Chapter 1390: You Forced Me to Do This (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
Luo San and Gongyang Yongye boasted that they were old and experienced, and had seen all sorts of things. In their youth, they were also fierce generals who had fought on the battlefield and won every battle. Whenever they returned from a great victory, they were greeted with a grand welcome. So they thought that no matter how extravagant the event was, it was nothing special.
As it turns out—
Their imagination is still too limited.
That's underestimating Qi Shan's work ability.
Upon receiving the news, the royal court posted the good news throughout the streets and alleys several days in advance, making sure that every stray cat in the capital knew about it! At the same time, the news was also sent to the capital region through the post stations, and it was announced that there would be no toll fees at the checkpoints during this period, and that commoners could travel freely.
Oh, and of course, there's also the egg giveaway.
In short, whether people came spontaneously to catch a glimpse of the king or were there for the free eggs, the capital, fresh from the cold snap, was bustling as if it had instantly turned into summer. With so many people, trouble is bound to happen, so to prevent malicious individuals from taking advantage of the situation, security was naturally in place. Long cordon lines were stretched out, looking from a distance like neat military formations.
If you find the ground view unsatisfactory, the nearby tree branches and rooftops are also good options, but these locations have certain skill requirements; it's not recommended to go up without some dexterity. Getting up is easy, but getting down is difficult; one slip and you could lose your life.
all in all--
Everywhere you look, there are people! On the ground, in the trees, on the mountains, and even inside the city, there are still a bunch crammed onto the rooftops.
"Long live--"
Elite cavalry led the way, with human shields flanking the ranks. Their armor reflected a chilling glint, and the almost tangible aura of menace intimidated the commoners, causing them to forget to breathe and not even notice the cold sweat beading on their foreheads. All of this dissipated with the appearance of Shen Tang.
The piercing cold light transformed into a gentle spring breeze.
Long live our Lord!
As the first shout exploded, the sound waves, carrying the clanging of horses' hooves, stopped the clouds in their tracks, transforming into a mountain breeze rustling the leaves and startling countless birds. In an instant, all the burning gazes were focused on one person.
"May our Lord live ten thousand years!"
An old farmer held a crying baby aloft, shouting with the crowd until his voice grew hoarse. Shen Tang's gaze fell upon him, and she raised her hand to gesture for silence. The crowd gradually quieted down until only the baby's cries echoed in the wind. She rode her motorcycle forward: "This child looks to be under a year old. How could you bring a child here, old man?"
The old farmer struggled to suppress his emotions, hugged the child to his arms, then knelt down and bowed deeply, almost incoherently, with tears in his eyes: "I only hope that the child can receive some of God's blessings and live a peaceful life."
This is his daughter, whom he and his wife just had this year. Their previous six children either died young or were conscripted into the army and perished. The elderly couple were left destitute and had fled their homeland until they finally found stability here. They thought they would never have another child, but unexpectedly, his wife conceived last year, and they had another daughter. Perhaps due to her advanced age, the child was born somewhat weak.
After seeing doctors without improvement, a wandering Taoist priest said that the child's fate was too weak, and if he wanted things to go smoothly, it would be best if he could share in the good fortune of a blessed person. So, he carried provisions and the child on foot for several days to come here, hoping to get closer to the emperor.
The crowd was silent.
They were somewhat worried that the old farmer might be startled and die.
Shen Tang asked, "Did the Taoist priest say how to share in the blessings?"
The old farmer had no idea that the so-called wandering Taoist was a swindler who traveled from place to place, and the swindler hadn't told him what to do. Faced with Shen Tang's question, he was momentarily speechless. Shen Tang noticed his unease and said with a smile, "How about giving you a nickname?"
The old farmer was overjoyed and hugged the child, thanking him repeatedly.
He was extremely grateful for the nickname "Longevity".
Shen Tang ordered the soldiers to take the old farmer away—the area was densely populated, and infants under one year old were prone to illness and fright. In this day and age, there were no pediatric hospitals; even a minor ailment could take a child's life. Shen Tang also instructed the imperial physician to go and check on the child, in case something happened to the child shortly after the name was bestowed, it would give others cause for criticism.
After the old farmer left, countless people were consumed by envy.
If they had known it could be done this way, they would have done it too.
But it's okay, they'll have experience next time.
Little did they know, Shen Tang had already ruled out this possibility, forbidding adults from bringing such a young child to such a place. If the crowd were even slightly dense, the child could die. The official in charge of overseeing the matter, while forcing a smile, was actually trembling with panic.
He could almost predict the results of the Ministry of Personnel's assessment—this old farmer had benefited from his daughter's good fortune, and his year-end review was probably in jeopardy. After working hard for several years, he had been reduced to nothing in one fell swoop.
This little incident did not affect the overall atmosphere.
The capital city was even more bustling than during the Lunar New Year.
Qi Shan led all the officials to welcome the king: "Greetings, Your Majesty."
"Yuanliang, get up quickly!"
