klisemfg Chapter 47 Lin Shiming was suddenly struck by a devastating, earth-shattering event.
Chapter 47 Lin Shiming was suddenly struck by a devastating, earth-shattering event.
February 21st was another day of grand court assembly.
Ever since learning from Lu Yuxi last night that Emperor Longyun would be closing in today, Lin Shiming had been too excited to sleep. In the end, Lu Yuxi was so bothered by his tossing and turning that she took the initiative to help him fall asleep, which finally put an end to it.
Even so, Lin Shiming still looks radiant and full of energy today.
His high-spirited demeanor intimidated everyone present.
King Ping was also uncertain, but he had no choice but to come.
"Your subject pays respects to Your Highness the Crown Princess."
Lin Shiming raised an eyebrow. "Second Imperial Brother, please rise!"
Prince Ping paused for a moment, then spoke politely, “Yesterday I heard that my mother was demoted to the rank of Wanyi by Your Highness, but you did not say why. So I came here specifically to ask what mistake my mother made, or what displeased Your Highness. Please tell me, so that I can make amends for my mother.”
These words were well-reasoned and polite, and since it wasn't a big deal, Lin Shiming gave him face.
“Shen Wanyi has been secretly colluding with the previous court, attempting to seize power in the palace. I will punish her.”
King Ping clenched his fist inside his sleeve.
He never imagined that he would one day empathize with Mu Xiaoguang.
Gritting his teeth, Prince Ping bowed again. "Thank you for informing me, Your Highness. I will visit the palace when I have time and try to persuade my mother. I beg Your Highness to be lenient with my mother and give her a chance to reform."
The Qingming Festival for ancestor worship is just around the corner. According to the custom of the Changping Dynasty, only the principal consorts can participate in the ancestor worship ceremony. It can't be that he, the mother of a prince, can only stay in the palace, can it? Currently, all the birth mothers or adoptive mothers of the princes and princesses are of the principal rank or above. Even the mother of that idiot Prince An can go!
If his mother is the only one who doesn't arrive, how can he possibly have the face to associate with ministers?
But Lin Shiming didn't understand. He thought that Prince Ping had come to tell him not to take revenge.
"Forgive her? I punish those who are wrong, and then move on. I have already forgiven her."
Lu Yuxi, who was standing next to her, laughed when she heard this.
Prince Ping was even more ashamed and angry, but he had no choice but to clean up the mess for Shen Wanyi, so he had to swallow his anger and make even more humble requests.
"What I mean is, could we perhaps change the punishment to something else, at least give Mother a position so that she is qualified to participate in the ancestral worship ceremony on the third day of the third month this year?"
To be honest, Lin Shiming really didn't know about this. He used to wait for Lin Shihe and Ji Tiao to arrange everything, then send him a message telling him to come back and participate directly. He didn't care about the specifics at all. If you don't mention it to him, he probably wouldn't even know when it's held this year on Qingming Festival.
Therefore, Lin Shiming could only look to Lu Yuxi for help.
Lu Yuxi smiled and sighed, answering for him.
“Brother, the punishment has been decided and the imperial edict has been issued to the inner palace. It cannot be changed rashly. If you want Shen Wanyi to participate, you should try to make some contribution and ask Father for a special imperial edict. That would be much more useful than coming to Shiming.”
After all, Lin Shiming only just found out who could participate in the ancestral worship ceremony.
Prince Ping realized that Lin Shiming was unreliable in this matter, but he dared not offend him again for fear that he would cause trouble again. So he had no choice but to accept Lu Yuxi's method, bowed, and left.
Lin Shiming stood on tiptoe, curiously watching Prince Ping walk toward his father-in-law.
"What merit can he possibly achieve?"
Lu Yuxi turned his head back, "It's easy. As long as Prince Ping doesn't make any major mistakes for the time being, Father will give him face. Once the pretext is there, the imperial edict will be issued."
"Oh!"
"The Emperor has arrived——"
When the time came, Emperor Longyun strode up the steps, accompanied by Li An's voice.
*
An hour had passed since the court session began. After discussing some trivial matters, and with Lin Shiming not coming out to do anything, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and waited with ease for Li An to announce the end of the court session.
