Chapter 80 Chapter 80 [VIP]
After delivering this letter, Shen Youyi decided not to ask about Xiao Che's affairs. She was in the inner court, and there were countless matters to bother her every day. What's more, the previous dynasty had some complaints about the Shen family behind her. However, due to the fact that the imperial concubine was extremely favored, not many memorials were submitted. At most, some people complained that Shen Yupu relied on his daughter's favor to act tyrannically and stubbornly, which incited civil unrest.
However, Emperor Yuan Shuo would send these memorials to Shen Youyi for his own review, and give her some of Shen Yupu's secret memorials for her to read carefully.
Unlike the previous officials' expulsion and repatriation, her father tried to accept many refugees in Yongzhou. These people relied on the state officials, who actually used the funds privately allocated by Emperor Yuan Shuo, for their living expenses. They were like private soldiers and were not so polite to the wealthy families in the city.
After the land measurement program that had caused great suffering to the royal family was completed, these refugees either continued to work in lieu of relief, building fortifications in the city, or stayed with local families through marriage. Some also responded to the call to join the army and transport food to the Songzhou front.
The amount of public land available for government distribution in Yongzhou was far less than that in other prefectures and counties, which was quite embarrassing. However, after confiscating the homes of several close relatives of the Cui family, there was some temporary breathing room, which also deterred other princes who wanted to be exempted from taxes by virtue of their royal status.
But now the taxation in Yongzhou is all in one. People can run away, but the land cannot. Shen Yupu reported that after the actual number of land granted was re-assessed, the taxes and fees to be paid by the dignitaries and merchants were expected to double. Not only could it make up for the deficit after he took office, but the silver and money sent to the court would be much more than in previous years.
In simple terms, the tax amount was not determined by the number of people, but was determined based on the wealth of each household and the amount of land they owned. Only the money and rice issued by the court were collected, and the tax was paid twice a year, in money in summer and in rice in autumn.
The rich were burdened with heavier labor service, while the poor were exempted. The families of princes and nobles had to share the labor service, but they could offset it with money. Now that the court was at war, he wrote a letter suggesting that soldiers who were called up to join the army or their relatives could still receive their corresponding share of land, and even after their death, their children and grandchildren could inherit a quarter of it, which was far more than the one-fifth that ordinary people could inherit.
Countless silver and money flowed out, and finally saw some returns. Shen Youyi breathed a sigh of relief for her Aye: "If it weren't for the support of His Majesty, Aye would have torn his face with the royal family like this, and who knows when he would have died."
But even so, it only applies to one state. If it is extended to the whole country, many new problems will arise: "How can the local officials have the same confidence as him?"
Emperor Yuan Shuo pinched her cheek and said softly, "What Yi Niang said is not without reason. In the past, when levying taxes, the government has always targeted merchants. At the very least, it has implicated the guilty ministers and their cronies. Lord Shen is offending a lot of people by doing this. However, most of the county magistrates in various places are knowledgeable people, personally trained by the emperor. Even if they don't have the courage of the emperor's father-in-law, they can still imitate him."
All things are difficult at the beginning, not only because few people dare to be the first in the world, but also because most people always set many obstacles for their future. With the bloody precedent of Yongzhou, it will be easier for other places.
The original intention of implementing the new policy was good, but many drawbacks and "incompatibility" were inevitable. The states and counties would submit petitions regarding this, and the Secretariat would discuss and modify the details again.
Unlike what she had imagined when she was young, the emperor and empress lived deep in the palace, hiding their majestic appearance from the world. In addition to touring and fighting wars all year round, the ministers that Emperor Yuan Shuo usually received in the inner palace were not all officials of the sixth rank or above.
He tirelessly talked with every county magistrate who was about to take office. Even though he sometimes had to meet hundreds of people in a day, he never showed any signs of annoyance and could even tell her some of the backgrounds and resumes of the outstanding ones among them.
