inspire-indiana Chapter 240 The Crown Prince and the Empress Dowager jointly preside over the government.
Chapter 240 The Crown Prince and the Empress Dowager jointly preside over the government.
Gu Changyao was furious at the emperor's actions!
How could Your Majesty keep such important news a secret for so long!
They even raided the Xie family's home at this crucial moment!
"Brother, there's no point in thinking about it. You should tell Uncle the news as soon as possible so that he can make a decision. Our branch in Qinzhou has been making preparations for the past few days and can leave at any time. It's just a matter of when you decide."
The Gu family members in Qinzhou had long wanted to leave, but the Gu family branch in the capital was the true foundation of the Gu family.
How could they abandon them?
"An emperor like that is not worth the Gu family risking their lives for." Gu Changfeng spoke his mind.
Gu Changyao took a sip of tea, but his body was still trembling uncontrollably. He stammered, "Okay, I'll go talk to my father right away."
Zhou family.
A similar incident occurred in the Zhou family.
Madam Zhou had never intended to leave the capital.
Upon hearing this news, Madam Zhou finally understood why the Su family chose to leave instead of settling down in the capital.
The Su family had saved her and her four children's lives, and deep down she hoped the Su family would stay.
This way, she will have a chance to repay the kindness.
But she never expected that the Northern Barbarians had already reached Cangzhou Prefecture!
If the Northern Barbarians advance with unstoppable momentum and capture Cangzhou Prefecture!
The capital city is also in danger!
After Minister Zhou finished his shift, she immediately went to talk to him.
"My lord, you already know about the news from Cangzhou, don't you?"
"Yes, I only found out a few days ago." Minister Zhou's face was ashen.
He received a message from his friend Cheng Zongyi a few days earlier, and was immediately shocked by the news.
He simply couldn't believe the message in the letter and immediately replied to confirm it with the other party.
He received Cheng Zongyi's reply yesterday, and not only that, he also personally sent people to Cangzhou Prefecture to conduct a secret investigation.
The news within the city was secretly spread by him.
He was unaware of His Majesty's considerations.
But the enemy was already at the city gates, and now that he knew the news, he couldn't let things spiral out of control.
Spreading the news among the people is the best method.
“Madam, I know what you’re worried about, but now is not the time for us to leave.” Otherwise, if he makes the wrong decision, his life will be ruined.
The incident happened so suddenly; he hadn't even paved the way for his son yet. How could he make such a risky decision?
"My husband, I don't think the capital is a place to stay for long."
"His Majesty is incompetent and foolish, and has been slow to send troops and supplies to support Cangzhou Prefecture. We don't know how long Cangzhou Prefecture can hold out. We should leave the capital and head south as soon as possible!"
"In times of chaos, even the highest official position requires the life to hold onto it."
"We've saved enough money over the years. Even if we head south, our future will certainly be bright."
"My husband, please consider this matter carefully. We have enjoyed all the riches and honors we could have, but our children are still so young..."
Minister Zhou patted his wife's hand and nodded earnestly at her.
"Don't worry, Madam. I naturally put you and the children first, but let's wait a little longer. Perhaps things will take a turn for the better?"
Seeing that her husband understood, Madam Zhou said no more.
There's still time, no need to rush.
The whole city is in chaos.
However, the emperor was still immersed in anger over the theft of all the Dayong banks in the capital, and he was so angry that he fainted.
A country cannot live without a ruler for a day.
The emperor remained unconscious for three days.
The northern barbarian army has already breached the gates of the capital, and all the officials in the court are as anxious as headless flies.
The three provinces and six ministries jointly proposed that the crown prince temporarily assume the reins of government.
The crown prince was appointed to a critical mission and, under immense pressure, had no choice but to step forward and take the lead in resolving the war.
They allocated provisions and dispatched troops to provide support.
But, no one could have predicted it.
The 100,000 shi of grain that the Ministry of Revenue had painstakingly collected was stolen by a mysterious force as soon as it left the capital!
The message was relayed back.
The whole city was in an uproar!
This has shaken the entire capital!
This news was even more unacceptable to the city's residents than the sudden arrival of the northern barbarians at the city gates!
Countless people gathered to protest in the streets, blocking not only all the government offices in the city, but also throwing countless rotten vegetable leaves in front of the palace gate.
The emperor fell into a coma, and the crown prince took over the administration of the state.
He understood the anger in the people's hearts and did not disperse them, allowing them to vent their frustrations.
Officials attending court meetings could only enter through a side door.
"Your Highness, the Ministry of Revenue simply cannot provide that much grain. If it were to be given away, the livelihood of the entire city's population would be in jeopardy."
"Moreover, we must reserve seeds for next year's harvest, as this is crucial to the nation's future. It is a matter of national importance and cannot be altered lightly, Your Highness!"
Other officials echoed the Minister of Revenue's sentiments.
Crown Prince Xiao Yuheng sat on the lower left of the dragon throne, his face calm and composed, but his hands, hidden under his crown prince robes, were clenched into fists, revealing his inner tension.
"Do any of you ministers have a good plan?" Xiao Yuheng asked.
The officials were speechless.
They couldn't think of a perfect solution right away.
"My beloved ministers, we have now reached a critical juncture for the survival of our dynasty. I hope you understand the situation. If the northern barbarians were to invade the capital, I need not say more about your fate, do I?"
Xiao Yuheng's voice was cold and calm, exerting pressure on the civil and military officials without them even realizing it.
Officials from the Crown Prince's faction immediately stepped forward and took the lead, saying, "Your Highness, we are willing to donate one thousand taels of silver to the court to purchase grain."
"We should be able to buy grain in the surrounding prefectures. As long as we are fast enough, we can definitely send supplies to Cangzhou in time."
"Cangzhou must not be lost, Your Highness!"
Other princelings also stepped forward, offering to donate grain and silver.
Seeing this, the other high-ranking officials finally understood the crown prince's meaning: he wanted the officials to raise funds.
But things had reached such a critical point that they dared not delay.
They all stepped forward to express their opinions.
Even the eunuchs who served the emperor and the concubines in the harem sent precious jewels and hairpins to support the crown prince.
In particular, Empress Dowager Lan Zhaoyi brought a box of gold and silver jewelry worth 10,000 taels into the main hall and sat on the dragon throne to take charge of the overall situation.
“Your Highness, I know you have been appointed to this critical mission, but without the Imperial Seal, you cannot access the national treasury. I will make this decision.”
"By imperial decree, open the national treasury and take 100,000 taels of silver to purchase grain."
"If any merchant dares to take advantage of the national crisis to raise prices and profit from the disaster, their family property will be confiscated and their entire clan will be exterminated!"
"Where is the Minister of Revenue?" the Empress Dowager asked.
"Your humble servant is here." The Minister of Revenue immediately stepped forward and respectfully bowed to the Empress Dowager.
“You have the authority to mobilize grain from all the prefectures and counties of the dynasty. The northern border is now suffering from drought, and the people are living in misery. Moreover, it has been occupied by the northern barbarians.”
"In addition, you need to transfer a batch of grain from the southeast, west and north borders to the capital as soon as possible."
"This invasion by the Northern Barbarians is a protracted war. I hereby order you to personally oversee this matter. If there are any further mishaps, your entire family will be executed!"
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will take care of this matter immediately!" The Minister of Revenue, his forehead covered in cold sweat, accepted the order and withdrew.
The Empress Dowager continued to muster the troops: "Where is the Minister of War?!"
Upon hearing this, Lin Wuyai immediately stepped forward to receive the order.