Chapter 751 Moving the capital!
As they walked along, workers were standing on both sides of the avenue, all kneeling on the ground and kowtowed to the emperor and the imperial concubine.
Soon, Zhu Feng led the ministers to the bottom of the shed and sat down.
And Nan Yan, naturally, sat next to him.
Looking at the ministers around her, she couldn't help but feel a little nervous. She placed her hands under the table, and her palms were slightly sweaty.
At this moment, a hand reached out and held her hand.
Nan Yan raised her head and looked at Zhu Feng, but found that he was not looking at her. His eyes were just looking forward firmly. Following his gaze, all the ministers also looked forward.
It was the city wall that was struck by lightning.
The big dark hole, which looked like it had been burned by fire, was terrifying to look at. One could even see some bloodstains on the wall.
It must have been left by an injured worker.
At this time, Gu Tingqiu came over: "Your Majesty."
Zhu Feng looked at him, then at the workers kneeling around him, and said calmly, "Master Gu, what are you doing today?"
Gu Tingqiu said, "According to the Emperor's order, the workers injured by the collapsed city wall have been sent for treatment. Today, they are cleaning up the bricks and stones that fell from the lightning strike."
Zhu Feng nodded and said, "Let them continue. There's no need to wait here."
"yes."
After saying that, Gu Tingqiu turned around and told the people below him to pass on the message.
After a while, the sound of workers digging bricks and stones could be heard again under the city wall that was struck by lightning.
A minister said, "Your Majesty, this place is the city wall that was struck by lightning that night."
Zhu Feng nodded.
Everyone couldn't help but whisper to each other and talk about it -
“It’s so dangerous.”
"Yeah, luckily this time it's not in the city."
"If it happens in a crowded place, there will be more casualties. How will we explain it to the people then?"
The Minister of Rites raised his hand and saluted Zhu Feng, saying, "Your Majesty has brought us here, and we are here too. Seeing this scene, we are truly heartbroken. Now, I only ask Your Majesty to obey the will of Heaven and abandon the construction of Beiping City, so that the people can have peace."
Zhu Feng waved his hand calmly, and Xiao Shunzi came over immediately and was served tea by him.
He took a sip of tea and said, "Could it be that you, my ministers, feel that the people of Peking are restless?"
Everyone looked at each other.
He immediately said, "Of course."
Zhu Feng said, "Indeed, I have been the Prince of Yan in Peking for over a decade, and I am well aware that the people of Peking live in extreme unrest. But do you know who brought this unrest upon them?"
“…”
Everyone was stunned.
But before they could open their mouths, Zhu Feng said, "Actually, I shouldn't ask you this question, because you were all born and raised in the south."
“…”
"What you see is the prosperity and stability of Jinling City."
“…”
"You can't imagine what life is like for the people of Peking. Just a few years ago, the cavalry from the Kingdom of Dan would occasionally return to the border to burn, kill, and loot. They looted ironware, food, and even the people of Peking."
“…”
"I'm afraid you haven't experienced this kind of life."
The ministers' faces turned ugly.
Indeed, they were all officials from the south and had never known what life was like in the north, nor did they know what the ordinary people living in border cities were experiencing.
These are not within their consideration.
Immediately, the Inspector General said, "Your Majesty, Peking is located on the border and is often harassed by enemy countries. This is common. But what we want to talk about now is the city wall."
Zhu Feng said, "What I want to talk about is also the city wall."
“…”
"Repairing the city is to strengthen the fortifications and to protect these ordinary people."
Immediately, the Ministry of Revenue stood up and said, "But Your Majesty, even if we want to strengthen the fortifications, there is no need to build such a large city!"
"Why not?"
Zhu Feng looked at them. "Actually, I don't know if it's about strengthening the fortifications. I also plan to trade with the Western Regions and open up that westward route. Therefore, the expansion of the city of Beiping is also in preparation for future plans."
At this point, the expressions of the ministers below changed slightly.
After a long silence, Supervisory Censor Li Ziyun stood up and said to Zhu Feng, "Your Majesty, since we have come to this point, I would like to ask you a question - Your Majesty, are you determined to move the capital?"
As soon as these words came out, the surroundings suddenly became quiet.
Everyone held their breath and stared at Zhu Feng with wide eyes.
Nan Yan's heart sank deeply.
In fact, from the first time Zhu Feng proposed to build Beiping City, including some of his later ideas about the future, she had already felt it vaguely.
He wants to move the capital.
After all, Jinling was not within his sphere of influence, but was conquered by him after crossing the river.
He had been the King of Yan for more than ten years, but his power and connections were always in the north.
Therefore, making Nanjing the capital is not a long-term solution after all!
However, although everyone had a vague feeling about this matter, no one had ever asked it so clearly. After all, they were afraid that once they asked, it would become a proverb and it would be difficult to undo it.
Zhu Feng raised his eyes and looked at Li Ziyun.
He then looked at the ministers around him, whose faces were heavy and who were beginning to lose control of themselves.
He took a deep breath, then slowly said, "Since Lord Li has asked this, I might as well be frank with all of you ministers."
“…”
"That's right. I built Beiping City with the intention of moving the capital."
Upon hearing these words, all the ministers around stood up, walked to Zhu Feng together, and knelt down.
"Your Majesty, no!"
"Your Majesty, moving the capital is a matter of national importance and should not be taken lightly!"
"Your Majesty, please revoke your order!"
The Imperial Observatory's director, who was kneeling on the ground, took several steps forward and said, "Your Majesty, this calamity from heaven is meant to warn you. Building Beiping City is bad luck! Moving the capital is also bad luck!"
Suddenly, everyone around shouted, "Moving the capital is bad luck!"
"Moving the capital is an ominous sign!"
…
Listening to the ministers' constant shouts, Nan Yan's heartbeat became more and more intense.
But she still tried her best to control herself and not panic.
Because at this time, Zhu Feng didn't even show any obvious anger.
He just looked at these ministers coldly.
The ministers were already kowtowed on the ground, their voices filled with agony: "If the Emperor insists on moving the capital, then we, humble officials, will have no choice but to die!"
At this moment, the workers who were digging the rubble on the other side also shouted.
"Something happened! Something happened!"
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