I have Immortality In The Cultivation World

Chapter 583: Chapter 424 Revealed_2

The Prince of Pingxi went back and forth with Ben Xin, haggling over terms—increasing his offer when Ben Xin decreased his, advancing when Ben Xin retreated—until they finally agreed upon the articles after a long negotiation.

Just as Ben Xin had said, Daqing didn’t belong to the Feng family; there was no question of a son selling his father’s fields!

The Empress Dowager wouldn’t oppose either, for she had nearly reached the end of her resources. She would be willing to sell even the three prefectures of the Northern Border, at worst relocating the capital to the south and ruling from there.

“This humble monk will report back to the King of the Northern Defense immediately.”

Ben Xin bowed slightly, put on his bamboo hat, and left the military tent, passing through unhindered with the Prince of Pingxi’s seal in hand.

In the tent, only father and son remained.

...

The Prince of Pingxi sighed after a long silence, “You act too recklessly, allying with the King of the Northern Defense and pushing me to a dead end.”

The moment Feng Ze brought Ben Xin into the military tent, the Prince of Pingxi had no other choice.

“Most people, when cornered, would start thinking about fighting back. They call it a ‘fight with their backs against the wall,’ but in reality, they’re much more likely to lose than win!”

Feng Ze said, “However, your son moves with the times and acts according to the situation, unconstrained by conventional wisdom. I dare not claim it’s foolproof, but it’s certainly better than trying to survive a desperate situation.”

The Prince of Pingxi asked, “What do you mean by ‘the right time’?”

“His Majesty strives for enlightenment and is determined to reform taxation, taking the benefits from the officials and the gentry to distribute them among the common people, even considering a single tax system for both officials and gentry that has already lost the gentry’s loyalty.”

Source: , updated on ƝονǤ0.ᴄ0

Feng Ze said, “After the success of the reform, I promise that land measurements will no longer take place, and taxes will not be collected from the gentry, ensuring stability in the court!”

The Prince of Pingxi nodded slightly, then changed the subject.

“Is the reform of taxation really good or bad?”

“It’s beneficial to the state and the people, but harmful to private interests!”

Feng Ze said, “Reflecting on history, I realize that the National Dynasty’s calamities of three hundred years originated from this issue of land. Your Majesty’s tax reforms may extend Daqing’s prosperity for a century.”

The Prince of Pingxi then asked, “If it is a good policy and brings stability to the National Dynasty, can it be continued in the future?”

Oaths are made to be broken; the Prince of Pingxi can join forces with foreigners, so Zhengneng can levy taxes on the gentry.

Feng Ze shook his head and said.

“If Father aims for the throne, and the people do not rebel, why would there be a change of dynasties?”

…

Palace Watch Duty.

Surrounded by his eighteen adopted sons and numerous old eunuchs, he listened attentively for commands.

“Xiao Yinzi and Magistrate Wen will take charge of Yangxin Hall, Xiao Zhongzi and Yu Gonggong of Diligent Administration Hall, Xiao Yunzi and Hong Gonggong of Shangyang Palace…”

Zhou Yi issued orders one by one, ensuring all the major halls in the palace were guarded.

An older and a younger, they compensated for each other’s deficiencies and kept watch over one another.

Zhou Yi spoke solemnly, “This matter is of utmost importance. You must all be vigilant, day and night, and not overlook any disturbance.”

Magistrate Wen, who had lived for many years and seen much of the palace strife, said gravely.

“Supervisor, is there trouble in the Inner Palace?”

Zhou Yi asked, “How can Magistrate Wen be sure it’s the Inner Palace?”

Magistrate Wen said, “Observing the Supervisor’s arrangement, it seems every area is considered, but in reality, you’ve tightly encircled Kunning Palace. Furthermore, considering the Empress Dowager’s background in the martial world, one can easily guess the outcome.”

“Magistrate Wen truly lives up to being a scholar.”

Zhou Yi glanced at everyone around him and noted the flickering fear in their eyes regarding Kunning Palace.

The Great Qing Empress Dowager, an Innate grandmaster, held a status that was formidable in any regard and was certainly no less than Zhou Yi’s. How could he outmatch her?

Some of the servants’ eyes lit up, almost wishing for a great upheaval in the palace.

Chaos meant a quicker climb to the top!

“Rest assured, I never engage in matters I’m not certain of,” Zhou Yi said. “This is His Majesty’s decree. The one in Kunning Palace is at her wit’s end. You just need to do your jobs well, and you will be rewarded in due time!”

His words contained an implicit warning, and the people hastily replied.

“We obey!”

Night fell.

The cold moon and frost, the melancholic autumn wind.

Zhou Yi stood on the rooftop of Shangyang Palace, the highest point in the imperial palace, from where he could overlook all the other palaces.

Towards Kunning Palace, lights blazed, and figures bustled.

“The Empress Dowager is still not resigned to her fate, eh!”

Zhou Yi’s gaze was indifferent. Whether the Emperor or Empress Dowager, there was little difference to him; he even had a slight preference for the Empress Dowager, but he would only stand by the winner.

“After over twenty years as husband and wife, they know each other all too well and have no tricks left up their sleeves—it’s down to a straightforward battle for power.”

Who in the Great Qing Dynasty could rival the Orthodox Emperor in heritage?

Several days passed.

The Orthodox Emperor feigned illness and stayed out of sight, leaving all affairs to be handled by the four cabinet ministers.

