Chapter 42

In the company of Lu Siling, Lin Jiayue slowly and methodically finished her meal. Throughout the process, Lu Siling fell into silence several times.

It was partly due to the young Emperor’s nonsensical chatter, and partly due to her talent.

Wei Jinming, standing nearby, broke into a cold sweat every time the Emperor uttered one of her “wolf-and-tiger” phrases (bold or shocking remarks). My Majesty, the Grand Chancellor’s aura is cold enough to freeze someone to death. If she hadn’t been afraid of leaving the Emperor alone, she would have fled long ago.

However, Lu Siling had a clearly improved opinion of Lin Jiayue. It was the first time she realized that a political essay could be written in such a manner. There were many terms she didn’t understand, so she inquired as she read, gaining fresh insight with every answer.

“What is the meaning of ‘infrastructure’?”

Lin Jiayue chuckled inwardly. To think there would come a day when Lu Siling would ask her for advice! She cleared her throat and spoke in a tone reminiscent of a college professor. “As the saying goes, ‘if you want to get rich, build roads first.’ Before doing any commercial planning for the capital, the roads, drainage systems, and regional zoning must be prepared beforehand.”

If you want to get rich, build roads first? Lu Siling arched an eyebrow. A few simple words, yet they captured the very essence of governance.

The plan aimed to complete infrastructure repairs, improve roads, and zone commercial areas within one or two years, establishing a more complete tax system. In three to five years, it would form a unique identity, giving the entire capital several streets with distinct characteristics.

For example, the difference between the East Market and West Market: the East Market would focus on luxury, while the West Market stolen content focused on cost-effectiveness; with planning, these distinctions would become more detailed. There would be a snack street, a daily necessities street, a clothing street, and even the possibility of night markets.

Ancient times had curfews. To launch a night market culture would require a massive investment of manpower. Given the current chaotic power struggle in the capital, it definitely couldn’t be done yet to avoid security issues. Things had to be done one step at a time, but according to Lin Jiayue’s plan, within ten years, the capital would develop into the version she imagined.

Lu Siling was surprised not just by Lin Jiayue’s commercial planning for the capital, but also by the disaster relief plan—even the smallest details were included. Disinfection, prevention of post-disaster plagues, and the “outsourcing” of reconstruction projects to merchants, who would then hire the disaster victims—the court would only need to send supervisors. Doing it this way would save a tremendous amount of effort.

Just like the commercial street planning, projects would be auctioned to merchants for them to build, thereby drastically reducing government expenditure. Lu Siling quickly applied this logic to other scenarios in her mind. She wasn’t worried about these merchants causing trouble; leave aside an ordinary merchant—even if it were the Grand Chancellor of the Great Zhou, anyone who dared to tamper with a state-commissioned task would face the extermination of their entire clan at the very least.

How is this young Emperor’s brain wired? It’s actually quite useful. Lu Siling’s gaze fell on Lin Jiayue. The “stupid” young Emperor, or the “brilliant” young Emperor?

Naturally, she preferred the latter. The latter could understand human speech, and only people who understand human speech can be dealt with. The previous young Emperor was no different from a beast.

Lin Jiayue glanced at the time—a unique ancient water clock. It was roughly three in the afternoon. Those ministers had been kneeling for a long time. “Wei Jinming, go send a cup of hot tea to the ministers kneeling outside.” After saying that, she turned to Lu Siling. “With a cup of hot tea, will they be able to kneel a bit longer?”

Little fox. Lu Siling snorted softly, but the timing was about right. Although those ministers outside were pressuring her, there were over a hundred of them kneeling in the drifting snow. A combination of kindness and authority was necessary; leaving them out in the cold didn’t preclude a cup of hot tea—this was also the Emperor’s “grace.”

The young Emperor didn’t have to show her face. She hadn’t officially taken power, so even if the ministers outside knelt to their deaths, she couldn’t make the decision to dismiss Lu Siling on her own. However, if both Empress Dowager Cui and Empress Xining issued decrees, she would just need to apply her seal. Presumably, they were waiting for her to do exactly that.

