Chapter 44: Fierce Government is More Dreaded Than Tigers-A Imperatriz Viúva Assume o Poder, Tenho Apenas Nove Anos, Do Que Você Tem Medo?(A montanha sem emoções)

The Empress Dowager looked at Master Kong with a dark and gloomy gaze.

She had to admit that Ning Chen’s lengthy discourse in the imperial court earlier today had left even her incomparably shocked and filled with immense admiration!

It drove her to the firm conclusion that such an extraordinary strategic vision and such precise mastery of public sentiment could never have been achieved by a mere nine-year-old child.

Therefore, it must have been taught to him by Master Kong.

Apart from him, no one else possessed such vision and such strategy!

And now, Master Kong had admitted to it himself.

Yet, for her, the predicament was that if she truly supported fighting to the bitter end, the flames of war would engulf the land, and she would inevitably lose control over the entire Great Ning!

Conversely, if she surrendered and abandoned resistance, then in the wake of Ning Chen’s powerful words, the people of the world would view her as a spineless coward!

The reputation of a "virtuous empress" that she had painstakingly built would instantly collapse to the ground!

Fortunately, Zhao Siwen, Song Guozhong, and the others had offered timely advice: issue an imperial edict in the name of the young emperor, Ning Chen, suing for peace of her own accord!

As long as she suppressed and concealed Ning Chen’s lengthy court speech from today, the world would surely continue to believe in her reputation as a "virtuous empress"!

However, she must never allow Master Kong to teach Ning Chen any more genuine skills!

Otherwise, who could possibly guess what Master Kong might turn that little good-for-nothing Ning Chen into?

She cast a deep, measuring look at Master Kong, even wondering for a moment if he had deliberately instructed Ning Chen to speak thus. But Master Kong’s expression, calm as still water, along with his remark that "that would be for the best," quickly dismissed that suspicion.

With this thought, the Empress Dowager nodded with satisfaction: "Very well. Since Master agrees, you may take your leave. There is no need for you to tutor Chen'er for the rest of today!"

Unexpectedly, before the Empress Dowager’s voice had even faded, Master Kong suddenly sighed and said: "Since Her Ladyship has no use for this old man's help, I shall at least enjoy some peace and quiet!"

"I only hope Her Ladyship will not live to regret this!"

"Farewell!"

With that, Master Kong turned and walked away without the slightest hesitation.

Seeing this, the Empress Dowager frowned: "Wait. What does Master mean by saying this palace will regret it?"

Master Kong remained as unruffled and serene as ancient water: "Her Ladyship, have you forgotten?"

"It was you who proclaimed to the world that you would properly educate His Majesty. Is not His Majesty's progress the very reflection of Her Ladyship’s painstaking assistance and patient guidance?"

Hearing this, the Empress Dowager frowned, as if struck by a sudden thought, and a flash of hesitation crossed her eyes.

After a moment of silent rumination, she abruptly changed her mind and said: "Indeed. Thank you for the reminder, Master!"

"This palace was momentarily confused. I beg Master not to take offense!"

"I hope you will continue to instruct Ning Chen and help him progress..."

Master Kong sighed, though his demeanor remained calm: "Is Her Ladyship certain?"

A smile instantly bloomed across the Empress Dowager’s face: "Naturally, this palace is certain. I must trouble Master from now on!"

Seeing this, Master Kong nodded: "In that case, for Her Ladyship’s sake, this old man shall continue to tutor him for a while longer. Farewell!"

As Master Kong turned to leave once more, the Empress Dowager unexpectedly called out again: "Master, regarding today's court session, I trust Master will not speak of it outside..."

Without looking back, Master Kong replied: "Rest assured, this old man knows what matters are detrimental to the Empress Dowager..."

After Master Kong had departed, the old wet nurse looked at the Empress Dowager in puzzlement: "Your Ladyship, why did you suddenly change your mind and continue letting Master Kong teach that little emperor?"

"Aren't you afraid the little emperor might genuinely grow into a threat..."

The Empress Dowager let out a cold laugh: "Afraid of what? That little good-for-nothing has already consumed the poison administered by this palace; he hasn't long to live!"

"Master Kong's reminder was spot on. During this time, the more progress he makes, won't my reputation as a 'virtuous empress' become all the more unassailable?"

At this, the Empress Dowager gazed out the door, her face suffused with deep gratitude as she murmured: "Master is truly still on my side after all..."

The old wet nurse blinked in confusion: "On your side? Your Ladyship, what do you mean?"

The Empress Dowager smiled: "Isn't it obvious?"

"Back then, when this palace intended to execute Fan Dayou on my birthday, it was Master Kong who arrived in the nick of time to remind me, preventing this palace from committing a grave mistake!"

"Later on, his reluctance to take that little good-for-nothing Ning Chen as a formal disciple was also out of consideration for this palace's face, only coming to lecture Ning Chen periodically."

"And now, Master Kong has offered his warning just as this palace was about to err again!"

"If this is not being on my side, whose side is he on?"

***

Inside the chambers.

Having listened to Master Kong recount his recent conversation with the Empress Dowager in the Fengyi Palace, Ning Chen bowed deeply to Master Kong with a face full of moving gratitude:

"Master, thank you!"

"Without your help, Your Humble Servant could truly never have reached this day!"

