The group climbed up the city wall.
The weather is clear and visibility is good.
Looking north, you can see the roof of the palace in the distance.
"The Imperial Palace is so tall and majestic! This is the first time I've looked at it from the city wall."
"Your Majesty, Xinmin County is below." Minister Lu pointed to the south.
Standing on the city wall, the huge Xinmin County is clearly visible.
At first glance, the most intuitive impression is the densely packed houses, neatly arranged in rows.
Secondly, there are a lot of people, all of them are people.
"How can there be so many people?" Emperor Wende exclaimed.
Minister Lu explained, "Xinmin County had no city walls and no curfew. Coupled with the influence of the Shanhe Academy, many scholars rented houses in Xinmin County. Consequently, many brothels, restaurants, and teahouses opened branches in Xinmin County."
This attracted merchants and scholars from all over the world to come to Xinmin County to relax and unwind. As the number of people increased, various shops also increased. So the number of people increased.
"I see!"
Looking at the bustling Xinmin County, Emperor Wende felt a hint of excitement in his heart.
"Lord Lu, is this a prosperous age?"
Minister Lu hesitated for a moment, wanting to say no, but he couldn't find a reason to support his claim.
So he said, "Xinmin County is a prosperous place. But within the city walls, I dare say it is definitely not a prosperous place."
Emperor Wende nodded. "The facts are before our eyes. I can see them. This is Xinmin County, and prosperity is just around the corner."
After saying this, Emperor Wende walked to the other side of the city wall and pointed to the South City. "This is the South City of the capital. Chaos and poverty are just as present before our eyes. I have seen and understood the huge gap between the two sides."
"Your humble servant is incompetent and deserves death!" Minister Lu simply pleaded guilty.
Emperor Wende waved his hand and said, "It has nothing to do with you. You've already said that this is a chronic disease of the capital. A chronic disease left over from decades and centuries. It cannot be solved overnight. But in my eyes, Nancheng is not only a chronic disease, but more like a patch on the capital. It's tattered, but it's just a patch."
My dear minister, you have spoken to me of the many drawbacks of a rapidly increasing population, chief among them the pressure on food. This, indeed, cannot be ignored. However, in my eyes, the benefits of the capital's rapid population growth far outweigh the drawbacks.
Just the tax collection aspect, if it were handled directly by the Ministry of Revenue, would it save countless procedures and reduce corruption? Local taxes are often accompanied by various levies, and only one out of every ten taels of silver actually reaches the Ministry of Revenue. If the capital and the Ministry of Revenue have money, I won't have to increase taxes, and the local people won't have to bear the heavy levies and corvee labor. Why don't you see this benefit, my dear minister?
Minister Lu, however, had a different idea. "Your Majesty, local taxes are fixed and must be paid in full, regardless of the population size. As the local population decreases, officials will inevitably double down on exploiting the remaining locals in order to fulfill their mandate."
"These disaster victims are mostly from middle- and lower-class counties, and their annual tax revenue is a mere four or five thousand taels. Is it impossible to complete such a small task?"
Minister Lu shook his head repeatedly. Emperor Wende had never been a local official and didn't know the ins and outs of this.
He said, "Local officials have to support people in addition to taxes. A county has at least 70 or 80 people, and sometimes even hundreds. The annual expenses for food and rations are quite high. Who can support them? Naturally, they rely on apportionment.
Every time a family flees, the remaining families have to shoulder even more levies. If local officials have to build water conservancy projects, support county schools, and handle the receptions, and if they embezzle even a little, they will have to shoulder even more levies. This is extremely unfair to the ordinary people who remain in the area.
Emperor Wende really didn't know much about the many tricks used by local officials.
But he saw further.
"Even if the common people who have taken root in the capital are driven back to their hometowns, do you think the local officials will have a change of heart and reduce their levies? Levies won't be reduced, yet even more common people will live in dire straits. Allowing these common people to take root in the capital will at least allow some of them to live and work in peace and contentment."
Minister Lu was very surprised.
He thought Emperor Wende was very conservative, but he didn't expect that Emperor Wende was more open than he imagined.
He paused, then continued, "Since the end of last year, local officials have successively submitted reports claiming that the capital has drained the local population. This has led to a sharp decline in the local population and an inability to pay taxes. Your Majesty, please make a decision on this matter."
Emperor Wende was silent for a moment, "This matter will be discussed in the court tomorrow."
"Your humble servant obeys your order!"
Emperor Wende stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the prosperous Xinmin County.
"Since the Queen Mother passed away, I often feel weak."
"Your Majesty, I am deeply saddened! Please take good care of yourself."
Emperor Wende said expressionlessly, "At first, I truly believed the Empress Dowager had passed away from illness, and even lamented the uncertainty of life and death. Turns out the Empress Dowager was poisoned. This is truly horrifying. When did the Imperial Palace become such a mess? Even the Empress Dowager's safety can't be guaranteed."
"I am incompetent and have not yet apprehended the criminal, Su Wenzhi. Your Majesty, please deal with me!"
