White Jade Crossbow (5)
"Shang'er, come and take a look. I always feel that something should be added here." Empress Dowager Feng painted the picture herself. Lying on the table was a landscape painting. There was a blank space in the middle, and it always felt like something was missing.
Zhao Mingchang raised her sleeve to take the pen and looked at it for a while, then raised her red lips slightly and picked up the pen to draw on the blank space.
After a while, the painting was completed. Amidst the ink-colored landscape, a woman sipped tea from a teacup, her gaze admiring the beautiful scenery. If one looked closely, one could see a few strands of gray streaked through her black hair.
"I have the audacity to add a beautiful woman to enjoy the scenery." Zhao Mingshang bowed her head and stared at the floor.
Empress Dowager Feng narrowed her eyes slightly as she stared at the painting. The woman in the thick dark brown robe was well-maintained, with only one or two fine lines at the corners of her eyes.
The woman enjoying the scenery in the painting also has her hair tied up with gold hairpins and her long robe spread out.
The palace was silent, without a sound. Everyone around Empress Dowager Feng knew this was a sign of her impending wrath. The maids and nurses dared not breathe. Zhao Mingchang, though calm, was also uncertain.
"good."
Seeing the smile on Empress Dowager Feng's face, everyone present breathed a sigh of relief and looked at each other.
"Huajing's most talented woman is indeed worthy of her reputation. Shang'er is very much to my liking this time."
A cold, delicate yet somewhat rough hand covered the back of Zhao Mingshang's hand. Empress Dowager Feng took Zhao Mingshang's hand. Zhao Mingshang raised his eyes, stood up, and sat on the soft couch with Empress Dowager Feng.
"In recent months, public discontent has been growing. They suspect the harvest will be poor next year, and even though the court has reduced taxes, the situation hasn't subsided at all."
Emperor Qianping had intended to build a pagoda for Concubine Shen a few days ago, but due to opposition from the court, he only built a small building. He had been missing Concubine Shen for the past few days and had gone into seclusion there, accompanied by several Taoist priests. The government affairs were temporarily handled by Dowager Feng.
Zhao Mingchang always paid attention to the people's sentiments. He was already familiar with this matter and was just waiting for a step.
The woman hung her head and remained silent for a long time. Empress Dowager Feng said sternly, "I allow you to speak freely, and I will not punish you."
After receiving the token of immunity from death, the woman spoke, "Your Majesty, I believe that while replacing rice with mulberry trees may increase silk production and enrich the national treasury, grain production has decreased, prices have risen, and drought has hit, leaving the people with nothing to eat. A few days ago, when I returned home to visit my relatives, I saw that there were still starving people lying on the ground in Beidi County, and the people in the Songjiang area were barely getting by. It seems that this policy needs further consideration."
This view was expressed unintentionally by Xu Ning when Zhao Mingshang met him again that day.
Empress Dowager Feng frowned and thought for a moment.
In recent years, Emperor Qianlong and Emperor Ping have been busy with construction projects. Fang Ji and his ilk raised taxes drastically a year or two before proposing the new policy. Later, the new policy included the policy of replacing rice with mulberry. Although Fang Ji was dismissed from office, this new policy was retained.
It was in the fifteenth year of the Zhenning reign that a close minister, Wen Liangyu, suggested opening up trade in the Wutong Pass area to facilitate the flow of Central Plains silk to other countries. This facilitated trade, allowing foreign merchants to circulate through the area, and Central Plains silk fetched high prices, a boon for Emperor Gan Ping, who profited greatly from it, much faster than increasing taxes.
There was a frenzy outside the Central Plains. The jacquard looms in the Jiangnan area were so busy that smoke was coming out. For a period of time, the silk production was in short supply. Later, Fang Ji proposed "changing rice to mulberry". This was not proposed by Fang Ji alone, but by Shen Weixu, the father of Concubine Shen.
