The civil and military officials were shocked, the old ministers were shocked, and the Empress was also shocked. The former Grand Tutor was actually cursed to death by Chu Chen?
"Quick, summon the imperial physician!"
Gao Chong, the current acting Minister of Rites, shouted and rushed to the former Grand Tutor's side, his hand trembling as he felt for his breath.
Moments later, he slumped to the ground, exclaiming in terror, "He's... he's dead!"
"What?!"
The civil and military officials and the Empress were stunned. He was cursed to death? Impossible!
The Empress quickly descended from her throne and approached the former Grand Tutor. She checked his breathing and felt his pulse, but found no signs of life.
"No breath, no pulse. He... he's actually dead?"
The Empress looked deeply at the former Grand Tutor, her heart filled with complex emotions.
As her teacher, the Empress had always held him in the highest regard. However, his presence in the court today to obstruct the reforms made her feel betrayed and angry. Now, with the former Grand Tutor dead from Chu Chen's scolding, the Empress was at a loss.
"Your Majesty, this minister is at fault."
Chu Chen rubbed his nose. He had merely imitated Zhuge Liang's scolding of Wang Lang, just to see the effect. He hadn't expected to actually curse someone to death. It seemed the content was too potent for these elderly officials; they couldn't handle it.
The Empress remained silent, quietly awaiting the imperial physician's arrival. Chu Chen dared not rise without her command, maintaining his bowed posture.
Soon, the imperial physician from the side hall arrived. After his diagnosis, he shook his head and said, "Anger overwhelmed his heart, blocking his throat. There is no saving him."
At this point, the Empress spoke coldly, "Carry the former Grand Tutor away and give him a proper burial."
"Yes!"
The scene was quickly cleared, and the Empress returned to her throne. Chu Chen remained in his original position, merely shifting his bow to face the Empress. The remaining old ministers were filled with dread, fearing they would suffer the same fate as the former Grand Tutor, and hesitated to speak. Even at over eighty years old, they felt time was insufficient and cherished their lives more than ever.
"Chu Chen, although the former Grand Tutor's death was not directly caused by you, you cannot escape responsibility."
The Empress's gaze fell upon Chu Chen, hinting at an intention to pursue the matter. The remaining old ministers and most of the civil and military officials were inwardly ecstatic. If the former Grand Tutor's life could be exchanged for the return of the 'good old days,' it would be a worthwhile sacrifice!
Alas, they were thinking too much.
The Empress said coldly, "I shall punish you by withholding your salary for three years. You will serve the country without pay for three years. Are you willing to accept this punishment?"
"This minister is willing."
Chu Chen bowed respectfully. With a fifteen percent stake in the Royal Chamber of Commerce, his monthly salary of about a hundred taels was insignificant. It amounted to only about a thousand taels a year, a mere drizzle.
The ministers, who had been full of anticipation, were dumbfounded. Withholding salary? Most of the ministers present were not afraid of such a punishment. If they weren't afraid, would Chu Chen, who was more powerful and had more convenient ways to make money, be afraid? This was clearly a light punishment, not a serious reprimand. The former Grand Tutor, your death was truly not worth it!
This situation left the remaining four old ministers on the verge of spitting blood, but what was to come would make them spit even more.
After punishing Chu Chen, the Empress turned to the four old ministers and said lightly, "What my esteemed ministers said earlier is not false. These reforms have indeed caused considerable losses to the noble families and powerful factions. In that case, I shall lead by example."
What? Lead by example in what? Why did we have a bad premonition?
"As the ruler of a nation, I must set an example. The reforms are for the benefit of the nation, and my royal family's assets have also seen considerable profits. To respond to the reforms, I shall lead by example and include the royal family's industries within the taxation system, leading the way in paying taxes!"
"Huh?"
The civil and military officials collectively doubted if their ears were playing tricks on them. In the Yunyue Kingdom, who didn't know that the Empress, seated on the dragon throne, owned the most land? The Empress was going to lead the way in paying taxes for the new policies? Did she know how much silver and grain this would entail? When she spoke, she represented fifty percent of the tax revenue and fifty percent of the tax grain!
"Your Majesty, absolutely not! How can a ruler of a nation pay taxes? This action has no precedent in ancestral law, nor is there any historical example! How can this be done?"
Gao Chong, the acting Minister of Rites, was the first to object. This was too outrageous, completely against the rules!
"Indeed, please withdraw your decree, Your Majesty!"
A group of civil and military officials reacted and immediately knelt in unison, pleading. After all, if the Empress truly led the way in paying taxes, how could they possibly object in the future? Could they still object? Absolutely not!
"Infants grow, adults age, and heaven and earth change over time. What is it that ancestral law cannot establish? Which dynasty or generation was born with ancestral law? Our ancestors practiced slash-and-burn agriculture, yet none of you learned from it and abandoned your current comfortable lives to follow ancestral law. I suspect, my lords, that you simply do not wish to pay taxes and are therefore preventing His Majesty from paying them. Why pretend to be so righteous?"
Chu Chen, the only one not kneeling, uttered a series of sarcastic remarks, earning him glares from the civil and military officials.
"All of you, rise. Prime Minister Chu's words are very insightful. Since you are unwilling to pay more taxes, I shall pay them. You are not for the people, I am for the people; you are not for the country, I am for the country!"
The Empress's calm words revealed extreme dissatisfaction and mockery. The faces of the civil and military officials were filled with shame, but the tangible silver in their hands was too precious to give up.
"Draft an edict. From today onwards, all members of the Yunyue Kingdom's royal family, starting from myself, shall pay taxes according to the new law!"
The eunuch beside her immediately began to write the imperial decree. The Empress affixed her imperial seal and then said again, "Where is the Director of the Eunuchs?"
"This minister is here!"
"You will then gather the eunuchs and palace maids who are skilled in calculation, and compile all income since the beginning of spring this year. Calculate the income for this month and the tax silver and grain. By next month, all the silver and grain will be transferred to the Ministry of Revenue!"
"This minister obeys the decree!"
The Director of the Eunuchs trembled as he accepted the order, his heart aching at how much would have to be handed over. This year, His Majesty had accumulated about ten million piculs of grain and over ten million taels of silver. This amount likely reached the highest tax bracket, meaning a fifty percent tax, which was truly a vast sum!
The civil and military officials below were completely speechless, kneeling as if the sky had fallen. Seeing their dejected state, the Empress snorted and said, "There are only a few days left until next month. After I pay the national tax, your family's land and shops will also be taxed. If I pay and you do not, then you need not be officials anymore. I would rather have no one in the Ministry of State Affairs than have officials who refuse to pay!"
"Ministers... obey the decree!"
The civil and military officials reluctantly kowtowed in response. At this point, they knew that the new policy was serious. The taxes were unavoidable, and their 'good old days' were about to end.