The dawn was breaking, and it was not yet time for the morning court, but dozens of officials were already waiting under the large trees by the Chongde Hall.
At the head were Kong Rong and Xun Yu…
The two of them stood dignified, while some officials behind them were nervously stamping their feet and rubbing their hands.
"What is all this about? Out of the blue, why did His Majesty write this article about 'abolishing the head tax'? It's making everyone anxious!"
Kong Rong frowned and complained.
He was the twentieth-generation descendant of Confucius and was known for "sharing pears" as a child. After being defeated by Yuan Tan in the first year of Jian'an, he fled from Qingzhou to Xudu, where he was appointed as the Grand Artisan and later the Minister of the Imperial Treasury.
He had always valued rites and laws, enjoyed criticizing current affairs, and was passionate in his words.
Naturally, he was also considered a member of the influential families, owning a considerable amount of farmland in both Qingzhou and Xudu, with countless tenant farmers under his command.
In response to Kong Rong's questioning, Xun Yu stroked his beard, surveyed the surroundings, and indeed… the other court officials shared Kong Rong's sentiment. They all frowned, murmuring in low voices, their faces etched with unspoken thoughts.
Hoo…
Xun Yu let out a light sigh and was about to speak.
At that moment.
A young eunuch, head lowered, hurried up to Xun Yu and Kong Rong.
"His Majesty has decreed that today's morning court will not be held in Chongde Hall, but outside Xudu. Please proceed there…"
Hoo…
Upon hearing this, Kong Rong was taken aback, and the entire court was also surprised.
Xun Yu, however, appeared calm and unruffled.
"This humble subordinate respectfully obeys His Majesty's command."
With that, Xun Yu was the first to turn and stride out of the imperial palace, board his carriage, and, led by the young eunuch, head towards the outskirts of Xudu.
The other officials exchanged glances, their thoughts aligning. With a sigh, they too followed.
…
By the Ying River, not far from the Yongqiu land of the Imperial Academy.
The officials were led to a county office.
Unlike the usual tranquility, the place was crowded today.
As the officials entered, they saw Emperor Liu Xie seated in the main seat of the prefectural office, with Empress Fu Shou by his side.
Even the Prefect of Xudu, Man Chong, was present…
Especially Man Chong's sharp gaze and cold demeanor were intimidating!
"Your Majesty… this…"
Kong Rong immediately stepped forward, quickly bowing. "Has His Majesty moved the morning court here because of the 'head' mentioned in that newspaper…"
Before he could utter the word "tax" in "head tax."
Emperor Liu Xie waved his hand.
"Lord Shao Fu Kong, please refrain from speaking for now. Let me speak first."
Hmm… this…
Before Kong Rong could speak again, Liu Xie stood up abruptly, gesturing with his hand.
"In court, I have heard the saying, 'A minister should be virtuous to the ruler and beneficial to the people.' This saying is Yi Yin's way of being a minister, meaning that a minister should assist the Son of Heaven above and benefit the common people below!"
Speaking of which, Xun Yu added, "This sentence mentioned by Your Majesty is the essence and core of 'Xian You Yi De'! I am deeply comforted that Your Majesty has grasped this!"
Xun Yu's voice was deep and mellow, devoid of the dryness of showing off literary talent!
Liu Xie nodded. "Therefore, I have not done well in the past, and many times I have not considered the common people, nor have I delved into the lower strata to understand the hardships of the people!"
"For this reason, today I will act as a county magistrate in this village, adjudicating several criminal cases, to experience the hardships of the common people. May all my beloved officials accompany me in adjudicating them!"
Kong Rong and the attending officials were perplexed, feeling that today… His Majesty and Lord Ling Xun seemed to be in cahoots.
But they had no idea what they were supposed to do.
"Guards, bring in the defendant!"
Emperor Liu Xie struck the table with a flourish, and instantly, a young couple was brought in by the Imperial Guards. Seeing the unfamiliar "gentlemen" in the office, they were somewhat flustered.
The eunuch Leng Shouguang said, "Not paying respects to His Majesty yet!"
"Your humble subject pays respects to Your Majesty…"
Immediately, the young couple, terrified, knelt and bowed to Liu Xie.
"Today I am here to uphold justice for the people. What grievances do you have?" Liu Xie waved his hand, signaling them to stand up…
He was quite convincing as a county magistrate.
