At the court assembly, the Empress formally held a ceremony to appoint Qin Chuan as the Imperial Preceptor.
On the altar, Qin Chuan, dressed in heavy ceremonial robes and wearing a heavy crown, completed several rituals under the guidance of the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy and officials from the Ministry of Rites.
After the ceremony, the court discussed measures to resettle the displaced people.
Qin Chuan proposed that all the officials donate some money. However, after much persuasion, everyone was only willing to donate a little bit. The most they donated was only one thousand taels, which was donated by the old general of Andingguo. He really had no money. Everyone else made up various excuses to avoid it.
The Right Chancellor, Li Zongmin, was particularly outrageous; he was utterly stingy!
The total amount of donations was less than 20,000 taels, which was a drop in the ocean compared to the 3 million needed to resettle the displaced people.
After court, the Empress was in the imperial study, so angry that she overturned everything on the desk to the floor: "That old scoundrel Li Zongmin! I really want to skin him alive! What kind of look is that? Does he think I'm playing house?"
"I usually turn a blind eye to his corruption, but when I ask him for some money, he won't give me a single penny!"
The eunuchs and maids carefully picked up the items from the table and then stood at attention to serve.
"Call Xiao Yue, or rather, call Qin Chuan..."
"Your Majesty, the Imperial Preceptor has left the capital."
What was he doing out of the city?
The Empress paused slightly, and a eunuch behind her whispered, "Your Majesty, could the rumors be true... that the Imperial Advisor has already escaped?"
"What rumors?" the Empress asked coldly.
The eunuch dared not conceal the truth and knelt down, saying, "This servant has only just heard that some ministers outside are spreading rumors that the Imperial Preceptor is a demon of unknown origin, sent to disrupt the court and sabotage the great cause. They also say he is a spy for the Jiang Kingdom..."
Upon hearing this, the Empress gritted her teeth and angrily retorted, "Nonsense! Haven't they all read Qin Chuan's file? His grandfather was a minor official in Sichuan, his father was a farmer, Qin Chuan could compose poetry at the age of six and was a child prodigy, his father took him to travel the world, and they eventually settled in a winery in Chong County, Jiangzhou. His background is so clear, how could he be a spy for the Jiang Kingdom? This is utter nonsense!"
"Since Qin Chuan came to the capital, everything he has done and every word he has said has been in accordance with my wishes. He was sent by Heaven to help me, how could he be here to cause trouble!"
"Who exactly is spreading these rumors?"
"This servant does not know."
"Enough," the Empress said coldly, flicking her sleeve. "Prepare the carriage. We're going to the Dali Temple..."
"yes."
...
The south gate of the capital, Pingchang Gate.
The city and the outside world are separated by only one wall, yet they seem to be two different worlds!
The city was bustling with people, dressed in bright and clean clothes, walking leisurely down the streets. Some carried baskets, others rode mules, chatting and laughing with each other. People in the market were making a lot of noise and shouting, creating a prosperous scene!
Outside the city, hundreds upon hundreds of refugees gathered, their faces pale and their clothes tattered, trudging along. When they met, they exchanged no pleasantries, but instead exchanged wary glances, each on guard against the other…
The grass on the ground had been stripped clean, and the bark on the trees had been eaten away; they had eaten everything edible.
The number of refugees grew to over ten thousand, and the reason they gathered there was simple: to wait for porridge.
On the city wall, a young man dressed in a black brocade robe with a gilded dragon pattern and wearing a purple-gold crown stood watching everything below...
Beside him stood a beautifully dressed girl of about fourteen or fifteen, adorned with gold jewelry, her delicate face still bearing a hint of childishness. She too silently gazed towards the base of the city wall…
Behind him stood an official in a red robe, bowing as if awaiting his orders.
The young man was Qin Chuan. He said calmly, "Lord Zhang, pass down the order: I will personally inspect the porridge. If the chopsticks float, the head will fall to the ground."
The official in red robes was Zhang Xun, the governor of the capital region, who nodded hurriedly: "This humble official will give the order immediately."
After Zhang Xun withdrew, the little princess looked at Qin Chuan with a grin: "Fifth Uncle, you're really impressive! I never thought you'd become the Imperial Advisor! I always thought His Majesty would reward you with a high-ranking official position, but I never expected it to be such a high-ranking one!"
Qin Chuan smiled, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. He hadn't expected the Empress to value him so highly. Now that he had become the Imperial Advisor, he felt it was necessary to do something for the Empress and for the country.
The young princess continued, "Fifth Uncle, my father is back. He took your medicine and looks much better. I just don't know what illness he has. Can you tell me what illness my father has?"
"this……"
Qin Chuan was speechless. Was this something he could say?
After thinking for a moment, he said tactfully, "His Highness was just weak at first, but later, perhaps he ruined his health by taking the wrong medicine. You don't need to worry too much. As long as you follow my instructions, he should get better..."
"Oh..." The little princess nodded her head and laughed happily, "I believe in Fifth Uncle!"
More and more refugees gathered at the foot of the city wall, when suddenly a commotion arose, as if someone was shouting and yelling...
Qin Chuan and the young princess hurriedly looked down and saw more than a dozen people surrounding a man and a woman, as if a fight was about to break out.
It is not uncommon for displaced people to form gangs and even fight over food.
It was just a dozen people bullying two people, and Qin Chuan couldn't stand it any longer. He raised his hand and said, "Go down and take a look."
The young princess followed behind him.
A group of about thirty fully armed city guards escorted the two down to prevent the refugees from causing trouble and injuring the Imperial Preceptor or the young princess.
At this moment, at the foot of the city wall.
A burly man with a fierce-looking face and skin and bones picked up a log that looked to weigh a hundred pounds and snarled at the group of people, "Scarface! You bastard, I'll beat you to death for daring to bully my sister!"
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