Chapter 85: Good News
Even though Liu Qin guessed Su Qing's meaning.
My heart is still beating very fast.
She had never thought about this before.
But to be honest, before being sold to the capital by her family, she never imagined she would have such an experience.
She really didn't want to live her current life anymore.
If it could be changed.
She was willing to do it.
“There are five favored concubines currently taking specially made medicinal soup,” Liu Qin said. “The Emperor himself doesn’t take it; he says in private that it makes him feel nauseous.”
This was naturally found out by people close to Liu Qin.
The other favored concubines also knew.
They understood even more clearly that the Emperor desperately wanted a child.
If you never have children.
Their lives became even more difficult.
Now even the Empress Dowager is involved.
Life will only get harder.
Su Qing thought to herself, "They're already messing with the previous dynasty, and they haven't even spared the harem."
Su Qing said, "He does value offspring. He even went to Mount Tai to pray for blessings. I suppose you've heard about the great battle between the Quanzhou merchants and the garrison, which was caused by the demand for taxes."
Su Qing did not hide these things from Liu Qin.
But Liu Qin subconsciously said, "I heard that over a hundred people died over there, just because he was going to Mount Tai?"
As a woman from the Tongmin Mansion, Consort Qin was not a noble lady from a secluded mansion.
She had witnessed war, bandits, and the lives of displaced people.
The thought that the emperor, for his own selfish reasons, would allow the people to live such a life is unbearable.
Liu Qin felt nauseous again.
But she desperately hoped that this nausea was because she was pregnant.
Once you have a child.
It seems that the people in the harem and the people of Quanzhou no longer need to fight.
Liu Qin's resolve hardened.
But how do we do this?
Su Qing said slowly, "No rush, you can choose first."
pick?
she?
Su Qing smiled: "There are so many well-built guards in the palace, and the Qin Zheng Hall also has scholars who come and go, so they are quite knowledgeable."
"It's up to you."
Liu Qin's face was flushed, but also filled with anticipation.
Is this really okay?
After Su Qing left the palace, Liu Qin still couldn't sleep, so she got up and went for a walk in the garden.
Hearing this, the guards on patrol nearby rushed over and found Consort Qin reading under the moonlight.
Taking advantage of the moonlight, Liu Qin sized up the group of guards.
The leader was fairly upright, and the others were also of good stature, but their looks were average.
"Step down," Liu Qin said slowly.
I've never seen it like this before, and looking at it today gives me a different feeling.
But none of these people are suitable.
Then, when delivering medicine to the Hall of Diligent Governance, officials and ministers were waiting inside and outside the hall.
From the Hanlin Academy to the Three Departments and Six Ministries, young and old alike were represented.
In the past, Liu Qin would simply walk by with her head down, but today she subtly scrutinized her.
"This one won't do; he has a bad temper."
"That won't do either. He has three wives and four concubines at home. I heard someone say that last time."
As Liu Qin mentally complained, she realized that in just one year since she entered the palace, she had learned so much gossip.
She smiled and served the medicine, prompting the Emperor to ask, "My beloved concubine, you seem to be in such a good mood."
In the past, Consort Qin might have been a little scared, but for some reason today, she was not afraid at all: "Yes, the weather is cool in July, and my mood is better."
"However, Your Majesty's clothes are too thin; you should be careful to add more layers."
The Emperor looked at Consort Qin and saw that her expression was less worried and more cheerful than before. He nodded slightly and said, "My dear consort, you have become a little bolder."
Yes, I don't know why, but once she started choosing suitable people, she found that the people in the palace weren't so scary after all.
After Liu Qin left the Hall of Diligent Governance, she still hadn't found a suitable match.
Anyway, since Lord Su said there's no rush, let's take a look some more.
Su Qing was indeed not in a hurry.
Nothing in the court can be rushed.
But what caught Su Qing and Yan Zhengzhou off guard was...
The imperial harem.
And indeed, good news has arrived.
Liu Qin had just met a young guard who had helped her before, and the two had only met a few times in secret.