"Your Majesty, your humble subject… your humble subject's name is Zhang San. My daughter was stolen… half a month ago, stolen by someone. Your humble subject mobilized the neighbors to search, but after half a month, there was no trace!"
Zhang San truthfully recounted his grievance…
It seemed to be a case of child abduction.
Man Chong's eyes narrowed. As the Prefect of Xudu, such cases were commonplace, but… almost all child abductors stole young boys; abducting girls was rare. This case was somewhat strange.
Before Man Chong could speak…
With a "bang," Emperor Liu Xie heavily struck the desk.
"Audacious to the extreme! In broad daylight, on the outskirts of the imperial capital, such an evil thief who steals girls appears… How outrageous!" Liu Xie put on an expression of furious indignation…
The court officials on the side exchanged glances, becoming increasingly confused. What exactly was His Majesty up to?
More and more onlookers gathered…
It was too rare for His Majesty himself to come to the county office to preside over a case!
At this moment.
"Tread, tread…"
Emperor Liu Xie walked up to Zhang San.
"Zhang San, I ask you and your wife, if you find the villain who stole your daughter, how will you punish him…"
"I… I'll kill him! I'll kill him with my own hands!" Zhang San replied immediately.
"Good!" Liu Xie nodded, then looked at Empress Fu Shou by his side.
Fu Shou understood and gave a signal to the Imperial Guards…
Immediately, a path was cleared by the Imperial Guards, and two Imperial Guards escorted an old man into the hall. The old man's mouth was wrapped with coarse cloth, and he could only make muffled sounds.
Zhang San turned around, startled, and as he came to his senses… he instinctively called out.
"Father… Father…"
Indeed, the old man escorted by the Imperial Guards was Zhang San's own father!
This time, all the court officials were even more bewildered. What was His Majesty doing? The son had lost his daughter, so why was his father brought here?
Could it be… that the grandfather would cruelly steal his granddaughter?
Without much time to ponder, Liu Xie's words followed, his tone growing colder.
"Zhang San, I ask you… do you recognize this person?"
"He is my father, Zhang Erhe…"
Zhang San replied immediately. "Your Majesty, is… is there some mistake?"
"A mistake?" Liu Xie's eyes narrowed. He walked up to Zhang Erhe and snatched away the coarse cloth covering his mouth.
Now… Zhang Erhe could speak.
He immediately cried, "Ah San… Ah San… Save Father, Ah San, save Father!"
"Father was incompetent, raising you and your elder brother already cost me half my life. Your elder brother's family had a daughter, and you also had a daughter. Each daughter requires several hundred coins annually! Our old Zhang family can no longer afford it!"
"You say… you say, the three men of our Zhang family have worked hard their entire lives and have never done anything immoral, why must we face the consequence of no descendants? Father cannot understand, Father cannot understand!"
Zhang Erhe's tone became increasingly sorrowful, his voice full of pity.
"Father… Father was momentarily confused. Father heard that if this girl was placed in the pagoda at Di Gu Po, someone would pick her up. If not, it would at least be a place to shelter from the wind and rain. So… so he put 'Little Ah San' in. Afterwards… Father saw that you and your wife looked ashen every day, and soon regretted it. But when he came again, 'Little Ah San' was still there and had no breath. Father… Father intended to tell you the truth when he returned, but… but these officials captured me here!"
"Ah San, who are they? They want me, save Father… save Father!"
This…
Suddenly, Ah San's legs went weak, his pupils widened, and with a "thump," he knelt on the ground.
"Father, Father…"
He stammered out a few words of "Father," but his chest heaved.
"Gulp"
He subconsciously swallowed, Zhang San wanted to speak, but… but his throat felt choked, and no matter what, he couldn't speak.
The one who stole… stole his daughter was… was his own father.
And the reason he stole his daughter was… because the family couldn't afford it!
Hoo…
Hoo…
Heavy breaths continued to be heard. At this moment, Zhang San broke down… Not only did he break down, but his wife also broke down.
Even all the court officials frowned, their hearts exceedingly heavy.
Liu Xie, on the other hand, seemed prepared for this.
"Cough cough…"
Clearing his throat lightly, he crouched down and glared at Zhang Erhe. "So you are the murderer who killed the female infant 'Little Zhang San.' Zhang San, didn't you just say you wanted to kill the villain who abducted your daughter with your own hands? Why do you seem so hesitant now? Do you mean to forgive him?"