Don’t be mistaken; this Emperor who hadn’t taken power yet didn’t have the authority to make things happen, but she ​read the original at bailiantales.com​ex-in-node="116">did have the ability to veto them.

Outside Taiji Hall, over a hundred people were kneeling. Wei Jinming arrived with the hot tea as ordered.

“Where is the Emperor? We want to see the Emperor!”

“Wei Jinming! Why hasn’t the Emperor come?”

“That’s right, we want to see the Emperor! Your Majesty!”

These people had been kneeling for so long they were weak and listless, yet they were still very disrespectful to Wei Jinming. They looked down on military officers and eunuchs, and their attitude toward the Emperor’s head eunuch showed they held no true respect for the Sovereign either.

Wei Jinming’s face darkened. This group was pressuring the Emperor; they were disrespectful and deserved ten thousand deaths. She had the junior eunuchs distribute the tea quickly and left immediately—she found looking at these people irritating.

Before long, a little eunuch walked up to her. “Chief Wei, I just heard someone say they want to go to Daming Palace to request an imperial audience.”

“What? That would disturb Her Majesty!” Wei Jinming frowned, watching the ministers whispering to one another, a hint of ruthlessness in her eyes.

Not far away, Cui Zhen gripped bailiantales.comthe memorial in his hand tightly. “We cannot go to Daming Palace.”

“Why? Are you afraid?” Liu Zhen spoke up. “You are a member of the Cui family, after all. As a military officer, you can’t be afraid.”

“It’s not fear,” Cui Zhen argued in a low voice. “This is Lu Siling’s territory. If we go there, it will also give us the reputation of pressuring a minor sovereign. If a ‘pure stream’ civil official loses their reputation, what kind of pure stream are they?”

“But you are a military officer,” Liu Zhen snorted and prepared to stand up, but his sleeve was tugged. “What are you doing?”

“Pressuring the Emperor like this is already a grave offense. If we go to Daming Palace, that is a coup—rebellion.”

Cui Zhen wasn’t cowardly. If he had an army, he would lead them to storm the palace. But he had no army. These civil officials were using “morality” to pressure the Emperor. Once the young Emperor took power, their end would be miserable. To be honest, Cui Zhen was reluctant, but his clan demanded it, so he had no choice but to come.

However, there were two others hidden in the shadows who were equally lacking in confidence. “Old man, if we don’t succeed, these people will all become the young Emperor’s whetstone.”

“Grandson, you exaggerate. Over a hundred people—can the young Emperor kill that many?”

“Old man, don’t call me ‘Grandson’ (Zhang-sun).”

“So what? I’m calling you ‘Zhang-sun’ (Elder Sun), not my own grandson.”

Zhang-sun Xiuyuan: “…”

“Enough, back to business. You were the one who came to me saying that with Lu Siling around, neither of us can advance. Only when Lu Siling is gone can we… Now the situation is deadlocked, what do you suggest?”

Zhang Wuwei rolled his eyes at him. “You dead ‘Grandson,’ look who is charging into the fray. Is it not the Cui family? Among your people, only Liu Zhen has any weight. As for me? I’ve already lost a Hou Yong. Shouldn’t you think of something?”

Who would have thought that these two old men bickering like children were actually the Elders of the Secretariat?

Zhang-sun Xiuyuan narrowed his eyes. Zhang Wuwei was right; Hou Yong was already out of the game. Now the person with the most weight was Liu Zhen, but Liu Zhen was his man; he absolutely couldn’t be the one on the front lines. “Does the Cui family have no one else to use?”

“They do, but they’re lagging behind and haven’t returned yet. It’s just a stall.”

The case involving the Cui family was too massive—assassinating the Emperor. Cui Yuan was afraid he wouldn’t be able to save himself, so it was normal for him to dawdle on his return. But he overlooked one thing: such matters are best explained as early as possible. Currently, rumors were flying in the capital, with more and more people saying the Cui family wanted to depose the Emperor and place Prince Cheng on the throne.

