After the court session, Zheng Yi summoned the Shadow Guard who had waited for a long time.

“What’s so urgent?”

“Reply, reply to Your Majesty.”

The Shadow Guard hesitated and said, “The Empress Dowager has passed away.”

“What?!”

Zheng Yi’s eyes suddenly brightened, and he quickly walked toward the harem.

“Proceed to Cining Palace!”

In the 5th Year of Zhengyong, April 20th.

The Empress Dowager passed away.

A group of eunuchs, palace maids, and mothers knelt on the ground, crying loudly, “Empress Dowager, Empress Dowager sob sob sob sob…”

The cries spread from Cining Palace through the three palaces and six courtyards, to Taihe Hall, and finally throughout the entire Imperial Palace and Capital City.

Countless officials and citizens spontaneously searched for mourning clothes from their homes to bid farewell to the Empress Dowager.

Outside the Empress Dowager’s bedroom, the Empress cried heartbrokenly.

She was the Empress Dowager’s niece, the master of the palace, but now after the Empress Dowager’s passing, she not only felt the absence of her aunt.

Rather, it was as if the greatest support in the world was gone!

“Sob sob sob, Aunt…”

When Zheng Yi arrived, the entire Cining Palace had already been arranged by the Imperial Household into a mourning hall.

All the eunuchs and palace maids were dressed in mourning clothes, kneeling on the ground, crying toward the direction of the Empress Dowager’s bedroom.

Zheng Yi came quickly, his eyes solemn, “Wasn’t the Empress Dowager in high spirits just a few days ago, what…?”

Beside him, the Imperial Physician knelt and said, “Reply to Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager had accidentally heard that the Pseudo-Yan King was captured alive, in excitement she couldn’t catch her breath, and then, then…”

Zheng Yi nodded and waved to indicate the Imperial Physician to step back.

With the Empress Dowager’s passing, the stone weighing on his head was finally gone.

Now, the entire harem, and even the entire Great Yu, was truly under his control!

“Cheng’en.”

“This servant is here.”

“Issue an order, letting the Imperial Household, Ministry of Rites, and Ministry of Revenue handle all the Empress Dowager’s funeral affairs, and all expenses, to be conducted at the highest scale.”

“Yes!”

“Your Majesty~!”

Lu Lin’er cried out, like a swallows returning to the nest, she threw herself into Zheng Yi’s arms, sobbing.

“Your Majesty, Aunt has gone, what will Lin’er do in the future, sob sob sob…”

Holding the tearful and increasingly charming Lu Lin’er, Zheng Yi gently comforted her, “Lin’er, don’t worry, I will take care of you for a lifetime.”

“Hm!”

Aside from Lu Lin’er, Consort Duann, Consort De, Noble Consort Cui, Noble Consort Yang, and others also knelt outside the hall.

At this moment, they were also dressed in mourning clothes, dignified and solemn.

Afterwards, the entire Imperial Palace seemed to be shrouded in a layer of gloom.

Mourning clothes fluttered everywhere, and paper money danced in the air.

The casket was placed for seven days, countless officials and royal relatives came to pay their respects, and the entire Capital City was under curfew nightly, strictly prohibiting any form of entertainment.

During these seven days, Zheng Yi also had to stop the activities of the Wine Pool and Meat Forest, to keep vigil for the Empress Dowager.

These days, many concubines had lost weight, seeing this made Zheng Yi very distressed, he had to open a back door behind the mourning hall to comfort them sincerely.

Seven days later, the Empress Dowager’s coffin was taken out of Cining Palace, carried by 128 Imperial Guard soldiers, and proceeded slowly toward the Ancestor’s Mausoleum on Celestial Longevity Mountain.

As one of the most favored consorts of the late Emperor, the Empress Dowager’s mausoleum had been built long ago, right beside the late Emperor’s mausoleum.

When the Empress Dowager’s mausoleum appeared in the Capital City, countless citizens either willingly or were forced to come to both sides of the street to see her off.

Thousands knelt down, heads gathered densely.

The white mourning clothes and paper money were scattered all over the way.

“The Empress Dowager has passed, what a grand occasion!”

“Your Majesty is truly filial!”

“Your Majesty governs the country with filial piety, we subjects should follow…”

“Empress Dowager, heaven help…!”

After the mausoleum was buried, Zheng Yi quietly summoned Hu Bafeng, ordering him to take advantage of the moment after the Empress Dowager’s burial to quickly investigate and secretly excavate the tomb of the founding emperor, Zheng Mingsen!

Several days later, the Ministry of Rites sent over the choices for the Empress Dowager’s posthumous title.

