The Minister of Works attached great importance to this project, partly because of the Emperor's attention and partly because the design of the geomantic map touched upon his own interests.
Having served as Minister of Works for a long time, he also longed to see something new. However, in this era where everything was about stability, tradition, and rules, truly new things were rare.
Now that such a project has been undertaken, people are naturally excited and will put in a higher level of dedication.
Logically speaking, it shouldn't be a problem that Yinzhen didn't use money from the national treasury to build a palace, but some brainless people are starting to act recklessly again.
During a grand court assembly, an imperial censor inexplicably impeached Emperor Yinzhen, accusing him of extravagant construction projects, licentiousness, indulgence in pleasure, and lack of compassion for the suffering of the people. His words were so sincere that Yinzhen himself began to doubt whether he was truly a foolish ruler.
The censor's "impeachment" was inexplicable, and Yinzhen was baffled as well as the other court officials.
To be honest, anyone could tell that the emperor didn't use any money from the national treasury to build this palace, not even his private treasury. Even if the emperor used money from the national treasury to build a palace, no one would say anything. Since ancient times, it has been common for emperors to use money from the national treasury for large-scale construction projects.
The fact that the money from the national treasury was not used and was still "impeached" is really a bit "excessive".
Yinzhen thought to himself that although he loved his country and its people, he was not so incapable of thinking about making his own life better.
The job of an emperor is to be done well. If you slack off even a little, your subordinates will become disobedient. If they become disobedient, the country will be unstable. He works year-round without rest. When he's busy, he sleeps later than a dog and gets up earlier than a rooster. He wants to soak in hot springs in winter and have a cool place to stay in summer. What's wrong with that?
Before Yinzhen himself could speak, some people below couldn't stand it anymore and began to refute him, one sentence at a time.
The first to speak was Consort Hui's family, Lady Mingzhu. Since Consort Hui left, Mingzhu has become much more obedient. Now that several years have passed, the Nara family can no longer remain silent.
Mingzhu: "Lord Chen's words are biased! Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has been wholeheartedly devoted to the country and the people. In the winter of the thirteenth year of Kangxi's reign, when heavy snow fell continuously, His Majesty personally used his private treasury to provide disaster relief. In the summer of the fourteenth year of Kangxi's reign, when the Huaihe River basin in Anhui suffered from floods, His Majesty worked tirelessly to find ways to settle the people. In the tenth year of Kangxi's reign... What? Lord Chen has forgotten all of these things? How come His Majesty's diligent and caring actions have become, in Lord Chen's ears, a lack of consideration for the people's suffering?"
Mi Sihan continued, "What Lord Mingzhu said is true. This time, the Emperor did not use any money from the national treasury to build the hot spring palace in Xiaotangshan. Since his ascension to the throne, the Emperor has not ordered any major construction projects. Lord Chen's statement that the Emperor is indulging in extravagant construction, pleasure-seeking, and debauchery is somewhat unfounded."
...
Not only Mingzhu and Misihan, but others also stood up to refute this.
Imperial Censor Chen was somewhat bewildered by what so many people were saying.
The newly appointed censor, Lord Chen, also looked somewhat bewildered, seemingly not expecting so many people to voice their opposition.
Yinzhen could tell from his expression that he had probably been tricked. He was a hothead. I don't know how he got to this position.
Yinzhen spoke up, "Is there anything else you wish to say, Lord Chen?"
At this point, Lord Chen seemed to realize that what he had done today was wrong. He had thought he would gain the approval of most people, but instead, he found himself standing there alone, "isolated and helpless," unable to move forward or backward.
This Lord Chen did not rise to power through proper procedures, and now he has been completely stunned by this sudden "beat".
When Lord Chen heard the Emperor speak, his body trembled slightly. He wanted to say something, but it was as if something was blocking his throat, and he couldn't say anything.
Yinzhen couldn't stand his appearance. He could tell that the man had probably been misled by someone, but as an official, one must bear the pressure that comes with the privileges granted by the position.
Yinzhen felt that a censor who could be easily swayed by others was not suitable for officialdom.
After the court session, Yinzhen sent people to investigate the whole story.
Ever since Yinzhen realized he had been deceived by Consort Rong for so long, he cast an even wider net in secret, making it quite easy for him to investigate an imperial censor.
But the final result he found was very unexpected.
Yinzhen thought he had been deceived by a political enemy he disliked, but it turned out he had been deceived by a woman. Yinzhen found this rather amusing.
This imperial censor came from a poor family and had a wife who had shared his hardships. After passing the imperial examination, he used his connections to seduce a princess from a prominent family. The princess had already resigned herself to her fate, and although she was unhappy, she had no choice but to accept it.
This poor scholar, taking advantage of his new wife's family's bad background, gradually rose to the position of censor. However, this noblewoman never found happiness after their marriage.
It was discovered some time ago that it was her mother-in-law, who had been very kind to her, who had sabotaged her.
The reason is simple: this mother-in-law, who came from a poor family, really liked her former daughter-in-law and adored the child she had. Most importantly, her former daughter-in-law was related to her in some way.
Moreover, her former daughter-in-law was no pushover either. If she had made a scene when she found out about this, her scumbag husband would definitely have been burdened with a bad reputation. In addition, there was the possibility that the princess's family he had deceived had his academic achievements revoked.
If that were the case, she would get a husband, but her life wouldn't necessarily be easy, and her children would have to bear the stain on their father's reputation. It wouldn't be worth it.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
