Chapter 87 Preparation
Where does Su Qing's way out lie?
This was not the first time Gu Congsi had considered this question.
When he first took charge, he thought that once the situation stabilized, he would pass the imperial examinations and become a scholar, and the two of them would get married and raise their children.
This is a road.
Afterwards, he went to the capital to take the imperial examination and became the prefect.
Gu Congsi also knew that the situation would not be stable anytime soon.
The two may not be in a hurry to get married; as long as the engagement is in place, everything is fine.
The two were no longer engaged.
Su Qing's official career became increasingly smooth, which proved that she was suited to be an official, even more so than I was.
At the time, Gu Congsi believed that whether or not they got married was not important; it would be excellent if the two could help each other in their official careers.
Both of them have stable careers and are firmly established in their positions; they are on the same path.
But the word "stability" seems to have nothing to do with Su Qing.
She wouldn't cover her eyes and pretend nothing had happened.
Step by step, we've gotten to where we are now.
Even now, Gu Congsi still thinks about it.
Retreat bravely from the rapids.
Return to Tongminfu or Guanglefu.
Giving up everything you have now might protect your family and also preserve your own life.
But Gu Congsi couldn't bring himself to say such a thing.
Why should Su Qing give up everything?
Why should I give up my current position?
Furthermore, she won't give up.
As long as she remains in this position, she can secure benefits for the people of Shunchang Kingdom.
If she leaves.
This is not a clean getaway; it's an act of cowardice.
How could Su Qing do such a thing?
In that case, it seems there is only one way.
It was a sentence he, who had studied the Four Books and Five Classics and the Classic of Filial Piety since childhood, could not utter.
Su Qing was slightly disappointed upon seeing this.
She was prepared to have Gu Congsi leave, as if today's conversation had never happened.
But Gu Congsi suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse and strained.
"Change the emperor."
Replace him with an emperor who is easier to control.
The best choice.
Could it be Yan Zhengzhou?
Gu Congsi suddenly thought of the three pregnant concubines in the harem.
Pick one at random and help them rise to power.
There is nothing easier to control than a swaddled baby.
At that time, Su Qing will be the scholar, and Prince Zheng will be the warrior.
For Shunchang Kingdom, this was an auspicious omen.
These words were extremely difficult for Gu Congsi to say.
For the Gu family, this was even more unconventional.
But he couldn't think of any other way.
I can't think of a way to both save Su Qing and ensure that the people can live and work in peace.
It seems that this is the only way.
Wait until Gu Congsi expresses his thoughts.
Then he looked at Yan Zhengzhou and Su Qing.
If they really are as we think, then borrowing Prince Zheng's identity is also a solution.
However, the real power lies with Su Qing.
Once you get started.
It was as if countless paths lay at his feet.
Gu Congsi shook his head and said coldly, "The only one I support is you."
No matter who becomes emperor.
He was loyal only to Su Qing.
No one else will do.
This is also a veiled warning to Yan Zhengzhou.
If he has ulterior motives, I, as his "subject," will not stand on his side.
Unexpectedly, Yan Zhengzhou actually quite appreciated it.
Gu Congsi calmed down completely, and his thoughts became more and more resolute.
Change the emperor.
Only in this way can Su Qing's life be saved.
He would be very willing to do so.
In the capital city in the twelfth lunar month, water freezes instantly outside.
The three people in the study gradually reached a consensus.
Su Qing confirmed again: "It's good that it was successful."
"If we fail, my mother and brother will be alright; they can arrange for them to leave."
“Your parents are in the capital now, I’m afraid you can’t escape them.”
Upon hearing this, Gu Congsi's eyes softened slightly, but then he smiled bitterly: "I'm afraid that for them, whether it succeeds or not, they won't be able to accept it."
So there's no difference.
These words alone made his stance clear.
But Gu Congsi still felt it wasn't enough, so he spread out some paper and wrote an article on the spot.
The content of this article does not involve Su Qing.
He described the situation of Shunchang Kingdom in the seventh year of Yongsheng solely with the writing style of a top scholar.
From the impoverished masses to the wealthy gentry, and then to corrupt officials and nobles.
The final paragraph goes even further, directly naming the emperor's misdeeds over the years.
In terms of writing style, this article is better than the memorial criticizing Su Qing.
The contents are incredibly detailed, and the evidence is overwhelming.
Furthermore, Gu Congsi's excellent handwriting adds even more value to this article.
However, if this article were to be published elsewhere...
The entire Gu family clan will surely perish.
By handing the article to Su Qing, Gu Congsi was essentially handing over the lives of his entire family.
Su Qing admired it one more time.