Then came the news that Consort Liu, who was also a Noble Consort, was pregnant.
Liu Qin dropped her soup spoon, her expression somewhat inscrutable.
Is the Emperor capable of having children?
still?
Liu Qin really wanted to see Lord Su.
I'd like to ask what happened.
But Su Qing told her not to rush, saying, "This is a good thing."
Good news?
Liu Qin didn't understand.
But the other upheavals that erupted in the harem answered this question.
The Emperor heard that Consort Liu was pregnant.
The first reaction was naturally joy, but the subsequent actions were terrifying.
The Emperor secretly sent people to investigate.
Check the palace's defenses, especially who Consort Liu has been in contact with recently, and whether there are any unusual occurrences.
He suspected that Consort Liu was having an affair.
Liu Qin saw Consort Liu several times and noticed that she looked flustered and seemed quite frightened.
One night, the emperor had just come out of the other party's palace when he immediately summoned the imperial physician.
It is said that the emperor kept interrogating her, which frightened Consort Liu so much that she almost miscarried.
The Liu family held considerable influence in the capital, and were naturally furious, practically ready to point their fingers at the Emperor and hurl insults.
After all, the emperor couldn't express his concerns about such matters, and the investigation had to be conducted in secret, so he could only be scolded.
Then, Liu Guiren's mother was brought into the palace to keep her company, and only then did things settle down.
The emperor was so suspicious.
No wonder Lord Su said this was a good thing.
If she was pregnant first, wouldn't that also be subject to repeated investigations?
Liu Qin tried to calm herself down while also trying to comfort the young guard.
Tell him not to worry and not to meet for the time being.
The other party was both worried about the matter falling apart and about Consort Qin being discovered, so they were naturally extremely anxious.
Fortunately, the head of the guards reassured me.
They found nothing about Consort Liu.
However, the atmosphere in the harem remained tense.
The emperor was already severely paranoid and had not had children for many years.
He still suspected that Consort Liu was pregnant.
It continued until the ninth day of the eighth lunar month.
The imperial physicians continued to visit the palaces of several favored concubines to take their pulses, as usual.
Seeing the imperial physician's overjoyed expression, Liu Qin knew that good news had arrived.
Inside the emperor's sleeping quarters.
He just took his medicine for the day.
Then the eunuch brought good news.
The emperor was initially incredulous, then overjoyed.
His first words were: "I have wronged Consort Liu!"
Su Qing, who was already working at the Ministry of Revenue, inexplicably smiled.
I want to laugh, but I can't quite.
There might be a problem if a concubine gets pregnant.
Now that the two of you are together, you should believe in your own abilities.
It seems that Eunuch Liang has already brought up the matter of asking Zifang.
Medicine Valley Village, which produces miraculous medicines.
What's wrong with the emergence of a fertility drug?
Even the most extreme paranoia can be cured.
This was originally a series of schemes devised by Su Qing.
First, the emperor was given a fertility drug, and then the concubines were arranged to become pregnant.
Allowing only Liu Qin to be pregnant would be too conspicuous, thus also hinting at the other concubines.
The only unexpected thing was that after the Liu family came up with the idea, they acted extremely quickly and cleanly, and the emperor didn't discover anything.
It can only be said that these powerful families are no less audacious than she is.
Now things are much better, thanks to the combined efforts of all parties.
Finally, we managed to get the Emperor a child.
He should be happy now.
Su Qing glanced at Yan Zhengzhou's face and, seeing that he had no expression, smiled and said, "I want to see him. What reason do we have to be so extravagant and wasteful?"
Yan Zhengzhou sighed.
How could there be no reason? There are plenty of reasons.
Su Qing and Yan Zhengzhou understood this clearly.
Many people, both in the court and among the common people, still held hope for the emperor.
Now that you have offspring, can you stop exploiting the people and stop being so eager for quick success and instant benefits?
The answer is that the emperor has a new reason: he feels that having two concubines pregnant is truly a blessing from heaven.
We still need to go to Mount Tai to offer sacrifices.
