Minister of Revenue Zhang Yuan came out of the imperial study and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
In July, news of the drought in the northwest reached the capital, and drought also occurred in areas near the capital.
Emperor Jiahe looked up at the sky, feeling worried and not knowing what to do.
There has been little rain this year. There was some rain at the beginning of spring, but now there has been no rain the entire summer.
It’s not that he doesn’t want to repay the emperor’s money, it’s just that the national treasury is not well-off.
In recent years, disasters have continued, and coupled with the death of princes and princesses in the palace, there has been no good news from the harem, and there have been negative voices among the people.
Minister Zhang felt sad for the emperor.
The previous emperor was extravagant. During his 30-year reign, he built palaces and gardens everywhere, made seven trips to the south of the Yangtze River, and spent money extravagantly. As a result, the national treasury was empty in his later years, and the decline of the Great Xia Kingdom was obvious.
Since ascending the throne, the emperor has been diligent in his work, caring for the people, turning the tide, stabilizing the situation, and allowing the national strength of the Great Xia Kingdom to grow steadily.
Such a wise and benevolent monarch is a blessing for the subjects and people of the Great Xia Kingdom.
However, the disasters in various places in recent years have consumed a lot of energy and financial resources of the court and the national treasury.
If so many disasters had occurred during the time of the previous emperor, the Great Xia Kingdom would have been destroyed long ago.
Unfortunately, the late emperor was on the throne for thirty years, and there were not many natural disasters.
However, the emperor, who was diligent in his work, loved his people, governed with integrity, and practiced frugality, making the people's lives better than those of the previous emperor, faced many natural disasters after he ascended the throne.
It was nothing in the first place. No matter how big or difficult the disaster was, the king, his subjects and the people overcame the difficulties together.
But the emperor has lost his sons one after another, and now he has no son to succeed him. Naturally, voices unfavorable to the emperor are heard among the people.
Minister Zhang looked up at the sky and said, "Oh my God, open your eyes."
The previous emperor was foolish and extravagant. During his 30-year reign, there were few natural disasters but many man-made disasters.
The emperor was diligent in his work and loved his people. He was a wise and benevolent monarch, but he suffered from constant natural disasters and had no offspring.
God is so unfair.
"Your Majesty, after Minister Zhang left the Imperial Study, he returned to the Ministry of Revenue and looked up to the sky, lamenting that the heavens were unfair to Your Majesty."
"What is this old guy thinking about?"
Emperor Jiahe was speechless.
Although he occasionally felt that God was unfair, he also regarded each difficulty and obstacle as a test and training for himself.
Emperor Jiahe stayed in the Yangxin Palace for a day. Apart from paying his respects at the Cining Palace, he went to the Yongshou Palace.
"What is Yaoyao busy with?"
Emperor Jiahe couldn't help but feel curious when he saw Bei Lingyao asking the palace servants to collect leaves, bark, bamboo, reeds, hemp, etc.
"I want to try making something. I'll tell Your Majesty when it's done."
The Kingdom of Daxia also had paper, but it was very rough and there was no movable type printing.
Bei Lingyao planned to get the paper first.
"Yao'er wants to make paper?"
Emperor Jiahe saw it.
"Yes, I want to try and see if I can make better paper."
"I asked the Ministry of Works..."
"Once I have finished it, Your Majesty can contact the Ministry of Works."
"Then tell me if you need manpower."
Bei Lingyao was stunned by Emperor Jiahe's words. "Your Majesty, aren't you afraid of your concubine's mischief?"
"This is something that benefits the country and the people, how can it be considered nonsense? As long as they are willing, no matter who they are, I will support them."
Bei Lingyao bowed to Emperor Jiahe, saying that it was indeed a blessing for the nation to have such a wise monarch.
No wonder there were so many talented people during the reign of Emperor Jiahe, and many capable ministers, generals and other pillars of the country emerged.
With the support of Emperor Jiahe, Bei Lingyao naturally started working.
Emperor Jiahe even provided her with a lot of materials.