As expected of Gu Zhuangyuan, even a single, well-written article is this good.
With Su Qing's discerning eye, this article could be included in future textbooks; apart from being a bit long, it's quite good.
After the ink dried, Su Qing put the article away and said directly, "None of the children of the three favored concubines in the harem belong to the emperor."
Gu Congsi wondered if he had misheard and looked at Su Qing again.
Su Qing repeated it.
Yan Zhengzhou, who was standing next to him, also said, "Yes, it's not his."
? ? ?
Can you two please not say such terrifying things so calmly?
Gu Congsi slumped into a chair.
Thinking about everything that's happened recently.
He even recalled that the emperor's medicinal soup came from Yaogu Village in Nanjiang County.
Is that really how it is?!
Su Qing said seriously, "He is infertile, what can we do?"
The words "infertility" are intolerable to any man.
But for the Emperor, it was the truth.
Then he'll have to ask someone else for help.
They wanted to reduce the turmoil in Shunchang Kingdom.
This is the only way to ensure a smooth transfer of power.
Gu Congsi believed that what he had done was enough to warrant his death ten thousand times over.
Unexpectedly, Su Qing had already risked everything.
Compared to that, what she's been doing lately doesn't seem like much.
After forcing himself to calm down, Gu Congsi said, "By next April."
"The new ship was launched, and the concubines gave birth."
That is, the time when they took action.
Gu Congsi took a deep breath, but still couldn't calm down.
However, looking at the calm Su Qing, one knows that this is something that must be done.
There's no turning back for these people.
When Gu Congsi returned home, the house was deserted and quiet.
When Gu's parents saw him return, they immediately went up to ask him if he had eaten, their eyes filled with heartache.
They talked about their hometown.
There was a famine in my hometown, but I still received grain sent by Gu Congsi.
Gu's parents were deeply moved.
I never imagined that life would be so bad back in their hometown.
Thinking about it this way, life in Guangyuefu was much better.
They then talked about the situation at Guangyuefu.
It is said that a new prefect has arrived and originally intended to revive local tax revenue.
However, the local gentry, who had no real power and wanted to collude with officials, were also completely dealt with.
The prefect is furious, but he doesn't dare to openly scold Su Qing.
They could only silently suffer in silence.
Students from Guangyue Prefecture and Shanyang Prefecture are also arguing about next year's provincial examination.
The debate over whether or not female scholars should be allowed to participate in the provincial examinations was particularly fierce.
Officials from other surrounding prefectures only said that the people in those two places had eaten too much.
They're arguing over something as trivial as having a little money.
Gaoqingzhou also had plenty to eat.
The stable development in recent years has allowed the people of Gaoqing Prefecture to live and work in peace and contentment.
The local prefect doesn't really manage things; it's mostly Wang He, Fei Kaiyu, Wen Rui, and others who are in charge.
I heard that they not only sell minerals to Guang Le Fu, but also raise cattle and sheep locally, and their lives are getting better and better.
Haiwanzhou remains unchanged, with the local maritime trade office operating smoothly.
Everyone is waiting for the new ship to be launched.
There is also Zhangzhou, where Hua Jingming is located, and Bazhu Prefecture, where Qi Anping and Hui Rong are located.
Su Qing's hometown, Tongmin Prefecture, etc.
Life isn't too bad in these places.
But everyone is asking, what should we do next?
They are also asking if, if Lord Su were to pass away, there would be anyone left to speak up for the people.
Letters from everyone arrived like snowflakes.
Su Qing replied patiently to each question.
To everyone's surprise, the usually low-profile Prince Zheng made an appearance.
He went to the outskirts of Beijing to visit his former subordinates.
After the mutiny in the capital, Yan Zhengzhou brought 100,000 troops from Guangyue Prefecture and stationed them here.
Up to now, it has been two or three years, and it has always been General Lian who has been leading the way.
Even the old general was pleased with Prince Zheng's arrival.
It was originally just a small gesture.
Unexpectedly, the emperor was very dissatisfied.
Just before the New Year, word got out that General Lian was getting old and needed to be replaced by a more suitable person.
Grand Secretary Tao, Minister Li, and others did not agree with this.
In particular, Grand Secretary Tao said: "General Lian is the most loyal and brave man. No one is more suitable to guard the capital than him."
Is it too hasty to replace Prince Zheng simply because the old general was a little too polite to him?
Grand Secretary Tao repeatedly pleaded with Minister Li, assuring him that General Lian had no ulterior motives.
And even if he were to be replaced, such a reason should not be used.
It is extremely unfair to doubt the loyalty of an old minister.
