Chapter 1496: The Emperor Excels at Self-Reflection

Emperor Liu's words were filled with confidence. In governing the court, he might always exercise extra caution, but within the inner palace, investigating the household servants of the palace—no matter how much he stirred things up—was of no consequence, of no importance, and the impact was confined to within the palace walls.

"The facts prove that in the past, I was somewhat neglectful of the situation in the palace, and I was also too lenient with these servants around me. That's why so many people have acted with such reckless abandon!

If one cannot sweep one's own house, how can one sweep the world? It's time to give this household a thorough cleaning and restore peace to the inner palace!" Emperor Liu said softly. His attitude showed not the slightest sign of softening, and his face seemed to bear two words carved upon it: stern and exacting.

"I can understand your fury, and those people in the palace truly have been audacious beyond measure!" Hearing Emperor Liu's declaration, Empress Fu sighed softly. "It's just that I see the Palace City Office's investigation within the palace has gradually expanded, to the point where everyone fears for themselves, and the palace is quite unsettled!"

"You wouldn't have come to see me just for these trivial palace matters, would you?" Hearing her words, Emperor Liu regarded Empress Fu with slight curiosity and asked, "Could it be that the Palace City Office has overstepped its bounds?"

How could there not be overstepping? Within the Han palace, noble ladies and princesses were everywhere. If a true investigation were to be carried out, even with Emperor Liu's edict, accomplishing the task would absolutely require offending and giving offense to people.

Empress Fu said calmly, "Zhang Dejun is an old hand in the palace and has always known his limits. How would he dare overstep? It's just that even the palace eunuchs of my Kunming Hall have been summoned and interrogated by him!"

Upon hearing this, Emperor Liu put on a look of feigned surprise, as if greatly angered: "This Zhang Dejun is simply lawless! Who gave him the audacity to dare cause trouble at your Kunming Hall!"

Observing Emperor Liu's theatrical performance, Empress Fu smiled meaningfully: "No matter who gave him courage, he wouldn't dare cause trouble at Kunming Hall. He's merely conducting official business and investigating carefully—the entire inner palace is treated the same!"

"You're truly magnanimous, not holding his offense against him but instead making excuses for him!" Emperor Liu, however, was filled with "righteous indignation." He immediately summoned the palace eunuch waiting outside and sternly commanded: "Go! Convey my oral edict to the Palace City Office—Zhang Dejun is to be slapped twenty times. You will supervise the punishment on the spot, so that he may properly reflect on his faults!"

"Yes!"

The eunuch received the order and was about to leave, but Empress Fu called him to a halt. Her dignified bearing turned exceptionally serious as she stared directly at Emperor Liu: "Is His Majesty punishing Zhang Dejun, or reproaching me?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Emperor Liu was actually taken aback by Empress Fu and gave an awkward smile.

Empress Fu looked straight at Emperor Liu: "Zhang Dejun acted on your edict, following your decree. Even if he had summoned people from Kunming Hall, or even questioned me to my face, could I have thrown him out and offended His Majesty's dignity?

I came to see you not to shield anyone out of personal favor, nor to beg for leniency, nor to lodge a complaint against Zhang Dejun before you! His Majesty making such a grand show of sending someone to punish Zhang Dejun—do I even need to spell out the intention behind it?"

"Look at you, why have you gotten angry?" Seeing Empress Fu's formidable display, Emperor Liu straightened up and reached for her hand, a placating smile at the corner of his mouth: "I was rash! My fault!"

"How could His Majesty ever be at fault?" Empress Fu's expression did not soften. She shook her head, stood up, and said, "I came for one more matter. I hold the phoenix seal and manage the harem. So many malpractices have appeared within the palace, yet I was unaware of them. I bear the fault of negligence, failing the trust His Majesty placed in me. I too deserve punishment, and I have come specially to beg His Majesty's forgiveness!"

With that, Empress Fu moved to kneel. Seeing this display, Emperor Liu could no longer maintain his composure. He swiftly leaped off the couch, quickly caught Empress Fu, preventing her from touching the ground, while saying reassuringly: "It's not that serious! It's not that serious!"

After helping Empress Fu sit back on the edge of the couch, Emperor Liu looked at her, and his face gained some genuine expression as he said solemnly: "If you truly knelt, would you have me consumed by guilt?"

Meeting Emperor Liu's gaze, Empress Fu said peacefully: "That was not my intention. I simply feel ashamed in my heart!"

Seeing this, Emperor Liu sighed, gently took her hand, and said, "How could this be blamed on you? I have always prided myself on seeing things with perfect clarity, yet wasn't I just as oblivious in the past?

Those people below—their skill at deceiving superiors and hoodwinking subordinates is formidable, even beyond imagination. Had it not been for a stroke of fortune leading to this sudden investigation, who could have imagined that so much wickedness had bred within the palace, nurturing so many petty schemers?