To put it bluntly, they just think their achievements are great enough.
I must go to Mount Tai; I must demonstrate my abilities.
This has nothing to do with reasons or excuses; it's only related to his personality.
This time, even the Empress Dowager came out to offer advice.
Grain tax revenue in various regions this year is not optimistic, and the situation at Quanzhou Port has also had a significant impact.
Forcing people to go to Mount Tai to offer sacrifices at this time would be bad for the country and its people.
Even if we were to go, we would have to wait.
The Empress Dowager said, "Su Qing also said that it would not be too late to go to Mount Tai after the ports in various places have a stable income."
"In recent years, the priority has been to appease the people and allow them to recuperate."
The Emperor stared intently at the Empress Dowager.
He is thirty-five years old this year.
It's not twenty-five, and it's definitely not fifteen.
The Empress Dowager shouldn't have said that.
Seeing his increasingly grim expression, the Empress Dowager sneered, "Emperor, don't forget how you got this position."
"I will always be your mother."
"Without me, how could you be where you are today?"
"Enough!" the Emperor said directly. "Empress Dowager, I have been on the throne for seven years. I will be this emperor."
"You can do it?" The Empress Dowager's temper flared up as well. "Leaving aside the trip to Nanjing, just look at the recent events in Quanzhou. You've been too hasty."
Seeing that his mother was about to interfere again, how could the emperor tolerate it?
The intensity of the argument between the mother and son this time was known both inside and outside the government.
This also caused more people to lose faith in the emperor.
In recent years, the emperor's selfish nature has become undeniable.
Especially after last year's imperial examination, he placed many of his people in the court, making him increasingly resistant to advice.
It seems that among all the people in the world, only Consort Liu and Consort Qin are living relatively comfortable lives.
They were the most precious people in the entire palace.
Many people say that whoever gives birth to a prince first will become a concubine, or even an empress.
Strangely, they kept to themselves and didn't interfere with each other.
There was an eerie harmony when they met.
When the Emperor asked, they all wanted to bear him a child. Whoever gave birth to a prince would be blessed.
As for the real reason...
Consort Liu and Consort Qin were well aware of the situation.
What they did was a capital offense, and if one of them were exposed, the other would absolutely not tolerate it.
Rather than perish together, it's better to keep it a secret.
Anyway, they didn't want to be tortured anymore.
The harem of Shunchang Kingdom possessed an eerie harmony.
Meanwhile, the imperial court was still worried about the empty national treasury.
Every year in August and September, the Ministry of Revenue is at its busiest.
Tax revenue from the following thirteen provinces.
In addition, there's the matter of the harbor, which is extremely important.
This year, many regions already experienced poor harvests.
The Ministry of War needs money to fight the war.
The Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Works requested funds to repair the imperial mausoleum.
The Ministry of Personnel urged the establishment of a new Maritime Trade Office to cover its expenses.
These are enough of a headache.
The Emperor was still thinking about going to Mount Tai.
If I really agree to this.
That's not something that can be solved with just a few hundred thousand taels of silver.
Modern wealthy people travel by private jet.
Moreover, ancient emperors.
From manpower for the trip to safety preparations, to road repairs along the way to Mount Tai, and the renovation of surrounding houses and fields.
And what about food, clothing, accommodation, and transportation after arriving at Mount Tai?
They even wanted to rebuild the roads on Mount Tai to make it easier to carry the emperor up the mountain.
The temples on Mount Tai need to be renovated so that the emperor won't feel uncomfortable looking at them.
The sacrifices of cattle and sheep used in the final rituals were, in essence, a waste of money, like water being poured out.
Everyone's gone to Mount Tai, even if the Empress Dowager herself doesn't go.
Then we should also bring along other princes and ministers.
The cost has doubled.
Therefore, regardless of whether it was a Grand Secretary or a Minister, they all basically refused.
They used to be able to keep it under control.
He urged the Emperor to prioritize the overall situation.
In recent years, the emperor's power has grown even stronger, and these old ministers simply cannot persuade him otherwise.
