Chapter 5 Everyone Wants to Conquer Me
Ji Huaizhi assigned a group of people to help Lu Haitang, but no one could get close to her.
The only people who could get close to her were her bodyguards, Lin Yi and Lin Er.
These bodyguards were given to Ji Huaizhi by the late emperor, and no one in the world was more obedient than them. So Ji Huaizhi instructed them to keep a close eye on Lu Haitang.
The bodyguards, who couldn't be in the open, were unwilling to be sent by Ji Huaizhi to watch over Lu Haitang.
However, the emperor's decree must be obeyed.
Even if it meant their deaths, they would thank the Lord for His grace.
When Lin Yi and Lin Er saw Lu Haitang conjure up a variety of designs out of thin air, they immediately understood the Emperor's intention.
He already knew Lu Haitang's secret, which is why he entrusted this important task to them!
~
Ji Huaizhi was bored in the palace. When he went to court, the officials dared not say a word. The emperor no longer beheaded people, but instead confiscated their property.
I heard that Li Enci and Deng Zhiyang's entire fortune was confiscated.
It was copied very cleanly.
They didn't even leave them their underwear; their families were crying at the door.
When the two of them returned, all the women's headdresses were gone.
No one expected the emperor to be so ruthless.
Ji Huaizhi looked at the copied details and nodded: "Who said my national treasury is empty? This whole world belongs to me, so their things also belong to me."
Chen Duojin kept his head down very low; the emperor looked terrifying.
"Chen Duojin, do you think what I said is right?" Ji Huaizhi suddenly turned to look at Chen Duojin.
Chen Duojin's face was lined with wrinkles as he smiled ingratiatingly, "Your Majesty is right!"
"Hmm, when we run out of money in the future, I'll just confiscate their property."
Chen Duojin felt it was inappropriate, but he didn't dare to offer any advice.
"Lin San," Ji Huaizhi suddenly called to his bodyguard.
The bodyguard Lin San landed in mid-air: "Your Majesty."
"Go and investigate for me which of my officials is the richest, or who has done the most wrong things. Make a list, and I'll slowly confiscate their money when the national treasury runs out."
Chen Duojin thought to himself: This money comes too easily; even the Emperor is addicted to it.
The officials felt uneasy when they went to court at Chenshi (7-9 AM) the next day, especially when they saw the emperor.
Because Ji Huaizhi couldn't get up, he simply changed the time for court to Chenshi, which is nine o'clock in the morning.
Even after becoming emperor, he still has to attend court nine times a day.
"Why is everyone so quiet? My dear subjects, you should speak freely!"
Everyone looked embarrassed, and no one dared to say anything.
Ji Huaizhi found their expressions amusing: "By the way, have you heard that a kind and benevolent female bodhisattva has suddenly appeared in the city?"
They exchanged glances.
"Your Majesty, this is indeed true," someone replied. "This person appeared in the capital suddenly."
“Every day, we would deliver food to the people outside the city who couldn’t get enough to eat, and sometimes we would deliver it twice.”
Ji Huaizhi: "We have to thank our Lord Li and Lord Deng for this."
Everyone exchanged glances, not understanding the Emperor's words.
Then the emperor continued, "Didn't I confiscate their property? I don't care about these material possessions, so I sent people to prepare meals and deliver them to the displaced people outside the city."
"However, I did not expect that the combined wealth of the two of them is greater than mine."
"..."
The emperor's last words sent chills down the spines of some officials.
What's going on?
Why did the emperor suddenly change his temperament?
He doesn't seem like a ruthless tyrant at all.
The Left Censor-in-Chief looked up as if sensing something, and found that the emperor was looking at him. He immediately took the signal and said, "Your Majesty, I suspect that the two of them are corrupt and accepting bribes, and forming cliques for personal gain. After all, everyone knows the salaries of court officials very well."
"Oh, then go check it out. If you can't find it..."
The Left Censor-in-Chief immediately flicked his sleeves, knelt down and kowtowed: "This humble official will certainly do his best."
Ji Huaizhi: "This year's yield has dropped drastically, and countless people are starving. Some are even eating tree bark and soil to survive. Even if I were to send people to distribute alms, it would only be a drop in the ocean. What suggestions do you, my esteemed ministers, have?"
Upon hearing this, all the officials abruptly raised their heads.
It seems they didn't expect the tyrant to ask that question.
Wasn't he just a womanizer? Why is he suddenly concerned about ordinary people?
"Your Majesty, I believe that we can develop public granaries." The speaker was Zhou Yi, the most inconspicuous remonstrating official in the corner.
Ji Huaizhi looked over and asked, "Oh?"
Zhou Yi continued, "Donations are made voluntarily by ordinary people and then sent to famine-stricken areas."
Ji Huaizhi thought that the remonstrating officials were supposed to advise him on his words and actions, and if he did anything unreasonable, the remonstrating officials would offer suggestions and criticisms.
He was quite pragmatic; he never dared to speak up before, and anyone who did was killed by the original owner.
"The people have no harvest at all, and you expect them to donate voluntarily?"
Zhou Yi was stunned: "Your subject meant from other places."
"How much better do you think other places can be?" Ji Huaizhi's question startled him.
This also startled others, who thought the I Ching was doomed.
After all, the previous remonstrating official had already been beheaded, so it was assumed that he too would not escape death.
This was the first time Zhou Yi had ever seen the Emperor look at him like that.
He used to see only killing and cruelty, but now he only sees indifference.
He had just tried to speak tentatively, but the Emperor seemed genuinely concerned about the people.
"Your humble servant has misspoke," Zhou Yi said, bowing respectfully.
Everyone waited for the emperor to speak.
All that could be heard was the person on the dragon throne saying, "However, your method is feasible."
"However, this public granary should not be donated by the people."
The others were surprised that he would agree to this method. The thought of Li Enci and his companion's homes being ransacked made them tremble with fear. Would they really make these officials donate?
"Let the wealthy businessman donate it."
Hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Since they were all commoners anyway, the emperor finally did the right thing.
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