian is too boastful. I didn't know he had such a saying before. ]

The Minister of Personnel snorted coldly. Who among those who are associated with you doesn’t have a sharp tongue?

Liu Miaoqing observed her surroundings calmly. This was her first time standing in this golden palace to attend a court meeting. Those in front of her were all high-ranking officials above the third rank.

Among the six ministries, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of Justice were all involved in the affairs of Xuzhou, but only people from the Ministry of Revenue were rewarded and promoted. The Minister of War even hanged himself in prison, and to this day no one has filled the position of Minister of War.

Just as she was thinking this, the emperor entered the Golden Palace and all the officials came to pay homage.

Just as they talked about a few recent events, Mei Shangshu of the Ministry of Personnel came forward and said, "Your Majesty, I have something to report."

When the weather got cold, the old emperor always wanted to leave the court quickly, "Hurry up and tell me."

"A few months ago, the price of rice in Xuzhou skyrocketed. It is said that this was the work of Su Shilang of the Ministry of Revenue. Not only did he not open the warehouses to release grain, he even supported the local rice merchants with the Xuzhou prefect to drive up the price of rice. As a result, the people of Xuzhou complained bitterly that they could not even get enough rice to eat, and people were starving to death everywhere on the road."

"Minister Su even took the Xuzhou prefect to eat, drink and have fun with wealthy merchants from all over the country under the pretext of soliciting business from Xuzhou. This is truly a dereliction of duty."

As he was speaking, the Right Vice-Central Imperial Censor stepped forward and seconded the proposal, "Your Majesty, I have also heard about this matter. Although the Ministry of Revenue has made great contributions in disaster relief this time, its mistakes cannot be ignored."

Suddenly, many people looked at Su Juan.

Su Juan yawned lazily, "You just follow others' advice all day long, without any opinions of your own. No wonder you are only the Right Deputy Censor-in-Chief at your age."

Some people almost burst out laughing.

After hearing this, Liu Miaoqing almost laughed out loud, with a smile on his face.

Those ministers who had been reported by the Right Deputy Censor-in-Chief many times even wanted to jump up and applaud Su Juan.

Su Juan's words simply hit the heart of the Right Deputy Censor-in-Chief, making him blush with anger. "Your Majesty, meritorious service should be rewarded, and faults should be punished. Only in this way can the court officials be convinced."

The old emperor immediately became impatient. Hadn't the price of rice been lowered? The prefect of Xuzhou also mentioned necessary measures in extraordinary times. Why was he bringing it up again now? Did he have nothing else to do?

Don't force yourself to play if there is nothing to do!

"Where is Minister Su of the Ministry of Revenue?"

Su Juan stood up and said, "I am here."

When she stood out, everyone saw her. She was no longer like before, where she stayed at the back. She had to walk forward for a long time to answer questions.

It was the first time that the old emperor saw her at such a close distance in the Golden Palace. The little girl standing there looked quite energetic.

"What do you have to say about what Minister Mei and Censor Chen said?"

Su Juan responded in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, what Minister Mei said is true, and I have no words to defend myself."

The Minister of Personnel sneered and said, "There's nothing to say about leaving you alone."

The old emperor's eyes flashed. He usually talked a lot, but now he was speechless?

Su Juan stood in the sight of everyone, [These old guys are just jealous of the Ministry of Revenue's recent achievements, and they are using me, a newly promoted official, to suppress me. Alas, they are so petty, no wonder they are stuck in the position of Shangshu at this age, unable to move. ]

[Alas, one day I might be packed up and go back to my hometown with the Minister of War.]

The Minister of Personnel was so angry that his face turned red and black. Who are you talking about! Who are you talking about!

If you have the ability, just say it openly. Why keep muttering to yourself, what ability do you have?

The old emperor narrowed his eyes, "Su Qing, do you really have nothing to say or defend yourself?"

Su Juan was silent for a moment, [Do I have to say this? ]

[Well, I should say a few words, so that I will not waste the position of a fourth-rank minister that I have worked so hard to climb to at such a young age.]

Someone coughed lightly and said, "Okay, okay, everyone knows that you are a fourth-rank minister at such a young age."

Su Juan said in a clear voice, "Your Majesty, the so-called driving up of rice prices is just a necessary measure in extraordinary times. If there is a rise, there will be a fall. Opening the warehouses to release grain can only solve the hunger of the disaster victims in the short term. Only by attracting grain merchants from other places to transport grain to Xuzhou, completely lowering the rice price, and then attracting wealthy merchants from all over the country to Xuzhou to develop business, can Xuzhou solve its current predicament."

"Only when Xuzhou becomes prosperous can the people of Xuzhou have a livelihood and can rely on their own hands to eat food for a long time, thus avoiding the famine problem in the two years after the disaster. I think this is the best policy."

"Therefore, I have nothing to say in defense of what Minister Mei said."

Su Juan spread her hands and said, "Do you understand? If you still don't understand, don't say anything more, so as not to let everyone know that you are stupid."

Many people nodded repeatedly. What Minister Su said made sense. Looking at the current situation in Xuzhou, anyone with a discerning eye would know that Minister Su's approach was indeed effective.

Otherwise, the prefect of Xuzhou would not have submitted more than a dozen memorials in succession.

[Logically speaking, if one can sit in the position of Shangshu and Yushi, he shouldn't be so stupid as to not understand what people say, right? ]

They all understood it, but I don’t know if Minister Mei and Censor Chen could understand it.

[If you still don't understand, the old emperor will probably have to consider whether to promote some new people who can understand what people say to replace you two old guys. ]

The old emperor looked at the two of them and narrowed his eyes. That's right.

Minister Mei and Censor Chen could have raised a few more questions, but now they were trapped by Su Juan's words and could neither move forward nor back down.

Su Juan changed the subject and said, "Since you want me to speak, then I must say a few more words."

"Speaking of the affairs of Xuzhou, Your Majesty, I also have something to ask Minister Mei."

The old emperor clasped his hands and was no longer in a hurry to leave the court.

Even the courtiers who could not help dozing off pricked up their ears.