"Hahaha, come on, come on, you all come with me to court to share this good news with all the ministers!"
Ying Zheng was in an exceptionally good mood at this moment. The frustration brought on by the hard work of the past few days had vanished, and he felt particularly relaxed.
The three of them dared not delay and quickly followed behind Ying Zheng, heading towards Zhangtai Palace.
Upon entering Zhangtai Palace, the civil and military officials stood in two neat rows. When they saw Ying Zheng arrive, they shouted in unison, "We pay our respects to Your Majesty!" Their loud voices echoed throughout the hall.
Ying Zheng smiled and nodded in acknowledgment, then slowly walked to the dragon throne. After sitting down, he glanced at the assembled officials and said, "I am in a very good mood today and have some good news to share with you all."
Upon hearing this, all the officials were shocked, and a look of fear flashed in their eyes.
Judging from Ying Zheng's appearance, he must have received some terrible news again, and the only one who can cause trouble now is his wicked husband in the Western Regions.
"Could it be...?"
"The Grand Commandant has conquered the entire Western Regions?"
Suddenly, this thought arose in the minds of all the officials.
Ying Zheng paused for a moment, and seeing the panicked expressions of his officials, he immediately burst into laughter: "Grand Commandant has destroyed Loulan, the strongest of the thirty-six kingdoms in the Western Regions, and successfully opened the market!"
Upon hearing this, the courtiers showed no excitement whatsoever; instead, their faces revealed a look of misery and bitterness.
"Your Majesty, if things get too difficult, please summon the Grand Commandant back! We truly cannot endure this any longer!" Meng Can stepped forward, knelt tremblingly on the ground, and shouted loudly.
Han Fei followed suit, saying, "I second that. The Grand Commandant is restless by nature. If he were to cause the destruction of another country, we...we are afraid we would no longer be able to serve Your Majesty faithfully."
Now that officials of all ranks hold multiple positions, Ying Zheng's confidants are even more burdened, as they are responsible for both internal and external affairs, with endless matters waiting for them to handle every day.
Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng frowned slightly, his piercing gaze sweeping over Meng Can and Han Fei. He asked in a deep voice, "What do you mean by this? The Grand Commandant has made invaluable contributions to expanding the country's territory and strengthening Qin. How can you be so short-sighted?"
Meng Can and Han Fei exchanged a glance, both looking worried. Meng Can spoke again, "Your Majesty, it is not that we are short-sighted, but we beg Your Majesty to consider my old age and frail health and allow me to live a few more years!"
Han Fei nodded in agreement, then burst into tears, crying, "Your Majesty, when you asked me to join the Qin state, you didn't say that being an official in Qin would be this tiring!!"
Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng showed a hint of embarrassment and immediately dared not tease them any further. "You all misunderstand. This time, the Grand Commandant is merely here to deliver good news and has no need for me or you to do anything!"
"Really?" Han Fei wiped away his tears, somewhat incredulous.
The ministers present looked at each other, all somewhat disbelieving. Given the temperament of the wicked man, could he really do business honestly without causing trouble?
Ying Zheng nodded emphatically and raised an eyebrow at the three scouts standing at the palace gate.
Zhao Gao immediately shouted, "Grand Commandant's messenger, enter the palace immediately!"
Three scouts stepped forward and stood in the center of the hall, loudly reiterating to the crowd what they had previously reported to Ying Zheng.
"hiss...."
After the three finished speaking, the hall was filled with gasps of astonishment.
"How many years of taxation?"
"This is just the beginning!"
"In that case, wouldn't our Qin state never have to worry about money again?!"
The officials were abuzz with discussion, and hope began to gleam in their eyes, as if their previous worries and exhaustion had vanished.
"We...we're finally going to live the life of the rich?!" Meng Can's voice trembled with excitement, finding it hard to believe that Qin's financial situation was about to undergo a dramatic change.
The atmosphere inside the hall suddenly became heated. Looking at the excited expressions of his ministers, Ying Zheng was filled with emotion.
While people were excited, there were also many who remained calm.
"Your Majesty, I humbly request that Your Majesty recall the Grand Commandant!"
"I second that opinion. Now that the Western Regions are pacified, there is no need for the Grand Commandant to remain there."
"If the Grand Commandant returns, many troubles will surely be resolved. With the Grand Commandant's brilliant strategies, wouldn't handling political affairs be a piece of cake?"
Their words immediately silenced the noisy hall.
That's right!
Why are they working themselves to the bone here, while you, the wicked husband, are living a carefree life, killing whoever you want, and just drinking and watching plays when you have nothing to do?
These words stirred something within Ying Zheng. He turned his gaze to the three scouts and asked in a deep voice, "Tell me, what has the Grand Commandant been busy with in the Western Regions lately?"
The three dared not conceal anything. The scout standing in the middle stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the Grand Commandant usually wanders around the city, either practicing martial arts or drinking with General Huan Yi and others."
"The busiest time... is in the evenings when we hear about the day's earnings from various venues!"
As soon as he finished speaking, resentment filled the hall.
Look at this wicked husband, does he dare to live any more comfortably?
Drinking and practicing martial arts?
They were quite different; they didn't even have the chance to get close to their concubines, let alone drink alcohol, and they became completely teetotalers.
Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng frowned, clearly dissatisfied with his wicked husband's carefree life.
He pondered for a moment, then said to his ministers, “I understand. The Grand Commandant’s achievements in the Western Regions are certainly important, but he is too idle. How can I let him waste his time like this, making it seem as if I am deliberately suppressing him?”
"In that case, we should recall the Grand Commandant so that he can also share some of the affairs of the court."
Upon hearing this, cheers erupted in the hall. The ministers nodded in agreement, finally seeing a glimmer of hope for relief.
Seeing this, Ying Zheng couldn't help but smile slyly. He would make sure that wicked husband was busy and couldn't stop, which would also dispel his resentment towards the officials and contribute to the harmony of the court.
Ying Zheng then ordered Zhao Gao to draft an edict to send the message of recalling his wicked husband to the Western Regions.
Zhao Gao was startled and dared not delay for a moment. He immediately began drafting an edict on the spot. Despite such an overstepping act, no one stood up to impeach him.
Even more so... Feng Jie said to Gao Hui, "The Imperial Carriage Office Commander must write it clearly, it must be clearly written, that he must return to Xianyang immediately, without delay!"
Zhao Gao nodded in response as he wrote furiously.
With the issuance of the imperial decree, the atmosphere inside Zhangtai Palace became much more relaxed.
The ministers began to discuss how to better allocate tasks after the return of their wicked husband, so that he could truly experience their troubles and frustrations. Ying Zheng also participated in the discussion, plotting with the ministers to 'mistreat' the wicked husband.
Amidst the harmonious discussions, Ying Zheng and his officials felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction.
At this moment, a scene even appeared before their eyes. In the scene, the wicked man ran back and forth, carrying a mountain of bamboo slips in his arms, shuttling between the Xianyang Palace and various government departments.
Just imagining such a scene makes them smile and feel incredibly comfortable.
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