first minister

The main entrance of Miyagi looks like a huge mouth.

It usually doesn't open up to actively devour anyone, but there are always countless people trying to get in through the small gap on the side.

Because behind this huge mouth is endless glory in the field of power.

The sky was still dark, and under the dim light and shadow, the people standing in the square outside the palace wall with bitter laughter were the winners in the field of power.

But this winner is only relative.

To the general public, they are undoubtedly big figures worth looking up to.

But in the same circle of winners, most of them are still just ants at the bottom.

The person who leisurely steps down from the carriage in front of everyone is the real winner.

In the great summer sun, Prime Minister Xia Jingyun!

Looking at that figure, no matter what position they held or which faction they stood on, the officials present looked at him with a hint of solemnity.

His credit is too great, his position is too high, and his age is too young.

All these things added together, be it envy, jealousy, or awe, make it difficult for people to have the thought of being an enemy.

Unfortunately, that is a common situation.

When life and death are at stake, there are still people who want to pull out the tiger's beard, and there are still people who dare to stir up trouble on Tai Sui's head.

For many officials who come from aristocratic families and rely on family support to get to where they are today, that is a position they cannot violate;

For the heads of several aristocratic families who have rushed to Beijing, today they have to put on a show of strength, abandon the leisurely life of their old age, and take this gamble;

If you don't move, you will die. If you struggle, you may still live. How could they be willing to kill you at your neck!

Today's court is their battlefield!

They want to move towards the imperial power.

Show your sword!

Xia Jingyun was well aware of all this, but his expression remained calm, his steps remained calm, and his calm eyes swept over everyone present.

There are his partners and there are his enemies.

There are those who have nothing to do with themselves but look on with encouragement and worry, while there are also those who are gloating about the misfortune and watching indifferently.

He smiled slightly, stepped forward, and reached the position at the head of the hundred officials.

He kept walking and continued to move forward.

The officials behind him looked solemn and silently stepped forward.

Through the gap between the cheeks of the huge mouth, he entered the palace gate and walked towards the highest palace of glory of the Great Xia Dynasty.

At the same time, it is also a power arena where people kill without blood.

When they stood in the court hall, it was clear that there was me in you, and you in me, but in the main hall, a clear sense of confrontation was created.

The sky has not yet risen, and the mountain rain is about to come.

Nobles, aristocratic families, wealthy families, and the imperial court's new policies have struck at the root of so many people. The counterattack they are facing today is almost conceivable.

This depressing atmosphere made Jin Zhong, who had witnessed the grand scene of seizing the throne, couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

"Queen Mother, Your Majesty, here we come!"

Concubine De gently shook Dongfang Bai's hand, smiled and nodded at him, and then watched Shang Zhicheng escort him to the dragon chair. She slowly stood up and walked to sit behind the bead curtain.

After the mountain call, a remonstrating doctor made no secret, took the lead in the line, and started the climax of the battle with a loud shout.

"Queen Mother, Your Majesty, I have this report!"

Behind the bead curtain, the voice of Concubine De was slowly heard, like a emerald pearl touching gently, neither happy nor angry, "Say."

"Since the founding of the dynasty, the royal family has conquered all directions and conquered the sea. Although the power of God has been granted by God, the people are many and stupid, the land is vast and vast, there are few officials who can't conquer Fengzhou, and there are few soldiers who can't control the people. The governance of the state really depends on the big family. "The peace of the county is fortunate to have a noble family. They adhere to the key points of the central government and spread the teachings of the king. They have made great contributions to peace in the world and the well-being of all people!"

"However, Prime Minister Xia Jingyun, following the emperor's orders to carry out reforms, fell into the trap of money and goods and damaged the foundation of the emperor's life. He worshiped the prime minister with talents and pretended to be cruel to officials, thus losing the reputation of talents. Indiscriminate killing and cruelty are not the actions of benevolent government. Exploiting a wealthy family is without mercy. I have long thought to stabilize the country. I am bold, please remove him from the position, abolish his new policy, restore peace to the world, and establish the foundation of the eternal world!"

As soon as these words came out, there was an uproar in the palace.

Xia Jingyun has only been the prime minister for less than a month, and his relationship with the Queen Mother and Her Majesty is so close. How dare these people shout out that he will quit the prime minister?

It seems that I really don’t want to be kind today!

