Chapter 190: Empress Zhou: What Exactly Is the Magic of This Jia Zi Jie

Inside the Qian Qing Gong, Emperor Jing Sheng Di's anger flared at the secret report from Jiangnan!

Jing Sheng Di said coldly:

"The great families of Jiangnan have no sense of family and country at all; each of them is a blood‑sucking parasite clinging to the state."

"It's one thing that they don't do any useful work for the court, but they constantly obstruct the implementation of the New Policies—truly deserving death!"

Jing Sheng Di knows well the disposition of those southern officials, each of whom boasts that collecting fewer taxes from the prefectures under their jurisdiction is a glorious achievement.

In their view,

Collecting fewer taxes means the court does not compete with the people for profit; here, "people" refers to the great families whose influence can affect the officials' reputations and careers.

They lobby the court for tax leniency on behalf of the gentry, and those gentry in turn promote their reputation, calling them benevolent and incorruptible officials who serve the people.

However, to Jing Sheng Di, these officials are vermin that must be eliminated, their corruption even worse than that of the notoriously corrupt officials.

These officials display one attitude toward the gentry and another toward the common folk under their jurisdiction.

They consider only the interests of the great families, ignoring what the court should do without tax revenue!

Regarding policies in the New Policies such as unified conscription, unified grain collection, labor‑tax allocation, and publicizing fire consumption—measures that harm the gentry's interests—they deem them tyrannical and repeatedly oppose them.

When the court lacks funds for disaster relief, military pay, and faces fiscal difficulty, their suggestion is to levy additional levies such as Liao tribute and training tribute on ordinary peasants under various pretexts.

Exploiting the common folk while not offending the great families—picking the softest persimmon to squeeze—that is their way of governing.

When the peasants are driven to the brink of survival, even as war fires blaze across the land, they remain indifferent.

Even if the Da Han Empire were to fall, the real loss would be to the royal house, not to them; most of them could still secure positions in the new dynasty.

Jing Sheng Di truly lacks the mood to read any more memorials, so he stands and paces.

He unconsciously walks to the wall where Jia Jing's poem is hung, focuses his gaze, and murmurs:

"If it serves the nation's life and death, why should we avoid fortune or disaster? How many people possess the selfless devotion of Zi Jie…"

Thinking of Jia Jing, Jing Sheng Di's mouth twitches slightly, and he continues to speak to himself:

"I have no idea how Zi Jie is doing now! Counting the days, his force of two thousand light cavalry should be nearing Yu Lin Wei Cheng by now!"

Xia Shouzhong beside him flinches at the words, just about to respond.

At that moment, calls from palace maids and inner supervisors echo from outside, and Zhou Huang Hou enters from the outer courtyard.

Empress Zhou walks slowly into the hall, wearing no heavy makeup; her face shines like bright moonlight, gentle yet exuding calm strength, her phoenix‑crowned hair slightly lowered, her demeanor mild.

Her attire is dignified yet unpretentious: a bright yellow large robe with wide sleeves, made of premium hemp‑silk gauze that feels soft yet holds its shape, emitting a delicate sheen in the light.

Her hair bun is neat and tidy, held only by a simple jade hairpin; a few stray strands at the side enhance her gentle aura.

Her bearing is composed and measured, her back straight yet not rigid; each step is steady and dignified without forced poise.

When she lifts her hand, the wide sleeves flutter, revealing a plain jade bracelet on her wrist—ordinary mutton‑fat jade, unadorned, yet perfectly matching her aura.

Zhou Shi was the concubine whom Jing Sheng Di befriended and loved during his time at the hidden residence, and over the years their relationship has remained strong.

She tends to the husband and educates children in the inner palace, never seeking benefits for her own family, and is renowned throughout the court for her virtue.

Empress Zhou walks to Jing Sheng Di's side and says softly:

"Your Majesty, it is not late yet; it is time for the morning meal!"

She watches Jing Sheng Di's cold, hard expression and furrowed brows, feeling a measure of worry.

Your Majesty is so busy each day that he does not eat meals on schedule; recently, staff in the palace have been cut, and he appears even more gaunt.

Working on state affairs all day without caring for his dragon body, how can his body endure this for long!

Empress Zhou sighs quietly, ordering the palace maids behind her to place the dishes she brought onto the table one by one.

She does not know much about court affairs and cannot be of much help.

She can only have the Imperial Kitchen prepare dishes that Jing Sheng Di likes each day, then deliver them herself, urging him to eat on time.

Seeing Empress Zhou arrive, Jing Sheng Di's complexion softens a bit, and he sighs:

"The court's affairs are countless; among the daily memorials submitted, there are few good news, and I have no mood to eat."

Seeing Jing Sheng Di's worried expression, Empress Zhou steps forward, takes his hand, and gently comforts:

"State affairs are arduous; Your Majesty must take extra care of your dragon body! The whole world looks to you!"

"It is said: great difficulties of the world begin with the easy, great matters begin with the minute. The more tangled the affairs, the less haste is warranted."

"It is like us women doing needlework: we may hold a thousand threads in our hands, but the eye of the needle can only pass one thread at a time."

"Matters must be resolved one by one; Your Majesty should eat when it is time to eat, rest when it is time to rest, and nurture the dragon body for longevity."

Jing Sheng Di, hearing this, softens his expression further and says gravely:

"Zitong, your words are sound! It is just as Zi Jie once wrote in a memorial to me, that we must seize the main problems and prioritize solving them."

"Now the most critical priority for the entire court is the Northwest Campaign; only by winning the Northwest war can the court have the strength to implement the New Policies, reorganize the army, and revitalize the nation!"

"Then that group of junior officials and upright censors will be silenced, no longer spouting nonsense about reckless militarism and inevitable ruin!"

Jing Sheng Di's tone clearly shows some displeasure toward the Censorate and the Hanlin Academy, his words unusually laced with coarseness.

Empress Zhou, hearing this, freezes for a moment, then realizes that the Zi Jie mentioned is Jia Jing, the minister whom Jing Sheng Di trusts deeply.

Jia Jing's name was only recently bestowed, and she did not immediately grasp it.

Nevertheless, this Jia Zi Jie truly enjoys her husband's confidence.

Not only did he personally grant the name, but he also commands hundreds of thousands of troops in the Northwest, and now he constantly cites what Zi Jie has said.

He appears as if every word Jia Zi Jie ever uttered is etched in his mind.

Such favoritism, Empress Zhou has never witnessed in any other minister over the years.

She does not know what magical power Jia Zi Jie possesses that makes the emperor value him so highly.

Empress Zhou, while taking the red‑date bird's‑nest porridge from a palace maid for Jing Sheng Di, gently comforts:

"Your Majesty has always said that Zi Jie is a brave and resourceful commander, a great general bestowed upon you by Heaven."

"Last year Zi Jie, in a single battle, annihilated fifteen hundred thousand troops of the False Qing—a rare great victory for Da Han since its founding."

I suppose, with the Emperor's trust, letting him take charge of the northwestern front this time, victory is just a matter of time!

Saying this, Zhou Huang Hou wore a faint smile and laughed lightly:

Speaking carefully, this bowl of red-date bird's nest porridge I hold was still made with the silver presented by Zi Jie!