flstandardbreds Chapter 112 Ten Thousand People Umbrella
Chapter 112 Ten Thousand People Umbrella
The atmosphere in the palace was solemn, but Yan Wanwan suddenly laughed. At first, it was just a slight smile on her lips, but then she laughed so hard that she couldn't straighten her waist. She said with great joy, "Your Majesty, your question is really strange. As the mistress of Nanping Prefecture, everything I do is naturally for the development of Nanping Prefecture, to relieve Your Majesty's worries, and to consolidate the foundation of the court!"
As she smiled, tears welled up in Yan Wanwan's eyes, and crystal tears rolled down her cheeks. She choked and said, "Your Majesty, Nanping Prefecture has suffered a great disaster. The people are starving and displaced. You granted Nanping Prefecture to me as a fiefdom. At first, I was also troubled. It was clearly a mess. But my husband reminded me that as a woman of the court, I should stand up in this difficult time. I sold all my dowry and borrowed a large sum of money from the bank. Only then did I finally buy some food from Jingzhao. I also tried my best to solve the most urgent housing problem of the people. Only then did I barely calm down those anxious and almost scattered hearts."
The emperor's expression darkened as she spoke, and he wondered, "What is Yan Wanwan's intention behind these words? Is she implying that I and the court have failed in our duties?"
Yan Wanwan acted as if unaware of the emperor's displeasure and continued, "Your Majesty, I do all this solely for the sake of Your Majesty and the court! If the people are unstable and chaos arises, it will definitely not be a good thing for the court."
The emperor was so enraged by her sweet talk that he laughed out loud: "According to what you said, I should thank you very much?"
Yan Wanwan nodded seriously and replied, "Your Majesty, your words are too kind. Thank you is unnecessary. However, if Your Majesty is truly sorry, you could reward me with some gold and silver, or even exempt Nanping Prefecture from taxes. This would be a sign of sympathy for my hardship. After all, the court initially offered no assistance to the victims, and my limited abilities meant I could do very little. Now that I owe so much debt, if I were to be cornered at home by debt collectors and unable to even leave the house, how could I continue to serve Your Majesty and the court?"
The emperor's lips curled up into a half-smile, his gaze fixed on Yan Wanwan, and he slowly spoke, "Madam General, aren't you exaggerating a bit? I heard that the chickens and ducks in Nanping Prefecture grow exceptionally fast, and you've taken them all in when they mature. I'm sure you've made a lot of money. I just wonder where you've sold them to? I can inform the Ministry of Revenue and open up a new source of income in the future."
Yan Wanwan's face turned pale as paper in an instant, her lips were tightly pursed, and she was speechless for a moment.
Seeing this, the emperor's eyes flashed with a cunning light, as if he had found her weakness. He immediately took advantage of the situation and said coldly, "Madam General, is this some secret that cannot be revealed?"
Her body trembled slightly, and she stammered in response: "No...it's not."
The emperor's face was instantly filled with rage. He slammed the dragon table and shouted, "If that's the case, why don't you tell the truth? Could it be that you really sold these chickens and ducks to the enemy, committing treason and attempting to trample on the dignity of our Great Xia Kingdom?"
As soon as these words were spoken, Yan Wanwan's face lost all color. She opened her mouth, looking terrified and helpless. Her throat seemed to be blocked and she couldn't utter a word.
Upon seeing this, the Emperor roared, "Even now, you still refuse to admit collaborating with the enemy? Come! Take this traitorous woman away and throw her into the Sky Prison to await your punishment!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the guards who had been hiding behind the columns rushed out and surrounded Yan Wanwan.
Yan Wanwan's face turned pale as paper in an instant, her body trembled slightly, her eyes were closed tightly, and she dared not look directly at the scene in front of her.
However, just as the guards were about to touch her, Yan Wanwan lowered her head in fear, but a barely perceptible smile quietly rose at the corner of her mouth.
At the same time, a deafening shout suddenly rang out from outside the palace: "Your Majesty, hundreds of people have gathered at the palace gate, holding high their umbrellas, begging Your Majesty to seek justice for the county princess!"
The emperor's originally majestic expression froze in an instant. His gaze was fixed on Yan Wanwan, who stood tall and straight in the audience. His eyes were filled with shock and anger. His teeth were chattering as he asked viciously, "What on earth did you do?"
Yan Wanwan smiled slightly and looked at him provocatively, "Your Majesty, you will know if you go out and take a look."
The emperor was furious and stood up, swiping his sleeves and striding towards the palace gate, with a group of guards following closely behind him.
Yan Wanwan followed slowly, her demeanor as if she was not a prisoner about to be convicted, but the host of this palace banquet.
At the palace gate, a crowd of people surged and the noise suddenly stopped.
When hundreds of people saw the emperor appear, they all knelt on the ground with a plop. Their movements were in unison, shocking like a tidal wave.
The leader was an old man with a hunched back and white hair. He held high the "People's Umbrella" with trembling hands. The umbrella gleamed in the sunlight, as if carrying the people's endless gratitude. The old man's voice was hoarse but full of affection as he shouted, "Your Majesty, County Master Yan is truly a kind-hearted person! We common people suffered a devastating disaster, with starving people everywhere, a horrible sight. When County Master Yan learned of this, she was extremely anxious and immediately mobilized a large number of livestock without a moment's rest. The meat of the livestock filled our stomachs and restored some of our strength; the carefully cooked chicken soup was heartwarming and replenished our depleted vitality. If it weren't for County Master Yan, I'm afraid we would have already perished, with our bodies scattered all over the ground! Now we are all safe and sound, all thanks to County Master Yan's great kindness!"
After he finished speaking, the old man burst into tears, and the people behind him echoed him. The cries and sounds of gratitude intertwined and echoed at the palace gate for a long time.
The emperor's expression was gloomy and uncertain. After hearing these words, he could no longer suppress his anger and shouted harshly, "Nanping Prefecture is Yan Wanwan's fiefdom. Isn't it only natural for her to lend a hand to rescue you?"
As soon as these words were spoken, it was like hot oil being poured into a wok, instantly causing an uproar. The people looked at each other in bewilderment, and then a wave of objections erupted.
"Your Majesty, I am not from Nanping Prefecture, but from Zhenyuan Prefecture!"
"Your Majesty, I am from Xikou Village!"
"And our Nansha City!"
Everyone was talking at once, and when they listened carefully, they found that no one from Nanping Prefecture could be found.
The emperor felt a chill running down his spine, like a thorn in his back. His heart tightened, and he hurriedly turned to Eunuch Wu behind him, his eyes filled with panic and confusion. He asked anxiously, "What on earth is going on?"
Eunuch Wu bowed his body slightly. When he heard the names of these places, he knew in his heart that Yan Wanwan would not be in danger of being convicted this time.
He gathered himself and replied slowly, "Your Majesty, these areas have all suffered from droughts and floods in the past. Although the court allocated relief grain, the people still face extremely difficult times after the disasters."
The emperor asked angrily, "How could this happen? Why didn't anyone tell me?"
Eunuch Wu was silent for a moment before answering, "Your Majesty, officials from several places have written memorials."
The emperor was speechless and his face turned red.