Zhang-sun Xiuyuan smiled. “It might not be a bad thing. Perhaps Marquis Cui has his own plans.”

He certainly did, but Zhang Wuwei wasn’t going to unauthorized copy tell him. “Grandson, are you sure one Liu Zhen is enough?”

Zhang-sun Xiuyuan sneered. “Two Ministers of the Six Ministries have gone out. We are not like the Cui family, so full of talent that we can lose one after another.”

This was the difference between the noble clans and the titled nobility. If a clan lost one member, they could push countless more up at any time. Li Ping, on the other hand, only had his own children to push, most of whom were local students or soldiers.

Zhang Wuwei took a deep breath. “The young Emperor is about to take power. Originally, I didn’t want to obstruct it, but now it seems I must.”

“How long can you block it?”

“One day is better than none.” Zhang Wuwei set down his teacup. “Regarding that scene at this morning’s assembly—Grandson, do you think those two eunuchs acted on their own, or was it at the young Emperor’s behest?”

“Does it matter? Even if it was Her Majesty, we have to treat it as the eunuchs’ doing. This Majesty is truly different from the late Emperor. The late Emperor always clashed directly with the ministers and ended up dying young as a result. How is it that this Majesty manages to divert all the hatred onto the eunuchs?”

“So what if she’s brilliant? Once power is given away, if the young Emperor wants it back, she’ll have to see if we agree.”

Zhang-sun Xiuyuan didn’t answer. He still remembered the sight of Li Ping kneeling. His cooperation with Zhang Wuwei wasn’t to oppose the young Emperor, but to bring down Lu Siling. When that time came, they would be the only ones left by the Emperor’s side. With the Cui family backing Prince Cheng, they wouldn’t support the young Emperor, so she would have only them to rely on. That would be the moment of the final showdown between him and Zhang Wuwei.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have let Liu Zhen run around egging on the Cui family; let the Cui family be the “bird that sticks its head out” (the target). Of the people unauthorized copy he sent out, only Liu Zhen had any real weight. Furthermore, Liu Zhen was only kneeling; he hadn’t written a memorial.

Zhang Wuwei saw his silence and sneered inwardly. He truly thought no one knew his plan? It was not yet certain who would win. The two appeared to be cooperating, but their hearts were far apart.

On the other side, Lin Jiayue was tugging on Lu Siling’s sleeve, coaxing her softly. “Teacher Lu, aren’t you even a little curious? I’m very curious. Ministers pressuring an Emperor—and so many of them—the scene must be spectacular.”

“They’re targeting you, Teacher Lu. You must remember their faces and then pay them back one by one. Let them know that I—I mean, Grand Chancellor Lu Siling—am not that easy to bully.”

Lu Siling: “…”

Where in the world was there an Emperor teaching a Grand Chancellor to take revenge on other ministers? And over a hundred of them at that. However, she did want to see what methods those people would use to get her dismissed.

Lin Jiayue pulled Lu Siling to stand on the second floor of the library, which perfectly overlooked the palace and gave a view of the scene outside Taiji Hall.

“Wait, they aren’t kneeling straight at all. They’re all slumped over. That’s not called kneeling; that’s called lying down.”

Is that the point? Lu Siling wondered what on earth went on inside the young Emperor’s head.

Suddenly, Lin Jiayue shouted out loud, “Hey! You villains!”

Lu Siling: “?” She quickly looked at the people outside Taiji Hall, but no one had heard.

The young Emperor turned to her with a grin. “‘Villain’ means ‘treacherous official.'”

“I’ve tried it; if you shout here, no one can hear you. You can curse them.”

Lu Siling must feel very wronged in her heart—a Grand Chancellor who was devoted to the country and the people, focused entirely on reform, yet so many people were demanding her resignation. Teacher Lu had been wronged.

However, Lu Siling looked at her enigmatically. “Why should I curse them? I do not bicker with the defeated or the dead.”

Lin Jiayue: “Huh? Sick!”

It seemed Lu Siling already regarded those people as failures.