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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 220: Investigating the Illness
After much effort, Dan Xiongxin was finally convinced that no one had brought harm upon themselves. Seeing him exhausted and on the verge of collapse after his excitement, I insisted that he rest and recuperate.
After leaving the palace, just two blocks away was Qin Shubao's residence, which was largely similar in layout. Li Jian Cheng instructed his companion, Li Wei, "Order the Ministry of Internal Affairs to select a new residence for the two Dukes of Longxi. All expenses will be covered by my treasury."
"Understood."
Upon arriving at the Qin residence, Li Jian Cheng entered directly, and naturally, no one dared to obstruct the emperor. Once inside the inner courtyard, Li Wei took the lead in dispersing the female members of the Qin household.
Only then did the emperor proceed to the bedroom. The room was slightly dim, with a charcoal fire burning in the center, warming the space pleasantly. Qin Shubao lay with his eyes closed on a nearby couch, his complexion waxy and pale as paper.
Li Jian Cheng couldn't help but feel worried as he walked slowly to the couch. Xu Shijie seemed indifferent, but Zhang Hutan was visibly concerned. The two had fought side by side on the battlefield for many years and had developed a deep bond through mutual support.
Zhang Hutan examined Qin Shubao closely before whispering, "I heard he was coughing up blood not long ago; his condition was much worse than it is now. If he survived that, it shows he has a chance of recovery. Your Majesty need not worry too much."
Unbeknownst to him, seeing his two trusted generals in such dire straits made Li Jian Cheng fully understand why Liu Bei had angrily thrown A Dou aside. He felt an overwhelming urge to take out his frustrations on Li Shimin.
Xu Shijie quietly suggested, "General Qin is sleeping soundly; should I wake him?"
Li Jian Cheng pointed to a chair nearby and replied, "No need. I will sit for a moment before returning to the palace. You all can rest as well."
Li Wei entered and whispered, "The New Li County Duke's wife is outside paying her respects to Your Majesty. Should we let her in?"
Li Jian Cheng preferred not to see any officials' wives at that moment and declined to let her enter.
After a short while, as Li Jian Cheng stood up to leave, several people hurriedly followed him. At that moment, Qin Shubao suddenly coughed a few times but did not open his eyes; he merely weakly asked for water.
Li Jian Cheng turned back and poured a cup of water from the table. He returned to his previous position and, with Li Wei's assistance, helped lift Qin Shubao slightly before feeding him some warm water.
Qin Shubao, having just drunk some water, slowly opened his eyes. He looked at the emperor in front of him, still somewhat dazed, clearly thinking he was dreaming.
Li Jian Cheng, believing that Qin had not had enough water, fed him another sip. It was then that Qin realized this was indeed real. His body suddenly surged with energy as he attempted to get up and bow in apology, but the movement pulled at his wound, causing his vision to darken.
"Do not move," Li Jian Cheng hurriedly said. "I have come to visit you. If anything were to happen to you, what would become of me?"
With tears in his eyes, Qin replied, "Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven; how can I, a mere subject, lower myself to serve you? That would be betraying my loyalty and filial piety. I would rather die!"
"Enough, enough," Li Jian Cheng reassured him. "We are friends here; this is not the court. There is no need for formalities. Moreover, both publicly and privately, I owe you my thanks.
Publicly, you led the northern campaign against the Turkic forces, slaying over ten thousand on the plains. This is a great achievement for the court. Privately, this battle was initiated by Qin Wang's underestimation of the enemy. If it weren't for your and Xiongxin's bravery in risking your lives, it would have been difficult for you to return safely."
"This is my duty; I cannot accept Your Majesty's gratitude," Qin Shubao insisted.
Realizing that the emperor had been sitting quietly by his side for quite some time, the weakened Qin suddenly said, "Your Majesty wishes to bring peace to all under heaven; this is precisely when we need to exert ourselves. Not only can I not serve Your Majesty properly, but I also trouble you with my concerns. My heart... my heart... cough, is truly uneasy."