Ning Chen looked at Master Kong with eyes brimming with admiration. He knew that Master Kong had long since seen completely through the Empress Dowager's mind.

He understood even better just how perilous that seemingly simple conversation had been!

For Master Kong was precisely his greatest backing!

Even more crucial than Little Anzi's Eastern Depot or Cao Dahai's Imperial Guards!

Should Master Kong have failed to deceive the Empress Dowager without arousing suspicion, should Master Kong have truly been barred from meeting him again, he would have once more found himself utterly isolated and helpless.

In the end, he might have been forced to take the desperate risk of staging a coup!

And all of this was averted because Master Kong possessed extraordinary wisdom, correctly predicting that what the Empress Dowager valued most right now was her reputation as a "virtuous empress." Thus, he had craftily reminded her that Ning Chen's progress would only enhance that reputation!

In doing so, Master Kong had also secured the freedom for him to drop his pretense in the future!

This was why Master Kong likewise supported his decision to stop acting the fool from now on and instead fully display his true talents!

Master Kong stroked his beard and chuckled: "It's nothing much. Isn't it just a bit of acting?"

"Though, in this regard, this old man still has much to learn from Your Majesty, haha..."

Ning Chen was momentarily stunned. Seeing such a "playful" side to Master Kong, he could not help bursting into hearty laughter as well...

Early the next morning, Ning Chen woke up feeling refreshed and clear-headed.

As he walked over to the window and stretched, recalling the pleasant and candid conversation he had shared with Master Kong the previous night, his gaze grew resolute.

Zhao Siwen, just wait. You are next!

For any nation, the two most vital pillars are military power and financial power!

Though he had yet to secure command over the external armies of Great Ning, the military power within the imperial palace—the Imperial Guards—was already firmly in his grasp.

Next came enabling Cao Dahai to completely consolidate control over the Imperial Guards while simultaneously wresting financial power away from the Empress Dowager!

As long as he could firmly grip these two reins, smoothly bringing down the Empress Dowager would be just around the corner!

"Little Anzi, prepare for court!"

Ning Chen shouted aloud, his eyes burning with absolute confidence.

Just as expected.

In the imperial court, to address the matter of paying tribute to the Great Jin, Zhao Siwen was the first to step forward:

"Your Ladyship, the total funds in the national treasury amount to less than ten million liang. Now we must prepare five million liang for Great Jin, bolts of silk and warhorses all require money, refugees fleeing south from the north must be settled, and the southwest has suffered numerous disasters—every single matter requires funds!"

"The treasury simply cannot produce any more silver. After discussing it with the ministers throughout the night, your humble servant suggests that we step up the collection of 'crime-赎-silver' and the sale of 'official offices.' Such measures will surely bring in greater revenues for the treasury!"

"Furthermore, while increasing the land tax, we can permit the common people to pay a cash equivalent in lieu of corvée labor service!"

"At the same time, in addition to the existing taxes on cattle, donkeys, horses, pigs, and sheep, printed cotton cloth, tobacco pouches, tooth-tax, coastal commerce, and alcohol, we can introduce new taxes on other livestock such as chickens, ducks, cats, and dogs, as well as a spinster tax, a bachelor tax, and a childless tax!"

"Not to mention levying the three military taxes—for troop provisions, border defense, and military campaigns—upon the common people..."

With that, Zhao Siwen presented a memorial and added: "Although the common people will suffer slightly more hardship compared to before, we ministers have calculated that with these measures, apart from the silver delivered annually to Great Jin, the national treasury will net an additional three to four million liang each year!"

"This will ensure normal expenditures for the imperial court..."

Ning Chen frowned, a surge of fiery anger instantly welling up in his chest.

He had known that Zhao Siwen would certainly ramp up the sale of offices and increase taxation!

Yet he never imagined that Zhao Siwen and his faction could be so ruthless and heartless!

A spinster tax, a bachelor tax, a childless tax...

And those wretched "three military taxes"!

What was even more hateful was that this old dog Zhao had the sheer impudence to say "the common people will suffer slightly more hardship compared to before"!

Is this merely "slightly more hardship"?

This is simply treating the common people like livestock!

It is completely cutting off any path of survival for the common populace...

However, what shocked him even more was that the Empress Dowager did not even glance at the document before declaring: "There is no need to read it!"

"Since it has been thoroughly discussed and agreed upon by all the ministers, you may proceed to implement it!"

Saying this, the Empress Dowager did not forget to put on a hypocritical front: "It is only the common people of my Great Ning who must bear this hardship!"

Zhao Siwen hastily chimed in: "Your Ladyship's benevolent heart moves the heavens and earth. However, the common people need only endure this for a few years. Once our Great Ning recovers the Shanhai Pass in the future, we can then reduce the taxes again!"

The Empress Dowager nodded: "Very well, go and carry it out!"

Seeing this, Zhao Siwen immediately said with great excitement: "Yes, Your Ladyship! This old servant will immediately organize personnel to implement this across the entire country..."

Just as he was speaking, Ning Chen suddenly stood up, pointed a finger directly at Zhao Siwen, and rebuked him in a harsh, stern voice:

"Implement?"

"Implement what?"

"How is such conduct any different from killing the hen to get the eggs, draining the pond to catch the fish, or drinking poison to quench thirst?"

"Are you all hoping for the premature destruction of Great Ning?!"