"I was just about to discuss with my ministers the question of where 'money' comes from."
Xiao Che's words, tinged with amusement, were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples to spread across the once tranquil Golden Palace.
Everyone's hearts were in their throats.
Where will the money come from? This is a dead end! Everyone knows the national treasury is empty. His Majesty can't just conjure up silver out of thin air, can he?
The old censor who raised the question stuck his neck out, adopting an attitude of "this old minister is all ears." He refused to believe that His Majesty could pull any tricks on such a matter of national finance.
Xiao Che remained calm and composed. He didn't even answer the question directly. Instead, he gently placed the thick memorial in his hand on the dragon desk and leisurely turned his gaze to a certain spot in the line of officials in the palace.
He began by addressing the crowd in an extremely gentle, even "kind" tone:
"Minister Zhang, how have you been lately?"
The person whose name was mentioned was an old vice minister of the Ministry of Personnel. This Vice Minister Zhang was a veteran of three reigns, with many protégés and former subordinates in the court, and was quite prestigious. During the palace coup, although he did not explicitly side with the regent, he claimed to be ill and stayed at home, remaining an observer with an extremely ambiguous attitude.
Upon being suddenly shown "concern" by the emperor, Vice Minister Zhang's heart skipped a beat. He quickly stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, this old minister is still in good health. Thank you for your concern."
"Hmm, that's good." Xiao Che nodded, his face still bearing a warm smile, as if he were genuinely having a casual chat with an old minister. "I've heard that you have a villa in Jiangnan, where you've built a 'Listening to the Rain Pavilion' using water from Taihu Lake, with scenery comparable to the imperial gardens. Is that true?"
A fine layer of cold sweat instantly appeared on Zhang Shilang's forehead!
He kept the matter of the villa in Jiangnan extremely secret, never mentioning it to any outsider! Your Majesty... how did Your Majesty find out?!
While he was still in shock and uncertainty, Xiao Che turned his gaze to another person.
“Minister Li,” he said, this time addressing a junior official in the Ministry of Works, a man known as the “smiling Buddha,” shrewd and cunning, who had maintained close ties with the Regent’s Palace before the palace coup. “I have also heard that you possess a painting, ‘Eighty-Seven Immortals Scroll,’ by the former dynasty’s painting master Wu Daozi, a priceless and unique masterpiece.”
The face of that wealthy man, Li, turned pale instantly!
That painting was something he had illegally seized from the home of a convicted official; it was his most prized possession and his greatest secret! Heaven, earth, and he all knew about it… and now, even His Majesty knows!
Before everyone could recover from these two seemingly ordinary "casual chats," Xiao Che's words flowed like a floodgate opening, never ceasing.
"And Scholar Zhao, your thousand acres of fertile land in Tongzhou must have yielded a good harvest this year, right?"
"General Wang, your dozen or so prime shops in the East Market of the capital are making a fortune every day. You truly have a knack for making money!"
"..."
Xiao Che spoke slowly and deliberately, naming seven or eight ministers in one breath. He was referring to the ministers' most secret and prized possessions! From a single painting to a large plot of land, down to the exact location of every shop!
This was no casual conversation; it was a meticulously planned "asset disclosure" conducted in front of the entire court!
The entire Golden Palace was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
All the ministers whose names were called turned ashen-faced, trembled violently, their court robes soaked with cold sweat, and they were almost collapsing to the ground.
A tremendous storm raged within them! How did His Majesty know all this?! Could it be... could it be that His Majesty had planted spies among them?
In an instant, everyone felt insecure, and an invisible fear enveloped the entire court!
Behind the beaded curtain, Lin Wanwan looked down at the terrified old foxes below, a cold smile curling at the corner of her lips.
This information was naturally compiled overnight by Qin Zheng and the female officials from the countless letters and account books confiscated from the Regent's Palace. The Regent, in order to control these opportunists, had long since thoroughly investigated their backgrounds, and now, it all benefited her and Xiao Che.
She secretly glanced at the top of Xiao Che's head and saw a chibi-style figure floating there, wearing sunglasses, holding an account book, and "slapping" the books. The figure had a cocky expression that only a "big boss" would have, and next to it was a line of text: [Little brat, don't think I don't know how rich you are.gif]
Seeing this meme, Lin Wanwan almost couldn't hold back her laughter. This guy, he's really addicted to acting.
Xiao Che seemed extremely satisfied with the intimidating effect he had created. He picked up the memorial, patted it lightly, and then slowly steered the conversation back on track.
