Chapter 495.1: The Pit One Dug, Others Certainly Will Fill
If one truly wants to extinguish the Fu family, at worst just throw out that bit of reputation and just directly execute them. But for generations, the emperors of Qi Yuan were all the same, obsessed with having a good reputation. For the sake of their reputation and face, they can do many many things and can disregard many human lives.
If switched with Jin Qinwang, he can just randomly find an excuse to exterminate your whole family and won’t care whether or not others believe the so called excuse. And after he exterminates, others won’t even dare to say anything to his face. As the emperor, although one should emphasize on carrying out a benevolent rule, the boldness one should have one should still have, especially when facing a target that even the emperor himself all feels is a threat, so what’s there to be polite about. As the esteemed heavenly son, that was just someone that can disregard the law the most, and the most unreasonable one to begin with. When killing someone, that was further having special privileges among special privileges.
Looking at it now, Jin Qinwang practically wasn’t like the Li imperial clan’s offspring, especially this bloodline coming from the emperors. Alright, one shouldn’t think like. After all, wasn’t that suspecting the Imperial Noble Consort of giving the emperor a green hat to wear? Even if Jin Qinwang’s appearance for the most part didn’t have any areas that resembled Le Cheng Emperor, one still can’t have this kind of thought. First setting aside the fact that the Imperial Noble Consort was born from an influential and prestigious family, so absolutely won’t do this kind of thing, just based on the emperor’s obsession with the Imperial Noble Consort, hating that he can’t have her tied at his waist all day along, how could the Imperial Noble Consort possibly see someone else?
Ruan Rui Zhong and Luo Pei Shan both remained silent. Didn’t Jin Qinwang long made preparations? As such, there was no need to worry.
However, speaking from this bit, Le Cheng Emperor just lost by don’t know how much. The one that truly had an extremely terrible reputation, rumored to be ruthless and cruel was clearly Jin Qinwang, and Le Cheng Emperor on the surface was still a benevolent and compassionate ruler, yet the former wholeheartedly considered for the soldiers, while the latter disregarded the soldiers’ lives. The things these two did made one very much feel the irony.
Rui Qinwang accepted the assignment and just swiftly left the capital with people to handle the matter.
The people of the capital were all watching, waiting, and moreover, each harboring their own thoughts.
Rui Qinwang can be said to be carrying out Le Cheng Emperor’s meaning in absolute terms, not forcibly taking, and not purchasing the grains at a high price. Moreover, he even directly issued an absolute order, anyone that tries to violate the rules will absolutely be punished severely. As such, how can they buy grains? Begging and coaxing, using sweet talk? Even needing to lower one’s head? Regardless of what Rui Qinwang’s original intentions were, in any case, the people below in charge of carrying out the order just comprehended it as such. They for better or worse relied on the state to eat, so to put forward such a stance towards those lowly commoners, how could they not resent inside.
Rui Qinwang was just thinking of doing his best for his imperial father, yet unknowingly had these people offended thoroughly. Moreover, not letting them do, they would just not do?
The scope for collecting the grains was this broad, how many pairs of eyes do you, Li Hong Ming, have to be able to see that far away? Paying lip service has always been these people’s best skill.
Not take by force? They were government officers, how can they forcibly take? It’s all just people delivering the grains to their hands.
The purchase price of the grains can’t be too high? Don’t worry, something worth three copper, they will just spend one copper. In fact, they won’t even need a single copper.
Have the remaining money handed back? Heheh, of course it’s putting into their own pockets.
Can’t be quick? Of course, in a day, half of it is spent chatting and drinking. Even if one wants to be quick, still unable to be quick.
Moreover, the ones in the grain merchants’ hands were the main focus. However, these people similarly received benefits from the grain merchants. The grains the grain merchants sold perhaps were several times the normal price, and the grains were also all stale, or even moldy, yet they would still hide it away and not give it all out.
As for the place Li Hong Ming was at, within a certain scope, they were indeed strictly carrying out his order. As such, he didn’t detect anything amiss in the slightest, watching the grains slowly increase, inwardly calculating the time. When he felt it was about time, he finally had the first batch of grains slowly transported out. And at this time, the Northwest Army more or less have already ran out of food. Even if borrowing some from the locals and tightening their waistbands, at most can only last three days.
And everything that happened all got reported back by Li Hong Yuan’s people through airmail, while Le Cheng Emperor and numerous court officials were still completely ignorant.
