Chapter 292 The Fish-Watching Incident Causes Trouble...
The Tao family residence erupted in celebration.
However, other places may not be so harmonious.
Some well-informed families in the capital, after inquiring about the precious tributes bestowed by His Majesty, already knew the details. A minor official in the Ministry of Justice, behind closed doors at home, lamented, "His Majesty actually values military prowess over civil affairs; how tragic!"
Another civil official, having privately drunk his wine, grew increasingly sorrowful, shedding a few tears: "What use is that ignorant brute? Life was so much easier under the Emperor Emeritus; we had our own glory then. Who knew we'd be so oppressed by such people now… Alas! Alas…"
Some of the reborn officials even forgot to eat, pondering the matter over and over, their tempers flaring: "...Where on earth did that General Yang come from? He didn't exist in my previous life, nor did he have any extraordinary encounters, so why is he so favored by His Majesty?!"
There's no other reason than that His Majesty's recent fish-giving ceremony, awarding five fish each to members of the imperial family, maternal relatives, and in-laws, is understandable. But why are the civil officials only given one fish each, while General Yang Shou receives five each?! That's ten times more!
No wonder the group of civil officials were sighing and looking depressed.
Mu Residence.
The aroma of cooked shad wafted from the table early in the morning. The steward whispered something in Grand Scholar Mu's ear, but the old man waved him away dismissively.
"That's none of our business. Eating fish is more important." Grand Scholar Mu looked at the large table of people in front of him, from his eldest son's family to his four grandchildren and their families, and then to his great-granddaughter. They all stared at him in complete silence, waiting for the patriarch to announce that they could begin eating.
This large family is so numerous that there aren't enough seats for everyone. Today, they've all gathered in my grandfather's courtyard for a meal, so we had to set up several large tables, each serving a whole fish feast. There was fish soup, braised carp, fennel fish slices, crispy fried fish chunks, fish soup with rice, golden pomfret head, and many other delicious dishes.
But the fish bestowed by His Majesty was only placed on the table in front of Grand Scholar Mu. When he called out to a favorite junior, that person would happily run over, pick up a piece with their chopsticks, and savor it.
Mu Jie nodded slowly.
Everyone has such a large family, yet they only have enough for one fish. Naturally, they feel resentful and envious that General Yang gets ten fish. Why does he have so much favor?
But to those in the know, it was clear that Yang Shou was indeed His Majesty's cousin! He was merely concealing his identity on the surface; those who needed to know knew, but no one spoke of it. His Majesty valued relationships and treated his family well, and this cousin, having suffered hardship in his past life, evoked even more pity. They would never be jealous of General Yang.
The other reborn ministers all understood this principle.
Therefore, the ten ministers who were given fish did not quarrel, which was unusual. They had no reason to compete with each other in secret, as everyone was the same! They were all very satisfied.
But actually...
As Song Gu sat in his room in the palace, his eyes welled up with tears as he looked at the fish soup that the Emperor had specially ordered the imperial kitchen to prepare and serve him: "..."
He treats everyone equally, but in reality, His Majesty favors him the most, doesn't he?
Other officials who received fish did not receive this treatment.
Song Gu felt a warm glow in his heart, and a bittersweet feeling mixed with excitement and pride welled up within him.
Isn't this what it's all about to become an official?!
The First Prince's residence.
The cries and playful noises of the illegitimate children echoed outside, but the Crown Prince's wife was only concerned with comforting the infant in the swaddling clothes.
"The Dowager Consort Shu said that His Majesty's wedding is imminent, and she cannot come. Since this fish was a gift to her, she has used it. Please rest assured that the Princess Consort can also use the other one. You can save it for Xiao'er's future; she should replenish her strength after all her hard work." The aunt from the Dowager Consort Shu's side gently relayed her original words.
"Thank you, Mother." The Crown Prince's wife smiled and responded gracefully, then began to instruct her personal maids to prepare the meal.
After the personal maid and the others left, she asked uncertainly in a low voice, "Would you like to invite the other princes to come and eat with us?"
The Crown Princess's expression turned cold, and she calmly said, "No need."
Not to mention that after the eldest prince's death, these illegitimate sons will have to live at her mercy. Once they leave the palace, her son will move into the Prince Dun's residence and will inherit the title in the future. With her husband dead and her life as a widow, she no longer needs to cultivate a reputation for being virtuous.
Only her mother still had some affection for these illegitimate sons, but since she had just said that, she could use it without any pretense—her mother cared for her. She only wanted to offer this fish to her mother as a token of filial piety.
The eldest prince had no objection to receiving only two fish, so the Prince Ning's residence and the Third Princess's residence were even less likely to have any objections.
Even the Third Princess was somewhat flattered, clutching her chest and finally relieved: "...His Majesty is not angry with us anymore."
She hadn't recovered well after childbirth, and her complexion was still slightly pale, giving her a somewhat sickly appearance. The imperial son-in-law, Wang Shi, comforted her with concern, saying, "His Majesty is very kind. Even if he blames us, we'll correct our mistakes. From now on, we should trust His Majesty even more."
This is about the perilous situation of the Third Princess's difficult childbirth. If they had made the decision to use His Majesty's new prescription earlier, or even just reported it to the palace, things wouldn't have come to that point and angered His Majesty.