Shen Tang didn't even give him a chance to kneel down, but directly supported the other's hand with a gesture of respect that even a blind person could see. Qi Shan stared at Shen Tang without blinking, his eyes filled with heartache as he said, "These past two years, my lord has worked hard on the battlefield."
She had lost weight and gotten a bit darker. Her energy and spirit weren't as vibrant as I remembered; I wondered if it was from the long journey or something else.
Hey, he looked perfectly healthy at the last DingTalk meeting.
"During my absence, Yuanliang and all the officials have worked hard. Without your dedication to ensuring peace and prosperity in the rear, how could I have focused on my work abroad?" See, a thriving business cannot be separated from a capable wife, and Shen Tang has a whole bunch of them.
The officials initially felt a bit sour, but as soon as their lord returned, Qi Shan completely captured their attention, leaving them with nothing but Qi Yuanliang in their hearts and eyes. Could the entire royal court really function properly on his own? But Shen Tang's question instantly dispelled their resentment.
"We have done our duty and dare not claim credit."
The Lord will remember their merits.
To celebrate the great victory, the people celebrated for three days.
Shen Tang and her fellow office workers didn't have that luxury. Holidays were a joy for ordinary people; office workers were only fit to work overtime. She rushed back this time to prepare for the war in the Central Continent; time was tight and there were many things to catch up on. The court officials held a grand court assembly for two days and two nights.
Fortunately, most of the officials were scholars and warriors, otherwise they would have been in real trouble.
Taking advantage of the breaks in the court assembly, the hungry officials finally had the chance to enjoy a meal in the imperial palace. The quality of the meals over the past two days was the best it had been in the last two years, with the abundance and deliciousness of the dishes leaving people speechless: "The people in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices finally know what normal people like to eat."
"Are you sure it's a problem with the Court of Imperial Sacrifices?"
Officials from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices stated that they would not take the blame.
A member of the Censorate interjected, saying in a low voice, "Wasn't it Qi Yuanliang who asked the Court of Imperial Sacrifices to arrange the Emperor's favorite dishes?"
After the court assembly, the emperor would often dine with his officials in the corridor.
The quality of meals served in the Imperial Palace can be basically divided into two categories: when the Emperor is present and when he is absent. When the Emperor is present, the dishes and drinks prepared by the Imperial Palace are exceptionally plentiful and diverse. When the Emperor is absent, the dishes and drinks are just average, and the taste may even be a bit peculiar.
If you observe carefully, you will find something fishy.
The latter recipes are particularly well-suited to Qi Shan's preferences.
The Censorate had long suspected him of abusing his power for personal gain, having the Imperial Sacrifices arrange meals for him that were his own favorites, but they lacked any evidence. With the Emperor away from the capital, and Qi Shan serving as the Regent, the Censorate couldn't do anything about him. If they confronted him directly, they were sure the next day's meals would include some of the censors' most disliked dishes.
Qi Zhongshu can be quite petty and narrow-minded when he gets stingy.
"We know, that's enough..."
"Let's just settle this? That would only embolden Qi Zhongshu!"
"Keep your voice down. If Qi Zhongshu finds out, be careful that after the Lord goes on his campaign, every dish in the palace will have coriander added."
Coriander is a plant that people either love or hate; some find the smell unpleasant, while others find it unbearable to even taste. The royal court, however, valued frugality and would not tolerate the scandal of extravagant feasts. The Imperial Household Department meticulously planned the meals prepared for the officials, not demanding they finish everything, but ensuring that no more than 10% of the food was wasted! If every dish contained coriander, it would be a nightmare!
The censor couldn't help but feel a lump in his throat as he imagined that scene.
The officials whispered amongst themselves.
"...Yuanliang even knows what they don't like to eat?" Shen Tang seemed to have discovered a new continent. It was the first time she had known that Qi Shan used such methods to retaliate against "political enemies" in private. It was indeed a little cute. Her "scheming" persona had collapsed.
Qi Shan said, "What's so difficult about that?"
To control costs, the menus for the palace meals were initially fixed, facilitating procurement from outside the palace and ensuring transparent pricing. However, the emperor, considerate of his officials, felt that they worked hard enough getting up early every day for court assemblies, and that their meal allowances could be increased. He also wanted the daily menus to be as fresh as possible. Thus, the current palace meal system came about, with the menu rotating every month, resulting in a truly abundant meal.
Careful observation reveals the preferences of each official.
When Shen Tang went to war, he left Qi Shan to oversee the country. In the words of the officials, "When there is no king, a monkey becomes king." Qi Shan controlled the imperial cuisine menu, and every now and then a few innovative dishes would come up with by the imperial chefs, which made the picky officials complain endlessly.
Shen Tang laughed until her stomach hurt.
"It's not difficult, but Yuanliang's actions will damage his reputation. If history were to recount this in the future, future generations might actually believe that political infighting involved altering recipes and having the imperial chefs create culinary disasters." Hmm, perhaps Kangguo could even earn the title of a culinary desert.
"What kind of good reputation is it to engage in infighting and violence?" It's better to torment your opponents with terrible cooking than to fight them to death. At least the former can bring a smile to people's faces, while the latter only makes people lament the darkness of the political situation.
