Chapter 896: The Water Has Flowed Away

The ministers held their breath and listened.

Xiao Jieyun continued: "The Red-haired Barbarians have all been driven out, and now Taiyuan Island has been turned into Taiyuan Province, becoming part of our blazing nation's territory."

"To pacify the people," he scanned the ministers, "the Seventh Prince issued a proclamation to ease the populace, promising a total tax exemption for five years."

All taxes for five years are completely exempted?

He even issued a proclamation? The Jade Seal isn't even in the Seventh Prince's hands!

All the ministers' eyes flickered restlessly.

"Once the tax matter is settled," the Emperor emphasized, each word deliberate, "there shall be no taxes ever again."

The ministers instantly erupted in a flurry of debate.

"Your Majesty!" a grey‑haired censor stepped forward first, his face full of anguish, "Prince Jing's recapture of Taiyuan is indeed a great achievement."

"But the proclamation to pacify the people is an Imperial Court decree!"

"Now it was issued without cabinet approval, without a royal edict, without the Jade Seal's seal, solely on Prince Jing's personal will—an outright usurpation!"

"May I boldly ask, Your Majesty, are the taxes of this blazing nation still an Imperial Court decree or not?"

The moment those words were spoken, the hall fell silent.

Several court officials who had intended to step forward and concur silently withdrew their feet.

The Censorate's duty is to impeach officials without bias, but these words were too heavy, directly challenging the ruler‑subject hierarchy, and no one dared to respond.

"I concur!" another young censor stepped forward, "If a prince may bypass the Imperial Court to issue edicts on his own, future feudal princes will imitate, and the Court's decrees will become mere empty papers."

"I also concur!" the third censor followed, "With such conduct, where is the Court's dignity? Where is Your Majesty's authority?"

Xiao Jieyun sat upright on the dragon throne, his expression as calm as water, saying nothing.

After a moment of silence, Song Jingxian slowly stepped forward: "Your Majesty, this old minister has a few words that must be spoken."

Xiao Jieyun gave a slight nod: "Sir Song, please speak."

Song Jingxian scanned the censors who had just spoken: "Prince Jing, without costing the Court a single soldier, used only wit and strategy to drive the foreign barbarians who had occupied the island for thirty‑eight years out—could any of you achieve that?"

The three censors exchanged glances, and the senior censor said: "Sir Song's words are off‑base…"

Song Jingxian quickly interjected: "Prince Jing's great feat is truly rare in history!"

"You all spoke so confidently just now, so this old minister will ask a question."

"If Prince Jing had not reclaimed Taiyuan Island without a single battle, how could you today impeach him for overstepping?"

"Sir Song," the senior censor shook his head repeatedly, "we naturally would not erase Prince Jing's merits. Yet merit is merit, fault is fault; they cannot be conflated."

"Merit deserves reward, fault deserves punishment; clear distinction is the way to govern. If we excuse faults because of merit, law becomes meaningless, and the Court's authority vanishes."

He turned to Xiao Jieyun: "Your Majesty should rescind Prince Jing's proclamation, have the cabinet rewrite it, and thus restore legitimacy!"

Song Jingxian, seeing this, also turned to the Emperor, his tone heavy: "Your Majesty, the people of Taiyuan Island have been oppressed by the Red-haired Barbarians for a full thirty‑eight years."

"Thirty‑eight years, and the Court sent not a single soldier, leaving the island's people in unbearable suffering."

"Now, after much waiting, the Court's royal army finally arrives, but if this first decree is changed day by day, won't it chill the people's hearts?"

"The Seventh Prince's five‑year tax exemption is the Court's compensation for the thirty‑eight years of unaddressed suffering."

"After five years of exemption, the promise of never taxing again further soothes the people. Such measures can be called benevolent governance, with no fault at all."

When the words fell, the hall was hushed.

Xiao Jieyun slowly scanned the ministers, his gaze finally resting on Zhou Jinhua: "Marquis Jinghai."

Zhou Jinhua shivered, and respectfully stepped forward to salute: "I am here."

"What do you have to say?"

Zhou Jinhua's heart jumped: "I have nothing to say! Why does Your Majesty ask me?"

If Prince Ning were present, I would simply echo whatever he says.

Right, Prince Ning!

His expression unchanged, his tone steady: "Your Majesty, I think… this matter still warrants deliberation."

He paused, then calmly said: "Prince Ning and Prince Jing are both in Taiyuan; Prince Ning surely knows the full origins of this affair in great detail."

"In my humble opinion, should we wait for Prince Ning to return to the capital, personally report to Your Majesty in detail, and then decide?"

Xiao Jieyun's expression did not change; not even an eyebrow twitched.

The ministers inwardly cursed, 'Marquis Jinghai, that old fox!'

His words seemed steady and weighty, yet they completely avoided Prince Jing's matter, waiting for Prince Ning to return to gauge his reaction.

When did Marquis Jinghai become so close to Prince Ning's mansion?

The Emperor neither affirmed nor denied: "Tax matters fall under the Ministry of Revenue; does the Minister have anything to say?"

The Minister of Revenue stepped forward: "Your Majesty, Taiyuan is newly annexed, all things await restoration; the five‑year exemption does hurt the treasury, but if it steadies the people's hearts, it is not unreasonable."

"However, the phrase 'never tax again' is indeed improper."

"May I boldly state, if Taiyuan Province enjoys a permanent tax exemption, will every provincial administration in Jiangnan also petition for perpetual exemption?"

"Jiangzhou, Quanzhou, and Yuzhou are heavy tax districts; if word spreads and they all imitate, how should the Court respond?"

"Once this precedent is set, all taxes across the realm may rebel, and the Ministry's accounts will develop a huge hole."

Court officials nodded en masse, their whispered murmurs spreading through the hall like a tide.

"Enough," Xiao Jieyun said slowly.

The ministers fell silent together, bowing their heads.

Eunuch Cheng furtively glanced at Xiao Jieyun's complexion.

The Seventh Prince's move was indeed improper; with the ministers opposing so strongly, even if Your Majesty wishes to protect the Seventh Prince, a decision would be difficult.

The Emperor rose slowly, his voice noticeably deeper: "Each of you, my dear ministers, has a valid point; let us discuss this matter later…"

Before the words finished, Xiao Ze's memorial on the Dragon Desk moved on its own without a breeze, jolting upward sharply.

Immediately, a cluster of golden flames sprang up on the memorial.

Eunuch Cheng turned pale with fright: "Your Majesty!"

He rushed forward, shook out his sleeve, intending to smother the flames.

Several eunuchs shouted, "Guard the emperor!" and lunged from both sides to the edge of the Dragon Desk.

"Fire!" exclamations filled the hall without cease.

"Stand still!" Xiao Jieyun stared at the flames before him, raised his hand and shouted.

Everyone stared fixedly at the Dragon Desk.

Only see the paper pages gradually curling in the firelight, turning black, yet not turning to ash.

The memorials stacked nearby and the tablecloth on the Dragon Desk were completely untouched.

Wherever the golden flames passed, the ink stains were completely swallowed clean.

In their place came one after another of ever-brighter golden light.

Suddenly, the firelight vanished instantaneously, as if it had never appeared.

The memorials that had been burned for a moment lay intact and still on the Dragon Desk.