Chapter 38 I am ashamed
The ministers chimed in with their own opinions, and Xiao Qing's silence seemed to spur them on to become even more impassioned.
Even more shockingly, one man knelt down in court, tears streaming down his face, and cried out, "Your Majesty, the Great Xiao is currently besieged by barbarian troops stationed along the Xiao River in the north, while the military officers in the southern army are still unappointed, leaving us without generals and our troops in disarray. How can we possibly stabilize the country under such circumstances? I beg Your Majesty to prioritize the well-being of the nation, heed the will of the people, and not delay the opportune moment!"
Then he slammed his forehead on the ground, and the sound, along with his speech, silenced the uproar in the court like a thunderclap.
Except for Wang Xiang and Sun Jinyi, all the court officials knelt down one after another.
Xiao Qing's gaze swept across the hall, noticing that those who seemed excited were mostly officials from the south. The northern officials who had come with her and the Grand Tutor, however, appeared unusually silent.
She thought to herself: Grand Tutor, look how lively the court is when you're not around.
You missed out on such a great show!
Zhao Youchen stood to the side with a cold face, feeling somewhat angry.
While it's understandable that court discussions can be heated—even during the reign of the late emperor, there were times when ministers argued to the point of near-redness—Emperor Tianhe was gentle and tolerant, showing great leniency towards ministers' remonstrances in court.
However, the ministers were all making a request to His Majesty, and they were so agitated... They spoke in a high-sounding manner, but weren't they actually putting pressure on the young emperor?
In that memorial, most of the people holding important positions were their Southern Ministers!
He glanced at Xiao Qing out of the corner of his eye and saw that her expression was relatively normal. On the one hand, he praised her composure in his heart, but on the other hand, he couldn't help but feel a pang of bitterness in his heart.
This situation would never have been allowed if the Grand Tutor were alive, but now His Majesty has to face it alone.
His fingers twitched involuntarily, as if he wanted to grip his sword.
At this moment, Xiao Qing's strong mental fortitude was on full display.
She sighed with a sorrowful expression, "I understand what you all mean. I am truly ashamed that you have worked so hard for the country and been so loyal."
The ministers knelt in even more devout posture.
"The late Emperor, pitying my youth, appointed former Chancellor Song, former Privy Councilor Wang, and Grand Tutor Fu to assist in governing. But Heaven did not protect Great Xiao, and we suffered humiliation at the hands of the enemy. The vast city of Ping'an and the five prefectures north of the Xiao River all fell into the hands of the barbarians! Our land was lost, our families were torn apart, and I could do nothing. I had to trouble Grand Tutor to disregard his own safety and venture alone into the land of tigers and wolves to negotiate with the northern barbarians and bring back the many subjects of my Great Xiao!"
Xiao Qing's voice suddenly rose in pitch, but then seemed to run out of breath. He paused for two seconds and immediately became dejected.
"I...I...I have failed my ancestors...I have failed you all..." Xiao Qing's voice was heavy with sorrow and choked with sobs. His fingers tightened on his knees, and his delicate eyebrows furrowed. Each word he uttered pierced the heart, making it feel as if the heart was being gripped by something painful.
Those northern officials who had fled south to Nanding City lowered their heads even further, some with trembling shoulders and tears welling up in their eyes.
The destruction of the country and the loss of the family are wounds in the hearts of every person from the Great Xiao Dynasty, and they hurt every time they are touched.
Zhao Youchen, who was closest to him, was initially a little stunned, but then he unconsciously straightened his back, trying to loosen and flatten his painfully constricted heart.
Wang Xiang's face grew increasingly grim, and Sun Jinyi also lowered his head.
The two people who were the only ones standing then knelt down one after the other.
Xiao Qing took a strong sniff, her shoulders trembling slightly, as if trying to calm herself down.
Wang Xiang said, “Your Majesty, please accept my condolences. The people have suffered this great calamity, but Your Majesty is well and Nanhua has been pacified. This is a blessing from Heaven upon the Great Xiao. Heaven never closes all doors. Your Majesty is benevolent, please do not blame yourself so much. We, your subjects, will certainly be loyal and devoted to the court, and will obey Your Majesty's will. We will surely bring prosperity to our Great Xiao!”
Xiao Qing finally calmed down and said gently, "After much agonizing reflection, I have no intention of delaying the placement of the military officers. However, now that Great Xiao only possesses half of the country, we must resist the Northern Barbarians on one hand and defend our homeland on the other. The military officers who will govern the country are heroic men who will sacrifice their lives on the battlefield. I grieve for them, thinking of the immense burden of life and death that my people have endured to survive this calamity, and the responsibility they will bear to protect the nation. I... wish I could thank them all individually, how could I not be cautious and attentive?"
The ministers fell silent, and the tense atmosphere that had escalated since the topic was first raised gradually dissipated.
Military generals are not like civil officials. This is already the case in the Great Xiao Dynasty. Just as Xiao Qing said, every soldier and general in the Great Xiao Dynasty will be baptized in blood on the battlefield.
"The Prime Minister, Lord Sun, and Lord Yu have submitted a memorial regarding the placement of vacant military officers. All the generals listed in the memorial must be heroic figures. To be honest, I am very ashamed. I can entrust the stability of the country to you, but I cannot recognize each and every one of you."
She paused for a moment, then said, “You may all see this list. Since there is no time to lose, I think that in order to prosper the martial arts of my Great Xiao and to protect my Great Xiao from all adversity, you may add nominees to this list. In three days, a competition will be held at the South Training Ground of Nanhua Palace. You may all take your seats, firstly to encourage the heroes of my Xiao, and secondly to select the most suitable candidates for the vacant military positions in my Xiao.”
Xiao Qing finished speaking in one breath, then let out a long sigh, "If you all feel that three days is too long, we can shorten it. What do you all think?"
This is the solution Xiao Qing came up with in one night.
Looking at the silent officials kneeling below, she thought: Grand Tutor, haven't I been more than fair? I really put a lot of thought into coming up with this plan!
Zhao Youchen's eyes lit up.
Soon someone said, "Your Majesty is wise; we will obey Your Majesty's will!"
Xiao Qing glanced at him; he looked somewhat familiar. It must be Bei Chen.
Soon, several other people echoed this sentiment.
Later, Wang Xiang led his ministers in shouting "Long live the Emperor!" and the matter was settled.
After the court session, Xiao Qing sat in his palanquin, feeling very relaxed.
Upon reflection, she realized she could have simply approved Wang Xiang and the others' memorials and ignored everything. After all, Fu Mingyi wouldn't die; he'd definitely come back. Otherwise, why hadn't he appointed a regent or something similar when he left?
Besides, with this imposter right here, even if Fu Mingyi is on his last breath, he'll definitely come back. Otherwise, what's the point of all this fuss? He's not the kind of person who'd joke around like that, is he?
Bei Chen remained silent on this matter, which made her vaguely feel that Fu Mingyi probably had other plans.
The reason she spent a whole night figuring out this whole ordeal was twofold. First, even though she was indifferent and easygoing, she couldn't stand being pressured so obviously to give in, and she wanted to find a way to get back at him. Second, she wanted to give herself more leverage.
What if the ministers disagree after she finishes her performance?
She only thought about it for a second.
What can be done? Since the Grand Tutor can return, whether they agree or not is up to them. Once he's back, that's his business. At most, it just proves that she, the emperor, lacks any real authority.
But she's just a ten-year-old child now, and she's not in power yet. So what? Does it mean she'll miss out on a meal or a bowl of soup?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
