Chapter 481: He Wants to Be the Thickest and Handsomest Stool-Pigeon

"Your Majesty reigned for fifty years, yet you dare to dismiss him with a mere two hundred thousand taels! Absurd!"

Qiu Qiu Defu wore an expression of heart-wrenching grief and boundless fury.

"Then how much do you deem appropriate? Eunuch Qiu should also consider the Ministry of Revenue's difficulties. Money is needed everywhere right now. Besides Your Majesty's funeral rites, there is also the new Emperor's ascension. These are urgent matters that all require spending."

Li Li Liangcheng had not yet mentioned the new Emperor's ascension, which by custom required a round of enfeoffments and rewards. For instance, Marquis Pingjiang, who commands troops abroad, must certainly be rewarded and cannot be treated poorly. Every single high minister present must also be rewarded. The Three Great Camps must also receive some acknowledgment.

And the imperial relatives, the noble families of merit and rank.

A rough calculation showed that at least one million taels must be prepared, front and back.

Spending one million taels in a short time is an immense burden on the state treasury. Especially with wars raging in both the north and south, and just now being the season when old grain is gone and new grain is not yet ready, provisions for disaster relief must also be made.

With a thousand threads and ten thousand ends, how can national strategy be decided on the word of Qiu Qiu Defu alone?

Giving Qiu Qiu Defu face is only because he served Your Majesty for many years and is the Chief Eunuch of the Inner Palace; he may be holding Your Majesty's edict and controlling the Imperial Seal. Do not truly think yourself a person of importance.

If the Zhengshitang turns its back, Qiu Qiu Defu is nothing but a mere slave. As a slave, one must keep to the slave's proper duty and not overstep. Keeping to one's duty makes things look good on the surface for everyone and allows for dignity.

Qiu Qiu Defu understood the implication in Li Li Liangcheng's words: either cooperate, or overturn the table and make him a lone-wolf Chief Eunuch.

He gritted his teeth, swallowing a belly full of rage. "Prime Minister Li speaks with reason. The court is in difficulty, and indeed it is not suitable to hold a grand ceremony. Very well, the Ministry of Revenue will provide one hundred thousand taels, and the Inner Treasury will provide another one hundred fifty thousand taels, so that Your Majesty may at least depart with glory and dignity. If you still disagree, I have no choice but to bring out several Consorts from the Inner Palace and the Grand Master of the Zongren Fu for a proper discussion."

None of the courtiers present wished for the Grand Master of the Zongren Fu to appear. Once the Grand Master appeared and intervened, it meant more variables in the establishment of the new Emperor, adding another faction to the contest. The more people involved, the more chaotic it becomes.

Everyone only wanted to quickly finalize the late Emperor's funeral rites, then hurriedly discuss and decide on the heir to the throne. When Your Majesty is buried, there cannot be no new Emperor to escort the funeral; absolutely such a blunder cannot occur, or the whole world will spit on us. Even ordinary families must have a male head of household to lead the funeral procession; the imperial family cannot be worse than ordinary people, can it?

Thus, Li Li Liangcheng took the lead and agreed to Qiu Qiu Defu's request.

Two hundred and fifty thousand taels, to be used for the late Emperor's funeral rites.

Alas, the late Emperor died too suddenly. Had it been delayed by a few months until the summer grain was stored and the Ministry of Revenue had funds, a grand burial would surely have been possible.

After all, he was an Emperor who reigned for fifty years.

With the funeral rites confirmed, the princes and imperial sons were notified and rushed to the sleeping hall to see the late Emperor one last time. In an instant, the room was filled with filial sons and virtuous grandchildren, their wailing shaking the heavens.

Afterwards, once the situation was basically under control, people were arranged to strike the bell to inform the world: The Emperor has passed away!

It was at this moment that Zhao Mingqiao, having finally received the news, led a group of believers and charged into the sleeping hall.

"He is dead?"

"Haha, he is finally dead! The Emperor has passed away!"

"Move aside, we must personally verify this."

"Impudent! This is Your Majesty's sleeping hall; how dare you act wildly here."