Her father's success was built on the foundation that the emperor's rule was still as solid as a rock. The court's control over the local areas did not become weak because of its fatigue in using military forces. The strength of the royal family was far from enough to compete with Tian Liao, who was in his prime. Even if there was occasional resistance, it could be suppressed cruelly. The emperor did not mind using the blood of his own relatives to consolidate his rule.
Perhaps in a few years or decades, new talents would question her father's ideas. She smiled and said, "Yiniang, I don't know if this will be much better, but it's true that not all ancestral laws are good. If this can eliminate the current ills and help Henglang, then even if it means being busy for many more years and being criticized by thousands of people, I am willing to do so."
When the weather warmed up, some good news came from the front line.
Even though the enemy had Da Zanlun in charge of the front line, these people were alone and deep in the enemy's territory. They could not hold out for long amid the vacillation of the surrounding countries, and the court regained most of the lost territory.
However, Emperor Yuan Shuo could not help but hide many of these things from his beloved mother. When a general is away from home, he may not obey the emperor's orders. For example, General Xue dared not fail to report it. Tian Le, the young brother-in-law, was not satisfied with sitting in the military tent and giving advice. He brought a group of people into the tent of Da Zanlun and talked about Buddhism with the arrogant and talented noble prime minister. The two of them were very close and sometimes did not return for several days.
Even Shen Youyi's mother, Bai, who lived in Zhaoyang, was also doing something.
In spring, orioles are singing and flowers are blooming on the trees. As the day of delivery is approaching, Shen became much smaller and left the usual mundane affairs to the female officials so that she could concentrate on taking care of the baby.
Even Emperor Yuan Shuo tried his best to stay by her side, and it seemed that no one could compare.
Although she cherished this child very much, she valued him to an extent that made her feel suffocated.
Emperor Yuan Shuo had always been very indulgent towards her, trying his best not to teach her the extra rules of sitting, standing and walking due to the pregnancy of the royal heir. But recently she seemed to sense his gentle and soft flattery, which was almost a kind of confinement.
He conferred titles on her father and posthumously on her grandfather and grandmother, as if he had really mastered some technique to cut off desires. He no longer held her hand or begged her to do some handicrafts. Instead, he tried his best to please her in bed and give her just the right amount of pleasure.
However, it was almost impossible for ladies of high rank to see the emperor. Even the envoys who had given her parchment scrolls and many rare treasures were not allowed to enter the palace. She complained to her mother twice, but Mrs. Bai poked her forehead, speechless about her daughter's sensitivity.
Because they had been married for many years and had not had children, Bai was very careful when she was pregnant, but it was still far less important than the emperor's regard for the imperial concubine. She said angrily, "You've had a good life, why are you so suspicious? His Majesty treats you well, and yet you still feel uncomfortable?"
She had not originally been optimistic about her daughter's husband, as he was only a few years younger than her and had several princesses before him. Serving the emperor was like living with a tiger, and she didn't know when he would turn against her and order the death of the willful and spoiled Yi Niang.
However, after living in the palace for a long time, she had more and more interactions with Emperor Yuan Shuo, and was a little surprised by the affection between them and the strangeness in Yi Niang's pregnancy. Sometimes, she would unexpectedly see Yi Niang throwing away her shoes in anger, just because her originally beautiful and slender feet were swollen and ugly, and she needed to replace them with new soft and comfortable shoes, and she could no longer dance.
There were also understanding palace maids beside her who persuaded the imperial concubine that all this was normal for a pregnant woman. However, Yi Niang became more and more angry. Even she, as a mother, was confused about how to comfort her daughter. She couldn't just lie to her and say that it would go away soon.
However, the current emperor was a very patient man. He could rush back from the Liangyi Palace, hold the slightly pale Yi Niang in his arms and patiently comfort her, explaining to her the reason for the swelling. After she gave birth, the imperial physician would prescribe her some medicine for conditioning. For example, the one hundred and twenty newly selected adults in the palace had been tested on the rejected wet nurses and had shown that they recovered very quickly. Then he would ask her what she wanted to make up for the anxiety brought about by the pregnancy.
