Chapter 213
Yue Fuguang, who had been sleeping groggily, was suddenly jolted awake by this tragic cry, shivering as she instantly snapped to full consciousness.
She couldn't help but rub her ears and ask the system, 'Little Zhu, what's the situation? What is that old man doing?'
[Master, listen closely. This matter actually concerns you.]
The system kept her in suspense. Mainly, it was its first time seeing an official willing to risk death to admonish the emperor in court, and over such a trivial matter at that. It was currently busy checking this person's background.
Yue Fuguang looked down and saw a white-haired old official kneeling at the very front of the civil officials' ranks. The cry that had startled her awake just now came from his mouth.
At this moment, the air in the grand hall instantly froze following his admonishment. Emperor Mingxi frowned slightly, a hint of anger on his face, showing not a trace of the amiability he had when facing Yue Fuguang.
He said, "Minister Zhang, why is it inappropriate?"
"Your Majesty!" Xu Qian raised his head, his gaze burning brightly. "The Book of Rites states: 'In the month of mid-autumn, the relevant officials are ordered to urge the people to harvest, to make sure to store vegetables, and to accumulate abundantly.' This advises the Son of Heaven to comply with the will of Heaven and conform to the seasons, without interfering with the farming schedule.
"Now is but early spring, the time when all living things sprout and grow. Since the mid-autumn harvest season has not yet arrived, Your Majesty has specifically ordered the Imperial Astronomy Bureau to select an auspicious day for a single crop to perform the ceremony of an imperial harvest.
"This is using the supreme status of the Son of Heaven to usurp the duties of the hundred gods below, and disrupt the order of the four seasons above! I fear that if word of this action spreads, the common people of the world will all imitate it. Seeking auspicious times will mess up the farming schedule, putting the cart before the horse, and damaging the very foundation of agriculture, Your Majesty!"
His words were full of classical quotes and overly pedantic, but Yue Fuguang managed to understand the general idea. Ultimately, this was all caused by the trouble of having the Imperial Astronomy Bureau select an auspicious day just to dig up a few pots of potatoes, a crop they had never seen before.
In the end, these people simply felt that potatoes were unworthy of such a fuss, and that the Emperor was giving her too much face!
[Master, actually, if Little Zhu were to pick an auspicious day and time, it would definitely be better than whatever the Imperial Astronomy Bureau chooses.]
'Little Zhu, we can't do everything ourselves. We have to leave some things for others to do.' Otherwise, wouldn't these people lose their jobs? How could she live her days as a lazy salted fish then?
Besides, this wasn't just about picking a date.
As soon as his words fell, another official stepped forward. It was the Deputy Censor-in-Chief, Zhang Tingji, who was also the rival of the Censor-in-Chief, Feng Tang.
Back when Zhao Xu fell from power and was imprisoned, the two of them had been competitors. Zhang Tingji had even had a slightly higher chance of winning than Feng Tang.
He said, "Your Majesty, although Lord Xu's words may be somewhat inappropriate, this humble subject believes there is reason in them. What exactly are potatoes? We have never even heard the name before.
"Whether they can be widely planted is also unknown. Is it not somewhat improper to trouble the Imperial Astronomy Bureau to select an auspicious day for such a thing?"
Yue Fuguang's brain automatically translated this. To put it bluntly, he was saying the Emperor was making a mountain out of a molehill. They hadn't even heard of these potatoes, so having the Imperial Astronomy Bureau pick a date for an unknown object meant it simply wasn't worthy!
Feng Tang's brows knitted tightly into a knot. This old coot Zhang Tingji was intentionally making things difficult for the Lord Junior Preceptor, wasn't he? If you want to say His Majesty is making a fuss over nothing, then just say it.
What was with him shooting side-glances at the Lord Junior Preceptor?
He covertly swept his gaze over his colleagues, becoming even more determined to pick an auspicious day to dig up the potatoes right in front of all the civil and military officials in the court.
He wanted to let all his colleagues know exactly what a massive blessing the Lord Junior Preceptor had brought to Great Yan!
Yun Tianxing, the Director of the Imperial Astronomy Bureau, who had heard the arguments, knew the inside story, and had even followed along to visit the Lord Junior Preceptor's farm, had observed the stars that very night and chosen a good day. He was just waiting to report back to His Majesty today.
He never expected that before he could even open his mouth, two people would jump out to drag them down.
He was so furious inside!
Stepping forward right before Feng Tang could, he said, "You two Lords! The timing of the heavens is the pivot of yin and yang; good and bad fortune concern the destiny of our nation! Acting on an auspicious day is to pray that this seed of auspicious omen can be successfully promoted to bless our myriad of people.
