Although Ye Feng mentally labeled the Spirit Emperor as a tool.
He still had to observe proper etiquette!
Upon learning of the Spirit Emperor's arrival, Ye Feng personally rushed to the city gate to welcome him.
Seeing this,
Even though the Spirit Emperor felt a tinge of loneliness in his heart, he also felt a sliver of being valued.
The next moment,
Ma Teng and others who had been surrounding him suddenly knelt on one knee and saluted Ye Feng:
"We, pay respects to our Lord!"
"Rise!"
Waving his hand at Ma Teng and the others, signaling them to stand, Ye Feng looked at the Spirit Emperor with a complex expression and cupped his fists with a smile:
"Your subject, Governor of Youzhou, Ye Feng, pays respects to Your Majesty!"
"..."
Looking at the young man before him, who was not yet thirty, Emperor Liu Hong's mouth twitched slightly.
To think this was their first meeting?
There was nothing particularly special about him.
He lacked the imposing presence and overwhelming aura of a military general.
He also didn't possess the strategizing and confident demeanor of a scholar.
He was just an ordinary young man.
Yet,
Such an unremarkable-looking person had turned his Great Han upside down.
Despite his heart being filled with confusion and bewilderment, the Spirit Emperor did not show it. Instead, he put on a show of immense gratitude.
"Esteemed Minister Ye, your arduous journey and rescue of me from peril, I am eternally grateful!"
"How about this!"
"Originally, I intended to bestow upon you the title of King of a different surname, but I feel that is insufficient to reflect your contributions."
"May I offer you the title of King who Stands Shoulder to Shoulder with the Emperor!"
"From this day forth, this Great Han will belong to both you and me!"
"What do you say, esteemed minister?"
"Heh heh..."
Faced with the Spirit Emperor's sudden warmth, a smile flickered across Ye Feng's lips.
"Your Majesty, whether to bestow rewards rests with you. This subject dares not presume to decide!"
"However..."
"Whether a king of a different surname or a king who stands shoulder to shoulder, neither can change one fact!"
"Do you not agree?"
"..."
Hearing Ye Feng's words that seemed to come out of nowhere, the Spirit Emperor's expression became somewhat stiff.
This young man was difficult to deal with!
Although he seemed to say nothing, he had directly pointed out a critical issue.
The Great Han was finished!
Yes!
The Great Han was finished!
No matter what efforts he made, he could not change the fact that the Great Han was coming to an end.
Perhaps...
The only difference lay in the manner of its demise?
"Your Majesty~!"
Seeing the Spirit Emperor's fluctuating expression, Ye Feng made a gesture to invite him with a light smile.
"A banquet has been prepared in the palace. Shall we go inside and continue our conversation?"
"Hmm?"
The Spirit Emperor, brought back to his senses, paused upon hearing this, then nodded.
"That... would be most excellent!"
"Then let us go!"
Seeing the Spirit Emperor agree, Ye Feng did not delay. He gestured to the carriages behind him.
Yes.
Just a few ordinary four-wheeled carriages!
Normally,
The Han Dynasty Emperor had three modes of travel: the Grand Carriage, the Small Carriage, and the Law Carriage.
The carriage used for the Law Carriage was called the Golden Root Carriage, drawn by six horses, with five auxiliary carriages, each drawn by four horses, with attendants accompanying, and thirty-six escort carriages.
The Han Dynasty even had explicit regulations that the Grand Carriage was to be led by ministers, escorted by the Grand General, and personally driven by the Grand Coachman in charge of the imperial chariots.
The remaining escort carriages numbered eighty-one, with an additional thousand reserve carriages and over ten thousand cavalry guards.
The Law Carriage was led by the capital officials, accompanied by attendants, driven by the Carriage Officer, and had thirty-six escort carriages.
The Small Carriage was only accompanied by one Shangshu (secretary) as attendant, and fewer escort carriages.
But even fewer was still more than now!
That was the Son of Heaven!
Normally, without hundreds or thousands of guards, who would dare let him travel personally?
But now?
Although the guards did not appear to be few, were the carriages they were riding in a bit too ordinary?
These carriages, these carriages... even dogs would ride in them!
Recalling the hardships of his escape along the way, the Spirit Emperor sighed and boarded the carriage.
What else could he be picky about?
He had even ridden a horse himself all the way, let alone these mere carriages.
Besides,
With Ye Feng, the King of Youzhou who commanded hundreds of thousands of troops, by his side, was it not enough to uphold his imperial dignity?
At this moment, Ye Feng was unaware of the Spirit Emperor's wandering thoughts.
He was not picky at all!
Or rather,
Having not experienced the luxurious life of the ancient imperial courts, he could not imagine the joys of emperors.
Laborious and wasteful?
Don't be ridiculous!
That phrase would never appear in their minds.
They only cared when the beautiful courtyards would be completed.
They only cared if beautiful girls appeared in their palaces.
Even,
For a dream they had the previous night, they could order the conscription of hundreds of thousands of laborers.
What were the common people?
Mere ants!
As soon as they were happy or unhappy, tens of thousands of lives could be lost in an instant.
This was the emperor!
This was the Son of Heaven!
This was the power that countless people yearned for and strived for their entire lives!
But Ye Feng had never felt this way!
Having received an education in the 21st century, he first defined himself as a commoner.