Before Xia Jingyun's faction's counterattack came, another censor from the Censor's Platform immediately spoke up, "The Queen Mother, Your Majesty, even the humble ministers also have their own memorials!"

"The so-called reform method, if you pursue it slowly, it will be of great benefit, but if you pursue it hastily, it will be great harm. The accumulated shortcomings of the country are not only visible to Prime Minister Xia, but all the ministers know that diseases come like a mountain falling, and diseases go away If you are like a thread, you need long-term planning to achieve stable and long-term progress. However, Xia Xiang was in charge of politics, and he was impatient and eager. He relied on the support of the imperial power but failed to care about the people of the world. He believed that he was only devoted to public affairs and did not care about the world's conditions and state affairs. He was brutal and murderous, and excessively intimidated. As a result, people in the government and the public are in panic, and the gentry in the world are trembling with fear. I ask you to abolish the new policy, appease the gentry, stabilize the government, and consolidate the foundation of the country!"

Everyone was frightened when they heard this, but it was not over yet.

These aristocratic families have been gathering strength for many days, how could they achieve this little momentum?

As soon as the censor finished speaking, the guard standing at the entrance of the palace reported: "The Queen Mother, Your Majesty, the Crown Prince and Tutor, the former Minister of Household Affairs Liu Chongshan, the former Imperial Prince Guo Yizhong, and the former Guanglu Qing Xiong Ruirong are outside the palace gate. ask to see!"

Almost all eyes looked in the direction of the bead curtain at the same time.

To call or not to call, that is the question.

Zhao, the opponent has almost made it clear that they want to put pressure;

If you don't call, you have already treated the rich and the gentry harshly, and now you want to treat an old minister harshly?

This is no longer Marquis Jianning’s fault, but your Queen Mother’s own fault!

As expected, there was a moment of silence behind the bead curtain, as if he was struggling, but soon, a clear voice came out.

"Xuan."

Not long after, three old men who had been here countless times entered the court again with another identity.

This identity is the representative of the local big family.

"I pay my respects to the Queen Mother and Your Majesty!"

"Flat body, give me a seat."

Concubine De spoke slowly, but the three old men unexpectedly knelt down and smashed the bricks with a slight muffled sound, causing a huge shock in people's hearts.

"Queen Mother, please make the decision for me and the countless loyal families in the world!"

"Since I became an official, even though I was still in my hometown, I have never forgotten the state affairs. I have repeatedly helped local officials implement government affairs and nurture the villagers. Even when the old military god died and the world was in chaos, we also donated food and helped people. To help quell the rebellion, we even formed strongholds to resist the violence and chaos of the people, and tried our best to calm the situation. I did not dare to expect to have any merit in the court proceedings, and I never lost my loyalty to the country."

"When we first heard that the new policy was being implemented in the DPRK, we were overjoyed. The country has been in the DPRK for three hundred years and has suffered from serious disadvantages. If it can be alleviated, our country of Daxia will surely be able to last for eternity. However, Marquis Jianning does not know Why are you so prejudiced against our great clans and targeting us with your new policies? This will inevitably make your loyal ministers worried and your righteousness and bravery will be chilled."

"Then, the policies of the New Deal became even more ridiculous. The local big families were already responsible for stabilizing the four sides of the imperial court, but the New Deal's policies were aimed at the big families. Not only that, but the focus of the New Deal was placed on the fields. It is true that our clan has a small amount of wealth accumulated over generations. However, Marquis Jianning wants to transfer all the taxes on human beings, which are shared by all people in the world, into the fields. Is it possible that our family is guilty of having a surplus of wealth? ?”

"Finally, when Marquis Jianning supervised the implementation of the new policy in Yuyan Prefecture as an imperial envoy, the killings and persecution were so intense that thousands of heads fell to the ground in Yuyan Prefecture, causing panic and fear among the noble families in other states. The old minister was not trying to excuse the rebellious minister. , but perhaps the Marquis of Jianning was not so ruthless in his actions, and perhaps some rebellious ministers and traitors did not dare to take risks, which caused His Majesty's dragon body to be damaged. Later, when the country was promoted, there were frequent reports of ruthless officials forcing large households to death. For several generations, A loyal and righteous man who has built up his foundation over hundreds of years and is devoted to the country, is forced to lose his family and his family like this! How miserable!"