Speaking of which…
Kong Rong couldn't help but interject, "Filial piety is paramount. Even if your father took your daughter, you cannot… cannot…"
As the twentieth-generation descendant of Confucius, he placed great importance on filial piety and Confucian rites.
But this matter… besides filial piety, it also violated human ethics!
This…
Kong Rong trailed off, unsure how to continue.
According to Confucian rites, this case could never be judged… it was impossible to judge!
"Lord Shao Fu Kong thinks he should be forgiven?"
Emperor Liu Xie slowly stood up and walked to Kong Rong. Seeing Kong Rong's silence, he raised his head and looked around at all the officials. "You all also say, how should this case be judged? Should Zhang San forgive his father!"
This… this…
Another long silence ensued.
"Forgiveness?" Liu Xie waved his hand, and instantly, countless Imperial Guards each took out a scroll and unfolded it simultaneously.
And the content…
It was a large number of elderly people placing infant girls into eagle towers.
It was infant girls crying in the eagle towers until they exhausted their last strength…
It was eagles circling in the sky above the eagle towers, as if waiting for the infant girls to faint, and then it would be their turn to enjoy a feast!
Terrifying, cruel, vulgar…
All negative emotions were insufficient to express the cruelty of these paintings.
Liu Xie's voice followed.
"Should he be forgiven?"
"Little Ah San, like every infant girl in these eagle towers, is less than a year old! Some of them have just learned to call mother. All of you open your eyes and look at these paintings… the reality is ten, a hundred times more cruel than these paintings!"
"Heh heh, how can these in the eagle towers be female infants? They look swollen as if inflated, their faces are deformed, their skin is mostly rotten, their eyes are bulging… their lips are larger than yours, the officials, and their tongues are sticking out like those of hanged female ghosts. And the variously colored swaddling clothes wrapped behind them were sewn by their mothers with their own hands!"
Speaking of which…
Seemingly sensing Liu Xie's anger.
Zhang Erhe, knowing he was doomed, collapsed onto the ground like soft mud.
He muttered, "My son, Father knows… you won't forgive me. Fine… then let this old bone perish here on its own! Consider it repayment for your daughter's life. But Father… Father really didn't do it on purpose. Father thought… thought some kind person would adopt 'Little Zhang San' from this eagle tower. Forget it, Ah San… you… remember to prepare more firewood in the stove room during winter. You are weak and afraid of the cold!"
Zhang Erhe's words…
Were like an old man's final cry.
Liu Xie remained silent, waiting for him to finish speaking. He waved his hand, signaling the Imperial Guards to take Zhang Erhe, Zhang San, and his wife away.
Liu Xie stood with his hands behind his back, his back to the officials.
"Alright, this case has been judged! But tell me, is this tragedy Zhang Erhe's fault?"
He continued with grief and indignation, "No… it is not Zhang Erhe's fault, but the heavy and unreasonable taxes of this era! It is these man-eating 'head taxes' that have forced countless infant girls to their deaths! They die before they can even open their eyes to see the world, and are forced to become food for eagles!"
"In the early years of the Han Dynasty, Emperor Gao established the national policy of 'rest and recuperation.' At that time, the people only needed to pay a land tax of 'one-thirtieth'! But since the reign of Emperor Wu, taxes have increased, becoming more and more unreasonable. Land tax! Abolished! Commercial tax! Abolished! Only the head tax has increased! My beloved officials, tell me, why is this? Why?"
Suddenly, Emperor Liu Xie raised his voice.
"You find it difficult to answer, so let me tell you. Because only collecting the head tax allows you, the wealthy gentry and clans, to save a large amount of money and grain from land taxes! You can hire a large number of slaves! No matter how much land you own, no matter how much you engage in power and money dealings, you only need to pay one head tax, the same as ordinary people!"
"And in the previous dynasty, the Han Dynasty was plagued by natural disasters and constant invasions by barbarians? But where were you? It was too difficult to get a little money from your pockets! You have always maintained that detached and superior attitude, as long as your daughters can live a prosperous life, why bother about these infant girls of the common people? If they give birth to daughters, they should be buried in the wilderness! You all think so, don't you?"
Speaking of which…
Liu Xie looked up at everyone.
