Chapter 224: Kang Wang's Frustration
"Minglan, I told you, Your Highness treats people with sincerity. You don't need to disguise yourself like you did before." Yu Yanran said to the dazed Minglan.
She has a very good relationship with Minglan, and Minglan has also told her some of her innermost thoughts in private.
When Rulan made things difficult for her, she would laugh; when Molan ridiculed her, she would also laugh.
No matter how much grievance I feel in my heart, I will never show it and I will always smile when I meet people.
Minglan has been living cautiously like this, and disguising herself has become her instinct.
"That's right. You don't feel tired of wearing a mask all day long. You are very similar to Molan, but she doesn't have any intention of repaying others, while you have no intention of harming anyone." Rulan said.
"I understand." Minglan smiled and didn't want to continue on this topic.
Can she just follow her own nature without disguising herself?
She wants to sleep in every day, taste some delicious food, and play polo in her spare time.
I don't want to serve Zhao Xing with others, nor do I want to engage in intrigue, and I don't want to think three steps ahead and live so cautiously.
Isn't she tired like this?
She is very tired!
But will it be useful to tell Zhao Xing all this?
Even if Zhao Xing agreed, the rules of etiquette would not allow it.
But Minglan didn't think there was anything wrong with this. Everyone has some shackles on their bodies, and there will always be some annoying and unpleasant things. This is life, isn't it?
…………
Zhao Xing did not attend the morning court the next day.
His father had previously allowed him not to attend the morning court during the year of his marriage.
However, as the morning court ended, a piece of news quickly spread throughout Bian Jing.
The emperor announced at the morning court that an investigation would be conducted on all the land in the country, with Minister Yu as the chief and Minister Hai as the deputy. They would inspect the country on behalf of the emperor, and anyone who failed to act or cooperate would be dismissed and investigated.
As soon as this statement was made, many officials of the court opposed it.
However, the official, who was usually open-minded and willing to accept advice, had lost his former gentleness.
"Take Kaifeng Prefecture as an example. Even in the capital area, hidden farming is so rampant. How serious is the situation in the whole world?
You have disregarded the interests of the court and the country for your own selfish reasons. Your crime is unforgivable and you will be demoted!"
When these words were spoken, everyone in the court was shocked. In addition, the fact that so many officials were demoted made those who wanted to oppose but had not yet spoken shut up.
It’s not that they were all shocked, but they couldn’t understand why the government’s attitude suddenly became so tough.
Many times, the unknown things are the most terrifying.
These people are all smart people. They didn't understand the reason for the change in the government's attitude, so naturally they didn't dare to oppose.
The people of Bian Jing didn't know this, they only knew that the government wanted to investigate the land ownership of the whole country and that more than a dozen officials were demoted for this matter.
The lowest rank official who could serve in the court was a fifth-rank official.
Among those who were demoted, the highest-ranking one was a third-rank official.
It can be said that this demotion was the largest number of demotions at one time since the emperor ascended the throne.
Zhao Xing was not surprised when he heard the news, because his father had already told him about this matter.
It is said that Zhao Xing measured the land in Kaifeng Prefecture in order to induce his father to measure the land in the world.
After all, he was just a prince. He was able to investigate the land in Kaifeng Prefecture with the support of his father, otherwise it would have been difficult to proceed.
Kaifeng Prefecture is just a prefecture in the Song Dynasty. How big of an impact will it really have whether it is investigated or not?
Zhao Xing did this just to let his father see how bad the situation in Yintian had become and the benefits of clearing the land.
Although my father had ordered people to preside over the New Deal, he intended to carry out reforms and solve the long-standing problems of the Song Dynasty.
But my father only knows the fact, not the reason.
My father knows the drawbacks, but he is not very clear about how big an impact these drawbacks have on the court and how big the problems are.
He doesn't even know how much benefit he can get by solving some problems.
And Zhao Xingqing measured the land to let his father see the benefits.
In Kaifeng Prefecture alone, millions of acres of hidden farmland were uncovered. What about the entire world?
Zhao Xing knew that his father might have other intentions when he measured the land, but interest was an absolutely crucial factor.
If Kaifeng Prefecture had only found tens of thousands of acres of hidden fields, my father might not have been able to make up his mind.
Because in his opinion, such problems are not that serious, and compared with the unrest they cause, the benefits do not outweigh the costs.
Moreover, he measured the land, which was also a sample.
Kaifeng Prefecture has measured hundreds of acres, so other prefectures should measure at least half of the area based on their area ratio, if not the same amount.
If it's too little, there's obviously a problem.
This also provides a rough standard for those responsible for the inventory.
After the decree was announced, the emperor did not give the court officials a chance to react. Yu Xianggong and Hai Wenyou left Bianjing that day, one was responsible for the Central Plains and the other went to the south of the Yangtze River.
Zhao Xing sent Sheng Changbai and Qi Heng over.
Sheng Changbai followed Hai Wenyou, while Qi Heng followed Yu Xianggong.
In theory, the two had experience in checking farmland and were there to help.
In fact, Zhao Xing sent two people to study.
Mr. Yu and Hai Wenyou hold high positions and have great power. Not only do they have extensive experience in local administration, they have also been in charge of government affairs at the central level for many years.
Mr. Yu can become a husband, so his abilities are self-evident.
