Chapter 117
"Don't worry," he said in a deep voice. "At tomorrow's court meeting, the matter of 'compensation' must be decided. I want to see if the Duke of Wei's Mansion, having just cut off some flesh and been forced to bleed once more, can remain as stable as it is now."
The couple looked at each other and saw the same determination in each other's eyes. This invisible war had just entered its most exciting stage.
The next day, there will be a meeting.
Before daybreak, all civil and military officials had gathered in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Following the purge of the Prince of Wei for treason, the atmosphere in the court was solemn and oppressive. Everyone was cautious in their words and actions, fearing that a single misstep would lead to the same fate as their predecessors.
Duke Zhou Kun of Wei stood at the head of the generals, his figure still erect, but with a few strands of silver at his temples, he looked considerably older than before. He lowered his eyes slightly, his gaze fixed on his nose, his heart focused on his own, as if nothing in the court had anything to do with him.
However, his tightly pursed lips still revealed his inner unrest.
Last night, the aunt in charge sent by the Queen to the Eastern Palace came back in a dishevel. When she told the Queen about Song Qingyuan's outrageous behavior as the "female official in charge of scriptures", the Queen was so angry that she smashed a set of her most beloved glass tea sets on the spot.
Immediately afterwards, the Duke of Wei's Mansion received a "friendly" notice from the Eastern Palace, asking them to bear all expenses for praying for the two "female officials".
The Duke of Wei's mansion could only swallow this insult. Rejection? That would mean they didn't wish the Prince of Wei well, and it would mean they were disrespectful to the Empress. They were bound to suffer this loss. Zhou Kun lay awake all night, feeling a fire burning in his chest, aching his very being. He knew the Eastern Palace's counterattack would not end there.
Sure enough, halfway through the court meeting, Crown Prince Chen Yanzhi stepped out.
Today he was wearing a black court robe with gold trim, which only made his posture stand out and his face look like a crown of jade. As soon as he stood out, the eyes of the entire hall were focused on him.
"Father, I have something to report." Shen Yanzhi's voice was clear and steady, echoing in the empty hall.
Emperor Yong'an on the throne raised his eyelids and said calmly, "Approved."
"Your Majesty," Shen Yanzhi bowed and said in a neither humble nor arrogant manner, "Although the case of the Prince of Wei has been settled, it has been fraught with twists and turns and has implicated many people. Many innocent people have been implicated and their families have been destroyed.
There are also people like Qian, who, despite their actions, were able to come to their senses at the critical moment, redeem themselves from their crimes and make meritorious contributions, thus saving the lives of me and the Crown Princess. Whenever I and the Crown Princess think about this, we feel deeply uneasy, believing that it was my own lack of moral integrity and my failure to maintain harmony with my brothers that led to this disaster.
He spoke beautifully. First, he pointed out the suffering of innocent people, which captured the essence of benevolence; then he mentioned the contributions of the shopkeeper Qian, which captured the essence of righteousness; and finally, he took the responsibility upon himself, which captured the essence of filial piety and virtue.
Emperor Yong'an's expression softened considerably, and he nodded slightly, "It's very good that the Crown Prince has such a heart."
Shen Yanzhi continued, "I have discussed with the Crown Princess that we would like to allocate 100,000 taels of silver from the East Palace's private treasury to provide relief to the families of the people who suffered in this case, and to reward those who have made contributions, such as Manager Qian. This will demonstrate the emperor's benevolence and appease the people."
One hundred thousand taels!
As soon as these words were spoken, a low commotion erupted among the court officials. While the East Palace's private treasury was ample, 100,000 taels was by no means a small sum. The Crown Prince was actually willing to pay out of his own pocket for such a charitable act; it was truly a generous gesture. Many centrist officials looked at Shen Yanzhi with a touch of approval.
Emperor Yong'an was delighted, stroking his beard and smiling, "Excellent! Your Highness is so kindhearted, you are truly worthy of being the crown prince! I approve of this!"
"Thank you, Father!" After expressing his gratitude, Shen Yanzhi did not retreat. Instead, he changed the subject and continued, "Although this matter originated from the Eastern Palace, it is ultimately inseparable from the King of Wei. I heard that yesterday, the Queen Mother was concerned about the King of Wei and specially selected two women of noble character to be sent to the Eastern Palace to chant scriptures and pray for the King of Wei. Her love for her son is truly moving."
