Chapter 272 Investigation
Imperial Study
Jiang Yu sat there with his eyes lowered, listening to the emperor's tapping of his fingers on the table. After a while, the emperor said, "My dear minister, what is your intention in having the court consolidate the shares of the banks?"
Jiang Yu raised her eyes and met the emperor's sharp gaze. She cupped her hands and said, "Your subject has only one goal—a prosperous and strong nation."
"A prosperous and strong nation..." The emperor pondered these four words, his eyes fixed intently on Jiang Yu. Seeing the determination in her gaze and the resolve on her face, the emperor now believed that what she said was true.
"Hahaha...Good!" The emperor laughed, his voice filled with pride.
Jiang Yu also smiled. She was lucky; the current emperor wasn't a tyrant. Otherwise, no matter how ambitious or capable she was, achieving her goals would have been fraught with obstacles.
Stepping out of the imperial study, she looked up at the cloudless sky, and a smile returned to her lips.
.........
After Jiang Yu left, the emperor rose and paced back and forth in the room. As an emperor, even without ambition, he still wanted to leave behind a legacy of great achievements in future historical records.
The emperor was well aware that he was far more mediocre than his predecessors and the founding emperor. When he first ascended the throne, he was ambitious, wanting to surpass his predecessors and the founding emperor in achievements. However, as time passed, he truly understood the difficulties of being an emperor.
The imperial court, people's livelihood, checks and balances, foreign enemies...
Every single matter concerned the rise and fall of the nation, and no mistake could be made. Gradually, he began to act cautiously and meticulously. Later, he no longer aspired to be as brilliant and ambitious as the previous emperor or the founding emperor; he only wanted to safeguard the empire built by his ancestors and prevent its decline.
But in the dead of night, those past ambitions would still resurface, causing him to sigh with regret.
"A prosperous and strong nation!" The emperor chewed again, perhaps Jiang Yu could ease his regret.
After returning to his desk, he said to Zhao Fuquan, "Summon the Crown Prince."
"yes."
Zhao Fuquan immediately sent someone to deliver the imperial decree, and soon the Crown Prince entered the Imperial Study. After watching him perform the rites, the Emperor asked him to sit down, "The Duke of Chu wants to consolidate the shares of the money shops for the court. Once this is accomplished, the court will have more circulating funds. Tell me, where should these circulating funds be used?"
The Eighth Prince sat ramrod straight. He knew this was a test from the Emperor, and he had to answer in a way that pleased the Emperor. Remembering his mother's words—that filial piety was paramount to the current Emperor—he said:
"Your Majesty has devoted yourself to the country and its people all these years. Your frugality and self-discipline are evident to all. Under your rule, we enjoy peace and prosperity. Your son believes that Your Majesty should tour the country and build a temporary palace for your stay."
"To tour the four directions and build palaces?" the emperor asked calmly, his voice revealing no emotion.
The Crown Prince, however, felt that his suggestion was excellent, and he said, "Yes, let us travel across the land and understand the people's conditions."
The emperor looked at his excited eyes, tapped his fingers on the table, and said, "I will consider it. You may leave."
"Yes." The crown prince bowed and strode away, his steps seemingly filled with joy. Little did he know, the emperor's gaze as he watched his retreating figure held disappointment and danger.
After he left the imperial study, the emperor said, "Summon the Third Prince."
"Yes." Zhao Fuquan sensed the emperor's displeasure. Thinking about it, it made sense; building the palace and measuring the river and mountains were things a foolish emperor would do, so it was no wonder the emperor was unhappy.
He cautiously went out and sent a young eunuch to deliver the imperial decree to the Third Prince. Although the young eunuch had been outside the imperial study and was unaware of what was happening inside, he was a perceptive man. Seeing the expression on Zhao Fuquan's face, he knew that the emperor was probably in a bad mood.
"Go to the Third Prince's residence and summon him to an audience," Zhao Fuquan said.
"Yes," the little eunuch replied, then leaned closer to Zhao Fuquan and asked ingratiatingly, "Godfather, what happened?"
Zhao Fuquan glared at him. "Don't ask questions."
"Yes, yes," the young eunuch replied and hurried away. Upon arriving at the Third Prince's residence, he was warmly received. The Third Prince's steward smiled and led him to the hall, asking with a smile, "What brings His Majesty to see my lord?"
As he spoke, the steward slipped a gold ingot into the young eunuch's hand. The young eunuch smiled; with the Great Reform of the Imperial Banks underway, no one could say for sure whether banknotes would still be valuable, and real gold and silver were the most tangible assets.
"Today, His Majesty first summoned several officials and the Duke of Chu to the palace." The eunuch briefly mentioned the names of the officials, and then added, "After those officials and the Duke of Chu left, His Majesty summoned His Highness the Crown Prince. His Highness the Crown Prince stayed in the Imperial Study for a little over a quarter of an hour before leaving, and then His Majesty said that His Highness the Third Prince should come to see him."
After hearing these words, the steward slipped another gold ingot into the young eunuch's hand and asked, "Do you know what the Emperor said to His Highness the Crown Prince?"
The young eunuch accepted the gold ingots again, but said, "I don't know anything about this."
The steward glanced at him and thought he was telling the truth. He personally brewed tea for him and told him to wait in the hall while he went to invite the Third Prince.
The young eunuch picked up his cup and drank his tea. The steward hurried towards the Third Prince's study, where the Third Prince's maternal uncle, Lian Xiuheng, was also present. Upon seeing the Third Prince, the steward explained the matter of receiving the eunuch, and the Third Prince looked at Lian Xiuheng after hearing it.
Lian Xiuheng frowned and pondered for a while before saying, "It's probably because of the Duke of Chu's reform of the money exchange; the Emperor wants to test you."
The Third Prince's expression turned serious. "What will His Majesty examine?"
Lian Xiuheng shook his head. "Just be careful. Remember, regarding the reform of the money shops, we stand with the Duke of Chu."
The third prince nodded, then stepped outside, wondering what the emperor would say to him and how he should answer. A short while later, he arrived at the imperial study, respectfully bowed to the emperor, and then sat down properly to one side.
The emperor glanced at him and said, "Have you heard about the regulations for the Duke of Chu's reform of the money shops?"
The Third Prince's heart tightened upon hearing the question. It seemed simple, but it was anything but easy to answer. The news that the Duke of Chu wanted the court to invest in and expand all the money shops had only come from the Secretariat yesterday, and even then, it was just a rumor.
If he said he didn't know about it, the emperor might think he was indifferent to state affairs. If he said he knew, but that rumors weren't always accurate, even though he knew the matter was absolutely true, he was wrong.
After pondering for a moment, he carefully glanced at the emperor's expression and then said, "Your subject has heard some rumors. It is said that the Duke of Chu wants the imperial court to invest in all the money shops."
After saying this, he cautiously glanced at the emperor, fearing that he might have said something wrong and displeased the emperor. Seeing his timid demeanor, the emperor frowned and suddenly abandoned his plan to test him.
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