Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 501: Chapter 458: The Virtueless New Emperor Brings Calamity to the People_2

Emperor Yanping was also an ambitious man, and his ambition was to surpass Emperor Chengping and become a sage monarch respected for his virtue and intelligence.

Hence, since ascending the throne over a year ago, he had always been striving to control the court, dealing with state affairs and governing the country according to his own ideas.

He didn’t renovate temples, indulge in the company of women, or give in to gossiping; he was diligent in ruling and loved the people, never daring to slack for a moment.

However, the result—

How could people slander him like this?

In an instant, Emperor Yanping felt a sudden chill of disillusionment.

”Your Majesty!”

In the Imperial Study Room, looking at Emperor Yanping’s pallid face, Nansheng couldn’t help but softly call out.

Emperor Yanping’s gaze shifted slightly, landing on Nansheng, and spoke in a low and hoarse voice, ”What else is there?”

At that moment, he was like a volcano on the verge of eruption; on the surface, he appeared calm, but inside, a boundless fury was bubbling.

After the disillusionment came endless rage and hatred.

Hatred toward the rumors, toward those who spread them.

Under his stare, Nansheng couldn’t help but swallow nervously, ”Your Majesty, this must be someone slandering you behind the scenes. This old servant asks for Your Majesty’s decree to command the Imperial Guard Department to conduct a thorough investigation into this matter!”

”Conduct a thorough investigation!” Nansheng slowly closed his eyes.

Gossip was just talk; although infuriating, it didn’t have much real impact on him.

No matter how wild the rumors amongst the populace, their influence on the court was negligible.

The real trouble with this matter was the phrase ’Heaven sends disasters as warnings; the new emperor lacks virtue, bringing calamity to the common folk.’

Because the civil and military officials really might believe these words.

Just like the memorials before him, there were already quite a few officials advising him to cultivate virtue to protect the common people.

Advising him to cultivate virtue—wasn’t that just saying he lacked virtue?

”Search! We must conduct a rigorous search; anyone who dares to speak ill of their sovereign commits a grave disrespect!” Emperor Yanping clenched his teeth as he spoke.

”This servant obeys the decree!”

Nansheng knelt to receive the order, his eyes flashing with a sharp light.

Emperor Yanping let out a heavy sigh, ”Leave, all of you, leave!”

”Yes!”

With the order, the eunuchs serving in the room all withdrew from the study.

Soon, the study became silent.

The quiet environment allowed Emperor Yanping to regain some composure, but the anger in his heart didn’t disappear; it was just not as turbulent as before.

Nansheng was right; there must be people conspiring behind this!

Otherwise, how could so many rumors spread among the people?

Who was the one scheming from the shadows?

Emperor Yanping leaned against the soft couch, eyes slightly closed, deeply thinking.

Despite the myriad thoughts in his mind, he couldn’t find any clues.

The civil and military officials of the court?

Impossible!

Or could it be his brothers?

Also impossible!

His brothers were now appointed to their fiefs, and he had ascended to the throne.

The battles among the brothers for the throne had ended!

Then who could it be?

Emperor Yanping couldn’t figure it out!

But he was becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the Secret Martial Guards.

Such a big incident, yet the Secret Martial Guards had not reported it to him in advance!

”Summon someone!”

A eunuch outside entered the study, ”Your Majesty!”

”Issue a decree! Wang Zhongzhi is incompetent in his duties, strip him of his position and imprison him pending further decisions!”

”Appoint Ritual Supervision’s attendant eunuch Ma Rong as the Governor of the Secret Martial Guards!”

Emperor Yanping said with a heavy voice.

After ascending the throne, he had not moved Wang Zhongzhi, not because he valued Wang Zhongzhi highly, but because he lacked capable people under his command.

Previously, as only Prince Cheng, he only had a dozen or so eunuchs at his side, and the capable people were only Nansheng and Wang An.

After becoming the Crown Prince, to prevent Emperor Chengping from being dissatisfied with him, he hadn’t cultivated confidants in the palace.

Only after ascending the throne did he begin to select usable people within the Imperial City.

Ma Rong was originally Chen Zhongshu’s man, and after Chen Zhongshu was assigned to the Imperial Mausoleum, Ma Rong had always been a Ritual Supervision attendant eunuch.

Since Wang Zhongzhi was not of use, they would replace him with another to take charge of the Secret Martial Guards.

...

Chongshan Pass, two hundred li to the north.

