Drunk Yangzhou

Emperor Yongxi was sitting on the dragon chair, flipping through the piles of memorials on the table. His facial features were fairly regular, but his eyes were black and blue, and his face was yellow, which was clearly a sign of excessive indulgence, and he looked a little sluggish.

The eunuch lifted the bead curtain, and Su Yunpu knelt down in front of him, "I respectfully invite Shengan!"

Emperor Yongxi glanced at him, closed the notebooks in his hand, said "Su Aiqing, please", and picked out another notebook to read.

Su Yunpu had a bad premonition in his heart, so he had no choice but to ask, "Is the batch of old ginseng that I sent to the Bohai Mansion last time, the emperor comfortable to use?"

Emperor Yongxi waved his hand to signal Su Yunpu to sit on the soft chair, "The old ginseng in the mountains is very effective in replenishing vitality, but it is a bit strong, and it is still not enough to use it every day."

Su Yunpu thought for a while, "The fresh oysters in Zhanjiang Port in the north of Qiongzhou are the most plump. It is recorded in medical books that this oyster is also very effective in nourishing qi and strengthening energy. When I go back today, I asked Xu Ping from Nanyue Prefecture for some high-quality oysters." Send it to the palace for His Majesty to have a taste."

Emperor Yongxi nodded in satisfaction, his face became more gentle, he raised his head and asked, "Aiqing is here today, what's the matter?"

"Your Majesty, please let me know if there is anything that needs to be revised and changed regarding my "New Theory on Salt Politics."

Emperor Yongxi sighed softly, "Aiqing has indeed put in too much effort to reform the salt administration. I have just read your book, and it is really bold to criticize the current disadvantages."

These words are just to appease, not painful or itchy, Su Yunpu's heart sank again, he tentatively said: "Your Majesty, then... can you allow me to gradually reform according to the plan in this book, I believe that within five years, It will eliminate this evil.”

Emperor Yongxi was silent, and after a while he said: "Although Su Aiqing's idea is good, I can't guarantee it will be successful, right?"

"If your majesty hesitates, I can find some small places as a pilot first, and if it is effective, then promote it..."

Emperor Yongxi frowned, he stood up and slowly paced on the carpet, "Su Aiqing, I understand your heart of fist and fist, but now Daxia's most urgent task is to deal with Xiao Ge and Fu Yiting who are so powerful Rebel, didn’t you also persuade me to use the silver taels from internal funds to pay for the army? Furthermore, the reform of the salt administration involves too much, especially some wealthy businessmen, and even some high-ranking officials in the court, I’m afraid it’s not easy to handle.”

Su Yunpu sighed in disappointment, "Your Majesty, sending troops abroad and reforming at home, these two are not contrary to each other, but complement each other. Those rebels are just skin gangrene, and the corruption of Great Xia is a serious problem for the inner government. I think that the officials are clear and bright. Only by making up for the financial deficit; filling warehouses can stabilize the turmoil of all parties. Just imagine, if the government is cleared and the prisons are simplified, and the people live in peace, even if there are occasional disobedient people, the suppression is easy. The Jianghu organization that has troubled the court for many years , it was formed by a group of salt lords gathered together, and why Xiaoge, the king of Guangling, is famous far and wide, it is he who used the Guanhe to transfer salt and iron, and sought a lot of benefits for the local people..."

Emperor Yongxi's face became more and more ugly as he listened.

Su Yunpu observed the change in the emperor's expression, but he was still cruel, and continued: "On the other hand, in my Great Xia court, from the officials Wen Tian and Wu Xi to the poverty and weakness of the people, from the ineffectiveness of river repairs to the laziness of defense affairs, there are all evils... ..."

"Enough!" With the shattering of the ice crack pen holder, Emperor Yongxi cursed angrily, "Su Yunpu, you are so courageous! Don't you just want to accuse me of bad governance?" Fell to the ground, "Look for yourself, Ning Shu transcribed a letter impeaching you for secretly colluding with Guangling King Xiaoge, I didn't believe it, because I knew his words were groundless! But how did you treat me?! It turns out that you Beijing officials In my eyes, I am just so incompetent... Su Yunpu, you have disappointed me so much!"

Su Yunpu didn't know what to say at this time, so he could only prostrate on the ground and said vaguely: "I dare not!"

Eunuch Feng, who was waiting at the door, heard the change, and hurriedly lifted the curtain and ran in, "Your Majesty, calm down, Mr. Su is only devoted to the country, and has no other intentions..." He lightly kicked Su Yunpu with his boots, and said in a low voice, "Let's go now!" !"

"Wait!" Before Su Yunpu got up, Emperor Yongxi had already thought of a way to punish him. He always liked to have fun, but he was arbitrary in political affairs and would not listen to anyone's opinions. Just take Su Yunpu to rectify, "Su Yunpu, you go to kneel outside the hall, let them also see, what kind of consequences will it be if you talk nonsense to me again!"

The last halo of the setting sun has disappeared from the eaves of the imperial palace, and the bluestone slabs under his knees are gradually exuding a cold dampness. Su Yunpu just knelt upright in front of the hall, and at first he looked at the slowly turning stars in the sky mockingly. And the flowing clouds blown by the night wind, but when he saw some officials of King Yu's faction laughing past him with their stomachs full of oil and water, he remembered the painstaking efforts he had made when writing the book, and remembered that his family was consumed by poverty He suffered a terrible death, and it was difficult for him to restrain the coldness and despair in his heart.

Angrily serving the country's ambitions, he was helplessly imprisoned in Kanglong Bridge.

Gradually, everything in front of my eyes became flickering and blurry, and then even the wobbly palace lanterns in front of the palace were extinguished. It was at least the second watch at this moment, and the imperial city had just fallen silent, but within less than a stick of incense, dark clouds suddenly appeared. Gathering, wind and thunder, just as Su Yunpu raised his head to look at the sky, big raindrops began to hit him. The ice made him shiver frequently, his knees were already in pain like knives grinding his bones and tendons, his shoulders and waist It was also sore and stiff, but Su Yunpu was still unwilling to squat down, and still knelt with his spine straight.

In such a situation, it would be better to let me die here tonight.Su Yunpu was thinking vaguely, but Lu Yanqing's figure inexplicably appeared in his mind at this time, his numb and painful heart was filled with sourness, tears mixed with rainwater flowed down his cheeks, and he wiped them away fiercely.

I don't know how long it took, a few eunuchs from a distance came over with umbrellas and lanterns, and stepped forward to help him up, "Master Su, Eunuch Feng begs for mercy, the emperor agrees to let you go back, you will be fined for three months, and you will think about your mistakes behind closed doors."

Su Yunpu only felt that all the strength in his body was exhausted, and his legs were no longer as soft as his own. He let a few eunuchs help him to the outer court. Come some rare warmth in the cold rainy night.Someone was already waiting at the left door, and seeing them coming out, they rushed to him in the rain, and hugged him tightly in his warm embrace. Su Yunpu smelled the familiar scent of bamboo on his body, and tears welled up again. , He only called out "Jiang Ping", and then fainted in Lu Yanqing's arms.