NFBE Chapter 375 First, tease her shamelessly, then you'll have no regrets even if you kill her.
Chapter 375 First, tease her shamelessly, then you'll have no regrets even if you kill her.
After Shen Jingxun settled in, he began to deal with the follow-up matters. The people, who had been watching anxiously for several days, grew restless as he made no further moves. Some began bringing gold to his temporary residence, hoping to meet the general.
General Shen did not refuse the nobles who requested an audience. In fact, he had been waiting for them to come anyway. There was another clause in the Emperor's decree that could not be revealed to outsiders beforehand: all the children of the Japanese imperial family were to be brought back to Dahuai, raised there, and then, when the time was right, Dahuai would select an heir and send them back to Japan to inherit the throne.
Of course, Da Huai wouldn't raise the child for Japan for nothing; Japan would have to pay child support. To prevent Japan from deliberately hiding or replacing its royal bloodline, he needed to first understand the current situation of the Japanese royal family.
Finally, with the help of the nobles, Shen Jingxun sent all the royal children, those aged five and above, to the capital of Da Huai. They would grow up there. On the day the royal children were sent away, their relatives wept as if their mother had died. But under heavy guard, no one dared to resist.
When this news reached the capital, some court officials felt that this practice was too contrary to human ethics and moral principles, and was contrary to the will of Heaven.
"Your Majesty," said Minister Ding of the Censorate, "this old minister believes that this is inappropriate. If it is necessary to detain hostages, then, as in ancient times, the Japanese Crown Prince alone would suffice. Now that General Shen has brought back so many, not only must we take good care of them, but if anything happens to those children, it will also be a great loss of face for the Emperor."
As soon as he finished speaking, several people stood up to second his opinion.
The Emperor surveyed the area and then spoke.
"Is the Minister of Revenue here? Tell Minister Ding how much of the national treasury's funds and provisions we consumed on this expedition?"
The Minister Shen, whose name was called, stepped forward and respectfully answered.
"Your Majesty, this time we have dispatched 100,000 troops and 150,000 horses. The monthly grain requirement alone is 100,000 shi (a unit of dry measure), and the expenses for the war have already amounted to 9 million taels of silver. Moreover, due to the war, the price of grain has skyrocketed, and the people in the country are now subsisting on vegetables every day."
After listening to Minister Shen's words, the Emperor looked at Minister Ding of the Censorate and said...
“Minister Ding, this war could have been avoided. We wouldn’t have had to spend so much money on it, and the people of Dahuai wouldn’t be eating vegetables every day. However, the Japanese have repeatedly provoked us and tried to collude with other countries to occupy Dahuai’s land and cities. If we don’t teach them a lesson this time, can you guarantee they won’t come back in a few years?”
After the Emperor finished speaking, he stared at the officials below who were bowing their heads, and continued...
"I heard someone say something the other day that, although it sounds vulgar, the reasoning behind it is quite correct."
Then everyone heard the Emperor, seated high on his throne, utter each word clearly.
"The one who provokes first is despicable, and should be killed without complaint. My dear ministers, think carefully, this phrase perfectly describes Japan."
"Your Majesty is wise!" Since even the Emperor agrees with what was said, who would object? A chorus of agreement filled the hall.
Even the Censor-in-Chief Ding from the Censorate retreated to his original position and stopped talking. He didn't know the cost of living until he was in charge of the household. If the people from the Ministry of Revenue hadn't told him, he really wouldn't have known that so much silver had already been spent.
However, the Emperor's words, "He who provokes first is despicable, and will be beaten to death without complaint," gradually spread throughout the capital. Upon careful consideration, they indeed made a great deal of sense.
As the story spread by word of mouth, it eventually reached Ming'an County in Zhongzhou Prefecture.
Old Mrs. Liu, who was inside pondering the formula for slimming pills, overheard Old Mrs. Liu chatting with others. She vaguely heard a sentence, but couldn't quite make it out. She quickly called the person in.
"I heard you talking to someone in the yard just now. You were laughing so loudly!"
"When I went out to buy noodles just now, I heard that the Emperor has brought all the princes and princesses of Japan back to our country to raise them. When they grow up, we will select suitable ones to send back to become emperors. Sister, don't you think our Emperor is really something? Isn't this like having their children firmly in his grasp? Those Japanese won't be able to cause any trouble in the future."
"That's not it, it sounds like something a despicable person would say?"
"A bitch? Oh, you mean that one?" Little Liu thought for a moment, then suddenly realized.
"It was the Emperor who said it, 'He who provokes first is despicable, and should be beaten to death without complaint.' Even the Emperor's cursing is so elegant." Granny Liu carefully savored the words, thinking that the Emperor was indeed right. These words would also be quite fitting for some people in their village.
Hearing her sister's words, Granny Liu was stunned and murmured...
"Holy crap, could this emperor also be a time traveler?"
"Big sister, what did you say? What happened to the Emperor?" Little Liu's mother heard her sister mutter something, but she didn't hear it clearly, so she couldn't help but ask.
"Uh, no, it's nothing. I think His Majesty is right, though his words may be rough, the principle is sound." Granny Liu put down the prescription in her hand, and for a moment she lost all interest in studying it. Even the gold and silver she had saved didn't seem so appealing anymore.
I can't understand why everyone else gets to transmigrate and become an emperor, while I'm relegated to being a midwife. Did I perform too many abortions in my past life? Is this why I'm being reborn as a midwife to atone for my sins?
Grandma Liu locked herself in her room and felt depressed for a day, but when she came out the next day, she was once again a kind old lady who loved life.
He continued studying the slimming pill formula. Since he was already here, he might as well make the best of it. At least he had a place to settle down in ancient times. Judging from his current physical condition, he should be able to live for another twenty years without any problem. In that case, he should focus on making money and saving silver. In a few years, he would buy a large courtyard house in the prefectural city, hire a few pretty maids to serve him, and then he could finally enjoy a few years of good life.
Thinking about it this way, apart from missing relatives from a past life, it doesn't seem like there's anything wrong with it.