Chapter 94 094 Xiao Langzhong, thrown out of the palace gate.
Although the emperor is the ruler of a country, any emperor who wants to take a large sum of money from the national treasury must first consult with his ministers, otherwise he would be setting an example of breaking the law.
Therefore, Emperor Xianping summoned the two chancellors of the Secretariat and the Minister of Revenue to the Imperial Study, where he listened to Xu Lian, the Minister of Works, explain the methods for repairing and expanding the Western Garden.
Xu Lian deliberately avoided the gaze of the three important officials and focused intently on describing the various palaces and gardens on the new map of the Western Garden.
Left Chancellor Xue Chang narrowed his eyes, while Right Chancellor Liu Baoxiu suddenly felt a tickle in his throat.
Minister of Revenue Gu Xi had dealt with money for most of his life. Almost as soon as Xu Lian finished describing a palace or garden, a rough figure would pop into his head. By the time Xu Lian finally finished speaking, the figure in Gu Xi's head had become six million taels. This was only the cost of the timber and bricks used in the construction. If the manpower and resources used to transport various precious timbers and rare rocks from all over the country to the West Garden were included, the total expenditure would exceed ten million taels. After seven or eight years of recuperation, the national treasury had finally managed to accumulate more than twenty million taels of silver.
Gu Xi could imagine how furious the late emperor would be if he heard about this in the afterlife.
Let alone the late emperor, even Gu Xi, who had painstakingly raised funds for the late emperor's campaigns, wanted to berate Emperor Xianping for his extravagance. However, he was neither reckless nor straightforward. The new emperor clearly favored ministers who obeyed him, and the example of Yang Sheng was still fresh in his mind. Gu Xi had no intention of following in Yang Sheng's footsteps. Besides, he was merely the Minister of Revenue, with two more trusted prime ministers above him. He didn't need to take the lead.
Gu Xi, who had grown another year older after the New Year, lowered his eyes and stared at his beard without saying a word.
Facing three veteran ministers who had served the late emperor for most of his life, Emperor Xianping was actually somewhat apprehensive, because if any of the three opposed him, he would not be able to continue.
However, thinking of Yang Sheng, Liu Baoxiu's obsequious flattery towards him in order to become prime minister, and Xue Chang and Gu Xi's cautious words and actions over the past few months, Emperor Xianping quickly suppressed his guilty conscience and said with a smile: "The fallen Liang only occupied four prefectures, so the Western Garden built by the Liang ruler was small and closed off, lacking any imperial grandeur. Now, my Great Zhou occupies nine prefectures, with a vast territory and prosperous people. I believe that the new dynasty has a new atmosphere, and the capital of Great Zhou is far more magnificent than that of the Liang Dynasty. The Western Garden Palace should also match the capital. What do you all think?"
Since he wasn't holding the position of prime minister, Gu Xi didn't care about anything else and nodded slowly.
Emperor Xianping then looked at the two prime ministers.
Liu Baoxiu had only just joined the Secretariat at the end of last year, and he looked at Xue Chang as if he couldn't make up his mind.
Xue Chang cursed the man in his heart, but Emperor Xianping's gaze had already fallen on his face, so he followed Liu Baoxiu's example and turned to Gu Xi beside him with difficulty: "Well, the West Garden does need to be repaired, but according to Xu Lian's proposed repair method, how much silver do you think it will cost? Can the national treasury support it?"
Gu Xi downplayed the issue, saying, "The national treasury currently has 23 million taels of silver in reserve. As for the cost of rebuilding the West Garden, you should ask Lord Xu. This old minister cannot estimate it for the time being."
Xu Lian had already endured pressure from Emperor Xianping and had chosen to compromise. Now he said directly, "Including manpower and resources, we need to prepare about ten million taels. If the construction progresses smoothly, there may be a surplus."
Emperor Xianping said, "These past few years have been blessed with favorable weather. It will take at least two years and maybe three years to make up for the silver used in the Western Garden."
The emperor's intentions were so clear that Xue Chang glanced at Gu Xi, who was trying to protect himself, and ultimately chose to cooperate with Emperor Xianping.
Liu Baoxiu, seeing this, naturally wouldn't be the one to step forward.
.