As soon as he said this, Duke Wei's eyelids twitched and he suddenly had an ominous premonition in his heart.
As expected, Shen Yanzhi's gaze slowly turned to Duke Wei, and his voice carried a hint of "earnestness" that was just right: "The uncle of the state just handed over 30% of his property yesterday to atone for the sins of the King of Wei. He is deeply aware of the righteousness and is loyal to the emperor and the country. He is a role model for all officials.
"I believe that if the Crown Prince alone were to handle this relief, it would appear that our royal family is heartless and would also make the Prince of Wei feel uneasy within the clan residence. It would be better if the Empress and the King's uncle were to participate together."
The Eastern Palace paid the money, the Ministry of Revenue calculated the amount, and then asked the Prince's Mansion to send people to work with the people from the Eastern Palace to personally deliver the relief money to every household of the victims.
This way, the people will feel the emperor's great grace, while also demonstrating the kindness and responsibility of the Empress and the Prince's House, helping the King of Wei to repent and reform sooner rather than later. "What do you think, Father? What do you think, Prince?"
After these words were spoken, the entire hall fell into deathly silence.
Everyone's eyes were suddenly focused on Duke of Wei Zhou Kun.
Zhou Kun felt a surge of blood rushing to his head, and his vision went dark.
Shen Yanzhi's move was even more ruthless and vicious than Song Qingyuan's yesterday!
Let him provide relief to the victims?
Doesn't this mean that he, the uncle of the perpetrator, has to personally go to those whose families have been destroyed by his nephew to make amends and apologize?
Every visit and every kowtow is like uncovering the scars of the Wei family with one's own hands, and announcing the sins of the Duke of Wei's Mansion to the world!
The Eastern Palace paid for it, and the Duke of Wei's Mansion provided the manpower, and they had to put on a smile and express gratitude. This wasn't a pension at all; it was clearly parading them through the streets!
Could he refuse?
He can't!
The Crown Prince's words were flawless, each one a perfect match. For the good of the King of Wei, to demonstrate the Queen's kindness, to demonstrate the responsibility of his own Duke of Wei's mansion... if he dared to say "no," his pretense of "being righteous" would be instantly ripped to shreds. What would the Emperor think? What would the officials think? What would the people of the world think?
He will instantly turn from a "pillar of the country" into a narrow-minded, unrepentant sinner!
Zhou Kun's teeth were clattering, and the knuckles of his fists, dangling from his sleeves, were clenched white. He could feel countless gazes, filled with scrutiny, ridicule, and sympathy, piercing his body like needles.
He slowly raised his head and met Shen Yanzhi's seemingly gentle but actually sharp eyes. He squeezed out the words one by one, almost through gritted teeth: "Your Highness the Crown Prince... is benevolent and generous. This old minister... admires you deeply. This matter... I will obey your order."
"Excellent!" Emperor Yong'an patted the dragon throne, extremely satisfied with the result. "The Crown Prince is thoughtful, the Duke is righteous. This is the atmosphere that should exist in the court of our Great Xia! This matter is settled! Minister of Revenue, you will draft an edict immediately and announce it to the world!"
"Your Majesty, I obey your order." The Minister of Revenue hurried out.
A battle without gunpowder ended with the East Palace's complete victory.
Looking at the face of Duke Wei, which was darker than the bottom of a pot, Shen Yanzhi's mouth curled up slightly, then he regained his composure, bowed and returned to the train.
…
After the court was dismissed, the relief work was immediately and vigorously carried out.
Song Qingyuan personally took charge of the Eastern Palace, allocating funds and drawing up the list. Meanwhile, the Duke of Wei's residence had no choice but to hold their noses and dispatch their chief steward with a team of people to the Eastern Palace to await their orders.
The butler was so respectful in front of Song Qingyuan that he didn't even dare to raise his head, but his slightly trembling hands still exposed his inner humiliation and anger.
Song Qingyuan did not point it out, but just assigned the tasks according to the prepared regulations.
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