Emperor of the Red Chamber

Chapter 29 The Heart of the Old Emperor

Yuan Qingbai, who was giving alms, suddenly saw Yuan Qingliang appear, smiled slightly and asked: "Brother Liang, why are you here?"

Yuan Qingbai already had a good impression of Yuan Qingliang, the emperor's eldest grandson. He knew that the emperor's eldest grandson was quite virtuous and kind-hearted. He seemed to be an outlier among the many princes and grandsons. It was no wonder that the old man loved him.

Yuan Qingliang said: "I came to see you with my imperial grandfather."

Yuan Qingbai was startled when he heard this, and quickly looked around to find Emperor Jing'an who was sitting in a carriage not far away and looking over here.

Yuan Qingbai gave the meat bun in his hand to a sallow-looking woman holding a baby, and then walked towards the carriage where Emperor Jing'an was.

"My grandson pays his respects to the emperor's grandfather. When did the emperor's grandfather come?"

Yuan Qingbai saluted and greeted.

Emperor Jing'an said kindly: "When you just gave alms, I... I was here."

Now he is traveling incognito and calls himself "I".

After Yuan Qingbai left the palace today, he spent a lot of time preparing things for alms. Although Emperor Jing'an left the palace later than him, he arrived at Chongwen Gate at almost the same time as him.

Emperor Jing'an smiled and asked, "I heard that you are praying for me by giving alms?"

Yuan Qingbai said: "That's right, because the emperor...because my grandfather has been in poor health recently."

"My grandson thought that it might be better to give alms in three places in the capital for three consecutive days to pray for his grandfather's health and longevity, rather than going to a Taoist temple for three days to make peace offerings or copy Buddhist scriptures."

"My grandfather gave my grandson a lot of gold and silver. My grandson is raised by his grandfather and doesn't have much to spend. I just took this opportunity to give some of it to charity. It can be regarded as my grandfather's consideration for the people."

"Yesterday my grandson went to Dongzhimen, today it is Chongwenmen, and tomorrow it will be another place."

Emperor Jing'an nodded, feeling pleased.

He fell ill a few days ago, and Emperor Sun Qingbai took the initiative to serve him soup and medicine, and now he took the initiative to pray for him by giving alms.

Emperor Jing'an paused and said, "Your filial piety is good, but don't do this charity thing today. If you accidentally contract the plague, it's not a joke."

"For those who have not finished giving alms today, let the guards and soldiers continue to do so. Call Qingliang and come back to the palace with me. Don't give any more alms tomorrow. I will take care of these refugees."

Yuan Qingbai said respectfully: "Yes, my grandson has taken note of what my grandfather said."

……

……

After Emperor Jing'an returned to the palace that day, he immediately sent people to investigate the homeless beggars inside and outside Shenjing City.

After investigation, it was revealed that there were currently tens of thousands of homeless and beggars gathering inside and outside Shenjing City.

This was a rough estimate in just one day. Emperor Jing'an knew that the real number was much higher than this.

Emperor Jing'an strictly ordered the resettlement of this large number of homeless beggars, requiring that no one should starve or freeze to death during the Chinese New Year, and strictly prevent unrest and plague.

Despite this, he knew that it was inevitable that some homeless beggars would die of illness in the foreign land of Shenjing City during the Chinese New Year.

Moreover, he only strictly controls the New Year period, but what about after the New Year?
And this is only the situation in Shenjing City. The world is so big, how many refugees and beggars are there?
On New Year's Eve, the night sky above Qianqing Palace was as dark as the bottom of a pot.

There were lights on in the Nuan Pavilion, and the firelight illuminated the lonely Emperor Jing'an.

At this moment, Emperor Jing'an seemed lonely, and the Nuan Pavilion, which clearly had many gorgeous furnishings, seemed empty.

Emperor Jing'an, who seemed lonely, was meditating on important matters in the firelight...

He knew that the fundamental reason why there were so many homeless beggars in Shenjing City was that there were serious problems in the Great Zhou Dynasty, and he, the emperor, had seriously neglected his duties...

During his decades of reign, the Great Zhou Dynasty experienced many great wars. Even now, the Twelve Princes are still leading their troops to the west as the Great General King.

Although these many wars successively expanded the territory, they also consumed countless money and food.

As the emperor grew older, he became more tolerant, and this tolerance also turned into leniency towards his courtiers. In today's Great Zhou Dynasty, official governance is corrupt, corrupt officials are rampant, and financial deficits are serious.

The double taxation standards for people and acres of land also put a heavy burden on farmers with little land.

Officials also arbitrarily increased firepower and invaded corruption wantonly.

Officials and gentry do not pay taxes if they are not on duty.

There are also various natural disasters.

Etc., etc.

Emperor Jing'an actually knew almost all of these serious problems.

He also wants to solve these problems, but he is not cruel enough to solve them. He is also old and unable to do what he wants.

He had planned to delegate power to the prince, but the prince was really useless and a loser.

The prince could hardly handle any of the important matters he entrusted to the prince. On the contrary, the prince's followers, the third prince and the ninth prince, had achieved some results.

As for the five princes, the seventh prince, and the eleventh prince of the imperial party.

Oh, he has all the accounts in his mind.

In his opinion, these three princes are all just trying to gain fame and fortune. Whatever important matters are handed over to them will be used by them to gain fame and fortune, and doing practical things becomes irrelevant.

Because of this, the fifth prince became what many people in the court now consider a "good king". His popularity in the court was far better than that of other princes, including the prince before he was deposed.

Oh, although I do have some problems in governing the world, especially as I get older.

But after all, I am an old emperor who ascended the throne at a young age and has been the emperor for decades and have great civil and military skills. Do you princes think that I am a fool?
How could I not know that you sons are forming cliques for personal gain?
Just hit the wooden clock blindly!
Who can do practical things in a down-to-earth manner, who can achieve results, who is truly loyal, respectful and filial to me...

I also keep an account in my heart!
I am the emperor, the emperor with all the power!

This position of emperor belongs to whomever I want to give it to. If I don’t give it to anyone, no one can take it!

After thinking about it, Emperor Jing'an sighed deeply.

He sighed in his heart: "The boss has been completely ruined. Qing Liang is quite virtuous, but he is not suitable to be emperor. It is time to appoint a new prince for me, the emperor, and for the sake of the great Zhou Dynasty."

He had thought of passing the throne directly to the emperor's grandson Yuan Qingliang.

However, it is not appropriate for an imperial grandfather to pass on the throne to an imperial grandson.

Moreover, Yuan Qingliang, the emperor's eldest son, Sun Poxian, was somewhat generous, but not suitable for the emperor.

And excluding the father and son pair of the deposed prince and Yuan Qingliang, and then considering the emperor's grandson Qingbai...

But he wanted to investigate further.

After all, this matter is very big and very important.

Do you think I am really old and ready to die?

Let me tell you, I know my body well.

I won’t be in a hurry to die. I’m not sure I can live for another ten years!
Yuan Qingbai did not expect that his original intention of giving alms and praying this time was still to please his grandfather and to show his filial piety.

However, this incident not only helped the homeless beggars inside and outside Shenjing City.

It also made the old man determined to choose a prince besides the prince and the emperor's eldest grandson.

The old man even has a clear candidate in mind...

(End of this chapter)