The new imperial capital, the ancient city of Jinling.
Inside the Golden Palace, in the imperial court.
When Chen Huai'an, a thousand miles away in the Taihe Hall of the Jinwang Palace in Longcheng, angrily beheaded the Turkic envoy Huo Boguitian.
In the Great Xin Dynasty court, the second emperor, Zhao Gan, was holding a unique court meeting with civil and military officials in the Golden Palace.
Emperor Jian'an, Zhao Gan, dressed in a dragon robe and wearing a crown, leaned lazily on the dragon throne, with a beautiful woman in a thin, sheer veil beside him, exuding charm and allure.
This beautiful woman named Wenren Yu is no ordinary person. She is naturally charming, skilled in singing and dancing, and especially adept at playing the xiao (a type of vertical bamboo flute).
She was originally a concubine of the last emperor of the previous dynasty, and was deeply favored by the late emperor Zhao Mang. She also infatuated the second emperor Zhao Gan with her.
Rumors circulated that the late Emperor Zhao Mang's sudden death during his southern tour was shrouded in mystery, and that his favorite concubine, Wenren Yu, was largely to blame.
Moreover, according to the laws of the Great Xin Dynasty, when the late emperor died, all concubines in the harem who had no children were ordered to commit suicide and be buried with him.
Strangely, Consort Wen, who had never borne the late emperor a child, was not forced to commit suicide after the emperor's death.
On the contrary, less than half a year after the new emperor Zhao Gan ascended the throne, he openly sat on the dragon throne in the Golden Palace, which symbolized the supreme imperial power and majesty of the Great Xin Dynasty.
Although Wenren Yu's actions were not intended to rule from behind the curtain, in the eyes of the loyal and capable officials and generals of the previous dynasty, her behavior was undoubtedly a disruption of the court and a subversion of the foundation of the country.
The loyal court officials, led by Prince Chen Polu of Jin, could not turn a blind eye to the absurd behavior of the new emperor Zhao Gan, who was "licentious and immoral and violated human ethics".
In particular, Prince Chen Polu of Jin, ever since he went to the capital three months ago to participate in the Fengshan ceremony held by Zhao Gan, discovered Zhao Gan's absurd behavior and has repeatedly rebuked Zhao Gan in the court.
Hopefully, he will not indulge in wine and women, but become a good emperor who is diligent in governing and loves his people, and will not squander the country that countless soldiers fought for with their blood and young lives.
With Prince Chen Polu, who had made great contributions to the Xin Dynasty, taking the lead, other court officials who still had a conscience and were loyal to the emperor and loved their country also submitted memorials to offer their advice.
He advised the new emperor Zhao Gan to prioritize the well-being of the nation. Even if he could not become a wise and benevolent ruler who expanded the dynasty's territory like his predecessor, he must not become a tyrant whose reign ended after only two generations!
Faced with the earnest advice of Prince Chen Polu of Jin, and the unpleasant but wise words of the court officials, Zhao Gan, who had already secured the throne and stripped all the princes of their military power, could hardly listen to any of it.
Instead, they lost patience with the incessant chatter of the former dynasty's officials and civil servants, and even developed a murderous intent, wanting to get rid of them as soon as possible.
Then, Prince Chen Polu of Jin died of a sudden carbuncle on his way back to his fiefdom.
Prince Chen Huai'an, the heir apparent of the Prince of Jin, was enfeoffed as the Prince of Beihai, and given the extremely cold and barren land in the north as his fief. He left the widow of the Prince of Jin's family to fend for themselves during their northward migration.
In addition, all the other loyal ministers and generals who submitted memorials to Zhao Gan to advise him were punished by him later.
Those with higher official positions and greater power had their property confiscated by the Red-Clad Guards and were exiled to various places. Those old Confucian scholars who had no real power and only knew how to talk were all ordered to return to their hometowns to live out their retirement.
In a short time, the civil and military officials who had followed the late Emperor Zhao Mang in conquering the country were either dead or scattered, and everyone was in danger and had no time to take care of themselves.
After the purge of the previous dynasty's civil and military officials, all the vacant positions in the court were filled by the former Crown Prince's faction.
