"Someone!"

"Drag these treacherous officials who slander the Noble Consort and disrupt the court order down and give them one hundred strokes of the rod!"

Hearing this, Liu Wenlang and the others looked horrified.

One hundred strokes of the rod?

Wasn't this going to kill them?!

Alarmed, they all looked at Mei Wenshi, their eyes filled with pleading.

Feeling their gazes, Mei Wenshi's face instantly darkened.

A hunter all his life, today he was pecked in the eye by a goose!

His carefully laid out plan had not only failed to harm Noble Consort Shu, but he had also been used by the emperor to punish his own people.

Now, he had no choice but to step forward. If he remained indifferent, the hearts of his followers would scatter.

"Your Majesty, please wait!"

"Although Lord Liu and the others spoke inappropriately, their intentions were good. Such a heavy punishment would chill the hearts of loyal officials, wouldn't it?"

As soon as Mei Wenshi spoke, many people interceded.

Grand Censor Zhang Kang, Vice Minister of Revenue Mei Kang, and other officials spoke up for Liu Wenlang and the others.

But Jiang Chen's attitude was firm and unwavering.

Ignoring the ministers, his sharp gaze shot towards the Jinwu Guards: "Are you still not moving? Are you waiting for朕 (zhen, I the emperor) to ask you?"

The leader of the guard, Shi Ping, straightened his face and immediately seized the men.

For a time, the hall was noisy, with cries of supplication rising and falling.

Yuan Buyi was pondering how to raise disaster relief funds when he suddenly felt a gaze fall on him.

He looked up in confusion and met Jiang Chen's meaningful eyes.

He paused slightly, then realized what was happening and stepped forward, saying:

"Your Majesty, this must not be done!"

As soon as these words came out, Mei Wenshi and the others cried out in surprise.

How could this old thing, Yuan Buyi, stand up for them? This was impossible!

Could it be that the sun had risen in the west today?

Just as Mei Wenshi and the others were puzzled, Jiang Chen's angry voice sounded again.

"Lord Yuan, step back!"

"Liu Wenlang and the others slandered 朕's (zhen, I the emperor) Noble Consort, their audacity is outrageous, and they must be severely punished! No amount of pleading will work!"

"Your Majesty, we acted in this way for the sake of the Great Wei Dynasty, please show mercy and spare us!"

"We are loyal officials of the court! Your Majesty, you shouldn't treat us like this!"

Liu Wenlang was weeping bitterly. He was still young and had a bright future. One hundred strokes of the rod, even if he was lucky enough not to be beaten to death, would inevitably leave him disabled. How could he accept this?

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. One hundred strokes of the rod is indeed a bit severe."

"The court is currently in a time of trouble. It would be better to let Lord Liu and the others atone for their crimes, which would lighten the burden on the court."

Yuan Buyi's tone was earnest, and his words were clear and persuasive.

The other officials nodded frequently, and Zhang Kang even echoed:

"Your Majesty, Lord Yuan is right!"

"Now that the Wei River is flooding, it is a time when we need people. Our Censorate cannot be without Lord Liu and the others."

Jiang Chen deliberately showed a hint of hesitation, scrutinized Liu Wenlang and the others, and said sternly:

"Hmph, if it weren't for Imperial Secretary Yuan, Imperial Secretary Zhang, and the others pleading for you, 朕 (zhen, I the emperor) would not have spared you so easily!"

As soon as Liu Wenlang and the others heard this, joy of surviving a desperate situation appeared in their eyes, and they trembled as they said:

"The guilty ministers, the guilty ministers thank Your Majesty for your grace!"

As they spoke, more than a dozen people touched their foreheads to the ground.

But Jiang Chen then said: "朕 (zhen, I the emperor) is willing to let you go, but it depends on whether you have the sincerity to repent!"

Repent?

The crowd stopped kowtowing and looked up at the dragon throne in confusion.

At Jiang Chen's gesture, their gazes turned to the scattered silver notes on the ground.

Mei Wenshi and the others were the first to react, so His Majesty had put on this show for the money in their hands!

Was this still the昏庸 (hunyong, muddle-headed and incompetent) and incapable emperor who only knew how to enjoy himself?

Such methods of calculating people's hearts and controlling officials were simply chilling!

Liu Wenlang was able to become a vice censor at a young age, so he was naturally not stupid and immediately understood Jiang Chen's intention.