The old minister who took the lead in speaking, with a trembling white beard and a sad look on his face, shouted:

"If you want to achieve great things, you should be clear about the essentials, follow the policies, and be careful about what you do. Today's new policy has lost its essentials, misguided its policies, and messed up its actions. All three are wrong, and there is no reason to be invincible!"

"If you implement this kind of government, you will destroy your own foundation and gather people to do evil; if you implement this kind of government, gangsters will run rampant and spread poison all over the world; if you implement this kind of government, the cause of national unification will be broken up!"

"The empress dowager's reputation for benevolence is broadcast all over the world, and your majesty's clever ideas are impressed all over the world. I would like to ask your majesty to take back this ridiculous policy, take back this cruel policy, take back this short-sighted policy, so as to calm the hearts of all people in the world and protect the country." A long-term foundation.”

He shouted and knelt on the ground.

Behind him, the two people who came with him also knelt down.

"Please Her Majesty the Queen Mother to take back this policy to calm the hearts of all people in the world and to protect the country and its long-term foundation!"

Immediately afterwards, the admonishing doctor, the imperial censor, and dozens of officials, large and small, who had spoken earlier, knelt down on the ground.

"Please Her Majesty the Queen Mother to take back this policy to calm the hearts of all people in the world and to protect the country and its long-term foundation!"

The uniform shouts, like the swords and guns forcing the palace, were clearly aimed at His Majesty on the dragon throne, at the Queen Mother behind the bead curtain, and even more at the current Prime Minister Xia Jingyun who was standing at the head of the hundred officials.

In the spacious main hall of the court, there were only dozens of people attending court, and nearly half of them were kneeling at this moment.

Except for the central officials who were all standing together, there were only about twenty lonely people left.

This is the power of aristocratic families. This is the power of these wealthy families with vast fields, rich counties, numerous servants, and full families of officials, brazenly wielding their swords against the imperial power!

You are aloof, you are the one who controls the wind and rain, but the base of your power is us!

Without us, what kind of emperor would you be?

Such a battle makes even those who are neutral in this storm secretly frightened.

Most of the court has made its attitude clear. According to the usual situation, the Queen Mother will either give in and fulfill the wishes of these people and reach an agreement; or if she does not retreat, then these people will have to be demoted or dismissed That’s right.

But this is most of the court! If you really kill them all, who will do anything for you? How much trouble will it cause? Can you still sit firmly in this position?

The one who had the same idea as him was Zhang Caiming, the assistant minister of Zhongshu.

This big figure in the former center, who was relatively anonymous, had an impulse in an instant, that is, to stand up and speak out, thereby seizing the power of leadership among this group of people. His position in the court is stable.

But then, his usual caution made him think more. He looked at Xia Jingyun, who was motionless and as stable as a mountain, and then looked at Duke Wei, Duke An, and others who were all standing quietly with indifferent expressions. He Suddenly I noticed something was wrong in my heart, and stopped my steps and thoughts.

This, a moment's thought, a moment's pause, may be the gap between Wan Wenbi and him.

And right away, something changed for him. Among the ranks of court officials who were still standing, a figure came out and said, "Your Majesty, Queen Mother, don't listen to these nonsense! Today's local aristocratic families hide their property, fail to pay taxes, collude with local officials, take bribes and bend the law, and act tyrannically." , in the Fish and Meat Township, there are very few companies that can be said to be the cornerstone of the country. The loyalty and patriotism that they keep talking about are just private schemes! An inventory in Yuyan Prefecture revealed hundreds of thousands of acres of hidden farmland. It’s solid proof!”

"The politics of Jianninghou hit the mark on the shortcomings of the country. The aristocratic families occupied most of the world's resources, but paid little or no taxes. The government's finances could only squeeze the common people who had no land and no land and were barely making a living. Once this happens, If the coercion is too great, the people may lose their way of living completely. Either they sell themselves into slavery and strengthen these fat families again, or they rise up and seize the mountain as king, and the country has to spend huge sums of money to quell the rebellion. The only way is to let these wealthy families , only by handing over reasonable taxes can the government's finances be healthy, and the people of the world can be stable! I ask the Queen Mother, please don't listen to the sophistry of these people who are only for their own selfish interests!"

The Sanqi often served in Deshun's arrogant position, and spoke in a deep voice, confronting these "swords and guns that force the palace"!