If even the emperor could clash with the empress dowager over this, what about them?
Now that there is a pregnancy in the harem, I thought the emperor could finally put aside his thoughts.
Unexpectedly, they got even more excited.
He seemed to think that he had both a trusted confidant in the court and a future successor.
He became increasingly autocratic in his actions.
Ultimately, the emperor wanted an heir, not necessarily a child.
He just wanted to solidify his position.
Just like those newly appointed scholars who fawned over him.
Regardless of their abilities.
As long as it makes his position more secure, then there's no problem.
The Minister of Revenue spoke up, "Everyone, please tell me what we should do now."
As he spoke, the Minister looked at Su Qing.
It's not that people are looking at her; it's mainly because the Ministry of Revenue is compiling income statistics for various regions this year.
Of the thirty or forty prefectures across the country, most places are experiencing poor tax revenue.
Only Guangyue Prefecture, Gaoqing Prefecture, and Tongmin Prefecture saw some growth.
The connection between these three places and her is obvious.
The hometown associations in these places are implicitly headed by Su Qing.
Even Shanyang Prefecture and Shiwen Prefecture, which are near Guangyue Prefecture, are doing well.
The officials in these two places had an excellent relationship with Su Qingming.
Of the twelve seaports, only Wanzhou, which is progressing steadily, not only avoids causing trouble but also generates decent revenue.
These places stood out starkly in the chaotic state of Shunchang.
Even the officials in the Ministry of Revenue had to consider Su Qing's opinion.
I'll say it again.
If every place in Shunchang Kingdom were like the places governed by Su Qing.
The Ministry of Revenue won't have to worry so much.
Su Qing naturally wouldn't back down at this time, and said directly, "Anyway, we definitely can't go to Mount Tai, but we can still discuss the money for the other departments."
Su Qing voiced everyone's thoughts, but no one dared to respond.
This is the matter that the Emperor cares about most.
Guo Gaojie, standing behind her, said, "That's right. With constant warfare in various places, where would we get the money to go to Mount Tai?"
This official came from Fujian, and the war in Quanzhou originated in Fujian.
When he spoke, no one was surprised.
As for documents from other departments.
In Su Qing's view, apart from the Ministry of War being in the right, everything else had to wait.
But she didn't say that. Instead, she took out several memorials from various places and said, "Compared to other places, these are the ones that need money."
Floods in Laibin Prefecture and locust plague in Binzhou.
Several dikes along the Yellow River are in urgent need of repair; these issues are far more important than going to Mount Tai or repairing the imperial mausoleum.
This is also the reason for the reduction in grain production in various regions.
In fact, disasters, both major and minor, occur every year, both in ancient and modern times.
It is only through modern technological development and scientific and technological means that we can prevent and respond to natural disasters of all sizes in advance.
In ancient times, however, several days of heavy rain could cause crop failure in one or even several counties.
Many people will fall back into poverty as a result.
Therefore, preparing for famine during years of plenty should be the norm.
Dealing with these disasters, large and small, every year should be the norm.
This is the advice that the minister gave to Li Shimin: "Preparing for unforeseen events is a constant principle of governance."
Preparing for unforeseen events is a normal practice in governing a country.
The discussions within the Ministry of Revenue, when they reached the outside world, only created a sense of division.
On one hand, the emperor was greedy for merit and indulged in pleasure.
On one hand, a female official turned the tide.
Let's not even compare the two.
In comparison, how can one not feel a sense of regret?
Some discerning people could see it too.
By doing this, Su Qing is openly defying the Emperor.
You should know that the emperor was already dissatisfied with her.
She is now leading the opposition to the worship of Taishan.
Wouldn't that be directly incurring the Emperor's wrath?
That's incredibly audacious! Don't they care about their lives?
Minister of Revenue Li seemed to naturally push Su Qing forward.
They even had someone write Su Qing's thoughts into a memorial and submit it to the emperor.
Guo Gaojie, one of Su Qing's subordinates, was somewhat dissatisfied with this.
Zhao, the councilor, shared the same idea.