Now that she was deceased, Zheng Yi was too lazy to haggle over it, choosing immediately “Renxuanchengxian Gongyi Zhide Chunhui Yitian Qishengwen Empress”.

The title: Empress Dowager Wen of Tianqi!

And with the fall of Pseudo-Yan and the Empress Dowager’s death, the entire world changed once again.

Northern rebels, with the arrival of spring, began to stir up trouble, attacking cities and territories, and moving southwards.

Miaoo Xiu, as the chief officer responsible for suppressing the rebels, dispatched soldiers and officers to encircle and chase these rebels, killing tens of thousands.

The northern rebellion looked to be nearing its end.

While in Yongzhou direction, the drought continued after spring.

The eight main streams flowing through Yongzhou all dried up, the land turned barren for thousands of miles, and famine spread wide!

In such harsh conditions, Zheng Yi had no choice but to hold a Great Court again.

“Your Majesty, Yongzhou’s strongman, I request disaster relief!”

“Approved!”

Zheng Yi spoke, “I wish to gather laborers to excavate a grand canal from the Canglong River to Yongzhou, to lead the waters of the Canglong River into Yongzhou, irrigating the land of Yongzhou for ten thousand miles.”

“At the same time, daily food can be provided for the laborers gathered, to ensure their survival, and also issue stipends. This is: work-for-relief, what do my beloved ministers think?”

As soon as he finished speaking, many ministers first pondered for a few minutes, then someone said immediately, “Your Majesty! This plan is not feasible, the nearest tributary of the Canglong River is over three hundred miles from Yongzhou, the project will be very expensive, and the Ministry of Revenue does not have enough money and food.”

Zheng Yi said, “This strategy I intend as one of national policies, if this canal is successfully excavated, it will certainly affect Yong, Bing, and Liang provinces, turning these provinces into fertile land for thousands of miles, it is a millennia-long plan!”

“As for the money and food, firstly, it can be transported in phases, distributed according to schedule, no need to deliver it all at once.”

“Secondly, the local gentry and merchants of Yongzhou, Bingzhou, and Liangzhou can be summoned, and their money levied, to support the successful construction of the canal!”

“What do my beloved ministers think?”

Many officials looked at each other, it seemed the decision of His Majesty was already resolute, after glancing at the few cabinet ministers at the front without anyone speaking, they could only reluctantly say, “We support the proposal.”

Many began to have active thoughts, the construction of the grand canal was, after all, a lucrative position!

Simply gathering the laborers required tens of thousands of people, the cost of feeding them and the horses, who knows how much money and time it required.

If one could gain an official position in this, how wonderful it would be!

Moreover…

Work-for-relief?

Silver must also be given to laborers?

What a joke!

Being able to let them drink two bowls of thin gruel a day is already a great benevolence!

Just as they were about to recommend themselves or someone from their faction, Zheng Yi spoke directly, “Tian Wenjing!”

The Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, Tian Wenjing, immediately stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, I am present.”

“You will be the chief commander for this Grand Canal construction. I grant you the position of Imperial Envoy, overseeing the mobilization of laborers throughout Yongzhou for the Grand Canal project.”

Tian Wenjing’s face immediately lit up with joy, and he replied repeatedly, “Yes!”

“I will do my utmost for Your Majesty and for Great Yu to complete this mission!”

“Where is the Deputy Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard?”

“I am here!”

Lu Lian quickly stepped forward, bowed, and said.

“You are appointed as the ‘Inspector’ of the Grand Canal to oversee all instances of corruption and bribery during the operation of the Grand Canal. I grant you the power to act at your discretion, and as long as the evidence is conclusive, you may execute officials below the third rank before reporting to ensure the smooth construction of the canal.”

As soon as Zheng Yi finished speaking, the entire court took a collective breath.

The power to execute officials below the third rank before reporting?

Doesn’t that mean even Tian Wenjing falls under the execution authority?

The power of the Embroidered Uniform Guard is truly… terrifying!

Lu Lian immediately replied respectfully, “I… accept the decree with gratitude!”

At this time, Lu Xiangqing suddenly turned slightly and said, “Your Majesty, I have a report.”

Many courtiers looked at Lu Xiangqing once again.

Due to the Pseudo-Yan affair, Cui Jinghao, one of the Cabinet Ministers, had been requesting retirement, but His Majesty would not allow it.

Anyone with a discerning eye could see that Cui Jinghao was finished.

Even if he didn’t die, his position in the Cabinet would be greatly lowered, perhaps even resulting in dismissal.

Many people had already secretly started currying favor with Lu Xiangqing, shifting their allegiances.

