"I have heard that if you look at benevolence and act contrary to it, you will not doubt it."
Fu Shou chuckled and said: "It's all very good. The queen cleared out some of the ruined palaces in Jiao Fang and renovated them. They are more impressive than before. Song Du's pipa is also playing more and more exquisitely. Wait.
When your Majesty is free one day, you must go and listen to it."
"You can only talk about others, but why not talk about yourself?" The emperor listened carefully, with a smile on his face.
He and Fu Shou were sitting on the couch opposite each other. Mu Shun had already wisely opened half of the window. There was hot soup on the table. There were also lamps placed in the snow outside. A circle of orange light shone on the ground, accompanied by
The slowly falling snow is very artistic.
Fu Shou looked at the snow outside, smiled unnaturally, leaned forward and said: "Everything is fine for me here, and I have nothing to say... By the way, I heard something about the eldest princess in the palace.
."
The emperor was drinking hot soup with his head down. At this time, he put down the bowl, raised his eyes and said, "What's the matter?"
Fu Shou hurriedly smiled and said: "It's nothing. It means that the eldest princess will be seventeen after the Chinese New Year. I don't know what kind of husband she will marry in the future, so some palace people are discussing this and even mentioned it to the court.
There are some young nobles who are not yet married."
The emperor raised his eyebrows and asked interestingly: "Who are you talking about?"
"Hmm..." Fu Shou didn't expect that the emperor would suddenly care about such palace gossip. She usually didn't bother to pay attention to such gossip. At this time, she thought hard and said: "It seems that Secretary Lang Yang Xiu and Fu Qian are both
He is seventeen or eighteen years old and comes from a famous family, so it is just right."
The emperor couldn't help but chuckle, and immediately lowered his head to prevent Fu Shou from seeing his contemptuous expression. He drank the soup and said, "Is there any more?"
Fu Shou pondered for a moment, then thought of another person: "Wei Qiang, the servant of Huangmen, everyone said that he is handsome and talented, and he is of the right age, but his family background is not as good as the first two."
"This is suitable and that is suitable. Are they choosing a bride for me?" The emperor put the bowl down and accidentally knocked it on the table. After restraining himself for so long, he still couldn't help but show his face in front of Fu Shou.
Attacked: "Mu Shun!"
Mu Shun, who was waiting outside with his head lowered and bent over, quickly came in. He glanced at Fu Shou secretly, and then quickly fell to the ground and said, "My slave is here!"
"Some people in the palace are so idle that they dare to say anything nonsense." The emperor sullenly stared at Mu Shun with an unkind look: "Is the marriage of the eldest princess something that they can discuss? You will talk to me tomorrow.
Miao Si found all these people, whipped each of them thirty times, and then drove them all out!"
"Jin Nuo!" After Mu Shun answered, he stood up, lowered his head and was about to back away.
"Wait a minute." Fu Shou called Mu Shun. She didn't expect that the always gentle and generous emperor would be so humiliating. Fu Shou couldn't bear to see these people expelled from the palace because of her words, so he advised the emperor:
"These people are talking about the royal family, even if they are unintentional, they really deserve to be punished. But this is thirty whippings, and we have to drive them out in this freezing and snowy time, isn't it costing their lives? Your Majesty is kind,
You should not kill with your words.”
It would be fine if it was really an innocent conversation.
The emperor glanced at Fu Shou. No rumors would be spread without reason, especially in Weiyang Palace. Although Fu Shou was virtuous and tolerant, his sensitivity to these things was still too low.
He quickly calmed down his anger, pursed his lips, and said slowly: "Well, after the beating, I will send the person to the studio to serve his sentence."
Mu Shun looked at Fu Shou in surprise. He did not expect that the other party could have such a big say in front of the emperor. He quickly agreed and went down.
The studios are divided into different categories such as weaving rooms, rape rooms, silkworm rooms, and examination rooms. Generally speaking, they are handicraft workshops in Weiyang Palace. The prisoners who are punished to serve here do menial labor every day.
It’s no different from the original job, just a little harder.
Fu Shou breathed a sigh of relief and said to the emperor: "Your Majesty is truly a benevolent king."
"Leanness is used to counteract fierceness, fierceness is used to counteract leniency, and government is based on harmony." The emperor looked at Fu Shou and suddenly said: "This is how you govern a country, and it is also the same when you govern. If you are too generous, your subordinates will be scornful. Only with leniency and severity can you achieve success.
Only then will they abide by their duties and not dare to make mistakes. You should understand this truth."