In less than two years, this reform failed, and the situation was even worse than it is now. Not only did a sudden drought occur in the north and south of the Yangtze River, and there were too few rice fields for the people to eat, but the national treasury was already empty and even if the granaries were opened to release grain, not much was released. The people complained bitterly, and in the end, people like Fang and Ji were either demoted or dismissed, and none of them had a good end.
Emperor Qianping took into consideration that Shen Weixu was a relative of Concubine Shen and only demoted him and fined him one year's salary.
Over the years, Empress Dowager Feng had mostly blocked civil engineering projects, allowing the emperor to gather strength. Seeing the domestic situation gradually improving, Emperor Qianping, for some unknown reason, reintroduced this policy at the end of last year, despite numerous officials' objections. This time, Emperor Qianping reduced taxes on mulberry and rice cultivation and added subsidies to mulberry farmers, prompting a renewed rush of interest from the people.
Seeing that the Queen Mother did not respond, Zhao Mingchang continued, "Mulberry planting should be adapted to local conditions. Besides, food is the most important thing for people..."
"Okay, I'm tired, you can go down now."
Before Zhao Mingchang could finish speaking, Empress Dowager Feng held her forehead and closed her eyes.
Zhao Mingchang frowned, and the tension in his heart subsided. His momentum weakened, and he was no longer as calm as when he was drawing the picture just now.
"Yes. I will take my leave."
After the woman disappeared outside the palace gate, Aunt Hechun came forward to make a cup of tea, lowered her eyes and smiled softly, "This servant saw that this young lady from the Zhao family seemed to have the demeanor of the Empress in her youth."
Hechun always tells everyone he knows.
"He's smart, but he has too little experience. He doesn't understand many things, and he can't stop talking. He lets everyone know what he's thinking all at once."
He Chun gently rubbed the Empress Dowager's temples, "There is still a long way to go. I am sure that Miss Zhao will not let you down."
…
It has been more than half a month since Tang Xixu wrote to Zui Shengchi, but he has not received a reply yet.
"Ah Xu, did you remember it wrongly? It's been so long and Master Zui still hasn't come."
Xu Ning has made a lot of progress in strength training these days, but he still needs some guidance from others. Tang Xixu practices spear, so the detailed guidance is still a little lacking.
"Master Zui has been traveling around, and indeed a spy reported that Senior Zui is nearby." Tang Xixu was a little embarrassed.
There was little smoke in the valley during the day. Counting the time, it was almost summer, Xu Ning repeatedly practiced the Ruchen Sword Technique.
"Senior Zui, please come soon. I've been waiting for so long that the flowers have wilted." Xu Ning complained in a low voice.
Speak of the devil, "Xiao Ningning misses me so much."
What a familiar hippie smile and a somewhat shameless laughter.
Xu Ning put away his sword and turned around, but there was no one there.
Someone tapped my left shoulder, and I turned left but there was still no one there.
"Little Ningning is here." The face of a man in his thirties appeared in front of Xu Ning, his eyes narrowed into slits, and his long white beard was braided into small pigtails.
"Senior Zui, you are finally here." Xu Ning was delighted.
"So I'm so cared about."
Tangxi Xuyou had disappeared somewhere and was talking to Xu Ning just now.
"I received a letter from Xiao Yinzhao more than ten days ago. I have something else to do, so I only have five days. Please make a decision quickly." Zui Shengchi took a sip of wine.
Xu Ning said little and demonstrated with his sword.
Compared to the first time they met Zui Shengchi, Xu Ning has made a lot of progress.
Xilin's sword cut through the sky, like a rainbow breaking through the world, splitting the bamboo and splitting the forest.
Zui Shengchi's eyes suddenly brightened, and he wanted to take another sip of wine, but his movements froze and his expression became more serious.
This little girl is making rapid progress. Did I see it wrong? Is she actually very talented?
Xu Ning used the last move of the Ruchen Sword Technique again, chopping Cheng, causing dust to fly but without any killing power.
Zui Shengchi took another big gulp of wine, and the wine flowed from the corners of his mouth onto his clothes.