As a result, no one in the vast Golden Palace dared to challenge Zhao Gan's imperial authority, and the matter of him bringing the seductive concubine Wenren Yu to court became a matter of course, something that the entire court had long since become accustomed to.
Let's get back to the main topic.
On the dragon throne, nestled in Zhao Gan's arms, Wenren Yu held a crystal-clear, seedless white grape in her slender hands and obediently fed it to Zhao Gan's lips, saying sweetly:
"Come, Your Majesty, open your mouth."
"ah!"
Zhao Gan opened his mouth, smacked his lips as he chewed grapes, and then used his right index finger to lightly lift Wenren Yu's chin.
Looking at the alluring face before him, he couldn't help but kiss her, and she immediately stretched her neck and eagerly reciprocated with affection.
a long time.
Zhao Gan then released Wenren Yu's warm, smooth, sweet, and soft red lips with satisfaction, and praised her:
"Sweet, so delicious! The grapes that Consort Wen fed me are definitely the sweetest!"
whee!
Wenren Yu smiled alluringly, drawing circles on Zhao Gan's chest with her slender, white fingers as she asked shyly:
"Your Majesty, is it only grapes that are sweet?"
"ah?"
Zhao Gan was taken aback for a moment, then reached out and pulled Wenren Yu up into his arms with an air of dominance. His hands roamed up and down Wenren Yu's slender waist under her thin clothes.
Then, looking at the beauty in his arms with a doting expression, he couldn't help but say:
"Grapes may be sweet, but they can't compare to the sweetness of a beautiful woman's mouth."
"Your Majesty, you're so annoying!"
"I have even more annoying things to hate, do you want to try them, haha!"
Suddenly, the once solemn and sacred Golden Palace was filled with the ambiguous sounds of lovemaking between men and women.
Upon seeing this, the current prime minister, Qin Ruhui, immediately waved his hand at the assembled court officials.
The court officials immediately and skillfully turned their backs, their cunning faces revealing a variety of thoughts and ulterior motives.
After a short while, the soft moans from the dragon throne in the Golden Palace finally ceased.
After a while, Zhao Gan, his face flushed, sat back down on the dragon throne. The maids on either side of him hurriedly knelt down to straighten his clothes.
Zhao Gan, panting heavily, asked, "Qin Ruhui, is there anything you need me to decide today?"
Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Qin Ruhui immediately turned around and respectfully addressed Zhao Gan in the main hall, saying, "Your Majesty, no!"
He paused, then continued with a fawning expression:
"Now, under His Majesty's rule, the Great Xin Dynasty enjoys favorable weather and abundant harvests, and the country is peaceful and prosperous. People from all over the country have submitted memorials to the court, reporting that this year's grain production has doubled and commercial taxes have doubled. The dynasty is changing rapidly, and the Jian'an era of prosperity is just around the corner!"
"Hmm, not bad!"
Zhao Gan nodded in satisfaction, and even now he couldn't resist making a sarcastic remark about the deceased Prince Jin, Chen Polu:
"Aren't those corrupt officials from the previous dynasty, led by Prince Chen Polu of Jin, always maliciously slandering me for indulging in wine and women and neglecting state affairs? If I were truly such a muddle-headed ruler, how could I have created the prosperous Jian'an era we enjoy today?"
After thinking for a moment, Zhao Gan asked again, "By the way, Qin Ruhui, what is the current status of the construction of the Grand Canal?"
Without hesitation, Qin Ruhui replied, "Your Majesty, the canal will be completed in five years!"
Five years?
Zhao Gan shook his head, then held up three fingers in front of Qin Ruhui's eyes and said, "Five years is too long; the canal must be cleared in three years."
I will only give you three years. Whether you impose additional corvée labor or work day and night to finish the task, after three years, I will travel north and south on a dragon boat.
"Take a look at the magnificent landscape of this new dynasty, witness the prosperous Jian'an era under my rule, and also see how the imperial concubines from all over the country are selected for me."
"Your humble servant obeys!"
Upon hearing the news that the canal would be dredged in three years, Qin Ruhui's brows furrowed involuntarily.
The construction of the Grand Canal, connecting the north and south, was an epic project that was incredibly costly and labor-intensive. It might take more than three years, or even ten, to complete.
