Early morning, Xuanzheng Hall.
It's the fifth day of the ninth lunar month, and this morning it's surprisingly hot enough to make many people sweat.
They were just too angry and stressed about the drought.
An old man, in his haste, blurted out: "Qing'e Palace is a witch. If it weren't for her, there wouldn't be so much trouble in the world."
Wei Zhi asked, "Is consecutive years of bumper harvests a disaster? Is conquering Wunu Kingdom and Dele Kingdom a disaster? Is the people living in peace and prosperity a disaster? It is you who are the disaster! You have ulterior motives and always want to bring chaos to the world. You were hoping for a once-in-a-century drought, but unfortunately, heaven did not grant your wish."
Chen Zuo continued, "Wind and rain are natural occurrences. Today, despite the drought, the earth remains moist. This is a blessing from Heaven upon our Great Zhao. Yet some dare to presume to steal Heaven's credit!"
Fu Dingchen was even more direct: "You all want to manipulate the heavens all day long, why don't you just go to heaven yourself?"
Xie Ji stood quietly.
Xie looked at the sky; it was going to rain.
A sudden gust of wind swept through the Xuanzheng Hall, and its force could be felt even inside the hall.
It suddenly got cold, and those who were sweating inside the Xuanzheng Hall were now shivering.
The old man grew increasingly deranged: "Pray for rain at Taiqing Palace for forty-nine days!"
Xie Zhou spoke up: "If it weren't for the interference of Taiqing Palace, it would have rained long ago."
The emperor issued an edict: "Go and demolish the Taiqing Palace!"
The eunuch received the order and left. As for the heretics in the Taiqing Palace, arrest them first.
King Song spoke up: "To steal the credit of Heaven is laughable, and their intentions are despicable."
A palace attendant ran in to report: "Consort Huan is about to give birth."
Boom! A thunderclap!
Whether it was due to Consort Huan or Feng Ming is another matter.
Xie Zhou was eager to go back.
He waved goodbye, saying, "Go on, go on. Anyway, there's nothing else to do today, and there's still plenty of arguing about Master Taixu."
Xie Ji and Chen Zuo, on the other hand, were thinking about practical matters and the autumn imperial examinations.
They all dare to cause trouble during the autumn imperial examinations, thinking those scholars can ascend to heaven?
There are many scholars in the world, but many of them also support Consort Huan.
She helped poor people study, giving those from humble backgrounds a chance. How many poor families are there in this world?
It's rare for children from poor families to achieve great things. Perhaps Empress Huan will pay more attention to the poor in the future and give them opportunities.
Even if someone from a poor family passes the imperial examination with flying colors, their future path may not be easy, and changes in the imperial court are still necessary.
In short, Consort Huan is no longer without a foundation; her prestige is accumulating day by day.
That's why spreading rumors seems so strange; many people are watching the show.
Xie Ji can't just stand by and watch; he must be firm in suppressing him when necessary. Otherwise, people might think he's condoning it.
The old man was unwilling to accept this; they had a group of them.
The King of Wu understood perfectly well that the Chan Sect was using this opportunity to gain benefits.
However, the King of Wu was busy attacking the Great Stone Kingdom, and he was determined to make it even more spectacular!
The rain now won't have a significant impact on the autumn harvest, but as long as it rains, autumn planting can still be carried out.
Many fields were planted in the fall. Some fields were left fallow after the autumn harvest.
For example, "If a family does not change its land by one hundred mu, if it changes its land by one time by two hundred mu, and if it changes its land by another time by three hundred mu."
It's not about planting as much as possible in the fields. The concept of "one-year rest" refers to cultivating a field for one year and then letting it rest for another year to allow the soil to recover its fertility.
While fields can be maintained, complete fallowing is essential. Consecutive years of bumper harvests will inevitably impact the land.
The imperial court is planning to allow farmland to fallow. There will certainly be no taxes during this period, so will the common people secretly cultivate the land? This is a significant problem.
This wasn't something the King of Wu needed to consider; he only needed a general understanding. As for those who were spouting nonsense, they could be dealt with immediately.
But a group of people were not afraid of death.
They chatted incessantly with the sage.
Especially Master Taixu, some people exclaimed: "Master Taixu is the true lord!"
Fu Dingchen asked, "What's the point of having a True Lord who's good for nothing but eating?"
Xie Yu said, "Dry rice."
Fu Dingchen said, "Living is a waste of food."
The old man was clearly wasting his breath: "Your Majesty, please quickly invite Master Taixu to the palace!"
The emperor has decreed that this group of fanatics be sent outside to be exposed to the wind and rain.
The old man was dumbfounded! How could someone his age be kneeling outside?
Xie Yu thought it was quite appropriate. Kneeling alone wasn't enough? What could the Great Zhao possibly rely on them for?
Besides, it was no use for them to refuse; the guards were holding them captive, and a sudden downpour chilled them to the bone.
Outside the hall, a cacophony of wailing and howling erupted; inside, people began to seriously consider what to do next.
When the King of Wu saw that the emperor had left, he also left.
In any case, for these kinds of court assemblies, the presence of the prime minister or grand secretary is sufficient. The presence of palace officials is also acceptable.
Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. Had the sage gone to see his second grandson?
If this rain is related to the Second Prince, then the Second Prince is no ordinary person.
People couldn't help but think, "What about the eldest and second grandsons in the future? Are you overthinking it?"
With Lady Huan wielding her mace, how could the two brothers possibly ascend to heaven?
Didn't the emperor prepare the titles of his second grandson and the emperor himself?
So everyone should just go about their business. If there really is a destiny, it is the result of everyone's hard work.
With the emperor absent, the pressure was less, there was less idle chatter, and work efficiency was quite high.
Xie Ji was basically in a study mode, while thinking about kneeling outside.
The rain was getting heavier and the weather was getting colder.
The eunuch asked the officials to pause, especially the older ones, who should put on more clothes.
No need for Grand Secretary Xu to add anything.
The King of Song doesn't need to. He's dressed warmly this morning, and he might need to put on a cloak when he goes out later, so there's no rush.
The Prince of Song doesn't concern himself with affairs; he's here waiting for his grandson. The second son, a legitimate grandson, is also highly valued.
Fang Ke couldn't help but admire Huan Niangniang's fertility.
If another child is born in two years, no one will care about the Crown Prince's offspring.
It can't be said that the Crown Prince must have children born out of wedlock, especially since the eldest grandson of the emperor is raised so well.
Actually, those men from Prince Zheng's residence are quite good too. The royal family doesn't lack people.
Besides, Princess Peng is about to give birth. There are still many things to do after Consort Huan gives birth to the second child.
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