Painting Doctor Jinhua

Chapter 210: Revealing his true identity in front of the palace and arguing with the officials

"Princess, is there something wrong? You have already resigned, why did His Majesty summon you to the palace?"

"Yes! Sister, why don't we just run away!"

When the imperial edict came, everyone in Lanling Palace was in a state of panic and worry. Gao Changgong was unwilling to let her enter the palace again, but Xiao Jinyu said, "Don't worry, even if we have to leave here, I will take everyone away safely!"

Seeing that she looked confident, the anxious hearts of the few people calmed down a little, and they watched her and Gao Changgong get on the carriage and drive towards the palace.

When they arrived in front of the Taiji Hall, all the officials were already lined up on both sides of the hall. When they saw Prince Lanling and "Xie Zhen" dressed in men's clothes walking into the hall, all the princes and ministers' eyes were bright and they all looked at "Xie Zhen" curiously!

"I heard that Right Prime Minister Xie is actually a woman. Why don't you take off your official hat and mask so that we can see your true face?" Gao Yuanhai asked curiously.

"That's right, please take off your mask, Right Prime Minister. Otherwise, we will have to verify your true identity in front of all the civil and military officials?" He Shikai also echoed in a treacherous voice.

When they heard about the identity verification, the expressions of the officials became even more unpredictable, and many of them showed their great interest!

Zu Ting's eyes flickered, and he seemed to be still considering which side to take, when Gao Zhan said, "Xie Qing, take off your official hat and let everyone see your true appearance!"

"Yes! As ordered by His Majesty!"

"I admit that I am a woman!"

I never expected that Xie Zhen would admit that she was a woman dressed as a man without any struggle!

He Shikai was speechless for a moment!

As soon as she finished speaking, she took off her official hat and the mask on her face. Her long hair cascaded down like a waterfall, swaying in the wind, and her face instantly illuminated the hall!

Although he had seen her true face, Gao Zhan still couldn't help but be stunned and stared at her in a daze for a long time.

Perhaps it was because he had never felt such shocking strong self-confidence and fearlessness in the face of danger from a woman before, and Gao Zhan felt an indescribable sense of loss in his heart.

All the officials were also surprised and amazed, and then they became suspicious and angry!

"Xie Zhen, how can you, as a woman, enter the government to deceive the emperor and bring chaos to the court?"

"No, your name is not Xie Zhen. You should be called Princess Xiao Jinyu of Lanling, right?" He Shikai asked.

Gao Changgong was furious.

Xiao Jinyu shook his hand and looked at He Shikai: "Lord Lu has been calling the shots in the court for several years as a woman. Minister He, why don't you say that she is causing trouble for the court by using her body as a woman?"

"Also, please tell me how I have caused trouble for the government!"

"You imitated Empress Dowager Feng of the Northern Wei Dynasty and wanted to control the emperor. You encouraged His Majesty to carry out Han-style reforms and weaken the power of the nobles. You also issued edicts to destroy Buddhism, promote trade, and amend the laws. Isn't this disrupting the government?"

"Haha, I am causing chaos in the government? Then may I ask, Minister He, who issued these edicts? The emperor is a wise ruler, how can I control it? Are you calling Your Majesty a puppet or a tyrant?"

"You!" He Shikai was furious, his face flushed with anxiety, and he looked at Gao Zhan hurriedly, "Your Majesty, this woman is very eloquent, she is slandering me!"

Gao Zhan was very angry and glared at He Shikai, but he did not say anything. He just looked quietly at His Highness Xiao Jinyu.

Xiao Jinyu walked forward again and walked in the hall. She looked at the ministers and then at Gao Zhan sitting on the dragon throne.

"Why should I give these suggestions to Your Majesty? Do you know how corrupt and decadent Qi State has become now?"

"Nowadays, the powerful have annexed the mountains and swamps, while the poor and weak have no place to live. As a result, the land cannot be fully utilized, and the people have no savings at all. All the arable land and pastures are in the hands of the aristocratic families and nobles. Many people cannot pay taxes and can only sell themselves into slavery. The tax revenue that the court can collect is getting less and less!"