As early as when Emperor Xianping sent people to inspect the Xiyuan Imperial Palace, the news that the emperor wanted to rebuild Xiyuan spread throughout the official circles of the capital. Later, Xu Lian led a group of Ministry of Works officials to repeatedly refine the new map of the Xiyuan renovation. The news that the emperor wanted to carry out a large-scale construction project also spread quickly. However, before the new map was released, none of the officials could guess how magnificent the renovated Xiyuan would be.
Officials from other government offices could only guess, but the Ministry of Revenue had its own advantages. As soon as Gu Xi returned from the Imperial Study, two officials from the Ministry of Revenue came over to inquire about the news.
Xiao Yu didn't move, but after his two colleagues returned, they deliberately kept him in suspense, and then, under questioning from several other doctors, they revealed the enormous figure of "ten million taels".
"So many? Didn't the Lord and the Second Minister try to dissuade them?"
"What, you want to persuade me?"
When the Emperor was mentioned, the doctors lowered their voices and soon returned to their posts, glancing at Xiao Yu every now and then.
Xiao Yu casually checked the accounts in his hand. He had finished all the important things in the afternoon and assumed that Emperor Xianping was resting at this time, so he went to the imperial study to request an audience.
Emperor Xianping was indeed not busy at this time. He was admiring the map of the Western Garden left by Xu Lian and even named several of the palaces on it with great interest.
Upon hearing that Xiao Yu was requesting an audience, Emperor Xianping frowned, guessing that Xiao Yu had probably come for the map in front of him.
Emperor Xianping did not want to see him, but fearing that Xiao Yu would remonstrate with him at the court meeting the next day, he had no choice but to have Eunuch Xue lead the man in.
"Yuanzhi, come and take a look. This is a new map of the Western Garden meticulously drawn by Xu Lian. What do you think?" Emperor Xianping said in a friendly tone.
Xiao Yu walked to the imperial desk and carefully examined every part of the map.
Emperor Xianping asked again, "How is it?"
Xiao Yu: "Forgive my bluntness, but I seem to see a wine pool and meat forest that have long been buried in the yellow earth."
Emperor Xianping: "..."
Even though he was somewhat prepared, Emperor Xianping was still angered by Xiao Yu's overly sharp sarcasm. He frowned and said, "I only want to repair a palace. Is it worth comparing me to King Zhou of Shang? Xiao Yu, don't think that just because the late emperor and I are willing to tolerate your outspokenness, you don't respect me and dare to spout nonsense at any time!"
The Emperor didn't kill Xiao Yu the first time because Xiao Yu was in his prime when he offered his advice, and the Emperor couldn't bear to hastily end the life of a young scholar. The Emperor didn't kill Xiao Yu the second time because he knew his elder brother was indeed cruel and ruthless, and Xiao Yu was right to criticize him. But these two acts of leniency from the Emperor only emboldened Xiao Yu, making him truly believe that any emperor could tolerate him!
Xiao Yu took two steps back and calmly replied to Emperor Xianping's angry glare: "Your Majesty, I respect you as much as I respect the late Emperor. My loyalty to Your Majesty is no different from that to the late Emperor. I dare to use the image of King Zhou of Shang indulging in wine, meat, and pleasure to remind Your Majesty to take heed, precisely because I know that Your Majesty is not King Zhou of Shang and would never emulate him. Otherwise, I would never dare to come."
Emperor Xianping sneered, "Very well, now I can't punish you even more, otherwise I'll become the second King Zhou of Shang."
Xiao Yu said helplessly, "Your Majesty, there is no need to be angry with me. I am also made of flesh and blood and am afraid of death. If it were not necessary, I would not have come to offend Your Majesty. However, I really cannot understand why Your Majesty, when you bestowed the nickname 'Xia' upon the Second Prince, you were still full of ambition to pacify the Xia people internally and the Bai Man people externally. How come Your Majesty is going to spend half of the national treasury silver on building a temporary palace as soon as the national treasury is full?"
Emperor Xianping: "No need for those grand principles. I have my own ambitions. But as you said, now is not the right time to launch a northern expedition against the Yin Kingdom. Those ten million taels are just gathering dust in the national treasury. Why can't I use them to build a temporary palace? Or is it that only you officials can enjoy the spring outing, while I, the emperor, am stuck in the palace with nowhere to find pleasure?"