“Oh? What important matter does Lu Aiqing have?”

Lu Xiangqing said, “Your Majesty, the Pseudo-Yan has been annihilated, and the assets of the Pseudo-Yan Prince’s Mansion have been confiscated, and the money and provisions have been handed over to the Ministry of Revenue.”

“But how should the registered land owned by the Prince’s Mansion be disposed of?”

“Your Majesty.”

As soon as the words were spoken, Zheng Zongbing from the Imperial Clan Court suddenly said, “Although the Pseudo-Yan committed treason, he is still of the royal lineage, and the land in his name should naturally be managed by the Royal Family.”

“All of the Pseudo-Yan’s fertile land, forests, and mineral resources have been recorded. Once presented to Your Majesty, they will be managed by designated personnel.”

The treason of the Pseudo-Yan meant that besides the Pseudo-Yan King himself, his maternal family and in-laws would undoubtedly be executed.

Most likely, only the Pseudo-Yan King would be left barely hanging on.

However, the fertile land and forests under his command were indeed a considerable fortune.

Zheng Yi asked, “How much land is under the name of Pseudo-Yan King Zheng Yuantao?”

“Replying to Your Majesty.”

Zheng Zongbing had already memorized it clearly and immediately replied, “The Pseudo-Yan King Zheng Yuantao owns one million seven hundred thousand mu of fertile land, five hundred thousand mu of paddy fields, and three hundred thousand mu of forest.”

“All these lands are properties of our royal family.”

“How much?”

Zheng Yi subconsciously asked.

Zheng Zongbing thought Zheng Yi had not heard clearly and repeated, “There are one million seven hundred thousand mu of fertile land, five hundred thousand mu of paddy fields, and three hundred thousand mu of forest.”

My God…

He thought the land under the prince’s name would be at most tens of thousands of mu.

Unexpectedly, there were nearly two million mu of land!

This amount of land was equal to the total acreage of several counties in the south.

The severity of land monopolization is evident.

A prince like the Pseudo-Yan, intending to rebel, had so much land under his name.

Not to mention other relatives, noble families, and high officials.

The civil unrest in Great Yu is inseparable from these relatives, ministers, and noble families extorting the people!

The common people had no land to cultivate, no food to eat, and could only resort to rebellion!

Zheng Yi took a deep breath, suppressing the killing intent in his heart.

Before him were the grand officials, killing them all would make it easy to collect enough land for all the people of Great Yu to farm for a lifetime.

However, Zheng Yi understood that he could not act recklessly at this time.

Land consolidation is a fundamental issue and cannot be resolved overnight.

However, he already had some ideas in mind and immediately said:

“The Grandmaster decreed that once vassal kings are enfeoffed, they may only conduct activities within their fiefs, so where did the Pseudo-Yan King get all this land? It must have been seized by force and fraud!”

“Transmit my decree.”

Zheng Yi coldly said, “All land under the Pseudo-Yan’s name, half of the forest land is to be equally distributed to the tenants currently working on the land!”

“The land was seized from the people; then I shall return it to them!”

“Whoever dares to continue seizing land from these people, I will never forgive them!”

With these threats, the entire imperial court fell silent, and no one dared to speak.

In recent years, although the world of Great Yu was turbulent, Emperor Zhengyong himself was diligent in governance, showing aspects of revival.

Especially with the successive suppressions of the treasons of King Tang, Prime Minister Yang, and King Yan, he had gained great prestige in the military.

Particularly the annihilation of the Pseudo-Yan by the Divine Strategy Camp, which became the sharpest sword in Zheng Yi’s hand.

None of the officials present dared oppose!

Zheng Zongbing hesitated and asked, “Your Majesty, if half of the land is allocated to the poor and the people, what about the other half?”

“I will personally handle it.”

Zheng Yi coldly said, “Now, with civil unrest boiling and the north facing invasion from Wu Country, and the south from Nanzhao Country, I wish to establish a Military Merit System, where any soldier who achieves great merit will be rewarded with land!”

“Li Changfeng!”

The Minister of War, Li Changfeng, immediately stepped forward and said, “I am here.”

“Find people to establish the Military Merit System, divided into twelve levels, with corresponding rewards in money and land for each level.”

Li Changfeng’s eyes lit up and he immediately replied, “Yes!”

The emphasis on military achievement by His Majesty is indeed a great blessing for them!

Presumably, after this is revealed, His Majesty will again gain the support of military personnel.

Having handled these affairs, Zheng Yi was about to dismiss the court when suddenly Cui Jinghao stood up.

“Your Majesty, I have a report.”

“What else does Cui Aiqing have to say?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep