He wasn't one to be trifled with either, and immediately said:
"Chen Xiang, the Imperial Censor of Zhili, impeached Xiao Bin, the Commander-in-Chief of Xuanfu, for allowing bandits to harm the people when he was stationed in Jinghai. He requests His Majesty to issue an order to arrest and question him!"
Lu Xingjian narrowed his eyes, his sharply defined jawline tightening.
Xiao Bin is currently in Jiangnan protecting Wanwan as she recovers from her illness.
Arresting Xiao Bin now is clearly aimed at Wanwan; it's like stabbing him right in the back!
"What did the Ministry of War say?" Lu Xingjian asked calmly.
"The Ministry of War's reply was also to request an imperial decree to arrest and question him." Li Dongqian was well-prepared; this was a resounding warning to Lu Xingjian.
Lu Xingjian understood his meaning, his expression turning cold.
"Fine, fine, punish him with half a year's salary."
He could certainly issue an edict to confiscate Li Dongqian's property and exterminate his entire clan.
However, if the subsequent appeasement efforts are not done properly, it could lead to further conflict.
The consequences of rushing to eliminate Liu Jin were so severe.
He can no longer act impulsively and recklessly.
Just like when Wanwan advised him to treat Prince Rong lightly.
People would prefer a benevolent ruler to sit on the dragon throne, rather than a tyrant who resorts to violence at the drop of a hat.
A tyrant can use brutal methods to intimidate the masses, but those people will sleep soundly, living in constant fear, lest one day the butcher's knife falls on their heads.
Today, he has finally come to understand the essence of Confucianism's governance of the world through "benevolence and filial piety."
He certainly wished he could kill that old scoundrel Li Dongqian with his own hands.
But that was based on Lu Xingjian's personal feelings.
From the emperor's perspective, he had to act like Empress Dowager Xiaosu Zhou back then, turning big problems into small ones and small problems into nothing.
Set an example for the world.
Even if you have made mistakes in the past, I will forgive and forget them and let you live your lives in peace.
Without a threat to their survival, most people are unwilling to give up their comfortable lives and insist on risking their lives to try and dethrone the emperor.
In November, just after the Winter Solstice, Lu Xingjian ordered the transfer of officers and soldiers from the Beijing Garrison to Xuanfu, instructing them to travel back and forth to train and prepare for defense.
The civil officials, led by Li Dongqian, were greatly alarmed.
Various memorials of advice and remonstrance flew into the palace like snowflakes.
Lu Xingjian ignored this and selected elite troops from the border armies of Liaodong, Xuanfu, Datong, and Yansui to form the capital's guard army, known as the "Four Outer Armies," which he then drilled and reviewed in the Western Garden.
Li Dongqian finally realized that the situation was hopeless.
No matter how much he struggled, he was only making a fool of himself in front of Lu Xingjian.
The emperor didn't kill him because he was more useful to the emperor, not because he didn't want to kill him.
Li Dongqian felt extremely bitter.
What did he gain from a life of striving and competing?
He was known as a child prodigy when he was young.
But he's ugly, and many people will say, "Wow, that's a child prodigy, he's really ugly."
He passed the imperial examination at the age of seventeen and was selected as a probationary official in the Hanlin Academy. For the next thirty years, he served in the Hanlin Academy, holding positions such as editor, lecturer, lecturer academician, and academician.
At the age of fifty, he finally became a Grand Secretary, but due to the power of the Grand Secretary Su Jian, he was subservient and unable to have his own opinions.
After finally defeating Su Jian, he became the Grand Secretary, and with the domineering Liu Jin in power, the court was in chaos, and the civil officials were full of complaints.
He thought that with Liu Jin's downfall, he could finally take control of the country.
The emperor and empress stood against him.
Now, the Emperor allows him to sit in the position of Grand Secretary, but looks at him as if he were a dead man.
We are just waiting for the most opportune moment to make the cut.
The feeling of waiting to die is too painful and unbearable.
He really wanted to end it all.
