Chapter 75
"I can devise a solution after listening to you for just a few sentences," said Emperor Xiao Yunzhou, folding his arms behind his back and tilting his head up at a 45-degree angle.
Hong Xing opened his mouth and looked towards the Emperor, bathed in sunlight from the waist up, his face stern and daunting.
Hong Xing had a vague sense that something was amiss, but couldn't quite put his finger on it. Before he could ponder further, the Emperor spoke again, "I have come up with a way to address the issue of high piglet mortality."
Hong Xing opened his mouth soundlessly.
"High piglet mortality is reminiscent of the previous dynasty's imperial palace, where the princes seldom survived and mostly died in infancy or grew up sickly," Xiao Yunzhou remarked solemnly, glancing at Hong Xing.
Hong Xing's jaw dropped, barely suppressing the urge to curse the Emperor's shamelessness.
Likening the former dynasty's princes to piglets? How outrageous!
What a deep-seated grudge!
Hong Xing suddenly felt a chill down his spine, realizing for the first time that Xiao Yunzhou was not a good man.
If he regarded the former imperial family as mere animals, how would he view disobedient officials?
The thought made Hong Xing break out in a sweat.
But soon, Xiao Yunzhou spoke again.
"The high mortality rate of princes in the previous dynasty prompted our founding Emperor to learn from that experience. Whenever a woman in the palace became pregnant, dedicated physicians and nannies were assigned to care for her."
"If any mistake occurred, not only would the physicians and nannies be held accountable, but also the eunuchs attending to them."
"Thus, they took their duties seriously, devising various remedies to ensure a safe pregnancy and proper nourishment for the consorts."
"After the child was born, physicians would immediately examine the newborn's pulse, and daily records were kept of how much milk they drank and how often they urinated. Any abnormality would prompt immediate investigation into the cause."
Xiao Yunzhou took a sip of tea to moisten his throat and looked at Hong Xing.
Hong Xing was dumbfounded.
What did he mean?
Was the Emperor suggesting they treat piglets like princes?!
Hong Xing didn't know what to say.
If he agreed with the Emperor, would he be admitting that princes were no different from pigs?
Xiao Yunzhou shot a displeased glance at the speechless Hong Xing and snorted.
Still haven't grasped the concept?
Fool!
"Hong Sir, if you regarded the valuable assets of the people – the expectant and nursing sows – as your own kin, and the precious piglets that families depend on to raise and sell for income as your own children, wouldn't you be able to devise a way to reduce piglet mortality?"
Hong Xing's mouth twitched violently.
So the Emperor was implying that his family were pigs!
He was speechless.
"Hong Xing, you receive your salary from the people, you are sustained by the people, yet you place less importance on the plight of pigs than you would your own offspring. You should be ashamed of yourself, Hong Xing!" Xiao Yunzhou slammed the table in distress.
Hong Xing: "..."
[Woo-hoo, Father Emperor has finally stepped up!]
Within Wei Zhenghuai's embrace, Xiao Chuchu listened with shining eyes, wholeheartedly praising her lousy father the Emperor.
[Indeed, the key lies in ensuring proper nutrition and care for the sows before and after giving birth, maintaining a clean environment for them to feel safe and at ease. That way, the piglets will be healthy too.]
[Also, the feed during this special period should differ from the regular diet...the amount shouldn't be excessive...]
[Father Emperor is making progress, keep it up!] Xiao Chuchu urged inwardly. [Oh, and don't forget to watch for any post-partum inflammation in the sows to ensure the milk is healthy and that both mother and offspring are safe!]
Xiao Yunzhou turned around, beaming at the fairy-like praise from his beloved daughter.
He dared not forget a single word of advice from his celestial daughter, who reminded and urged him as an emperor to care for the people and the nation.
He must cherish this!
Xiao Yunzhou was filled with gratitude for the heavens and his daughter, overcome with emotion. But as he turned to speak, he heard his daughter exclaim.
[Let me see how Hong Sir has been performing his duties, and why he can't measure up to my Father Emperor's competence.]
Xiao Yunzhou, who considered himself more capable than Hong Xing, felt a surge of pride, but it quickly turned to fury.
Because when Xiao Chuchu used the system to retrieve images of Hong Xing's daily routine, she was shocked.
[Well, well! It seems Hong Sir spends three out of every five days supposedly inspecting local conditions and monitoring officials, but actually sneaking off to visit his concubines!]
Xiao Yunzhou's eyes widened.
[Roar! He's using the court's transportation and travel allowances, abusing his official duties to conduct extramarital affairs! And this is his thirteenth concubine!]
What?
Xiao Yunzhou nearly fainted. If he remembered correctly, Hong Xing already had four or five concubines.
But this shameless Hong Xing had even more mistresses!