As she retreated, she could even hear the ambiguous sound of water behind the screen, like the whispers of a man and a woman exchanging saliva. The low, gentle voice made people blush. The Supreme God took the trouble to kiss her cheek and said softly, "No one thinks you are wrong. It is because of me that Yi Niang has suffered."
Yi Niang seemed to have made some excessive request, but the emperor just said it was outrageous and left it at that.
Shen Youyi also felt a little guilty about this. She really wanted a child who was related to her by blood, but she could not accept the price to pay. Even if she racked her brains to protect herself, she would still face unprecedented humiliation and weakness. This physical change made her particularly afraid and anxious. Sometimes she even resented this child for diminishing her appearance, restricting her movements, and oppressing her internal organs day and night.
It is impossible for anyone to replace her, not to mention that she would have to give a monologue and go through the gates of hell afterwards.
But others did not think that this was a great sacrifice. She had always been a little sensitive. Compared with the discomfort she felt when eating, other women did not regard this terrifying reaction of hers as a big deal. It was just because she was a noble concubine, the emperor's favorite beauty. A little discomfort was enough to cause a stir in the Purple Palace.
Matters between men and women are mysterious, but Emperor Yuan Shuo had seen her waking up and crying in the middle of the night due to leg discomfort, and he even leaned over to massage her... and even kissed her there bit by bit.
But she was even more unhappy when she came to her senses. This child was the one she loved and wanted. It was not the Shen family tradition to vent her anger on the servants because of these things. There was nothing wrong with what A'niang said.
So when she was a child and not so noisy, she still had the mind to pick up the needle and thread and secretly make a nightgown for Emperor Yuan Shuo. She acted coquettishly and complained to him about her loneliness for the day. Seeing that he was dressed neatly, not in his daily casual clothes, she asked him where he was going.
Emperor Yuan Shuo smiled and stroked her head, his voice slightly dignified, "It's nothing more than a matter of the Eastern Palace. Le Hui insisted on becoming a monk, so I first taught him to practice asceticism in the Eastern Palace with his hair untied for half a month. Today, this child asked me to come over, perhaps he felt some regret."
For him, it would be best if the Dowager could take the initiative to abdicate and become a leisurely and wealthy younger brother. However, the Dowager obviously did not accept this arrangement, and the Emperor did not think that the Crown Prince could really see through the world. The two fathers and daughters were arguing to this extent, and Shen Youyi did not care at all. The skin on her face gradually became thicker, and she had the charm of a plump young woman. She stood up from the dressing table and kissed him: "Then my dear, please go and come back soon. I will have a gift for Your Majesty later."
Emperor Yuan Shuo's temper had become increasingly good in recent days. No matter what she said, he was always smiling. When he heard that she suddenly had a gift to give him, his brows furrowed uncontrollably, but the murderous intent in his heart disappeared in an instant, and he said softly, "Yi Niang is so thoughtful."
Chen Rongshou held his breath as he served the emperor and his concubine, but his heart was beating like a drum.
Tai Liao is determined to become a monk, but now he has closed his door to visitors. How could he invite the Supreme to visit his house?
But after Prince Bai Da Zhao delivered the imperial concubine's letter to the emperor, he never saw the emperor smile again.
The letter from the imperial concubine was written with earnest words. She could not bear to give up the wealth of the palace, but she still had deep feelings for the Marquis of Lingyang. She wanted to meet him before the Nanzhao delegation left the capital, and wanted to arrange a time through the King of Zhao.
The Nanzhao envoy, who went by the pseudonym Qin Yuansi, was also not content. He did not get a response from the imperial concubine and tried many times to bribe people in the palace to see the imperial concubine again, but he delayed his return.
However, the night before, King Zhao received an imperial decree and ordered a eunuch to deliver a letter to Xiao Che, inviting him to meet today.
The Nanzhao delegation left the capital at noon today, but the chief envoy had already changed his luggage and successfully sneaked into the Western Garden.
Layers of imperial guards have surrounded the Western Garden tightly.
Today is the day when the Marquis of Lingyang should die.
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