"Add to that the filth and corruption in the Buddhist temples, and a larger number of farmers will hide in the temples because they cannot pay taxes. In this way, more farmers and their land will be hidden in the temples. The imperial court cannot collect taxes, so they have to spread them to the remaining farmers, which will increase the disappearance and hiding of farmers. This disaster will snowball and grow bigger and bigger until the imperial court can no longer control it, and the people will be unable to survive. The people will be forced to rebel, and the country will be in turmoil again!"

Hearing this, many ministers were terrified. Most of the ministers standing in the court were nobles and children of aristocratic families, and only a few were from humble backgrounds. Therefore, many of them had never seen the current situation of the common people.

But it is also possible that one knows but pretends not to know!

But one of them was deeply moved and showed his admiration for Xiao Jinyu.

This person is Zhao Yanshen!

Zhao Yanshen came from a poor family and felt deeply the suffering of the people.

"So, Prime Minister Xie... or, Princess Lanling, why are you making these suggestions to His Majesty?"

Xiao Jinyu then turned her gaze to Zhao Yanshen.

Zhao Yanshen was originally just a retainer of Sima Ziru, but later he defected to Gao Huan and was promoted step by step to his current position of Sikong.

"Prince Zhao asked a good question. I proposed this strategy for Your Majesty to revive the country, only for the sake of the country and the people, so that they can get rid of these sufferings as soon as possible!"

"The people are the most important, the country is second, and the emperor is the least important. After all, only when the people become rich and powerful can a country become stronger. Zhao Sikong, am I right?"

"Thank you, Right Prime Minister! This is indeed the current situation of our Qi State. If we don't eradicate these problems, the country will be in danger if they continue like this!"

Zhao Yanshen sighed, and several Xianbei nobles, led by Han Changluan, could not help but curse: "Sikong Zhao, have you also been bewitched by this beautiful woman?"

"Whether it is bewitching or not, you all know it very well. There is no need to keep using the fact that Right Prime Minister Xie is a woman to make a fuss. It is really unnecessary to call a woman a monster just because she has her own virtues and talents. This only shows that you are admitting your own incompetence!"

Zhao Yanshen started the conversation, and Zu Ting also chimed in, "That's right. It's even more rare for a woman to have talent. The Queen Mother Feng of the Northern Wei Dynasty took over the government for the second time. The series of reforms she made, such as the rent and tax system, the equal-field system, and the three-chief system, greatly promoted the country's development and increased its income. In any case, when Emperor Xiaowen moved the capital to Luoyang, Luoyang became prosperous, and Queen Mother Feng played an indispensable role!"

"Zu Zhongshu also thinks that this Princess Lanling is comparable to Empress Dowager Feng?"

"I am only speaking the truth! It is not difficult to admit that women have talent!"

"you!"

He Shikai was so angry that his eyes widened, thinking: This Zu Ting has always been a fence-sitter, he will stand on the side of whoever gives him the most benefits. The current situation is obviously not good for the Princess of Lanling, and he is actually speaking for her?

"Yes, Princess Lanling has the talents of Queen Mother Feng, but does she also have the ambitions of Queen Mother Feng? Otherwise, why would she sit in the court as Xie Zhen?"

Gao Changgong could no longer bear it and was about to retort when he heard Xiao Jinyu laughing and saying, "If I really wanted to be Empress Dowager Feng, why would I marry Prince Lanling and take such a tortuous path to let you frame me? I could just marry Your Majesty and control the imperial power and government affairs like Empress Dowager Feng. Wouldn't that be easier?"

As soon as she said this, Gao Zhan's face turned pale and he almost stood up: In this case, if he wanted to take her into the harem again, he would definitely be opposed by all the ministers!

Sure enough, a shocking and heated debate broke out in the court.