"My beloved ministers, you are all pillars of our Great Liang, with substantial wealth. I am truly gratified." His tone remained gentle, but to the ministers who had been named, it was nothing short of a death knell.
"Just now, the Imperial Censor asked where the money to build the Martyrs' Garden came from." Xiao Che's gaze fell back on the pale-faced Vice Minister Zhang, and his smile became meaningful. "I think that perhaps my beloved ministers can help me, and also help those soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country, to answer this question."
Now that things have come to this point, anyone who still doesn't understand is a fool!
This isn't an inquiry; it's a blatant "warning"! It's an open "request for donations"!
To give or not to give?
Giving it to him would be like cutting off a piece of flesh and bleeding him dry, causing him immense heartache! Not giving it to him? Look at that thick stack of memorials in His Majesty's hand, who knows how many of your shady dealings are recorded in it! His Majesty even knows about your villa in Jiangnan, how could he not know how much dirty money you've taken?
If we don't satisfy him today, tomorrow it might not just be financial loss, but losing our heads!
After a brief but agonizing internal struggle, Vice Minister Zhang was the first to realize the situation. He knew that without a significant financial loss today, there was no chance of a peaceful resolution!
He stepped forward again, trembling, and this time, with a thud, knelt down on the ground. He forced a deeply moving expression of loyalty onto his face and, with tears streaming down his face, said:
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty erected a monument for the loyal souls of the nation, an act of benevolence unprecedented in history! This old minister... this old minister is deeply moved and wishes to... wishes to donate 100,000 taels of silver from my family fortune to contribute to the Martyrs' Garden, to do my humble best!"
After he finished speaking, he kowtowed heavily, his heart bleeding profusely. One hundred thousand taels of silver—that was almost half a lifetime's savings!
With the first person taking the lead, how could the rest dare to hesitate?
"Your subject... Your subject is willing to donate the 'Eighty-Seven Immortals Scroll,' and all proceeds from its sale will be donated to the Martyrs' Cemetery!"
"Your subject is willing to donate a thousand acres of fertile land in Tongzhou!"
"Your subject is willing to donate five prime shops in the East Market!"
In an instant, a touching scene of "enthusiastic donations" unfolded in the Golden Palace. The court, which had just been lamenting its poverty, suddenly became incredibly wealthy. Ministers rushed to donate, as if delaying even a second would diminish their loyalty.
The old censor who had first questioned the funding, staring at the surreal scene before him, opened his mouth but couldn't utter a single word. He finally understood: His Majesty wasn't short of money; he was simply waiting for an excuse to legitimately plunder these already wealthy individuals!
Seeing the money problem solved so easily, and in such a way that everyone was happy (except for those who were taken advantage of), the entire court, especially the military generals, looked at the dragon throne and the phoenix throne with unprecedented awe and admiration.
The Emperor and Empress joined forces; their methods were truly unpredictable and divine! They were the perfect remedy for any dissent!
From then on, no one in the imperial court dared to raise any objection to the "Martyrs' Garden".
...
After the court session, in the Imperial Study.
As soon as Lin Wanwan sat down, she was tightly embraced by a strong scent of ambergris.
Xiao Che hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder like a large dog seeking praise, rubbing against her, his voice filled with barely suppressed pride and a desire for credit.
"Wanwan, how was my performance in court today? Was it quite impressive?"
Lin Wanwan felt a little ticklish from his teasing and laughed as she dodged, saying, "Wonderful, wonderful! Your Majesty is truly awe-inspiring. With just a few words, you have raised a million dollars for the national treasury. I admire you to the core."
"Of course!" Xiao Che snorted smugly and hugged her even tighter. "Don't you know who my husband is?"
Lin Wanwan chuckled, then looked up at the top of his head as usual.
There, it was no longer just any single emoji, but rather a barrage of flashing comments, like a screen-filling frenzy:
[Wife, praise me!]
Am I your best tool for making money?
With me by your side, Mom will never have to worry about you running out of money again!
[I want a hug! I want to be lifted up high!]
Seeing these childish and arrogant comments, Lin Wan-wan laughed so hard she almost fell over. She turned around, pinched the cheek of this childish emperor, and said seriously:
"Yes, you are my best... husband."
Xiao Che's eyes lit up instantly, and the barrage of comments on the screen disappeared immediately, replaced by a chibi-style little emperor who was taking off on the spot, bubbling with happiness.
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