Chapter 74 We, the ministers, respectfully wish Your Majesty to find a good match——! !
At this moment, the Minister of Revenue Zheng Qi took the tablet and stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I have something to say."
Xiao Zhinian had no objection and approved it, saying concisely, "Approved."
Zheng Qi slowly spoke: "Fang Shiyuan is a minister under the Ministry of Revenue. He has worked hard every day since the late emperor ascended the throne, and has never had any personal feelings. All of us ministers have witnessed this. The most urgent task is to save the people of Qingzhou from the dire straits. The matter of accountability is a matter for the future. I earnestly request Your Majesty to allocate funds for disaster relief."
As everyone knows, Fang Shiyuan was a successful Jinshi during the Shuncheng Kaiyuan period, and was chosen as the Tanhua Lang by the previous Emperor Wu Kun. At that time, when he was nearly thirty years old, he was spotted by a noble lady in the capital and was recruited into her palace.
This noble lady was the sixteen-year-old second daughter of Zheng Qi, the Minister of Revenue. She had been unruly and unreasonable since childhood. Everyone said that she was an old cow eating young grass, but they did not know many secrets of her life.
Fortunately, although he was not successful in love, he was free and easy in officialdom. With the support of his father-in-law Zheng Qi, he rose smoothly all the way to the position of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue today.
Working together in the Ministry of Revenue, it is inevitable that one will think too much.
Prime Minister Hu hated nepotism the most in his life, and he immediately said righteously: "Disaster relief is imminent and needs to be done urgently, but accountability is also inevitable. I think both matters need to be done at the same time, and I hope Your Majesty will grant your approval."
Everyone knows that Prime Minister Hu and Shangshu Zheng have had a feud. They have been glaring at each other and disliking each other, and it has been a long time since they openly challenged each other.
Zheng Qi glared and said, "Your Majesty, please know the severity of the matter."
Xiao Zhinian pondered for a long time and said, "Fang Shiyuan, I will give you a chance to redeem yourself. You will still be responsible for the disaster relief in Qingzhou. As for where the money went last year, you'd better investigate it for me one by one, otherwise you will be held accountable. In addition--"
Having learned the art of checks and balances from Chen Zhejiang for so many years, Xiao Zhinian was naturally familiar with it. What the officials in the court feared most was imbalance.
He glanced at every court official, and finally settled on Han Zitang: "Minister Han."
Hearing this, Han Zitang's calm eyes flickered for a moment, and he replied, "I am here."
Xiao Zhinian stroked the lines on the ring and said, "I order you to work with the Minister of Revenue to investigate this matter. Set off immediately and do not delay."
To be honest, there was indeed some personal vendetta against Xiao Zhinian involved. This way, at least no one would be a nuisance to him during this period of time.
But it does make sense. Han Zitang is the Minister of Justice. He is fair and impartial and does not favor any party. It is most appropriate to assign him to investigate the case.
Han Zitang said calmly: "I accept your order."
Seeing that he readily agreed, Xiao Zhinian nodded with satisfaction, thinking secretly in his heart.
If he dared not to agree, he would be charged with openly disobeying the emperor's order and sent to another place to take up a post, so as not to disrupt the relationship between him and Shen Zhejiang.
"Do you have anything else to discuss?" Xiao Zhinian asked. Seeing that they were all silent, he stood up and said, "I do have something to discuss. I believe that the news that I brought back a beautiful woman from the streets has spread among you recently. This is absolutely true. Since she has a status in the harem, I plan to issue an edict to confer her the title of concubine and give her the name 'Chen'. Do you have any objections?"
"......"
Han Zitang heard every word of these words and was greatly shocked. He suddenly raised his head and looked straight at Xiao Zhinian who was sitting on the high seat. His fingers, which were holding the tablet, were shaking slightly with force.
Others didn't know, but Han Zitang clearly knew that the person Xiao Zhinian was talking about was Shen Zhejiang.
Xiao Zhinian actually wants to make Shen Zhejiang a concubine? !
Did someone as proud as Shen Zhejiang really agree willingly?
impossible.
