Her Majesty Chose Violence, They Chose Her

Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Another Day of Wanting to Go on Strike

A tall figure soon appeared at the door, just as he had the other day, clad in armor and looking majestic.

"Your subject, Li Wei, pays homage to Your Majesty!"

While others bowed with clasped hands, he knelt on one knee in respectful submission.

"Rise."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Li Wei rose. His sharp, beast-like eyes fell upon the pale and gaunt Little Emperor on the dragon throne, and they unconsciously softened.

He took out a thick stack of ledgers. "Your Majesty, this is the first batch of ledgers from the seizures. Please look them over."

Bi Fang stepped forward to receive them and brought them to Xiao Yang.

Xiao Yang didn’t move. The amount seized from corrupt officials was bound to be a colossal sum; as for the exact figure, she didn’t need to know it in detail.

This was clearly just the tip of the iceberg.

"Li Wei, just now, they said you should turn this all over to the National Treasury for unified distribution. Tell me your thoughts."

Li Wei did not answer immediately. The amount seized was enormous; even after covering the military expenses, there would be a surplus.

He knew the National Treasury was empty, so it would be acceptable to deposit the remainder into it.

Now that Prince Jing was in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, this kind of corruption shouldn’t happen.

However, he recalled the look the Little Emperor had given him the day before yesterday.

’The state, Imperial Power, and distribution—these are all matters for the Emperor to consider.’

’I am a subject. My duty is to do my part and be loyal to the Emperor.’

’Military orders are absolute, and a King’s word is final.’

With this in mind, he slowly spoke, "Your Majesty’s verbal decree was that all this Silver would be used for military expenses. This subject will obey the King’s command."

Song Qinghe couldn’t help but take a deep breath. "General Li, the assets you’ve seized are worth at least twenty million taels of Silver! If it all goes to military funds, how is the imperial court supposed to function?"

Li Wei retorted without hesitation.

"Before today, the military funds for the border were in arrears for years. The number of men who froze or starved to death was countless. How is it that we never heard Prime Minister Song speak a single word for the soldiers at the border?"

The Minister of Public Works immediately chimed in, "If the river dikes are not reinforced, when the flood season arrives, they will break, destroying good farmland. The floods will submerge villages, leaving the people displaced and the crops completely lost. That would shake the very foundations of the state!"

’At first glance, what the Minister of Public Works said sounded reasonable. But reinforcing dikes isn’t a one-time affair; it happens every year. He’s acting as if without this money, everyone in the realm would drown.’

’Besides, just the day before yesterday, when the Liu and Chen Families stood like unshakeable mountains, he didn’t dare let out a peep. Now he’s jumping up and down, acting like he’s some great patriot.’

Li Wei was clearly not skilled in sophistry, but he knew to shut up when he was outmatched in argument.

’His opinion on this matter doesn’t count, and this jumping clown’s opinion counts for even less.’

Xiao Yang slowly sat up straight. Her weak body made even the slightest movement exhausting.

"Li Wei."

Li Wei clasped his hands. "I am here."

Xiao Yang looked at him, her eyes bright. "I said I would give you all the Silver, so it is all yours. But I have one condition."

She beckoned with her finger, and Li Wei immediately stepped forward.

She stared at him and said solemnly, "I want an iron cavalry. It will bear the character ’Li’ as its emblem and a black dragon as its banner. It must be mighty and powerful, sweeping across battlefields, invincible."

"Can you do it?"

Li Wei looked up at Xiao Yang. As he listened to her finish, word by word, his pupils trembled. His expression contorted with emotion, and he immediately dropped to one knee. "This general will not fail this mission!"

Xiao Yang raised her hand and tapped his helmet twice. "Go on, get to it. I’ll be waiting for your good news."

Tapping a helmet like that was considered an insult to a military general.

But the Little Emperor was young and handsome, and she was the King. She had just given him such a promise. Li Wei didn’t feel insulted at all. Instead, he felt an indescribable sense of intimacy. He was even worried that the helmet was too hard and that His Majesty, in his frail state, might have hurt his hand.