It's somewhat like they're pushing Lord Su out as a target.
Upon seeing the memorial, Gu Congsi, who was in the Hanlin Academy, did not immediately send it to the Hall of Diligent Governance. Instead, he suppressed the matter and went directly to Su Qing.
"It's strange enough that news of an internal Ministry of Revenue meeting got out."
"Moreover, every word he says revolves around you, so the Emperor must know that."
“It would be inappropriate to submit a memorial in your name now,” Gu Congsi said sincerely. “We cannot continue to oppose the Emperor.”
Before Su Qing came to the capital, he repeatedly went against the emperor.
After arriving in the capital, nothing went smoothly.
This is too dangerous.
“I understand your thoughts, but everything should be done gradually,” Gu Congsi said.
Should we proceed gradually?
Su Qing suddenly asked, "Does Lord Gu still remember the events of the first year of Yongsheng?"
The first year of Yongsheng.
When Su Qinggang was in charge of Nanjiang County.
How could Gu Congsi not remember?
At that time, Su Qing first bought grain from Zhang Dahu's family, and then led people to "borrow" grain from his family.
Her decisiveness and skill are still fresh in my memory.
Su Qing said seriously, "That one is just another Zhang the tycoon."
"Gu Congsi, you are very smart. Don't look at him through the lens of someone in a superior position."
"Some things are actually not that complicated."
Su Qing spoke with too much certainty and confidence: "Send the memorial over and wait to see the show."
"I am not afraid of standing at the forefront of the storm."
They don't mind being a target.
It's so boring that everyone is backing away.
Seeing that Su Qing was so certain, Gu Congsi had no choice but to submit a memorial.
As expected.
The Emperor's hatred for Su Qing had reached its peak.
How can we keep such a disobedient subject alive?
I've already said it, she shouldn't be an official.
Women cannot hold official positions!
"Dismiss him from office! He must be dismissed!" the emperor said through gritted teeth. "From now on, no woman shall be allowed to hold office."
Eunuch Liang sighed.
Lord Su still went too far.
She angered the Emperor so much, how could she be let off the hook?
But another court scribe took out a memorial from the table: "Your Majesty, please take a look at this first."
The memorial from Haiwanzhou.
The emperor was too lazy to read it and told him to read it aloud.
Specifically, it is a new tension at the weapons workshop in Haiwanzhou.
They said they designed a new type of ship based on Lord Su's guidance.
These ships are not only enormous, with a huge cargo capacity, but also move at high speeds.
Using such ships for maritime transport can increase revenue by four to five times.
Of course, this is just a concept at the moment.
If we want to make it happen, we'll need Lord Su's advice.
As long as the new type of ship is actually built.
The annual profit of Haiwanzhou Port can reach as high as three million taels of tax silver.
This memorial is at the very bottom.
If it weren't for finding this scholar from Wanzhou, I don't know how long it would have taken to see him.
But the contents of the document greatly excited the emperor.
New type of ship.
Fast speed, large cargo capacity.
It is said that it was based on the new iron smelting technology of Guangyuefu, and thus some modifications were made.
It should be completed around next year.
If he had told Su Qing earlier that she was doing this, he wouldn't have been so angry.
The more hatred he felt for Su Qing just now, the happier he was now.
Her actions reminded the Emperor of Yan Zhengzhou.
The two have surprisingly similar personalities.
They are all focused on their work, but not on speaking.
If they were both a little more lenient and had pleaded with him more, there wouldn't have been so many misunderstandings.
Watching the emperor fluctuate between anger and excitement.
Eunuch Liang and the others lowered their heads.
Even two people who love money as much as these are nothing to the Emperor.
As for dismissing Su Qing from his post?
I definitely won't bring it up again.
But there's no need to mention disaster relief or similar matters again.
The central government is already facing difficulties; let the various regions fend for themselves.
Many of Su Qing's colleagues who were waiting for her to fall from grace couldn't believe their ears.
Su Qing is alright?!
She's going against the Emperor!
How come nothing happened?