But the current emperor has many supporters, so he naturally ignores these requests.
As expected, even the old general was greatly shocked upon hearing this.
He can understand whether people say he's too old or it's just a normal job change.
His only concern was his loyalty to Prince Zheng, which kept him up all night.
Su Qing apologized silently.
But ultimately, it wasn't her or Yan Zhengzhou's fault.
She replaced the general just because they met once; can you blame her for that?
Soon, a candidate for the next military commander was chosen; the man's surname was Wu.
He was strongly recommended by the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, who was also his son-in-law.
This Vice Minister of Rites was also a major force in criticizing Su Qing. His son was one of the newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) who was highly regarded by the emperor, and also one of the Jinshi who wrote "On the Faults of Female Officials".
Within a few years, the officials promoted by the emperor were able to rival the veteran ministers.
Besides this Left Vice Minister, there was also Consort Liu's father, Vice Minister Liu of the Ministry of Works, both of whom were the Emperor's confidants.
Regardless of these officials' competence.
Indeed, he was capable of vying for power and flattering the emperor, truly able to achieve whatever was directed at him.
After taking over, General Wu quickly purged the personnel left behind by General Lian and replaced them all with his own people.
Many families in the capital city have expressed their dissatisfaction with this.
"What if there's another mutiny?"
With so many bandits roaming the land, there was a growing tendency for them to rebel.
I've heard that there are places where they're still using the banner of the Daze Army, which is essentially the banner of a rebel army.
Doing it again, like three years ago.
What should we do?
However, the current emperor does not tolerate any rebuttal and gives no one a chance to speak.
He wants to have absolute power.
It's no use what anyone says.
Tao Gelao looked much older.
During the Spring Festival, when I visited Grand Tutor Zhou's house for a small gathering, I remarked, "Why haven't I heard you offer any advice lately?"
Grand Tutor Zhou, who had served as the Emperor's and Prince Zheng's teacher, simply drank his tea and did not respond to the conversation.
When Minister Li of the Ministry of Revenue and Minister Chen of the Ministry of Personnel arrived, Grand Tutor Zhou still didn't say much.
Less than half an hour later, Grand Tutor Zhou said, "Let's hurry up and disperse. If the Emperor finds out, we old folks won't have a good time either."
It wasn't that he was trying to drive away customers; it was just the truth.
Everyone looked grim.
These veteran officials are increasingly losing their voice.
The Minister of Rites, who was absent today, is in an even more difficult situation.
His Left Vice Minister was clearly eyeing his position.
I estimate that they'll be changing personnel after the New Year.
Of course, the most difficult one was Su Qing, who was under the Ministry of Revenue.
Although they did not speak out about women serving as officials, they all had some opinions.
But given the current situation in the Central Government.
Women are better than those who only know how to flatter.
It's a pity, I heard that the new ship in Haiwanzhou is progressing smoothly.
Her good days are coming to an end.
Grand Tutor Zhou glanced at Minister Li of the Ministry of Revenue, who was sighing, and listened to him talk about Su Qing's abilities.
After everyone had left, two people emerged from Zhou Taifu's study in the inner courtyard.
It was Yan Zhengzhou and Su Qing.
This was Su Qing's first time meeting Grand Tutor Zhou, and he bowed respectfully: "This humble official, Su Qing, greets Grand Tutor Zhou."
This wasn't the first time the two had met, but it was the first time they had spoken privately.
It was Yan Zhengzhou who introduced them.
To Su Qing's surprise, Grand Tutor Zhou's first words were: "I'm a little curious."
“I advised him to rebel before, but Prince Zheng disagreed.”
"How can you persuade him?"
The question about Grand Tutor Zhou has two meanings.
One of them was indeed asking Yan Zhengzhou how to listen to advice.
Secondly, we need to get a suitable reason from Su Qing.
Su Qing had naturally prepared her reasons and how to persuade him.
With her eloquence, this is not difficult.
But looking outside, the snow was falling heavily.
Listening to the ministers discussing current affairs.
Su Qing suddenly remembered a poem, one that her grandmother often quoted.
“Wailing cries and blood-soaked cities, all for the sake of saving the common people.”
Su Qing spoke slowly, but she drew strength from those words.
Whether it's her or Yan Zhengzhou.
Even Gu Congsi, as well as many officials and commoners of Shunchang Kingdom.
Even General Chai.
They couldn't bear to see the people suffer, which is why they followed her down this path.
A thousand words.
Even that doesn't have the power of that sentence.
Zhou Taifu, a scholar who had passed the imperial examination and was well-versed in poetry and literature, raised his eyelids and stared intently at Su Qing.
