AEOGA CH21

Xie Chongjin spoke with absolute composure, as if taking someone’s head was no different from drinking a cup of water.

Wang Yiming and Lin Zhanzhi shuddered simultaneously.

They were both law-abiding citizens who would never dream of involving themselves in matters of life and death. Experiencing the sheer weight of imperial authority for the first time, they were thoroughly intimidated, and even their sitting postures grew noticeably more proper and obedient.

Hua Yan, who had been looking down and flipping through his nails out of boredom, felt his fingertips tremble at those words. For the first time, he truly realized that this seemingly approachable man who loved telling stories was, in reality, an emperor who held the absolute power of life and death over all.

There was awe and reverence, but not much sheer terror. The Emperor was executing corrupt officials, not slaughtering the innocent; they could hardly wait to clap and cheer.

It was just that they had grown so accustomed to the Emperor’s usual sickly, docile appearance that seeing him unleash his might made them realize he was actually a fierce tiger that had merely been hibernating for a long time.

The only one present who was genuinely terrified was Helian Xi. He was afraid that the next head to roll would be his own.

Since the Changli Emperor’s previous incompetence and lechery had all been the result of being controlled by Gu insects, now that he was clear-headed, even the parasites of his own country were facing a delayed reckoning. What hope of survival could there be for a foreign prince like himself?

While these four were lost in their respective thoughts, the remaining few threw their minds entirely into the affairs of the state.

Since His Majesty permitted them to listen to politics, he naturally wanted to hear their opinions.

Liu Yansheng pondered for a moment. He exuded the noble elegance inherent to a son of a prestigious clan, and his expression as he thought deeply made it look as though he were formulating some flawless, grand strategy.

Just when the others thought he was about to deliver some profound insight, the words that came out of Liu Yansheng’s mouth were incredibly down-to-earth: “So, the top priority right now is to get money.”

He, too, had once been a highly educated noble young master, entirely untainted by the foul stench of copper coins. Yet, forced by his circumstances in the palace over the past three years, he had already learned to calculate every penny, becoming stingy to the absolute extreme, with his mind now completely consumed by money.

As the person executing control over the six palaces, Liu Yansheng had to maintain the operations of the entire harem and ensure the monthly distribution of stipends. His budget was already incredibly tight; the expenditures of every palace had been cut time and again, and a significant number of palace attendants had been laid off. Yet the Emperor would still randomly hand out lavish rewards from time to time… Who would ever believe that he, a Noble Consort, spent his days running himself ragged just for money?

Initially, Liu Yansheng hated it most when the consorts stirred up trouble because he would be forced to handle it. Later on, he actively wished for trouble to arise in the harem every day—because the moment an incident occurred, he could dock their stipends and save money.

—He had genuinely been driven to such lengths.

Hua Yan: “…” Isn’t that obvious?

Even someone like him, who knew nothing of court politics, could tell that Changli was currently poor—extremely poor.

Changli was at a stage where a thousand things awaited revival. Building city walls, repairing water conservancy, clearing fertile fields, manufacturing weapons, providing disaster relief… money was desperately needed everywhere.

“Conventionally speaking, if the national treasury is empty, one would either raise taxes or have soldiers discharged to return to farming to reduce military expenditures…”

Before Shen Hezhou could finish his sentence, Qin Yulong cut in resolutely, “No. We just fought a war against Qifeng and suffered a severe blow to our vitality, and Yelang is still harboring malicious intent, eyeing us like a tiger watching its prey. Yelang even dared to plant a Gu insect inside His Majesty; who knows if they might launch a direct invasion one day? Soldiers are trained for a thousand days to be used in a single moment. Now is precisely the time when military force is needed. No matter where we choose to economize, we absolutely cannot economize on the military. Not only can we not cut back, but we must also allocate military funds to manufacture armor and weapons for the soldiers so that we can defend against the Kingdom of Yelang.”

“We cannot raise taxes either,” Fu Xinian spoke up immediately after. “In recent years, natural disasters have occurred frequently, leaving the common people displaced and crops entirely ruined. The people are already filled with grievances and struggling to survive. This is precisely the time when we need to lower taxes, open the granaries for disaster relief, and boost the morale of the populace. We absolutely must not increase the tax burden further.”

This created a vicious cycle. Without engineering projects like fertile fields and water conservancy to cope with natural disasters, the common people would become refugees, unable to bear taxes to fill the treasury. And as the treasury continued to deplete, there would be no money to construct projects that benefited the people.

“Between two evils, choose the lesser. Compared to military readiness, disaster relief is the urgent matter,” Fu Xinian stated.

Qin Yulong grew displeased. “The military is the nation’s most crucial line of defense. How is it not urgent? How important do you think weapons and equipment are to soldiers! Without the generals and soldiers protecting the country, how can the citizens live in peace? Master Fu, the Third-Rank Scholar, has never fought in a war, so you have likely never witnessed the tragic sight of fields covered in corpses on the battlefield.”

