Chapter 151: Sharp-tongued
Qin Minghuang glanced at him and then looked away, and there was no change in his expression when Yinzhe transmitted the message.
Putting away the Three States Waterway Map, he said, "You've done a great job. What reward would you like?"
Qin Zhaoqiong bowed again and said, "I have relied heavily on you all for this trip. I dare not take any credit for it."
Qin Minghuang waved his hand and said, "My dear ministers, what do you think I should reward you with?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the hall fell silent.
They have already received the news of the emperor's efforts in flood control and disaster relief, so it is absolutely unacceptable to reward them with some gold and silver objects.
There is only one way for the royal heir to be rewarded.
During the time that His Highness was away from the capital, some people were very active.
He held many poetry gatherings and invited famous scholars to give lectures, which not only showcased his talents but also raised funds for flood relief. His reputation among scholars spread far and wide, and he gained both fame and fortune.
But today, when His Highness returned to the capital, the enthusiasm of the people who spontaneously took to the streets had already reached everyone's ears.
In the face of real achievements, those methods suddenly became inferior and seemed more like helpless struggles.
This is just a superficial difference. Public opinion can only be seen if the people in power are willing to see it. If they are unwilling to see it, it means nothing.
On the contrary, the voices of the scholars must not be ignored.
But can we think about this matter in this way? Haha...
"Shen Aiqing, what do you think?"
Director Chen Xiao of the Wanmin Division sighed inwardly, thinking how unlucky he was.
Having a corrupt junior official under his command, and having to sacrifice another junior official to go to the disaster relief department as a figurehead was not enough, he now had to be the first to take action.
"Your Majesty, I believe he should be granted the title of Prince."
Chen Zhongxiao spoke briefly and to the point, then stood back immediately after he finished speaking.
During the Taiwei period, unlike the old calendar, the imperial heirs would leave the palace and set up their own residences when they turned 15, but they were not granted the title of prince.
With the empress in power, this matter must be handled with caution. Either both should be conferred titles or none should be conferred. After all, the weight of the first prince is different.
Qin Minghuang remained silent. "What about the other ministers? Do you have any objections? So it's settled?"
Is it time to make the final conclusion?
At this moment, the Junior Official of the Heavenly Officials came out.
"Your Majesty, the envoy for this disaster relief is Lord Wanmin Sigu.
I believe that when recognizing merit, the rewards for the chief envoys should be determined first, and then the others in order."
The Tianguansi is responsible for the examination, appointment, and dismissal of officials, as well as the supervision of honors and conferment. It's appropriate to step forward at this time. It sounds reasonable, but what does it mean?
Gu Tingyun is already the Junior Secretary of the Sixth Department, how else can he be rewarded?
The heads of the six ministries are all here. Can he take someone else's position, or should he join the cabinet?
Stop it, it's just nice talk. Fenggetai is where Pei Xuanyun has the final say.
Why would he give up the position of Shao Si, which holds real power, and join the cabinet to help Pei Xuanyun?
It has been fourteen years, and Lao Pei has outlasted several batches of ambitious people, but his position remains unchanged.
The reward for the disaster relief envoy cannot go beyond his level, so Qin Zhaoqiong, as the deputy envoy, should not be rewarded above him.
In this case, the idea of conferring the title of prince is nonsense.
He had a good plan, but some people didn't want him to succeed.
Gu Tingyun immediately stepped out and used him as a raft. Did he agree?
"Your Majesty, although I hold the title of Chief Envoy, I have been ill since leaving the capital, and it has been Your Highness who has been in charge of most affairs."
Not to mention the other departments, his immediate superior’s attitude is clear.
Her Majesty almost made it clear that the Wanmin Division was the vanguard unit she assigned to His Highness.
"I see that Master Gu is full of energy and in good health."
"Cough cough cough..." Gu Tingyun didn't care who said this, and immediately hunched over and started coughing.
It was like a real thing, and it took a while for the cough to stop.
