"If you have something to say, please report it. If you have nothing to say..."
"Boom! Boom boom! Boom boom! Boom!"
Shao Chengzhang felt depressed. He wondered if he had Mercury retrograde today. Otherwise, why was he always in such a mess and felt so uncomfortable?
"This is?"
Zhao Huan whispered to Shao Chengzhang who was standing beside him.
"Your Majesty, someone has struck the drum to report the incident."
After hearing what Shao Chengzhang said, Zhao Huan understood what was going on.
In order to show that they were wise rulers and were willing to listen to the advice or grievances of their subjects, ancient emperors hung a drum outside the court and allowed their subjects to beat the drum to report their opinions. This system was called the Dengwen Drum.
Donkey dung eggs have a smooth surface.
In most cases, the drum for reporting official affairs was just a decoration. In ancient times, people suing officials was considered as insubordination, which was a crime in itself.
If a citizen sued an official, it was like a son killing his father; he would first be sentenced to fifty punishments, and even if he won, he would be exiled two thousand miles. Unless forced to do so, citizens sued officials with the determination to die.
"Invite them to the main hall. All the civil and military officials are here. I want to see who is oppressing the innocent people."
"yes!"
"Probably not an ordinary citizen..."
Shao Chengzhang muttered something under his breath and quietly left the Daqing Hall.
To the south of the Daqing Hall is the Zhengshi Hall where officials from the three provinces work. In the square in front of the Zhengshi Hall, there is a drum one meter above the ground for reporting.
This is different from the ordinary Dengwen Drum. It is really symbolic. Since the establishment of the Song Dynasty 165 years ago, no one has ever beaten this drum. After all, how could ordinary people run to the Bianliang Palace?
"Boom! Boom boom! Boom boom! Boom!"
On the high platform, a woman dressed in white mourning held a drumstick and beat the Dengwen drum rhythmically. Even if she was just from behind, it was difficult to conceal her graceful figure.
Under the platform, a group of armored guards with swords stood two meters away, looking straight ahead and giving advice in a friendly manner.
"Miss Li, the wind is strong up there, please come down quickly!"
Shao Chengzhang approached, pulled over a guard on duty, and scolded him, "Why didn't you stop them? His Majesty and the Emperor are hosting a banquet in the Daqing Palace to entertain the ministers today. What if they delay important matters?"
"Master, I dare not!"
The guard on duty, Jing Chao, looked at Shao Chengzhang helplessly.
"She brought His Majesty's gold medal!"
"Who is this guy? Why does he have a gold medal?"
"She calls herself Master Li."
“…………”
This is going to be a difficult situation.
There is no need to say much about who Li Shishi is. She was the most famous prostitute in Tokyo and the mistress of Emperor Huizong of Song.
Shao Chengzhang walked up to the platform with a beaming face.
"Miss Li, His Majesty has asked me to invite you over. I wonder who you are accusing me of? What is the matter?"
Li Shishi put the drumstick back to its place, bowed slightly, and said, "Sorry for the trouble."
Li Shishi didn't want to say more, so Shao Chengzhang had to lead the way, and soon they arrived at the Daqing Hall.
"This humble lady greets His Majesty. Long live the Emperor."
"Stand up and speak. Who are you accusing? What is your cause? All the civil and military officials are present in the palace today. They will surely redress your grievances."
"I didn't come here to seek justice. I came here just to vent my frustrations and settle things with someone."
Li Shishi stood up from the ground, pulled off the veil covering her face, and looked around the court with great enthusiasm.
"I, Li Shishi, am but a humble courtesan. I have been blessed by the Emperor's grace and have earned a great deal of wealth. Now that the Jin have invaded, the Song Dynasty's survival hangs in the balance. I have donated all my wealth to the Anti-Jin Defence Commission as military pay. If the city falls, I have no other desire but to die for the country."
"In the court, everyone holds high positions and generous salaries. Has the court ever wronged you? Now that the Jin Kingdom has invaded, instead of thinking about defending your homeland, each of you is thinking about selling out your country for personal gain. How can you even call yourselves ministers of the Song Dynasty?"
Is this Li Shishi?
Too tough! He dared to confront the entire court by himself.
So cool! Even cooler than my aunt who did ten backflips in a row.
Zhao Huan turned his head to look at his adoptive father standing beside him, and Song Huizong's face turned pale and blue.
After scolding the peace-seeking officials in the court, Li Shishi turned around and started attacking Song Huizong.
"I heard that the Emperor Retired will be leaving for Luoyang soon. I think this is quite inappropriate. The Jin Kingdom is invading. How can the Emperor Retired just walk away and abandon the people of the city? No matter how powerful the Jin people are, they are not invincible."
"As Your Majesty stated in the decree issued yesterday, the Jin Kingdom is a tiny country with a population of only a million, less than one percent of the Song Dynasty. Why are you so afraid of the Jin people?"
"If every one of the 1.5 million people in Bianliang City were brave and fearless, how could the 60,000 Jin troops win?"
"Yesterday in the city, Wang Zongchu, commander of the Palace Guards, Liang Chen, former head of the Eastern Palace eunuchs, and Niu Gao, an ordinary Song citizen, teamed up to behead Wanyan Zongfu, the Jin Dynasty's foremost warrior. It was truly a moment of great joy."
"My status as a commoner is low, so it's normal that I can't influence the Emperor's thoughts. However, I was once favored by the Emperor, which allowed me to avenge my parents. I must repay this great favor."
"If the Emperor goes to Luoyang, when the Jin army attacks Bianliang, Li Shishi will still wear mourning clothes and be willing to raise the banner of "Emperor Emeritus" for the Emperor and beat the drum to cheer on all the anti-Jin soldiers. If the city can be held, the Emperor will not be embarrassed when he returns later; if the city is captured, everyone will die, there is no other way."
Li Shishi spoke with absolute certainty, and it was obvious that she was ready to die.
"Well said!"
The one who stood up and spoke was Li Gang. Some time ago, Li Shishi had indeed found him and donated all his assets, 20,000 taels of silver.
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