TBFCWTE - Chapter 5

Chapter 5

He Shu turned calmly to face the speaker. "Minister Zhao, rest assured. I was born an imperial grandson and became crown prince at three. Knowing full well that there would be opposition and doubt, I still insist on proposing Tax Reform because I am wholeheartedly serving the state and the people, and I fear no criticism from the realm."

Then He Shu turned to face Emperor Zhengning, cupped her hands, and requested, "Imperial Father, to prove that since I dare propose a Tax Reform Plan, I have the courage and responsibility to face the realm's discussion, I ask you to send men to post the new system and seek the opinions of the realm before making a final decision."

At these words, the ministers, full of protests and rebuttals, were suddenly silenced.

A few unwilling ones tried to put up a last resistance. "Your Highness, this so-called new tax system is merely a proposal still under discussion. How can it be posted and publicized? What do the illiterate fools outside know?"

Before He Shu could speak, someone angrily rebuked him. "Everyone has a scale in their heart. Minister Shi's self-important contempt for the realm, his failure to distinguish right from wrong, and his direct dismissal of the common people as fools form a truly ugly mindset."

With this as the spark, the ministers quickly fell into a shouting match. Emperor Zhengning, deeply pained by it, could not help pressing his forehead.

But He Shu, the one who started it, stood on the moral high ground, now and then tossing out lofty principles and fanning the flames from the side.

The lively atmosphere, so heated that people looked ready to come to blows, made He Shu itch to join in.

With her previous life's accumulation, whether it was cursing without dirty words or disgusting people with veiled sarcasm, everyone present was no match for her.

Only her identity as crown prince and heir limited her performance.

The ministers' quarrel ended with Emperor Zhengning giving the final word: agree to post the new tax system in various places and seek the realm's opinions.

After court dispersed, back in the Imperial Study, Emperor Zhengning slumped in his chair, utterly exhausted.

"My child, are you sure this method has no problem? Think it over. Once the Tax Reform Plan is publicized, it will certainly draw attacks from many powerful interests. Truth is unpleasant, but those poor commoners have limited experience and truly lack independent judgment. You are trying to lighten their burden with all your heart, yet they may not understand, and they are easily incited by people with ulterior motives."

He Shu was prepared for this and answered casually.

"It is somewhat early, but just now there is such an opportunity. Most of the groundwork I wanted to lay is done. No matter how those people jump about, they cannot change the outcome of Tax Reform."

The new tax system had only benefits and no harm for treasury income, so most Ministry of Revenue officials stood aside.

Military officers gained little from the current tax system. Moreover, after Emperor Zhengning ascended the throne and secured it with military power, he had not thought of discarding the bridge after crossing it or suppressing the soldiers. On He Shu's advice, he had increased investment in barracks construction.

So the military officers would not oppose the new system; they would obey Emperor Zhengning and the crown prince without question.

The soldiers knew clearly who could lead them to meat. However dissatisfied the gentry and great clans were, they could only protest verbally. Any move would be like striking stone with eggs.

He Shu did not believe that those great clan and gentry people, who relied on ancestral privilege, enjoyed every luxury, lived lives even she envied, and were best at turning with the wind, would truly dare do anything.

After all, she had only changed the tax system related to land. If they did not want to pay more tax, they could simply sell some land.

The court had long made clear its intention to develop commerce and the economy. With money, one could still make money in business; no one would truly be driven to desperation.

He Shu's ultimate goal in reforming the tax system was not only to make people divide their households but to force them to sell land.

The traditional phenomenon of large families living together not only bred many unfair things but made clan power ever greater. It was necessary to impress on people the idea that when a tree grows large, it should branch, and that households should divide.

But He Shu knew clearly that such traditional thinking and customs could not be changed by government decree, only driven by interests.

Forcing people to sell land was meant to change the current situation in which vast amounts of land were concentrated in a few hands, while those who worked hard in the fields had no chance to own land and could not even secure food and warmth.

Having put this great matter, planned for years, onto the agenda, He Shu was in excellent spirits. She briefly reviewed the day's government documents, found nothing especially urgent, and went to the Inner Court Guard training ground, intending to ride and relax.

As crown prince, she not only had to study the classics and histories but also learn riding and archery.

Whether she liked it or not, for the sake of her identity as crown prince and heir, she had to learn enough to be presentable.

This was one important reason He Shu had once eagerly hoped her father would have a son, so that she might have a chance at freedom.

In her previous life, though her inner character was somewhat tough, she had never lacked womanly nature.

She had not expected that in this life, from birth, she would be taught how to be a man, and would train herself into one.

And a real man at that, one who made people never think of a woman. She had to completely change the habits she had formed in her previous life, from speech and behavior to sitting, lying, and even her voice.

The challenge was so great that at times He Shu wished she could die again and be reborn.

