Chapter 460 The Small Cabinet is Being Harassed!
After the military examinations came to an end, the civil examinations followed immediately.
Grand Tutor Mei Nanhua personally oversaw the process, handling everything from selecting the deputy judges to setting the topics, without relying on anyone else.
Mei Nanhua couldn't care less about the affairs of the inner cabinet, so Shen Lanxi took the opportunity to directly take over the inner cabinet.
"How dare they! Discussing state affairs is a man's business. Shen Lanxi's presence in the inner cabinet is utterly disregard for etiquette and law, like a hen crowing at dawn!"
"Prime Minister, why don't you wait until Chen Lanxi comes again and then say it in front of her!" Liu Mingxin disapproved of Wu Yanzhi's hindsight advice.
If you really wanted to say something, why didn't you say it when Shen Lanxi was here?
“Lord Liu, that’s not right of you. We’ve always been dealing with outsiders, how can you be siding with outsiders?” Wu Yanzhi rebuked.
Liu Mingxin said impatiently, "I wonder who was so afraid to even breathe just now."
Wu Yanzhi was furious. Shen Lanxi had come with the Imperial Guards and was carrying the Imperial Sword. Dressed like that, it was obvious to anyone that she was up to something.
Don't even think about making him the one to stick his neck out!
Wu Yanzhi immediately retorted, "Why don't you say that?"
Liu Mingxin glared at him and said angrily, "You know perfectly well what's going on!"
Their family is protected by the Imperial Guards. What if they dare to disobey and anger Shen Lanxi, causing an accident in their home?
Don't forget, Shen Lanxi also has the nickname "Northwest Female Butcher".
Now Liu Mingxian finally began to admit that Shen Lanxi might have truly taken over Dongchuan and the Northwest step by step on her own.
The following day, the central government began receiving grain from various regions following the implementation of the grain storage policy.
Shen Lanxi had the grain sent directly to the palace.
Through the palace gate, Shen Lanxi reported the progress to Emperor Renxiao.
"Uncle can rest assured, grain has been arriving from all over the country. Today, grain from all over the country has arrived in total, totaling more than 5,000 catties, and much more is on its way!"
Emperor Renxiao was overjoyed; his laughter could be heard outside even through the palace doors.
All the civil and military officials were present outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Upon hearing Emperor Renxiao's booming laughter, their expressions became unnatural.
Zhou Ruyuan also heard it.
It was indeed Father's voice. Father is alright.
His gaze shifted from the palace gate to Shen Lanxi.
She rose higher and higher, and today she can be said to hold great power.
The emperor would rather hand over power to a woman than to his son.
Zhou Ruyuan felt only bitterness in his heart.
Emperor Renxiao praised Shen Lanxi through the palace gate: "Well done, Lanxi is truly my trusted minister!"
Shen Lanxi: "Your Majesty, I will have the grain delivered to the Ministry of Revenue immediately, so as not to disturb Your Majesty's rest."
No one wants to hear others say they are sick, and Emperor Renxiao was even more so.
Shen Lanxi used precise wording, directly describing Emperor Renxiao's illness as a period of rest and recuperation, which greatly pleased Emperor Renxiao.
"Go and do your job well. I will not forget the efforts of you all!"
Shen Lanxi left with the grain, and the officials withdrew.
"Lord Shen, His Majesty is much better now, can we go back?" The officials have had enough of being confined to the tiny inner cabinet every day, unable to eat or sleep properly, and longing for home!
Shen Lanxi: "Why didn't you ask His Majesty just now?"
The official was speechless; naturally, he dared not ask.
At the same time, the officials also realized that it was His Majesty who ordered them to stay, and Shen Lanxi could not make the decision!
...
"When transporting the grain, move slowly. If anyone is curious, tell them that this is the first batch of grain after Shen Lanxi's grain storage policy, and that the people of Great Zhou will never go hungry again!"
"yes!"
"After leaving the palace, carry the grain and circle the inner and outer city ten times to spread the word!"
"yes!"
Today she is going to reverse the tide, turn the infamy into a good reputation, and make the people of the world remember that Shen Lanxi is the one who put food on their plate!
No sooner had Shen Lanxi left than an imperial edict arrived.
Upon hearing the imperial edict, the officials, who had already walked away, quickly gathered again.
"His Majesty has decreed that the Imperial Advisor shall assist Lord Shen in his duties!"
The officials exchanged glances, then returned to their small cabinets and whispered amongst themselves behind closed doors.
"This balancing act was His Majesty's doing!"
"With the disciples of Guigu watching over her, Shen Lanxi is still firmly in His Majesty's grasp."
"I wonder what His Majesty instructed the disciple of Guigu. We should be careful what we say in the future!"
After Shen Lanxi finished explaining the arrangements for the grain, she went to the small cabinet to discuss matters, and the officials immediately dispersed to attend to their own affairs.
"Lord Shen, this is a case sent from Yuzhou. It states that the son of a family broke his leg, and the widowed mother sold her granddaughter to buy medicine for her son. When the daughter-in-law found out, she poisoned the widowed mother. When the son found out, he also killed his wife. The case is very clear, but there is a young child in the family who is crying for food. If the son is sentenced to death, the child will die because no one will take care of him."
"The people of Yuzhou are pleading with the court to pardon this man. Public opinion is very strong, and local officials have even submitted a petition to the court. Lord Shen, do you think this man deserves to die, or not?"
Liu Mingxian brought up this case, and anyone could see that he was trying to make things difficult for Shen Lanxi.
For her to say that the man deserved to die would be to disregard the life of a child.
If she shouldn't have died, then she is against the law!
The members of the small cabinet were all listening intently, ready to see what would happen.
Shen Lanxi chuckled, took the memorial, and then asked, "Is the file available?"
Liu Mingxin was taken aback and asked someone to find the case file for her.
Shen Lanxi took the case file, read through the details of the case, and then raised several questions.
"The case file states that the widowed mother often monopolized her son, using illness as an excuse to make him stay in the room. She also frequently tormented her daughter-in-law under various pretexts. According to the case file, the son knew all of this and witnessed it, yet he did not help his wife or advise his mother!"
"This?" Liu Mingxin did not look at the case file.
"So Lord Shen means that the blame lies entirely with this son?" Liu Mingxin had already found a flaw in the argument.
Shen Lanxi: "Yes, and not entirely."
Hearing her say that, Liu Mingxin felt that she was being pretentious. She had said everything, good and bad, yet there was still no right answer.
“It is only natural for a son to be filial to his mother, and it is also only natural for a mother-in-law to teach her daughter-in-law. What is written in the case file is just what the neighbors say, and it cannot be completely believed.”
Shen Lanxi didn't rush to refute, and continued, "There is also the son's testimony above. This son kept defending his mother, but he didn't say a word about how it was wrong for his mother to sell her daughter. Obviously, he knew in his heart that his mother was wrong, but he still killed his wife and chose to avenge his mother!"
Liu Mingxin: "That's his mother who gave birth to him, how could he not be angry?"
Shen Lanxi: "Why wasn't he angry when his mother sold his daughter?"
"That's because...that's because his leg was injured, and his family simply couldn't afford the medical expenses." Liu Mingxin was fully aware of these hardships faced by ordinary people.
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