Hai Wenyou is a think tank that the emperor trusts very much, so his abilities are naturally not bad.
Although Sheng Changbai and Qi Heng had both experienced the land inventory, the inventory in Kaifeng Prefecture and the inventory in local areas cannot be generalized.
In Kaifeng Prefecture, they were directly the chief officials of a county, and they only served in one place. Except for a small number of officials, they mostly targeted landlords and gentry.
However, when touring the country, he had almost no chance to come into contact with landlords and gentry, and most of them came into contact with officials from various states.
This experience is extremely rare for both of them.
Hai Wenyou is Sheng Changbai's father-in-law, so he will naturally teach Sheng Changbai seriously without Zhao Xing telling him.
Although Yu Xianggong had no relationship with Qi Heng, his granddaughter was Zhao Xing's concubine.
He naturally understood Zhao Xing's intention of sending Qi Heng to follow him, and he would not hide it.
When the two returned from their studies this time, Zhao Xing planned to let them take up local positions.
When I ascend the throne in the future, I will transfer them to Beijing to take up important positions when they have sufficient qualifications and abilities.
…………
Shuanglan Court
This is the name Zhao Xing personally gave to the courtyard where Rulan and Minglan live.
Lady Kang followed the eunuch into the courtyard and looked around unnoticed.
"The courtyard is so spacious and not far from Chaoyang Palace. It seems that Rulan is very much loved by the prince."
Along the way, she asked for a lot of information from the eunuchs who led the way.
Although the eunuch did not say any secret information, Princess Kang still found out the location of Chaoyang Palace.
From the attitude of the eunuch who led the way towards her, she could feel that Rulan was quite favored in the Eastern Palace.
Generally speaking, most officials would be polite to the eunuchs in the palace and the Eastern Palace, even if they were just ordinary eunuchs.
This also cultivated the eunuchs' arrogant character.
Of course, these eunuchs hang around in the palace, and as the lowest-level slaves, they may not have great wisdom, but they have a lot of cleverness.
They know exactly who can be offended and who needs to be respected.
They may be polite to the relatives of ordinary concubines, but they can forget about showing any respect.
But those favored concubines, not to mention their relatives, even the palace maids around them were extremely polite.
Arriving at Shuanglan Pavilion and calculating the distance to Chaoyang Palace and the spacious courtyard, Wang Kang's guess was further confirmed.
Thinking of this, the smile on Queen Kang's face became even more intense.
The more favored Rulan is, the easier it is to achieve her goal.
"This is Concubine Sheng's aunt, Madam Kang."
The eunuch who led the way introduced the palace maids standing at the door, turned around and said with a smile: "Madam Kang, I can only take you here."
"Thank you for your help, eunuch." Mrs. Kang took out a silver note from her sleeve and handed it over: "Eunuch, take it and have some tea."
"It is my duty to lead the way for the lady." The eunuch quickly shook his head and refused.
Without further ado, Kang Wang thrust the banknote in, then turned to the palace maid at the door and said, "Please lead the way."
Upon hearing this, the palace maid bowed, lifted the curtain and said, "Madam Kang, please come in!"
When Lady Kang walked into the house, the first thing she saw was a rosewood screen with a pattern of hundreds of birds.
Walking around the screen and entering the main hall, one can see the magnificent decoration of the hall with carved beams and painted buildings.
On the Arhat bed at the top, Rulan and Minglan were playing chess on either side.
When Mother Hua saw Mrs. Kang Wang coming in, she reminded her, "Miss, Aunt Kang is here."
Rulan was thinking hard in front of the chessboard. When she heard this, she turned her head and looked over.
"Greetings, Concubine Sheng!" Princess Kang bowed and said with her luggage.
Rulan's eyes lit up. She didn't feel that her status had changed much after entering the East Palace.
Although the palace maids and eunuchs who were assigned to serve in her courtyard were very respectful to her.
But Rulan was a rich lady, and in her opinion, these people were just like the maids and servants in her house before, and should be respectful to her.
Aunt Kang bowed to her, making her truly feel the change in her status.
"No need to be polite, just sit down." Rulan waved her hand.
She didn't have a good impression of her aunt, Wang Kang.
In the past, I always liked to put on airs in front of her and lecture her.
Although I felt annoyed, he was my elder after all, and my mother was there too, so I had to be respectful.
She felt that her status was different now, so she didn't even bother to call her aunt.
After saying that, he stared at the chessboard again.
"Sheng Xiaoliu, you don't even know how to give in to me."
After looking for a while, she realized that the situation was hopeless and glared at Minglan angrily.
King Kang did not take a seat but walked forward.
"Auntie also knows a little bit about chess, so she can help you."
Lady Kang smiled and complained to Minglan, "Although you and Rulan are sisters, you are now a dowry, equivalent to a maid. How can you sit with the master? And you didn't even know how to show courtesy and let me sit when I came. You have no manners at all!"
"Aunt is so arrogant. I asked my sixth sister to sit down. Do I need to ask your permission?" Rulan said unhappily.
Minglan smiled when she heard this but said nothing.
"Rulan, I'm doing this for your own good." Queen Kang was stunned by Rulan's attitude.
"My grandfather is worthy of being enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and my aunt also comes from a scholarly family. How come she doesn't know the rules? I am the prince's concubine, and my name is also allowed to be called by my aunt?" Rulan said calmly.
(End of this chapter)