Although what she wanted to do did not come to fruition.
Her ability is evident in how she manages to extricate herself from such situations.
Only a few people discovered it.
It seems that three factions have emerged in the court.
A group of people who were loyal to the emperor and flattered him.
One faction remained neutral, silently going about their own business.
Another group actually obeyed Su Qing's orders.
These people all harbored the idea of serving the country and its people.
They even kept repeating Su Qing's words about upholding the law and loving the people.
Despite the numerous challenges, Su Qing was not brought down.
On the contrary, it attracted many like-minded people to her.
They have become a force to be reckoned with.
She was standing at the forefront of the storm.
But we can also seize these opportunities.
Call her reckless, or call her a risky strategist.
There is one thing that is not a problem.
Her position in the capital was not as vulnerable as others thought.
There are naturally hidden dangers involved.
"The Emperor does not like her after all."
"Once the new ships come out, she'll be useless."
When will the new ship be ready?
"I heard it will take another seven or eight months."
That's quite a coincidence.
The children of the two concubines in the harem were born about seven or eight months later.
Wouldn't Shunchang Kingdom then be doubly blessed?
I wonder what will happen then.
Su Qing's flamboyant behavior makes me worry about her safety.
Undercurrents are stirring in the capital.
We'll just have to wait and see how things change in eight months.
The area in front of the weapons workshop in Wanzhou, Hainan, was already packed with people.
If Liu Lülan hadn't called in the garrison troops in advance, someone would probably have already broken in.
New boat!
It sails at high speed!
There's still a lot of cargo loaded!
What kind of ship is this?!
Who cares what kind of ship it is!
They all want to buy it!
I absolutely have to buy it!
Even merchants from Quanzhou who were still engaged in small-scale battles with local soldiers sent people over to inquire.
They want to buy it too.
If they can buy such a ship, they can register it at the port and pay taxes on time.
Out-of-town shipping merchants all do this.
The local Shi family and Ye Shanming next door are definitely more anxious.
Lady Su really kept a good hand; no wonder she left her trusted confidant behind!
They didn't even tell us beforehand, causing everyone to panic.
The thought of a new ship appearing in eight months is intriguing.
Hai Wanzhou was overjoyed.
See, it's still Lord Su's arrangement that's most appropriate.
The Maritime Trade Office under Lord Su's supervision is still the most reassuring.
To put it bluntly...
If only Lord Su could manage everything in the world.
Isn't he more powerful than any emperor?
The emperor is the same; such a capable person is not given important responsibilities.
What is he thinking?
Wanzhou was not the only place to express the same sentiment.
Many disaster-stricken areas share the same sentiment.
Why not listen to Lord Su?
Why not provide disaster relief?
Why allow those who know there's a problem to ignore it?
In many places, the people are just like those in Tongmin Prefecture back then.
I really can't go on like this anymore.
For example, Hua Jingming served in Zhangzhou.
Unrest has erupted here once again.
Local officials could no longer suppress the matter and had no choice but to report it to the imperial court again.
Hua Jingming was humiliated and scolded by the prefect: "You can't even handle this simple matter. The memorials we sent went unanswered, and you couldn't even suppress the people. What use are you?!"
"If we can't collect taxes, the higher-ups won't give us any good treatment."
Hua Jingming wanted to say something.
These are not ordinary people, but rather a force organized by local gentry and powerful figures, and they are not so easy to suppress.
But those words felt stuck in my throat.
He thought of Su Qing's wrist.
Was her approach to dealing with the Hua family back then the same as what he's thinking now?
It wasn't until I became a local official that I realized how these gentry had entrenched themselves in the area and ravaged the people.
They knew even better how these gentry tricked tenants into working for them, acting as if they were their benefactors.
The prefect had finished his tirade and told Hua Jingming to get out of there.
Hua Jingming's attendant tried to comfort him, but was stopped by him.
"Write a letter to Lord Su."
Hua Jingming asked, "Lord Su, how should we deal with the local bullies?"
Only Su Qing.
The only one I can rely on is Lord Su.
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