Why Does Mr. Xie Favor Me? Chapter 57
byChapter 57 The whispers of the monarch and his ministers
I want to go into history with you and into the dust together.
In the first year of Yong’an, the bells and drums of Guzang City were ringing.
Xie Heng stood on the top of the circular hill, wearing dark clothes and twelve chapters, with dark golden light flowing in the morning light.In his hand, he held the jade album that had just been offered to heaven and earth, and in his ears was the sound of long live the mountain roaring like a tsunami.
But amidst this deafening sound, Xie Heng’s eyes passed through the curtains and fell on the figure standing with a sword in front of the altar.
Xiao Jue was not wearing full armor today. He was wearing a black military attache’s uniform embroidered with gold python. He had a dragon-patterned sword given by the emperor hanging on his waist. He looked tall and straight.He lowered his eyes slightly, maintaining the respectful posture that a courtier should have. But when Xie Heng’s gaze stayed for too long, he suddenly raised his eyes.
When their eyes met, Xiao Jue raised his eyebrows almost imperceptibly.He was asking: What are you doing in a daze?
Xie Heng lowered his eyes, but the corners of his mouth curved slightly.At this time, the ceremony official sang: “The ceremony is completed – please enter the Tai Chi Hall and receive congratulations from all the officials -”
The long ceremonial guard moved slowly, Xie Heng boarded the chariot, Xiao Jue got on his horse, and the guard was half a step away from the chariot side.This distance is very subtle, close enough to hear each other’s breathing, but far enough to comply with etiquette.
“General, didn’t you sleep well last night?” Xie Heng suddenly spoke, his voice was so soft that only Xiao Jue could hear it.
Xiao Jue looked forward: “How can your Majesty see this?”
“Your hand holding the reins is three points tighter than usual.”
Xiao Jue paused and finally turned to look at him.Under the sun, the profile of the new emperor’s face was looming behind the curves, and his jawline was a little tight.He was not the only one who was nervous.
“I was thinking,” Xiao Jue lowered his voice, “At that time in the north, Your Majesty secretly drank my wine. When he was drunk, he hugged the horse’s neck and said that he wanted the horse to ride across the desert and go straight to the royal court. Did you ever think about today?”
Xie Heng tapped his fingertips on the armrest: “You also said at that time that if I really became the emperor, you would resign and go to Jiangnan to open a wine shop.”
“Now I have changed my mind.” Xiao Jue rode his horse half a step closer, almost parallel to the imperial chariot, “I want to brew strong liquor in Guzang, and my name will be Emperor Zui.”
Xie Heng finally laughed out loud and shook his pearls lightly: “Wonderful.”
“I have always been unruly.” After Xiao Jue finished speaking, he reined in his horse and returned to his original position, as if the transgression in that moment had never happened.
On the third day after the enthronement ceremony, there was the first court meeting in Taiji Hall.
The problem came faster than expected. The tax reports from the eight counties in the south of the Yangtze River were 40% less than those under the old dynasty last year.
“Flood? Drought?” Xie Heng threw the memorial on the imperial case with a calm voice, “Or is it because the New Deal has just been launched, people’s hearts are floating, and someone is deliberately delaying payment?”
Du Cheng, the Minister of Duzhi, came out and said: “Your Majesty, the Jiangnan gentry has been entrenched for hundreds of years, and many acres of land and household registrations have been hidden. The long-standing disadvantages of the previous dynasty cannot be eliminated in a day. I think we should plan for it slowly.”
Xie Heng interrupted him, stood up, and brushed the pile of memorials on the case with his black robe sleeves, “Does Mr. Du know how much food and grass are consumed by the 200,000 border troops in the north every day? In the spring famine in Guanzhong, the people of the three counties are waiting for the imperial court to provide relief. In the land of fish and rice in the south of the Yangtze River, you tell me to plan for it slowly?”