Even though Su Qing explained that she didn't write it, the fact that she said those words proves that she agrees with them.
Looking at Su Qing's experiences, it's clear she genuinely wanted to save the world.
Zhou Taifu, who originally supported Yan Zhengzhou's rebellion.
At this moment, he also agreed with Su Qing.
"Don't forget what you said."
"It is for the sake of all living beings."
It is for the common people.
Su Qing hadn't forgotten.
Thinking of those words today only strengthened her resolve.
That night, Su Qing dreamed of her grandmother.
My maternal grandmother experienced both war and good times.
The difficulties and obstacles along the way need not be mentioned.
As a child raised by her maternal grandmother, she would never betray her.
The eighth year of Yongsheng.
The New Year celebrations in the capital are very lively.
In some places, people are coming up with creative ways to give New Year's gifts.
There were also those who insisted on telling the truth, which annoyed the emperor.
Amidst the commotion.
More and more memorials were submitted to Su Qing.
If you want to find fault with someone, you can naturally find all sorts of strange angles.
By the end, Su Qing read it all as a novel for those seeking novelty.
After the start of the new year, the most heated discussion was about the provincial examinations held in Guangyue Prefecture and Shanyang Prefecture this year.
"Most of the female scholars in Guangyuefu were Su Qing's cronies, so she naturally supported them."
"One of the female scholars in Shanyang Prefecture is the daughter of Prefect Shen, and she was the top scorer in last year's imperial examination."
"The two men strongly advocated for women to take the provincial examinations; what were their true motives?"
To put it bluntly.
One reason is to increase the number of party members.
The other one, who only cared about his only daughter, also had selfish motives.
"Not to mention the provincial examination for women, even the preliminary examinations for children in both regions this year should be cancelled."
These words naturally displeased the people of both places.
As of this year, Guangyue Prefecture has held the girls' examination for the third year, and all of its dozen or so counties have established schools and examinations for girls.
Every family with the means and talent provided for their children did everything in their power to support them.
Does saying we can't have exams mean we can't have them?
Wouldn't all their previous efforts have been for nothing?
This is the second year in Shanyang Prefecture, and many families are equally dissatisfied.
In the first year that Gaoqing Prefecture held a girls' examination, it simply ignored it.
No matter what you say, we're going to do it.
People in remote, mountainous areas are indeed quite capricious.
Their attitudes were increasingly worse than the last.
How could the emperor tolerate this?
While there's nothing that can be done about the local area, Su Qing, who is nearby, still has a way.
The 25th day of the first lunar month.
Su Qing, who was originally at the government office, was summoned to the court assembly.
The Emperor stared intently at Su Qing.
Seeing that she still didn't care, he became even angrier.
He had never seen such an arrogant woman.
He seemed to think he was always right, while he, as emperor, was only wrong.
This land, this Shunchang Kingdom, belongs to me.
How can I manage this? What right do you, a mere woman, have to interfere?
If it weren't for you, I would have already won the trust of the court and the people, and the court would have been stable long ago.
Giving you an official position is already an act of kindness.
Now they dare to ride on my head.
Such a woman should not be kept around.
If I had known better, I shouldn't have made her the prefect in the first place.
Thinking of this, the emperor hated Yan Zhengzhou even more.
If I remember correctly, it was he who recommended me.
Upon Su Qing's arrival, he was attacked by a group led by the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites.
Su Qing answered calmly and unhurriedly, completely unmoved, and refused to ask anyone for help.
We'll deal with whatever comes our way; what's there to be afraid of?
Yan Zhengzhou and Gu Congsi remained extremely silent.
But Su Qing wouldn't let them speak.
It's not the right time yet.
Moreover, they couldn't win the argument against themselves.
This angered many of Su Qing's supporters in the court.
They had only supported Lady Su in their hearts, but now that they saw her being attacked by so many people, they were bound to stand up for her.
There was even a famous handsome man. When Su Qing looked at him, Yan Zhengzhou and Gu Congsi subconsciously frowned.
It was obvious that this was Su Qing's type.
This "lively" court assembly continued until March.
In late March of the eighth year of Yongsheng, two major events occurred in Shunchang Kingdom.
Haiwanzhou's new ship has been officially launched and is ready for sea trials.
Consort Liu, a concubine in the capital's harem, is about to give birth.
Consort Qin followed suit.
The two sides, who were initially at peace due to their guilty consciences, began to become increasingly tense.
Many people say that whoever gives birth to a prince first will become a concubine.
To the Liu family's surprise...
Although Consort Qin had no powerful backing, her guards were as solid as a rock, practically impenetrable.
