Chapter 181: The Meritorious Minister

How could Fang Jinglong remain unmoved after hearing Emperor Hongzhi’s words?

Fang Jinglong tried hard to suppress the excitement in his heart. After steadying himself, he said, “Your Majesty is too modest. The Crown Prince is also very wise.”

Didn’t he want to stroke his beard and boast about himself? But he didn’t dare.

How could he boast about himself in front of the Emperor? He could only praise the Emperor.

However, Emperor Hongzhi’s face turned red. He began to feel that this father and son from the Fang Family were really annoying. He didn’t really want to talk to them.

Fortunately, Emperor Hongzhi was a very restrained person. After pausing for a moment, he said, “This time, the Mountain Brigade performed a remarkable feat. The Mountain Brigade is like my pillar for defending Yunnan-Guizhou. This is a matter of great importance, so… I hold it in particularly high regard. I must send someone I trust to the Southwest. I intend to appoint you as the Regional Military Commander of Guizhou. You must take up your post immediately and oversee military affairs in Guizhou, especially the Mountain Brigade. Matters involving its training and provisions must be personally supervised by you. What do you think?”

Fang Jifan, kneeling in the corner, immediately understood the Emperor’s intention.

The great victory of the Mountain Brigade had made the Emperor place special importance on it. It had become a key piece for the imperial court to stabilize the entire Southwest.

But since the Mountain Brigade was so important, having an ordinary person control it would not reassure the court. Fang Jinglong, Nanhe Bo, had experience in suppressing rebellions in Yunnan-Guizhou. Furthermore, the Mountain Brigade was Fang Jifan’s idea. Therefore, appointing Fang Jinglong as the Regional Military Commander of Guizhou to oversee the Mountain Brigade was both to fully control this new force and to lay the foundation for promoting the Mountain Brigade’s experience in the future.

After hearing this, how could Fang Jinglong refuse? He quickly said, “Your servant obeys the decree. Your Majesty…”

He wanted to say more, but Emperor Hongzhi waved his hand. “Alright, you may withdraw. Prepare early. Set off to take up your post in a few days. Do not delay.”

Fang Jinglong opened his mouth, but before he could speak, he had to close it. Then he was driven away, looking dejected.

But Emperor Hongzhi felt depressed.

He looked up at the roof beam of the Warm Pavilion, then turned to look at Fang Jifan, and then looked at Zhu Houzhao.

Then he remembered Fang Jinglong’s words earlier, and his heart… felt a little sour.

He sighed, then lowered his head, cleared his mind of distractions, and continued reviewing memorials.

This also gave Fang Jifan his first opportunity to personally observe a day in the life of the Emperor.

But… he had achieved great merits, yet he had to be punished along with Zhu Houzhao, that scum of the earth. He really felt somewhat unwilling.

He felt his legs were already sore and numb, but he saw that Zhu Houzhao still looked perfectly calm.

Damn it, the Crown Prince is experienced.

Fang Jifan, while Emperor Hongzhi wasn’t looking, secretly pulled a corner of Zhu Houzhao’s robe and tucked it under his own knees.

When Zhu Houzhao saw this, his eyes lit up. Fang Jifan was wearing a long-sleeved Qilin Uniform. Zhu Houzhao hurriedly copied Fang Jifan’s move, pulling a corner of Fang Jifan’s sleeve to pad under his own knees.

With support under their knees, it was indeed much more comfortable.

Emperor Hongzhi sat like that for over an hour. He frowned, clearly showing extreme dissatisfaction with the memorials from various places. Occasionally, he stretched his muscles and glanced toward the corner of the hall.

They endured until almost noon when the Grand Secretaries of the Grand Secretariat, Liu Jian, Li Dongyang, and Xie Qian, requested an audience.

The three men paid their respects. They all seemed to notice Fang Jifan and Zhu Houzhao in the corner.

Liu Jian remained expressionless. Li Dongyang pretended not to see them. Xie Qian, however, seemed somewhat gleeful.

At that moment, Emperor Hongzhi said, “Grant them seats.”

His expression was grave. “Fang Jifan is granted the title of Newly Established Count and awarded five thousand mu of land. The Grand Secretariat must draft the edict promptly. He has performed a great service and should be rewarded.”

“Yes.” Liu Jian nodded, unable to resist glancing again in Fang Jifan’s direction.

Fang Jifan felt like he’d had a really rough day.

Emperor Hongzhi frowned again and said, “Have you gentlemen read the report from Shuntian Prefecture?”

Liu Jian nodded again. “We have read it. The villains are truly audacious.”

“Yes.” Emperor Hongzhi sighed. His mood was clearly very poor. “This Beggar Sect has actually drifted into the Capital… With frequent natural disasters nowadays, alas… Of course, this is also due to my negligence…”

Liu Jian certainly understood what Emperor Hongzhi was worried about.

“Precisely because of these natural disasters, the Beggar Sect scoundrels found an opportunity. They are spreading nursery rhymes everywhere, having ignorant children sing them. This has indeed caused unrest among the people.”

When Fang Jifan heard this, he couldn’t help but become alert.

Although he was kneeling in the corner, he obviously didn’t have the self-awareness to be invisible. He suddenly said, “What nursery rhymes did the Beggar Sect compose?”

The Emperor and his ministers all turned to look at Fang Jifan.

Fang Jifan felt a little awkward, but he could only brace himself and say, “Your Majesty, I would like to hear them.”

Emperor Hongzhi seemed somewhat anxious but didn’t speak.

Liu Jian, however, looked at Fang Jifan with a slight smile. But he did not look down on this youth. He thought to himself, this kid just performed a great service, why is the Emperor disciplining him?

