Forced to Ascend the Throne after Transmigrating

Chapter 135: Misunderstanding

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Another month has passed. Although the flood is gradually receding, the follow-up matters have not decreased at all.

Fortunately, during the years when Emperor Jingwen was in power, the Great Zhou had developed well and the treasury was full, so it still had enough strength to deal with this sudden crisis. However, if Beiting took the opportunity to join in, it would be hard to say what would happen.

Fortunately, compared with the victims who died in the disaster, more people were saved. I think with the addition of these people, they will be able to restore their previous order soon.

When Emperor Jingwen received the report about the disaster area from the imperial envoy, he was not optimistic at first. It has been so many years since he became the crown prince, and the Yuan River has been flooding all year round. After each flood, typhoid fever and malaria would be rampant.

This time the collapse of the Yuanhe dam was so massive that it would be even more so.

Emperor Jingwen had already prepared for a drastic population decline. However, when he opened the memorial, he found that although the flood was severe, the subsequent casualties were even less than before. Epidemics broke out in several places, but they were quickly brought under control. The methods used were ones that Emperor Jingwen had never heard of before.

For example, feces must be centrally processed and filth must be cleaned up in a timely manner. The various sundries produced by the victims’ daily lives cannot be thrown away at random, but must be collected by special people and handled in a unified manner. Other things include not drinking raw water, even well water that looks clean must be boiled before it can be drunk, food must be thoroughly cooked, the meat of dead animals must not be eaten, but must be buried in a deep pit, and clothes cannot be washed in the river. The places where the victims live must be fumigated with large amounts of wormwood every day, etc.

At first, the imperial envoy thought it was troublesome. After all, everyone felt extremely tired after the disaster. Who could care so much?

Those people are now heroes who played a big role when the flood occurred. They are also the ones specifically requested by the emperor. Even the imperial envoy has to take their feelings into consideration.

After much deliberation, the imperial envoy finally did as he was told.

The people’s daily lives are not very particular, so it is quite difficult to get them to behave themselves all of a sudden.

But it didn’t matter, the imperial envoy had soldiers at his disposal. Emperor Jingwen temporarily gave him the power to dispatch the nearest troop. Under the concerted efforts and strict supervision of everyone, the epidemic that had raged in the past was miraculously reduced a lot. It was truly a miracle.

If this method had been known before, the Great Zhou would have suffered fewer casualties during the flood.

Shocked, the imperial envoy hurriedly reported the matter to Emperor Jingwen.

Although they did not know the reason behind it, the doctors around them, including the imperial physician sent by Emperor Jingwen, recorded the above methods in a book to pass on to future generations.

After reading this thick book of memorials, Emperor Jingwen regarded those eight people even more highly.

With such talented people, why should the Great Zhou Dynasty worry about its prosperity?

It so happened that the envoys from Beiting were about to arrive, and the significance of the eight representatives was even more different.

The other side.

After setting foot in Shangjing City, Zou Wu and the others were very excited. Some of this excitement was due to the prosperity of Shangjing, but more of it was the anticipation for the teacher whom they had never met.

Master Zeng said that their other teacher was a member of the royal family. If they were lucky enough to meet him, he would wear a jade pendant shaped like a lily flower around his waist, and they could recognize him by the pendant.

However, the lily of the valley is always small and more suitable for women, so the eight people couldn’t help but wonder whether their other teacher would be a woman.

Thinking of this, Zou Wu and the other two, who were also women, couldn’t help but feel excited.

The other five people felt a little embarrassed.

Although there were many women among the people who studied with him, they were still influenced by the current secular world. They still felt naturally embarrassed when facing women, and their faces turned red in a short while.

Obviously, they have already imagined the image of a noble and elegant female teacher in their minds.

But at the same time, the five of them were a little worried. If this was the case, wouldn’t it be inconvenient for the other party to teach them again?

Rather than the so-called gender distinction, they care more about whether they can learn something.

In order to leave a good impression on the mysterious teacher, Zou Wu and her companions, who originally did not care much about their appearance, ordered hot water and dressed up properly the day before they were summoned to the palace.

Now, they are still young and energetic, so even though they have been busy in the disaster area for such a long time, they can have a good sleep after cleaning up, and when they wake up, they have regained the vitality that young people should have, which makes the young eunuchs on the side envious.

Although the group of people in front of them looked rustic and were far less graceful than the nobles in the palace, at this critical juncture, the significance represented by these eight people was extraordinary.

Even though they are still commoners now, if they perform well when the envoys come, they will surely be able to rise to prominence.

Thinking of this, the young eunuchs became even more respectful.

Seeing that the time was almost up, one of the eunuchs stepped forward and reminded, “It is almost the morning hour, everyone please follow me into the palace.”

Zou Wu and her companions felt a tightness in their hearts at first, and they breathed in and out for a long time. After they calmed down, they quickly boarded the carriage to the palace.

