Chapter 461: Isolated Island on the Sea
The palace was shrouded in a morning mist.
In Yan Xiuyun's bedroom, Manager Zhao called softly:
"Your Majesty, it is time to go to court. You should get up now. I will help you change your clothes."
Yan Xiuyun sat up from the dragon bed and frowned in annoyance.
The Ministry of Justice just reported the progress of Zhu Lan's case yesterday, but still has not found the key evidence to exonerate him.
The Duke of Wei was still putting pressure on the court in Duxin Temple. The Li clan members in the court also refused to give in for a moment. Some even spread rumors among the people, and there were many different opinions.
Some people say that the Chief Censor has killed ministers indiscriminately but has not been tried yet, and the reason must be that the emperor is protecting him.
Some people made a dirty guess that the emperor had other feelings for this female chancellor, which was why he was reluctant to kill her.
Some people with ulterior motives even hinted that Yan Xiuyun used young officials such as Zhu Lan to suppress old officials such as the Duke of Weiguo in order to vent his dissatisfaction with the late emperor.
Yan Xiuyun had already sent people to investigate the source of the rumors among the people, intending to severely punish those who spread the rumors.
Who knew that the other party's methods were so sophisticated that they spread the information through nursery rhymes and children's mouths, making the investigation extremely difficult.
Do we really have to kill Zhu Lan to stop the rumors?
A hint of hesitation flashed across Yan Xiuyun's eyes.
Manager Zhao handed over the dragon robe at the right time. Yan Xiuyun rubbed his frowning brows. When he thought of the nagging of those old ministers in the court, he felt a splitting headache.
However, as an emperor, he had no choice.
…
At the beginning of the court meeting, officials from various departments presented their reports in turn.
The Minister of Revenue stepped out of the train and spoke clearly:
“Your Majesty, a small island has been discovered 20 miles off the coast of Nanzhou. It is uninhabited.
Last month, a wealthy private businessman offered to buy the island for 300,000 taels. After deliberation by the Ministry of Revenue, it was decided that his request could be approved.
However, this matter is of great importance, and I ask Your Majesty to make the final decision."
Yan Xiuyun naturally remembered this.
Lingnan is located in the southeast of Daliang, close to the East China Sea. However, its land is barren, forests are deep and roads are blocked, making trade and transportation inconvenient. Therefore, it has not been well developed and people's lives are still relatively difficult.
The taxes paid by the Lingnan region each year were very few, but during times of drought and flood, the imperial court had to spend huge amounts of manpower and material resources to provide relief, which became a burden.
The construction of Lingnan region is already full of difficulties. Even if a small island is discovered, the imperial court is out of reach, not to mention that it is a deserted island...
Yan Xiuyun said in a deep voice: "What do you think, my dear ministers?"
An official from the Ministry of Rites stood up and objected:
"Your Majesty, even if we find a sky island, it should be our Daliang land. How can we sell it to others?"
Minister Lu of the Ministry of Revenue immediately asked, "What do you think?"
The official from the Ministry of Rites said: "Of course we will send soldiers to garrison the island and relocate the people to the island to cultivate farmland and live there."
Minister Lu sneered and said:
"That island is completely desolate. If you were a native of Lingnan, living well in the city, and were suddenly asked to move to an island like this, would you be willing?"
The official from the Ministry of Rites said loudly: "Then we should build houses and roads on the island first, and then ask the people to move there!"
Minister Lu secretly rolled his eyes, thinking that if one does not manage a household, one would not know how expensive firewood, rice, oil and salt are.
Will your Ministry of Rites pay for the construction?
He can talk without any hesitation.
He glanced at the official from the Ministry of Rites and asked:
"Master Liu, do you know how much it would cost just to transport the wood to build a house on such an isolated island?
Do you know how much silver is left in the treasury now?"
"I..." The official from the Ministry of Rites choked for a moment and said unwillingly: "That can't be sold either!"
"You are talking about state affairs without considering the reality!"
"Okay." Yan Xiuyun finally spoke, and the court suddenly became quiet.
"I have thought about this for a long time. The isolated island is too remote and is separated from the entire Lingnan region. I am afraid the court will not have the time to take care of it for decades.
But what Liu Aiqing said also makes sense. If we sell the land, it will inevitably make the surrounding small countries laugh at us. "
"Your Majesty." Minister Lu spoke again.
“In fact, the other party’s intention was not to ask Daliang to cede territory. The isolated island still belongs to Daliang. What was purchased was only the right to exploit and use the resources on the island.
If people are willing to move to the island in the future, the taxes collected will still belong to Daliang."
Yan Xiuyun pondered for a while.
"In this case, let's do this according to the Ministry of Revenue's wishes.
Also, I can buy this island for 300,000 taels, but there is one thing - there must be a garrison of our Daliang army on the island, and no private soldiers are allowed, otherwise our Daliang soldiers will flatten this island."
Some ministers in the court seemed to have concerns, but they were all refuted by Yan Xiuyun one by one, and finally no one continued to oppose.
Everyone knows that the court is short of money at the moment.
Especially in the past two years, the situation in the northern border has become increasingly severe, and the relationship between the imperial court and the King of Zhenbei is almost at a breaking point.
The Prince of Zhenbei was gathering his strength and waiting for the right opportunity. Naturally, the imperial court had already made arrangements in the northern border, spending countless resources.
When it comes to war, money is the most important thing, and these 300,000 taels are of vital importance to the imperial court.
There is nothing wrong with exchanging an isolated island for a stable border and peace for the people.
Yan Xiuyun sighed softly in his heart.
All these years, he has been waiting for the news that the King of Zhenbei would give up and hand over the military power of the Northern Frontier... Although Yan Xiuyun knew that this was almost impossible.
He recalled the conversation he had had with Zhu Lan when they discussed this matter.
At that time, Zhu Lan also said that war is an ominous sign and sages will only use it when they have no other choice.
Although the imperial court is not afraid of war, once the army is launched, no matter who wins or loses, the people will suffer from the war and their lives will be devastated.
Therefore, the best strategy is to make King Zhenbei give up voluntarily. Although the hope is slim, we still have to give it a try.
After the matter of the isolated island was dealt with, Yan Xiuyun asked:
"Do you have anything else to say, my dear minister?"
"Your Majesty Li Mao...has a plan to report!"
here we go again.
A hint of impatience flashed across Yan Xiuyun's eyes.
"explain."
I originally thought that Li Mao was going to bring up the matter of dealing with Zhu Lan as soon as possible and asking Duke Weiguo to leave Duxin Temple, but I didn't expect that he would change his words this time.
"Your Majesty, I went to Duxin Temple yesterday to visit my father, and finally understood your Majesty's painstaking efforts. Your Majesty couldn't bear to kill Zhu Lan, but it was just because he pitied his talent.
As subjects, we cannot allow the Li family's affairs to damage His Majesty's love for talent.
Therefore... please, Your Majesty, pardon Zhu Lan's death sentence."
All the Li officials in the court knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, please pardon Zhu Lan's death sentence."
Yan Xiuyun raised his eyebrows slightly, but did not express his opinion immediately. He glanced at each of them with a probing look.
He was determined not to give up until he had forced Zhu Lan to death a few days ago, so why did he suddenly give in today?
It's really strange.
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