Fortunately, she had endured. Now she was incomparably handsome, with outstanding elegance, taller than most of her peers. Whoever saw her would think she was a strikingly elegant, spirited young man.

While He Shu galloped across the training ground, the Jiang residence, the empress's natal home, received one batch after another of distinguished guests, most of whom had never dealt with them before.

Shortly after noon, the empress in Fengyuan Palace received word that her mother and two sisters-in-law were requesting an audience in the name of paying respects.

Because she harbored a great secret, the empress was not especially close to her natal family. Hearing that they had come to seek an audience on a day that was not special, she could tell they came with a purpose.

So while arranging for palace staff to receive them, she sent someone under the pretext of delivering snacks to the Imperial Study to sound out the situation.

When she heard that the crown prince had proposed a new policy at morning court, drawing heated discussion among the ministers and a decision to post it in advance for the realm to discuss, and that the crown prince had gone to the Inner Court Guard training ground soon after court, the empress understood.

The empress had little ambition for court politics and usually asked little about it. It was He Shu, for certain considerations, who from time to time analyzed the pros and cons of court affairs for her.

This opened a broader vision and horizon for the empress. Though she did not yearn for it, she drew many lessons from it.

This was also why she knew what mattered, kept a proper distance even from her natal family, and did not obey her relatives in everything like most women of the time.

Though the message the palace staff brought back was not detailed, it allowed the empress to grasp the general cause and effect.

As for the crown prince's new policy, some ministers supported it and some opposed it. Opinions were deadlocked, so the crown prince proposed posting it publicly.

In this world, apart from He Shu, the empress could absolutely be called the second person who understood Emperor Zhengning best.

So the empress knew that her husband, who had no talent for governing and could only rely on their daughter to plan for him, would have no objection to any political view the crown prince proposed.

It was less than half a day since court dispersed, and her natal family had rushed people to see her.

That basically showed her natal family stood opposite the crown prince, did not support her decision, and were trying to persuade the empress to dissuade her.

Her thoughts turned, and once she reached this conclusion, a surge of gloom rose in the empress's heart. She silently blamed her natal family for being unreasonable.

Other ministers opposing the crown prince's decisions out of differing political views was normal. The Jiang Family, as the crown prince's maternal relatives, not only failed to help her but wanted to use the empress to hold her back.

This was truly outrageous.

Knowing what was going on, when the empress met her old mother and her two sisters-in-law, who smiled at her with particular warmth, her polite smile inevitably carried some perfunctoriness.

"In a few days it will be the end of the month. I had planned to invite the family in for a gathering then. Today, hearing suddenly that Mother and my sisters-in-law wished to see me, I was quite startled. I thought something major had happened at home. Everyone at home is well, I hope?"

Old Madam Jiang nodded with a smile. "Good, good. Everyone at home is well."

Eldest Sister-in-law Jiang added from the side, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. We came to seek an audience so suddenly and disturbed you. Please forgive us."

"We are all family. Sister-in-law need not blame herself so."

Old Madam Jiang quietly glanced around and brought up a topic. "The crown prince did not return to your palace at noon?"

The empress answered with an unconcerned smile, "A mother cannot rule a child forever. The crown prince spends all day beside the emperor observing government and laboring over state affairs. It is very hard work. If the crown prince can find time to dine with me each day, that is already good."

Those words neatly blocked what Old Madam Jiang wanted to say. If even the empress could not direct the crown prince, there was no point expecting her to interfere.

But the Jiang Family had come with a task; how could they be willing to give up?

"Your Majesty, I heard that at court today the crown prince proposed abolishing the current tax system and implementing a new one called 'merging the poll tax into the land tax,' with especially high rates for households holding much land. Many people are unhappy. If this is mishandled, it could bring great disaster."

Hearing Eldest Sister-in-law Jiang, the empress finally knew what He Shu had done. Robbing the rich to help the poor and cutting off people's wealth was indeed a hateful thing.

The Jiang Family's power at court was not great, but it was one of the great clans and wealthy households that had endured for generations and held vast lands in its ancestral home.

They happened to fall among the rich to be "robbed" by the crown prince's new tax system. No wonder they reacted so strongly.

The empress believed in He Shu's ability and knew that from childhood she had been full of ideas and calculations.

Especially since this matter was of great consequence, she believed He Shu understood the stakes clearly. Since she had decided to do it, there must be a reason, and she must already have made arrangements to ensure success.

"Eldest Sister-in-law is indeed well informed. Had I not heard it from you, here in the palace I would not even know the crown prince had done another great thing. But though I am Empress, I only have authority over the inner palace and no right to interfere in court affairs. I will pass your worries and reminders on to the crown prince, and let him know of the concern you elders have for him."

Previous Table of Contents Next