Preparations for the ancestral worship ceremony were completed quickly.
On this important annual occasion, all officials except those on assignment must go along, though their accommodations differ depending on their rank.
A temporary palace was built at the imperial mausoleum. Lin Chen had been instructed in advance to lead his men to surround it, and neither side had a chance to get involved.
When asked, the reason was perfectly legitimate.
Lin Chen said: "The Imperial Guards are the Emperor's close guards, and it is only right and proper for them to protect His Majesty. In fact, it would be improper for others to defend this place."
If we're talking about the army that can be mobilized at will in the capital, then the Imperial Guards are the only ones. But unfortunately, no one tried to bring this force under their control back then. In order to avoid conflict, they could only grit their teeth and swallow their pride, and returned empty-handed.
At this point, Yunqing gained a deeper understanding of Commander Lin's courage.
[Openly criticizing him, no wonder he's a future confidant of the little tyrant.]
Yun Qing admired this person. Given her self-preservation mindset, she probably wouldn't have chosen to step forward at this time if she weren't in a position where she had no room to retreat.
"By the way, Your Majesty, Tan Zaiheng has already set off. We should be able to see some results by the next wave of planting."
Yun Qing urged Tan Zaiheng to leave before the ancestral worship ceremony, firstly to avoid the attention of the Prince of Pingjiang and Duke Liang Zhi, as they would certainly not have time to notice him while they were busy at the imperial mausoleum, and secondly to see the results as soon as possible.
"Furthermore, someone presented me with a high-yield crop, which I have already ordered to be planted. If it is truly that miraculous, we can try to promote it next spring."
Yun Qing went back to the manor to take a look and found that it was the corn and sweet potato she remembered. However, it had not yet undergone various selective breeding and cultivation, so it was certainly not as high-yielding as in later generations. But compared to the original grains in the Da Xi territory, the yield was still quite high.
The quantity is too small; we need to plant a previous season's worth first. Otherwise, I wouldn't need to make up this excuse to deceive people.
Xie Rang then realized that the Grand Tutor had already considered the matter of the corn and sweet potatoes, and it was only a matter of time.
He subconsciously rubbed his fingers together, his emotions calming down: "It's good that the teacher has made the decision. It's just that the Ministry of Works will need to find someone to fill the gap sooner or later."
Of the six ministries, only the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Justice were slightly better. The Ministry of Works was rotten to the core, with virtually no capable people inside. Of course, it was also the place that colluded most with Liang Zhigong.
"The imperial examinations are held every three years, and they won't be held until the year after next. Unless there are special circumstances, this matter will probably be difficult to handle."
What are special circumstances?
Yun Qing's heart skipped a beat.
[I remember now. In the first year of the young tyrant's reign, he swiftly executed most of the corrupt officials, staining the court with blood. That same year, he held a special imperial examination, recruiting a large number of fresh faces into the court. Hiss.]
Xie Rang's dark pupils lit up: "Grand Tutor, what if we were to eliminate Liang Zhigong's cronies?"
Emperors are often suspicious, and nowadays young people have their own ideas: if there's a problem, they simply won't use it and will replace it with something new.
“Good idea.” Yun Qing paused for a moment, “but we can’t be too radical. We need to wait for the right opportunity.”
In Yun Qing's view, dealing with Liang Zhigong might be simpler than dealing with Pingjiang Wang. The pretext of "purging the court of corrupt officials" would be legitimate and no one would object. What they needed to think about was how to deal with Pingjiang Wang, who would be unchecked, after that.
Xie Rang nodded obediently: "Grand Tutor, rest assured, I know what I'm doing."
Solving it in several stages is surely a gradual approach.
Xie Rang understood that if the Grand Tutor found out, he would definitely be angry again, but it wouldn't be a big problem. He would act quickly and finish these things before the Grand Tutor could react. Then he could say a few kind words and it would all be over.
It has to be said that, to some extent, Xie Rang had a firm grasp on Yun Qing's soft-heartedness.
It is said that imperial tombs are related to the fate of a country, so they were specially chosen in auspicious locations, not far from the capital. Every year, a large sum of money is spent on their maintenance, and they are built in a very grand manner. Of course, the imperial palaces that match them are also quite impressive.
Yun Qing could only see the restored images in the future. When she got off the carriage and saw the palace built against the mountain, she was overwhelmed by its grandeur and was amazed by the extravagance of the nobles.
[The tyrant may not have had much respect for these ancestors; if I remember correctly, he didn't hold any ancestral rites even once during his reign.]
Xie Rang chuckled inwardly; this was his style.
In his view, he had never received the protection of the late emperor, and those so-called ancestors did not necessarily favor him. After death, all that remains is ashes, so what use was his respect for them?
The ancestors, though seemingly nonexistent, could neither save the crumbling empire of Dae Hee nor help him deal with his troublesome political affairs. So why spend money supporting them? It would be better to allocate more money to disaster victims.
"Lord Lin has already arranged accommodations for His Majesty and Lord Li. This servant will lead the way."
The ancestral worship ceremony was a grand affair, and Shunfeng, who usually served in the Taihe Hall, also came along. Yunqing brought Diancui, who was busy at the shop, to prevent any accidents, but she was in the car behind and probably hadn't found her yet.
Xie Rang raised his chin: "Go ahead."
Since the two of them were of high status, Lin Chen arranged for them to have their rooms next door for easier protection, with a small door connecting them. It's hard to imagine what kind of person could come up with such a room layout.
Yun Qing glanced at it and felt a chill run down her spine.
[We'll have to stay here for another seven days. After this, we must be careful and not let the little tyrant see through our scheme.]
Yun Qing remained expressionless, but she had already made up her mind to have her bodyguards keep watch at that small door, lest the child suddenly decide to come over and see something he shouldn't.
Xie Rang narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze on Yun Qing becoming inquisitive: "Does the Grand Tutor have any dissatisfaction with the construction of this door?"
"How could that be?"
Even if she did, she wouldn't dare say it; she couldn't explain it clearly.
Seeing that the atmosphere was tense, Shunfeng's eyes darted around, and he chimed in at the right moment: "Assassins often lurk in the palace. This door is for emergencies. It's clear that His Majesty trusts Lord Li very much!"
Leaving the other side of the backup escape door for Yun Qing can indeed be considered a sign of trust in a certain sense.
Yun Qing thought this little eunuch was capable and worthy of her trust. She smiled and said, "In that case, I should thank Your Majesty for your trust."
Yun Qing considered herself and Lin Chen to be colleagues, and she would often consciously encourage Lin Chen to take the initiative to communicate with the little tyrant. Xie Rang had already reviewed the room arrangements in the palace beforehand, so he must know about it.
Faced with the blatant praise, Xie Rang suppressed all the chaotic thoughts in his mind, and he felt a little embarrassed: "It was my willingness to let the Grand Tutor live next to me."
It's not just because of trust.
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