“There is no such precedent.” Yun Chu took up the conversation. “However, precedents are established by people.”
Hope immediately appeared in Consort Xuan’s eyes.
“If a vassal prince governs his fief extremely well, allowing his mother consort to go to the fief for a brief stay is not a major matter.” Yun Chu smiled as she spoke. “I’ve heard that after the Eighth Prince went to Xiaochang, the bandits there no longer dare show their heads. When spring comes, if Aunt misses the Eighth Prince, go visit Xiaochang. The mountain and water scenery along the way is also quite nice.”
Dowager Consort Yun’s face was full of joy: “Good, good, good! Then I must thank Chu’er.”
She knew that Chu’er was doing this for the other consorts to see.
Telling the consorts that as long as the vassal princes performed well, they could be reunited with their sons.
This was also a way to win over these consorts’ families—even if they couldn’t be used for her own purposes, they couldn’t be allowed to become blades in Chu Rui’s hands.
Yun Chu smiled and chatted with everyone for a while before leaving her seat.
Regardless of whether the remaining princes went to their fiefs or not, it had no bearing on her interests. She respected their choices.
She rose and left the hall. Instead of returning to Kangning Palace, she went to the side hall where Li Jingshu resided.
Since the late emperor’s death, Li Jingshu’s status had become a problem. Because Li Jingshu was not a palace consort and was not recorded in the jade register, she should not still remain in the palace.
But the Li family had already fallen, and Li Jingshu truly had nowhere to go. Since no new people had entered the palace for the time being, Yun Chu kept her there.
She was also a pitiful person.
“Erlang—has Erlang come?”
The person inside walked out, and seeing it was Yun Chu, appeared somewhat disappointed: “So it’s Princess Consort Pingxi.”
Her memory still remained at the time when Yun Chu first rescued her, thinking Yun Chu was still Princess Consort Pingxi.
Yun Chu didn’t correct her and spoke: “It’s cold outside. Miss Li, please come inside and sit. Erlang is busy today and won’t be coming.”
Li Jingshu sat on the couch and began embroidering: “Erlang said he likes the knee guards I embroider for him. I’ve already embroidered over ten pairs. Why hasn’t he come yet?”
Yun Chu didn’t know what to say and sighed.
Li Jingshu was only normal for this brief moment. Soon she fell back into a state of collapse again. After drinking her medicine, she fell asleep.
Yun Chu stood in the courtyard and instructed the attending servants: “Don’t let any of her provisions run short. If anyone mistreats her, I will absolutely not be lenient.”
On New Year’s Eve one must keep vigil. Yun Chu kept vigil with her three children.
But by midnight, all four of them had fallen asleep. The next morning, Yun Chu was awakened by someone prying at her eyelids.
That little rascal Brother Jue had woken first but didn’t cry or fuss. He sat on Yun Chu’s stomach, forcefully poking at her eyeballs while giggling.
“You little scoundrel.”
Yun Chu picked him up and rubbed her face against his small one.
Chu Hongyu and Chu Changsheng also woke up.
Since he rarely had a day without court, Chu Hongyu lazed about in Yun Chu’s room playing with his younger brother and sister.
Before long, people began arriving one after another to pay New Year calls. Kangning Palace never quieted down.
These days continued until the seventh day of the first month.
At the first court session after the new year, they were greeted with great news.
It turned out that the hundred thousand troops sent last year to reinforce the eastern front, after joining with the original hundred-plus thousand troops, had redeployed their combat strategy.
Once the combat weapons were manufactured and transported there for installation, they took the initiative to declare war.
The Kingdom of Dongling was considered the king of naval warfare and rather looked down on Great Jin’s land forces. Facing Great Jin’s two hundred thousand troops, they only sent eighty thousand elite soldiers.
According to previous tactics, these eighty thousand elite soldiers could have killed at least thirty thousand Great Jin soldiers.
However, this time, the Kingdom of Dongling miscalculated.
They never expected that Great Jin had developed a new device. When their warships approached, that thing suddenly descended and crashed onto their ships. They couldn’t move it even if they tried, because the bottom of that thing had densely packed iron nails deeply embedded in their deck.
The Kingdom of Dongling could only watch helplessly as Great Jin’s soldiers walked across suspended bridges onto their ships and cut them down one by one like chopping radishes, throwing each corpse into the sea.
Of their eighty thousand men, sixty thousand were killed, with only a few escaping back.
And their warships were all dragged away by Great Jin.
In this battle, the Kingdom of Dongling suffered devastating losses.
“Great victory! Great victory! This battle is a great victory!” The soldier who came to report was full of joy. “General Weiwu plans to pursue the victory and flatten Dongling’s tiny territory. He requests the Emperor and Empress Dowager’s permission!”
“Excellent!” Chu Hongyu stood up excitedly. “We must beat the drowning dog! Flatten Dongling and incorporate that tiny territory into our Great Jin’s domain!”
Those in court naturally all agreed.
Because naval warfare shouldn’t have overly extended battle lines, nor should it become a protracted war—massive consumption was not a good thing.
Pursuing the victory was now the best strategy.
Yun Chu nodded: “Pass down the order for General Weiwu to immediately lead two hundred thousand soldiers to attack the Kingdom of Dongling!”
The reporting soldier received the order and left.
The ministers in court remained immersed in joy.
“As expected, it was the combat weapon designed by the Emperor that helped tremendously. Otherwise, how could we have subdued the Kingdom of Dongling so quickly?”
“The Emperor has only just turned eight! When we were eight, we couldn’t even understand our books properly. The Emperor is truly naturally intelligent, a heaven-chosen emperor.”
“The Emperor is so wise at such a young age. When he grows up, he will surely become a benevolent ruler, create a century of prosperity, and become a wise sovereign in the history books.”
“I think so as well…”
These comments made Chu Hongyu feel like he was floating on air.
He tried hard to control himself, but his little bottom still wiggled. He couldn’t help but turn around to take credit with Yun Chu.
“Our Brother Yu is the most capable.” Yun Chu praised him, then said softly, “But you are the emperor. Protecting your subjects and protecting the territory—this is your duty. You cannot be overly proud and complacent.”
Chu Hongyu nodded vigorously. He looked at the still-discussing hall and spoke: “I have something to say.”
Everyone in the hall quieted down.
Only then did he speak: “The foundation of a nation must be in agriculture. I believe that agriculture is the foundation of a nation. After consulting the Empress Dowager and Minister Ouyang, I believe that in addition to reducing farmers’ land taxes, we should also increase agricultural assessments of local officials, enabling officials to have the ability to guide farmers in agriculture and increase crop yields per acre…”
Upon hearing this, the Minister of Revenue quickly stepped forward: “Your Majesty, the national treasury is depleted. We cannot reduce taxes further…”
“The national treasury being depleted is your problem—it should not be borne by the poorest farmers.” Chu Hongyu looked at the others. “What do you ministers think?”
“This subject believes it is feasible.” Chief Minister Li was the first to step forward. “Agriculture is the foundation of the nation. Lightening farmers’ tax burden can stabilize the vast majority of the people’s hearts. This is the foundation for a nation’s long-term peace and stability.”
Others also came forward one after another.
“Many things happened in Great Jin last year. We should indeed issue some beneficial policies to stabilize the people’s hearts.”
“Increasing official assessments to help farmers increase production—if crop yields per acre increase, taxes won’t necessarily decrease. This subject believes it’s a good thing.”
“This subject seconds the motion!”
“Excellent!” Yun Chu spoke. “This matter is settled. Compile the policy into a document and quickly promulgate it throughout the realm.”