Donate money! We must donate money immediately.
If we don't donate money, our children and grandchildren will have to go to the battlefield and become weapons for the barbarians!
Outsiders may not know, but they know their own children and grandchildren best.
If it's about eating, drinking, having fun, racking their brains to compose a bad poem, hiring a prostitute, or getting into jealousy and rivalry, they're all quite adept at it.
But if they were on the battlefield, these good-for-nothings would only be able to run away in terror, crying and begging for their parents.
So, at the morning court session the next day, everyone was distracted from state affairs and rushed to step forward to donate silver to replenish the national treasury and support the northern expeditionary army.
Unfortunately, the emperor merely glanced at them indifferently and spoke very politely.
"My dear ministers, your families are not wealthy either. You should not sacrifice your own wealth for the sake of Tianwu. Moreover, as you have mentioned before, the autumn harvest is just around the corner. Once the grain tax is paid, the national treasury will have more silver."
The courtiers were so bitter they couldn't even open their mouths; they had truly shot themselves in the foot.
It turns out that these words were meant to annoy the Emperor, and now the Emperor has easily returned the "bitter fruit" to them.
Some people couldn't bear it any longer and knelt down, weeping and pleading, "Your Majesty, please have mercy and allow me to donate silver to exempt my grandson from military service."
"I am over fifty years old and have only this one grandson. If anything happens to him, my family line will end, and I will not be able to face my ancestors in the afterlife!"
The others followed suit, kneeling down and weeping together.
"Please, Your Majesty, have mercy!"
"Your Majesty, my son has never even held a sword before, how could he possibly defeat the barbarian cavalry..."
"Your Majesty, please have mercy! We are willing to donate money and grain to help us through this difficult time."
The emperor ignored their pleas and remained unmoved.
Having no other choice, the crowd could only turn to the cold and stern-faced Marquis Xinting.
An old minister said, "My lord, our sons are completely ignorant of martial arts and are too weak to even kill a chicken. If they were to join the army, they would only cause trouble for you. Please, my lord, persuade the emperor on our behalf."
The Marquis looked at him carefully for a few moments, and perhaps only then did he remember his identity. He frowned and said coldly, "Lord Guan, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue? If I remember correctly, your thirty-year-old son snatched a peasant girl as his concubine last month."
"He kicked the peasant girl's old father so hard he vomited blood and is still taking medicine to keep him alive. How can someone with such fighting prowess be described as weak? If he were sent to the battlefield to fight against the barbarians, he could at least take on ten men."
"Such bravery is better used to fight for the country than to merely show off to the common people. Don't you think so?"
"This..." Lord Guan was speechless, worried that his son would be angry again for the Marquis of Xinting exposing his shortcomings, so he rolled his eyes and pretended to faint...
Marquis Xinting did not make things difficult for him anymore. Instead, he looked at all the civil and military officials and said, "Previously, when the Northern Expeditionary Army fought for the country and returned with their limbs mutilated, you said that the national treasury was empty and that you could not provide any compensation."
"Now that I have used the income from my family's property to settle the pensions and found shelter for the wounded soldiers, you don't need to worry about it!"
"But Tianwu is not just the Tianwu of the people, but also the Tianwu of you all. The only son of the people can shed blood and sacrifice himself to protect his country. If that's not right, why can't your children and grandchildren do the same? Now it's time for you to do your best for Tianwu. Don't let the people laugh at you!"
"After all, you've spent your whole lives studying the classics and enjoying the support of the people, yet in the end you're just afraid of death. You're not even as good as the peasants and lowly people in your eyes!"
As soon as the words were spoken, the entire court fell silent; no one dared to utter another word.
Everyone felt grief, anger, and regret, but more importantly, they understood one thing.
Previously, the withholding and delaying of the payment of pensions had thoroughly angered Marquis Xinting. His silence was not out of fear of their power, but rather a sign that he was gathering his strength.
Conscription is his revenge on everyone!
Since some people don't understand the hardships and sacrifices of the Northern Expeditionary Army, then let them go to the battlefield themselves and try it...
The emperor sat on the dragon throne, witnessing the suffering of all his court officials.
At this moment, I wish I could look up to the sky and roar out my joy!
Sure enough, you only know the pain when the knife cuts you.
"Dismiss the court!" Chief Eunuch Yi, having received a signal from the Emperor, shouted loudly and then escorted the Emperor to the rear hall.
Seeing that the Emperor's expression was quite good, he whispered, "Your Majesty, what the Marquis said is excellent. This old servant feels very relieved to hear it!"
The Emperor's expression indeed became even more smug. "They can write a whole basketful of eulogies on ordinary days, but they always turn a deaf ear when it comes to getting serious. Now that the time has come, let's see where they can hide!"
After thinking for a moment, Chief Steward Yi cautiously asked, "Your Majesty, there are indeed several families that only have one legitimate son. Are they really going to send him to the Northern Expeditionary Army...?"
"I will not let their bloodline be cut off, but we must wait until these old foxes are truly tamed and willingly give up their own flesh to exchange for their hearts and livers..." The Emperor said, then suddenly remembered something and asked, "Has anyone from the Marquis of Jiangning's residence come to see me at Kunning Palace?"
"Yes," Steward Yi quickly replied, "The Empress's mother requests an audience. I heard that the old Marquis has fallen ill because he is worried about his grandson..."
"Hmph!" the Emperor said coldly, and asked, "Has the Empress summoned you?"
After a moment's thought, Steward Yi replied, "Her Majesty has been feeling unwell these past few days. She has already summoned half of the imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital to see her. She is currently taking tonics and perhaps lacks energy, which is why I haven't seen the Heir Apparent's wife..."
The Emperor glared at Chief Eunuch Yi and said with a smile, "You slippery fellow! You always put on a nice touch and make everything sound good before you say it."
Chief Eunuch Yi chuckled dryly, trying to ingratiate himself, "This old servant is clumsy with words and afraid of saying anything unpleasant that might offend His Majesty's ears. Besides, Her Majesty the Empress is indeed taking medicine to recuperate..."
"Anyone who isn't a fool knows what she's up to," the Emperor said sarcastically, but said nothing more.
Clearly, he had no intention of being a dutiful grandson-in-law and removing his brother-in-law from the conscription list.
That was a name written by his older cousin himself, so his younger cousin... dared not touch it.
You know, my cousin has suffered a lot of mistreatment in order to settle the wounded soldiers and raise the compensation money. He's a powder keg right now; whoever lights it will be finished!
Outside the palace gates, the wife of the Marquis of Jiangning repeatedly begged the young eunuch to report to Kunning Palace, but unfortunately, the young eunuch always returned with the same message.
"Her Majesty the Empress is unwell and has taken her medicine. She is currently resting and does not have the energy to summon you, Madam. Please come again later."
The Crown Prince's wife was so angry that she tore off her handkerchief, but ultimately had no choice but to go home.
Needless to say, this time they gained nothing and were ridiculed by their now-estranged sister-in-law.
Not to mention that Xinduli was completely turned upside down and in complete chaos.
Speaking of the new village, after busying herself with harvesting potatoes, Tao Hongying indeed personally cooked two large pots of stewed potatoes and chicken.
The light yellow potato chunks, soaked in chicken broth, are soft, fluffy, and fragrant.
One family took a big bowl home, and it immediately became the favorite of all the elderly and children in the village.
Everyone is saying that next year they want to clear more land at the foot of the mountain and next to the vegetable garden, and plant these potatoes.
Stew it, roast it, stir-fry it—you absolutely must eat your fill!
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