Fu Shou smiled lightly. She thought that the emperor was simply warning her not to be too lenient to his servants, and she did not realize that the emperor was specifically teaching her the art of controlling people.
On the next day, the emperor was still thinking about the gossip in the palace. Although these were rumors with ulterior motives, Mu Shun started to investigate the source. But Liu Jiang had reached the age of marriage. This was indeed an indisputable fact.
The emperor began to pay attention to what kind of husband he would find for his only sister.
So when nothing happened, the emperor made a special trip to Liu Jiang's residence, intending to ask Liu Jiang for his opinion.
"What?" A bit of surprise immediately appeared on Liu Jiang's cold face, but the look of surprise was fleeting, and she quickly returned to her indifferent tone: "Who are they talking nonsense down there? Your Majesty will not deal with them.
, but what did I say?"
"I have asked Mu Shun to take care of this matter." The emperor looked at Liu Jiang calmly and said: "But what they said is right. It is really time for the emperor to talk about marriage. I wonder if the emperor has any favorite candidates?
"
Liu Jiang's eyes trembled, and her heart suddenly jumped violently. She was obviously at a loss and said hesitantly: "There is no reason, you, what are you talking about?"
It was rare for the emperor to see a rare look of embarrassment on Liu Jiang's face, who was like an iceberg. He deliberately said in a serious tone: "Since the emperor doesn't like the one in her heart, then I, as the younger brother, will go and help the emperor myself."
Let’s discuss this matter.”
"Why do you come here to make me happy when you are not doing so much government affairs all day long?" Liu Jiang frowned and scolded with lack of confidence: "I have my own discretion in this matter, so you don't need to worry about it for the time being."
The emperor did not answer, but still stared at Liu Jiang with a smile.
Liu Jiang was a little embarrassed and helpless, so he put aside the topic abruptly and said: "Instead of being busy thinking about this kind of thing, it is better to think about how to receive the Xiaozong sent by the kings. The wives and concubines of Prince Liu Zheng of Jibei these days
He often came to the palace to look for me, saying that Tian Fen, the governor of Yanzhou, refused to provide Jibei with clothing and food for the winter, causing everyone from the royal family to the common people in Jibei to suffer from cold and hunger this winter."
This time, in addition to envoys from Guandong prefectures and counties, officials from Shangji, and a group of scholars who were recruiting or self-recommended, those who accompanied Zhao Qi and other envoys to the court were also envoys sent by vassal kings from various places to contribute.
.
As early as when Emperor Xiaoling was involved in the Yellow Turban Bandits, Liu's vassal princes were repeatedly invaded and robbed by thieves, and many people died tragically. After that, they had no rent and salary, were in poverty, and were in a worse situation than ordinary landowners. This is
The first time it was said that it was a contribution to the imperial court, but actually it was because he saw that the imperial court was regaining its strength and had a hint of authority and rejuvenation, so he came here specifically to beg for food.
In addition to begging for food and rewards, some vassal states also requested the emperor to uphold justice. Among them, the King of Jibei asked his prince Liu Zheng to write an impeachment memorial to the emperor.
King Liu Luan of Jibei saw that the imperial court was using power to force Yuan Shao into submission and surrendered again. He thought that Tian Fen was just a subordinate of Yuan Shao. Now even Yuan Shao did not dare to resist the imperial court, let alone Tian Fen? So he was impatient this time.
He reluctantly sent Prince Liu Zheng to Chang'an, mainly to beg for rewards for the winter, and secondly to impeach Tian Fen.
The emperor knew the purpose of these Xiaozong's visit to the court. He was preparing to gather everyone together in the past two days to have a lively talk, so he was not in a hurry to deal with the impeachment of the King of Jibei. Unexpectedly, Liu Zheng seemed to have mistakenly thought that the court was deliberately biased.
Tian Fen actually followed Liu Jiang's path.
"In addition to King Jibei, there is also King Langxie's younger brother Liu Miao. He came here once in the first year of Chuping. At that time, you also named him Marquis of Yangdu and worshiped him as the prefect of Jiujiang. But not long after he took office,
Zhou Ang, the prefect of Jiujiang who was privately appointed by Yuan Shao, fought with Sun Jian, Yuan Shu's subordinate, and scared him away. Now he is coming to court, probably because of this." Liu Jiang has been receiving these family members of Xiaozong a lot these days, and he is very interested in their intentions.
Generally understood.
Hearing Liu Jiang talk about this, the emperor's face couldn't help but become solemn: "We must receive these people as soon as possible."