Her Majesty Chose Violence, They Chose Her

Chapter 26: Chapter 226: "One by One, Dream On!

After his extreme torment and exhaustion, the Little Emperor slept soundly through the day. Outside, however, the world had been turned upside down.

Li Wei had led his men to raid the Chen and Liu Families, uncovering countless jewels and antiques. While such items were not uncommon for large, established clans, the chests upon chests of gold bricks and silver ingots were a different matter entirely.

Many of them were still stamped with the seal of the National Treasury, and some hadn’t even been unsealed.

Of course, they didn’t hide these things in their own mansions. Instead, they had purchased an inconspicuous residence for the sole purpose of stashing their loot.

But no matter how well hidden it was, it couldn’t escape Li Wei’s exhaustive search.

They literally peeled the plaster from the walls. Liu Zhongwen had embezzled so much that he’d had his men mortar gold bricks into the walls themselves. If not for an overly greedy servant who tried to pry one loose for himself, Li Wei might never have found them.

The Liu and Chen Families were too large to be fully raided in a single day, but even so, the amount recovered was already staggering.

Three million taels of gold and five million taels of silver. The value of the jewels, antiques, and other rare treasures was simply incalculable.

And this was just what they had found in one day. Even so, it was already equivalent to two years of the National Treasury’s revenue, to say nothing of what had yet to be unearthed.

The Chen and Liu Families had relied on the Empress Dowager’s power to embezzle and hoard wealth. They were not wronged by having their homes raided; death would be too good for them!

"Phew!"

Xiao Yang had slept for an entire day, only to be jolted awake by sheer hunger.

"So... hungry..."

’I feel like I could eat a whole cow right now, but my body doesn’t want to move an inch.’

Bi Fang was waiting by the screen with two eunuchs and four palace maids.

"This servant has brought people to help Your Majesty wash up."

Xiao Yang nodded, letting them pull her to her feet.

After the whole ordeal of getting dressed, washing her face, and having her hair combed, she was finally able to drink a bowl of millet porridge, warmed to the perfect temperature.

With something in her stomach, she felt instantly better.

"I’m alive again."

Xiao Yang nibbled on some refreshing side dishes and ate two savory steamed fish balls.

’It wouldn’t have mattered if I had died, but it feels so good to be alive.’

Just as Xiao Yang was finishing her meal, Han Yang appeared, carrying a bowl of medicinal soup.

Xiao Yang’s gaze fell upon him—cold, resentful, angry. Annoyed.

Han Yang sighed helplessly. "Your Majesty has just fought off a poison. Your body is extremely weak and needs to recuperate properly."

’He never expected that saving the Emperor’s life would not only earn him no reward, but would somehow make him feel guilty.’

"Hmph!"

’Xiao Yang truly disliked him, but she wasn’t unreasonable. She knew he had done it to save her.’

’But she had been faking her death! Han Yang had pulled out the needles and woken her up. She would hold this grudge for the rest of her life!’

Xiao Yang drank the medicine. Bi Fang then chose the right moment to remind her, "Your Majesty, the Regent King and the ministers are all in the Imperial Study Room. the Regent King said that if Your Majesty awakens, he requests your presence to preside over the situation."

’Xiao Yang didn’t want to go, but she hadn’t managed to get rid of this hot potato of a throne yet.’

After a moment’s thought, she put on a wide cloak and walked out the door.

The September wind already carried a chill, and for the weakened Xiao Yang, its bite felt twice as sharp.

Even with the cloak, she couldn’t help but shiver.

Her steps weren’t particularly steady.

’This throne thing... not many can sit on it securely, but there’s no shortage of life-threatening problems that come with it. No good, no good at all...’

"His Majesty arrives!"

Xiao Yang walked in at an unhurried pace. The group of people inside had already straightened their clothes and were standing in neat rows. They bowed in unison. "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Xiao Yang walked to the seat in the center and sat down.

