Chapter 23 When the leader points east, you must never go west;...
The night was so dark that it was impossible to see through, and a sliver of moonlight barely managed to outline a blurry silver edge on the magnificent eaves of the Changping Marquis's mansion.
Lin Yan was dragged by Jin Jiu and silently crouched on the top of a section of the high wall of the Changping Marquis's mansion.
A perfect voyeuristic, oh no, I mean, spying perspective.
The cold bricks made Lin Yan's stomach feel a little chilly, but he didn't care. He stared at the brightly lit mansion and wondered when Li Defu would arrive.
The chrysanthemum appreciation banquet in the front yard had obviously just ended, as the air still held the aroma of wine and meat, and the faint sounds of string and wind instruments.
The guests had not completely dispersed; groups of elegantly dressed figures were still chatting and laughing under the eaves, and several young men who were quite drunk were supporting each other, shouting that they wanted to go somewhere to "drink another three hundred cups."
Lin Yan whispered to Jin Jiu, "They wouldn't be planning to go to a brothel, would they?"
Kim Gu nodded.
Lin Yan: "???"
Is that really true?
But... why did Kim Gu nod so confidently?
In this seemingly harmonious atmosphere, Li Defu suddenly burst in with a troop of imperial guards.
Li Defu's usually smiling, fair face was now taut. He unfurled a bright yellow scroll in his hand, and his shrill voice instantly pierced the Changping Marquis's mansion: "Imperial edict has arrived—Marquis of Changping, receive the edict!"
The noise stopped abruptly.
The young men, who had just been dazed with drunkenness, suddenly snapped to attention, and the smiles of the guests chatting and laughing under the eaves froze on their faces.
The Earl of Changping himself scrambled out of the inner hall, his hat askew and robe askew. The last trace of alcohol on his face was washed away by fear. He knelt down on the bluestone slab still littered with chrysanthemum petals, and a whole group of people knelt down behind him.
Li Defu stood expressionless in the courtyard, holding a bright yellow imperial edict, followed by a squad of menacing imperial guards whose armor reflected a cold, hard light under the lamplight.
The young master who had previously flaunted his charcoal and silver in front of Lin Yan was now kneeling behind his father, his head bowed low and his shoulders trembling slightly.
Lin Yan tugged at Jin Jiu's clothes: "Do they have to be this scared? Don't they say that if you have a clear conscience, you have nothing to fear?"
Kim Gu gave Lin Yan a complicated look.
Do you think everyone is like you, so unrestrained in front of His Majesty?
His Majesty doesn't favor just anyone.
"The Marquis of Changping's family has received the Emperor's favor for generations and should be diligent and frugal, setting an example for other noble families. However, they have become extravagant and disregard the people's welfare, greatly disappointing me... Therefore, I hereby order the reduction of their fiefdom from 700 households to 350 households and their permanent estate from 2,500 mu to 1,000 mu. This is my decree."
With each line read, the Earl of Changping's face grew paler, and the heads of the surrounding guests drooped even lower.
When he heard that "the fiefdom will be reduced from 700 households to 350 households, and the permanent estate from 2,500 mu to 1,000 mu," the Earl of Changping suddenly raised his head, his face drained of color, his lips trembling, as if he were about to die on the spot.
Lin Yan pursed his lips. He thought the Changping Marquis's Mansion was something special, but it was still scared into this state by Xiao Che's imperial edict.
Those guests who had been talking so loudly just moments before now wished they could shrink into a crack in the ground. Their faces were a mix of emotions: fear, relief, schadenfreude... a variety of feelings flowed silently in the deathly silence.
A few suppressed, soft sobs came from the women behind the Earl of Changping, but they were quickly covered by someone else.
The young master trembled and collapsed, only managing to be caught by his servants to avoid embarrassment.
Li Defu coldly watched this scene, then handed the imperial edict forward: "Lord, please accept the edict."
As if burned, the Earl of Changping suddenly came to his senses, crawled forward two steps on his hands and feet, raised his trembling hands high, and took the roll of silk that seemed to weigh a thousand pounds. His voice was hoarse: "Your subject... receives the decree."
Li Defu snorted, no longer glancing at the group of dejected nobles, and turned to leave with the Imperial Guards, just as solemnly as he had arrived.
As soon as they left, the taut string in the front yard seemed to snap instantly.
"Father! Father!" The heir rushed over and grabbed the Earl of Changping's arm, his voice trembling with tears. "How could this happen? Our fiefdom has been halved? Half of our land is gone too? How are we going to live now!"
"Shut up!" Marquis Changping abruptly shoved him away, his face ashen, his chest heaving violently. He stared at the imperial edict in his hand as if it were a death warrant from the underworld. He whirled around, his bloodshot eyes sweeping over the weeping women and anxious descendants behind him, and roared, "What are you crying for! Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough already!"