The five-year timeframe he just reported to Zhao Gan is already double the number of laborers currently working day and night (currently 700,000).
If we want to clear the canal in three years, how much corvée labor would we have to levy?
Although Qin Ruhui knew in his heart that clearing the canal in three years was an impossible task, he still reluctantly agreed.
Anyway, the person responsible for implementing these additional corvée labor levies is not themselves; they can simply hand them over to the local officials in charge.
As for whether such forced conscription would arouse public anger, that was not a concern for Qin Ruhui.
If these lowly people dare to disobey and harbor rebellious intentions, the invincible and ever-victorious elite soldiers of the new dynasty will surely deal with them.
At this moment, Zhao Gan, who was on the throne, spoke again: "By the way, Qin Ruhui, I just remembered something else. The matter of rebuilding my imperial mausoleum should also be put on the agenda!"
"In my life, I have consolidated the power of the vassal kings and centralized the dynasty, excavated the Grand Canal to connect the north and south, and created the Jian'an era of prosperity."
Externally, he ordered his naval warships to patrol the South China Sea to demonstrate the might and power of our Celestial Empire; he also ordered a western expedition to open up the passage to the thirty-six kingdoms of the Western Regions, reviving the glory of the Silk Road.
These few achievements alone are enough to rival those of Emperor Taizong of Tang and Emperor Taizu of Song, ensuring their names will be remembered in history for ten thousand years.
"Therefore, my mausoleum must not be confused with ordinary imperial mausoleums. It must be grand and magnificent. Take the First Emperor's Mausoleum at Mount Li as a reference and rebuild my imperial mausoleum. There is no upper limit to the budget!"
As he spoke, Zhao Gan rose from the dragon throne and paced back and forth in the hall, displaying an air of domineering authority and commanding influence. He continued:
"Didn't you just tell me that grain production in various regions has doubled this year, and commercial taxes have doubled? Starting this year, all the doubled tax revenue will be used for the construction of my imperial mausoleum. This fund is earmarked for this purpose and must not be misused!"
"Furthermore, skilled craftsmen should be recruited from all over the country to participate in the construction of my imperial mausoleum. The craftsmen should be paid their wages in full, so that I can leave an image of loving the people like my own children in their hearts!"
"Your humble servant obeys!"
Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Qin Ruhui's back was already soaked with sweat, but he still calmly and skillfully agreed to Zhao Gan's request.
But only Qin Ruhui knew the truth.
The claims of a bumper harvest and doubled taxes were just boasts he made to please the emperor. The truth was that the north suffered a severe drought, the south was flooded, and the overall national grain output decreased by more than 50%.
As I said before, the specific matter of increasing taxes on the people is not something Qin Ruhui will personally handle; it will be implemented by the local officials below him.
If all else fails, then collect the taxes fifty years from now, until the people's grandchildren's generation.
If these lowly people dare to disobey, the invincible elite soldiers of the new dynasty will surely deal with them.
In the Golden Palace, Zhao Gan was in high spirits, seeing that the two major issues that had been troubling him had been resolved. He pulled up his favorite concubine, Wenren Yu, who was still slumped on the dragon throne with a flushed face.
Then, while flirting with his favorite concubine, he absentmindedly called out to the court officials, "My esteemed ministers, is there anything else you wish to report?"
Below the imperial court, there was complete silence.
Zhao Gan said, "Since there is nothing else to report, let's adjourn the court!"
After saying that, Zhao Gan pulled Wen Meiren'er and walked out of the palace.
Below the main hall, Qin Ruhui, the prime minister of the court, finally breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that Zhao Gan did not ask him about the follow-up to changing the title of Prince of Jin's heir, Chen Huai'an, to Prince of Beihai.
Just as Qin Ruhui was about to leave, a familiar voice called out to him, "Qin Ruhui, wait a moment!"
As they were talking, the Second Emperor Zhao Gan, who had already led his concubine away from the rear hall, suddenly turned back and, as if possessed, asked Qin Ruhui, who was about to leave, a question:
"Qin Ruhui, how is the matter of my decree issued half a month ago to change the title of Prince of Jin's heir, Chen Huai'an, to Prince of Beihai, and immediately move his entire family north?"
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