"Yu Zhongru! How can you confuse right and wrong so much and spit so much blood on others!"

"Yu Zhongru! It's in vain that you are from a rich family, but you have taken advantage of the power and are willing to be his pawn, confuse right and wrong, and slander the pillars of our country! You, you, you, you are not the son of a man! It is in vain that you can be a minister!"

"You are the ones who serve as servants in vain!"

This man, who was born in the Yu family and was also the uncle of Yu Daoxing, the leading figure in the Yu family of this generation, shouted angrily, "First the country, then the family! You guys only think about your own private affairs and never think about the country and the dynasty." I really want to be eaten down by you moths one day, rebelling against each other, and change the dynasty! Your good days will come to an end!"

Without waiting for anyone to reply, Yu Deshun snorted again, "That's right, you are not afraid either. The emperor of Zhongjing City has been changed, and the place still has to rely on you to maintain it, right? When the official uniforms are changed, the food and fish will still be delicious and spicy. In the countryside, no wonder you are so confident!"

"Queen Mother, Your Majesty! Yu Deshun made arrogant words, cursed the country, and slandered the court officials. Please punish Yu Deshun!"

"Please kill Deshun!"

Another round of simultaneous pressure made the situation in the palace tense again.

Zhang Caiming secretly glanced at Xia Jingyun and found that he was still motionless, frowning slightly. Isn't this your arrangement?

At this moment, a notification opened a gap in the heated dispute.

The guard outside the palace once again sent a message, "Your Majesty, the Queen Mother, the heads of the Jiuhe Wang family, Sixiang Yin family, and Xifeng Lu family are asking for an audience outside the palace gate."

This announcement made the officials of the wealthy families who had originally pushed their butts into the palace were dumbfounded.

Did he hear this wrong or something?

Aren't these three families all raided and executed?

Why did the head of the family pop up and ask for an audience?

How can you not die? We just asked you to make an article to prove the cruelty of Marquis Jianning. Why do you pop up again?

But at this time, it was not up to them to make the decision.

Behind the bead curtain, the Queen Mother slowly said: "Xuan."

Soon, three old men dressed in white, although still looking haggard, but still neatly dressed, appeared in the hall.

As soon as they arrived, the three of them were stunned when they saw the formation in the palace, not knowing what was going on.

But Marquis Jianning made it clear yesterday that there were clear instructions on what to do today. For the lives of the whole family, let alone this kind of scene, even if it was a sea of ​​swords and fire, they had to bite the bullet and finish the act. .

So, the three people entered the hall, first bowed together, and then shouted.

"The sinner is about to leave, so I came here to express my gratitude and say farewell. Thank you to the Queen Mother and Your Majesty for your kindness. Thank you to Prime Minister Xia for his kindness and kindness, and to pardon the lives of our family. I wish the Queen Mother and Your Majesty a long life, and the great Xia Kingdom Zuo will last forever."

"In the past, we were short-sighted and daring, and tried to obstruct the New Deal, even if we died hundreds of times to atone for our sins. Today, I have received the forgiveness of Prime Minister Xia, and the pardon from Your Majesty the Queen Mother. I am grateful and hope that the New Deal will not be damaged because of our short-sightedness." , I hope Daxia will regain its vitality without some small obstacles!"

"The sinner braves the wind and rain and is a pioneer for the country. Even after ten generations and a hundred generations, he will still be a Xia citizen!"

Although the three people were asked to come here, after all, the imperial court really spared the lives of their entire family and preserved one of the most important foundations accumulated over the generations. Therefore, they felt a bit affectionate as they talked. Sincerely, with tears of gratitude.

But their words made everyone else look confused.

What? Let go? Pardoned?

What kind of short-sightedness? What Xiaoxiao is blocking me? Who are you scolding?

Every word they just said was like a slap in the face of the person who had been scolding Xia Jingyun for being prejudiced against the rich, cruel and unkind, and humiliating the gentry.

He had such a fair and just reason to kill several top wealthy families, but he graciously pardoned them. How can you still say that he harbors prejudices against wealthy families? Don’t forget, the two ladies are also from wealthy families!

Can you still say that he is cruel and unkind? How could a truly cruel and cruel person do such a thing?

As for humiliating the gentry, it's just a fantasy. He clearly has a benevolent heart and loves the people as his own children, right?

