I have to say that the child's words were really pleasant to hear. The maids and eunuchs standing nearby couldn't help but be a bit touched.
They really had chosen the right master.
Since neither of them minded, Xiaoxiao had no choice but to order the others to carry all the things from the kitchen up. A group of people ate at the dinner table, and they had quite a good time.
The shadow guard twitched the corners of his mouth and reported exactly what he had seen to Cui Qizhou.
The man remembered that the last time he dined with that woman, she had such an idea. In the end, because the food was too unpalatable, it wasn't carried out. He never thought that the woman would bring it up again today.
However, what surprised him even more was the emperor's response. It was not easy for a child of such a young age to say such things. It seemed that if the emperor grew up, he would surely achieve greater things.
Forget it. As long as this woman didn't harm the emperor too much for now, he could turn a blind eye to some things.
The next day, during the morning court.
The flood in the south of the Yangtze River was no longer a secret. Everyone in the court knew about it. However, what excited them even more now was the emperor's solution.
"Your Majesty, this absolutely won't do. If we really divert the floodwater from the south of the Yangtze River to Nanzhou, not to mention that this project will be extremely large-scale, just the manpower and material resources it will consume will be beyond the support of the national treasury."
"Yes. Since only the south of the Yangtze River is flooded, we should just deal with the problem there. There's no need to go through so much trouble."
The court was in an uproar. The two factions held their own opinions and neither was willing to back down.
One faction thought that this solution was excellent. It could solve the people's livelihood problems, and Nanzhou would also develop better.
The other faction thought that there was no need to spend so much money. The problems in Nanzhou had existed for many years, and just diverting water couldn't solve much.
The young emperor stared at those people with a sneer on his lips.
"Some people always talk without understanding the situation. You've been living in the capital and have never seen how hard the people in Nanzhou live. With a light sentence saying that it will cost a lot of money, you want to deprive them of the hard - won opportunity."
The court officials who were being satirized blushed slightly and all shrank their heads back, looking like ostriches.
Among them, some were on the national master's side, so they naturally couldn't sit still.
"Your Majesty, I think the national master must also disagree with this solution. Moreover, the national master often participates in handling state affairs and is also your Majesty's enlightenment teacher. How about asking the national master to comment?"
Instantly, everyone's eyes focused on Cui Qizhou.
The protagonist they had mentioned walked out calmly.
"I think your Majesty has handled this very well this time. We might as well do as your Majesty said."
Those who had just wanted to argue felt as if they had been slapped in the face, and all their remaining words were swallowed back.
However, this faction still didn't intend to give up easily.
"Your Majesty, I heard that this idea was proposed by the empress dowager back then. I wonder if it's true?"
This sentence caused a great stir, and everyone's expressions changed.
"The empress dowager is the master of the harem. She shouldn't participate in court affairs anymore. Isn't this overstepping her bounds this time?"
"Yes. If the empress dowager can interfere in state affairs, does it mean that everyone in the harem can participate in state affairs?"
Ji Heng's small face fell, and there were black lines on his forehead: "The empress dowager did this for the sake of the people. Do you have any objections?"
"The late emperor had already said that the harem should not interfere in state affairs. Moreover, there is your Majesty now. If the empress dowager interferes in state affairs again, it won't sound good. Do you want outsiders to think that our great Liang has to rely on a woman?"
Cui Qizhou originally didn't intend to get involved, but the Minister of War was going too far.
Although the Minister of War had been fighting on the front - line for many years and had only retired to this position in recent years, the military camp was full of men, so it was understandable that he knew little about women. But looking down on women was another matter.
The young emperor slapped the chair, stood up from the dragon throne, and walked down to the hall.
"So you just look down on the empress dowager?"
"I don't mean that, Your Majesty. I just hope that when your Majesty makes certain decisions, don't be interfered by those with ulterior motives, even if that person is very important to your Majesty."
Ji Heng was so angry that he almost lost his composure.
"Good. You're really good. As the Minister of War, you look down on women. If this gets out, do you think the common people will let you off? I'm afraid the palace gates will be smashed."
The sarcastic words made the Minister of War blush, but he still insisted on his view.
"I don't think I'm wrong. If your Majesty thinks I'm wrong, then you might as well dismiss me from my post."
Now, the atmosphere gradually became stalemate. Ji Heng had only been in charge of state affairs for a short time, and he didn't know how to deal with these old foxes for the moment.
He closed his eyes and looked at Cui Qizhou.
Receiving his signal, the national master walked in front of the Minister of War.
"The Minister of War's words sound good. You've thrown out the difficult problem, but you just want to turn around and leave. Do you want to wait until it gets out and the common people scold the current emperor for not being able to discipline his officials well and think that the emperor himself must also have problems before you realize how wrong you are?"
"I... I don't mean that. I just don't want your Majesty to listen to a person from the harem."
"Humph. The so - called person from the harem you mentioned is the current empress dowager, the one below the emperor and above all others. Even you have to bow and scrape when you see her. Moreover, we are born and raised by our parents. In this sentence, there is not only a father but also a mother. If there is no mother, how can you come into being? Do you want to say that you also look down on your own mother?"
The Minister of Rites also took the opportunity to come over.
"Yes. Do you even disrespect your own mother? That's really a great disrespect and will surely be punished by heaven."
The Minister of War finally experienced the feeling of being scolded by everyone. He slunk back to his position and didn't dare to say a word anymore.
Seeing that it was almost over, Ji Heng said, "That's all for today. From now on, do as I said. If the national treasury is empty, I will find a way."
After saying that, the court was dismissed. Ji Heng took Cui Qizhou back to the imperial study.
"Thanks to the national master today. I didn't expect that the Minister of War, who has been serving the people on the front - line, could say such things today."
"It's understandable that your Majesty didn't see through him. There's no need to give these old foxes any more face in the future. After I go back, I'll have someone collect the information of all the officials and send it to your Majesty."
He had been thoughtless today and wouldn't give those old foxes another chance.
Confronting the emperor in the court, some people really had a lot of nerve. It seemed that they were too idle and needed something to do.