Xie Heng’s eyes swept across the officials, and finally landed on Xiao Jue: “General Zhenguo.”
Xiao Jue came out: “I’m here.”
“Three days later, you will go to Jiangnan in person to supervise the payment of taxes. Anyone who resists payment, regardless of whether he is a scholar or a commoner, will be dealt with strictly according to the law.” Xie Heng paused and said, “I will give you Shangfang Sword. You can kill them first and then report them.”
Xiao Jue knelt down on one knee and said, “Master, take the order.”
After the court ended, Xie Heng sat alone in the imperial study until late at night.The flickering candlelight reflected a deep scratch between his eyebrows.
There were familiar footsteps outside the door, and Xiao Jue pushed the door open and walked in, holding a food box in his hand.
“Your Majesty hasn’t had dinner yet.” He laid out the dishes in a familiar manner. It was a bowl of porridge and two side dishes.
Xie Heng didn’t move, just looked at him: “If we go to Jiangnan, we may face many hardships.”
“I know.”
“Many people will be killed.” Xie Heng closed his eyes, “Countless people will call you a cruel official and call me a tyrant. You and I will both have a bad name in the history books.”
Xiao Jue walked behind him and put his hand on his shoulder.This movement would have been transgressive during the day, but at this moment it was as natural as breathing.
“Xie Heng.” He called his name, not His Majesty, “I will bear the bad reputation, and I will block the scolding. Just remember the prosperous world you want to build, and then keep moving forward.”
Xie Heng raised his hand and covered the back of his hand.The palms touch each other and the temperature is transferred.
“Ajue,” his voice was a little hoarse, “I’m afraid sometimes.”
“What are you afraid of?”
“I’m afraid that at the end of this road, I will be the only one left.”
Xiao Jue was silent for a long time, then suddenly leaned over and whispered in his ear: “Then you have to live longer. I hate giving up halfway.”
Xie Heng laughed softly, and there was finally a hint of relief in the laughter.
On the day Xiao Jue left Beijing, it was drizzling in Guzang City.
Xie Heng made an exception and sent him to the palace gate. This was not in line with the etiquette. However, at the beginning of the new dynasty, the officials were very sensible and did not say much.
“Take this with you.” Xie Heng handed a tips bag to Xiao Jue, “It contains my handwriting. It can be opened in extreme circumstances.”
Xiao Jue took it, his fingertips touched Xie Heng’s hand, and he paused: “What did your Majesty write?”
“We will know when the time comes.” Xie Heng took a step back and restored the distance that an emperor should have. “Go early and come back early.”
Xiao Jue got on his horse, his dark cloak fluttering in the drizzle.He walked far away and suddenly looked back. High above the palace gate, the figure was still standing in the rain.
A month later, bad news came from Jiangnan.
Fang Shiqing, the prefect of Chen County, resisted taxes and instigated tenant farmers to attack the government office. Xiao Jue led his troops to suppress it. More than 300 people were killed and injured in the conflict between the two sides.Fang Shiqing was captured and beheaded in a downtown area three days later.On the same day, three of the five families with surnames in Jiangnan had their property confiscated, the men were exiled, and the women were turned into official servants.
The news spread back to Guzang, and the government and the public were shocked.
Seven censors from the Yushitai jointly petitioned to impeach Xiao Jue for killing innocent people indiscriminately and harming the peace of the world.There were even elders from the old dynasty who knelt down outside the palace gate and cried out that the scholars were heartbroken.
Xie Heng left all the memorials unpublished, but issued an order three days later: Xiao Jue was promoted to concurrently serve as the inspector of Jiangnan Province and took charge of the military and administration of the eight counties.
As soon as the decree came out, the whole court was in an uproar.
“Your Majesty wants to make enemies of the world’s scholars!” After leaving the court, Du Cheng couldn’t kneel down in the imperial study room.
