Since the matter was settled, naturally they had to inform Emperor Jianzhang as well—the Crown Prince had previously petitioned Emperor Jianzhang, hoping to have the Crown Princess or Princess Duanhui help select a proper young lady for Prince Dongping. Now that the selection had been made, they naturally needed to obtain Emperor Jianzhang’s approval first before it could proceed.
But before they could go find Emperor Jianzhang, they heard that during the great court assembly, Cen Biliang had insisted on deploying troops northward and painfully detailed the advantages and disadvantages, saying that according to how the current situation was developing, the Tatars would definitely gain the upper hand in the northwest.
As usual, it was another battle of words. The two factions argued so fiercely they nearly came to blows—after all, Emperor Jianzhang had previously only said that those who advocated surrender, marriage alliances, or appeasement would face execution and clan extermination, but hadn’t said that those who didn’t support deploying troops to reinforce the northwest would also be beheaded.
However, this time it didn’t end with just arguing, because Cen Biliang made a shocking suggestion: “You ministers keep saying there’s no silver, but don’t you know that if the Tatars invade, not only will there be no silver, there won’t even be lives left.”
“Is silver important? Are the territory and prestige of our Great Zhou not important? Are the lives of our Great Zhou’s common people not important?”
“Since we lack silver, then go find silver!”
It wasn’t that no one had thought of this. For instance, previously many people had submitted memorials suggesting they could find ways to raise funds. But the problem was, where could they raise silver from? If they increased taxes, at this time when there was Prince Gong’s rebellion and disasters ravaging the land, it would undoubtedly be forcing people to rebel together. This absolutely wouldn’t work.
So after the court fell quiet for a moment, someone immediately came forward with a cold laugh. “Minister Cen speaks lightly indeed. With just a flap of his lips, doing nothing, he says to raise funds. Can silver fall from the sky? To raise funds, where should we raise them from? Go demand them from the common people? What time is this now? Wasn’t there just the matter of excessive grain collection in Hubei that Minister Cui reported in a memorial? Does Minister Cen not think before he speaks?”
Cen Biliang had never been one to suffer losses, especially when he was in the right. He spat once and knelt in the center, speaking uprightly and righteously to Emperor Jianzhang. “Why can’t we mobilize silver? During the time of the Grand Ancestor, when we had to fight the Tatars, things were only more difficult than they are now. But the common people were still willing to contribute silver. Why? Because the common people also knew that if we didn’t drive out the Tatars, we would never have peaceful days. You ministers keep invoking the common people in your arguments—why haven’t you asked whether the common people are willing to help the court?”
Someone immediately came forward in agreement. “What Minister Cen says is not without merit. Not just during the Grand Ancestor’s time—even in the twenty-seventh year of the Late Emperor’s reign, there was the Yunnan rebellion. At that time the harvest was poor, with natural and man-made disasters, yet the Late Emperor still sent imperial envoys south to requisition grain. Even in recent years, didn’t Old Master Song likewise go to Jiangnan to requisition grain? Now that we’ve reached a critical moment of survival, this is also a matter of no alternative…”
More and more people came forward in agreement. Cen Biliang respectfully kowtowed to Emperor Jianzhang. “Your Majesty, to say nothing else, the court’s liberalization of salt permits over these years—how prosperous has it made Jiangnan? Why not make a trip to Jiangnan? We won’t force anyone—those willing to donate silver naturally are good; those unwilling, we won’t do anything to them. Could it be that we shouldn’t even try first before declaring it impossible? Should we just watch helplessly as over a hundred thousand sons of our Great Zhou die at the hands of the Tatars? Die on our own northwestern soil?! If you ministers truly have this idea, how will you have the face to meet our Great Zhou’s twelve emperors in the afterlife?!”
These words were too harsh. For a moment, no one could speak.
Even after the court session dispersed, many people were still dazed and hadn’t recovered. Emperor Jianzhang separately kept Chief Minister Chang and Song Chengru to speak. Chief Minister Chang looked at Song Chengru with deep meaning. “Old Master Song truly becomes craftier with age…”
Song Chengru simply laughed it off and played dumb. “What are you saying? This is clearly Minister Cen being astute, with a heart full of sincere loyalty!”
Chief Minister Chang smiled without speaking. However, Cen Biliang was indeed astute. Those final words were spoken so well that even he couldn’t help but want to applaud. What he said was: they weren’t forcing people to donate money—could they not even accept voluntary donations? Should they just do nothing, only spit words in the court, and watch those hundred thousand soldiers in the northwest go to their deaths?
The two smiled at each other and had just taken a sip of tea when Emperor Jianzhang summoned them. They hurriedly followed the eunuch to the imperial study.
“What do you two beloved ministers think of the matter Minister Cen raised today?” Emperor Jianzhang didn’t waste words, asking directly right away. His mood was clearly quite good.
Chief Minister Chang’s gaze remained steady and unmoved, stable as a mountain. “This subject feels that Minister Cen speaks reasonably. Collecting grain and provisions has existed since ancient times. Now we have indeed reached a critical juncture of survival. Since there is a solution, why not try it?”
Emperor Jianzhang clearly agreed with Cen Biliang’s idea. Chief Minister Chang breathed a sigh of relief.
Song Chengru also unhurriedly bowed. “This old subject also believes Minister Cen’s method is feasible. Jiangnan’s prosperity is known to all. Moreover, as Minister Cen said, there will be no forced collection—it will all be voluntary…”
The Crown Prince only knew that the argument in court had been fierce. Hearing someone bring back news that Emperor Jianzhang had summoned the cabinet ministers and was deliberating in the imperial study, he became thoughtful.
Cen Biliang had refuted his opponents into speechlessness with substantive arguments. Not to mention Emperor Jianzhang—even those who had originally clamored that the national treasury was truly depleted would probably reconsider in their hearts.
As the ruler of the nation, why would Emperor Jianzhang not want to win battles and protect the northwest? This proposal was perfectly timed and would certainly be approved. The Crown Prince’s heart also felt somewhat elated. If troops were truly deployed northward, it would undoubtedly add another layer of protection and could more quickly eliminate the rebels like Prince Gong. There was nothing better than this.
After thinking for a moment, he instructed Prince Dongping, “Go make a trip to Mingcui Palace, pay your respects to your mother, then have your mother come here.”
Since the direction had already been revealed, naturally they needed to take a stance first. At this time, if the Crown Princess didn’t express her position, who else would?
Who would have known that without waiting for the Crown Princess to express her position, Empress Lu had already taken the lead in reducing the inner palace’s expenses and privately donated thirty thousand taels of silver. The imperial consorts in the harem all followed suit and generously opened their purses. Consort Liang and others, even Princess Lu and Princess Su, all donated silver. The entire palace managed to gather over a hundred thousand taels, which was quite startling.
Since the palace had taken the lead, those below couldn’t fall behind. The noblewomen all competed to show their loyalty. The official wives and ladies of the capital also gathered over a hundred thousand taels. Adding it all together, there were actually over three hundred thousand taels of silver.
Now Cen Biliang had even more to say. “Even the inner chamber women know to be loyal to the sovereign and love the nation. Could it be that we men have less vision and knowledge than the womenfolk?! How ridiculous!”
Emperor Jianzhang immediately made the decision, resolving to dispatch imperial envoys south to Jiangnan to collect grain and provisions.