roccoschili Chapter 584: Going to Court
Chapter 584: Going to Court
Hearing this, Zhang Xianhuai was stunned and speechless for a moment.
He was silent for a long time, then slowly raised his head and looked straight at Li Chengqian. He just stared at Li Chengqian quietly for a long time without saying a word.
Li Chengqian caught Zhang Xianhuai's focused gaze from the corner of his eye. He tilted his head slightly, a gentle smile on his face, and asked, "What's wrong? You keep looking at me."
As he spoke, he raised his hand and gently touched his cheek, half-jokingly saying, "Is there a flower on my face?"
Zhang Xianhuai's gaze slowly moved downwards, fixed on the increasingly obvious wrinkles at the corners of His Majesty's eyes.
Each of those wrinkles carries the hardships that Li Chengqian has endured since he ascended the throne.
A few days ago in Xianyang, he saw the patches on the lining of His Majesty's clothes made by the Empress herself.
It is truly commendable that an emperor could be so frugal.
Then, he recalled the look on His Majesty's face when he handed the money to Zhang San without hesitation. There was no trace of arrogance, only genuine concern.
On weekdays, His Majesty gives the soldiers generous treatment, allowing them to fight bravely on the battlefield without any worries and defend their country.
Providing the people with many benefits allows them to live and work in peace and contentment, and their lives gradually become more prosperous.
Give officials generous salaries, hoping that they will serve the country wholeheartedly and contribute to the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty. But what about Your Majesty yourself?
He poured all his care into others, but forgot himself.
For the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty, he worked hard day and night, ate simply, dressed plainly, and was dedicated to the welfare of the people of the world.
Those officials, who enjoyed the majesty's kindness and received salaries from the court, formed cliques and engaged in corruption behind the scenes, thinking only of how to make their lives more extravagant, without any regard for the majesty's expectations and the suffering of the people.
An irrepressible anger and injustice surged in Zhang Xianhuai's heart. Why?
Where else in this world can we find a monarch who cares about the people as much as Your Majesty does?
Thinking of this, Zhang Xianhuai felt a soreness in his eyes, a warm current swirling in his eyes, and his eyes gradually became red.
He tried hard to suppress the emotions surging within him, his voice trembling slightly, a hint of sob in his voice. "Your Majesty, no, I... I simply feel that meeting Your Majesty is the greatest honor of my life. Being born in the same era as Your Majesty is such a blessing that countless generations to come will probably envy it."
Zhang Xianhuai raised his head slightly, took a deep breath, and tried to calm his excitement.
Li Chengqian shook his head slightly. He looked at Zhang Xianhuai and said slowly, "No, Xianhuai, you are wrong. It is also my good fortune that I can meet you."
"Without your assistance and support, even if I have great ambitions, I can accomplish nothing. The emperor is nothing more than an empty shell given a title."
He paused briefly, his eyes scanning the surroundings, his expression solemn, and he continued with a serious tone, "And it is you, the ministers who are wholeheartedly serving the country, who are truly able to make the Tang Dynasty prosperous and benefit the people."
Li Chengqian hurried back to the palace.
As soon as he entered the palace, he didn't even have time to rest for a moment. With the help of Zhang Xianhuai, he quickly changed into the court clothes that Zhang Xianhuai had brought for him.
While he was tidying up his clothes, he was still thinking about the court affairs he was about to face.
After changing clothes, he walked straight towards the Tai Chi Hall.
At this time, the atmosphere in the Taiji Hall was solemn and the officials did not whisper to each other.
They had already stood in order of rank, their expressions varied. Some looked nervous, their eyes revealing uneasiness.
Some of them looked serious and stood upright, trying to remain neutral in this storm.
Following a resounding "Your Majesty has arrived", everyone bowed in unison, and the uniform shouts of "Your Majesty" echoed in the spacious hall for a long time.
Li Chengqian walked into the hall steadily. His eyes were calm as he slowly scanned the crowd and nodded slightly in response to their greetings.
Then he waved his hand, motioning Zhang Xianhuai to stand next to him. Then he turned around, walked towards the dragon throne step by step, and slowly sat down.
"My dear ministers, although I have not been in Chang'an these days, I know everything that is happening in Chang'an and even in the world."
Li Chengqian's voice was neither hurried nor slow, but it carried an authority that could not be ignored.
"The officials in Xianyang are rife with corruption and depravity. Forming cliques and using backdoors are commonplace, bringing chaos to Xianyang. Therefore, I must act decisively and remove them from office. I will imprison them for trial, upholding the laws of the land and bringing justice to the people."
"But, my dear ministers, your reaction seems a bit too intense. Are you trying to force me to release them?"
Li Chengqian's gaze swept across the crowd and finally landed on the center of the hall. This question caused the entire court to fall into silence in an instant. Everyone held their breath and dared not speak easily.
After hearing Li Chengqian's words, Xu Jingzong first adjusted his court clothes to ensure that his demeanor was dignified, and then walked out with steady steps.
He bowed slightly and said, "Your Majesty, no, as your subjects, how dare we force Your Majesty."
"It's just that your Majesty's actions this time have caused officials like me to feel somewhat uneasy."
He paused, as if weighing every word. "I would like to ask Your Majesty, Your Majesty, the Tang Dynasty has always been governed by law, and the laws are strict."
"Since the Tang Dynasty has a complete legal system, even if those officials committed mistakes, Your Majesty should have dealt with them according to the court's established procedures, rather than having the Imperial Guards directly imprison them."
"In this case, what is the role of the Tang Dynasty's Ministry of Justice? The Ministry of Justice is essentially a mere formality. This will probably cause people all over the world to question the fairness and authority of the Tang Dynasty's laws."
He bowed again, his tone sincere and urgent, "I hope Your Majesty will think twice and consider this matter carefully to avoid causing unnecessary chaos."
Xu Jingzong's words seemed reasonable and well-founded, but in fact he was pleading for the imprisoned officials and also testing the emperor's attitude.
As soon as Xu Jingzong finished speaking, Tang Lin stepped forward. He clasped his hands together and bowed deeply to Li Chengqian, his expression filled with worry. "Your Majesty, I also have something I'm not sure about, and I'd like to ask your advice."
"This time, so many officials in Xianyang were imprisoned. I heard that the source of this was actually a fight between children in a small school."
He frowned slightly, his face full of confusion, "I really think Your Majesty is making a big deal out of nothing this time."
"We Tang people advocate the use of force and have always followed the principle of natural selection and survival of the fittest. If we are attacked, we can naturally fight back with our own strength."
"Throughout the dynasties, fighting between children was a common occurrence, not a big deal."
As Tang Lin spoke, he secretly observed His Majesty's expression.
"Now, children from ordinary families also have the opportunity to learn to read and write and receive an education. This is undoubtedly the great grace of Your Majesty, a blessing that benefits all people."
"However, I think that Your Majesty's concern for the people seems a bit excessive."
Tang Lin straightened up, his tone more serious, with a hint of stubbornness in his expression, "Let alone a mere children's fight, even if it leads to death, it happens from time to time among the people."
"There has been no tragic incident, yet Your Majesty has resorted to such drastic measures, dismissing over half of the officials in Xianyang. I truly cannot agree with Your Majesty's actions."
"I hope Your Majesty can reconsider this matter and not lose sight of the bigger picture over a small matter, which would affect the stability of the court."
As soon as Tang Lin finished speaking, a slight discussion was heard in the court. Obviously, many officials agreed with his words.
They were all worried that His Majesty's tough measures would plunge the court into turmoil and affect their own interests.