Chapter 125 Selfishness
The next day, there will be a meeting.
Emperor Huo Yuan sat high in the golden palace, while all the civil and military officials stood in an orderly line, chanting "Long live the emperor!"
After the roar of "Long live the emperor", the chief eunuch Liang said loudly: "If you have something to report, please come forward. If not, please leave the court..."
Prime Minister Ji glanced at the student behind him. Just as the student was about to step out of the line, he heard the Minister of Revenue, Lord Zhang, say loudly, "This old official has a memorial to make!"
Having been overtaken, Prime Minister Ji and his disciples could only wait for Minister Zhang to speak first.
Huo Yuan sat upright, "Master Zhang, what do you want to report? Tell me."
Minister Zhang said, "I am old and have many dreams. Last night I dreamed of Mu Qingshan, the former Minister of Revenue. I dreamed that he was far away in the bitter cold of the northern border, but his heart was still with the court..."
Prime Minister Ji couldn't help but interrupt, "Master Zhang, in the court, we should only discuss important matters. Don't talk about your dream last night."
"Why is Prime Minister Ji so anxious?" Minister Zhang said, "Your Majesty, I have been thinking about this all day and dreaming about it all night. Mu Qingshan angered the Emperor by promoting the Enriching the People Order. He was confiscated and exiled. But now the treasury is empty. We can't even afford to build the Imperial Mausoleum for Your Majesty. Isn't this just as Mu Qingshan predicted?"
Huo Yuan's face darkened slightly.
No one in the court responded.
Minister Zhang continued, bracing himself, "The order to enrich the people advocated by Mu Qingshan wasn't applicable eleven years ago, but it's perfectly applicable today! Your Majesty, I, an old minister, am about to return home. What I say today is from the bottom of my heart. Mu Qingshan is an upright official with great talent. He was exiled to the northern border for eleven years because he offended the emperor. I believe he has reflected on himself day and night over these years and has long since turned over a new leaf. It's even better that the emperor, in recognition of Mu Qingshan's years of hard work, has summoned him back to the capital!"
"Minister Zhang." Huo Yuan frowned and said, "I don't think you dreamed of Mu Qingshan, but someone mentioned Mu Qingshan to you."
"Father," Huo Zheng immediately stepped out and said, "I have been discussing strategies for enriching the country with everyone in recent days, and I have discovered that to enrich the country, we must first enrich the people. The order to enrich the people advocated by Mu Qingshan eleven years ago is indeed a feasible strategy—"
"Seventh brother, this is where you're wrong," Rui Wang Huo Yang said. "What's so special about Mu Qingshan, a mere criminal, advocating for a decree to enrich the people? Are the policies submitted by the lords not enough for your consideration?"
Prince Rui is the eldest son of the emperor, born to Concubine Shu. He is already thirty years old and has been in the court for many years. He has many followers in the court.
As soon as Prince Rui Huo Yang opened his mouth, Prince Rui's party began to say that Prince Chang'an had nothing better to do than to go and see the policies advocated by a criminal minister.
"Big Brother, you're wrong." Ninth Prince Huo Yan gave Huo Zheng a look and said, "Seventh Brother is just as conscientious and cautious in his work. The treasury is now empty, and Seventh Brother is determined to enrich the country and strengthen the people. Not to mention the policies advocated by someone eleven years ago, I'm afraid he's even reviewed those from a hundred years ago. Isn't that right, Seventh Brother?"
Huo Yan is the son of the imperial concubine, and he must be deeply favored by the emperor. He has just entered the court to govern the country this year, and he has already recruited many ministers.
Prince Rui and the Ninth Prince have always been at odds with each other in the court.
Today, the issue of Huo Zheng has not stopped at all.
The ninth prince Huo Yan seemed to be speaking for Huo Zheng, but in fact he was not.
The emperor couldn't help frowning when he saw his two sons.
Prime Minister Ji gave a look to the disciple behind him.
Minister Zhao, a disciple of the Prime Minister's Mansion, said loudly: "If the Prince of Chang'an really mentioned Mu Qingshan in order to enrich the country and strengthen the people, that would be great!"