Even he, the Emperor, wasn't so promiscuous.
And Hong Xing dared to abuse his official duties?
Using official carriages to visit mistresses?
Xiao Yunzhou's chest heaved with rage.
And Xiao Chuchu, after witnessing Hong Xing's daily routine, was equally outraged.
[This Hong Sir's thirteenth mistress consumes one pound of bird's nest daily, fifty ounces of ginseng tonics, and only drinks spring water hauled back by four porters over four hours.]
[Hong Sir has promised that if she becomes pregnant, he will bring her into his household and double her care, allowing her to eat as much bird's nest and ginseng as she desires.]
[He will also hire four wet nurses to attend to her personally and give her the finest room in the household!]
[Hong Sir, you truly know how to indulge your mistresses with the people's resources!]
[If only you devoted that energy to the people's sows and piglets, there would be no shortage of pork!]
Xiao Yunzhou couldn't help but nod in agreement, glaring at Hong Xing, who remained oblivious to his daughter's innermost thoughts.
Furious, but now with experience, Xiao Yunzhou said, "Wei Zheng, take the little princess back to Concubine Liu and have her look after her closely."
"I have some state affairs to attend to before visiting the little princess again."
Wei Zheng calmly followed the order, accustomed to such requests.
But as soon as he carried the little princess away, Hong Xing, still standing in the study, was kicked to the ground by the enraged Xiao Yunzhou!
"You wretched creature, lower than a pig!" the Emperor thundered.
Hong Xing hit the ground hard, his head striking a pillar and drawing blood. He looked up at the Emperor in disbelief.
"Your Majesty—"
"Your subject, your subject has done nothing wrong! Your subject...acknowledges no grave offense!"
"If your subject fails to understand the issue of pork supply, have the other officials grasped it any better?"
"You dare talk back!" Xiao Yunzhou raged, his face flushed red.
"Officials can be executed, but not insulted! Your Majesty—your subject would rather die here today, so that all under heaven may know that I, an Imperial Censor, was unjustly reviled by the Emperor over a trivial matter and chose to die honorably rather than endure such insult!"
Several high-ranking ministers were waiting outside for the Emperor and Hong Xing to conclude their discussion before being summoned for an audience.
At this moment, upon hearing Imperial Censor Hong Xing's furious threats, the faces of the few elderly chancellors changed drastically!
Hong Xing was an Imperial Censor.
Throughout history, emperors who did not listen to advice rarely received praise.
If Hong Xing were to truly dash his head against a pillar and die in the emperor's study today, then the emperor would be an even greater tyrant!
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please calm your anger!" Chancellor Fu Cha, sweating profusely, took the lead and rushed in.
Although Chancellor Fu Cha was the father of Imperial Noble Fu Cha, he was also the former teacher of Crown Prince Xiao Yunzhou.
Chancellor Fu Cha did not want Xiao Yunzhou to be remembered in history as a tyrannical ruler, leaving an eternal stench.
Otherwise, as the emperor's teacher, what would he amount to? Would he not be cursed by future generations!
"Your Majesty, since Wei Zheng has departed, if there is anything you need, please feel free to command us, these old bones!" At this moment, Chancellor Fu Cha did not even feel that his old legs could not move swiftly,
and he directly stood between Hong Xing and the emperor.
Chancellor Fu Cha gestured earnestly toward the emperor.
With Wei Zheng absent, there were only the emperor and Hong Xing in the study just now.
If Hong Xing were to seek death and loudly proclaim that the emperor insulted and coerced him, even if the emperor jumped into the Yellow River, he could not wash himself clean.
Chancellor Fu Cha took a deep breath, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. If there is anything, can it not be discussed properly?"
Hong Xing immediately found his main supporter and hurriedly complained to the great Chancellor, "Chancellor, you must uphold justice for me."
"I spent ten bitter years in poverty studying the classics of the sages."
"Yet the emperor ordered me to tend to the pigsty."
What?
Chancellor Fu Cha nearly spat it out.
Hong Xing continued his complaints in one breath, "Tending to pigs is one thing, it is still for the country and the people, but the emperor only gave me three days."
"The emperor is forcing me to die!"
"The emperor is merely looking for an excuse—if I fail, he will kick me in the heart!"
"Chancellor Fu Cha, I came from the Hanlin Academy, rising one step at a time from the seventh rank to my current position, living up to the heavens and earth..."
"Today the emperor has insulted me, so I will dash my head against a pillar and die!"
Xiao Yunzhou was so angry that he trembled and laughed angrily.
Pointing his finger at Hong Xing, "Very well, very well, I have insulted you."
"Guards, I wish to leave the palace!"
"I will now bring Chancellor Fu Cha, Chancellor Xu... and go see how the great Hong Xing has been performing his duties!"