"Your Majesty, please take care of your health. This subject will definitely not disappoint you."

Li Wei strode away, his tall frame radiating an unstoppable aura.

Only after he was far away did the group of civil servants find their voices again.

"Your Majesty... this is too reckless."

"If Your Majesty makes decisions with a single word, then what is the use for subjects like us?"

"The National Treasury is empty! Do you even care about the stability of the state anymore?"

The civil servants’ complaints seemed quiet, but they were loud enough for Xiao Yang to hear. They were expressing their discontent, challenging the authority of the Little Emperor who had just seized power.

’Kindness is mistaken for weakness. Even if you’re the Emperor, if you seem weak, your own subjects will bully you.’

Xiao Yang sighed. ’This is no way to live.’

’Another day, another desire to go on strike.’

’I’m too weak to shut everyone up, not that I want to. Anyway, I’ll just take it one step at a time. I actually have a bit of tolerance.’

’A few complaints won’t kill me.’

’Go ahead and complain. Once Li Wei gets the army set up, I’ll just seize the assets of whoever complains the loudest.’

’The National Treasury has no money, but the aristocratic families do. If I seize enough from them, won’t the treasury be filled to the brim?’

Using her physical weakness as an excuse, Xiao Yang dumped the remaining matters on Rong Yin and left.

Outside the Imperial Study Room, she spotted Xiao Lv standing there.

His posture was straight and his bearing was extraordinary.

He smiled at Xiao Yang and bowed with clasped hands. "Your subject, Xiao Lv, congratulates Your Majesty on this rebirth after a calamity. May Your Majesty enjoy good health for the rest of your days, free from disaster and worry."

Xiao Yang held it in for a moment, but then let out a laugh.

’A person’s malice can be well hidden, but their goodwill is truly easy to sense.’

"Thank you, brother."

Xiao Lv stepped aside to introduce the two people behind him. "This is Xiao Cheng, the Princely Heir of Marquis Pingchuan, and Xiao Lan, the second son of Anyang Bo."

The two immediately came forward to pay their respects. "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Xiao Cheng and Xiao Lan were both around twenty years old. Because they practiced martial arts, they wore tight-sleeved clothing and looked very sharp and capable.

Neither was exceptionally handsome, but their features were regular and they radiated an air of integrity.

Facing the Emperor for the first time, they were a little reserved, even though he was younger than them.

Xiao Yang had been sizing them up, but after hearing Xiao Lv introduce their names, she was suddenly pulled out of the moment.

’Xiao Lv, Xiao Cheng, Xiao Lan... She couldn’t help but think of the colors green, orange, and blue. Was he trying to assemble a rainbow?’

"Rise."

Xiao Lv explained, "We run into each other occasionally and have traveled together. We get along well, and their character is trustworthy. Among the young disciples of the Royal Family, these two are considered the cream of the crop."

’It was clear Xiao Lv had chosen them carefully.’

Xiao Yang nodded, reasonably satisfied with the two of them. But this was only the first step.

"Are you willing to become my Imperial Guards?"

The two exchanged a look, and Xiao Cheng replied, "Your Majesty, we are of course willing, but our martial arts skills are not as good as Xiao Lv claims."

Don’t be fooled by titles like Marquis Pingchuan or Anyang Bo. These were peerages granted to their ancestors. Although the titles were hereditary, their families lacked real influence.

In recent years, suppressed by the great aristocratic families, few of them—the Imperial Family—held real power in the court, so the benefits they received were naturally few.

They naturally wanted to earn a place in court through their own abilities, but they were also self-aware.

Xiao Yang said, "No matter. You will have an excellent teacher."

Xiao Lv looked over and his gaze met Xiao Yang’s. They shared a knowing, mischievous smile.

The two, completely unaware of what they were about to face, cherished the opportunity and knelt together. "We pledge our loyalty to Your Majesty."

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