Cultivation: I Can Reincarnate Into Various Worlds-Chapter 72、Planning is up to people (seeking further reading)

Being greedy for one or two silver pieces is still greed.

If the crimes of the "Upright Officials" in the Court were exposed to the whole world, the common people would surely say that they deserved to be killed.

Therefore, Emperor Chongming had strong reasons for killing any officials in the Court, and justifiably so...

As Commander Liu finished pondering the turbulent affairs of the Court and Jianghu, Ouyang Shuda, seated beside him in the pavilion, had already finished drafting the national policy and handed it to his trusted confidant.

"After this parting..."

"The roads across the high mountains will be long, and we may never meet again."

"Teacher, you are advanced in years, and the roads are plagued by bandits. Would it not be better if I, your disciple, took the trouble of assigning a few family servants to carry water and supplies for you?"

After a quick glance at the words on the memorial, Commander Liu tucked it into his sleeve. Then, looking at Ouyang Zai with apparent concern, he spoke.

"No need."

Ouyang Zai stood up and walked to the railing of the pavilion. "I am already a traitor to the state. These petty thieves should fear me, not I them."

His attempts at persuasion exhausted, Commander Liu did not press further.

He mounted his horse along with a group of Tiqi, heading northward to Shenjing, breaking through the curtain of rain.

The spring chill was biting, and their clothes were thin and inadequate.

Ouyang Zai, having reached the age of seventy, could no longer bear the rain and cold. An old servant fetched an overcoat from the horse carriage and quietly draped it over his shoulders.

"Old Master, please get into the carriage. The ox... I’ll drive it," the old servant whispered.

A seventh-rank official at the prime minister’s gate, as the saying goes. Once, in Shenjing, this old servant too had been an honored guest of various influential powers. But when Ouyang Shuda resigned from his post, the servant’s influence vanished like a phantom. Yet, he felt no regret, still willing to serve his master with all his heart.

"Alright."

Ouyang Zai nodded and did not refuse.

He walked to the carriage, stepped on the old servant’s back as if it were a stool, and unsteadily climbed into the carriage...

As soon as he was aboard, he burst into loud wails.

At the Station Post, passersby frequently turned their heads upon hearing the crying.

However, they dared not pay too much attention. Ouyang Shuda, having just been escorted by the Night Patrol Department’s Tiqi, was clearly someone of wealth or nobility, so they only dared to steal a quick glance.

"Father, why are you crying?" Ouyang Pan’an asked her father.

"I weep..." Ouyang Zai began, his voice choked with emotion. "First, I weep for my forty-odd years as a minister, only to become a traitor to the state.

"Second, I weep because the pillars supporting the Court have now collapsed. Your Majesty no longer has a pavilion to shield him from the rain. The fall of our nation... I fear it is not far off...

"Third, I weep because bandits roam freely in every direction, and I, an old man, no longer possess the strength to draw my sword and bring peace to the land."

Ouyang Zai wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and deliberately wailed louder.

"Father, please come further inside quickly," Ouyang Pan’an urged. "The rain outside is wet and cold; we can’t let you catch a chill that could harm your old bones."

Hearing this, Ouyang Pan’an seemed to have a realization.

She hurriedly ushered Ouyang Zai fully into the carriage and then instructed the old servant to abandon the ox and head to Cao River at the fastest possible speed, without any delay.

「Inside the Forbidden City, Xuanhua Palace.」

Emperor Chongming sat on the main seat, scooping and eating steamed egg custard while listening to Commander Liu’s report. When only cold remnants were left in the bowl, he wiped the corners of his mouth with a silk handkerchief and said with a slight smile, "This old scoundrel spouts such nonsense even at death’s door. I, who command the four corners of the realm, am a sagacious sovereign! These petty brigands are merely the result of *their* corrupt officials’ oppression forcing the people to revolt. If all the officials under Heaven were as incorruptible as Han Taipu and his like, how could the situation have deteriorated to this extent?"

"But..." His tone turned cold. "Is Ouyang Zai worried I would kill him to silence him? Otherwise, why did he flee so quickly? This white-haired lout, this grey-bearded old reprobate! What kind of person does he take me for? Am I such a harsh and ungrateful man?"

Emperor Chongming slammed his hand on the table, his imperial countenance dark with displeasure.

