Chapter 489 Roast Session
The atmosphere in the hall was solemn during the morning court session the following day.
Huo Lingao sat on the dragon throne, his face calm and composed, exuding an imposing aura without anger.
He gave no one any leeway and directly ordered the Minister of Justice to step forward and publicly announce the results of the investigation into several officials in Jiangnan.
The Minister of Justice, holding a prepared dossier, took a deep breath and announced loudly: "Liu Xian, the Deputy Transport Commissioner of Jiangnan Circuit, embezzled a total of 87,000 taels of silver from funds allocated for dike repairs."
"Zhou Wenyuan, the Assistant Magistrate of Jiangning Prefecture, secretly exchanged seven letters with the remaining forces in the Southern Frontier. He also deliberately fabricated and spread rumors to slander the Empress's reputation. The evidence is conclusive."
"Further investigation revealed that many of the aforementioned individuals had clandestine dealings and financial transactions with the late Empress Dowager's maternal family..."
The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The only sound was the Minister of Justice reading aloud. Many officials had cold sweat beading on their foreheads, soaking the linings under their official hats, and their backs felt chilly.
Everyone understands that this is not just about cleaning up a few corrupt officials, but also about rectifying the political climate in the court.
After dealing with the disgraced officials, Huo Lin did not stop there, and immediately issued new appointments.
"The administration of Jiangnan needs a major overhaul. Xu Muyuan is hereby appointed to temporarily assume the post of Provincial Treasurer of Jiangnan and shall take office immediately. In addition, Xie Yunzhi, a secretary in the Ministry of Revenue, is hereby appointed to assist in the administration of Jiangnan affairs, with a focus on investigating the accounts of previous years and recovering the embezzled funds, ensuring that every penny is returned to the treasury."
"Agriculture is the foundation of the nation. The new variety cultivated by He Ling, the head of the Agricultural Department, is suitable for the soil and water of Jiangnan. This time, it will be selected in Jiangnan for trial planting and promotion. Xu Muyuan and Xie Yunzhi will work together to handle this matter. There must be no mistakes."
This series of personnel arrangements and government orders flowed smoothly and were interconnected.
It has both swift and decisive measures to eradicate the scourge, and a reliable person to take over and clean up the mess, while also taking into account the long-term economic and social well-being.
The emperor's meticulous thinking and decisive actions are both astonishing and admirable.
As the bell tolled to signal the end of court, the officials filed out in single file, their thoughts in turmoil, their steps much more hurried than usual.
News of the dramatic changes in the officialdom of Jiangnan spread like wildfire, quickly reaching every corner of the palace.
In the afternoon, the flower hall of Weiyang Palace presented a completely different scene.
Sunlight streamed in through the windowpanes, warm and inviting.
He Ling sat next to Jiang Huan on the soft couch, her face flushed with excitement and a little bit of lingering fear, and she was gesturing with her hands.
"Your Majesty, you have no idea how terrifying the morning court was today. Even from afar, I felt my legs go weak just looking at the Emperor's imposing presence!"
Ayina was holding a lotus-shaped pastry when she heard this and raised her chin.
"Hmph, if you ask me, those officials should be disciplined. And yesterday at the banquet, when he looked at the people from Jiangnan, he acted like they owed him eight hundred taels of silver."
She glanced mischievously at Jiang Huan as she spoke, "Someone must have gone to great lengths to coax you last night, right?"
Jiang Huan was holding a cup of jujube tea when she heard this and almost choked. She glared at Ayina with annoyance.
Mingzhu covered her mouth and chuckled, then continued, "At yesterday's banquet, when the Imperial Uncle heard the Empress praising the musician's fingering, I saw the look in his eyes from below, and it felt chilling, like a knife. He almost stabbed the musician on the spot."
Jiang Huan was both amused and exasperated by their comments: "I was just going with the flow. Besides, the Emperor is so intelligent, he naturally understands my intentions."
Just tease him a bit, since he always has such a stern face. It's rare to see him change his expression, it's quite amusing.
“I understand, I understand,” Mingzhu leaned closer, her eyes sparkling with gossip, “but I still have to be jealous. Didn’t you see how fast your uncle led you when the banquet ended? He was taking such big, hurried steps. Anyone who didn’t know better would have thought there was a wild beast chasing after him trying to snatch you away!”
Ayina immediately nodded in agreement: "His Majesty's temperament is too awkward. He clearly cares a lot, but he insists on putting on a cold face. If he had just spoken directly at the banquet yesterday, wouldn't it have been better than this?"
A low chuckle rang out in the flower hall. Mingzhu seemed to have remembered something extremely interesting. Her eyes lit up, and she lowered her voice mysteriously.
"By the way, do you know what's the funniest thing? Today, when I passed by the music hall, I overheard the head maid inside whispering that the Emperor actually secretly sent someone to ask how difficult it is to learn the guqin, and how long it would take to be able to play a decent piece."
"Pfft—" Ayina couldn't help but almost spit out the tea and snack she had just taken a sip of. She quickly covered it with her handkerchief, laughing so hard her shoulders were shaking.
"No way? He's really going to learn to play the piano? My God, that's too much to bear, I can't even imagine it."
He Ling smiled, pursing her lips, and analyzed, "Perhaps the Emperor thinks that as long as his zither skills surpass that of that musician, the Empress will only praise him in the future and won't praise anyone else?"
Several women chatted amongst themselves, filling the flower hall with cheerful banter.
Jiang Huan felt both amused and touched as she listened.
Knowing that the sisters didn't really dislike Huo Lin, but were both in awe and fear of his imposing aura, they couldn't help but tease him a bit in private.
However, this lighthearted and enjoyable roast session didn't last long.
About half a cup of tea later, a respectful announcement came from outside the hall.
Wang Degui led several eunuchs in, carrying two exquisite bamboo baskets covered with damp cloths.
“Your Majesty,” Wang Degui greeted with a smile, “His Majesty has been thinking of Your Majesty and has specially ordered this servant to send over the freshest seasonal delicacies from Jiangnan via express courier, so that Your Majesty and all the masters may have a taste.”
As the damp cloth was lifted, a fresh, sweet aroma, a blend of moisture and earthy fragrance, instantly dispelled the tea scent in the flower room.
In one basket were dozens of hairy crabs, tightly bound with straw rope, their claws outstretched and waving, their backs green and bellies white, their claws golden and hair yellow, full of vitality. In another basket were tender white lotus roots, still covered in wet mud and with thick sections, as well as bright green and fresh water bamboo shoots.
"Wow!" Mingzhu exclaimed first, her eyes instantly glued to the plump crabs. Her earlier complaints about Huo Lin vanished into thin air. "Such plump crabs, and these lotus roots and water bamboo shoots, they're so fresh!"
He Ling also looked pleasantly surprised, her professional instincts kicking in, and she stepped forward to take a closer look.
"This crab has a round navel and a hard shell, and its roe is full of yellow fat. The lotus root is also top-quality. Your Majesty is truly thoughtful."
Ayina also curiously approached the basket, pointed at the shell of a crab that was trying to escape with her fingertip, and clicked her tongue in amazement.
"That's quite a feat. Jiangnan is so far away, and it's still so lively and energetic after being delivered here. It must have been quite a journey."
Mingzhu swallowed quietly and muttered, "Actually, although my uncle's face is a bit cold, he's actually quite caring, isn't he?"
He Ling looked at the fresh water chestnuts and nodded: "At least, you have excellent taste in gifts."
The women who had just been chattering and forming a united front to "criticize" the emperor for being scary, awkward, and jealous, now silently shut their mouths as they looked at the tempting Jiangnan food in front of them.
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