The movements in Yongshou Palace were soon noticed by other palaces, but they were unable to obtain any information from Yongshou Palace.
All I saw was smoke coming out of Yongshou Palace every day, and palace maids coming in and out.
The concubines were very concerned. According to the rules, they were not allowed to start a fire.
Unless the emperor allows a small kitchen, only the empress dowager, the queen, and the four concubines are qualified to do so.
What's the matter with Concubine Zhuang, a fourth-rank concubine, having fires and thick smoke in Yongshou Palace every day?
When Bei Lingyao paid her respects, she was naturally attacked by the concubines.
She said this, and the emperor approved it, shutting up the concubines.
Not to mention the other concubines, even the queen felt upset.
She had never seen Emperor Jiahe indulge a concubine like this. Not only did he allow Concubine Zhuang to make trouble in Yongshou Palace, he also brought memorials to Yongshou Palace for review.
Even when she had a good relationship with the emperor, she did not receive such treatment.
The Queen went to see the Queen Mother and mentioned the matter, hoping that the Queen Mother could control Emperor Jiahe and not indulge Concubine Zhuang's mischief.
"The emperor has already told me about this, so you don't need to worry about it."
The Queen Mother's words stabbed her heart and filled her with sadness.
She was the queen and had the responsibility to manage the concubines in the harem, but she didn't even know what Concubine Zhuang was doing in Yongshou Palace, nor could she control it.
She, the queen, has become a joke. How can she establish her prestige among the concubines in the future?
Even a little concubine like Concubine Zhuang Guipin didn't take her, the queen, seriously.
The Queen Mother sent the Queen away, and now she has nothing to say to her.
The emperor has a grudge against the queen, and so does the empress dowager.
So many princes and princesses, all gone.
If the Yang family had not been eyeing the position of empress, the empress dowager would not have wanted to be embarrassed by standing between the emperor and her family, and would have wanted the emperor to depose her.
The Queen left disappointed. Nanny Yang said, "Empress Dowager, the Prime Minister sent someone to bring a message to this servant."
"Oh, what message did your father send you?"
The Queen Mother said nonchalantly.
"The Prime Minister said that Concubine Zhuang was divorced after being childless for seven years. Now that the Emperor favors Concubine Zhuang, it's not good for his offspring. Let the Empress Dowager persuade the Emperor."
As soon as Nanny Yang finished speaking, the Queen Mother sighed, "I know this, but as a mother, I haven't seen the Emperor so happy in a long time. If all the concubines in the palace hadn't disappointed the Emperor, why would he stay in Yongshou Palace?"
"But right now, the emperor has no son to succeed him, and the people are spreading rumors that are unfavorable to the emperor."
"No rush. Concubine Zhuang has only been in the palace for a few days. As long as the Emperor favors her, she'll be fine. It won't interfere with government affairs. Later, I'll have the Emperor select some fertile and fertile concubines to enter the palace. The Emperor will naturally prioritize having children."
After hearing this, Nanny Yang said nothing more.
The Queen Mother was also very worried. Her son was now 28 years old. If he had no children when he turned 30 in two years, the royal family and court officials would propose adoption.
For the sake of the Great Xia Empire, if there were no sons, adoption would be the natural choice, but the Queen Mother was more eager for a grandson.
What she regretted most was that Xijing didn't like to take charge of things, so she gave all the power in the harem to the queen, and she was very confident in the queen who gave birth to the legitimate prince.
Who would have thought that the price of peace of mind would be so high.
The queen was jealous, intolerant, narrow-minded, petty, two-faced, and wicked. She wished all the princes born to other concubines would die, but she was unable to save her own children.
commit a sin!
The crime is extremely heinous!
If Consort Jing or Consort Hui, De and Xian were to become pregnant, the Empress Dowager would depose the Empress and help them take the throne.
Unfortunately, the emperor has been in good health these years, but there has been no movement in the harem.
The Queen Mother thought for a moment and said, "Next month, the Queen will lead the concubines to pay their respects. You go and ask the imperial physician to come and check her pulse."
"yes"
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