In despair, Li Dongqian submitted another memorial resigning from his official post.
He had written countless such memorials throughout his life, and each time they were rejected with imperial rescripts in vermilion ink: "Your refusal is not permitted."
He didn't have high hopes.
However.
The steward came to find him, beaming with joy, and said, "The Emperor has approved your resignation, awarded you fifty taels of silver, four sets of fine silk robes, and granted your nephew Zhaoyan the position of Imperial Secretary."
The steward was overjoyed, almost crying. "Master, the Emperor doesn't intend to harm you! We're saved!"
Li Dongqian couldn't believe it: "Really?"
Liu Jin died such a tragic death, how could he possibly have a good ending?
He didn't believe it.
"It's true! The eunuch is waiting for you to receive the imperial decree!"
The imperial edict contained a great deal of information.
He said, "I believe that it has always been difficult for a ruler and his ministers to meet, and it is even more difficult for a minister to serve his ruler with matching talent and virtue and to remain steadfast in his principles from beginning to end."
These words were like a slap in the face to Li Dongqian.
"Your talent is extraordinary, and your wisdom and understanding are precocious. From childhood, you were summoned to the palace, where your responses were pleasing to the emperor, and your fame spread far and wide. Thus, you became renowned in the arts for your extensive learning. With more than thirty years of experience, your reputation has only grown stronger..."
What followed was a string of praise.
Finally, each year, ten servants were given a monthly stipend of eight shi (a unit of dry measure), along with a silver coin and a ceremonial robe. One of their sons or nephews was granted the hereditary title of Zhongshu Sheren (a position in the Imperial Secretariat). This was the standard treatment for a retired Grand Secretary, the same as that given to Su Jian when he was forced to retire.
Is that all?
Li Dongqian knelt there blankly, forgetting to accept the imperial decree.
He actually died a peaceful death?
It's a scam.
There must be something fishy going on here.
...
Su Wanwan woke up more and more often.
Her mind was blank; she couldn't remember anyone.
When I'm awake, I'll stare blankly at the winter plum blossoms in the gourd for a long time.
I don't really care about the people and things that come and go.
Yan Ge'er would sit timidly by the bed, and sometimes he would read to her.
Before he finished reading the book, Yan Ge'er was so upset that he couldn't continue.
His mother looked at him with such coldness and distance.
She didn't recognize him anymore.
She would no longer hold him in her arms and gently coax him.
The saddest thing in the world is sitting in front of the person you love most, only to find that she doesn't remember you.
When Xiao Bin appeared, Yan Ge'er wouldn't let him pass.
He harbored inexplicable feelings towards Xiao Bin.
Xiao Bin took his father's place and did what a father should do.
This made him feel very uncomfortable.
But Father made the decision to leave on his own.
He wanted to hate Xiao Bin, but he couldn't bring himself to do so.
However, what made him feel much better was that his mother didn't recognize Xiao Bin either.
His gaze was so cold and distant.
Xiao Bin said, "The antidote is ready and can be sent to the capital. Do you have anything to say?"
His mother didn't react at all and couldn't understand what he was saying.
Xiao Bin didn't care and left after a while.
Mother didn't speak, and Yan-ge didn't want to speak either.
The atmosphere was very quiet.
Now that Yan Ge'er isn't competing with him for his mother's attention, his mother isn't so busy anymore.
But she no longer hugged him or kissed him.
Yan Ge'er was a little sad.
He gradually regained his composure and sat down at the table to write large characters.
My mother used to love watching him write calligraphy.
Her eyes would often sparkle as she praised his writing, saying how well he wrote, how wonderful it was, and how amazing Yan-ge was.
They would also frame his calligraphy and hang it in the bedroom.
He was so happy at that time.
He knew that in his mother's eyes, he was the most outstanding!
Even my father's calligraphy wasn't framed and hung in the bedroom by my mother.
Today, Yan Ge wrote the words "Long live the Emperor" and took them to show his mother.
"Mother, which word do you think is better?"
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