Li Jian Cheng comforted him, "Since you followed me to Zhuojun, whenever enemy generals boasted about their prowess, I commanded you to charge into their ranks and seize their momentum. Each time you fulfilled your mission without fail, riding forth with your spear amidst the throngs of enemies to help me stabilize the realm.
And now it is only Year Two of Taiping; you and I as Ruler and Minister still have many achievements to accomplish together. You should focus on recovering your health now; that is true loyalty."
"I accept my orders!" Qin replied.
...
In the first month of Year Three of Taiping, the emperor went to pay respects at the ancestral temple and engaged in farming activities in the eastern suburbs.
During the first official court meeting after New Year's Day, civil and military officials stood in rows on either side of the hall while provincial governors stood in the center, packed closely together with hardly any room to move.
In the grand hall, adorned with court robes, the chief eunuch stepped forward and proclaimed, "Your Majesty has decreed that due to the large number of people present, all may forgo the kneeling ceremony; everyone may simply bow while holding their scepters."
The courtiers bowed deeply towards Li Jian Cheng, chanting "Long live Your Majesty!" Their voices echoed powerfully, creating a magnificent spectacle.
Pei Ji, the Left Minister of Rites, then presented his petition. "Your Majesty, across the realm's hundreds of counties, each varying in size and status as Prefects, all provincial matters are directly handled by the Prefects in conjunction with the Minister of Rites and the Six Ministries. Over the past two years, there have been frequent errors and oversights; it is clear that reforms are necessary."
Li Jian Cheng nodded in agreement. "Indeed, what does the Chancellor propose?"
"I suggest a consultation with my fellow ministers to divide the realm into ten circuits: the Inner Circuit, Henan Circuit, He Dong Circuit, Hebei Circuit, Shan Nan Circuit, Long You Circuit, Huainan Circuit, Jiangnan Road, Jian Nan Circuit, and Ling Nan Circuit.
We should abolish counties in favor of states, with each circuit overseeing several states. This approach will centralize provincial affairs, streamline petition processes, and allow for more direct oversight of redundant personnel for appropriate reductions."
"What do you all think?"
"We support this proposal!"
"Very well. Prepare an edict to announce this to the world."
The speed and efficiency of this decision left local officials dumbfounded; they had not even been given a chance to voice their opinions before it was finalized.
However, they understood that such significant matters had likely been planned long in advance; opposing them would be futile.
Through firsthand experiences from Dugu Huai'en and others, it became clear that the chaotic times had passed. Unless His Majesty or a future emperor were like Yang Guang, rebellion in this realm would lead to certain doom.
Thus, they could only accept this reality while hoping that their subordinate officials were not as formidable as Wei Zheng.
As the important matters were settled one by one, the Courtiers stood with their heads bowed, waiting for His Majesty's instructions.
Li Jian Cheng rose and stepped to the front of the imperial platform, slowly scanning the hall. Many of the faces were familiar, with only a few being strangers.
He leaned against the platform and said, "It is indeed rare for all of you to gather here. Some old friends, I have not seen in nearly ten years."
The officials who considered themselves old friends of Your Majesty instinctively lifted their heads to meet the Emperor's gentle gaze, feeling a sense of bright prospects ahead.
"It is not easy for you all to attend court and discuss state affairs, while also managing local governance upon your return."
The Courtiers replied in unison, "Your Majesty works tirelessly for the nation, and we shall double our efforts, dedicating ourselves wholeheartedly to repay even a fraction of Your Majesty's grace."
Li Jian Cheng's gaze fell on one individual: "Is the Xingzhou Governor present?"
A tall man in his fifties stepped forward. He had a long white beard, wore a Jin Xian crown, and was dressed in a green official robe. He bowed and said, "I am here, My Emperor. Long live Your Majesty."
"This year’s assessment from the Ministry of Personnel shows that you are outstanding. You have fostered a culture of kindness and compassion while alleviating the people's difficulties and disasters. That is commendable."
………
(End of Chapter)
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