No matter what food, drink, or other necessities were sent in, none of them could be delivered.
We could only watch helplessly as she was about to give birth.
However, another favored concubine in the palace, who was pregnant, was momentarily careless.
Originally intending to harm Consort Liu and Consort Qin, she was instead preemptively attacked by the Liu family. Now she is still lying in bed, and it is said that she will likely lose her child.
Although the emperor was not pleased with this, he did not punish Consort Liu. He only told her to take good care of her health and give birth to an heir as soon as possible.
With such leniency, the Liu family's position would be secure as long as Consort Qin was eliminated.
Liu Qin was naturally anxious.
But she discovered that the guard she was having an affair with had been assigned to patrol near her.
The guard even became the leader of the group, responsible for the security of the area.
Not only that, but the eunuch Qi also brought a letter from Lord Su, which he read and then immediately burned.
The contents of the letter reassured her.
With Lord Su outside, she only needs to eat and sleep well.
Liu Qin also knew that she couldn't cause trouble for Lord Su.
There are too many things going on outside.
The Emperor's attitude towards the adults is getting worse and worse.
They're just waiting for the new ship to be launched.
Some things are about to come to a conclusion.
At this time, Haiwanzhou was also anxious about launching the new ship.
Looking at the large ship by the sea, Master Shi always wondered if he was dreaming.
He's been in the shipping business for more than just a year or two.
Located near the port, our family has been in this business for generations.
But this is the first time I've ever seen a ship like this.
Lord Su left behind a weapons workshop and a steam engine.
I originally thought it was just about refining the right amount of steel.
I didn't expect that wasn't the most important thing.
The steam engine was what she wanted to keep.
This stuff can be used to smelt iron in the workshop.
Placed on a ship, it directly alters the ship's propulsion.
Originally, they used manpower; now they use firepower.
Just thinking about it tells you what kind of speed it would take, and how big a ship it could build.
What kind of profits would such a ship bring?
The only drawback was Ye Shanming beside him.
Ye Shanming became increasingly irritable.
He was actually hindering the shipbuilding progress.
If it weren't for Lord Su's letter, Ye Shanming would definitely have taken further action.
Yunxi and Lülan from the weapons workshop repeatedly tried to dissuade him, and they also took a letter from Lord Su.
He will definitely try to stop him.
Master Shi knew the reason.
Once the new ship is built, countless people will launch attacks against Lord Su.
They could sense the impending storm even in Haiwanzhou.
Besides, those matters really had little to do with Lord Su himself.
On the contrary, the completion of the ship was beneficial to these merchant ships.
I really don't know what Ye Shanming is angry about.
Ye Shanming's face was gloomy.
He didn't even know what he was angry about.
But looking at the sea, he said to Master Shi, "What if something really happens to her?"
What do you think of Shunchang National Assembly?
Master Shi remained silent.
Ye Shanming continued, "Have you forgotten about the invasion of Haiwanzhou by the rebels?"
How could he forget?
Everyone was terrified at that time.
Even now, some people have moved to Guangyuefu and refuse to come back no matter how much we try to persuade them.
In fact, during this period, new pirates had already occupied the nearby islands, but their presence was not significant.
There's no way around it; a highly profitable business can never be completely eradicated.
Ye Shanming then asked, "If they form a new force, will Prince Zheng and Lord Su still come?"
They were lucky in Wanzhou; someone helped them get rid of the thieves.
Other seaports weren't so lucky.
They not only had to endure the wrath of the local maritime trade offices, but also the robbery from nearby islands.
Hayama Mei's words ended there.
Master Shi's expression also began to turn serious.
The peace that Haiwanzhou enjoys today is thanks to Lord Su.
If she's gone.
Within five years, Haiwanzhou will surely descend into chaos.
Not only in Wanzhou.
Chaos will ensue in every place under her jurisdiction.
Is this the kind of life he really wants?
He's had too many good days.
Have you forgotten about the rebels entering the city?
"How about we postpone launching the new ship?" Master Shi suggested tentatively.
But this time Ye Shanming wouldn't allow it. He gritted his teeth and said, "Listen to Su Qing, the sooner we get in the water, the better."
In her letter, she said that she was ready.
I need to make sure I don't ruin her plans.
What exactly were they prepared?
What can I do?
Ye Shanming's final reply was...
He could give her all of the Ye family's assets; as long as she lived, they would all be hers.
As long as Su Qing is alive, that's enough.
April 6th.
It was a sunny day.
Consort Liu in the palace gave birth to a prince.
At the same time, another message came.
Consort Liu had an affair.
The evidence is conclusive.
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