Although he was the luckier one among the commoners, being chosen by the system to come to this late Han and Three Kingdoms period, it could not change the fact that he was a small commoner.
Therefore,
He had many concerns in certain matters and lacked the spirit of massacring millions in anger.
But this was him!
Just as the Spirit Emperor had evaluated him before.
Even though Ye Feng was now invincible, he still lacked the overwhelming aura of a fierce general, nor the casual grace of a strategist in his planning.
Very uninspired?
Yes!
If judged by the standards of some "satisfying" novels, he should now be commanding a million-strong army, conquering cities and territories, with the unification of the late Han period as his primary goal.
Commoners?
What were they?
Just a number that appeared in post-war statistics!
Did the number of casualties matter?
After all,
In a hundred years or so, the number of commoners would recover.
Losses were losses, weren't they?
But Ye Feng was different!
What did he consider every day?
How to reduce the unnecessary casualties of the common people, and how to allow them to live in peace and stability.
Because he had developed a sense of belonging to this world!
In Ye Feng's eyes,
Every commoner here was a living person, and each had their own life.
If his rashly initiated wars caused them to become refugees, he would feel an unnecessary sense of guilt.
For example, when his two major legions went on campaign, what was the most important strategic objective?
It was not to kill the enemy, nor to occupy territory, but to relocate the common people affected by the war.
No matter how the flames of war raged outside, Ye Feng could guarantee that there would be no war in Youzhou.
As long as the common people were relocated there, it would be the greatest protection for them.
After all,
War was always the main theme of the late Han period, not something that could be avoided just because he said so.
All he could do was to minimize the losses as much as possible.
This time was no different!
After the Spirit Emperor was welcomed by him into the palace city of Chang'an, the first thing Ye Feng discussed was the development of people's livelihood.
"Develop people's livelihood?"
The Spirit Emperor was stunned by this, his expression filled with doubt.
"Minister Ye, the situation is still uncertain, and we don't know how to deal with the Yellow Turban rebels. Is developing people's livelihood useful at this time?"
"Of course, it is useful!"
Ye Feng picked up his wine cup and took a sip, then retorted with a smile:
"Your Majesty, if you do not develop people's livelihood, how do you plan to support these over one hundred thousand troops?"
"You must know..."
"Since they have been incorporated into the imperial court's ranks, their provisions and salaries are the responsibility of the imperial court!"
"Uh..."
The Spirit Emperor, who had thought of a whole string of excuses, was rendered speechless by this direct statement.
What a brilliant plan!
Indeed.
If these one hundred thousand troops were to be incorporated into the imperial court, then the imperial court should indeed be responsible for their provisions and salaries.
But the problem was,
After receiving their provisions and salaries, would these people truly obey him, the emperor?
Furthermore,
Given his current impoverished state, where would he find the provisions and salaries for one hundred thousand troops?
"Heh heh~!"
Perhaps sensing the Spirit Emperor's dilemma, Ye Feng reminded him with a smile:
"Your Majesty, this world is the realm of the Han. 'Under heaven, all is the king's land.'"
"???"
Hearing Ye Feng's pointed remark, the Spirit Emperor nodded thoughtfully.
"Minister Ye, do you mean... to continue taxing the common people?"
"..."
Ye Feng's smile froze, and he put down his wine cup.
"Your Majesty, I forgot to inform you of one matter. In Sili, and indeed throughout the Great Han, it is forbidden to impose further taxes on ordinary commoners!"
"What?!"
As Ye Feng's words fell, Emperor Liu Hong was utterly dumbfounded.
Was there such a regulation in the Great Han?
How did he not know?
Or rather,
When did he, the Son of Heaven of the Great Han, issue such a decree?
No more taxes?
Then how would they live!
It must be known,
The Chang'an imperial court was already struggling financially. If they could not impose taxes, would he and his officials not starve?
"That's right~!"
Seeing the Spirit Emperor's incredulous expression, Ye Feng dealt another blow.
"Your Majesty, from now on, if you need to conscript labor, you cannot simply provide food and drink. You must also pay remuneration at market prices."
"What nonsense?!"
The Spirit Emperor, who had not yet recovered from the first piece of bad news, almost jumped up.
To pay money to conscript these lowly people?
What a joke!
He,
Liu Hong,
The dignified Son of Heaven of the Great Han, the current Emperor, had to pay for his subjects to do some work?
"Otherwise?"
Ye Feng shrugged noncommittally and picked up his wine cup for another sip.
"Although you are the Son of Heaven, you must ask yourself, have you fulfilled your responsibilities as the Son of Heaven?"
"Have you made your people live in peace and contentment? Or have you ensured they are well-fed?"
"Have you provided them with medical care when they are ill, or access to education?"
"Not a single one!"
"Even now, you have not considered the reason for the Yellow Turban rebels' scale!"
"Yes!"
"The rise of the Yellow Turban rebels is inextricably linked to those aristocratic families!"
"But if the common people lived in peace and contentment, and did not have to worry about filling their stomachs, would so many people respond to those Yellow Turban rebels?"
"Your Majesty~!"
"If the Great Han is compared to a pond, then the common people are the water in the pond!"
"You, as the Son of Heaven, as the parent official, are like a lone boat floating on the water, supported by the myriad common people."
"But you must understand one thing... water can carry a boat, and it can also overturn it."