Some people even pointed at Xiao Jinyu and cursed:

"Xie Zhen, what you said is extremely treasonous!"

Xiao Jinyu then continued in a solemn voice: "As Xie Zhen, I have already resigned from Your Majesty after the grand court meeting, and my resignation has been submitted to the Ministry of Personnel. As Lanling Prince's Consort Xiao Jinyu, I have no intention of entering Your Majesty's harem. It is this villain around Your Majesty who has fabricated a lot of rumors to frame me, saying that Lanling Prince and I are suspected of treason. So, may I ask, which of our actions is suspected of treason?"

Lanling Wang's loyalty and bravery were almost witnessed by everyone. Even after the great victory at Mangshan, he did not keep his troops to himself, but returned all the Baibao Xianbei soldiers to the court.

As for Xie Zhen, it seems that she was promoted quickly by His Majesty, went to Yubi City for peace talks, went to Luoyang to deliver grain and grass, and proposed some improvement policies for the prosperity of the country. Although she is the right prime minister, she has no military power. If you say she wants to rebel, what can she do? Just relying on her talent and reputation as a scholar?

What's more, she has already resigned from the position of Right Prime Minister!

There was a moment of silence in the court, and He Shikai was so angry that his face turned pale.

"What rumors? What does it have to do with me? Princess Lanling, please stop slandering me!"

"Whether the rumor was spread by He Shizhong, we will know it after checking! Why, only He Shizhong is allowed to throw dirty water on me, but I am not allowed to refute it?"

"you!"

Xiao Jinyu ignored him and turned to Gao Zhan: "Your Majesty, I have said that as Xie Zhen, I entered the government for the sake of my family and the people of the world. Now that I am in a high position, it is lonely and I can only retire. As the Princess of Lanling, I married to Qi in order to establish a friendly relationship between the two countries.

Now no matter what I have done, it has aroused your majesty's suspicion, so I beg your majesty to allow Lanling King and I to leave Yecheng, stay away from the court, and go to the frontier!

Will this dispel everyone's suspicions?"

The border is a bitterly cold place. I heard that there is no grass and food is scarce, especially in winter, when countless people have frozen to death. Not to mention the pampered princes of the royal family, even the nobles would not be willing to go there!

Even if Princess Lanling is willing to go, would Prince Lanling be willing to go?

Just as everyone was sighing and wondering, they heard Lanling Wang say in a deep voice: "I am willing to go to the frontier with my wife! Please grant me your permission, Your Majesty!"

Gao Zhan didn't know how to describe his mood at the moment. He originally just wanted to get Xiao Jinyu into his harem, but things turned out like this. He couldn't help but turn his angry gaze to He Shikai.

He Shikai naturally understood the coldness in Gao Zhan's eyes, and he felt uneasy in his heart and broke out in a cold sweat.

At this time, Song Qindao, the Minister of the Honglu Temple, came to report: "Your Majesty, the envoy from the Southern Dynasty has arrived in Yecheng! He asked me to bring this letter to your majesty first!"

After that, Song Qindao presented a letter from the empire, which was handed to Gao Zhan by the eunuch. Gao Zhan opened it and took a quick look. He could not help but frown and ordered, "Dismiss the court!"

……

After the court session, Gao Zhan immediately issued an edict to summon the envoys of the Chen Dynasty to meet him, and Xiao Jinyu and Gao Changgong also returned to Prince Lanling's Palace.

As soon as they arrived at Prince Lanling's Mansion, they saw Xiao Shiniang and Xiao Ruoling already waiting in front of the mansion.

After not seeing her for nearly a year, Xiao Ruoling has changed a lot. She has shed her former childishness, and her beautiful and clear face now reveals a calm and dignified temperament that can stand on her own.

Seeing Xiao Jinyu, who was clearly dressed in men's clothes but had revealed her true face, Xiao Ruoling's eyes filled with tears and she suddenly threw herself into Xiao Jinyu's arms.

