Then, addressing Yu's Second Aunt, she said, "Second daughter-in-law, take a look around the courtyard. Those servants who have reached the right age should be sent out to be married off. Don't delay the good years of those girls."
Yue Fuguang: The older ginger is indeed spicier. To have found such a good excuse to clear people out so quickly—I have to hand it to her.
"Mother, the people in Boming's quarters are all ones he's accustomed to, this..." Before Yu's Second Aunt could finish, Yu's Second Uncle interjected, "Wife, listen to Mother. His courtyard only needs to keep a few young servants."
Yue Fuguang glanced behind Yu Boming. Xiliu's face was somewhat pale, while a hint of joy was concealed on Baoping's face.
Time flew by. In less than half a month, it would be the New Year. Here, Yue Fuguang was curled up in a sofa-like armchair that Eunuch Qian had arranged for her, sleeping in a daze.
It really was good to have Eunuch Qian back. Not only could Emperor Mingxi not do without him, but even Yue Fuguang felt that Eunuch Qian served her more attentively, managing to handle things exactly as she wished.
When he had been absent some days before, she truly hadn't been used to it.
Just as she thought of this, the voice of Minister of Justice Cai Xian reached her ears. "Your Majesty, reports have arrived from Bingzhou, Liangzhou, Yizhou, and Jiaozhou in the past two days.
Five days ago, the local prominent families—the Zhou, Fan, Zhao, and Bai families—colluded with foreign tribes, disguising them as bandits to enter our borders and plunder grain and other goods.
This has caused significant loss of property and lives. According to the reports, the chief culprits from each family have now been captured. How to deal with the others awaits Your Majesty's instruction."
[Eh? According to records, weren't these families' operations extremely meticulous? How were they discovered so quickly? And 'capturing the chief culprits'—doesn't that mean the family heads like Bai Yu's father?
Logically, aside from Fan Shiping, these people all lived safely until the fall of the Dayan Dynasty.]
"These families are all far from me. It can't be the butterfly effect from my actions. Something unknown to us must have happened here."
You Mingmin also stepped forward to report, "Your Majesty, the men sent to Jiaozhou to find Bai Yu have sent word. Bai Yu has indeed returned to the Bai family, but they did not find the Beili man, Chonghua, at the Bai residence.
They suspect Chonghua may have been hidden somewhere by Bai Yu. They are still searching secretly.
Therefore, I request permission to personally interrogate Bai Yu about Chonghua's whereabouts when the Bai family members are escorted to the capital, so as to give an account to the Third Prince of Beili."
Emperor Mingxi nodded and said, "Minister You's proposal is approved."
After a moment's thought, he said to Cai Xian, "Minister Cai, coordinate with the Ministry of War to dispatch a team to each of the four provinces, responsible for escorting all family members of the four families to the capital for trial."
A glint of gold flashed in his eyes. "Minister Dong and Lord Wang, send personnel to accompany them. Inventory and seal sixty percent of the four families' assets and property for transport to the capital. The remaining forty percent is to be used for disaster relief and compensating the people.
Lord Wang, focus on clarifying the farmlands and lands of the four families. Return any seized properties to their original owners. Organize and register the rest for the court to take over."
He said with a serious expression, "Ensure this is completed before the spring plowing. Do not miss the farming season."
The several officials responded in unison, "Yes, we respectfully obey Your Majesty's decree."
[Master, the emperor has suddenly gained so much land. Do we have enough seeds? He previously said he would soon have a large amount of land coming in. Could he have been referring to the lands of these four families?]
"If so, does that mean Emperor Mingxi had long been aware of these families' schemes, just waiting for them to fall into their own trap?"
[Indeed, since when has this emperor become so clever? Normally, he would have gone to his grave without knowing the truth.]
Emperor Mingxi: How did I know? Isn't it because of you, the loudspeaker, blabbering all day long!
"According to what you said, these families hold a considerable amount of land. We don't have that many seeds. To plant all of it, we'd have to wait until the year after next."
[The year after next? Then the people of Dayan are quite fortunate. They can still plant two more seasons of crops before the famine arrives. If they tend to them well, perhaps fewer people will die when the time comes.]
The hearts of the Dayan emperor and his ministers were shaken. What famine? Where is there a famine? Could you please speak clearly!
They were about to obtain high-yield seeds and now had vast tracts of land. Before they could even rejoice, a famine was dropped on them.
No wonder the original Dayan perished. If all these events were to occur normally, this leaky ship called Dayan might truly sink.
[Master, every single event that has happened in Dayan recently has deviated from the original historical line. Now, they've even uprooted the four major traitorous families, some of the biggest malignant tumors.
If we change some of the later events as well, wouldn't Dayan possibly not fall so early?]
"If the original successor still ascends the throne, it would only be a few more years of lingering on. What, are you disappointed that Dayan might not fall as expected?
Who was it that previously told me we should help the common people of this world?"
[That... that's different. The changes in Dayan are too drastic. I just find it a bit strange.]
"It is a bit strange. Although our appearance has become the biggest variable in this world, causing a chain reaction.
But for everything to change for the better... the Dayan dynasty is just too lucky!
It can't be that Dayan isn't meant to fall, that the Xie ancestors are protecting them, can it?"
[Probably not. Although they are emperors, after death they still enter the underworld, not our Heavenly Realm. Only those with great virtue, after judgment by the King of Hell, have a chance to enter our Heavenly Realm.]
As these two ancestors speculated back and forth, the Dayan emperor and ministers dared not even breathe heavily. They thought, here it comes. They had anticipated that this time the commotion was too great and too far from the capital.
After the fate of the four major families deviated from the historical track, these two would surely become suspicious. Fortunately, they had made complete preparations.
If only these two ancestors could clarify which prince ultimately succeeds to the throne!
"So, what do you think we should do? Setting aside other matters, whether Dayan improves or worsens doesn't really affect us much. It doesn't stop us from living well."
[Aren't you curious, Master? Why has history deviated so much? Look at this court. Many here have short-lived appearances, like Xie Zhiyan, Wei Ping, Wu Yong, Feng Tang, and so on.
Or those destined for miserable old age, like Wu Yuanjing, Cai Xian, Gu Yutong, Huo Ying, and so on.
It seems these people's fates are slowly beginning to improve with Master's appearance. Those destined for short lives no longer are, and those with bleak late years might still be saved.]
Those whose names were called: In their hearts, they silently raised three sticks of incense and bowed solemnly towards Yue Fuguang. They would have the women in their households secretly set up a longevity tablet for the Junior Mentor upon returning home, with three sticks of incense daily.
Yue Fuguang: Is it possible that I don't wish to live forever among you?
Those whose names were not called felt somewhat panicked. Were they included in that 'and so on'? They just didn't know if they were destined for short lives or miserable old age!
This won't do. Upon returning, they must set up longevity tablets for these two, with three sticks of incense daily. Otherwise, their hearts would feel unsettled!
"Who might still be saved?"
[If Wu Yong doesn't die young, Wu Yuanjing won't have a miserable old age.
Cai Xian... Wasn't it Cai Xian who reported on the four families? He must know a lot of inside information.
Master, why not go probe him for information? His youngest son will have his leg broken at the Drunken Red Pavilion tonight. You could use the opportunity to warn him as a way to ask him about the four families' affairs.]