Fu Xinian refused to back down either. “The people are of supreme importance; the state comes next; the ruler is of least consequence. Yelang might not necessarily invade tomorrow, but if the citizens do not receive relief, how many people will freeze or starve to death on the streets every day? The people cannot afford to wait even for a moment! Young General Qin has stayed in the military camp for too long, so you cannot see the sight of starvation plaguing the land either.”

One representing the military and the other the civil officials, the two looked as though they were on the verge of an outright argument.

Lu Xuechao said in a gentle voice, “I mean… is there a possibility that we could just raid their homes and confiscate their property?”

Qin Yulong: “…”

Fu Xinian: “…”

Everyone’s horrified gazes fell upon Lu Xuechao.

It was truly unbelievable that this very immortal-like, elegant young master had used the softest, most gentle tone to casually utter the words “raid their homes.”

But on second thought, the Empress was absolutely right.

Those two had truly let the argument get to their heads. When they thought about it carefully, what was the need? The money had clearly gone straight into the pockets of the corrupt officials. Wouldn’t it be perfect to just raid all their homes and confiscate their wealth for the public treasury? Neither the military nor the citizens should be the ones sacrificed; it was the dog-heads of those corrupt officials that deserved to be chopped off.

Liu Yansheng clapped his hands on the spot. “I have wanted to do this for a long time!”

The Four Great Clans were all wealthy, influential families with deep heritages. In recent years, due to the instability of the country and the incompetence of the monarch, they had lived increasingly destitute lives because they gave all their money to relieve the common people, even though it was merely a drop in the ocean.

In contrast, those treacherous, petty sycophants had used the natural disasters and human calamities to make a fortune out of the national crisis. Every single one of them was bloated with wealth, their bellies stuffed with the fat of the people and the disaster relief funds allocated by the imperial court.

Back when Liu Yansheng was driven frantic by the lack of money, he had desperately wished he could just raid the homes of all those corrupt officials.

“If we are to raid homes, the court will likely suffer a severe shock and undergo a massive reshuffling,” Shen Hezhou noted.

Though he said “likely,” his tone carried no fear whatsoever.

The Shen family conducted themselves uprightly and honorably, so they naturally feared no investigation.

“Breaking the pillars of the house causes a severe shock,” Xie Chongjin said indifferently. “But purging the fools is a complete rebirth.”

Shen Hezhou smiled subtly. “Your Majesty is wise.”

The timing of Xie Chongjin’s awakening was not considered late. In the third year of the Xi Dynasty, the Four Great Clans had not yet withdrawn from politics; Prime Minister Lu and Grand General Qin were still serving the country, a group of loyal ministers still held the line in the imperial court, and Yun Luo was still at his disposal.

There were still plenty of capable people available, and actual power remained firmly in his own hands; he was not entirely a hollowed-out puppet emperor.

Although restoring order to the imperial court would not be easy, it was far from reaching a hellish level of difficulty.

In the later stages of the game, after Lu Xuechao, Qin Yulong, Liu Yansheng, and Shen Hezhou were all eliminated by the player, Grand General Qin died in battle against Yelang, Prime Minister Lu retired to his hometown, and the Four Great Clans completely lost heart and withdrew from the court. Military power fell into outside hands, and the position of Prime Minister was filled by an incompetent fool. With Fu Xinian’s tragic precedent, no more brilliantly talented individuals ever passed the civil examinations to enter officialdom.

At that time, the only faction that still obeyed Xie Chongjin was the Eastern Depot.

Yun Luo had been a beggar in his childhood. Because of his overly beautiful face, he was nearly sold to a wealthy household to become a catamite, but a passing Xie Chongjin had rescued him and brought him back to the palace. From that moment on, he pledged absolute loyalty to him. Later, he became the Commander of the Eastern Depot, risking his life for Xie Chongjin.

What was laughable was that the player had not even spared Yun Luo, bringing him into the harem as well. Once he became a consort, Yun Luo no longer controlled the Brocade Guards, and the head of the Eastern Depot was replaced, turning it into a true era of eunuch tyranny disrupting politics.

If he had only awakened at that point, even if Xie Chongjin possessed a hundred brains, he would not have had the ability to turn the tide.

Fortunately.

Fortunately, it was a matter of mending the pen after the sheep were lost—it was not too late.

“As for the corrupt officials, I will have the Brocade Guards investigate them,” Xie Chongjin said in a deep voice. “However much they have swallowed, I will make them spit it all back out.”

“Today in court, I dismissed several individuals, leaving certain positions currently vacant,” Xie Chongjin said, turning his gaze toward Liu Yansheng. “Minister Liu, you shall temporarily assume the position of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.”

He had even addressed him as “Minister.”

Having been called Noble Consort for three years, Liu Yansheng was genuinely stunned by this title.

“Your Majesty, I have not yet sat for the imperial examinations to earn a degree. How can I directly enter officialdom? Furthermore, the harem must not interfere in politics…”

Three years ago, Liu Yansheng and Shen Hezhou had originally intended to take the imperial examinations. However, before the exams could begin, Shen Hezhou was sent into the palace, and the examination Liu Yansheng was supposed to participate in turned into a beauty selection for the harem. Neither of them currently held an official degree.

