Chapter 73 Calling to Account

Chapter 73: Confrontation

Cuizhu, noticing her expression, advised, "Princess Consort, is it too bitter? Shall I prepare a bowl of sweetened brown sugar water for you?"

Jiang Wanrou picked up the bowl again and sniffed lightly. It wasn't her imagination; she had been drinking this medicine for five years and would never mistake it.

She asked, "Did you watch it being brewed?"

Cuizhu replied truthfully, "It was sent over from the front compound this morning."

Lu Feng usually didn't interfere with the inner residence, and similarly, Jiang Wanrou didn't place her people in the front compound. Lu Feng was the head of all spies, and if he noticed anything, it could harm their marital relationship.

She composed herself and instructed, "Collect the herb dregs and dry them on a good day."

Recalling how difficult it had been to conceive before, and how Lu Feng hadn't been anxious, Jiang Wanrou had a vague suspicion. Dried herbs were easier to identify than wet ones. The Prince's residence had its own court physician, as well as the highly skilled Mr. Luo. Once dried, her suspicions would be confirmed.

...

Cuizhu was quick and efficient. The weather was good today, so she dried the herb dregs in the sun, and in less than two hours, they were half-dry.

As the Princess Consort of Qi, Jiang Wanrou's status had risen a level. She had expected to be busier than before, but that wasn't the case. The Emperor treated his sons well. The princes still studying in the palace were naturally taken care of, and the princes who had established their own residences were also looked after by the Emperor. Most of the trivial matters in the Prince of Qi's residence were handled by the Imperial Household Department.

For food, according to the residence's specifications and number of people, the Imperial Household Department delivered rice, wheat, and other grains monthly, along with beef, lamb, chicken, duck, and goose meat, as well as seasonal fruits. Ginseng, deer antler, and other nourishing herbs were supplied monthly. Jiang Wanrou didn't need to worry about comparing prices or making purchases.

For clothing, the Imperial Household Department had a weaving department that supplied silk in summer and fox fur and marten fur in winter. The Prince's ceremonial robes, belts, and crowns, the Princess Consort's ceremonial robes and headdresses, the children's clothes, shoes, and socks, and even the servants' clothes were all specially made and delivered. The residence also had ten dressmakers who tailored everyday clothes for the masters. Jiang Wanrou already had more clothes than she could wear, and the dressmakers were still trying to curry favor with the new mistress.

For household items, the residence's furniture and utensils had been arranged before the family moved in. Fragile items like vases and incense burners were checked monthly by the Imperial Household Department to see if they needed replacement. Adding a few new items was also fine. The Prince of Qi was currently in favor, and the Imperial Household Department didn't dare neglect his residence.

Most importantly, all these items from the Imperial Household Department didn't cost Jiang Wanrou a single coin, and Lu Feng, as a prince, had his own stipend and manors!

The Emperor doted on his sons. A prince's stipend was as high as ten thousand bushels annually, and his manors were fertile. Additionally, the Emperor had recently given her a personal allowance. Jiang Wanrou had initially been distressed over the Duke's family wealth, but now, after calculating, she realized the imperial family was indeed far wealthier!

She was a thrifty Princess Consort, utilizing the Imperial Household Department for everything, as it didn't cost her any money or effort. Without the complications of sister-in-law relationships, Jiang Wanrou's life was much more relaxed. She eagerly sought out the court physician, and after a private conversation lasting about the time it took to burn a stick of incense, Jiang Wanrou escorted the elderly court physician to the gate. Cuizhu quickly followed, draping a white fox fur cape over her.

"Princess Consort, though the sun is bright, there's still wind. Please go inside."

The residence's court physician held an official rank, but who could be more esteemed than the Princess Consort? There was no need for her to personally escort him out.

Jiang Wanrou didn't turn back as usual. She looked up at the sky and said, "At this hour, the Prince should be in his study."

Since Lu Feng took on the Ministry of Revenue's duties, he no longer left early and returned late as before. After the morning court session, he would return and have dinner with Jiang Wanrou.

Cuizhu rubbed her hands, still pondering her mistress's intentions, but Jiang Wanrou had already stepped out of the round arched gate of Jinguang Courtyard and headed towards the front compound.

