POV: Liu Xie (lord of the crannies)
Location: The imperial palace
Time: Mid afternoon
As you stamp your your newly made seal on another scroll before you, you can not help feeling that your efforts are a bit worthless. For the past two months you have been trying to stop the growing tide of starvation in the city but you have berely made a dent. At first your poor houses became filled up and crowded, then the taverns followed and finally even your own people in the crannies took in friends and relatives in order to care for them.
As expected this has made things so tight in the crannies that you have ordered them to stop bringing in newcomers while rationing the remaining bags of rice according to the mouth of each family.
The good news though was that unlike most of china, the food stores of the crannies still had food so everyone can eat to his full for now and still have enough to feed the first one hundred lucky people who comes to the poor house.
"Has enuch Zhoa Zong received my orders yet?"
You ask Su Min who was sitting next to you.
"Yes my prince." She replies
"He is willing to speak your words before the emperor today."
"And is our bird of prey here yet?" You ask
"Not yet my prince" She replies
"But the lin kiwe informs me that he will be here before sundown today."
"Excellent." You exclaim
" Let me know the instant he sets foot in Luoyang"
" Yes my prince." She says
However she begins to stare at you for far too long than can be considered proper.
"Is there something you wish to say?"
"Normally I would never dare to question your decisions my prince but you and I are very well aware that the aristocrats will never do what you will ask them to do. So why waste the time and e ffort?" She asks
"Have you ever known me to waste anything Su Min?" You ask back
" My reasons are my own lady Su. Be a little patient and you will see why."
She nods gently and leaves to prepare your robes.
To be honest if it was up to you, you would never even think of committing this political suicide let alone doing it in a manner that will make every single noble in china willing to bury you and dance on your grave but the choice was taken out of your hands two weeks ago when Liu Sui gave you a quest. The truth is that for the past two months your father has insisted on you and your brother sitting by his side whenever he is at court, despite your very young age, due to pressures from the empress and the empress dowager and while you intially felt excited to be at court, it did not take up to a week for that excitement to turn into bitter fustration. It was so much as how things were discussed at court that fustrated you (although the unnecessary flattery and flowering language really came close) but rather it was what was discussed that drove you completely nuts. As farr as you could tell, it seems as if the imperial court were insistent on discussing secondary matters that were best left to the provincial governors while ignoring the real issues at hand and while some of those provincial matters were serious and may require central intervention if left unchecked (such as the Liang province rebellion), others were downright stupid and even hilarious.
I mean, how on earth could you all be talking about building a new royal hunting ground for the emperor when half of the population is starving? Do you all really have no idea what is going on?
You yell to yourself.
Your frustrations has been piling up and threatening to spill out these past two months but you know you would earn no prizes by pissing off every single imperial official in Luoyang, so when you your right hand started getting that familiar itch, needless to say you are not really surprised.
However immediately you open the letter, the words you saw shocked the kidneys out of you.
Dear professor
Do you now see why this dynasty is doomed?
Half the population are starving, reports about a rebellion in the southern provinces are growing, the governors are busy robbing the people and the court is more concerned about mere trifles?
This is exactly the sort of negligence that would have made all of them to be compelled to commit suicid on the spot were china in a much better state. The worst part is that the emperor who should be fixing things, is so content in the little dreams the officials paint for him that he has no desire to look at the reality beyond his comfortable palace walls. I do not condone such behavior and since you are my eyes and ears then neither should you. That is why
YOUR MISSION (and you must accept it): is to slap every single fool in this court awake by forcing the starvation issue before the emperor in such a way that makes it clear in no uncertain terms just how important and destructive it is.
Your rewards (should you succeed) are
The hidden dragon technique: first form hidden flame,
Increased approval from the people,
Improved loyalty of all your generals and
An improved rating from a surprise person.
As always professor if you fail this quest, I will make sure you die a painful death and suffer even more in the after life. Remember, a good leader dose not just prevent or manage a crisis but rather he uses them to his own advantage. You know the conflict that is to come so direct it , manage it, learn from it and above all use it. Are you an ambitious man?
GOOD LUCK PROFESSOR
The first five minutes after reading that letter was a blur but after you recovered yourself. You began making plans for a grand climatic struggle. Thankfully, due to your efforts with that fanatic one year ago, most of the people starts developing the mind set that if they can get their case directly to the emperor directly then they will receive solutions. With this mindset all it took was a series of well placed rumors about how happy the son of heaven would be to hear from his people and one week later, Su Min is informing you about a secret farmers and merchants meeting where they picked their representative that will represent them before the emperor today.
"My prince." One of Su Min's servants calls with a bow
"The son of heaven has requested that you attend to him at court. He says he will not start without you."
" Very well." You reply casually
" Let me change up."
.....
After a brief bath and change of clothes, you join the emperor and your brother as they make their way to court.