Jing Wan looked over it first, “Rui Qinwang in the end has never came in contact with people from this stratum before, still thinking that since he’s a qinwang, his orders will absolutely be carried out. After all, in the capital, he’s used to getting flattered, and those people below, for the sake of assisting him onto the throne, have also done their utmost. It can be said to be ‘if given the order to go, then forbidden to stop’. Yet, unknown to him, for the places he has passed through, it’s actually complaints of the people rising from all sides. Clearly the year before last, there was that serious of a flood in the south, but because it was handled appropriately and in time, this kind of situation never once appeared.”
“Wan Wan can just directly say he’s stupid, what are you being that tactful for? It’s not like he’s the only one that went. Being overly confident, obstinate and self-opinionated, unwilling to listen to advise.”
Towards these words, Jing Wan had no comment, “Just, this matter, why did Rui Qinwang voluntarily get involved in? Even fully carrying out his Majesty’s wish, could it be that he knows something?”
“Rather than saying, he knows something, it’s better to say that his mother told him something, as well as what the Su family knows.”
“This, isn’t possible, right? Something that the others of the imperial family all don’t know about, how could the Su family know? If it’s just Noble Consort Su knowing, can somewhat be considered his Majesty accidentally telling her when not fully conscious.” Jing Wan stared at Li Hong Yuan’s unchanging expression, her thoughts turning, suddenly thinking of a possibility, “If the Su family really knows, then can only mean that the Fu family’s matter is related to the Su family. The thing that Ah Yuan wanted to verify, is it this? Telling me now, is it because the matter is already clear, or perhaps have a relatively big breakthrough?”
“I looked into the history of that year. Don’t look at how the Su family isn’t prominent now, back then, among the four dukes and nine marquises, the Su family originally should’ve had a place too, and moreover, even a duke’s position. Yet, unknown as to why, in the end, they didn’t even end up with a marquis title.”
“Ah Yuan is suspecting that this is connected to his Majesty targeting the Fu family?”
“Li Hong Ming’s behavior already isn’t as simple as suspecting. The imperial palace, that kind of place, even if I want to do something, it isn’t too possible. As such, there’s no way of investigating from the imperial palace. But, the Su Manor isn’t the same.” That tone completely didn’t have the Su family taken seriously. From the looks of it, even if having the Su Manor overturned completely, still need to have the answer dug out.
If confirmed to be true, then the grudge with Noble Consort Su-shi and the Su family will be even bigger. After all, based on a certain someone’s reaction, the matters in his past life regarding ‘her’, he will all count on Noble Consort Su and the Su family’s head, so it’s no wonder that his attitude towards Su-shi changed that thoroughly.
After all, even if Noble Consort Su poisoned him, both making him infertile and also ruining his health, his emotions were all still stable, even not taking seriously.
“An Yi, send a copy to both Sir Ruan and Sir Luo, letting them be prepared. Since Li Hong Ming voluntarily jumped in, to not have him sorted out altogether, wouldn’t that be very much wronging him.” Originally, still needed to leave him for a period of time, but since it’s like this, then it’s just collecting some interest first.
“That already isn’t your shadow guard, if not used to it, then just call him Qian Yi, just like Gong Jiu.” For the sake of easing the relatively heavy atmosphere, Jing Wan teased.
Li Hong Yuan raised his head, “Whatever makes Wan Wan happy.”
“What do you mean whatever makes me happy, it’s for you to get used to. Don’t have everything all forced on my head.”
“Qian Yi, do you hear, still not quickly thanking wangfei for bestowing a name.” Li Hong Yuan turned towards Guard Qian.
Guard Qian felt that he just got shot while lying down. Everyone could tell that wangfei was just joking. After all, Gong Jiu’s cover for the outside was that he was brought back from Jiangnan. One’s own name following a number, isn’t that just attracting suspicion for no reason? However, Guard Qian still deferentially thanked Jing Wan. No matter how great the heaven and earth, one’s master was the greatest.
(T/N: The shadow guards names are all number based so yi is just one and jiu is nine.)
“An Yi, the food supply for the northwest, has it been sent out?” That’s why, what getting used to or not, it was just immediately forgetting.
“Replying to wangye, according to the time, should arrive today.” Regardless whether it was An Yi or Qian Yi, it was just an address. For them that came from the shadow guards, they really didn’t care about this.
Li Hong Yuan nodded. These soldiers, he still wants to leave for the future to slowly fight in battle, so he doesn’t want to lose for no reason like this.
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