After the Fourth Prince left court that day, Li Wei and the Thirteenth Prince stayed behind to accompany him back to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. On the way, Li Wei remained puzzled by Lord Fucha's actions, pondering, "Just a few days ago, he remained silent and neutral when the Emperor announced the new policies, but today he's taken the initiative to support them..."
The Fourth Prince walked ahead, while the Thirteenth Prince walked alongside Li Wei. He nodded and said, "Originally, the majority of people opposed the new policies, but this time, with Lord Fucha's memorial, the situation has changed."
The Fourth Prince stopped and turned to Li Wei and the Thirteenth Prince, saying, "I received many memorials yesterday expressing my support, but there are still many dissenting voices in the court. The previous discussions have turned into mutual attacks, which was beyond my expectations..."
Li Wei approached, bowed, and whispered, "In Your Majesty's opinion, has Lord Fucha done something underhanded?"
The Thirteenth Prince smiled and said, "Even if he did something wrong, the current situation is advantageous to us. We just need to find a way to get more support for the new policies..."
Fourth Prince continued forward, with Thirteenth Prince and Li Wei close behind. The three arrived at the Hall of Mental Cultivation, where Su Peisheng immediately sent someone to serve tea and water. Knowing that Fourth Prince had something to say to them, he dismissed the others and stood in a corner awaiting orders.
After sitting down, the Fourth Prince twisted his neck from side to side, seemingly quite tired. He sighed softly, picked up the hot tea and brought it to his lips, but then felt it was too hot and frowned, putting it down. The weather was getting warmer, and although the Hall of Mental Cultivation was spacious and well-ventilated, the Fourth Prince still felt parched after walking for so long. Seeing this, Su Peisheng quickly stepped forward and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, this servant will immediately get you a fresh cup. The mint I brought from Consort Xi a few days ago is still here; please brew a pot of mint tea for Your Majesty..."
Fourth Prince waved his hand, and Su Peisheng immediately withdrew. Thirteenth Prince laughed and said, "I was wondering why I never saw my brother sometimes. It turns out he went to the Yuanmingyuan. Why bother? Why not just invite my sister-in-law back?"
The Fourth Prince looked at the Thirteenth Prince and smiled helplessly: "Lanqin has many ideas, and sometimes she can solve my problems. Sending her out of the palace was already a last resort. Now that she can live in the Yuanmingyuan, I am much more at ease..."
The Fourth Prince paused for a moment, then continued, "What you just said, I have also considered for a long time. The 'equalization of land tax and poll tax' must be implemented. This policy concerns the people's livelihood and is conducive to the prosperity and well-being of our Great Qing. However, there has always been opposition to any reform. I cannot shelve the new policy because of the opposition of a few people..."
Li Wei nodded silently, his expression grave, and said, "Your Majesty's thoughts are also my own. Although Lord Fucha's support has indeed helped us, it is not enough. Your Majesty needs to think of another way..."
The Fourth Prince smiled knowingly as he recalled what Lanqin had said to him a few nights ago. He looked up at the two of them and said, "I have decided to promulgate the new regulations so that everyone in the world can know about them. In order to gather more opinions, all citizens of the Great Qing can express their opinions. They can simply write them down and submit them to the boxes at the gates of the government offices designated by the court."
Upon hearing this, the Thirteenth Prince stood up excitedly, clenching his fist and saying happily, "Your Majesty, do you want the people to implement the new policies themselves? Once people know the benefits of the new policies, they will speak out to express their support. As long as the number of supporters increases, even if the landlords or powerful figures want to stop it, it will only incite public anger..."
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