Yang Zhenshan braved the wind and snow to reach a village.

It was snowing in Chongshan Town, a snowfall that was neither too heavy nor too light, floating down.

This snowfall would thoroughly end the impact of the severe drought on Chongshan Town, but regrettably, it was not snowing in Liaodong, which still remained under drought conditions.

Amidst a throng of Personal Followers, Yang Zhenshan entered the village.

The soldiers and villagers in the village had already noticed their group. A leading soldier stepped forward and asked with some caution, ”This humble one, Xiong Hu, pays respect to the lords. May I ask who the lords are?”

Xiong Hu could tell that this group was extraordinary, but he was unable to determine their identities.

Yang Zhenshan scrutinized Xiong Hu up and down, then said with a slight smile, ”Xiong Hu, huh, not a bad name, and quite the physique, too!”

True to his name, Xiong Hu was a giant of a man with broad shoulders and a thick waist, standing a full head taller than Yang Zhenshan.

Considering that Yang Zhenshan stood over one meter eighty, Xiong Hu must have been well over two meters tall.

”I am Yang Zhenshan!”

Yang Zhenshan had come here to perform an inspection, and he had not notified anyone else, bringing only his Personal Followers.

His purpose?

Naturally, it was to witness the real situation of the refugees.

High officials often find themselves blindsided, with subordinates likely to filter or sugarcoat information, hence Yang Zhenshan had come to see things for himself.

”Yang Zhenshan!” Xiong Hu looked bewildered but quickly caught on.

”This lowly one pays respect to the Marquis!”

He bowed hastily.

Yang Zhenshan wanted to pat him on the shoulder, but he immediately abandoned the idea.

With Xiong Hu being so tall, attempting to pat his shoulder would seem rather comical.

”Never mind that, let’s go in and take a look!”

Yang Zhenshan, wearing a fur coat, crossed past Xiong Hu and walked straight into the village.

Xiong Hu hesitated for a moment, then hurriedly followed behind.

”When were these villagers settled here?” Yang Zhenshan asked while surveying the arrangement of the village.

”Replying to the Marquis, they arrived a month ago!” Xiong Hu stuttered nervously.

”A month ago!”

Yang Zhenshan nodded slightly.

The refugees in Chongshan Town were settled in a sequence from north to south.

This means that the refugees who were settled first were all in areas to the north, while those later were positioned increasingly close to Chongshan Pass and Songzhou City.

These refugees arrived late, with almost no time to prepare before facing the cold winter.

Therefore, the constructions in the village were very simple, with nothing but earthen houses and not even fences around them.

”How many people are in the village?” Yang Zhenshan continued.

”There are a total of forty-eight households, three hundred and eighty-six individuals, one hundred and forty-eight able-bodied adults, and seventy-six children~~” Xiong Hu was a bit incoherent.

Yang Zhenshan’s renown in Chongshan Town need not be mentioned, while Xiong Hu was merely a soldier, and despite his hulking size, he had not even attained the rank of small flag.

It wasn’t that someone stifled his promotion, but rather because he was only eighteen years old.

Young and newly enlisted, being put in charge of this village was considered significant responsibility given by his superiors.

Yang Zhenshan looked towards a nearby house, whose wooden door was ajar, with someone peeking at him from behind it.

”It’s terribly cold; let them go back. You come with me to check this house!”

Yang Zhenshan said, looking back at a few shivering soldiers behind him.

The biting cold made it truly unbearable to stand outside.

And as the soldiers’ clothing was not very thick, it didn’t offer much protection against the cold.

As for his Personal Followers by his side, there was nothing to worry about.

Each was wrapped up like a zongzi (rice dumpling), which was key as their high cultivation provided better resistance to the cold.

”Ah, yes!” Xiong Hu responded with astonishment, then ran over and murmured a few words to his fellow soldiers before they left.

However, these soldiers did not go back to rest but instead left the village.

This naturally did not escape Yang Zhenshan’s notice, but he did not mind.

Those soldiers were certainly heading to find their superiors.

With Yang Zhenshan’s arrival, even the slightly witted Xiong Hu would know to send someone to fetch his officers.

Yang Zhenshan did not concern himself with those soldiers and walked towards the nearby house on his own.

As he approached, a flurry of disturbance came from behind the door, soon followed by the door swinging open, revealing two figures, one large and one small.

The elder, likely in his early thirties, was a somewhat thin man.

The younger, about a teenager, had a sallow complexion and seemed malnourished.