Emperor Wende snorted coldly and said through gritted teeth, "That bitch, Concubine Su, actually has a daughter. She is so bold and arrogant that she is causing trouble for the harem. I will kill her."
Minister Lu bowed his head and obeyed the order.
Emperor Wende turned his head and looked at him, "Lord Lu!"
"I am here!"
"I'll give you another ten days. If you still can't catch Su Wenzhi, you know what to do."
Minister Lu's face turned pale, "Your Majesty, there are many innocent people here."
Emperor Wende sneered, "The Empress Dowager was poisoned, and only blood can wash away the anger in my heart. There are no innocent people, and everyone can be killed! I only give you ten days. After ten days, whether Su Wenzhi is captured or not, I will drench the capital in blood. I will let the blood in the vegetable market never dry up."
Minister Lu and Chang En both shuddered.
Emperor Wende's murderous intent was so strong that it seemed tangible.
According to Emperor Wende's request, all the people in the Cining Palace and the hundreds of thousands of people in the imperial palace who had any connection with Su Wenzhi must be beheaded.
Heads rolling!
Thousands of heads are truly horrifying.
Emperor Wende wanted to use the lives of thousands of people to commemorate the death of Empress Dowager Xiao.
Minister Lu wanted to persuade them that many of these thousands of people were innocent.
"His Majesty……"
"My dear minister, please stop talking. I have made my decision. The emperor's wrath can only be appeased by heads and blood."
Emperor Wende looked at Minister Lu and said, "If you, my dear minister, cannot bear this responsibility, you may raise it now. I will send someone else to carry out this matter."
Minister Lu's face turned pale and he broke out in a cold sweat.
Can he afford to take responsibility for thousands of lives?
On one side is the trust of Emperor Wende, and on the other side is human life. What choice should he make?
"Have you made up your mind, my dear?"
"Your humble servant, your humble servant obeys your order!" Minister Lu said with difficulty.
He will surely be written about in history books, and after his death he will be praised and criticized. He will be labeled a cruel official or a butcher by future generations.
A good reputation before and after death!
Isn’t this what scholars pursue throughout their lives?
However, he no longer cared about his reputation after death.
He is the knife in Emperor Wende's hand. Wherever Emperor Wende points, he must kill.
Only by gaining the trust and support of Emperor Wende could he realize his political ambitions.
Minister Lu took a deep breath.
A man who kills a person is a thief.
Killing a thousand people makes you a loyal minister and a good general!
Hahaha……
He was ordered to kill people, so what was there to fear?
There was a hint of madness in Minister Lu's eyes.
Emperor Wende looked at him with satisfaction, "My dear minister, you have never let me down."
Minister Lu lowered his head and said, "I will do my best to capture Su Wenzhi."
"Catch her and I will torture her to death."
The hatred for killing one's mother is irreconcilable.
Emperor Wende's determination to kill was stronger than ever before.
If Concubine Su had not lost her family, Emperor Wende would have wiped out the Su family long ago.
If we can’t exterminate the entire clan, then we can raid the Su family’s ancestral graves and whip the corpses.
Emperor Wende secretly ordered the corpse to be whipped, and the Jinwu Guards have already sent their trusted generals to Concubine Su's ancestral home.
This is the wrath of the emperor!
Anyone who dares to poison the palace or murder the empress dowager must be prepared to bear the emperor's wrath.
When the emperor is angry, there will be tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of corpses lying on the ground, even if there are not millions!
Minister Lu's killing of people under imperial orders was just the beginning of everything.
Later, more and more people will be implicated.
The road from the capital to the imperial mausoleum will be paved with human heads.
The Queen Mother's death must be repaid with countless heads.
Emperor Wende did not lose his mind.
At this moment, he was more awake than ever.
He clearly realized what he should do.
At this moment, Emperor Wende understood the late emperor's actions more than ever.
It’s not that the late emperor was violent and bloodthirsty, but sometimes he had to kill.
Without blood everywhere, there would be no peace and prosperity.
Emperor Wende moved his fingers, a smile on his face. "I have high hopes for you, my dear. I believe you will not let me down."
Minister Lu bowed and said, "I will repay your majesty's kindness with all my heart and soul."
"Very good! Do your job well!"
"Your humble servant obeys your order!"
Emperor Wende pointed to Xinmin County and said, "Who do you think should be the one to hand over my great kingdom?"
Minister Lu wanted to curse, today was too exciting.
First he was ordered to kill someone, and now he is asking about the succession.
Every single one of them is fatal.
"I don't know!" was the only answer he could give.
Emperor Wende looked at Minister Lu with a half-smile, "Do you not know, or do you dare not answer?"
Minister Lu was very frank, "I don't know, and I don't dare."
"Hahaha……"
Emperor Wende laughed heartily, then patted Minister Lu's shoulder affectionately and said, "I won't embarrass you. This question is premature."
"Your Majesty is right."
"Your Majesty will surely live a hundred years."
"I dare not hope to live a hundred years. I would be satisfied if I could live to the same age as the late emperor."
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