"He may look like him, but he lacks any essence. He's not even half as good as Fang Hongzhi, the Sword Immortal who entered the dust world back then."
When Xu Ning heard the name Fang Hongzhi, she was stunned for a moment, remembering that in her previous life, Madam Mo told her that Fang Hongzhi was her biological mother. It was a very strange feeling. In this life, Xu Ning had been dependent on her grandmother since she was a child. She had no impression of what her mother looked like, and she was a little vague about her father's appearance.
When Xu Ning saw Fang Hongzhi's portrait in the Jin Palace in her first life, she had a special feeling, as if she was seeing someone she had known for a long time. Now thinking back, she did have some similarities with Fang Hongzhi in her eyes and eyebrows.
"How can I compare with Senior Fang? She is the number one female swordsman in the world today. She once protected the entire Daxin people with her own strength. I know my own strengths and weaknesses, so I won't be too ambitious." Xu Ning was not sure whether what Madam Mo said back then was true, or whether she had nothing to do with Fang Hongzhi.
Zui Shengchi somersaulted and landed on the stone wall. He raised his head and took another swig of wine. "Xiao Ningning, you can't think that. Fang Hongzhi didn't learn as fast as you did back then."
Xu Ning thought to herself, I can learn so quickly because I've already learned it once. Then she thought again, if Zui Sheng Chi knew she'd learned it once in her entire life and still couldn't reach a higher level, he'd probably hit her on the back of the head until a peach appeared.
The white-haired man looked at the pale blue sky in the distance. "Back then, I also said that her ambitions were higher than the sky. She knew nothing and didn't understand anything, yet she still dreamed of becoming a great hero and saving the people."
"But guess what she said?"
Xu Ning shook his head.
"She said, 'If I don't have a heart that's higher than the sky, how can I achieve achievements that are as high as the sky, and how can I dare to compete with the heavens for people?' So, little Ningning, having a heart that's higher than the sky is never a bad thing. It might even make you a leader among the younger generation."
Xu Ning had always believed that "ambitious" was a derogatory term. The first time she heard someone say it, she suddenly became curious about what kind of person Fang Hongzhi was.
Zui Shengchi looked down at the little girl's dumbfounded eyes and said with a smile, "Alright, I'll only demonstrate three times. As for how much you can learn, it all depends on you."
"Only three times?"
Xu Ning took the wine jug thrown by Zui Shengchi.
"I only taught Yin Zhao once. What do you think? I think I was very considerate."
Zuishengchi jumped down and snatched the sword from Xu Ning's hand.
"Since you have already learned the Ruchen Sword Technique by yourself, I will teach you some other things."
The Xilin sword danced wildly in the air, and the sword energy was rampant, stirring Xu Ning's hair.
After a set of sword techniques, it was as smooth as flowing water, like a fairy flying, and leaves began to rain instantly three miles away.
"Senior, what kind of sword technique is this?" Xu Ning imitated the gestures with excitement flashing in his eyes.
"This is called, guess." Zui Shengchi put away his sword and stopped, saying to Xu Ning with a squint.
"How should I know? Even if you ask me to guess, I can't guess it."
"What do you mean by asking you to guess? That's what I'm asking you to guess." Zui Shengchi took the wine pot hanging on Xu Ning's body.
"So casual?"
The old man's face flushed slightly, and a smell of alcohol wafted out of his mouth. "Yeah, just so casual."
Xu Ning couldn't believe it, but still nodded like a chicken pecking at rice.
"Okay, it's your turn."
"Me? You only demonstrated it once."
Xu Ning picked up the sword reluctantly.
"What are you dawdling for? Hurry up."
"Why are you rushing?"
Xu Ning tried hard to recall the sword moves he had just made and tried his best to perform each one well.
This set of "Guess" looked a little strange, but it was actually an extension and amplification of the Ruchen Sword Technique. Xu Ning's hands moved involuntarily.