He said, “They are all words of treason…”

But Fang Jifan pressed further, “Please enlighten me, Lord Liu.”

He had already said they were treasonous words, what more was there to enlighten? Couldn’t he just imagine it himself? Why did he have to dig to the bottom of it?

Liu Jian was speechless. What could he say in front of the Emperor? But he had good composure and said calmly, “They say that the winter frost and the current severe drought are all disasters sent down by Heaven because… the imperial court has lost its virtue.”

It probably wasn’t that the imperial court had lost its virtue. The court wasn’t a person, how could it have virtue?

So Fang Jifan instantly understood. Wasn’t the target obvious enough? This was saying that the Emperor had done things that provoked divine wrath, causing the natural disasters.

Liu Jian had subtly alluded to this point. Moreover, the fact that this matter was reported to the Emperor indicated that these rumors had spread and were showing a trend of intensifying.

So-called nursery rhymes actually had the greatest destructive power.

On one hand, they could use supernatural claims to greatly affect the imperial court’s authority.

On the other hand, they could spread widely. After all, they were spoken by children’s mouths—children’s words carried no harm. If the court were to punish a bunch of young children for this, it would make the court seem overly petty.

Natural disasters coupled with sinister rumors. One could imagine the situation the court was facing now.

Soon, no one paid any attention to Fang Jifan. The Emperor and his ministers continued their discussion.

And clearly, there weren’t many solutions.

Unless Heaven was kind and sent rain.

But looking at it now, the weather was scorching hot, with no sign of rain at all.

Emperor Hongzhi said gloomily, “Perhaps this is indeed due to my failings in virtue, causing Heaven to send down disasters. However, if Heaven wants to punish me, it should bring all calamities upon me alone. Why must it affect my subjects?”

His words carried a note of anguish.

This was understandable.

After all, since Emperor Hongzhi inherited the throne, he hadn’t had a single day of peace. He eliminated malpractices, diligently attended to state affairs, and dared not slack off for a single day, no matter how big or small the matter. He rose early every morning and was still reading piles of memorials by lamplight late at night. He had no entertainment and couldn’t even find time to educate his own children.

But what he got in return were frequent natural disasters. Natural disasters led to human suffering. Ultimately, all his hard work and efforts could be destroyed at any moment.

He let out a breath, leaned back in his chair, looking utterly exhausted, closed his eyes, and remained silent.

Liu Jian and the others hurriedly said, “We deserve ten thousand deaths.”

Emperor Hongzhi opened his eyes and forced a smile. “Even you gentlemen can only say you deserve ten thousand deaths.”

This wasn’t a jest; it was a kind of helplessness.

Liu Jian and the others were Emperor Hongzhi’s right-hand men, his most trusted ministers. Almost all decisions were made through the joint efforts of the Emperor and his ministers.

And the abilities of these three men were exemplary models of competent officials.

It was just a pity that when it came to matters of Heaven, in this era, they couldn’t think of any solutions. They could only say they deserved ten thousand deaths. This was their helplessness.

Emperor Hongzhi weakly waved his hand and said, “The midday court session is over here. You gentlemen may go and rest.”

Liu Jian and the other two had no choice but to take their leave and exit.

Emperor Hongzhi remained silent for a long time before remembering that Fang Jifan and Zhu Houzhao were still there. He said, “Rise. Both of you, take a seat.”

The two felt as if they had received a great amnesty. When they stood up, their legs were still trembling.

They sat down with difficulty. Emperor Hongzhi looked at Fang Jifan and said, “Do you know why I sent your father to Guizhou?”

“Your servant does not know.” Fang Jifan was behaving meekly now.

Emperor Hongzhi sighed with emotion. “Because I trust your father.”

Fang Jifan knew Emperor Hongzhi had more to say.

Sure enough, Emperor Hongzhi continued, “Then, do you know why I punished you?”

Fang Jifan said with a bitter smile, “Your servant does not know that either.”

Emperor Hongzhi stared at Fang Jifan. “This is because I hope that one day, I can trust you just as I trust your father. For a minister, being more steady and prudent is not a bad thing. Someone as glib-tongued as you, I might not mind, but will others mind? You are still young, but people must grow up. If you don’t grow up, I will have no choice but to force your growth.”

Hmm, that made sense.

But…

Fang Jifan was unwilling. He said, “But Your Majesty… I have a brain disease…”

Emperor Hongzhi was stunned for a moment, and his face changed slightly.

To be honest, if Fang Jifan hadn’t brought it up, Emperor Hongzhi would have forgotten that Fang Jifan was actually a brain-damaged person.

Perhaps it was precisely because of Fang Jifan’s many brilliant performances that made Emperor Hongzhi overlook this point.

But now…

Fang Jifan went on, “This brain disease, the problem lies in the brain. Being glib-tongued… is just a symptom. I don’t want to talk nonsense, but I am sick. I am very sick.”

Emperor Hongzhi felt both suspicious and awkward.

When a person is sick, it’s naturally something to be sympathetic about. Didn’t he, despite being sick, still perform outstanding services for the court?

But if it was truly because of his illness that Fang Jifan occasionally talked nonsense, and he, the Emperor, was actually taking issue with a brain-damaged person over this… This wasn’t just unkind, it was downright despicable.

Emperor Hongzhi had always known how to restrain himself and set high moral standards for himself.

Now, suddenly remembering this, he felt an unspeakable sense of guilt.

“Qingjia, are you trying to deceive me into thinking I am ignorant?” Emperor Hongzhi was unwilling and wanted to make a last-ditch effort.