Han Zitang would never believe it even if he was beaten to death.
Xiao Zhinian noticed that Han Zitang's eyes were full of astonishment and suspicion. He snorted coldly and gestured with his chin to the eunuch beside him.
The eunuch understood and raised his voice, "According to the imperial decree, the Imperial Academy shall draft the imperial edict, and the Ministry of Rites shall prepare the necessary materials for the ceremony of conferring the title of consort, and choose an auspicious day for the wedding! I decree this——!"
Prime Minister Hu and other old ministers who had been looking forward to Xiao Zhinian's marriage were overjoyed and almost moved the auspicious date to today. They all shouted loudly: "Your Majesty, we respectfully wish you to find a good match--!!"
Everyone present knelt down, except Han Zitang who stood there in a daze.
Xiao Zhinian sneered, "Is there something wrong with Minister Han?"
Han Zitang: “…”
Prime Minister Hu was right in front of Han Zitang. He immediately turned around and gave him a wink. "Your Majesty is getting married. It's a happy occasion. Why are you still standing there like an idiot? Speak quickly!"
After a while, Han Zitang said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, I wish you all the best."
-
Xiao Zhinian finally felt that he had turned the tables, and he rewarded all the palace slaves in Yanqing Palace with a lot of silver. However, they had just killed someone last night, but today they were rewarded so much. The unpredictable mood of the emperor made the palace slaves even more frightened.
Halfway through the journey, Liu Bao ran over, shouting, looking anxious: "Your Majesty! Mr. Shen is ill and has a high fever. What should we do now?"
Xiao Zhinian was furious: "Call the imperial physician! Are you still waiting for me to teach you how to do things?"
Liu Bao was unsure, as Shen Zhejiang's identity in the palace was not easy to be made public, and there were only palace servants serving him in Yan Qing Palace.
Xiao Zhinian has issued a death order. If anyone dares to reveal Shen Zhejiang's whereabouts, they will be killed.
Therefore, Liu Bao did not dare to act rashly. When he received Xiao Zhinian's order, he immediately ordered the palace servants to go to the Imperial Hospital to invite the imperial physician.
Xiao Zhinian hurried back to Wenhuachi, his eyes closely following the person on the bed inside, and saw that Shen Zhejiang had woken up, his clothes were pulled loose by himself, and he was half leaning against the head of the bed, his face flushed.
Shen Zhejiang's head was dizzy and his whole body was hot, but when he heard familiar footsteps approaching, he reached out and pulled the quilt to cover himself tightly, clearly intending to settle the matter with Xiao Zhinian to the end.
"Sir." Xiao Zhinian called out.
"I cannot bear your Majesty's words. Please take them back."
Shen Zhejiang was still upset about what happened last night. Rather than being angry, he was more disappointed. After all, Xiao Zhinian was taught by him, but he never expected that Xiao Zhinian would make such a mistake.
Overnight, he saw another side of Xiao Zhinian. He knew that as an emperor he must be cold and indifferent, but he still had hope.
How can the cruelty in one's bones be easily removed?
Xiao Zhinian felt like he had something stuck in his throat, especially when he saw the complicated emotions on Shen Zhejiang's face. He walked over and saw the untouched porridge on the wooden table. He slowed down his voice and said, "Sir, even if you want to be angry with me, you shouldn't be so hard on your own body. I was wrong last night, didn't I admit it to you? What else do you want from me, sir?"
Shen Zhejiang couldn't do anything to Xiao Zhinian.
In terms of the relationship between the monarch and his subjects, Xiao Zhinian is the monarch, and he is not even a proper subject. What qualifications does he have to point fingers at Xiao Zhinian?
In terms of strength, Xiao Zhinian was naturally superior to him, and he was no match for Xiao Zhinian with his physique.
After all, Xiao Zhinian's previous tolerance for him was only out of that little pitiful joy. Being abandoned would probably be his fate. Was it right or wrong to follow Xiao Zhinian back to the capital from Luocheng?
"Sir, you didn't say anything. Have you not thought it through?"
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