"How could this be a trivial matter? If we dig them up casually and offend the stars, bringing about disaster, who will bear the responsibility? Will you?"
He threw down this massive accusation, crushing the two of them so much that they didn't know how to respond for a moment.
At this moment, another man named Huang Shouping stepped forward and said, "Lord Yun is perhaps exaggerating! An auspicious omen is a sign of good fortune, something that cannot be obtained unless one possesses great wisdom, great virtue, and great luck.
"Now, Your Lordship calls these unknown potatoes an auspicious omen. Is this not an overstatement?"
Xu Qian also immediately reacted and loudly retorted, "Offending the stars and bringing disaster? Lord Director, His Majesty is the true Son of Heaven. He shepherds the people on behalf of Heaven.
"As long as he acts with benevolence and virtue, why should he fear the stars? If he rigidly adheres to divining good and bad fortune in every matter, that is not the conduct of a sage ruler!
"Your Majesty, you should prioritize the state and the livelihood of the people. Such empty formalities should be dispensed with whenever possible!"
"Xu Qian!" Emperor Mingxi's voice darkened, carrying a trace of displeasure. His gaze swept over the three men kneeling on the ground with slightly trembling bodies as he said, "Are you accusing Us of being a superstitious, virtueless, and incompetent ruler?"
The named Xu Qian immediately prostrated himself on the ground and said loudly, "Please see clearly, Your Majesty. This humble subject did not mean that at all. I am merely acting out of a minister's heart full of loyalty to the sovereign, advising Your Majesty not to listen to false words."
"Please, Your Majesty, stay close to virtuous ministers and distance yourself from vile characters. Absolutely do not listen to slander," Zhang Tingji immediately followed up.
'Little Zhu, are they making veiled attacks at me?'
[Master, they are outright calling you the vile character who spouts slander.]
Emperor Mingxi's heart sank, and he said sternly, "You are insolent!" The tiger had finally shown its teeth.
"We wouldn't dare!" Xu Qian, Zhang Tingji, and Huang Shouping slammed their heads against the ground with a loud thud.
The jade tablets in their hands struck the golden floor tiles, producing a crisp sound that made the entire grand hall seem even more dead silent.
"May Your Majesty see clearly. We are wholeheartedly thinking of Your Majesty's best interests. Your Majesty strives for good governance, aiming to usher in a golden age.
"However, to usher in a golden age, one must first prioritize practical matters, and secondary to that, superficial formalities. The miraculous effects of these potatoes are completely unheard of. Even if they can fill stomachs and save the people, what does that have to do with the exact hour they are dug up?
"If future history books record that in a certain year and month, the Emperor observed the stars to dig up potatoes, Your Majesty... how will future generations judge you?"
Emperor Mingxi was so angered by Zhang Tingji's words that he actually laughed. The Emperor's laugh was mixed with a bone-piercing chill, giving the grand hall an even more suffocating sense of oppression.
"What a fine 'judged by future generations'!" He stood up and walked to the edge of the imperial steps, looking down at Zhang Tingji from above, cold light flickering in his eyes. "Minister Zhang, are you threatening Us?"
'Little Zhu, not only is this guy making veiled insults at me, but now he's even threatening the Emperor. What's this guy's background?'
At this moment, Yu Chongshan stepped out. His back was perfectly straight as he said, "May Your Majesty see clearly. For generations, the Yu family has been full of loyal subjects who serve the nation. The potatoes planted by the Lord Junior Preceptor are delicious and high-yielding.
"We originally intended to present them to Your Majesty to save the myriad of people, but we never expected several lords to be so suspicious. I do not know if it stems from public interest or out of jealousy toward my granddaughter's good luck."
He looked at the few men disdainfully and said in a clear, resonant voice, "The Lord Junior Preceptor descended to this world by divine decree. She is someone of great wisdom and virtue, and even more so, someone of great fortune.
"What is so impossible about her obtaining potatoes that yield over thirty or forty shi per mu? You frogs at the bottom of the well looking up at the sky, there are so many things you have never seen. Does that mean they do not exist?"
He deliberately downplayed the per-mu yield of the potatoes, afraid that someone would seize upon it as a handle to further attack Yue Fuguang.
Yue Fuguang's eyes, however, sparkled brightly. She felt that this impassioned little old man was absolutely awesome right now!
Feng Tang quickly chimed in, "Lord Zhang, one cannot speak of ice to a summer cicada. I advise you all to read more books. As the agricultural texts say..." Hearing the phrase "read more books," Yue Fuguang instinctively completed the jingle in her mind: "and read more newspapers!"