Xiao Yu: "Your Majesty..."
Emperor Xianping turned around and said, "No need to say more. You, Xiao Yu, are not the only one in the court who is loyal to the emperor and the country. Both prime ministers and both ministers support my reconstruction of the Western Garden. It is not up to a mere junior official from the Ministry of Revenue to point fingers at me. Guards, take Xiao Yu away. From now on, unless I summon him, Xiao Yu is not allowed to enter the Qian Yuan Hall or the Imperial Study."
Before the Imperial Guards could rush in, Xiao Yu quickly said, "The four senior officials dare not advise Your Majesty because of the example of the former Left Chancellor. Even they are afraid of Your Majesty and dare not speak frankly. The officials below will only follow their example and obey Your Majesty in everything. What the superior likes, the inferiors will follow. I congratulate Your Majesty in advance. From now on, you may really build a wine..."
With four Imperial Guards holding Xiao Yu's arms, Eunuch Xue jumped up and stuffed a rolled-up handkerchief into Xiao Yu's mouth.
Four guards quickly carried Xiao Yu out of the imperial study to prevent him from angering the emperor to the point of fainting or causing his own death.
Xiao Yu was speechless. Emperor Xianping was furious and chased after him out of the imperial study, ordering the Imperial Guards to throw Xiao Yu out of the capital.
The emperor's words were law, and the four guards dared not disobey in the slightest. They carried Xiao Yu by one hand and one leg respectively, and hurried to the Zhuque Gate on the south side. Under the watchful eyes of the officials who came out to watch the commotion, they threw the tall and long-legged Xiao Yu out of the gate.
In that instant, Imperial Censor Fan Yan closed his eyes, and Vice Minister of Personnel Pei Xingshu lowered his eyelids.
How hard did Xiao Yu fall? Anyway, the city gates were closed, and he was still lying on the ground, not getting up.
The two rows of Imperial Guards on duty outside: "..."
They had seen officials dragged out and beheaded or imprisoned before, but this was the first time in their lives that a subject had been thrown out like this!
Just as they were worried that Lord Xiao might have suffered a serious fall, Xiao Yu slowly stood up, clapped his hands, patted his robes, straightened his official hat, and stood aside as if nothing had happened.
At the hour of You (5-7 PM), when the Imperial Guards finished their shift, they opened the city gates on time, waiting for the officials inside to come out.
At this moment, Xiao Yu, who had been standing for more than an hour, finally moved and said to a young eunuch who was in charge of leading the horses for the ministers, "Please help me get off my horse."
As he spoke, he handed over the horse tag he used to lead his horse.
The young eunuch and the two rows of imperial guards: "..."
A moment later, Xiao Yu rode his horse back to the Marquis's residence as if nothing had happened. He didn't say anything to his parents, and when he returned to Shensi Hall, he first tried to appease Hong Ge'er.
He wanted to keep it a secret. Xiao Lin, who worked in the Vermilion Bird Guard of the Imperial Guard, knew that his good third brother had gotten into trouble again. He returned almost a quarter of an hour later than Xiao Yu. Seeing that his parents were unaware of the situation, Xiao Lin didn't say anything and came to Shensi Hall alone.
Luo Fu sensed something was wrong and had the wet nurse take Hong Ge'er to play in the back, while she and Xiao Yu entertained Xiao Lin.
Xiao Lin first told his third sister-in-law about the sensational incident of Xiao Yu being thrown out of the capital.
Xiao Yu quickly assured her, "Don't worry, Madam, I'm not injured. I just have some minor scrapes on my palms and knees."
Luo Fu: "...Nobody's worried about that. Tell me what you've done now!"
Xiao Yu then explained briefly.
Xiao Lin was so angry he wanted to hit someone: "Even though they've stopped letting you be an imperial censor, you still won't shut up. Do you think the emperor will forget about you if you don't provoke him every now and then?"
When the two brothers were bickering, Luo Fu had only one thought in her mind: What kind of palace would cost ten million taels of silver?
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Author's note: Xiao Yu: Luckily, the fall didn't hurt too much.
Emperor Xianping: ...
Here they are! 100 little red envelopes, see you tomorrow!
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