But his own hands were trembling, so much so that he could barely hold the imperial edict.
The entire front yard was in complete chaos; the previous atmosphere of wealth, elegance, laughter, and merriment had vanished completely.
Lin Yan, perched on the wall, took in everything.
Looking at the Marquis of Changping's dejected state, at the young master's limp and cowardly appearance, and at the women's terrified cries...
An indescribable feeling welled up inside him.
I really don't understand.
They're already so rich, why can't they enjoy themselves in private? They have to show off so ostentatiously, as if they're afraid others won't know they use silver thread charcoal to roast chrysanthemums.
Now look what's happened, we've shown off right under the emperor's nose!
It's true that Xiao Che has only been on the throne for a little over a year, but an emperor is an emperor, holding the power of life and death. What's the point of going against him? For the thrill? To make the emperor remember that your family is exceptionally rich and extravagant?
Lin Yan shook his head, unable to understand this suicidal behavior.
Kim Gu nudged his arm, indicating that it was time to go.
Lin Yan nodded, took one last look at the chaos below, and followed Jin Jiu, silently sliding down the wall and disappearing into the night.
Jin Jiu escorted Lin Yan to the old, crooked locust tree in the back alley of the Lin residence, and then disappeared silently, just as he had come.
Stepping onto the familiar ground of his own home, Lin Yan was still a little dazed, his mind still filled with the image of the Earl of Changping looking as if he had lost his parents.
As soon as he entered the house, Lin Chengji and Wen Yun, who had been waiting anxiously, came to greet him.
"Yan'er, how is it? Did the Marquis of Changping make things difficult for you?" Wen Yun held her son's hand, looking him up and down as if afraid he was missing a single hair.
"It's good that you're back." Although Lin Chengji was more composed, there was still concern in his eyes. "Was the banquet alright?"
Lin Yan looked at his parents' worried expressions and shook his head: "Father, Mother, I'm fine."
However, something happened at the Changping Earl's residence.
The three returned to the warm and cozy house. Wen Yun went to serve soup, while Lin Yan and Lin Chengji sat down at the table.
Lin Yan held the hot soup his mother handed him, took a big gulp, and felt the warmth slide from his throat all the way to his stomach. Only then did he recount everything he had seen and heard at the Changping Marquis's residence that evening, as well as his subsequent journey to the palace to meet the emperor and his experience of following Jin Jiu to watch the imperial edict being proclaimed. He did not hide the fact that he had gone to the palace to "complain."
Wen Yun turned pale upon hearing this, patting her chest in lingering fear: "Half of the fiefdom and land have been cut? Your Majesty... Yan'er, you must be careful with your words and actions in front of His Majesty from now on."
Lin Chengji appeared much calmer. After a moment of contemplation, he slowly said, "The fate of the Marquis of Changping is not unexpected."
He looked at his son, his gaze revealing the wisdom of years of official service: "These noble families, whose ancestors followed the founding emperor in conquering the world, amassed immense wealth and passed it down through generations. They have long been accustomed to a life of luxury and high status. In their eyes, there is only their own grandeur and prestige, only how to maintain this extravagant lifestyle. How can they see the suffering of the common people? How can they care about whether the Great Yu's empire is stable, or whether the people can have enough to eat?"
In fact, Lin Chengji knew perfectly well that while the Changping Marquis's family looked down on his son, they also wanted to take advantage of his son's gaining face in front of the Emperor to seek benefits.
He just didn't expect that the Marquis of Changping wanted Lin Yan to speak well of them in front of the emperor, but was unwilling to give Lin Yan a kind look.
Lin Chengji picked up his teacup and blew on the steam: "In their eyes, all they see is their own wealth and glory. How can they care about the people's suffering? They don't even think about the national policies implemented by His Majesty or the stability of the country. Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has emphasized agriculture and sericulture, rectified officialdom, and strengthened the military. Every single one of these is a serious matter that requires tightening one's belt. How can they tolerate their behavior?"
Lin Yan nodded thoughtfully.
Therefore, this big boss is absolutely unambiguous on matters of principle.
Moreover, in this place, the emperor himself is the ultimate principle.
As a seasoned office worker, Lin Yan has a clear understanding of this: if the boss is right, then follow the boss.
If the leader points east, you must never go west; if the leader beats a dog, you must never chase a chicken.
Moreover, his current boss, Xiao Che, is a man of principle, clear-headed, fair in rewarding and punishing, and not stingy.
He didn't dislike it at all; in fact... he even admired it a little.
We'd better hold on tight to this powerful figure.
A note from the author:
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