Prince Rui Huo Yang turned around and said, "What do you mean? Explain yourself clearly!"
Minister Zhao said, "Yesterday, I received an anonymous letter of accusation, saying that the Prince of Chang'an's fiancée, Song Chunzhi, is not actually a daughter of the Song family, but the daughter of the guilty minister, Mu Qingshan! I was just about to report this to the emperor, but—"
As a result, Minister Zhang mentioned Mu Qingshan.
Prince Chang'an then stood up.
This is something that all civil and military officials have witnessed, so there is no need to say more.
What Prince Chang'an said just now was full of righteousness, but now it has become all selfishness.
The ministers began to discuss in low voices.
Someone said: "It is said that the Prince of Chang'an is selfless and wholeheartedly serves the people, but now it seems that is not entirely true."
"The Emperor personally granted marriage to Prince Chang'an and Miss Song, but Miss Song suddenly became the daughter of the traitor Mu Qingshan. I'm afraid this marriage won't go through..."
"This anonymous report comes at the perfect time!"
The Ninth Prince Huo Yan lowered his voice and said to Huo Zheng, "Seventh Brother, I can't help you with this matter. You have to take care of yourself."
He says he can't help you, but his eyes are full of anticipation.
Prince Rui Huo Yang was even more gloating.
Huo Yang married a noble lady from a high-class family, and her family was very beneficial to him. When he learned that Huo Zheng was going to marry a merchant's daughter, which made Queen Wang very angry, he secretly laughed at home.
Now this merchant's daughter has become the daughter of a criminal.
It really is God's will to kill Huo Zheng.
"Huo Zheng." Emperor Huo Yuan called out to Huo Zheng in a deep voice, "What do you want to say?"
Huo Zheng said sternly, "I don't know where the news that Chunzhi is Mu Qingshan's daughter came from, but since someone said so, there must be a reason. I ask the emperor to summon Mu Qingshan back to the capital to investigate."
"You!" Huo Yuan knew very well what Huo Zheng was planning.
Even at this time, he still wanted to recall Mu Qingshan back to the capital.
Huo Yuan wanted to scold him, but he didn't want to embarrass Prince Chang'an in front of all the civil and military officials, so he forced himself to hold it in. "Prince Rui, what do you think about this?"
Prince Rui Huo Yang was suddenly named by his father. Naturally, he hoped that Huo Zheng would be implicated by the daughter of a guilty minister, lose the emperor's favor, and would no longer be able to compete with him, his royal brother.
But he couldn't be too direct in front of his father, and he had to pretend to be a brother.
Huo Yang paused for a moment before speaking, "I feel that the anonymous report is unfounded. Whether or not the Seventh Prince's fiancée is the daughter of a guilty minister requires further investigation."
After hearing this, the emperor turned his gaze to the Ninth Prince, "Huo Yan, what do you think?"
Huo Yan had just been enjoying the show when he was suddenly called out. He quickly said, "I think we should immediately find the person who wrote the anonymous letter of accusation and make him hand over the evidence."
The ministers in the palace were discussing whether they were biological father and daughter. How could they find evidence? Should they summon Mu Qingshan back to the capital and have the Song family girl test their relationship with him by dropping blood on the spot?
Everyone discussed it for a long time but couldn't come to a conclusion.
Grand Tutor Wang stepped forward and said, "The daughter of a guilty minister is not worthy of being the Princess of Chang'an. This marriage should be annulled."
Prime Minister Ji said: "Prince Chang'an spoke up for Mu Qingshan today, and it is hard to hide his selfish motives. It really makes us feel chilled—"
A group of ministers echoed the two.
Minister Zhang and the ministers who supported Prince Chang'an immediately stood up to refute.
Huo Zheng said calmly, "Public affairs are public affairs, private affairs are private affairs. They should not be mixed up."
Huo Yuan felt a bit overwhelmed after hearing this and immediately called for a halt. The chief eunuch shouted, "Dismiss the court..."
After the emperor left court, he summoned Huo Zheng to his study and asked him in a deep voice, "You spoke up for Mu Qingshan today. Are you truly selfless?"
Huo Zheng said sternly, "This son does have selfish motives."
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