"You may rise."

Her gaze swept over the ministers before finally landing on Rong Yin. "Regent King, you asked me to come. For what matter?"

Rong Yin replied, "Your Majesty, it concerns the matter of the Chen and Liu Families."

Xiao Yang said, "Didn’t I already send Li Wei to raid them?"

An official stepped forward. "Reporting to Your Majesty, the Chen and Liu Families have accepted bribes and perverted justice, shaking the very foundations of our nation. Now that the evidence of their crimes is conclusive, they should be punished severely."

’Even if Xiao Yang didn’t know the exact amount confiscated, she knew it would not be small. If the Minister of Revenue wasn’t corrupt, then no one was.’

"Then throw them all in the imperial prison. We will determine their sentences after the raids are complete."

"Your Majesty is wise."

This was standard procedure, so naturally, no one objected.

The Chen and Liu Families originally had some supporters, but upon seeing the confiscated items, their crimes were set in stone.

Knowing that the two families were doomed, their allies all laid low to reduce their presence, terrified of being implicated by the Emperor.

Now that Prince Jing, the Regent King, and Li Wei were all following His Majesty’s orders, the Little Emperor was no longer the puppet he once was. Destroying them would be easy.

However, that didn’t stop them from having other ideas.

Prime Minister Song, who had been quiet until now, clasped his hands and spoke. "I have heard that Your Majesty has entrusted all the illicit funds confiscated from the Liu and Chen Families to General Li’s discretion. However, the sum is enormous, and the National Treasury has long been empty. Might Your Majesty reconsider how these funds are allocated?"

Xiao Yang replied, "A monarch’s word is his bond."

The Minister of Industry behind him stood up. "Your Majesty, the river embankments need to be reinforced, the city walls need repairs, and construction on the Imperial Mausoleum has yet to begin. Money is needed everywhere."

The others chimed in. "Yes, Your Majesty! Various departments in the court are in need of funds. We can’t give it all to Li Wei alone."

"Besides, what about the Ministry of War? This money should be allocated to them as well. Why give it all to Li Wei?"

Xiao Yang found their words ironic. "Hilarious. When the Empress Dowager controlled the court and I was powerless to resist, none of you said a word. Now that I’ve gotten the money, you all want a piece of the pie."

Her body was weak, so she leaned lazily against the armrest and scoffed. "Every last one of you... in your dreams!"

The Little Emperor’s words were so blunt, laying bare all their inner calculations without so much as a fig leaf to cover them. For a moment, everyone was left speechless.

Prime Minister Song frowned. "Your Majesty, your words are amiss. It was because Liu Zhongwen controlled the National Treasury that it became empty. These funds belonged to the treasury in the first place. Now that they have been confiscated, they should naturally be returned to it and used for national expenditures, not given to a single individual to manage."

Hearing this, all the other officials quickly voiced their agreement.

"The Prime Minister’s words are reasonable."

"That is what this humble official wished to say as well."

’A bunch of idiots!’

Xiao Yang tilted her head slightly. "Doesn’t the Regent King have anything to say?"

Rong Yin lowered his eyes. "This subject will obey Your Majesty’s decree."

Prince Jing also stated his position. "This subject has no objections either."

From a purely logical standpoint, Song Qinghe was not wrong. The money, by rights, should be returned to the National Treasury.

But after the confrontation the other day, Prince Jing had come to understand one thing.

Someone had to stand on the side of reason, but someone also had to stand firmly by the Emperor’s side.

Prime Minister Song’s reasoning might be correct, but that didn’t necessarily mean the Emperor was entirely wrong.

Besides, taking sides wasn’t about right or wrong; it was about upholding the Imperial Power.

Others could oppose the Emperor, but as a member of the Imperial Family, Prince Jing had to protect him.

They would flourish together or fall together.

Just then, a little eunuch at the door bowed and entered to announce, "Reporting to Your Majesty, General Li Wei requests an audience."