Chapter 478 - 479: Memorial
Chapter 478: Chapter 479: Memorial
Whether they liked it or not, the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Revenue presented their memorials the very next day.
Staring at the significantly depleted treasury silver, Hua Shunming singled out Zhou Shicong of the Ministry of Revenue. "Is this how you manage the treasury for me? It’s hardly been any time at all, and you’ve already squandered a full tenth of it."
Zhou Shicong replied, "Your Majesty, the ledgers for the past few months are attached."
’At least this time,’ he thought, ’I can say with a clear conscience that I haven’t touched a single coin. I wouldn’t dare.’
Hua Shunming glanced through the ledgers. Everything was indeed in order and well-documented. With the tax silver from the provinces yet to be collected, he had to admit it weakened his position somewhat.
"Your Majesty," Le San said, hurrying over with a memorial in hand. "An urgent eight-hundred-li dispatch from General Zhou in Lu City."
Hua Shunming instantly tossed the memorial in his hands aside and began to read the new one.
"Excellent, excellent, excellent," Hua Shunming said, one word after another. Then, with an inscrutable expression, he looked down at the assembled officials. "Le San, read this memorial aloud for all my dear ministers."
After listening to the memorial, the expressions of the civil servants below darkened.
In contrast, the military generals could barely contain their smirks, some even casting provocative glances at the civil servants across from them.
"The Eastern Yi you’re all so concerned about are nothing but a disorganized rabble." The thought that the Rong Dynasty had been deceived by these people at the Lu City border for centuries sent a jolt of fury through Hua Shunming.
"Years ago, Old Marquis Zhou submitted a memorial requesting the formation of a Navy. But what did you civil servants say then? ’We must maintain amicable neighborly relations.’ ’They’re just engaging in minor skirmishes.’ ’We must show the magnanimity of a great nation.’"
If not for his imperial dignity, Hua Shunming would have spit right in their faces. Many of the old ministers had since retired, but these civil servants were all cut from the same cloth. Even this new batch was no different. He felt his tirade hadn’t wronged them in the slightest.
"Moderation, always moderation! I see you’ve all read so many books you’ve become idiots! I wish I could throw every last one of you into a military barracks and let you experience for yourselves the suffering the common people have endured all these years!"
Chen Zishu stepped forward. "Your Majesty, General Zhou and his predecessors have guarded that border for decades. Why has the truth of this matter only come to light today?
Your Majesty, could this be a trap?"
Hua Shunming snatched up the memorial he had previously cast aside and hurled it at Chen Zishu. "A trap? It seems Minister Chen has grown too comfortable in the Capital over the years. Have you forgotten the state of our Rong Dynasty’s border territories?"
Cao Xiangqian spoke up. "Mr. Chen’s words... Well, I may not have been on a battlefield in years, but I know Lu City like the back of my hand!
It borders the Eastern Yi and the Bai Zhan, and has a particularly long coastline. It’s next to impossible to guard against these visitors from the outer islands.
Resources are scarce, the people live in poverty, and they constantly have to endure raids. It’s a far more difficult post than any of the inland border crossings.
We military generals previously petitioned to establish a Navy, wanting to seize the initiative instead of always being on the defensive. But what did you all say back then? I’m sure the gentlemen present still recall!
And if you don’t, I’d be more than happy to jog your memories.
I recall the last time this was proposed, Mr. Zhou, you yourself said that the National Treasury was empty and that our Rong Dynasty had no precedent for creating a Navy.
Lord Mao, if my memory serves, you were also against it.
Your reason for objecting was even more laughable. You slandered Old Marquis Zhou, claiming you feared he would use the army to make himself a warlord. You all but pointed at his nose and accused him of harboring treacherous ambitions.
And then there was..."
The civil servants who had been called out gritted their teeth. ’It’s true we said those things,’ they thought, ’but times were different then. What’s the point of dredging up these old scores now?’
’This old bastard... After all these years, his memory is still sharp as a tack.’
’It seems all that time he spent playing the fool in this very court was just an act.’
Hua Shunming waited until Cao Xiangqian had more or less finished his tirade before clearing his throat. "Now that all my dear ministers know our opponent is but a tiny island country, will we still be treating them with courtesy this time?
General Liu, why don’t you share your thoughts."
Liu Chang never imagined his cousin, the Emperor, would call on him. "Your Majesty," he began, "I actually feel that the honorable ministers have a point. It’s just an island country; there’s truly no need to raise such a large force."
The civil servants breathed a collective sigh of relief. Now that the Emperor’s own cousin and confidant was speaking up for them, they figured the blame would no longer be placed on them.
They never expected that Liu Chang’s next words would make them want to swarm him and beat him senseless. "I feel that since it is just a small island country, why don’t we employ both coercion and kindness? We could follow the example of the late Emperor and have one of our Rong Dynasty’s Princesses marry one of them, bearing a generous dowry.
That way, we can make them a vassal state of our Rong Dynasty with perfect justification.
Of course, a matter of such great importance... we military men are rough and clumsy with words. The monumental task of persuading them to become our vassal state could only be entrusted to you, esteemed sirs."
’Damn it!’ The thought screamed in the minds of every civil servant. ’These cousins are a pair of bastards, always holding this over our heads!’
Hua Shunming, however, looked immensely pleased, nodding repeatedly as if in complete agreement with the idea.
’These old bastards,’ he thought. ’I’ll make them pay back double the torment they put me through back then.’
His dearest imperial sister, the one who had doted on him the most, had been sent to her grave in a foreign land because of their selfishness. Whenever he recalled it, he would spend sleepless nights tossing and turning.
He admitted that, as an emperor, he lacked a forgiving heart. He couldn’t just forgive and let go so easily.
"Your Majesty," Chen Zishu stepped forward, gritting his teeth. "I believe the most pressing issue is to resolve the matter of multiple high-ranking officials holding office simultaneously in Lu City. To have a Deputy, a Tongzheng, and an Assistant Magistrate all at once is hardly beneficial for the local administration."
"That’s simple enough," Yu Ligao said, seeing the problem land in his lap and instantly finding a solution. "Just transfer Mr. Gao and the others back here. The original Deputy and his staff are more familiar with the local populace and can better assist the new Magistrate."
"That seems rather improper," countered an old relative of the Gao Family. "I heard the original officials were injured, weren’t they? Surely our Rong Dynasty is not so short on talent that we must force wounded men to remain at their posts." It had been a struggle for the Gao Family’s scion to achieve this promotion, and they were determined to secure his position.
"I agree. The other injured officials should be allowed a proper period of recuperation..."
Xiao Liwei scoffed aloud, showing no deference. "That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. We military generals prepare to face down the enemy on the battlefield, where we often suffer all sorts of injuries. How is it that you esteemed ministers never seem to spare any pity for us?"
"..."
Hua Shunming turned his head to Le San and murmured, "Look at them. They’re starting to change the subject again.
Do they really think they can just muddy the waters and this will all be over?"
Le San kept his head bowed, but he could feel the stares of many officials fixed upon him.
Hua Shunming picked up Zhou Shixiong’s memorial once more. "If only there were more loyal ministers like him in this court... perhaps I, too, could live a few years longer..."