The tri-monthly court session convened once more.
In the Hall of Governance, ministers were excitedly speaking.
"Your Majesty! The land surveys, tax reforms, and tiered taxation absolutely cannot be implemented. If they are, the entire realm will rebel! Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty! The aristocratic families are spread throughout the country, with immense power and extensive connections. This reform is akin to digging up the foundation of our dynasty; it is an act of national ruin, absolutely not to be undertaken!"
"Your Majesty! Since ancient times, the Son of Heaven and the scholars have governed together; this is the natural order of things. Our dynasty has endured through six emperors without incident. Why must Your Majesty stir up trouble and undermine the people's hearts and the nation's foundation?"
A group of old ministers, seemingly found from nowhere, cried out in unison, their tears disturbing the Empress, who grew increasingly annoyed.
"Enough!"
The Empress, unable to bear it any longer, roared, and silence finally fell.
She looked at the elders before her, officials who had served for two or three dynasties, who should have retired to enjoy their twilight years. These octogenarians had all come to court to vehemently oppose the reforms.
The current ministers of the five ministries remained silent, heads bowed. The newly appointed acting Minister of Rites dared not speak of classical texts. Among the military officials, everyone maintained a detached stance.
Only these old ministers, on the brink of death, still dared to oppose, glaring with fury at Chu Chen, the instigator.
"You are all esteemed elders of the nation, meant to be enjoying your retirement. Why must you wade into this muddy water?"
"Your Majesty, it is not that we do not wish to enjoy our retirement, but rather that this villain Chu is detestable and makes it impossible for us to rest easy. If the new laws are enacted, will not the wealth of us old ministers be reduced by seven or eight tenths? How then will we have the means to live out our remaining years?"
The Empress's questioning did not instill fear in the old ministers. They looked at her fearlessly, their aged voices slowly but powerfully expressing their dissent.
The Empress asked coldly, "What if I say that these reforms must be implemented?"
"We are old and weak, naturally unable to prevent it. However, our intentions are clear. We are willing to sacrifice our remaining bodies to awaken Your Majesty's clarity!"
With that, the former Grand Tutor, who had already retired, rose and moved to smash his head against a dragon pillar.
"Grand Tutor, no!"
The civil officials were greatly alarmed. The younger civil officials quickly moved to restrain the former Grand Tutor, preventing him from actually killing himself in the hall.
Chu Chen, who had been observing all this, suddenly said coldly, "Why obstruct the death wish of such a parasitic old rogue? It would be better to let him contribute to the nation in his final moments."
"This, Prime Minister Chu, this is the former Grand Tutor, a veteran of three dynasties! How can this be done?"
Chu Chen's words caused the young officials to exchange bewildered glances.
"A veteran of three dynasties? I say, it is precisely because of people like him that the nation is in this state. Otherwise, why did so many retired high officials not come forward to prevent the former Prime Minister's rebellion? They have the courage to smash a dragon pillar to commit suicide, but not the courage to draw their swords and resist the chaos?"
"You, you traitor to the nation! Do not speak such nonsense!"
The former Grand Tutor struggled free, pointing at Chu Chen and cursing him angrily.
"Heh, am I speaking nonsense? Do you then know the current difficulties of our nation?"
Chu Chen sneered and stepped forward, standing before him. "Let me tell you, in the five years since you retired, the nation's tax revenue has dropped from three and a half million taels to a mere two million taels. This income, ten years ago, was five million taels, and twenty-two years ago, it was nine million six hundred thousand taels. You brute, tell me, why is this so?"
"The common people are impoverished, and the nation's strength declines, so naturally, tax revenue decreases. What is wrong with that?"
"Well said, 'What is wrong with that!'"
Chu Chen took out a ledger and glanced at it. "Since twenty-two years ago, due to the several princesses warring for years, the tax revenue dropped from nine million six hundred thousand taels to seven million eight hundred thousand taels in the second year of Your Majesty's reign. It has continued to decline since then, decreasing by an average of four hundred and ten thousand taels annually, reaching the current two million taels."
"According to the investigations and statistics I conducted after taking office, the number of independent farmers has decreased by two hundred and fifty thousand households annually since twenty-two years ago, from four million households, leaving only fifty thousand independent farming households today! So, where has the land of these independent farmers gone? Do you, the former Grand Tutor, know?"
"Five years ago, when you were seventy-five, you were still an official in court. Why did you not prevent these things from happening?"
"I am the Grand Tutor, not the Minister of Revenue, nor the Prime Minister. How could I manage these matters?" the former Grand Tutor retorted self-righteously.
"Yes, you could not manage these matters. That is why, since the second year of Your Majesty's reign, when you held the esteemed position of Grand Tutor, your family's land acquisition has been remarkably rapid."
"In the first five years, you increased your land by three hundred mu annually, a total of one thousand five hundred mu. In the subsequent nine years, your land doubled every three years: one thousand eight hundred mu, three thousand six hundred mu, seven thousand two hundred mu. In fourteen years, you acquired an additional fourteen thousand one hundred mu of land. It is truly very fertile."
"I am simply perplexed. With such a rate of land acquisition, how could you afford it with your seemingly meager salary? Even if we calculate that you bought one mu of land for twenty taels with a monthly income of two hundred taels, without eating or drinking, you could only acquire one hundred and twenty mu per year. How is it that the actual land acquisition rate is more than ten times that? How did you achieve this?"
By the end, Chu Chen's expression grew even colder, looking at the former Grand Tutor as if he were an animal.
The former Grand Tutor's heart skipped a beat. He had heard of the power of the Embroidered Uniform Guard before coming here and had dismissed it. He never imagined it would be so terrifying!
Although the data Chu Chen presented had some inaccuracies, after a moment of reflection, he realized the errors were within ten percent, and the vast majority was indeed true. This was truly terrifying.
"You, how did you know?" the former Grand Tutor questioned in terror.
"How did I know? Do you truly think my Embroidered Uniform Guard is useless? Or do you believe your actions are unknown to anyone? The reason the nation did not hold you accountable before was due to Your Majesty's benevolence and generosity. Now, during the reforms, we are merely surveying the land and clarifying your holdings, with no intention of pursuing past wrongdoings."
"However, human greed knows no bounds. Even with so much property, you are still not satisfied."
"You claim to have contributed greatly to the nation and Your Majesty, but what I see is your unwillingness to pay taxes for the nation and Your Majesty, and your resistance to the new laws that would strengthen the nation!"
"You are spouting nonsense! You fabricated all this!" the former Grand Tutor shouted, his chest heaving with anger.
"Silence! You shameless old rogue! Do you not know that all people under heaven wish to devour your flesh? How dare you babble here! Fortunately, heaven has not abandoned the Yunyue Kingdom, and Your Majesty has pacified the realm and ascended the throne. Now, I, for the sake of the people and the imperial will, am enacting reforms for strength. You, as a veteran of three dynasties and the Emperor's teacher, should not fear power, nor be swayed by profit, yet how dare you obstruct the new policies for reform and strength?"
"Grey-haired fool! White-bearded old villain! You are about to descend to the netherworld. At that time, with what face will you meet the five generations of our former emperors?"
"Such cowardice, greed for power and wealth, yet you dare to stand before me, acting righteously, and bark like a mad dog! I have never seen such a shameless person!"
"You, you! I, I!"
Before he could finish speaking, the former Grand Tutor, enraged, spat blood and fell backward to the ground.