"Sister, are you okay? We heard about you on the way and thought you..."

At this time, other people in the mansion: Xie Yuxuan, Princess Liyang, Madam Wei, Ling Ye and A Xiu all came out.

"I'm fine, A Ling, why did you come to Qi?"

"We missed you so much. We only heard the news from Qi State, and we didn't know how you were doing. Later, we heard about the war between Qi and Zhou. Uncle Qi was very worried. We finally asked His Majesty for permission, and when we arrived in Qi State, we heard that your identity had been exposed!"

When she said this, a trace of embarrassment appeared on Xiao Ruoling's face.

"Sister, you kept it a secret from me for so long. It was not until I accompanied Uncle Qi on a diplomatic mission to Qi that I learned from Uncle Qi that you were Xie Zhen!"

After holding Xiao Jinyu and crying for a long time, Xiao Ruoling noticed that Prince Lanling was beside her. She wiped her tears and said, "Your Highness Prince Lanling!"

Gao Changgong nodded with a smile and asked everyone to go into the mansion to discuss the matter in detail.

Xiao Ruoling talked endlessly about what happened in the Southern Dynasty. For example, she and her aunt Yuan Rujing had already run teahouses all over the southern land. They had saved a lot of wealth and their business was gradually expanding to other states. Yuan Rujing had long cut off contact with her former husband's family, the Fan family, and her mother's family. Now she was living a colorful life. The Fan family had been confiscated or exiled because of Fan Yong's collusion with King Shixing. A Yuan worshipped Yao Boshen as his teacher and studied medicine seriously. He could recognize most of the medicinal materials and even helped Yao Boshen to treat some minor illnesses.

"And there is my seventh uncle, Xiao Xian, who has opened many schools and brought in poor scholars to study. His students are spread all over the country. My seventh uncle is now the leader of the Southern Dynasty's scholars and has a prestige that even Your Majesty dare not challenge."

"And Uncle Qi is not only getting stronger and stronger, but he has also improved in archery and martial arts. Since my sister came to Qi State, he has been studying hard and never slacked off. He is no longer the weak and feeble Xiao Qilangjun. Now he is the head of the family who is both civil and military, not much worse than a county prince!"

After he finished speaking, he realized that Lanling Wang was listening to him, and he shut his mouth again, realizing that he had said something out of turn.

Xiao Jinyu asked, "Uncle Xian has students all over the country and is highly respected by scholars. The Southern Dynasty Emperor Chen Xu... is not afraid of the Xiao family. What else can he do..."

"Sister, you are relieved. The Southern Dynasty emperor still needs Uncle Seven's help. Uncle Seven is no longer as loyal to the monarch as he used to be. He now has enough power to protect himself!"

Speaking of the word "blind loyalty", Gao Changgong's expression changed slightly.

"Seventh Uncle said that in order to prevent my elder sister from worrying, he would not be a lamb to be slaughtered, and would definitely protect the Xiao family so that they can survive well in this chaotic world!"

"Now we no longer live under the emperor's feet, and my seventh uncle has also been appointed governor of Qiao, Jiao, and Guang, and has retired to Gusu City!"

Gushu borders the Yangtze River to the west and is the gateway to Jiankang. Whoever controls the city of Gushu can become the governor of Yangzhou and remotely control Jiankang. Wang Dun and Huan Wen had done this in the past!

Uncle Xian, this is...

"Seventh Uncle has no intention of rebelling, but we must also be on guard against the emperor of the Southern Dynasty taking action against our Xiao family. This can be considered a form of self-protection!" Xiao Ruoling explained.

Xiao Jinyu nodded with satisfaction. She didn't expect Xiao Xian to grow so fast. This surprised her.

"By the way, sister, how are you now? Did His Majesty not blame you for disguising yourself as a man?"

When asked this question, everyone in the mansion gathered around and looked worried.

Lanling Wang said: "Ayu has asked your majesty to let us leave the center of Yecheng and go to the border!"

"what?"