Behind the bead curtain, the Queen Mother slowly spoke, "God has the virtue of loving life, and the king has no intention of killing indiscriminately. Although the three families of you are considered to be a major treason, they are actually implicated by mistake. Change execution to expulsion, establish prestige and virtue, and punish Your crime serves as a warning to future generations. I hope that after you leave your country and your homeland, you can still work diligently to pioneer, without losing the heart of Xia Aiqing's bitter words to persuade you, and without losing the intention of your majesty and Aijia to be lenient and kind to the people."

The three of them quickly knelt on the ground and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, the Queen Mother for your kindness. The sinner must try his best to live up to the Queen Mother's expectations."

The Queen Mother paused and said with emotion, "The Ai family has always been generous in politics, and your Majesty's conduct is also benevolent and filial. However, in today's world, the distinction between direct descendants and descendants is strict. There are dozens of children of officials and civilians, and direct heirs are , although the rest are still flesh and blood, they have no size, and the principles of benevolence and filial piety are not preached. The mourning family thinks about this matter, and it is hard to sleep peacefully."

Everyone listened in confusion, wondering what the Queen Mother was going to say and why she suddenly changed to the status of concubine.

The Queen Mother's voice continued to sound, "Fortunately, the country is now at peace, and the army is going out to conquer the West, Andong, and South China. The vast land can be included in my Daxia territory, and the endless wealth can be entered into my Daxia treasury. Today It is decreed that all those who have nobles in the world and their concubines and relatives who are willing to settle in the three directions will be favored by the court, and they can be given the title of father and brother by the court, and they will be treated as before. Those who have no titles and are willing to make their homes in the three directions will be given honors. One turn. According to the title, the imperial court will grant a settlement fee, a place to settle down, and a ten-year tax exemption. The rest of the government will be the same as that of the country. In this way, everyone will get what they want, and benevolence and filial piety will eventually be revealed!"

"The central government immediately drafted the edict, explained the detailed rules, promulgated it throughout the world, and advertised it to all people."

Xia Jingyun stepped out of the queue for the first time and said loudly, "I accept the order!"

"Your Majesty, according to my opinion, the three lands are far away, so it would be better to add a seal. Depending on the number of people, each person can be given twenty acres of land; every adult can buy a hundred acres of land for ten taels of silver and cultivate it. It can be privately owned within five years; and all citizens of the country who want to move there must not be hindered; the court should establish official offices and schools in the local area, and send troops to protect safety."

The Empress Dowager interrupted, "These details have been discussed by the Ai Qing and the Central Committee, and there is no reason why the Ai family will not agree to them."

"The minister obeys the order!"

Xia Jingyun said no more and retreated to his position, but the people still lying on the ground were all dumbfounded!

There were many smart people among them. Almost immediately after hearing these conditions, they thought of what might happen to their own families after the news was announced.

what is this?

I'm here to force you to have a baby, and you're going to burn my backyard?

But what can they do?

A concubine is also a son, and the palms and backs of his hands are all flesh. If he wants to go out and open a single branch, he can also get the same title as himself. How can I stop him?

The legitimate son's interests will not be harmed, and he can avoid fighting for it, so he will naturally support him.

But in this case, how much power does his own clan have left?

Don't panic!

Don't panic!

Whether it’s the Western Regions or the east of Swift, not to mention the miasmatic lands in Southeast Asia, they are either far away or uninhabitable.

You see, it is only the Wang family, the Lu family, the Yin family and other criminals who are sent there. How can any decent and good person be willing to go there?

If it was really so good over there, would the court offer such good conditions?

right! That’s what you’ll tell your children when the time comes!

The court's mouth is a liar, whoever believes it is a fool!

At this moment, the guards outside the palace, who seemed to be particularly busy today, came to the door of the palace again, "The Queen Mother, Your Majesty, the deputy general of the expeditionary force arrived in Beijing with the captured property and is waiting for the order outside the palace door."

The Queen Mother immediately spoke, "Xuan!"

Soon, a veteran general strode in. He was also stunned when he saw the protruding buttocks in the palace. He immediately knelt down on one knee and said, "The Queen Mother, Your Majesty, and the generals have been ordered to open up the peninsula east of Yuyan State." , has now swept through the entire territory of Xinluo, and has made some gains. All the property has been escorted to the capital. This is the first batch and will be reported to the palace to congratulate the Queen Mother and Your Majesty!"

