Chapter 175 The Predecessor's Journey to Ganzhou
Inside the Xuanzheng Hall of the Luoyang Imperial Palace.
The Great Sage Emperor's face was gloomy, and the entire hall became very heavy. Crown Prince Pei Xingjian, Gongsun Li, and others stood silently on the steps.
Pei Yanzhi listened to them talk about the taxes levied in various regions this year, and the jade thumb ring on his finger slowly turned.
He asked, "Have you finished reporting?"
Pei Xingjian stepped forward first, “Reporting to Father Emperor, Ganzhou is still in short supply. The local prefect passed away a year ago. Due to Ganzhou’s special status, it later became a no-man’s-land for the court, and this year’s tax revenue has not been reported.”
When Pei Yanzhi heard the words "Ganzhou," the ring he was turning suddenly stopped, and his cold, deep gaze went straight down. He asked, "Why wasn't it reported last year?"
The oppressive aura was so overwhelming that officials of the third rank and above in the hall could hardly breathe, and some even wiped the sweat from their brows.
Wu Yang stood to the side and whispered a reminder: "Your Majesty, last winter you were unwell and did not attend court for a long time, therefore His Highness the Crown Prince did not attend..."
Upon hearing Wu Yang's explanation, the oppressive aura emanating from him eased slightly, causing the ministers below to cast grateful glances at Wu Yang.
Pei Yanzhi continued to turn the thumb ring on his thumb. Seeing this, Gongsun Li cupped his hands and said, "I heard that Ganzhou was recently taken by the Prince of Qin. This man has already developed some disloyal intentions in just three years. Your Majesty must be wary."
Qin Su was a former subordinate of the Empress Dowager of the previous dynasty. In the past, Pei Yanzhi had not taken any action against him in order to consolidate the court, and because Qin Su had not been involved in party politics between him and Ding Wei at that time.
I never expected this person...
I don't know if he was instigated by someone or if he had been lying low for a long time.
The Emperor's deep voice resounded from above his throne: "Whether I hold court or not, everything that needs to be reported should be reported. Now that the realm has been pacified and the people have finally recovered from the chaos of war, how can we conceal this fact simply because I am ill?"
Upon hearing this, the ministers, who had just relaxed a little, knelt down in fear of the emperor's wrath, leaving only Gongsun Li stroking his beard without moving.
Crown Prince Pei Xingjian stood quietly with his eyes lowered, seemingly lost in thought.
Pei Yanzhi narrowed his eyes as he thought of Ganzhou, but never mentioned it again.
After a long pause, he asked, "What do you gentlemen think the people's livelihood depends on?"
Seeing the silence in the hall, Pei Yanzhi slammed the memorial in his hand to the ground with a "thud," and said, "If you cannot reduce taxes and levies so that the people can afford to wear clothes and eat food, you officials need not hold your positions."
"Issue the imperial decree: reduce this year's taxes by another three percent."
The kneeling ministers, their faces contorted with grief, responded with a "Yes."
At this moment, the palace door opened slightly, and Wu Yang's eyes lit up. A little figure suddenly pushed open the palace door and ran in.
Pei Xingjian heard the noise and looked up.
When she saw him, her gaze softened instantly.
Pei Qinghe ran to his side, looked up, and called out in a childish voice, "Royal brother."
Pei Xingjian touched the boy's round bun, and Gongsun Li smiled and bowed, saying, "Greetings, young prince."
Pei Qinghe pretended to be an adult and returned the greeting, saying, "Greetings, Imperial Preceptor."
The Great Sage Emperor stood up, picked him up, and asked in a low voice, "Why did you come here today? Have you finished your studies?"
Pei Xingjian looked at the tiny person he held in his arms, his eyes filled with tenderness.
Such a tiny little person, with a sweet tongue and a clever mind all day long, it's hard for anyone not to love them.
Only his childish voice replied from inside the hall: "The Grand Tutor is on leave today. Your son just came over after having lunch with the Empress Dowager."
Upon hearing the words "Grandmother," Pei Yanzhi showed no other reaction, saying calmly, "Have you eaten your fill? If you're still hungry, Father has more food here."
After saying that, she pushed the snacks next to her over, and then held him in her arms as she sat on the dragon throne.
The ministers below finally breathed a sigh of relief at the arrival of the young prince.
Everyone in the court knew that the only person in the entire world who could make the Emperor so gentle and coaxing was His Highness the young prince.
Even Pei Xingjian had never received such treatment before. Pei Xingjian watched his father lower his head and whisper to Qinghe. He had been by his father's side since he was seven or eight years old.
To him, his father was more like a mountain, towering and unyielding, and all he learned and talked about was military affairs and military books.
Never before had anything like this happened to Qinghe. A few days ago, I learned from Wuyang that on the night of the Lantern Festival, my father actually opened the palace gates for me to go to the market in Luoyang to play, watch the lanterns, and watch the dragon boat races.
It would be a lie to say he wasn't envious, but he's long since let it go.
Pei Qinghe looked down with his round eyes and saw that they were all silent because of his arrival, so he tugged at his father's sleeve. Pei Yanzhi looked down and asked, "What's wrong?"
He asked in a childish voice, "Father, why does everyone stop talking as soon as I arrive?"
Pei Yanzhi glanced indifferently at the hall and said, "Because they have nothing to say."
The ministers: "..."
"Alright, all of you may leave."
As everyone filed out, Pei Xingjian turned back for the last time and saw his father place the jade seal, which symbolized supreme power, into Qinghe's hand, guiding his little hand to dip in vermilion and apply it to the seal.
The young prince didn't know what it meant. He just looked at the jade seal, which was bigger than his face, with a curious expression. He went up and touched it, then let his father hold it and press it down.
That scene had a huge impact on Pei Xingjian. He took a deep look inside before finally turning away.
Pei Yanzhi looked into the bright, sparkling eyes of the child in his arms, just like the wet, gazing eyes of a puppy he had encountered on the street when he was a child.
Feeling a surge of affection, she touched his cheek and whispered, "Why are you looking at Father like that?"
Pei Qinghe pointed to his temples and said softly, "Father, you have gray hair now!"
This word "father" was a term the two could use in private, but he often confused them, calling each other "Father" and "Father" repeatedly.
There were no mirrors in Xuanzheng Hall, so he couldn't see, but upon hearing what he said, he simply smiled slightly.
She sighed softly, "Yes, Father is getting old."
Pei Qinghe quickly covered his lips. Although he was young, he knew that this was not a nice thing to say. "Father is not old. Father is still young!"
He lightly stroked the bridge of her nose, which was becoming increasingly similar to "hers," with his fingertips: "Little rascal."
As the child grows, his features become more and more like his mother's; every frown and smile seems to echo his mother's.
Pei Yanzhi stroked Qinghe's cheek, his eyes flashing with intense love and hate.
After a long silence, he said in a deep voice, "Qinghe, I'll take you to Ganzhou in a few days, okay?"
"Ganzhou? Where is that?"
"Your father will take you out of the palace incognito to Ganzhou to finish his business and then we will return."
A few days later, the carriage rumbled away from the capital.
With his mouth full of pastries, Pei Qinghe asked indistinctly, "Father, why... isn't my elder brother here?"
Pei Yanzhi lifted the curtain and looked back at Luoyang, which was gradually receding into the distance, and whispered: "Because my elder brother and the Imperial Preceptor want to govern on behalf of my father."
The young child nodded as if he understood, then buried his head in his food again.
Seeing his simple-mindedness, Pei Yanzhi smiled faintly, leaned back against the carriage wall, and closed his eyes to rest.
A long wind blows outside the car, heading towards distant Ganzhou.
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