"Zhao Mingqiao, keep your people in check. This is the Imperial Palace; you are a court official. What sort of decorum is this?"

"Zhao Mingqiao, if you dare defile my father's body, this Prince will fight you to the death."

"Zhao Mingqiao, my father was killed by you. Your crimes cannot be forgiven; you deserve to die!"

The princes and imperial sons knew the curtain was slowly rising; everyone strove to perform, fearing that if they were a step slow, someone else would snatch the throne.

At this moment, they all turned their sights on Zhao Mingqiao. This man was a living target; if they did not beat him hard, they would not be doing justice to the opportunity handed to them.

"Hahaha... A blessing for the nation, a blessing for the nation!" Zhao Mingqiao laughed aloud, paying no heed to others' threats. "Princes and imperial sons, you must thank this official. Had I not argued on principle and raised my arm in a call, how would Heaven know our wishes? After Heaven understood our demands, it took away Your Majesty's life, allowing Your Majesty's soul to return to the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Now that Your Majesty has passed, you finally have the strength to compete. I ask once more: which Prince or imperial son can bear the heavy responsibility of the nation? As long as you are willing to stand up and loudly tell everyone you are willing to bear this heavy responsibility, I, Zhao Mingqiao, will certainly do my utmost to fully support you ascending the throne."

His words were extremely inflammatory and seductive.

One must admit, Zhao Mingqiao grasped the essence of pyramid schemes, knowing what rhetoric could move hearts, what rhetoric could control the entire room and become the most handsome guy in the room. Regardless of the Left Prime Minister, the Right Prime Minister, or the big shots of the ministries, they all became his foils. Setting the rhythm, controlling the situation—he had already achieved mastery.

Thanks to his enlightenment in the Heavenly Prison, he had transcended as a person, rising from a former small figure to a big shot of a region. He was determined to stir up wind and rain in the court. Even if he had to be a stool-pigeon, he would be the most handsome and thickest stool-pigeon.

"Who dares to stand up?"

"Stand up!"

"Stand up!"

The ruffians began to clamor, turning the scene of mourning into a mobilization meeting.

Qiu Qiu Defu wished he could flay Zhao Mingqiao alive and execute him by slow slicing.

Li Li Liangcheng and others were so angry they blew their whiskers and glared with wide eyes; they knew that whenever Zhao Mingqiao appeared, nothing good would happen. It was typical stool-pigeon behavior.

"Zhao Mingqiao, shut your mouth. Your Majesty's funeral rites are urgent; what are you trying to do by clamoring inside the sleeping hall?"

"Who inherits the throne is not for you to decide."

"What you say is nonsense. What are you? When did state affairs become something you get to decide?"

"Guards, drive out this band of ruffians who are disrupting the state order. Drive them all out. Do not allow them to approach the Taiji Palace even a single step."

"This is simply absurd!"

"Who promoted this surname Zhao? He is clearly a calamity!"

"Gentlemen, you call me a calamity. May I ask, whom have I harmed? Have I ever issued evil policies to harm the common people of the world? Have I ever flattered Your Majesty to make him dull and foolish? Have I ever fawned on the powerful to aid the wicked? Have I ever criticized the nation? Have I ever secretly supported rebels behind closed doors? Have I ever been corrupt? Have I ever framed loyal and virtuous men?

I have done nothing; I merely shouted a few truths, yet I am accused of disrupting the state order! Hahaha... When one wishes to impose a crime, one can always find a pretext. Or perhaps you are afraid, guilty of conscience? It is because the nation is controlled by your group of power-hungry, profit-seeking stupid worms that it falls day by day, and the situation grows worse and worse."

Zhao Mingqiao accused them angrily; he was like a warrior, like a lone brave one, walking alone in the world. His believers looked at his back and instantly felt he was tall and great. Some, emotionally agitated, already had tears in their eyes!

What is a loyal and virtuous man? This is the true loyal and virtuous man.

It is precisely because the court lacks someone like Lord Zhao that the situation has deteriorated day by day!

"Please execute Li Li Liangcheng!"

"Please execute Li Li Liangcheng!"