“`

Grand Secretary Yang Si once served as an imperial tutor, contributing to the Orthodox Emperor’s rise to power; naturally, he supported the Orthodox Emperor.

However, during the six years of the Orthodox Emperor’s reign, he rose early and retired late, often going all day dressed in his night clothing and eating after dark, personally handling all major and minor affairs at court, which turned the cabinet into nothing more than a mouthpiece.

As a result, Yang Si’s power significantly waned, leaving him unable to suppress the other three aiding ministers.

Even the cabinet ministers engaged in internal strife, not to mention the six ministries and three departments, which fought incessantly.

Today, the Ministry of Personnel hindered the promotion of the officials from the Ministry of Revenue, tomorrow the Ministry of Revenue would cut the provisions for the Ministry of War, and the day after that, the roughnecks from the Ministry of War would beat up the elderly from the Ministry of Rites in the Diligent Administration Hall.

The court was in complete chaos, whereas the palace became ever more silent.

Kunning Palace’s gates were firmly shut. Not only the palace attendants who were on duty but also the Imperial Household Department were blocked from entering.

It was obvious that supplies of food and drink had been prepared in advance, for fear of being poisoned by some unknown venom.

Palace attendants on duty.

The eunuch from the Imperial Household Department, Eunuch Zhong, knelt on the ground and reported with a pained expression.

“Reporting to Supervisor, I have placed the poison on the rims of the bowls and the lids of the pots, but to no avail—I can’t even get them inside.”

“If it works, fewer people will die; if not, it doesn’t matter.”

Zhou Yi stood by the Emperor’s majestic side, but he wouldn’t neglect the importance of cunning schemes; in history, many major upheavals and turning points stemmed from a single poisoned arrow or a bowl of poisoned wine.

After Eunuch Zhong left, Xiao Yinzi whispered.

“Godfather, since we can’t send even oil and salt to Kunning Palace, we might as well break in by force!”

“Not to mention that the Empress Dowager ranks among those with Innate status, but there are also experts from the Three Yang Sect stationed there. If we really broke into Kunning Palace, we’d be dragged to the market square and beheaded tomorrow.”

Zhou Yi said, “The Empress Dowager can only die suddenly, or be executed for plotting treason!”

After pondering for a long time, Xiao Yinzi said, “Godfather is right, the Emperor is determined to be a wise and saintly ruler, and will not tolerate any stain on himself!”

Zhou Yi expressed his surprise, “Have you grown smarter?”

Xiao Yinzi felt a chill down his spine. The last clever boy inexplicably died at the hands of bandits.

“Godfather, you flatter me; I heard about this from the young master, it’s not something I could have figured out myself.”

“So, it was Ping’an.”

Zhou Yi asked, “I’ve been so busy with official duties that I haven’t known what Ping’an has been up to lately.”

Xiao Yinzi hurriedly reported, “The young master has been making friends all over the Capital, from the sons of noble families to the lowest ranks of boatmen and cart drivers, and boasts friends throughout the city!”

“Don’t cover up for him.”

Zhou Yi said, “The sons of noble families wouldn’t give us the time of day, he must be mingling with licentious bastards. And as for the boatmen and cart drivers from the dregs of society, who knows how many people they have killed under the guise of being Ping’an’s friends!”

Xiao Yinzi asked, “Godfather, should we clean up a bit?”

“Let’s fatten them up first.”

Zhou Yi said, “They don’t have any meat on their bones right now; we can’t even let our working men cover their own transportation costs.”

While they were talking.

An attendant’s voice came from outside: “Supervisor, the young master is outside the palace gates, saying he has something important to report.”

“This boy really can’t go unmentioned.”

Zhou Yi instructed, “Xiao Yinzi, go bring Ping’an in. He will enter the cabinet and be appointed as a minister in the future; getting familiar with the palace regulations beforehand wouldn’t hurt.”

The Imperial Palace strictly forbade outside men from entering, but the attendants on duty were Zhou Yi’s men.

The Emperor would know about it, and at worst, he would be scolded a few times.

This was exactly what Zhou Yi wanted—after establishing great merits, it was good to commit small mistakes to reassure the Emperor.

About a quarter of an hour later.

Zhou Ping’an changed into an attendant’s attire and followed Xiao Yinzi to the duty room.

“Greetings, Father.”

“No need for formalities.”

Zhou Yi lifted his hand and his True Qi, crossing a distance of zhangs, lifted Zhou Ping’an. He deliberately displayed his strength in front of the attendants.

Zhou Ping’an got up and glanced at the attendants from side to side.

“You all may leave.”

Zhou Yi waved his hand, leaving only the father and son in the room. He asked, “What’s the matter, Ping’an?”

“Last night, I was listening to music with the third son of the Wang family. After he got drunk, he boasted to me that somebody influential had promised him that the tax reform would definitely fail.”

Zhou Ping’an said, “Today, I inquired with friends who are moneylenders, and the price of farmlands in the market has recently surged by more than thirty percent.”

“Hmm?”

Zhou Yi’s eyes narrowed slightly, his thoughts racing, and then he said, “A few days ago, the Prince of Pingxi sent a message suggesting we should work together on something big. I refused!”

Zhou Ping’an frowned in thought, and after a moment said,

“To reveal such a matter as annihilating the Nine Clans to Father without leaving any room for retreat, their intentions are crystal clear. Regardless of whether Father agreed or not, the Feng family is poised to rebel!”

“`