The Queen Mother nodded slowly, "Thank you for your hard work, please submit it!"

The general waved his hand, and the imperial guards took over and carried dozens of large boxes into the palace with great difficulty.

At this time, the courtiers who were kneeling on the ground had no choice but to stand up temporarily and get out of the way.

When all the boxes were opened, the piles of gold, silver, precious medicinal materials, furs, etc. instantly blinded the eyes of the courtiers.

Although all of them have seen the world, most of them, except for those from the household department who have entered the bank, have never seen so much cash with their own eyes.

No, are those bitter and cold places also so rich?

They immediately changed their mind and thought, isn't it bitterly cold in Beiliang? How can they say that the emperor is worthless? Can you say that someone’s official position is worthless?

Damn it, when you think about it, this is really something to do!

If I were a Marquis, if I opened one of them alone, I would be a double Marquis!

It's a little far, but the Marquis is the Marquis after all!

Even the heads of the three families who were assigned to the three families who originally felt that they were barely surviving and living in the cold wind and rain, their eyes lit up at this moment.

If this, this, this, this is so powerful, then why worry about not being able to revive the family business!

Those people from aristocratic families swallowed their saliva and felt desperate. If this matter spread, they would not be able to suppress it!

Only Mr. Qin’s mouth twitched and he murmured in his heart: Most of this is my money, my money!

In the midst of this uproar, Concubine De spoke slowly, "Very good. The Ai family is very satisfied. Xia Aiqing, the central committee will immediately formulate a reward. Your contribution to expanding the territory and strengthening the treasury must be rewarded with a good life!"

Xia Jingyun came out and said, "I obey the order! However, the Empress Dowager is generous. Now that Yang Weiguang has taken office, the central committee is short of personnel and various affairs are busy. I would like to ask the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty to decide how to fill the vacancies as soon as possible to facilitate the operation of the government."

Xia Jingyun's jump in words made everyone stunned. Before they could recover, Concubine De said: "Sanqi often serves Deshun. He is loyal and good-sighted, has both talent and virtue, and can be admitted to the central government. Sanchao of Hanlin Academy After that, an imperial edict will be prepared to pay homage to the prime minister. The central committee will stay behind to discuss the adjustment of duties."

Yu Deshun was immediately surrounded by boxes of gold and silver treasures and bowed profusely, "I thank the Queen Mother for your kindness! I must serve my purpose wholeheartedly and live up to the Queen Mother's expectations!"

Following this agreement, the entire palace was in an uproar.

Everyone looked at Yu Deshun's figure and suddenly realized something.

Although the New Deal will cause their families to bleed a lot and cut their flesh, and there will even be a second and third blow after the first blow, the court will always need people. Someone has power, and with power there is absolutely no need. Worry about wealth.

But now, amid the opposition, isn't supporting the New Deal a shortcut to success?

With these words, Yu Deshun jumped from the casual knight to the center. Although they are not so rich, it is good to be promoted to one level! It also paid off those taxes and money!

Moreover, with the imperial court's order of favor, the people in the clan may have become united. Why do they have to take such huge risks and go against the Queen Mother and Xia?

Just as these thoughts began to swirl in everyone's minds, the Queen Mother's voice sounded from behind the bead curtain.

"The previous discussion among the ministers was interrupted by these things. The Ai family does not remember who had seconded the proposal before. The Ai family and your majesty are not people who insist on having their own way. In order to understand your intentions and achieve a fair result, now we will These boxes are the boundaries. Those who support the New Deal stand on the left side of the Aijia, and those who want to abolish the New Deal stand on the right side of the Aijia. The result is clear, and the Aijia should implement it."

Everyone reacted, what is this? This is the stairs! This is to give them a face!

So, the people who had kneeled all over the hall came to Xia Jingyun's back with their heads down, silently and calmly.

On the right side of the bead curtain, there were only a few people left. After understanding the general situation, they quickly jumped over, for fear of being recognized if they walked too slowly.

When the team stood still and looked at the empty other side, Dongfang Bai's lips couldn't help but curl up in disdain.

The Queen Mother's calm voice behind the bead curtain sealed the battle.

"The intentions of the ministers have been made clear. Anyone who talks nonsense about the new government will be killed!" (End of this chapter)