The next day, the night clock was still ticking.
There are a few sparse stars hanging in the dim sky, and the earth is still immersed in the endless darkness.
Outside the imperial city of Jingzhou, many carriages and sedan chairs of civil servants had gathered.
According to the old system of the Zhou Dynasty, sedan chairs were made in the same way as carriages. No carriage could be decorated with dragon and phoenix patterns, and was prohibited from using red or lacquer.
Officials of the first to third ranks wore belts embroidered with gold and silver dragons;
The fourth and fifth ranks have plain lion-head embroidered belts;
Ranks six to nine use green belts with plain cloud patterns.
Therefore, a large number of green carriages and sedan chairs gathered together, and the civil officials discussed why the empress suddenly convened a grand court meeting today.
It should be noted that Emperor Gao of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Yan Aotian, established a system whereby grand court meetings would only be held on the three major days of each year: New Year's Day, the Winter Solstice, and Christmas (the emperor's birthday is also known as Shengdan and Wanshou Shengjie), as well as the "Shuowuchao" on the first and fifteenth day of each month.
The temporary convening of a grand court meeting often meant that an unusual and extremely urgent important political event had occurred.
As for the other side, the military officials who seemed to be in a somewhat confrontational mood were leaning against their horses and having a conversation.
"Master Qian, I know that His Majesty has suddenly convened a grand court meeting. What is the reason?"
"I don't know. It was so sudden."
"If I had known there would be a grand court meeting today, I wouldn't have stayed at the Jiaofangsi last night. Now... I'm so sleepy that I almost missed something important."
"Look at the Left Prime Minister and the ministers of the six ministries. Why are their faces so grim? They haven't said a word."
"Hiss... It's only been a few days since we've been at peace, and His Majesty is up to something again?"
"Who knows? Anyway, let's do it, that's it."
“…”
Regardless of everyone's thoughts, the grand court meeting with strict regulations and grand scale soon began.
Murong Yanran nodded slightly, and immediately understood what he meant under the golden steps. She read out the imperial edict that had been prepared in advance.
As soon as the imperial edict of "sharing labor service according to the land" was read out, the entire Taiji Hall became extremely quiet and you could hear a pin drop.
But this silence did not last long. Soon, a buzzing sound like flies flapping their wings collectively was heard in the hall. It was the sound of officials whispering to each other uncontrollably.
What followed was a chaotic protest and a barrage of ridicule.
This is generally the necessary casting time before civil officials use their ultimate move "Death Advice".
Soon, one or several extremely stubborn petty officials will stand up under the instructions of some unknown Shangshu or Shilang behind the scenes, twisting their necks and asking to be beaten.
Yan Jiaoran would not give these ministers a chance and asked first.
"What do you think of this matter, Jingzhou Governor?"
Chen Wujiu held his head high and chest puffed out, looking down at Yan Jiaoran with a smile that contained three parts of contempt, three parts of disdain, three parts of ridicule, and one part of sympathy, and he spoke confidently to her.
"Ah, yes, yes... Your Majesty is right!"
Last night.
Yan Jiaoran summoned him into the palace, gave him instructions in person, and arranged a great show.
When Chen Wujiu saw the script, he was astonished. He stayed up all night and rehearsed it countless times before nodding with satisfaction.
At this moment, Chen Wujiu was already possessed by the spirit of acting, acting completely according to the script.
Yan Jiaoran sat on the dragon throne, straightened her body slightly, and continued to ask.
"Then what do you think I am right about, Prefect Chen?"
The lines that Yan Jiaoran taught him last night emerged in Chen Wujiu's mind.
Chen Wujiu rolled up his sleeves, walked out quickly, and walked towards Kong Lingda, the left prime minister and the head of all officials.
"What are you going to do, Magistrate Chen?" Kong Lingda was a little flustered.
As the prime minister, he knew the resumes of his officials very well. This person was the one who took the lead and defeated the Qin King's rebel army.
"Are you going to commit murder in the palace?"
Kong Lingda shouted harshly, helplessly watching Chen Wujiu walk towards him with a ferocious look.
Chen Wujiu asked the gods to possess him, as if he was the empress from last night, and said in a stern voice.
"Left Prime Minister!"
"You are the head of all officials. Do you know that the world has been suffering from forced labor for two thousand years?"
"When the tyrannical Qin Dynasty imposed forced labor, Chen Sheng and Wu Guang angrily declared: 'My brother has ordered my mother to be beheaded, and there are already sixteen or seventeen dead in the garrison. Why not launch a major campaign to punish the tyrannical Qin?'"
"The suffering of corvée labor is ten times worse than taxes!!!"
When he got excited, Chen Wujiu raised his arm and pointed at the civil servants who were cowering behind Kong Lingda.
"If you don't believe me, why not go to every town and city in the country and ask, which male head of household, if there is a possibility of not going, would be willing to abandon his wife and children to perform corvee labor?"
Seeing that a civil official was about to speak, Chen Wujiu directly snatched the two-handed ceremonial sword from the hands of the guard wearing Ming Guang armor beside him.
The Tang Yidao is one of the four types of military swords. It is decorated with gold and silver and held by Yuyi. Because it is often used by Qianniu Guards, it is also called "Qianniu Sword". It is the predecessor of Miao Dao and Qi Family Sword.
If Qin Yuan were here, he would definitely blurt out: "Isn't this the knife that belonged to Master Jia Qian?"
Chen Wujiu picked up the long sword, which was as tall as a person, with one hand and looked around with disdain.
The civil servants huddled like quails, and there was complete silence.
"Are you just trying to make the people suffer? Huh?"
"It's clearly an economic calculation. The court has more taxes, and the people have less corvee labor. Just because you think you gentry don't have to perform corvee labor, you think the people are insulting you if they don't?"
"Bah!"
"I tell you, there is another saying in the world."
"Your body and name will be destroyed, but the rivers and mountains will flow forever!"
"Abolition of corvee labor is the inevitable result of the unstoppable march of history!"
"Your Majesty's benevolent rule is a great achievement that benefits all the people!"
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