Xie Heng approved the memorial without raising his head: “Du Qing, Fang Shiqing hid 20,000 acres of farmland and 5,000 shady households in Chen County. If these fields are distributed to landless farmers, ten thousand people can live. If these shady households are deregistered, they can pay taxes and serve as soldiers.”
He raised his eyes and said, “Tell me, which is more important, Shilin Hanxin, or the lives and livelihoods of these more than 10,000 people?”
Du Cheng was speechless.
“Go ahead.” Xie Heng waved his hand, “Tell those who are kneeling that if you really want to kneel, go kneel in front of the graves of the people in the north who have starved to death. I don’t recognize this here.”
Late at night, Xie Heng received a secret report from Xiao Jue from Jiangnan. It was not an official document, but a private letter.
The letter was short: “I saw blood, and I couldn’t sleep well at night. I remembered that when it snowed heavily in the north, you squeezed into my room to keep warm, saying you were cold. Now that it is raining in the south of the Yangtze River, the room is damp, and it feels cold. I miss Guzang’s strong wine and the lamp on your desk.
Don’t read it.All is well.Jue”
Xie Heng read the letter three times and wrote a reply, but only wrote two words: “Come back soon.”
After thinking for a while, he added another line: “The wine has been warmed.”
On the day Xiao Jue returned to Guzang, Xie Heng held a banquet in the palace. It was said to be a banquet, but in fact there were only two people.
On the stone table in the pavilion was a pot of wine and two plates of side dishes.Xiao Jue was tired of the journey and still had his armor on. He sat down and drank three glasses of wine.
“Slow down.” Xie Heng held down his fourth glass of wine, “I know everything about Jiangnan.”
Xiao Jue raised his eyes and looked at him: “Does your Majesty know what I found in Fang’s house?”
“What?”
“Secret letters with remnants of the previous dynasty, hoards of soldiers and armor, and…” Xiao Jue took out a directory from his arms and pushed it in front of Xie Heng. “Evidence of bribes received by seventeen officials in the dynasty. Three of them were promoted by His Majesty after he ascended the throne.”
Xie Heng scanned the directory and asked calmly, “How are you doing?”
“According to the law, we should be beheaded.” Xiao Jue stared at him, “But I know that I can’t be beheaded now. The new government is not stable, and the northern border is not at peace. If the court is disturbed again, big changes may occur.”
Xie Heng filled two glasses of wine and pushed one to him: “So?”
“So I left the evidence.” Xiao Jue took the wine glass, “When to use it and how to use it, Your Majesty decides.”
Xie Heng raised his glass: “You are handing me a knife.”
“Yes.” Xiao Jue clinked glasses with him, “But the hilt of the knife is in your Majesty’s hand. I only obey orders when it falls and on whose head it falls.”
The two of them drank it all in one gulp. The wine was strong and burned from their throats to their hearts.
“You’ve lost weight.” Xie Heng said suddenly.
Xiao Jue was stunned for a moment, then smiled: “Jiangnan cuisine is so sweet that I can’t get used to it.”
“Let the imperial kitchen make some dishes from the North tomorrow.” Xie Heng said, and poured wine for him, “Tonight, drink with me until the curfew.”
So they really drank until the curfew, until Xiao Jue took off his armor and leaned against the pavilion pillar wearing only his middle coat. Xie Heng let his hair crown loose and his long hair fell all over his shoulders.
“Xie Heng.” Xiao Jue suddenly called him by his first and last name.
“Huh?”
“If one day I am so great that I shock the Lord, will you kill me?”
The pavilion suddenly became eerily quiet, and the palace lantern in the distance swayed in the wind, casting the shadows of the two people on the ground, entangled.
Xie Heng stared at him for a long time, then suddenly reached out and grabbed his collar and pulled him close.The tips of their noses were almost touching, and their breaths smelled of alcohol.
“Xiao Jue,” he said word by word, “if you dare to rebel, I will lock you up and you will not be allowed to go anywhere.”