Every official lowered their heads… silent!
Shame, naked shame!
Liu Xie's tone deepened slightly.
"My lords, you all know about the pagodas in these paintings, don't you? Eagle towers, to be precise, should be called 'infant towers.' Perhaps you have only heard of them, and when discussing these vulgar practices, you simply laughed them off, perhaps saying, 'These are bad habits, they will pass eventually.' Because… the deaths of these infant girls have nothing to do with you, the esteemed officials who own thousands of acres of fertile land!"
"Think carefully, haven't you gone too far with your actions? While possessing thousands of acres of fertile land and hundreds of slaves, shouldn't you also bear some responsibility for this empire? Huh…"
"Must we have another Yellow Turban Rebellion for you to learn your lesson?"
Liu Xie's eyes widened… He turned around.
"Empress… Lord Ling Xun!"
"This humble concubine is here!"
"I am here!"
Fu Shou and Xun Yu both took a step forward. The stern atmosphere at this moment made them feel inexplicably oppressed.
"Convey my decree: starting from today, abolish the head tax, and reinstate the commercial tax and agricultural tax. The specific regulations for taxes, their proportions, and amounts will be drafted by the Ministry of Personnel. Furthermore… from now on, dismantle all eagle towers! If anyone abandons an infant girl again, they will be severely punished!"
"Yes."
"Your command."
Empress Fu Shou and Xun Yu responded.
And the entire court of officials!
These officials, who originally had many grievances about the abolition of the "head tax," were now silent.
Especially Kong Rong…
He lowered his head, feeling that if he were to object to His Majesty's proposal now, he… and his family would surely be nailed to the pillar of shame, never to recover.
This was a timeless infamy!
But…
This morning, Kong Rong had united with several other officials to oppose this matter, yet now…
Alas, what was going on!
Before Kong Rong could think further…
"Long live!"
Suddenly, outside the衙署, a commoner shouted.
Immediately followed by.
"Long live!"
"Long live!"
"Long live…"
The voices of countless commoners were earth-shattering, each louder and more unified than the last!
Eventually, the sound shook the tiles and echoed through the heavens!
…
…
In the Marquis of Baima's manor, the report from the school officials could be heard from afar, along with His Majesty's imperial edict, disturbing the sparrows nesting on the branches.
A carriage was already prepared outside the manor gate…
Lu Yu intended to head north to Ye City this morning to handle matters concerning the Wuhuan and the four northern prefectures.
The leader of the school officials, after recounting everything that had happened outside the city, slowly withdrew.
Princess Wannian, Liu Xue, saw Lu Yu off towards the carriage.
"Husband… thank you!"
After hesitating for a long time, Liu Xue finally uttered a sentence.
"Thank me for what?" Lu Yu asked with a slight smile, deliberately.
"Naturally, I thank you on behalf of the countless infant girls of the Han Dynasty…" Liu Xue pursed her lips.
"You should thank your younger brother, the current Emperor," Lu Yu said with a shallow smile. "Although this matter was orchestrated by me, as the vanguard, his performance was crucial!"
Upon hearing this…
Liu Xue nodded. "My brother hasn't been this spirited in years."
Speaking of which…
Liu Xue recalled that after the "Yidai Zhao" (Belt Edict), her younger brother couldn't even protect Dong Guifei, let alone his own blood…
At that time, Liu Xie could only weep outside the palace walls, shouting hoarsely, "Cao Mengde, if you want the empire, I'll give it to you. Why don't you want it, why don't you want it!"
Compared to then…
The current Emperor Liu Xie was immeasurably more resolute when facing the court officials.
"Heh…"
Lu Yu's lips curled, and he chuckled slightly. "People are precious when they can find their own place!"
"His Majesty is also a person, perhaps… through this incident, he has realized what he can do in this world, in his lifetime!"
Hoo…
Upon hearing this, Liu Xue nodded in agreement.
Lu Yu had already boarded the carriage.
Liu Xue suddenly thought of something else.
"Husband, will you be driving the war chariot this trip?"
"Heh…" Lu Yu smiled lightly, his eyes looking towards the north, towards the vast desert and the lands of the Hu people, the most unfriendly territory of the Wuhuan. His tone was resolute, and his words were spoken one by one.
"Drive the long chariot and break through the Helan Mountain Pass!"