"Press your body." A clear voice echoed in my ears.
Xu Ning did as he was told.
“Draw the sword, turn the sword into your heart, and use the sword as your eyes.”
Xu Ning did as he was told step by step.
Zui Shengchi stroked his beard, his mouth raised to the corners of his eyes. "Xiao Ningning, I see you're a fast learner. You got the moves right the first time."
"Weren't you the one giving instructions just now?"
Zui Shengchi looked puzzled, "I didn't say a word just now. I'm afraid Xiao Ningning has become stupid from practicing sword skills."
Xu Ning did it again, with only the sound of the wind in his ears.
Did I hear it wrong?
It’s definitely not Li Jiangmen. Li Jiangmen is good at illusion. Earlier, Li Jiangmen taught Xu Ning through illusion.
The voice just now was completely different from Li Jiangmen's, younger and gentler.
Xu Ning didn't think about anything else and planned to ask Guangyu after he came back.
"What are you talking about?" Tang Xixu, who had disappeared for a long time, finally came back.
"Where have you been? I was looking for you just now."
The young man took out a lunch box from behind him like a magic trick.
"Perilla Drink!"
Xu Ning picked up a bowl and handed it to Zui Shengchi, "Master, would you like some? Ah Xu made this, it's delicious."
Zui Shengchi also likes these little sweet drinks, "Oh, Yin Zhao is really sensible, he even knows that the teacher likes this."
He thought Tang Xixu would say something like, "This is made for Xu Ning, you just did it for the sake of convenience." But he didn't expect her to say, "As long as Master likes it." He still had a smile on his face.
Zui Shengchi touched his braided beard and thought, this kid is a bit human.
Thinking about a few months ago, the young man in front of me looked indifferent to life and death and didn't recognize ghosts. Although the situation now is not that good, it is better than before.
Xu Ning took a few sips with a spoon, but felt uncomfortable, so he finished it in one gulp. "Ha, great!"
It is summer now, and drinking a bowl of iced perilla drink can dispel all the heat in your body.
Zuishengchi did just as he said. He left after teaching and didn't even stay for dinner.
Xu Ning only learned the sword moves, but he had no idea about the sword energy and how to use it.
…
"City Lord, something has happened. Lady Liao, the wife of the Marquis of Nanyang, has gone mad."
Xu Ning, holding the white chess piece, was groping for where to move.
Tang Xixu put the flag down gently, frowned and said in a deep voice, "What's going on?"
Ever since learning about the family affairs of the Nanyang Marquis Mansion, Tangxi Xu has been sending Zhuoying to secretly monitor the Nanyang Marquis Mansion. Unexpectedly, only half a month after the palace banquet, something happened to the Liao family.
"I don't know either. Something was wrong yesterday. I was talking to myself in front of the flowers and trees. I was far away and couldn't hear what I was saying."
When Tang Xixu and Xu Ning arrived at the Nanyang Marquis' Mansion, the sky was full of flames.
"Sister, do you know why the Nanyang Marquis' Mansion caught fire for no reason?" Xu Ning randomly chose a middle-aged woman who was watching the fire.
The middle-aged woman glanced back at Xu Ning, guessing she was from out of town. "I'm not entirely sure, but I'm afraid this Marquis's wife has gone insane. Last night, when I got up to put out the lantern, I saw her wandering the streets alone, mumbling something."
The woman continued to watch the fire, and after a few seconds she remembered something, "Oh, that silly young lady in the Marquis's Mansion fell seriously ill a few days ago. I wonder if anyone rescued her today."
Soon, Handi came out of the fire holding a woman. She was covered in dust, her hair was disheveled, and she was still unconscious.
The two men got on the carriage, and the burning house was left far behind.
The path where the carriage was traveling was quiet at night and no one was around.
Han Li wiped the dust off the woman's face when the carriage suddenly screeched to a halt, sending Han Li lurching forward. Then the carriage curtain was lifted, and a ghostly voice rang out, "Master Han, how are you?"
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