Zi Cheng felt great pity for Xiao Feng, but he knew this was something Xiao Feng had to experience. As the heir of Prince Ming Rui's estate and his beloved younger brother, Xiao Feng had to bear all this prematurely.
"It's alright. Although there were some minor setbacks, it's generally fine. Those people, no matter how much they want to profit or do something, have to consider whether they would anger me."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Feng had an idea. "Imperial Brother, tomorrow when my maternal grandmother and I go shopping, shall we go take a look? Ask around more. My mother always said that sharp eyes don't always see the truth; one needs to inquire and discern more."
Zi Cheng thought it was a good idea and entrusted the matter to Xiao Feng. "I cannot leave the palace, so you help me look around more. It's best to question the involved parties to avoid situations where someone bullies others with their influence."
"Furthermore, the resettlement of families of disabled soldiers is very important. I worry that someone might be causing trouble."
Xiao Feng noted everything down. "Imperial Brother, rest assured, I will handle it properly."
He glanced at the pile of memorials on the dragon desk and clicked his tongue. "Imperial Brother is truly pitiful, having so many memorials. I heard that many court officials speak nothing but nonsense?"
Zi Cheng casually picked up a memorial and showed it to him. "Not just nonsense, but entire passages of pleasant-sounding nonsense, doing no real work at all."
Xiao Feng looked at the memorial, his bright eyes darting around. "Imperial Brother, have you ever thought of punishing these people who speak nonsense? Speaking a little nonsense or a few pleasant words is fine, but speaking so much nonsense should be punished!"
Zi Cheng shook his head. "It's endless. Some court officials don't speak the truth; they only think about how to please me."
Xiao Feng was quite disgusted. These people truly did no proper work; he didn't know what use they were.
...
The next day.
Xiao Feng and Madam Sheng walked hand in hand on the street.
The grandmother and grandson did not immediately go to the shops that accommodated disabled soldiers and their families, but instead wandered the streets, occasionally buying snacks.
Xiao Feng, eating dried sweet potato and holding a few snacks, said, "Grandmother, they are selling sugar figurines over there. Shall we buy two sugar figurines to eat?"
"Alright." Madam Sheng held his hand and walked to the sugar figurine stall.
There were several children in front of the stall, either drooling at the stall or looking at it with longing.
Madam Sheng asked Xiao Feng what kind of sugar figurine he wanted. "This old grandpa can make the sugar figurine you want on the spot. Have you decided what kind of sugar figurine you want?"
Xiao Feng thought for a moment and nodded. "Old grandpa, I want a pig and a duck, is that okay?"
The stall owner smiled and said, "Okay." His aged hands, weathered by the wind and frost, were very nimble. In no time, he molded a lifelike pig and a duck and handed them to Xiao Feng.
"Wow~~ Old grandpa, you are amazing!" Xiao Feng gave him copper coins and thanked him happily. "Grandmother, Grandmother, look, such beautiful pigs and ducks."
He remembered that in the past, when times were hard, his greatest dream was to have a pig and many chickens and ducks at home so he could eat meat.
Madam Sheng smiled broadly. "Yes, they are very lifelike pigs and ducks. As long as our Xiao Feng likes them."
Xiao Feng handed her the pig sugar figurine. "Grandmother, eat this. After eating the pig sugar figurine, Grandmother will always have delicious food and will never lack meat."
Madam Sheng was deeply touched and cherished Xiao Feng even more. "Good, Grandmother will eat this pig sugar figurine, and our Xiao Feng will eat the duck sugar figurine."
She took a bite; it was very sweet, sweetening her heart.
The grandmother and grandson continued their stroll.
After walking for a while, they arrived at a silk shop.
As soon as they walked in, they saw a man who looked like a shopkeeper scolding a middle-aged woman with red eyes.
"What's going on?" Madam Sheng asked, not understanding.
The shopkeeper quickly stepped forward to greet them. "What would the two ladies like to buy? Sigh, it's her. She's so timid, always afraid to greet customers, and she even said the wrong thing and displeased a customer. I am teaching her a lesson."
"What did she say? She said that a woman shouldn't show her face in public and should stay home to take care of her in-laws and children. She also complained, saying that the Emperor's policies are not good, and that women shouldn't be working in public."
"If you ask me, she's getting the benefits and still complaining. If it weren't for the Emperor's good policies, where would she and her husband, who lost a leg, find easy work?"
He couldn't stand people like her, who received benefits and then grumbled, saying this was not good and that was not good.
Madam Sheng glanced at the timid woman and said coldly, "Slandering the Emperor is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations!"
Truly a despicable person!
The woman was so frightened that she knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly. "No, no, I didn't! I just, I just don't want to work in public, I didn't slander the Emperor!"
"If you don't want to work in public, you can simply not work here. Why would you linger and refuse to leave?" Madam Sheng said. "Do you think the shop should support your family for free?"
Seeing the woman's evasive eyes and embarrassed expression, she knew she had guessed correctly and became even more displeased. "The Emperor is thinking of the disabled soldiers and their families, and you, on the other hand, have such disgusting thoughts. You are truly not a decent person!"
The woman shouted, "If my husband hadn't joined the army, would he have become a cripple?"
Madam Sheng laughed out of anger. "Did anyone force your husband to join the army? Your husband voluntarily joined the army for the monthly salary, and the court did not mistreat him; the money owed was not a single copper short."
"Now, the Emperor has introduced such good policies, yet you complain. You truly think you are someone important."
Many onlookers had already gathered outside the shop, pointing fingers at the woman.
"My goodness! I've had my worldview refreshed. How shameless does one have to be to say such things?"
"Truly despicable. It's not as if the court harmed her husband to make him like this. Besides, the court provided a pension and arranged such good work for their family, yet she still has the audacity to speak ill of it."
"So many ordinary people can't find work, and she has such good employment but doesn't cherish it, and still thinks of getting something for nothing. It's truly disgusting."
Facing the public's accusations, the woman couldn't lift her head but felt dissatisfied. If it weren't for the chaos in the military camp, how would her husband have become a cripple? It was all the court's fault.
Madam Sheng, too lazy to argue further with the woman, bought two bolts of cloth, thinking of making new clothes for Xiao Feng, and then left with her grandson.
That afternoon.
The woman was taken away by constables from the Jingzhao Prefecture, along with a small number of similar individuals. These people not only lost their jobs but also faced imprisonment.
At this moment, these people finally regretted and became fearful, but their fear and regret were of no use.
After they were released, they would not find good jobs, and it was uncertain if they would find any work at all.
In the evening.
Ministry of Justice Prison.
Zi Cheng and Xiao Feng, protected by a group of palace attendants and imperial guards, arrived at the deepest part of the prison.
A man had just been imprisoned here.