Qi Shan didn't care how future generations would write about their history, but when it came to the emperor, he still hoped that history books would portray it positively. For example, that during the emperor's reign, the ruler and his ministers were of one mind and there was harmony between superiors and inferiors, rather than the monotonous stories of deceit and intrigue.
If you want to see the wickedness of human nature, which page of history doesn't have it?
Shen Tang nodded in agreement: "Yuan Liang's words make sense."
It was a rare treat for His Majesty to return, so the Court of Imperial Sacrifices went all out. All the imperial chefs from the Imperial Kitchen were mobilized, employing every skill imaginable to greatly satisfy Shen Tang's hunger. When on campaign, how could any of the conditions compare to those at the royal court?
Shen Tang patted her round belly and burped.
He exclaimed, "I'm so content! This is the ultimate bliss!"
After a satisfying meal, take a walk to aid digestion.
Take a walk after meals, and you'll live to ninety-nine.
"Does Yuanliang have a candidate for regent?"
For a normal person, being regent would be an incredibly desirable position with absolute power, but those under Shen Tang's command held the opposite view. Being confined to their own territory was far less appealing than joining a military expedition. What was so good about being regent? Sitting in the office every day would surely give them hemorrhoids.
According to the Department of Health, the proportion of officials suffering from hemorrhoids is not low.
Qi Shan's eyes lit up slightly, as if he saw a glimmer of hope just around the corner: "Does Your Majesty mean you're willing to take me with you?"
"Yuanliang's words make it sound like I'm a general who returns from years of war with a new love and neglects the old." A general who returns from three years of war with a stunningly beautiful cousin/junior sister/military doctor/military advisor/princess/white moonlight/cinnabar mole by his side.
This scene doesn't suit her.
Qi Shan sighed and said, "Isn't that right, my lord?"
What kind of demons and monsters did you bring back from your trip to the southwest?
Shen Tang: "..."
Qi Shan smiled and said, "So it's still better to follow along."
Shen Tang: "..."
This joke is a little lame.
Choosing a new regent is proving difficult. Firstly, Shen Tang's most trusted confidants all prefer to travel outside the capital. Secondly, many officials who dislike traveling have their own selfish motives and are not good at maintaining order. Shen Tang is hesitant to entrust the Kang Kingdom to them. He is also facing a dilemma.
Qi Shan did have a suitable candidate in mind.
"What does the Lord think of Shizang?"
Luan Xin has been active on the front lines for years, and given his own slow reaction time, Xie Qi, nominally the Vice Minister of Personnel, often concurrently serves as the Minister. He is also stable in character and enjoys considerable prestige among officials, earning their respect. Furthermore, although he is from the Xie clan and is the head of the family, his relationship with the Xie clan has visibly soured over the years.
Their own stance leans more towards those from poor families.
Conflicts between the gentry and commoners can be mediated and mitigated.
Shen Tang shook his head: "I'm afraid the amount of Shi Zang is not enough."
Shen Tang had considered Xie Qi. He was indeed a chosen one, a typical office worker, but his personality was too conservative. If something unexpected happened, he would be in a terrible predicament. However, Shen Tang also took Qi Shan's suggestion into account and planned to select a few more assistants.
"How about Weiheng?"
Qi Shan's favorite candidate is still Ning Yan, but he knows better than anyone that if he dares to ask, Ning Yan will dare to come knocking on his door—which is very strange. When did being regent become a job that people try to avoid?
Shen Tang said, "Wei Heng is fine."
Then he said he felt a little sorry for Miao Ne.
If things don't go wrong in Yuanfu County, Miao Ne can smoothly enter the court after returning from Yuanfu County and assist Yu Zi.
Qi Shan didn't mention Ning Yan, but Shen Tang did.
"I feel more at ease with Tu Nan in charge."
After taking a walk around, they still haven't made a final decision on who to choose.
Actually, choosing a regent is a minor matter; Shen Tang has more to worry about now—one of which is the source of soldiers.
With a full-scale war in the central region, Kang Kingdom's current forces are insufficient. The soldiers she recruited in the southwestern battle were not from respectable families; many were local ruffians or even bandits, resulting in a loose overall fighting force and disorganized discipline.
Training them well is not something that can be done overnight.
Shen Tang's earliest organization consisted of bandits and slaves, and she knew all too well how much effort and hardship they had endured along the way. Now that war was about to break out again, many officials were starting to consider this possibility.
Both sides have their own reasons.
Shen Tang was sandwiched in the middle, and the abacus beads hit her face.
_(:3」∠)_
Waaah, with the Lunar New Year approaching, all the breakfast stalls are closed, and I can't even have my favorite sticky rice anymore... Oh right, I already have the cover for the physical copy of "Return the Emperor" at Big Eyes' place. [Due to censorship, the title has been changed from "朕" (Zhen, meaning "I" or "I") to "孤" (Gu, meaning "I, the Lonely"), which doesn't sound very smooth, but at the time, I couldn't think of a better alternative.]
(End of this chapter)
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