I consider myself clever, and my ministers are full of flattery and praise, but I fear that in the eyes of those who bite the hand that feeds them, I, His Majesty, am nothing but a muddled fool easy to deceive.

Why? Because ordinarily, I cannot see them, nor do I have the mind or energy to attend to them..."

"The more you speak this way, the more it shows my negligence!" Emperor Liu was clearly speaking from the heart, and Empress Fu also sighed with feeling.

"When water is too clear, there are no fish; when a person is too discerning, they have no followers. This principle, I still understand!" Emperor Liu consoled her with effort: "I don't expect this palace to be entirely peaceful and harmonious.

It's just that the palace ultimately cannot become a breeding ground for petty villains. That I failed to notice in the past is one thing, but since I've now become aware, I must investigate to the very end—at the very least, let everyone be more vigilant and reverent when carrying out their duties from now on!

Rest assured, once the time is ripe and the results are sufficient, the palace will return to tranquility!"

Hearing Emperor Liu speak this way, Empress Fu's expression finally returned to calm, and her earlier display of emotion seemed to have been deliberate. Emperor Liu, too, caught on and stared at Empress Fu, unable to help but laugh: "You've been finding roundabout ways to console me!"

"I can't hide anything from your eyes!" Meeting Emperor Liu's gaze, Empress Fu said softly, "But I am also quite curious—why would you sequester yourself in the Qianning Hall over such matters?"

At the mention of this, Emperor Liu's expression darkened a few degrees. He turned around, handed the several memorials by his pillow to Empress Fu, and said, "Take a look!"

While the Empress was reading through them, Emperor Liu said with melancholy: "Earlier, I asked Zhang Dejun how much the palace spent annually on daily expenses. He said over two million strings of cash. I knew he didn't dare tell the full truth. Now that the investigation has been completed, for just last year alone, it was over two million five hundred seventy thousand strings.

And this is only daily operating expenses, not counting all other categories of expenditure—and this was even after I had issued an edict to reduce spending. From this, one can see that the Great Han's palace is growing increasingly extravagant by the day!

As for these palace attendants and officials who have been exposed, I am certainly angry at their greed, corruption, and wanton behavior, but I must also consider one point: who gave them the courage, and who gave them the opportunity? Tracing it to the root, doesn't it still come back to me, to the palace's institutional regulations?"

"Previously, when the inner treasury and the Shaofu's managed imperial properties were audited, the results were staggering—one could say the wealth rivaled that of a nation. Indeed, supporting the palace's current consumption poses no great difficulty, but in my heart, I remain oppressed.

Among the imperial properties, there are too many pearls, jades, and precious treasures that were collected into the palace after the pacification of the Later Shu, Jiangnan, and Southern Yue. Behind all of this lies how much plundering and extortion, how much exploitation and stripping, ultimately becoming my spoils of war. In the past I never thought deeply about it, but now that I examine it closely, can I enjoy these things with a clear conscience?

Romantic indulgence, extravagance and dissipation—these were the causes of ruin for Meng Chang, Liu Chang, and Li Yu. Although I treat them generously, in my heart I absolutely look down upon them—I even despise and loathe them!

Elder Lady Fu, do you know what realization I've had recently? I vaguely feel that I am walking the same old road as those doomed rulers. I am living more and more like them..."

Hearing Emperor Liu pour out his heart like this, Empress Fu was clearly deeply affected. Seeing him in this state of self-doubt, self-analysis, and reflection, a trace of worry appeared in her eyes. She clasped his hand in both of hers and comforted him: "Erlang, your thoughts weigh too heavily on you, and you are too hard on yourself. Matters are far from this serious. You simply have too strong a sense of vigilance..."

Emperor Liu let out a long sigh: "Over twenty years now—I've swept away the separatist regimes, unified the realm, campaigned north against the Khitan, recovered our lost territories in the west, and established achievement after achievement worthy of pride, forging this era of peace and prosperity that everyone praises.

Fame and fortune are all in hand, and I seem to be satisfied. I live comfortably and at ease. 'Be vigilant in times of peace'—I'm always saying it, but how have I actually put it into practice?

Ease for too long breeds numbness! The Disaster of Tianbao is a warning not far behind us. If I do not remain vigilant, who can guarantee that there won't be a 'Rebellion of Kaibao' in the future?"

"Erlang!" Hearing Emperor Liu speak this way, Empress Fu's expression changed drastically. Her grip on his hand tightened, and she looked at him with a face full of worry, her eyes conveying concern and anxiety.

Seeing this, Emperor Liu smiled—a smile that was rather candid: "It's nothing. This is just a discussion between husband and wife, a pouring out of innermost thoughts. This is also what I have gained from my days of reflection in the Qianning Hall!"

Seeing that Emperor Liu's state of mind had not truly lost its balance, Empress Fu finally breathed a sigh of relief. After a moment's thought, she advised: "With this kind of self-reflection, there's no fear of repeating past mistakes! As for the problems in the palace, you can take this opportunity to rectify and reform them!"