"The emperor has arrived!" Someone declared as soon as you all entered the Court and everybody rose to their feet. The emperor sat down on his throne and beckoned everyone to sit. You sat down on his left while your older brother sat down on his right.
With that done the business of the day began.
"Imperial chronicler, what is on the agenda for today." The emperor questions
"Son of heaven." The man replies with a bow
"You have yet to give a reply to the envoys from Gorguyeo."
" Ah yes." He says and then he turns to the court
" Prince Li Tang has asked for my support in reclaiming the throne of his father from his younger brother who is a usurper and a weakling. What is your advice on this?"
Without missing a moment, general He Jin bows down and says
"Oh great son of heaven your humble servant He Jin requests permission from the emperor to address the court."
The emperor nods his head
"In as much as I would normally avoid foreign entanglemens, we gave our sworn oath to Li Tang late father that we would protect his kingdom from any threat. Are we now to go back on our sworn word simply because the threat is coming from one of his sons?"
He sits down
"Oh great son of heaven your humble servant Zhang Rang requests permission to address the court."
Zhang Rang says
"Granted."
" While we are all aware of the oath we swore to the late king of Gorguyo, I must remind us all that a part of oath includes a promise that we would never interfere in gorguyo's internal matters unless it is absolutely necessary.
"And is now not absolutely necessary?" Another general asks
"No" He answers
" Let us not forget that while that while Li Tang Zu claims the throne is his by virtue of him being older, his late father never made him the crown prince when he was alive. So if his late father did not choose him despite knowing this fact,then by what right dose he now claim the throne as his?"
Here we go again
" Right or not, it does not change the fact that Li Tang Zu is willing to secure our help with land and benefits that we desperately need given the current starvation in the city."
General He Jin counters
And you think the conflict will end quickly enough for any of those benefits to be of any use before people start starving to death? Simpleton
You shake your head
"And you believe he is going to win when he has already lost the support of over half of Gorguyo?"
Zhang Rang adds
This brought murmuring to the court.
" I believe that with imperial army he will be able to crush any opposition in his path." He Jin replies
" Or do you doubt the capabilities of the imperial army?"
" Of course not general. However what I highly doubt is your willingness to sacrifice the emperor's men for a foreigner's ambition."
This brought an unusual silence that was born of confusion or anticipation
" And what is that suppose to imply?"
He Jin stood up in anger
"What it implies is that....."
" Enough!!!" The emperor booms
"I called you both here to discuss the issues facing our nation and not to bicker like children."
They both sat down
"Does anyone else have have a suggestion to make?" The emperor asks
This unleashes a flood of suggestions as every single official tries his possible best to outsmart, outspeak and outflatter each other and even when the emperor moves on to
other issues, the competition still does not let up. It eventually gets to a point where you start developing a crushing headache and your already strained fustration almost gets to its breaking point.
Finally....
"Oh great son of heaven your humble servant Zhoa Zong humbly request permission to speak." Zhoa Zong says with a kow-tow
" Carry on." The emperor says
" In as much as it is fine to be aware of the actions and affairs of our neighbors, it would not be proper to intervain in such affairs while ours are currently in shambles. To do so would be as foolish as a man who seeks to trim his beard when he is about to lose his head."
This got him some nods of approval from the members of the court.
"As it stands, the bad harvest of last year has brought upon a dreadful famine on the city and I firmly believe that your great wisdom should solve this matter first and foremost my emperor. To do otherwise might be taken as negligence by your people."
All those nods of approval he had once received disappeared instantly
" The heavens have blessed us with a very wise emperor eunuch Zhoa." He Jin clarifies
"An emperor who in his great wisdom has given more three hundred bags of rice to the Yan Hi committee which he set up with the sole purpose of feeding the hungry poor, and you dare to accuse him of negligence?"
To his eternal credit, Zhoa Zong does not even flinch at the letal accusation. Rather he simply smiles and says
"I do not question the intentions of the emperor He Jin, I simply asks that he examines the actions of the men in charge of carrying out his intentions."
" Enuch Han Li is a man of proven experience and unshakable loyalty." Zhang Rang counters with a bit of heat
" Are you doubtful of his abilities?"
"I have accounts from reliable witnesses that the Yan Hi committee has not only turned people away but have beaten those who refuse to leave." Zhoa Zong replies while facing the emperor.
"I beg the emperor to verify these accounts"
"And what proof do you have of such filthy and baseless accusations?" Eunuch Han Li who is in court that day asks
In response, Zhoa Zong turns to the emperor for permission and the emperor nods his head in reply.
He then turns to a palace guard and says
"Bring them here."
Immediately the guard ushers in about a dozen young men and women who are emaciated to their bones with some of them grievously injured and supported by others. It was clear from the shape they were in that these were not part of your people of the crannies and seeing them in that state made you glad that you had done as much as you could for your own people.
