mtl008 Chapter 109 Rebellious Officials of the Former Dynasty 40
Chapter 109 Rebellious Officials of the Former Dynasty 40
These soldiers, who could have created far more value than provisions and pay, were squandered by a few idiots.
Their deaths alone cannot make up for the regret.
"I hate it too." Xiao Yao's eyes were red with anger at this moment.
Before Ling Yi returned, Xiao Yao dared not make any moves that might alert them, fearing that those guys might just turn on him and rebel.
If the Imperial Guards are without a commander and Yi Yi is out in the field, the situation will spiral out of control.
Therefore, he only briefly investigated the family assets of the generals and did not delve into the military camps.
The appalling scenes of that time pale in comparison to the gaunt soldiers of today.
Is this the Xiao family's world, or the Sun family's world?
Are these the Emperor's soldiers, or these people's private army?
Is this a peaceful and prosperous dynasty, or a corrupt and incompetent one from the previous one?
Xiao Yao felt a chill run down his spine as he recalled the tragic scenes of the previous dynasty that the tutors had described to him while he was studying in the study.
If the border troops are all like this, how long can this dynasty last?
Wasn't his grandfather a rebel because he was owed wages?
Who dares to say that among these soldiers today, there isn't another grandfather of his?
The look in the soldiers' eyes when they reported their superiors sent a chill down his spine.
If there were no reports, what would happen to these people?
The prince, who was born into a life of luxury, realized for the first time the hardships of the people and the terror of public opinion.
Learning to be in awe is the first lesson that artificial intelligence taught the young prince living in the gingerbread house.
"You bastard!" Just then, Sun Wenshu returned from his patrol of the camp, and Xiao Yao kicked him hard in the stomach, making him roll around in pain!
Ling Yi smiled and held his hand: "Why get angry over outsiders? You have things to do."
Xiao Yao nodded emphatically: "I need to compile this matter into a book and send it to the capital immediately!"
As the second batch of evidence, a whole cartload, swayed and rattled its way to the capital, Xiao Yao's first report had already arrived.
"Outrageous! Absurd!" In the warm pavilion, the emperor smashed the paperweight that had been with him for more than ten years.
Since the onset of winter, his health has deteriorated, and he can no longer withstand the arduous journey of traveling outside the palace for the winter, so he can only recuperate in the warm pavilion.
His body, which had been recuperating for a month, was completely destroyed by Xiao Yao's memorial, and he was so angry that he spat out a mouthful of blood.
Although the crucial evidence had not been delivered, the information about the extravagance of those border generals was enough for him to understand everything!
He was a true emperor who rose up on horseback, a true conqueror who had shared the hardships of unpaid wages with the previous emperor and stayed up all night planning the uprising.
Since the establishment of this dynasty, military pay has been increased by 30% in order to appease the border troops.
Even if, according to unspoken rules, these military salaries cannot be fully paid to the soldiers, they can still ensure that they are well-fed!
Water that is too clear has no fish. The emperor never demanded that everyone be wholeheartedly devoted to the country and have no selfish motives. After all, the country belongs to the Xiao family and not to anyone else. Only a few officials are honest and dedicated to the country. Which official doesn't want to get rich?
But, but...
He coughed heavily twice, covering his mouth with a handkerchief, then laughed in exasperation.
But how many years has it been since the founding of the nation? These guys have already gone back to the old ways of treating soldiers' lives like they don't matter.
Love isn't your kingdom, is it?
"Well done!" He looked at the sentence in another letter Xiao Yao had written to him: "The son was indignant for a moment, so he asked the princess to kill them."
The emperor ignored all of his son's subsequent explanations, such as that he didn't want to kill because he had never killed before and was afraid to do it, and that the princess was a martial arts expert.
In his view, Xiao Yao was still being too soft-hearted!
Killing only the ringleaders isn't enough.
They should be slaughtered from top to bottom. If they don't kill them, their heads will roll and be passed around the army. How can we be worthy of the sins these people have committed?
"Summon the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of War, and the Court of Judicial Review!" The emperor stared coldly at the evidence, his eyes burning with rage.
The fact that his sons in the capital are now vying for the throne is enough to make the aging emperor feel threatened.
Would the border troops, so far away, still dare to do this?
What? You're also related to the emperor by blood? You're also eyeing his position?
Was his knife not working properly?
And the ninth brother, how foolish!
Do you really think a mere general would dare to swallow so much gold and silver?
He only got a small portion; the rest had already been eaten by other parasites in the capital!
Those guys, make them vomit up everything they ate!
Spit out his entire family's dog heads along with them!
When the officials from the three departments arrived, they found the emperor half-reclining on a soft couch, barely alive, with the imperial physician taking his pulse.
They were startled and didn't understand what was happening.
The emperor lowered his eyes and glanced at the old men with gray hair kneeling on the ground, then coughed weakly twice.
There are the father-in-law of the second son, the father-in-law of the third son, and the father-in-law of the sixth son.
They've been fighting tooth and nail these days, their eyes bloodshot with rage over the chance to help the emperor rise to power.
But not everyone has forgotten that he is still alive.
"My beloved ministers," he said weakly, as the old men knelt and trembled, "I dreamt of the late Empress during my afternoon nap."
That opening sentence sent a chill down everyone's spine.
Dreaming of the dead, especially for an emperor, is not a good omen.
"She looks exactly the same as when she left, but when I look in the mirror, I see I'm already very old and frail, with only a few days left to live." The emperor's tone was utterly calm. He suppressed the urge to comfort his courtiers and continued:
"In my life, I have been utterly incompetent and without virtue. I fear that after I die, I will have no face to meet the late Emperor or the Empress."
The few people who had been given a seat were startled and immediately knelt down: "Your Majesty rules the four corners of the world and governs all people. Now the world is at peace and the seas are calm. You are a sage ruler. How can you belittle yourselves!"
"Get up, all of you get up," the emperor said kindly. "I only saw something and that's why I spoke. Don't be so flustered."
Which of you old friends doesn't know this emperor?
The more amiable he is, the more it proves that things are not going to end well.
Don't be fooled by his friendly smile now; he'll be smiling the same way when he's murdering someone's entire family!
Those powerful figures who stomp their feet and shake the world outside racked their brains trying to figure out what had happened recently that made him utter such hurtful words.
Could it be a power struggle among the princes? But he tacitly approved of it!
Moreover, apart from a few insignificant minor characters being taken down recently, nothing major has happened!
"You old fogies, you've probably racked your brains to death." The emperor smiled and raised his hand to a few eunuchs: "Come, broaden our horizons."
"Let us adults who enjoy wealth and luxury in the capital see how the border troops are living such a miserable life, worse than pigs and dogs."