The loyal minister was forced to marry the traitor

The emperor had been ill for several days. Seeing the sky brighten up little by little, all the ministers in the palace covered their mouths and yawned. Some of them who "worked too much" last night had their heads bit by bit now.

Bai Yan's back was straight from the beginning to the end, Xiao Jiuqin couldn't help looking at him.

"Ahem... Master Hou, be more restrained." He Zhaoyuan always likes to jump around in front of Xiao Jiuqin, and ran to his side to talk to him if he didn't pay attention.

Xiao Jiuqin glanced at him, "Don't you have nothing to do all day?" I'm tired of always following behind like this.

He Zhaoyuan squinted his eyes and smiled, "It's okay, it's okay, the military commander of the five cities is not very busy." As he spoke, he pouted at Bai Yan, "Master, what kind of person is Master Bai?"

Xiao Jiuqin narrowed his eyes and looked at him, "What do you want to say?"

"Hey, how should I put it, according to those rumors, I think he is a good dancer, who is used to manipulating people's hearts, but... After meeting these few times, it seems that he is not so annoying. An unspeakable aura."

"What kind of temperament?" Xiao Jiuqin didn't know how much patience he had to hold back so he didn't kick He Zhaoyuan out.

"Just... seduce people and always want to find out... ah!"

"Oh!"

Unexpectedly, He Zhaoyuan felt severe pain in his calf and flew a few feet away.

"Hey!" Everyone was startled, they didn't know what kind of madness this Marquis of Pingjin had gone, kicking He Zhaoyuan away.

He acted swiftly and decisively, without mercy. Even though He Zhaoyuan subconsciously protected his knees, his teeth still ached from the pain.

He gasped softly, but Xiao Jiuqin kept a cold face, "The next time I hear such words, I won't have my legs."

If you say turn your face, turn your face, not to mention the frightened faces of others, even Huai Chun and Bai Yan are quite surprised.Although Xiao Jiuqin had a bad temper, he wouldn't turn his back on him if he said it in public, especially He Zhaoyuan could be regarded as his confidant.

Everyone had their own speculations in their minds, and before there was much whispering, the emperor arrived.

But after one night, the emperor's face became even more gray, his crown was crooked, his eyes were black and blue, he didn't seem to have much energy, and he seemed to be suffering from a little illness.

All the ministers below reported one by one, and the emperor leaned over and listened quietly.

After a long time, the little eunuch tentatively touched the emperor, "Your Majesty, all ministers have finished reporting..."

"Hmm..." There was a soft and slow reply in the throat, and then there was no more sound.

Bai Yan looked at Huai Chun's face, and the two exchanged glances. Since the emperor arrived, Huai Chun had been up to serve him. At this moment, the little eunuch was at a loss. Take out a pill and wait for the emperor to take it.

After a while, the emperor snorted softly, and seemed to wake up.

"Huaichun," the emperor moved his fingers.

Huai Chun understood instantly, stretched out his arm to let the emperor give him a hand, and barely sat up a little straighter, he slowed down, as if his eyes became clearer, and when he looked down, his voice became much louder, " What else do you want to play?"

Yes, this is the time to get to the point.

The Minister of the Household Department came out, "Your Majesty, I have something to announce."

"Go ahead."

"Yes," said Hubu Shangshu holding the jade wat, "there was a lot of rain in the south in the past few days. Yesterday, there was news from Yongzhou Prefecture that the Yunhe River burst its embankment and flooded six or seven out of ten of the nearby prefectures and counties. The harvest of the people was greatly reduced, and the houses collapsed There were many, hundreds of people were injured, and dozens of people were missing..."

As soon as this remark came out, all the officials below were shocked.

Not long after the Fourth Prince came back, the Yongzhou Mansion was flooded again, and it was only early autumn, and the embankment had already burst. If it took a while, the surrounding areas would be flooded.

"Not only that," the Minister of the Household Department took another step forward, "The Household Department is empty, and disaster relief is really difficult."

If it was a long-term worry just now, then it is a near-term worry now, especially Wuyin in the Ministry of Accounts can be called a guillotine hanging over his head.

"What's the current situation in the disaster-stricken prefectures and counties?" The emperor looked tired, and he was powerless to speak. Huai Chun stood by his side and bent his body to ease his breath little by little.

"Return to Your Majesty, except for some expenses, it is only enough for a batch of relief money, and the follow-up is weak..." The servant of the household department is an old Confucian in his 50s, and his beard trembles when he speaks.

The Hubu, which was already stretched, was even more stressed after this incident. Last night, the Hubu Shangshu and the servant had already sent a post to report to the palace. Unexpectedly, Huai Chun was not there, and the eunuch serving the emperor blocked him with words. .

"What do you think, why don't you tell me." The emperor spread out the memorial on the table and flipped through it, except for a few trivial matters, there was only the memorial of Yongzhou Mansion.

For a long time, there was silence underneath.

"Bang!" A stack of memorials was thrown on the ground, and the emperor was furious, "Didn't everyone talk about it just now? Some state capital has a strongman, and some island barbarians rob the people's property. When it comes to disaster relief, they all keep silent!"

The emperor was in a hurry, and the redness on his face was extremely obvious.

"Your Majesty, calm down!"

"Your Majesty is so stupid, please calm down!"

The crowd knelt in a circle, but Xiao Jiuqin and the fourth prince Wei Chengfeng were the only ones left standing upright.