Commander Liu, standing with head bowed, felt the corner of his mouth twitch upon hearing these words.

Ever since Emperor Chongming ascended the throne, the number of executed ministers had far surpassed that of the previous dynasty. Consequently, the Bureau of Music was overflowing with the female relatives of convicted officials. Out of necessity, some of the less prominent ones had to be sold off to other brothels and pleasure houses to make space for the never-ending stream of newcomers.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger," a soft voice said. "These are green vegetables Your Concubine planted, and I’ve stir-fried a simple vegetarian dish."

Consort Han glided over gracefully with a lacquered wood tray. Her attire was plain and simple, a stark contrast to the extravagant dress of the other palace consorts, making her look like the wife of a rural squire.

However, her delicate complexion and innate beauty could not be concealed even by such simple clothing.

"My beloved consort, you have suffered," Emperor Chongming sighed, his eyes filled with sympathy as he looked at Consort Han’s attire.

"Your Concubine... is not suffering..." Consort Han replied, hesitating for a moment.

In truth, she spoke sincerely; she wasn’t suffering at all. With the backing of her family, the Han Mansion, even if she were truly impoverished, she would never be reduced to eating chaff and coarse vegetables. As far as she knew, the Han Mansion’s glass workshop earned a thousand taels of silver daily. Even a small portion of that, diverted to her, was more than enough for her to eat and drink well.

It was simply that Emperor Chongming appreciated this particular affectation of frugality. Thus, she had no choice but to play along to curry his favor.

"I was delayed by state affairs, and the steamed egg custard has grown cold... However, these vegetarian dishes prepared by my beloved consort are excellent and quite to my liking."

After picking up a few morsels with his jade chopsticks, Emperor Chongming tasted them lightly and offered his praise.

Consort Han forced a smile. Born into a wealthy family, how could she have ever sullied her hands with such menial labor? These dishes, while appearing to be simple vegetarian fare, were in fact meticulously prepared by renowned chefs from the Jiangnan Yanyu Temple, specially hired by the Han Mansion for a vegetarian banquet. Each dish cost more than double, even triple, the price of ordinary meat dishes. The superior stock used just to enhance the flavor was simmered with expensive ingredients like swallow’s nest, Liaodong sea cucumbers, and deer antler. A single plate of these ’simple’ vegetables cost several dozens of taels of silver.

"Your Majesty..." Commander Liu inquired in a low voice after Emperor Chongming had finished eating, "How should we proceed regarding Ouyang Gong?"

"Hmm..." Emperor Chongming chuckled. "He claims my rivers and mountains are in peril? Then I shall let him witness how I govern this nation. Now that we are rid of him, one less mediocre and corrupt official, the Imperial Court is filled with upright ministers. It won’t be long before peace and prosperity reign throughout the land."

Fengxi Country possessed sixteen provinces, and Guanxi Road was but an insignificant one. Each year, not only did the Imperial Court fail to collect taxes from the impoverished and disaster-prone Guanxi Road, but it actually had to subsidize it.

The rebel army occupied impoverished land; they would surely struggle to support themselves.

The Imperial Court, meanwhile, still held the heavily taxed Jiangnan region, and boasted One Hundred Thousand Iron Riders in the Northern Frontier.

These Outside Iron Riders were battle-hardened veterans, a far cry from the likes of the ordinary Forbidden Army.

The advantage clearly lies with the Imperial Court. With what could those rebels possibly hope to win?

Ouyang Gong... Disciple... this is all I can do for you.

Hearing this, Commander Liu breathed a sigh of relief. With a declaration of, "Your Majesty is wise!" he slowly withdrew from the hall.

「Guanxi Road. House of King of Sorrow.」

As Xu Xing submitted a memorial to the Imperial Court, declaring himself a subject and awaiting an edict of amnesty, the conflicts between the native and foreign factions on Mount Siming deepened. Consequently, the King of Sorrow and King Xing Tian, as the central figures of these two factions, also began to drift apart.

Underneath the seemingly peaceful atmosphere, a murderous intent lay hidden.

"Heavenly King..."

"If you hesitate any longer, King Xing Tian will be the one to make a move."

In the council hall, the native faction of Mount Siming had gathered. Silent, an old minister of King of Sorrow Yao Dang, took the lead in challenging him, pressing Yao Dang to take action.