“The imperial examinations are merely a tool for selecting talent. I have already witnessed your capabilities with my own eyes, so what need is there to test you further?” The Ministry of Revenue was, in common terms, in charge of money—the state’s tax department. Xie Chongjin believed there was no one more suitable for it than Liu Yansheng.

“In name, you are all my consorts, but everyone knows the actual situation. You were merely kept in the palace to protect against Yelang’s Gu insects,” Xie Chongjin brought out that line of reasoning once again. “Though named consorts, you are actually court ministers. There is no need to be fastidious about it.”

After so many lifetimes, Xie Chongjin understood the capabilities and character of these individuals perfectly, knowing exactly which positions suited them best.

This was something he had already discussed with Qingshu—how to maximize the utility of these talents.

Had it not been for the fact that the Ministers had not fallen yet and these talents still required training, the position he wanted to bestow would be far more than just a mere Vice Minister.

Liu Yansheng’s eyes flickered as he raised a question, “Then how am I to attend court sessions and handle official duties?”

“Every day, I will discuss court matters with the Empress. If you need to discuss business, you may simply seek the Empress, and you can review official documents inside your living quarters. If you need to know the movements within the court, go ask the Brocade Guards yourself.”

Liu Yansheng asked tentatively, “Then my duty of assisting in the management of the six palaces… can it be waived?”

Surely not? They couldn’t possibly make him work two jobs all by himself, right?

Xie Chongjin cast an inquiring gaze toward Lu Xuechao.

He had already discussed the transfer of palace governance with Liu Yansheng yesterday, so why was Liu Yansheng asking this now?

Lu Xuechao said, “Tired.”

If he had to work all by himself, he would get tired.

Xie Chongjin understood instantly and said to Liu Yansheng without changing his expression, “Those who are capable should do more work. I trust that Minister Liu will certainly do a fine job.”

Liu Yansheng: “…”

This imperial couple was truly one more dark-bellied than the other.

“Minister Fu,” Xie Chongjin called out next.

Fu Xinian stood up and bowed with folded hands. “Your servant is here.”

“I appoint you as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, in charge of judicial affairs and punishments. Bring all those who flout the law to justice and deal with them according to the law.”

Fu Xinian was upright and unyielding; his ideal was to purge the court and restore political clarity, making the Ministry of Justice the perfect fit for him.

Fu Xinian’s expression grew excited. “Your servant will certainly not fail this mission.”

“Minister Shen, the position of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel is entrusted to you. I will have to trouble you to put in extra effort on my behalf regarding the matters of distinguishing the loyal from the treacherous and selecting the virtuous and capable.”

Shen Hezhou’s expression turned solemn as he bowed. “Your servant obeys the decree.”

“Qin…”

Before Xie Chongjin could even finish, Qin Yulong had already stood up impatiently. “Your Majesty, are you going to give me the position of Vice Minister of the Ministry of War?”

After all, the other three were all Vice Ministers, so he had to keep up.

Xie Chongjin smiled subtly. “The current Vice Minister of the Ministry of War is your cousin. I will let him know that he has a wonderful younger brother.”

The other three Vice Ministers had been replaced because they committed errors and were dismissed, with the Eastern Depot having long held evidence against them. The Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, however, had done nothing wrong.

Qin Yulong: “…”

Dear cousin, please don’t blame me. I just didn’t think it through in the heat of the moment; I was definitely not wishing for your dismissal.

“I appoint you as the General of the Guard. This was originally an honor meant for you, and it can be considered living up to the name of Young General Qin,” Xie Chongjin said. “When you achieve great merit in the future, you shall be appointed as the Grand General. I grant you an imperial token to leave the palace; go to the military camp every day to train the soldiers, and forge a troop of elite forces.”

Delighted, Qin Yulong clasped his hands in a martial salute. “This general accepts the command!”

“There is no time to lose. Go ahead now.”

The four men received their orders and departed. These proud chosen sons of heaven were all rubbing their hands in anticipation, feeling their blood burning with passion, fully prepared to achieve great things.

The remaining four—Helian Xi, Hua Yan, Lin Zhanzhi, and Wang Yiming—looked at one another, feeling as though they were completely useless.

Hua Yan spoke up audaciously, “Your Majesty, Your Highness the Empress, your servant wishes to ask a question… why was your servant kept behind?”

He possessed no talent for governing the state or pacifying the citizens, nor did he have the ability to lead troops in battle. He logically should have been dismissed.

This was also what Lin Zhanzhi and Wang Yiming wanted to ask.

During the scene just now, they hadn’t been able to interject a single word.

Lu Xuechao did not answer directly. Instead, he asked, “What kind of incense is Young Master Hua wearing on his body? It smells highly pleasant.”

“Ah, it is a peach blossom fragrance I concocted myself. If Your Highness likes it, I can prepare a batch and have it sent to you,” Hua Yan offered generously. “I know how to blend many kinds of incense, all of which cannot be found outside. With how ethereal and refined you are, you are best suited for carrying a scent of winter plum blossoms amidst the cold, crisp snow!”

Lu Xuechao nodded. “Excellent.”

The ethereal and refined Empress then said, “It would be a pity not to make money out of it.”