The carriage rolled over the slightly damp cobblestone road and headed towards the Marquis of Anguo's residence.
Inside the carriage, Xin Jiuwei leaned against the cushions with her eyes closed. The exhaustion of days of relentless work washed over her like a tidal wave, almost overwhelming her. Yet, her heart was like steel forged in fire; beneath the weary exterior lay an unprecedented resilience and clarity. The Xue family had fallen, but this was merely the tip of the iceberg of a vast, long-standing veil of corruption. The road ahead was fraught with thorns, but she had to keep going.
Inside the Marquis of Anguo's residence, the atmosphere was solemn and heavy. Princess Rongchang and the old lady of the Marquis of Anguo were already waiting in the flower hall. The two noble ladies of the imperial family, who had weathered many storms, looked at Xin Jiuwei with undisguised admiration and reliance.
"Good child! Sit down quickly!" The old lady of the Marquis of Anguo personally stood up, took Xin Jiuwei's hand, and made her sit beside her, her eyes full of heartache. "Look at this little face, it's so thin. Those wicked devils from the Xue family, it's all thanks to you!"
Princess Rongchang did not speak, but nodded slightly, her gaze falling on the thick drafts brought by Xin Jiuwei, with an inquiring look.
"Madam, Your Highness," Xin Jiuwei said, forcing herself to be spirited, "the execution of the Xue family is certainly gratifying. However, the disaster in Yingzhou remains unresolved, the battle at Tongguan is at a stalemate, and the suffering of the people is heart-wrenching. The Xue family's crimes only expose the tip of the iceberg of the court's deep-seated corruption! When officials are corrupt, disaster relief funds are embezzled at every level; when waterways are not repaired, floods occur every year, causing widespread suffering; when the grain transport is disrupted, the transport of provisions is difficult, and the soldiers on the front lines also suffer as a result!"
She respectfully presented the "Memorial on Equal Land Distribution" and the "Ten Policies on Grain Transport": "These are my humble opinions drafted by Wei'er and several colleagues in the Qingliu who are concerned about the country, taking into account the past and present, and combining them with what we have seen in this disaster. I humbly request Your Highnesses to review and correct them."
Princess Rongchang took the document and opened it first. The opening directly addressed the core issue: "...The calamity in Yingzhou today is not merely a natural disaster, but a man-made one! Powerful families have seized vast tracts of land; ordinary people have lost their land and become laborers. When floods occur, those without land have no roots, and those without property have no means of support, resulting in a massive influx of refugees, sometimes numbering in the tens of thousands! This is not a problem confined to Yingzhou, but a hidden worry for the entire nation! The 'equal land distribution' policy should be implemented: limiting the amount of land to curb land grabbing, allocating barren land to landless refugees, reducing taxes and corvée labor to appease them, and developing water conservancy projects to strengthen their foundations..."
Every word and sentence incisively addressed the ills of the time, and contained a deep compassion for the common people. The more Princess Rongchang read, the more solemn her expression became, her eyes gleaming with a sharp light. Though she had long resided deep within the palace, she was not unaware of the suffering of the common people. This memorial analyzed the problems so profoundly, and although the proposed strategies touched upon the interests of the powerful, they were truly fundamental measures to strengthen the nation's foundation!
The old lady of the Marquis of Anguo carefully read the "Ten Policies on the Grand Canal Transport". From clarifying the powers and responsibilities of the canal transport authorities, strictly investigating extortion and exploitation along the way (such as the bad habit of "kicking the bucket and pouring the tip"), dredging the silted waterways, and increasing the number of warehouses along the river to meet the needs of emergencies, to encouraging commercial transport to assist official transport... each point is clear and directly points out the long-standing problems of the Grand Canal transport.
"Excellent! Insightful! Courageous!" After reading it, the old lady of the Marquis of Anguo couldn't help but applaud, her gaze towards Xin Jiuwei filled with amazement. "Wei'er, your vision and breadth of mind far surpass those of many men! If these two memorials are implemented, it will truly be a blessing for the nation and a boon for the people!"
Princess Rongchang put down the draft of the memorial and slowly began to speak, her voice carrying the unique majesty and decisiveness of royalty: "The draft is excellent. However, it is a matter of great importance, with far-reaching consequences. The equal distribution of land and the suppression of land annexation touch upon the very lifeblood of countless powerful and wealthy individuals; the reform of the Grand Canal cuts off the financial lifeline of countless corrupt officials along its route. The difficulty of its implementation and the magnitude of the resistance are likely beyond imagination. Especially now, with the national treasury empty and the war still raging..."
"Your Highness is wise." Xin Jiuwei met Princess Rongchang's gaze calmly, without flinching. "Wei'er knows the difficulties involved. However, without eliminating deep-seated problems, the country will never have peace! The disaster victims in Yingzhou today may very well be the source of tomorrow's calamity that shakes the nation! The soldiers on the front lines are shedding their blood to protect not only the land, but also the people living on it! If the foundation at home is unstable and the people's hearts are scattered, how long can even the mighty passes and iron cavalry hold out?"
She stood up and bowed deeply to the two esteemed members of the imperial family: "I dare to humbly request Your Highnesses, as members of the imperial family, to raise your voices and appeal! Present these two memorials, along with the evidence of the Xue family's crimes, directly before the Emperor! I do not presume to implement them entirely immediately, but I beg Your Majesty and the officials of the court to face the deep-seated problems squarely, to conduct pilot programs in disaster relief first, and to immediately and rigorously investigate the abuses in the canal transport system! This will relieve the soldiers on the front lines of their worries and open a glimmer of hope for the people of the land!"
Xin Jiuwei's words were resounding, carrying a sorrow and responsibility beyond her years. The flower hall was silent, save for the howling wind outside the window.
Princess Rongchang and the old lady of the Marquis of Anguo exchanged a glance, both seeing shock and determination in each other's eyes. After a long silence, Princess Rongchang said in a deep voice, "Very well! This old woman will accompany you into this den of dragons and tigers! Tomorrow, I will go to the palace with the old lady to plead our case before the Emperor!"
With the strong support of Princess Rongchang and the old lady of the Marquis of Anguo, Xin Jiuwei felt much more at ease. She immediately returned to the Prince's residence, refined the contents of the two memorials into actionable clauses based on the specific needs of Yingzhou's post-disaster reconstruction, and began preparations for pilot implementation.
However, the tree may wish to remain still, but the wind will not cease. The aftershocks of the Xue family's downfall had not yet subsided when new undercurrents began to stir.
Yingzhou, Yuncheng.
The study of Qi Huaihe was brightly lit. His slender fingers were twirling a secret letter. The letter was unsigned, bearing only a line of cold handwriting: "The Xin woman has interfered in politics, misled the imperial family, and recklessly criticized ancestral rules. Her intentions are deserving of death. The theory of equal land distribution shakes the foundation of the nation and must not be implemented. Yingzhou is your base of operations; it must be stopped immediately!"
Qi Huaihe's handsome face appeared obscured by the flickering candlelight. A playful smile curved his lips, tinged with a cold mockery. The Xue family had barely fallen, and this person behind it all was already jumping out, trying to use him to deal with his sister-in-law? Did they really think he, Qi Huaihe, was a pawn to be manipulated?
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