Chapter 316: Imperial Tutor of Three Dynasties
In the blink of an eye, the busy July has passed.
The supporting facilities of the Heihe Village Inn and Food Street are becoming more and more complete, the division of labor and cooperation among the villagers are becoming more mature, and they are more adept at handling various matters.
In August, more and more people came to Xianchuan County, and most of them came from the capital.
I heard from guests from Heihe Village that it hasn't rained in the capital for two months, the moat is almost dry, and the sun hangs in the sky like a big fireball every day, baking the ground so hard that it is about to smoke.
Rich families had ice cellars and could use ice to cool down; but ordinary people had a hard time and lived in dire straits every day.
Because the weather was too hot, people would get heatstroke if they were not careful when working outside, so many people died of heatstroke in the capital.
For those living in the palace, they can spend the summer comfortably no matter how hot it is.
However, Princess Mingzhu was delicate and could not stand the scorching heat. The royal family originally had a summer palace, but Princess Mingzhu disliked the lack of a rain-proof palace in the existing palace and asked the emperor to build a new one.
The Daewoo Dynasty's treasury was already severely depleted, and natural disasters had been severe in recent years.
At a time when the country is in trouble, it is obviously inappropriate to carry out large-scale construction projects because of Princess Mingzhu's personal desires.
But the emperor listened to Princess Mingzhu's words and agreed without hesitation...
Imperial City, in front of Zunwu Hall.
A group of ministers in court robes knelt on the jade-paved ground with solemn expressions under the scorching sun. The sweat on their bodies flowed down their thighs to their knees, soaking a large area of the ground.
The palace gate creaked open, and a cool breeze blew in. The eunuch chief, Gao Sui, walked over with a hunched back.
"My Lords, please return!" Gao Sui lowered his voice. "You all know the Emperor's intentions very well. This summer palace must be built. Even if you all kneel for eternity, it will be of no avail!"
The ministers shouted, "As long as the emperor does not revoke his order, we will kneel and die in front of the palace!"
"Your Majesty, we implore you to consider the interests of the people and the nation! Do not do anything that would harm the dignity of the state!"
As he was speaking, an old minister with gray hair fell to the ground with a thud, his lips as white as paper and his eyes closed.
"Sir, the Minister!" Everyone was shocked. "Doctor, come quickly! The Minister has a heat stroke!"
"Come quickly!" Gao Sui ordered hurriedly, "Carry the Minister to a cool place to rest!"
As soon as he finished speaking, another minister fell to the ground.
After a flurry of activity, the ministers returned to their composure, as if nothing had happened.
"My Lords, this won't do!" Gao Sui stamped his feet anxiously. "My Lords, you can't threaten the Emperor with your lives just because he's soft-hearted and sympathetic!"
"Eunuch Gao, why are you so anxious? If they like to kneel, let them kneel!" A cold voice came.
Gao Sui's face turned stern, and he bowed and said, "Prime Minister."
Prime Minister Du Rulin walked over with his hands behind his back and a dignified look on his face.
"I was in Wanshou Palace, conversing with the Empress Dowager, when I heard someone was threatening the Emperor with death. That's why I hurried here! I wonder what the significance of your actions is? Do you think the Emperor is still the same child who was manipulated by others?"
The kneeling ministers looked forbearing and no one spoke.
Obviously, they belong to a different camp from Du Rulin.
Du Rulin walked under the eaves and turned to face the kneeling ministers. "What's wrong with the emperor building a summer palace? Wasn't it built for Princess Mingzhu? Princess Mingzhu is a blessing to the world. Shouldn't even such a small request be met? You keep obstructing him. Aren't you afraid that God will punish you?"
"Don't be afraid!" the Imperial Censor, kneeling in the front, shouted, "Princess Mingzhu, since you are a blessed child, should understand that our actions today are for the benefit of the entire Great Yu Empire! We don't know how long the drought and heat will last. Starting a large-scale construction project at this time is like piling firewood on a blaze, and it will inevitably cause endless trouble!"
"Lord Wei is exaggerating!" Du Rulin said unhappily. "The Great Yu Empire is under the protection of Princess Mingzhu. How can such a minor disaster be a serious threat? Haven't you heard that the small city of Xianchuan County over there suffered from a drought for three years, but is now thriving and famous throughout the world? This is all because of Princess Mingzhu's blessings to the country!"
"Ridiculous! How can we entrust the country to an ignorant child?!"
An old and intimidating voice came.
Everyone looked up, their faces filled with ecstasy, "Saint Wang!"
The person who came was none other than Wang Changyang, the imperial tutor of three dynasties, the most holy and great scholar, and the "Sage of Dayu" personally conferred by the previous emperor.
Wang Changyang has been recuperating in his mansion on sick leave for the past two years and has rarely attended court. His sudden appearance today has given everyone hope.
Wang Changyang walked over slowly with a cane.
Although he was over seventy years old and his hair and beard were completely white, his back was straight and he did not look old at all. Under his long white eyebrows were a pair of eyes that were stern but not angry, which made people feel scared when they looked at them.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The crutch fell on the jade floor tiles, making a dull sound, one after another, like the roar of a war drum.
Du Rulin's heart skipped a beat, and he lowered his head and smiled, "The weather is so hot, why is the Saint not recuperating at home instead of coming to the palace?"
Wang Changyang didn't even look at him, but just slammed his crutch hard on the ground.
With a loud "bang", the jade slab that was hit instantly shattered into pieces.
"You!" Du Rulin was about to speak, but he heard the door of the hall open and a bright yellow figure walked over quickly.
"Why are you here, teacher? Come with me and sit in the hall!"
The emperor was only in his early thirties, with a tall stature and handsome appearance. At first glance, he did not look like a powerful ruler, but rather an elegant and gentle scholar.
It’s just that his face was too pale, and there was a hint of hostility between his brows.
The emperor smiled slightly and reached out to support Wang Changyang.
Wang Changyang looked at the emperor with sharp eyes, pointing at the people kneeling on the ground, "Your Majesty, can't you see these ministers kneeling on the ground?"
The emperor's smile faded, and after a moment of silence, he spoke again, "Teacher, you should know that I hate being threatened. If they threaten me in this way, I will never give in!"
Wang Changyang snorted, and then the sound was like thunder, shocking everyone.
"Your Majesty, as the ruler of a country, mediocre abilities are not to be feared! What is to be feared is the inability to distinguish between loyalty and treachery, and right and wrong! Your Majesty sits high above the court, but are you aware that the people have long been complaining and complaining?"
"Those kneeling here today, threatening death, are all loyal ministers and generals of the Great Yu Dynasty! The Emperor only sees their threats of death, but not their utter loyalty to him! The people of the capital are in dire straits, yet the Emperor refuses to consult with his ministers and instead insists on building the summer palace. Is he destined to continue down this path of incompetence until the end?"
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