"Your Majesty, I am not feeling well, especially with the continuous rain on the way, which is not good.
Thanks to Your Highness for presiding over the disaster relief efforts, I dare not take credit for it."
Oh, how could Gu Tingyun not know that this reward would cause a stir.
Let's not mention that he is telling the truth. He has not made any great contributions. Even if he has made any contributions, he cannot take all the credit for himself. Otherwise, how can he be rewarded?
He was unwilling to help Old Pei, and leaving Fengjing to become a frontier official was not his ambition.
It is conceivable that the next period of time will be a critical moment in the struggle for the throne, and he cannot leave Beijing.
There is an old driver above him, so what's wrong with just being a young driver and doing his job well?
The hall fell into silence again.
The contribution to flood control and disaster relief is not small. As long as Gu Tingyun takes the title of chief envoy, he will definitely take away a large part of it.
Many people did not expect that his attitude would be so firm.
You just say you don’t want it, are you willing to give it up like that?
Qin Minghuang showed concern on his face. "My dear, you have suffered so much. Su Quan, we will send a royal physician to see Master Gu later. We dare not leave any root of the disease."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness."
Gu Tingyun bowed deeply and walked back slowly.
He was holding his head high before, but in the blink of an eye, he became hunched over, and he had to suppress a few coughs from time to time. Isn't it amazing?
The second prince, Qin Jingheng, stood at the head of the royal family, seemingly indifferent to the sharp words in the court.
He had already received news about the various events during the disaster relief process, and had anticipated such a scene since the team set out for Beijing.
If you have a plan in mind, you won’t panic.
At this time, Cheng Junheng, a third-rank Taichang doctor from the Ministry of Ceremonies, stood out from the crowd.
"Your Majesty, I believe that Your Highness has made great contributions to disaster relief and should be granted the title of Prince.
The Second Prince also made great contributions by running around in Fengjing and working hard to raise funds for disaster relief.
I, an old minister, don’t know much about military affairs, but the battle on the front line is important, and the supply of food and grass in the rear is equally important.
I ask Your Majesty to make a sacred judgment and confer the title of Prince upon His Highness the Second Prince."
"Lord Cheng's words are words of maturity and prudence. I second your opinion."
"I second the motion."
…
The court officials who had been silent just now suddenly became lively, with voices of seconding the motion rising one after another, accounting for more than 50% of the total.
The dispute over the throne has not yet come to light. It is too risky to take sides at this time, and most officials support the moderate approach of weighing the pros and cons.
Since there is a risk, we might as well raise one princess and one prince to stabilize the situation first.
At this moment, the second prince Qin Jingheng finally stood up.
"Your Majesty, I am concerned only about the people affected by the disaster and have absolutely no intention of competing with you for credit.
This time I am running around and serving, only thinking of helping Your Majesty share the worries and relieve the people from their distress, which is what a member of the royal family should do.
I dare not take credit for this, and I beg Your Majesty to understand."
Huh... Qin Minghuang sighed inwardly.
I dare not take credit for it, as it is the responsibility of the royal family. In this sense, it is natural that His Highness should provide disaster relief, but he should not take credit for it.
"You are wrong, Second Prince. You are of noble character, but merits must be rewarded, and faults must be punished.
If it is as my second brother said, wouldn't it discourage the meritorious officials? In the long run, who would work hard for the court?
Therefore, this statement is not acceptable!"
Qin Zhaoqiong spoke every word with great force.
The court officials all looked at him with awe. This... just a disaster relief mission, and His Highness had grown to such a level.
Was this a sudden enlightenment or some guidance from a master? Regardless of which one it was, the balance in many people's hearts had quietly shifted.
Qin Jingheng gritted his teeth and tried his best to maintain his composure.
When did my eldest sister become so eloquent?
Qin Minghuang kept a faint smile on his face and waved his hand without comment. "Today is to reward our meritorious officials. Let's have a banquet."
"yes……"
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