Huai Chun calmed down the emperor's anger softly, and comforted him softly, "Your Majesty calm down, don't let your anger break your body. The imperial doctor warned the servants and maidservants two days ago to take good care of Your Majesty. Anger burns in the heart and is not suitable for the liver. Your Majesty must take good care of you." Mo lost the big because of a small loss, and damaged the dragon body..."

The emperor's breath was heavy, Huai Chun signaled the little eunuch to bring the pills for clearing the lungs and letting the emperor sniff for a while, barely quelling his anger.

However, in this way, Xiao Jiuqin and Xiao Jiuqin were particularly obvious among the courtiers.

The emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, "Feng'er..."

Wei Chengfeng took a step forward, "Father, my son has some short-sightedness, I don't know if I should say it or not."

"Say." The emperor felt uncomfortable in his chest, and he had already lost much patience at the moment.

"My son secretly thought that we can only act in a hurry, and the household department has no food, so it is a natural disaster and a man-made disaster, and the household department and the treasury alone can only be a drop in the bucket, so it is better to increase taxes. , to ease Yongzhou's troubles for the time being."

As he spoke, he looked at the emperor's face carefully, and he became more courageous, and continued, "It's not that there were no such precedents in the previous dynasty. Disasters can be suppressed.”

After listening to him, the emperor didn't say yes or no, but looked at Xiao Jiuqin who was standing on the other side, "What does Cheng Jin think?"

As soon as the word "Cheng Jin" came out, Bai Yan raised his head and glanced at Xiao Jiuqin.

That guy looked indifferent, like a long sword in its sheath.

Bai Yan's eyes moved, and just when he wanted to get up, a gaze suddenly fell from above, it was Huai Chun, he lowered his eyes, and gave Bai Yan a wink: Mo Dong.

In just a split second, Xiao Jiuqin said, "Your Majesty, I'm just a warrior, I don't know much, but..." He looked at Wei Chengfeng's complacent look, but he didn't show any signs when he spoke, "Just But I was lucky enough to read some books, and I also know that tyranny is fiercer than a tiger, and the rash increase in taxes in a prosperous age may cause rebellion among the people..."

Wei Chengfeng was still smiling when he heard the first half of his sentence, but his expression changed immediately after hearing the second half, "What do you mean by Marquis Pingjin?!"

He seemed to be trampled on his tail, "The tax increase is to rescue the disaster-stricken prefectures, not for the family's enjoyment. It has reached this point, how could they rebel, isn't it..."

Xiao Jiuqin smiled lightly, it was very clear in the quiet hall, Wei Chengfeng sternly said, "What are you laughing at?!"

"I returned to the mansion yesterday and found that the main courtyard was damaged due to rain. Could Your Highness let me live in the Prince's Mansion for a few days?" He smiled, "It's just a temporary residence. Your Highness may understand my difficulties and help you a little bit?"

He was serious from the beginning to the end, Wei Chengfeng didn't understand why he suddenly changed the subject, he was stunned for a moment, and then reluctantly said, "Don't there be other courtyards in the Hou Mansion, no matter how many inns there are in Yingdu..."

"That's right," Xiao Jiuqin interrupted him, "Using oneself to judge others, Your Highness is not willing to take in the ministers who are staying temporarily, so why would you ask the people in other prefectures to sacrifice their own interests to rescue others?"

Wei Chengfeng's face changed abruptly, "This is different!"

Xiao Jiuqin calmly said, "Why is it different? Although the words are a little cold, but the reason is the same." He glanced at the ministers, and finally landed on the Minister of the Household Department, and asked, "Master Shangshu , if today you were asked to spend all your wealth to help the victims, would you be willing?"

Hubu Shangshu froze, with a look of embarrassment on his face, "This... This is naturally..."

"To be honest!" Xiao Jiuqin stared straight at him, "If your lord is willing, it's a great fortune. After all, such a high-spirited and virtuous Benhou can't do it."

Hubu Shang’s face turned red, he hesitated for a long time, and finally gave up on himself and said, "There is still an old mother in the lower official’s house, and the children and servants are all there to support, and they have spent all their wealth... It’s really embarrassing..."

"Then it can't be done?" Xiao Jiuqin nodded, and named several ministers one after another, all of them were "upright and honest" and "loving the people like sons" on weekdays, but none of them could say clearly If you are willing to spend all your wealth just for disaster relief.

Tsk, I've been an official for many years and I'm not stupid. The Marquis of Pingjin has asked this question in front of the emperor. If I agree, then I will really have to cut them off. By that time, "dispersing all the family wealth" will be voluntary. If you regret it afterwards, you will be deceiving the emperor.

Therefore, if you don't have a thick skin at this moment, it is better than being forced to give money.

But in just a short moment, Wei Chengfeng's face turned dark little by little, Xiao Jiuqin seemed to be unaware, and asked him, "My lords seem to be a little bit embarrassed, after all, there are old mothers, wives and children to support. But His Highness just said that, but is he willing to open up his private treasury to help the victims?"

Wei Chengfeng choked, and it was hard to get off the tiger right now, but he had already been forced to this point, and he was not the only one who was embarrassed, so his face flushed and he stammered, "Ben, this hall... two days ago, the side concubine... I gave birth to a son, and the mansion also doesn't have much cash..."

Xiao Jiuqin raised his eyebrows, "That's right, it's the lower officials who have overstepped. The little emperor's grandson can't be short of food and clothing..."

He looked like a rascal, "So, why does His Highness ask the people of other prefectures and counties to cut short their own food and clothing to help the victims?"