Xiao Jue smiled, and that smile was a bit evil under the moonlight: “That minister will definitely not rebel.”
Xie Heng let go of his hand, but Xiao Jue grabbed his wrist with his backhand, “But your Majesty also has to promise me something.”
“Say.”
“No matter what the history books write in the future, no matter how scolded by future generations, Your Majesty will live.” Xiao Jue held his hand, the palm of his hand was hot, “Live for a long time, and live longer than me.”
He leaned closer and almost whispered: “I can’t bear to let Your Majesty bear this infamy alone.”
Xie Heng’s breathing stagnated, and he suddenly laughed until his shoulders trembled: “Bastard.”
“His Majesty has to carry my name with me for being a notorious minister for thousands of years. When future generations read the history books, they will have to guess whether it was the rebellious ministers and traitors who committed the crime, or the emperor of the Holy Tomorrow who was willing to perish.”
In the winter of the first year of Yong’an, Jiangnan’s New Deal finally bore fruit.
An additional 400,000 hectares of land were added to the Qing Dynasty, and the number of refugees registered in the household registration reached one million.Although the taxes were not fully paid, 70% was collected, enough to support the court through the winter.
But the undercurrent in the court became increasingly violent.
The civil servant group headed by Du Cheng began to openly question the haste of the New Deal, while the generals under Xiao Jue became increasingly dissatisfied with these civil servants who could only talk.In the Taiji Hall, verbal confrontations have become commonplace.
On this day, there was a banquet in the palace.
After three rounds of drinking, the Minister of the Fifth Army suddenly stood up due to the drunkenness and said: “Your Majesty, I have something to say, and I won’t be happy if I don’t say it!”
“Tell me.” Xie Heng put down his wine glass.
“Xiao Jue, the general who governs the country, has overall military power in the north, and also takes over the military and political affairs in the south of the Yangtze River. He has too much power and is not a blessing to the country! Moreover, he kills indiscriminately in the south of the Yangtze River, which damages your majesty’s reputation for benevolence. I ask your majesty to take back the military power and choose talented people!”
As soon as the words fell, several people on the general table started clapping the table.
“What the hell are you farting at?”
“Good job killing those moths in Jiangnan!”
The scene was about to be chaotic, but Xiao Jue sat still and took a sip of wine slowly, then raised his eyes to look at Xie Heng.
Xie Heng was silent for a long time, then suddenly smiled: “Aiqing is drunk, please help her sober up.”
“Your Majesty—” He wanted to say more, but the Beifu Army covered his mouth and dragged him down.
The banquet continued with singing and dancing, as if the scene just now had never happened.
When the banquet was over, Xie Heng stopped Xiao Jue and said, “Come for a walk with me.”
The two walked side by side on the palace road, and the eunuch following behind them wisely kept their distance.
“What do you think of today’s events?” Xie Heng asked.
“It’s expected.” Xiao Jue said calmly, “The birds are hidden behind the bows, the rabbits are dead and the dogs are cooked. This has always been the case.”
Xie Heng stopped and turned to look at him: “Do you think I can cook you?”
Xiao Jue also stopped, “I don’t know.”
“Then you still-”
“Because I trust you.” Xiao Jue interrupted him.
He took a step forward, almost leaning against him: “So, Your Majesty, do whatever you want to do. Whether it is reducing military power or dividing authority, I am all willing.”
He lowered his voice and said with a bit of ruthlessness: “Just don’t let those civil servants disgust me. If you want to take back power, you can do it yourself.”
Xie Heng stared at him for a long time, then suddenly reached out and brushed away the broken hair from his ears: “Idiot.”
“I am stupid to begin with.” Xiao Jue grabbed his hand, “If Your Majesty allows others to bully me again, I will be really annoyed.”
Xie Heng smiled and held his hand, palms touching, “No one dares to bully you.” The palace lantern swayed in the distance, lengthening the shadows of the two people, overlapping them, and then separated them.