The moon, who was half asleep, was suddenly startled awake by the cry of anguish.
She couldn't help but rub her ears and ask the system, "Little Bead, what's going on? What's that old man doing?"
Master, listen carefully, this matter is also related to you.
The system kept the situation a secret, mainly because it was the first time it had ever seen a minister willing to die for his country in court, especially for such a trivial matter. It was currently busy investigating this person's background.
Looking down in the moonlight, she saw an elderly official with white hair kneeling at the very front of the civil officials. The voice that had startled her awake was his.
At that moment, the air in the hall froze instantly as he remonstrated. Emperor Mingxi frowned slightly, his face showing a hint of anger, showing none of the amiable demeanor he displayed when facing the moonlight.
He said, "Minister Zhang, why not?"
"Your Majesty!" Xu Qian raised his head, his gaze intense. "The Book of Rites, Monthly Ordinances, says: 'In the middle of autumn, officials are ordered to urge the people to harvest and store vegetables, and to accumulate more.' It also admonishes the emperor to follow the natural order and not to interfere with the farming season."
It is early spring, a time when all things begin to grow, and not yet the harvest season of mid-autumn. For the sake of this crop, Your Majesty has specially ordered the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to select an auspicious day to carry out the "Imperial Digging Ceremony".
This is an act by the emperor, depriving the gods of their duties and disrupting the order of the four seasons! I fear that if this becomes known, the people of the land will follow suit, sacrificing agricultural seasons in their pursuit of auspicious times, thus reversing the proper order and harming the very foundation of agriculture, Your Majesty!
The sentence was succinct and literary, but Yue Fuguang understood the gist of it. In the end, it was all about digging up some potatoes that they had never seen before, which led to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau choosing an auspicious day.
Ultimately, these people both felt that the potato was unworthy of the gift and that they were giving her too much credit!
【Master, actually, if we let Little Pearl choose an auspicious day and time, it would definitely be better than what the Imperial Astronomical Bureau chose.】
"Little Pearl, we can't do everything ourselves; we have to leave some work for others." Otherwise, wouldn't these people lose their jobs? Would they be forced to live a life of leisure?
Besides, this isn't just about choosing a date.
As soon as he finished speaking, another minister stepped forward. He was Zhang Tingji, the Vice Censor-in-Chief, who was also the rival of Censor-in-Chief Feng Tang.
When Zhao Xu was arrested and imprisoned, the two of them were rivals, and Zhang Tingji even had a slightly better chance of winning than Feng Tang.
He said, “Your Majesty, although what Lord Xu said is inappropriate, I think it has some merit. What is a potato? We have never heard of it before.”
Whether it can be widely cultivated is still unknown. Is it inappropriate for the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to select an auspicious day for this purpose?
The brain automatically translated the message: to put it bluntly, the emperor was making a mountain out of a molehill. Everyone had heard of potatoes, yet the Imperial Astronomical Bureau was asked to choose an auspicious day for potatoes that they didn't even know what they were!
Feng Tang frowned deeply. Was Zhang Tingji deliberately making trouble for the Grand Tutor? You say His Majesty is making a mountain out of a molehill?
Why are you glancing at Master Shaoshi?
He glanced discreetly at his colleagues, which only strengthened his resolve to choose an auspicious day to dig potatoes in front of the entire court.
He wanted his colleagues to know the immense blessings that the Junior Tutor had brought to the Great Yan!
Having overheard the argument and learned the inside story, Yun Tianxing, the Imperial Astronomical Observatory Commissioner who had accompanied the Junior Tutor to his farm, observed the celestial phenomena that very night and chose an auspicious day to report back to His Majesty.
Before he could even speak, two people jumped out to hinder him.
I was so angry!
He stepped forward first and said, “My lords! The timing of the day is the pivot of Yin and Yang, and good or bad fortune is related to the fate of the nation! Choosing an auspicious day is to pray that this auspicious seed can be successfully promoted and bless our people.”
This is no small matter! If we dig carelessly and offend the stars, bringing disaster upon ourselves, who will bear the consequences? You?
He slammed a heavy label on them, leaving the two men momentarily speechless.
At this moment, another person named Huang Shouping stepped forward and said, "Lord Yun, you are exaggerating! Auspicious omens are good omens, which can only be obtained by those who are great sages, virtuous, and have great fortune."
Nowadays, adults refer to potatoes, which are of unknown origin, as auspicious omens. Is this an exaggeration?
Xu Qian immediately realized what was happening and loudly retorted, "Starry Sky Calamity? Your Excellency, His Majesty is the Son of Heaven, ruling the people on behalf of Heaven."
Acting solely with benevolence and virtue, what need is there to fear the stars? To be bound by divination in every matter is not the way of a wise ruler!
Your Majesty, the well-being of the nation and its people should be the priority. Such empty formalities should be dispensed with!
"Xu Qian!" Emperor Mingxi's voice deepened, tinged with displeasure. His gaze swept over the three kneeling figures, their bodies trembling slightly, and he said, "Are you accusing me of being a superstitious and immoral tyrant?"
Xu Qian, who was named, immediately knelt down and said loudly, "Your Majesty, please understand. I did not mean that. I was only advising Your Majesty not to listen to false words out of loyalty to the emperor."
"Your Majesty, please be close to virtuous ministers and keep away from treacherous people. Do not listen to slanderous words." Zhang Tingji immediately followed.
"Little Pearl, are they making veiled attacks?"
Master, they are calling you a treacherous person who speaks ill of others.
Emperor Mingxi's heart sank, and he shouted sternly, "How dare you be so insolent!" The tiger had finally unleashed its fury.
"We dare not!" Xu Qian, Zhang Tingji, and Huang Shouping all slammed their heads to the ground with a thud.
The jade tablet in his hand struck the gold bricks with a crisp sound, making the entire hall seem even more silent.
"Your Majesty is wise. We are all of one mind with Your Majesty. Your Majesty is working hard to govern the country and is determined to create a prosperous era."
However, to create a prosperous era, practical matters come first, followed by empty rhetoric. The miraculous effects of potatoes are unheard of; even if they can feed the people and sustain them, what does the timing of their harvest have to do with it?
If future historical records state that "in a certain year and month, the emperor observed the stars and dug potatoes," Your Majesty... how will posterity judge you?
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