About half an hour later, looking at the white marble stone steps in front of them, the majestic white jade dragon head on it looked down from above, with solemn and dignified eyes, which made people feel intimidated. Even Zou Wu and the others wanted to retreat for a moment.

This is the imperial palace, where the most honourable emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty lives. It is a place that ordinary people would never be able to set foot in their entire lives, but now it is right before their eyes.

If it weren’t for the two teachers and General Wei who had always supported them, they would definitely not be where they are today.

The more this happened, the more they could not embarrass the two teachers.

After all, he was the person Zeng Mohuai liked. He hesitated for only a moment, and soon Zou Wu and the others took the first step without fear.

At the 15th hour in the morning, inside the Xuanzheng Hall, Emperor Jingwen and the ministers stopped at the same time as if they had sensed something.

Not long after, eight people appeared outside the Xuanzheng Hall.

Now is the time when the morning sun is just rising. The morning sun symbolises flourishing hope. Besides, Zou Wu and the others are so young, the eight of them seem to be stepping on the morning sun. Even He Xiang and the others are moved for a moment.

As expected of Zeng Mohuai’s students, he is indeed different from others.

Zou Wu and the others had no idea what the other ministers were thinking. After they entered the palace, they seemed to be intimidated by the emperor’s holy face on the dragon throne. They all lowered their heads and said in a loud voice, “We greet the emperor. Long live the emperor.”

Although these eight people were a little nervous, they were not timid. The saying “a newborn calf is not afraid of a tiger” was almost fully reflected in them.

When Emperor Jingwen saw this scene, a thought subconsciously crossed his mind –

It would be great if his son could be like this. Without saying too much, Emperor Jingwen would be satisfied if he could have half of what they have.

As for who this son is talking about, you don’t have to think about it to know.

Thinking this in his heart, Emperor Jingwen said, “Well, everyone get up.”

Zou Wu and the others did as they were told. When they stood up, their eyes simultaneously glanced at the waists of several people wearing python robes next to them.

No, no, no, no this either.

Since it was an early morning court session, basically all the princes and nobles who had reached the age were here. If nothing had been discovered, then the possibility that the teacher was a woman increased a little.

Just as the eight people were thinking about it, Emperor Jingwen asked a few more questions. Seeing that most of them answered fluently, he was satisfied. At the same time, he was certain in his heart and asked, “The envoy is coming. If I want you to show the power of my Great Zhou in front of the envoy, can you do it?”

Master Zeng had already explained this matter to them when they arrived, so the eight people were not particularly surprised.

“I will do my best to obey the orders of His Majesty.”

They didn’t know what would happen at that time, so they didn’t say anything definite.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Jingwen was not dissatisfied at all. Instead, he nodded in praise.

Of course, along with the arrival of the eight people, there was also news that the eldest prince was promoted to prince*.

^[1]The eldest prince was promoted as prince with title, like king of jin, the title of his uncle

Ten years ago, when the eldest prince went to war, he was conferred the title of a prince in order to elevate his status. Now that he has returned victorious, he deserves a reward.

This decree, which had been delayed for two full months, finally came down.

At the very end, when seeing the thirteen-year-old Lu Mu, Emperor Jingwen couldn’t help but say, “You are indeed a disciple of Master Zeng. You are truly a young man to be feared. If my ninth son could be like you, I wouldn’t have to worry every day now.”

Upon hearing this, Prime Minister He and the Grand Tutor could not help but nod in agreement.

The Ninth Prince?

This name flashed through their minds. They had just noticed that the one standing in the front was the Crown Prince, and the remaining princes were only the Seventh Prince. The Seventh Prince was only fifteen years old this year, so the Ninth Prince must be even younger.

Therefore, Zou Wu and others didn’t take Emperor Jingwen’s casual words to heart at all.

However, they lived in the imperial city for the next few days, so they naturally heard some things about the Ninth Prince.

It’s not that they intended to spy, nor is it that the people around them were not tight-lipped. The main reason was that the Ninth Prince was too famous. Just like the previous incident with the Cao family, where the Crown Prince’s tutor and the Prince of Jin personally caught the adulterer, it would be hard for the people in the capital to not know about it.

As for the culprit of this incident, it was the Ninth Prince.

Zou Wu couldn’t help but laughed and teased: “This Ninth Prince is even more mischievous than you.”

Lu Mu is young, so it’s normal for him to be not so steady sometimes.

Hearing this, Lu Mu couldn’t help but chuckle, feeling quite embarrassed.

At the same time, Ye Shuo, who was doing horse stance, felt his nose itchy and couldn’t help sneezing.

Time passed quietly in such an atmosphere. Three days passed in a flash, and the envoys from Beiting finally arrived in Shangjing City.

The arrival of envoys from foreign countries is always a big event, and the capital city also becomes lively.

Ye Shuo, who had been doing nothing, jumped up upon hearing the news and prepared to leave the palace with Xiao Luzi.

References

?1The eldest prince was promoted as prince with title, like king of jin, the title of his uncle