However as fate will have it there was a healthy middle aged man in front of the group whose actions immediately arrested your attention.
"This lowly one greets the son of heaven" He says with a bow.
"Why have you come before my court?" The emperor boomed
"What grievance do you seek redress?"
"A most grievous grievance oh emperor." He answers
"A great wrong that is being committed even till now."
" Does it have anything to do with the Yan Hi committee?" Zhoa Zong quickly asks
"Yes my Lord." He replies and kneels down
" A week ago I went to my cousin home to find him killing and boiling his father's horse just to feed his sick daughter. I asked him why he would resort to somthing so dishonorable and he told me that the committee has refused to give him any food."
" And based on that, a mere speculation, you come before the emperor to lay accusations?" Zhang Rang barks angrily
" I convinced my cousin to try one more time and together we went to the Yan Hi committee." He continues as though he had not been interrupted.
" When we went there we saw them packing rice bags into covered wagons in broad daylight...."
" Outrageous lies"
" And when we asked for a single bag, they told us that there was no more rice left for the likes of us." His voice then turns bitter
" My cousin and I were desperate so we asked to see the man in charge and we refused to leave until we see him. They thought we were joking at first but when they saw that we would not leave....."
He steps aside to reveal a heavily battered man who was carried in a liter.
This brought shock and intense murmuring into the court.
" Outrageous lies my emperor. All of it." Han Li cries and stands to his feet
" if he and his cousin were beaten as badly as he would have us believe how then is he still on his feet? And am I the only one who is noticing that he is far healthier than the rest? How can he be far healthier than the rest?"
" Because he has a strong chi Han Li."
All eyes turns to you in surprise
" That is why he works for me at the crannies." You add and then turn to the man
" Why did you not bring this matter to me Xu Chu?" You ask
" Are you the emperor?" He replies bluntly
" Are you the head of the Yan Hi committee?"
For once the court was shocked into total silence.
" You are a good man my prince but you do not have the power or the resources to help the very many people in this city who need your help the way you have helped us. Besides are you not the one who is always speaking about the great wisdom and love your father has for his people? I thought you would have wanted me to bring the matter to him. Was I wrong?" He adds "No Xu Chu. I would" You reply with a warm smile as a heavy pang of guilt twists your guts.
"Be that as it may, whether he is trusted by the prince or not, it dose not evades the fact that the court cannot possibly pass down justice based on the testimony of one man alone." Hanfu song speaks for the first time in that meeting
" I would therefore suggest that the emperor looks into the matter and suspend Han Li for the duration of the investigation."
This sends the enuchs into an uproar.
"AND WHO WOULD TAKE HIS PLACE? YOUR BROTHER BY MARRIAGE?"
"HOW DARE YOU TRY TO GIVE THE EMPEROR ORDERS!!"
"DO YOU KNOW WHAT TREASON YOU HAVE JUST SPOKE?!!"
To be sure the noise making was jeering but you stoically endured it while you patiently watch to see if the emperor was as weak willed as he would later be protrayed in the history books.
"ENOUGH." The emperor Booms and the court quiets down
"I wholeheartedly agree with the general's suggestion. The court will conduct an investigation into these matters and will act according to our findings. As for Han Li, be prepared to receive a most grievous punishment if the accusations are true."
" What about the suspension part?" You could not stop yourself from asking.
" You would ask the emperor to suspend a loyal man over a mere accusation?" Your brother cries out in mock horror much to the approval of the enuchs.
Are you fucking kidding me?
" I would ask him to restore people's confidence brother." You counter swiftly
"That is the right thing to do. Isn't it?"
Rather than reply, the emperor keeps his face forward and says
" If anyone feel the need to leave, he may do so but must be back here before the palace shadow faces the east." Then he turns to a palace lady and say
"Bring us some herbal tea."
She bows and leaves.
Immediately the court becomes rowdy as various officials and eunuchs take the chance to relieve themselves. You use that chance to assist Xu Chu in excorting the people brought before the court.
"Is that it?" There was despire in his voice
" The man who did this to my cousin gets to walk away free?"
You place a hand on his clenched fist
" I swear by my ancestors Xu Chu, I will find a way to make the emperor listen."
This brightens up his face
" Then I hope you succeed my Lord."
" Me too my friend. Me too."
He turns and leaves.
As you look at Xu Chu retreating back and the hate filled glares of all his companions, all you could think was
You want drama Liu Su?
Lights, cameras rolling....
"My prince" You turn to see Su Min
"Our pet bird has finally arrived."
You smile
" Take it to Xu Chu. I am sure it will have some choice songs about this entire fiasco that just occurred."
" As you wish my prince."
She turns and leaves.
You smile to yourself
And action.