Wang Shi watched as the Third Princess responded gently, then hesitated for a moment before whispering, "When our daughter is a little older, I'd like to go with Prince Ning to do some work. Prince Ning took the reward money he earned from his trip to Yanshi to the Ministry of Works to have them repair the vineyard at the Prince's residence... Don't you also want a big garden?"
This was proposed by Prince Ning, who intended to involve his brother-in-law in his work, which naturally pleased Wang Shi.
The Third Princess nodded happily and said softly, "When you get there, do your job well. There's no rush in the garden. You must be serious about His Majesty's affairs and not make any mistakes."
When His Majesty first ascended the throne, they were all filled with anxiety, unsure how long this superficial leniency would last. But now His Majesty is willing to entrust all tasks to Prince Ning, and Prince Ning will receive substantial rewards for doing a good job. With him setting an example, the Third Princess feels much more at ease.
...
Only the Empress Dowager, facing the two lonely fish, wept bitterly in her palace, grumbling, "...In my old age, I'm still eating tribute fish! My son, as emperor, is less filial than my grandson..."
Although His Majesty is very opinionated and doesn't allow her to interfere in anything, once the Empress enters the palace, even the power within the palace should be taken away from her. But...
After His Majesty gave the order, the foreign noblewomen who were acquainted with her were to come to the palace to pay their respects or to talk to her. She was not usually confined to the palace; she could go to the estate, the garden, the mountain, or anywhere else she wanted to go.
The Empress Dowager never dreamed that her grandson would be so lenient, that she, a woman in the inner palace, would have such a free day. Life was too easy; what more could she ask for?
Inside the Emperor Emeritus's Palace—
There was no reaction from the Emperor Emeritus's palace. The Ice-Drinking Guards remained on guard, and no one dared to pass on the message. The Emperor Emeritus, now immersed in the pursuit of immortality and the feeling of growing younger each day, showed no interest in inquiring. Only the Taoist priest who had previously lectured sternly stopped the Emperor Emeritus:
"The effects of that pill haven't been fully absorbed yet, so the Emperor Emeritus must not use it for the next ten days!"
"Cough cough... It's alright, I know." The Emperor Emeritus's face was ruddy, his expression a mixture of joy and sorrow.
He knew he had to take the pills on time and digest their effects. But when he took the pills, his body felt as light and strong as when he was young. However, as time went by, his strength gradually disappeared. He could only watch helplessly as he aged day by day and became the weak and powerless person he is now.
...Every time he took the pills, it was the same torment. How could the retired emperor endure it?
He had been an emperor with absolute power for many years, and his temperament was not to be disobeyed. He only wanted to stay young and vigorous forever, but he knew that this would be harmful and not beneficial... so he could only act inconsistently, and he could not restrain himself.
"Alas..." The old Taoist could only sigh deeply.
He had repeatedly and sternly warned the Emperor Emeritus, but the Emperor Emeritus did not listen. This evil consequence has been sown, and if something really happens in the future, it is no wonder that he cannot be blamed.
...
Before the controversy sparked by the fish-watching incident had even subsided, early the next morning, a number of officials, as if injected with adrenaline, gathered at the palace to submit memorials vehemently criticizing His Majesty's wasteful and extravagant actions. They pointed out the immense costs and losses incurred in transporting live fish to the capital, and the historical consequences of emperors who favored luxury and pleasure. Each official offered their own unique perspective, yet all of their arguments sounded quite reasonable.
Qi Chengming listened calmly; he had known this would happen from the moment he decided to go down to admire the fish.
Qi Chengming hesitated for a moment, but then he thought about how many things he couldn't explain to the people of this world, how many ideas they couldn't understand. Could he keep it a secret forever? Back in Liuzhou, Qi Chengming couldn't do it; he chose to expose his abnormality to his confidants. He wouldn't do it now either.
He did not refute, but simply said:
"I know what you are saying. I love food, but I do not accept food that wastes the resources and manpower of the people. From the past to the present, I have never accepted any of the delicacies offered to the palace, whether they were presented by merchants or officials. This way, it will not cause others to imitate me. What I eat is purchased by my own caravan when I was still a prince. It comes from my private treasury and is bought and sold at market prices. I neither select tribute items nor waste the resources and manpower of the people. Do you have any objections?"
That's all the reasons Qi Chengming could offer.
When he said these words, most of the reborn ministers lowered their heads and remained silent, their eyes fixed on the king's toes, not exchanging glances with anyone.
...What kind of caravan procurement?
This sentence lingered in the minds of the reborn officials.
His Majesty possesses divine abilities; he is a celestial star deity descended to earth. If he wants to eat some fish, does he really need a caravan to travel so far to purchase it? Our Majesty can conjure it up with a wave of his sleeve!
Therefore, most of those who came to the small court session today remained silent, showing no sign of excitement. It was the remonstrating officials who persisted, shifting their perspective. One of them lamented, "How can Your Majesty compete with the people for profit? The people's lives are so difficult! Instead of showing them care and concern, Your Majesty is leading the way in engaging in that money-grubbing business!"
Some even knelt down and wept, pleading, "Your Majesty! Even private boats are a waste of resources and manpower! How much would it cost to properly transport those fish to the capital? There are still many refugees from two years ago living in poverty in the outskirts of the capital!"
Qi Chengming's face turned cold, and he slammed his hand on the table: "Insolence!"
This is outrageous!
The officials' initial remarks were reasonable, but their later statements became increasingly inappropriate.
—Don't be so possessive of other people's money. Are you all eyeing my private treasury?!
What business is it of yours what I do with my money!
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