Inside the Deyang Palace, not only the officials but also Emperor Liu Hong on the throne were taken aback after hearing the contents of the edict read by Lü Qiang.
Everyone knew that this population census and tax collection by acre would be extremely difficult, and that it would definitely result in bloodshed and death if it were to be implemented. Otherwise, Liu Hong and Chen Fan would not have sent troops out to assist.
However, to do it well, besides the military, the most important thing is for all the officials to resolutely and thoroughly implement it.
However, to get officials to stand on the side of the court and fight against those powerful landlords, in addition to the appropriate rewards and class struggle, the most important thing is to put some pressure on them.
Dou Miao's edict was meant to put pressure on those officials. If they didn't do it or didn't do it well, they would face confiscation of their property and beheading. Do you think that was a lot of pressure?
Liu Hong turned his head in surprise and looked at Dou Miao sitting beside him. Only then did he remember what the Empress Dowager had said to him yesterday: "A helping hand!"
But the Empress Dowager's edict today is far from simply "giving a helping hand".
This is clearly just an attempt to draw hatred and make him a scapegoat.
Thinking back to the end, a touch of emotion couldn't help but flash deep in Liu Hong's eyes.
"Um?"
Seeing that the court officials had not yet obeyed the imperial edict, Dou Miao's face turned frosty, while Liu Hong turned his head away and closed his eyes.
"Lü Qiang!!"
The Empress Dowager's cold voice made Lü Qiang, who was standing to the side, shiver.
Then Lü Qiang looked at the officials in the hall and rebuked them:
"Are you all mute? Why haven't you obeyed the imperial edict?"
"Your Majesty, I will obey your command!"
As Lü Qiang finished speaking, among the officials, Yang Qiu, with a cold expression, stepped forward and bowed to the imperial edict in Lü Qiang's hand.
"That corrupt official's lackey...!"
When they saw that Yang Qiu was the first to step forward, many officials couldn't help but curse inwardly.
"Your Majesty, I will obey your command!"
Before the officials could react, Liu Shu, the Grand Master of Ceremonies, the Minister of the Imperial Clan, and several other officials from the imperial clan stepped forward. Since the Empress Dowager was now the matriarch of the imperial clan, they naturally had to obey her orders.
"Your Majesty, I will obey your command!"
Following closely behind, Chen Fan, Hu Guang, Li Ying, Yuan Feng, Cao Song, and others also stepped forward. This five-year plan was formulated by them, and they would definitely support it.
"Your Majesty, we respectfully obey your command!"
Subsequently, the students, former officials, and other officials that Chen Fan and others had contacted the previous night also stepped forward.
Nevertheless, nearly half of the officials in the court remained standing still.
"Hmm? Are you trying to defy the imperial edict?"
Upon seeing the officials who remained motionless, Lü Qiang couldn't help but shout at them.
"Hmph~, this is His Majesty's court assembly with his officials, how dare you, a mere eunuch, bark so arrogantly here?!"
Upon hearing Lü Qiang's rebuke, an older, upright official immediately stood up with an angry expression and launched into a tirade against Lü Qiang.
This man, named Zhang Xing, was one of the leading figures among the group of upright officials. Although he had no connection with powerful figures, he had long harbored resentment towards Chen Fan and others, which is why he was the most boisterous and active last night.
"you....!"
Hearing Zhang Xing's cursing, Lü Qiang was startled and couldn't help but turn around to look at Dou Miao.
Upon seeing this, Dou Miao immediately stood up and looked at Zhang Xing with an icy expression.
Dou Miao's eyes widened, and she said sternly, "How dare you!! Lü Qiang is delivering a message on my behalf, how dare you be so disrespectful!"
Hearing the Empress Dowager's reprimand, Zhang Xing stiffened his neck and said loudly:
"Your Majesty, it is not that this old minister is being disrespectful, but since ancient times, how has it ever been proper for a eunuch to reprimand officials in court? This is a path to disaster, and I hope Your Majesty will consider this carefully..."
Upon hearing this, Dou Miao's face immediately turned quite ugly; this was clearly a veiled insult.
Dou Miao looked at Zhang Xing with an unfriendly expression and said coldly, "If you were acting on my orders, how could he possibly reprimand you?"
"When the Empress Dowager regency, her intention should be to assist His Majesty in handling state affairs. All imperial edicts should be issued by the Emperor. How can the Empress Dowager overstep her bounds?"
Furthermore, how could the Empress Dowager threaten officials with life and death or the confiscation of their property?
"The Empress Dowager's edicts are utterly unreasonable; please forgive me for being unable to obey!"
After saying this, Zhang Xing bowed to Dou Miao, his words resolute.
Dou Miao looked at Zhang Xing and said in a deep voice, "The emperor is still young and has not yet come of age. According to the ancestral system, as the Empress Dowager, I can naturally act on behalf of Heaven. Do you intend to go against the ancestral system of my Great Han?"
Upon hearing the Empress Dowager invoke ancestral rules, Zhang Xing hurriedly said:
"Your Majesty, I dare not disobey the ancestral rules! But..."
Before Zhang Xing could finish speaking, Dou Miao snorted coldly and said, enunciating each word clearly:
"Hmph, good that you don't dare. You actually dared to say I was unreasonable? Well then, I'll show you what reason is!"
Dou Miao looked outside the hall and shouted loudly:
"Someone come here!!"
"exist!!"
Upon hearing Dou Miao's shout, the two Tiger Guards guarding outside the hall immediately strode in and bowed to Dou Miao.
"Please give your orders, Your Majesty!"
Upon seeing the Tiger Guards enter with a menacing air, the officials in the hall were immediately alarmed.
Dou Miao pointed at Zhang Xing with a murderous look on her face, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in her eyes.
"This man dared to defy the imperial edict in court, showing no respect for orders and committing treason. According to the law, he should be executed. Immediately drag him out of the palace and behead him as a warning to others!"
"promise!!"
Upon hearing this, the two Tiger Guards approached Zhang Xing from the left and right.
"Empress Dowager, you...?"
Upon hearing the Empress Dowager's order, Zhang Xing's expression changed drastically, and he looked at Dou Miao in disbelief.
"What...what are you doing??"
Seeing the two Tiger Guards approaching, Zhang Xing felt a sudden panic and couldn't help but question them.
However, the two Tiger Guards ignored Zhang Xing's intentions, grabbed him, and dragged him out of the hall.
"Empress Dowager...! You can't, Empress Dowager!"
Zhang Xing, who was being dragged out, looked up at Dou Miao with a pale face and began to howl loudly.
Upon seeing this, the officials of the same faction, who were considered part of the "pure stream" faction, also quickly stood up and bowed to Dou Miao.
"Please, Your Majesty, calm your anger and forgive him!"
"Shut up! This man is disrespectful and insubordinate, disobeying imperial orders. Anyone who dares to plead for him will be punished along with him!!"
Seeing Dou Miao's frosty expression, those who had originally wanted to support Zhang Xing quickly shut their mouths in fear.
They really couldn't afford to offend, nor dared to offend, an unreasonable empress dowager.
"No...no! Your Majesty, save this old minister! Your Majesty...! Save this old minister!"
Seeing that he was about to be carried out of the palace, none of the officials inside dared to plead for him.
As Zhang Xing cried out for help, he also looked pleadingly at Liu Hong on the throne, hoping that the emperor would speak up for him.
"Wait!!"
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