***

In the front compound of the Prince of Qi's residence, in the study. Lu Feng leaned back in a rosewood armchair, while Pei Zhang, dressed in white, stood before the desk. Their gazes locked, as if in some dispute.

The setting sun's rays filtered through the study's window lattice, illuminating Pei Zhang's face, while Lu Feng, clad in black, was in the shadows. Jiang Wanrou pushed the door open, and both men in the light and shadow turned to look at her, creating a momentarily tense situation.

Lu Feng's fingers tapped lightly on the desk, his tone unreadable, "Leave."

Jiang Wanrou immediately regained her composure and bowed to Lu Feng, "Forgive my breach of etiquette."

She had come in a huff to confront him, only to encounter such a tense situation. Jiang Wanrou lowered her eyes, not daring to glance at Pei Zhang. As she was about to step over the threshold, Lu Feng said calmly, "Wait for me in the antechamber."

The antechamber was next to the study, also heated by a heated floor, so she wouldn't have to endure the cold wind in the corridor.

Jiang Wanrou said softly, "Thank you for your consideration, Your Highness. I take my leave."

Pei Zhang slightly bowed his head, not looking sideways. After Jiang Wanrou left, he turned his gaze back to Lu Feng.

"Only a mere twenty percent, yet it concerns the lives of tens of thousands of ordinary people. I implore Your Highness to reconsider."

Recently, two matters have caught the attention in the court: one is the handling of Chen Fu, and the other is the proposal made by Pei Zhang last month to reduce taxes for Luoyun Town.

During the morning court that day, this proposal was rejected by the emperor on the grounds of "act according to the law." However, Pei Zhang did not give up. He pored over the legal codes and found a small note in the margins: "In years of disaster, or upon the ascension of a new emperor, or when bestowing grace upon the realm, taxes should be reduced. If none of these three conditions are met, but there is a precedent, it may still be followed."

Pei Zhang tirelessly searched through the annual "Tax and Service Yellow Registers" and indeed found a precedent. In the early years of the emperor's reign, a poor, remote county in the southern provinces had a good magistrate who petitioned for a three-year tax reduction. These three years allowed the people to rebuild their lives, with surplus funds to plant grains and fruits, and the local area had funds to build roads and bridges.

Of course, this county did not meet the imperial decree for tax reduction, so it was not a free reduction. After three years, when the people's lives improved, they would slightly increase taxes and levies, repaying the court over six years. At that time, the new emperor had just ascended the throne, and the court was rebuilding itself. The emperor, who had won the empire on horseback, knew little about governance.

Upon reading the magistrate's petition, the emperor, intrigued and moved by his love for the people, wrote with a vermilion brush: "Approved."

...

As for the results, it is too far in the past to verify, but it is indeed a clear "precedent." With Pei Zhang's persistence and negotiating with various factions, the emperor gradually became convinced, and the Minister of Revenue also readily agreed. Only the final step remained, but then the emperor suddenly acknowledged a son.

Lu Feng, overseeing the Ministry of Revenue, delayed issuing the decree. Upon inquiry, Pei Zhang learned that it was stuck with the Prince of Qi.

Pei Zhang's petition was beautifully written, so much so that no one noticed his clever phrasing. In the case of the small county, the magistrate only requested a thirty percent reduction, to be repaid over six years. Now, Pei Zhang proposed a fifty percent reduction, to be repaid over ten years. Luoyun Town was not wealthy, and while the former Minister of Revenue might not have cared about these minor details, Lu Feng could not tolerate such discrepancies. He held firm:

"Follow the rules."

Since the law allows for following precedents, it must be strictly followed.

It was not that he deliberately made things difficult for Pei Zhang. A country has its laws, and a family has its own rules. Under established rules, everyone has their place, and everything follows order, ensuring the stability and security of the nation.

If the law is unsuitable, it can be revised or amended, but it must never be discarded due to emotions. A thousand-mile dike can collapse due to an ant's nest. Once such a precedent is set, other regions might follow suit, exaggerating or fabricating circumstances. For the sake of a small town, the dignity of the law would be undermined, which Lu Feng considered completely foolish.

"Twenty percent, merely?" He scoffed, though his dark eyes held no trace of humor.

He said, "Lord Pei, I have a question for you."

"May I ask how much your annual salary equals, and what twenty percent of that amounts to?"