Emperor Longyun sneered inwardly, glanced at the relaxed ministers, and then fixed his gaze on the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.
After a brief exchange of glances with Emperor Longyun, Qian Jiangqiu gave a barely perceptible nod, then stepped forward.
"Your subject, Qian Jiangqiu, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, has a memorial to present."
Emperor Longyun raised his hand to signal the eunuch to go forward. Qian Jiangqiu respectfully presented the memorial and stood with his hands clasped in front of him.
"I am in charge of taxation in the Ministry of Revenue. Last year, when I was inspecting the tax revenue and account books sent by the three southern provinces, I found that the amount was far different from that of the surrounding areas. So I checked the account books of the past ten years and found that, without any major disasters or calamities and with no significant changes in population or land, the tax revenue of the three southern provinces this year is as much as 30% less than that of three years ago."
The audience erupted in uproar.
Several people trembled slightly, their heads bowed and eyes downcast.
Emperor Longyun tapped the table lightly, his expression unreadable.
"Tell me more specifically."
"I have examined the account books and related records. Over the past three years, the tax revenue of the three southern provinces has been decreasing year after year without any reason. Each year it is 10% less than the previous year. Over the past three years, I am afraid that nearly one million taels of tax revenue has been lost without cause."
A million taels of silver could almost build a dam on the Changyuan River.
The Minister of Works immediately stepped forward, saying, "Your Majesty, this matter is of great importance, and I urge you to investigate it thoroughly!"
Grand Secretary Lu Huizhou slowly stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, this old minister believes that we should send someone south to investigate and summon the Governor-General of the Southern Regions back to the capital to defend himself.”
Emperor Longyun closed the memorial, his expression unreadable.
"What a coincidence, the Governor-General of the Southern Region returned to the capital a few days ago."
Everyone gasped.
The fact that a regional governor returned to the capital so quietly, only being discovered by the emperor himself, speaks volumes.
Several officials from Prince An's faction were struck dumb.
Shangguan Rui, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, stepped forward. “Your Majesty, now that the person has arrived, the case should be handed over to the Court of Judicial Review or the Ministry of Justice for a thorough investigation. However, given the current situation of the Ministry of Justice… I humbly request Your Majesty to issue an order.”
Emperor Longyun leaned back and looked at the refreshed Lin Shiming.
Lin Shiming: ?
Emperor Longyun chuckled lightly, “The Ministry of Justice has indeed been in some chaos lately. The Crown Prince is busy grading the provincial examination papers, so it’s alright for him to temporarily manage the Ministry of Justice, but thoroughly investigating such a major case is really difficult.”
"Alright then, since the Crown Princess handled the matter of maintaining order in the examination hall quite well a while ago, she shall temporarily assume the position of Minister of Justice to reorganize the Ministry of Justice and thoroughly investigate this case."
Lin Shihe chuckled as expected, then lowered his head and remained silent.
Lin Shiming's eyes widened.
I, I am a dignified young general, a military commander! Do you even know what a military commander is? All I know is fighting and killing!
I don't know anything about literary stuff...
Wait a minute, government affairs, official documents?
What have I been doing these past few days?
Lin Shiming felt as if the sky were collapsing and the earth was splitting, his soul being shaken.
I'm so angry!
I've been tricked!! I, a dignified young general who has read countless palace intrigue novels, was deceived by my bedmate and his father. I even cooked for them and offered myself to them out of gratitude...
Waaaaah, Lu Yuxi was right after all. I really am an idiot, just like my dad!
Lin Shiming's grief-stricken appearance successfully pleased Emperor Longyun at the head of the table. He suppressed his inner elation and cleared his throat.
"So it's settled then! This case will be handed over to the Ministry of Justice, with the Court of Judicial Review providing full cooperation. An imperial edict will be issued shortly. Li An, court adjourned."
"Retreat—"
"Farewell to Your Majesty."
*
Emperor Longyun disappeared behind the imperial platform in a flash, leaving Lin Shiming standing there, still in a daze, unable to react.
Lin Shihe snorted and leisurely walked over, slapping Lin Shiming on the back of the head.
"Snap out of it! You silly goose."
"Brother~"
A sense of grievance lingers in the air.