Chapter Fifteen: Act First, Report Later—Special Imperial Authorization
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“Miss, what does this say? I can hardly make sense of it.”
Yue Yao gave a soft laugh as she studied the imperial proclamation posted on the city wall.
“What is there not to understand?”
“It says quite plainly that, from now on, the vassal princes and nobles of Great Zhou will no longer have to pay additional taxes. Their taxes will be the same as those paid by the common people, while the common people’s taxes will be raised somewhat.”
“It also says that all criminals in Great Zhou, provided they are not guilty of the most heinous crimes, may be pardoned…”
As Yue Yao spoke, the two of them had already left the crowd.
The maid scratched her head.
“Miss, I understand the literal meaning, of course.”
“What I don’t understand is why you said just now that Great Zhou has hope. Raising taxes on the common people and pardoning criminals—how could either of those things have anything to do with hope?”
Yue Yao smiled and shook her head.
“It is only right that you do not understand. Let me tell you: this is precisely what demonstrates the wisdom of the Emperor of Great Zhou. On the surface, he has lowered the taxes of the vassal princes and nobles, but in truth, he is weakening their influence throughout the kingdom.”
“And raising taxes on the common people is not necessarily a bad thing, either. Given Great Zhou’s level of productivity, the people’s taxes should have been increased long ago. Yet he did not raise them sooner or later—he chose this particular moment. There is a great deal hidden in that decision.”
The maid looked utterly confused.
“Hidden in it? What is hidden?”
“Why, the relationship between the common people and the vassal princes and nobles. In the past, when the taxes were high, the people thought little of it. They saw only that the nobles paid heavy taxes, while overlooking the privileges they enjoyed.”
“But now everyone is equal in terms of taxation. Naturally, the privileges enjoyed by the vassal princes and nobles will be exposed.”
The maid nodded as if she had suddenly understood.
“Miss, are you saying that the new Emperor of Great Zhou is not a puppet at all, but a wise ruler?”
Yue Yao did not answer at once.
“Whether he is truly a wise ruler cannot yet be determined. But judging from today’s proclamation, this new emperor certainly knows how to maneuver.”
The maid snorted.
“Hmph, I do not think there is anything so admirable about him. If he were truly as wise as you claim, would he have beaten our envoy? And yet you even helped him by writing to the duke and urging him not to go to war with Great Zhou.”
Yue Yao glanced back toward the imperial palace.
“What would a little girl like you know? Do you really think the Emperor of Great Zhou is so incompetent? From the refugees, to the beating of our envoy, to rebuking the Tang Emperor—all of it was deliberate.”
“Deliberate?”
“Exactly! Great Zhou may appear peaceful and prosperous, but beneath the surface, undercurrents are surging. The new emperor has only just ascended the throne, and his foundations are unstable. In reality, true power lies in the hands of the vassal princes and nobles.”
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“But if, at such a time, he were to go to war with our Tang kingdom, then Great Zhou would immediately unite against a common enemy, sharing one mind and one purpose with the emperor. At that point, authority would swiftly converge in the hands of the Emperor of Great Zhou, and his position would change from passive to active.”
“That is why I immediately sent word to Father, urging him never to go to war with Great Zhou. Otherwise, we would only be helping them. Not only must we avoid war, we must instead draw even closer to Great Zhou. Only then will the Emperor of Great Zhou find his troubles multiplying.”
After listening to Yue Yao say so much, the maid pouted.
“Miss, you truly are clever. But I still do not understand—do you like Great Zhou, or do you hate it?”
“Whether I hate it or not is irrelevant. I am merely acting from the standpoint of my own country. But to be honest, I am becoming increasingly curious about Great Zhou’s first male emperor. If I ever have the chance, I would truly like to meet him…”
……
The Imperial City of Luodu, the Imperial Study.
Li Chen was quite pleased as he looked at the three ministers convicted of treason standing before him.
One dull-looking man, one sharp-faced fellow resembling a monkey, and one woman who looked every bit like a bewitching demon capable of bringing ruin upon a kingdom.
With these three treasures of good fortune, how could Great Zhou possibly fail?
“I shall say no more about your crimes. I summoned the three of you because I intend to give you an opportunity to reform and begin anew. Are you willing to accept it?”
The three exchanged glances.
“I—I am willing!”
“This humble servant is willing!”
“This servant is… willing!”
Li Chen nodded. His eyes gleamed as he slowly swept his gaze over the three of them, finally coming to rest on Zhao Kuo.
“Zhao Kuo, receive your command!”
Zhao Kuo’s heart jolted. Unsure what was happening, he raised his head to ask a question, only to see a cold smile curl across Li Chen’s lips.
“From this day forth, I appoint you Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Above, you may supervise all civil and military officials; below, you may arrest traitors and evildoers. In all your actions, you need not consult any other official. You will receive your orders directly from me.”
A flash of greed and excitement passed through Zhao Kuo’s eyes. He immediately kowtowed and offered his thanks.
Although he had no idea what the Embroidered Uniform Guard actually did, he had already begun secretly calculating how best to use the power he had just acquired.
Li Chen’s gaze then shifted to He Shen, and his voice grew several degrees colder.
“He Shen, I appoint you Commissioner of the Eastern Depot.”
He Shen’s heart tightened, and he could not help asking in a cautious voice, “Your Majesty, what is the Eastern Depot?”
“The Eastern Depot is my secret weapon. It will monitor the court and the realm, investigate and eliminate dissenters, and hold the power of life and death. All intelligence will be reported directly to me.”
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He Shen still looked somewhat puzzled.
But when he heard the words “monitor the court and the realm” and “hold the power of life and death,” he understood that this was a chance to rise swiftly to power. He hurriedly bowed his head and accepted the command.
Finally, Li Chen’s gaze settled on Daji.
The woman truly was alluring. A mere glance at her eyes was enough to make one feel as though one’s soul had been seized.
Steadying his mind, Li Chen slowly spoke.
“Daji, I likewise appoint you Commissioner of the Western Depot.”
Unlike the other two, Daji’s expression did not change in the slightest. She merely asked softly, “Your Majesty, is the Western Depot different from the Eastern Depot?”
Li Chen gave a quiet, mocking laugh.
“Of course it is different!”
“Cases the Supreme Court has failed to solve may be handled by you. Those whom the Ministry of Justice dares not kill, you will kill. In short, the officials the court can control, you must control; those it cannot control, you must control even more. You may execute first and report afterward. You possess special authority granted by the throne. That is the Western Depot!”
Even Daji, usually so composed, lost control of her expression upon hearing those words.
Never in her dreams had she imagined that she, a minister who had plotted rebellion, would now be granted such immense power by the new emperor…
Nor was Daji the only one startled. Zhao Kuo and He Shen, standing beside her, were equally astonished.
“All right. Do the three of you understand what I have just said?”
The three answered in unison.
“We understand!”
“Good. Now I shall tell you exactly what you are to do…”
After some time, once the three men had left the Imperial Study, Wan’er entered from outside.
“Your Majesty.”
Li Chen rubbed his somewhat muddled head and slowly rose to his feet.
“Wan’er, you came at just the right time. Come, accompany me to the Ministry of Revenue. The Moon-Worship Festival is in three days, and I want to see how that Bailian is progressing with the preparations.”
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