Pei Zhang's refined brows furrowed as he replied, "The two cannot be compared."

Lu Feng said, "Very well, let me ask you another question. Every year, scholars come to the capital to participate in the autumn examinations. According to the law, each county selects no more than a hundred scholars. Suppose one county is rich in talent, and a scholar, a reincarnation of the Literary Star, ranks just one hundred and first. May I ask, Lord Pei, should he be exceptionally admitted?"

Pei Zhang, without hesitation, immediately said, "Exceptional talent should be recognized with special recognition."

"Coincidentally, the one hundred and second scholar is just as talented as this Literary Star. Lord Pei, should we still make an exception for the next?"

Pei Zhang suddenly fell silent. Clever as he was, he understood Lu Feng's implication.

If exceptions are made for the first two, why not for the next? Once rules are broken, they lose all binding force, leading to endless consequences.

He closed his eyes, though unwilling to admit it, perhaps Lu Feng was right.

He recalled the "dream" where Emperor Wu passed away, and internal and external troubles descended into chaos. What ultimately ended the internal strife was General Lingxiao's iron cavalry and the "severe laws" established during Emperor Wu's reign.

Emperor Wu's reputation among the people was mixed. During his reign, no one dared to speak of it, but after his death, discussions gradually emerged. While other emperors first constructed their tombs upon ascending the throne, Emperor Wu first revised the "Qi Laws." On the existing foundation, he removed ambiguous statements like "follow precedents," making the laws clear and detailed, with strict regulations.

Punishments were severe, including execution, confiscation of property, beheading, dismemberment, and amputation, striking fear into everyone. From high officials to commoners, witnessing the severity of the new laws, none dared to defy them. Yet, it was precisely because of these feared "severe laws" that everyone remained obedient, seeking self-preservation, preventing the nation from falling into great turmoil.

Pei Zhang's methods were gentler. In the "dream," he frequently clashed with Emperor Wu, being demoted and then promoted repeatedly. Emperor Wu valued his abilities but despised his temperament. Similarly, Pei Zhang disapproved of Emperor Wu's frequent wars, seeing him as no different from a tyrant.

At this moment, Pei Zhang was suddenly reminded of the turbulent twenty years after the death of Emperor Wu. He toiled day and night, yet it took him twenty long years to usher in a peaceful and prosperous era. Had it been him... perhaps many would die and much blood would be shed in the early stages, but that peaceful and prosperous era might come sooner.

The confusion weighing on his mind these days now had a clear and firm answer.

Pei Zhang offered a bitter smile, clasped his hands, and said, "Your Highness is wise. I... am truly convinced."

A shadow of displeasure crossed Lu Feng's brow.

Pei Zhang was someone he found exceptionally detestable, yet within that intense dislike, there was also a hint of admiration, making him quite a complicated figure.

With irritation, he waved his hand and said, "In that case, Lord Pei, you may leave."

"In the future, if there are important matters, discuss them outside. There's no need to visit the manor."

Pei Zhang paused for a moment, then lowered his brows and said, "This official obeys the command."

He did not ask for a reason, nor did he offer an explanation. His tall, straight figure, resembling a green bamboo, vanished into the biting cold wind. Just then, Jiang Wanrou, leaning against the door and gazing into the distance, was startled by Lu Feng's deep voice before she could gather her thoughts.

"What? Reluctant to let him leave?"

Jiang Wanrou was startled. She pulled her fluffy cloak tighter, straightened her posture, and retorted, "What are you talking about? I just stepped out for some air. I don’t understand what Your Highness means."

She had come today to confront him, her heart full of confidence!

She wanted to demand why, for all these years, he had made her drink such bitter medicine. What was his aim? The medicine was unbearably bitter, and she had carried the guilt of failing to bear a child, believing she had neglected her duty as a wife. He had deceived her so cruelly!

Jiang Wanrou's emotions swelled, and soon her dark eyes glistened with tears. She lowered her gaze and said plaintively, "There’s something I don’t understand—"

"What about yesterday?"

Before she could finish, Lu Feng, taking her cold hands in his, said indifferently, "Yesterday in the flower hall, the two of you gazed at each other from afar. Was that also for fresh air?"

Jiang Wanrou was stunned, the tears that had filled her eyes suddenly unable to fall.