"Your Majesty, I am willing to donate one thousand taels of silver for disaster relief!"

Jiang Chen's lips drooped slightly. One thousand taels? Were you sending off beggars?!

Seeing the emperor's displeasure, Liu Wenlang added loudly:

"Your Majesty, I am willing to donate five thousand taels of silver, plus a three-courtyard residence in the suburbs of the capital!"

In Great Wei, residences in the suburbs of the capital were not cheap. A three-courtyard house would cost at least four thousand taels.

So, Liu Wenlang would have to pay at least nine thousand taels of silver this time! This was a major bleed for a vice censor.

Of course, Jiang Chen also knew that these guys usually ate and took whatever they wanted, and they were all dripping with wealth. It was not a matter of this little money, but they did not dare to show it openly.

After everyone finished talking about the amount of their donations, they looked up at Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen's expression did not change, and his gaze turned to Mei Wenshi and the others:

"Too little!"

"Is there no one else among the civil and military officials who is willing to contribute to disaster relief?"

As soon as the words fell, the officials looked at each other.

Was His Majesty asking them for money?

Just as everyone was silent, Xu Changqing suddenly stepped forward and was the first to respond to Jiang Chen!

"Your Majesty, I am willing to donate one hundred and fifty thousand taels of silver and one hundred dan of grain to support the Wei River!"

Hearing this amount, Liu Wenlang and the others felt their eyes go black. Wasn't he forcing them to their deaths?

The Xu family had a thick family background from generations of merchants and could afford this money. How could they compare with him?

Mei Wenshi looked at Xu Changqing with a gloomy expression.

These two, ruler and subject, were clearly trying to force them to submit!

He didn't care about temporary gains and losses, but the emperor's transformation had to be clarified!

Now was not the time to tear faces.

"Your Majesty, I am willing to donate ten thousand taels of silver, plus one hundred dan of grain, to support disaster relief."

Mei Wenshi cupped his hands and stepped forward, his attitude gentle.

The officials in the hall saw him express his attitude and stood up one after another, offering donations, as if they were willing to give everything for the people of the Wei River.

"Your Majesty, I am willing to donate five thousand taels to rescue the victims!"

"Your Majesty, I am willing to sell my residence, plus twenty dan of grain!"

"Your Majesty, I..."

Jiang Chen looked at the lively scene in the center of the hall, but the corners of his mouth curled up in a cold smile.

These officials usually cried about being poor, but today, with a squeeze, so much oil and water was squeezed out! I guess they have not been taking less money from the national treasury on weekdays!

Thinking of this, Jiang Chen's face became more and more gloomy.

At this moment, Feng Jin held a volume of records of the officials' donations and walked to Jiang Chen's side.

"Your Majesty, please take a look."

Feng Jin's tone was very careful. He could feel His Majesty's displeasure.

As the chief eunuch of the inner court, observing words and expressions was an instinct engraved in his bones.

Taking the booklet, Jiang Chen glanced at it roughly and estimated the total amount of donations.

Well, five hundred thousand taels of silver, plus nearly one thousand dan of grain. This huge sum of money was enough to deal with the Wei River flood.

When 朕 (zhen, I the emperor) settles the affected people, the good days for you corrupt officials will be over!

With a 'whoosh' sound.

Jiang Chen closed the booklet, and his majestic gaze shocked the ministers.

"Yuan Buyi, 朕 (zhen, I the emperor) give you three days to collect the materials and support the Wei River. Can you do it?"

Yuan Buyi knelt down excitedly: "Your Majesty, I will not fail my mission! I thank Your Majesty for your great kindness on behalf of the people of the Wei River!"

Jiang Chen nodded slightly and looked at Xu Changqing.

"Lord Xu, there are many bandits along the Wei River. 朕 (zhen, I the emperor) order you to command the Southern Army to wipe out this scourge and protect Imperial Secretary Yuan's disaster relief efforts. Can you do it?"

Xu Changqing cupped his hands, his refined face showing excitement: "Your Majesty, within a month, I will surely wipe out the bandits on both sides of the Wei River and return a peaceful and happy home to the people!"

Jiang Chen's eyes flashed with relief when he heard this.

Then, he looked over Mei Wenshi and the others.

Regarding Xu Changqing's control of the military, Mei Wenshi uncharacteristically did not speak out to stop it.

Even Mei Kang, who was usually impulsive and irritable, behaved very docilely...