Chapter 367 Pulling the Prime Minister into the Water
"My dear brother, let me give you a suggestion. Ji Xiang has been ill recently. Why don't you go visit him with some gifts?"
"I don't have much of a personal relationship with Prime Minister Ji, so it would be inappropriate to rashly visit him about this matter. Besides, even if I wanted to drag the Prime Minister into this, he's not smart enough to do what I want, is he?"
"Hey, where did you say that?"
The Minister of Revenue laughed in a very amusing way.
"You're just visiting a patient, why are you talking about whether to go in the water or not? It's so cold, how can you just go in the water? You'll get a cold, right?
"I, your brother, also went to Ji's residence a while ago. It can't be considered as forming a clique for personal gain. I simply went to visit my superiors out of friendship."
"You've been there too?"
The Minister of Rites' eyes lit up.
This guy is indeed a smart guy. After just a simple hint from his old friend, he immediately understood the deep meaning and bowed to express his gratitude.
Taking advantage of the fact that there was nothing important to do in the Ministry of Rites today, he decided to act today and went straight to Prime Minister Ji Xun to clear a way out.
I went there in the morning and was very enthusiastically invited by the Prime Minister to have lunch. Then, when the sun moved to the west, I returned home with satisfaction.
Ji Xun sat in his study, silently flipping through the account book that Liu Maosheng had brought him. The pages and lines of records on it made him frown.
He sat there for the entire afternoon, and when the sunset rays shone on the windowsill, he closed his eyes and let out a deep breath.
The second day.
After the emperor and empress finished their lessons, they were struggling with memorials in the imperial study when the chief steward walked in quietly with a message.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, the Prime Minister requests an audience!"
"Hmm? What does Old Ji want me for?"
Li Chengxiu quickly put down his pen, turned his stiff and sore wrist, and whispered to his wife in confusion.
"Why didn't he say it at the court meeting? We don't have any personal relationship, so why did he think of looking for me?"
Jiang Wan put down the memorials in her hand, carefully sorted them out and stacked them back in their original place, then turned her head and glanced at her husband speechlessly.
"Can you please remember my identity?
You are the emperor and he is the prime minister, and the prime minister is the head of all officials. Isn't it normal for him to come into the palace and check in with us whenever he wants?
If he hadn't been irritated by you some time ago and became ill, how could he have stayed away from the palace for so long? And now you're surprised!"
After scolding her husband, she stood up from the dragon throne, ordered Li Jinzhong to go out and call in Prime Minister Ji, and then walked to the chair next to her and sat down.
Although most of the important officials in the court now knew that the queen had become involved in politics, Jiang Wan was a person of integrity. When she could avoid deliberately poking these old men in the eye, she was still willing to maintain a good reputation for everyone.
In front of the heads of all officials, there is really no need for Dashichi to sit on the dragon throne with the emperor.
The Prime Minister came in quickly. He looked steady and reserved in his purple official uniform, and he appeared neither humble nor arrogant when he bowed to the Emperor and Empress.
"This old minister pays homage to His Majesty the Emperor and His Majesty the Empress!"
"Prime Minister, please stand up quickly. What is the important matter you want to discuss with me? Sit down. There is space over there. Find a chair for yourself!"
It can be seen that the emperor really wants to pretend to be a cultured person, but unfortunately his knowledge is really limited. Just a few words can easily reveal his down-to-earth and simple nature.
I can only rely on the Queen to make up for it.
"My dear Ji, please excuse me and take a seat."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, and thank you, Your Majesty!"
Fortunately, Ji Xun is not a pedantic person. If he had argued with this eccentric emperor, the old Ji family would probably have held the funeral by now.
He quickly found a seat and sat down. Without the emperor or empress asking, Prime Minister Ji took out the familiar account book from his pocket and explained his purpose.
"Yesterday, the Minister of Rites came to visit me at my home. During our casual conversation, we talked about the current situation of people's livelihood being impoverished and the population being drastically reduced.
Your Majesty, the Empress, this account book was recorded by Minister Liu, who cares deeply about the people's livelihood. He sent people to various prefectures to visit and verify the records.
The specific number of men, women, old and young in each of the above prefectures is clearly listed. The critical situation among them is so worrying that we can't sleep.
So this old minister dared to give advice.
I implore His Majesty to address the urgent issue of the population decline. This matter must be brought to the court meeting so that we can work out a response plan with all the civil and military officials in the court!"
The queen raised the corner of her mouth in satisfaction. The emperor looked at the prime minister's heart-wrenching performance and blinked in confusion.
"Old Ji, are you being bluffed? This account book wasn't made by Old Liu. It was made by my wife..."
"Of course, this old minister knows that this is all due to Minister Liu's concern for the country and the people, and his loyalty to the emperor and his patriotism!"
The Prime Minister's voice suddenly became a little higher than the Emperor's. He pretended to be ignorant even though he knew the truth, and insisted that this was entirely the work of the Minister of Rites, and had nothing to do with the Empress Dowager kept in the deep palace!
"Your Majesty, please do not take all the credit on the Empress. The credit for these reforms lies entirely on the shoulders of me and you. I have already informed the six ministers and the Supreme Court Censorate. How about we discuss the marriage law together tomorrow?"
The emperor wanted to retort, but out of habit, he swallowed the rebellious words in his throat at the queen's glance.
"Yes, sure."
"Your Majesty is wise!"
It doesn’t matter whether the emperor is wise or not, but the queen is definitely wise!
Prime Minister Ji looked at the young woman seated in the upper seat. Her delicate features were marked by a solemn expression. Her face was not painted with rouge and powder, but with a concern for the country and the people.
This is a qualified mother of the nation.
Great virtue is silent.
Ji Xun bowed with both hands.
Jiang Wan smiled slightly, her grace and elegance were unparalleled.
"My dear Lord Ji, there is no need to be so polite, but since you have brought up the matter of the Reform, may I add a few words to your conversation?
If you think what I said makes sense, the Prime Minister can discuss it with all the important officials tomorrow. If you think what I said is nonsense, then just laugh it off."
"Please give your instructions, Her Majesty the Queen."
Ji Xun stood up politely to ask for instructions, and Jiang Wan smiled and waved his hand, asking him to sit down.
"It's really not an instruction, we're just discussing. After all, when it comes to handling matters of state, Prime Minister Ji, you are certainly more experienced than the Emperor and me.
When my father, the emperor, and my mother were still alive, they always praised Ji Xiang highly.
I still remember that my father once said to our emperor with great emotion that if we were to talk about the most loyal and virtuous minister in the world who loves the emperor and the people, it would be none other than Prime Minister Ji!"
She turned her head and winked at her husband, asking in a very sensational tone.
"Your Majesty, do you remember how the late emperor told us many times how wise and resourceful Ji Chengxiang was in the Yihuai Army?"
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