Chapter 1565: I Can Solve It

Time passed quickly.

Xu Que and Xuan Yuan Wanrong passed seven days in the illusion in the blink of an eye.

It must be said that Xuan Yuan Wanrong was quite capable as a sovereign of a country.

After all, she was once a Chosen One, an outstanding disciple of the Heavenly Palace Academy, and had been in a high position for a long time.

With her talent, even if she hadn't been in contact with governing a country before, she had learned almost everything that needed to be learned in a week.

But according to Xu Que, it was just superficial; the so-called governing of the country hadn't hit the point at all, all of which were strategies that treated the symptoms but not the root cause, and something would go wrong sooner or later!

Really think that an immortal cultivation genius can govern a country?

Doesn't exist!

"How? After so many days, do you still think I can't manage all of this?"

In the Imperial Study, Xuan Yuan Wanrong sat down with Xu Que again and asked indifferently while looking at the files in her hand.

The files were about some agricultural reforms, which she thought were all insignificant things and didn't take them too seriously.

According to her thinking, a powerful country is most important to have its own national philosophy.

Or rather, the country's faith, with all the people united and working together.

This is the same principle as immortal cultivation.

An immortal cultivator without Dao Rhyme will be stuck in that realm for his whole life and unable to break through.

Only by understanding what Dao to take and possessing Dao Rhyme can one go further!

She told this philosophy directly to Xu Que.

Xu Que almost laughed out loud after hearing it.

"You are too wishful, and you think of everything too beautifully; what you imagine is completely a utopian world. If we continue to follow your line of thinking, I guess we will have to be a pair of desperate mandarin ducks here in less than two years."

With his cultivation restricted, Xu Que's courage also opened up, and his words didn't give any face at all.

Anyway, everyone is a mortal, what is there to be afraid of?

You are the Empress and I am the Emperor; if you really want to calculate it, I am the one on top!

Afraid of a damn thing!

"Slap!"

Xuan Yuan Wanrong didn't get angry after hearing it, still calm and indifferent, closed the files, and summoned a maid to serve her, putting on the phoenix robe.

"You, for the past few days, seem to have never shown the so-called governing ability you spoke of." She turned her back to Xu Que and said indifferently.

"Oh, is that so?"

Xuan Yuan Wanrong shook her head and sneered.

She had cultivated quite a few secret agents in the Imperial Palace before she came, responsible for monitoring the movements of the Imperial City.

According to the reports from the spies, Xu Que had slipped out of the palace no less than five times in the past week, and every time he went out, he was strolling around and having fun everywhere.

He even ran to find the descendants of those important ministers and went to the brothel to listen to music together!

Whether the music he listened to was decent or not, let's not mention it for now.

It was just that the descendants of those important ministers were also too bold, actually daring to follow the Emperor out to mess around, obviously they were all a bunch of wine-and-meat bags.

And the result didn't exceed Xuan Yuan Wanrong's expectations.

In just a few days, Xu Que had mixed with those playboys and became good brothers, shoulders to shoulders, lingering in the brothel day and night, not thinking of returning at night!

"Heh, ultimately a frivolous person, not fit for great use!"

Xuan Yuan Wanrong shook her head and smiled, not caring too much.

It was just that she was somewhat suspicious of her previous thoughts, how could she think this guy had substance?

The maid served the two of them on the side, feeling terrified.

My mom... what

Oh my god... what have I just heard?

If this gets out, dying ten thousand times wouldn't be enough!

Mother, I want to go home...

However, fortunately, although Xuan Yuan Wanrong and Xu Que were noble monarchs here, they lacked the mindset of emperors and never even thought in that direction.

After tidying up their appearance, the two arrived at the Great Hall.

The ministers were already waiting below for the morning court session to begin.

However, the atmosphere today was clearly not right.

The faces of all the ministers were exceptionally ugly, and sweat was beading on their foreheads, as if some major incident had occurred.

Xuan Yuan Wanrong noticed this and wondered if some natural disaster had occurred again.

"Her Majesty the Empress, His Majesty the Emperor has arrived!"

Accompanied by the shrill voice of the eunuch, the morning court session officially began!

"This subject has a matter to report!"

Before the two had even taken their seats, a minister couldn't wait to step out from the crowd and shouted loudly.

Xuan Yuan Wanrong waved her hand indifferently: "Speak, official."

"This subject implores Her Majesty the Empress to issue an order to stop the nationwide tax collection!"

Huh?

Xuan Yuan Wanrong's heart skipped a beat, but her face showed no emotion: "Why does the official say this?"

The minister's expression was solemn, his words earnest: "Your Majesty, tax collection has already been carried out before. Because of the severe drought, taxes are being collected again these past few days. The people are suffering immensely; some have even lost their homes and had their families torn apart. The country is in chaos, and if this continues, the nation will cease to be a nation!"

With this minister taking the lead, the other officials felt as if they had found their backbone and began to offer their remonstrations one after another.

"This subject requests Her Majesty the Empress to retract the order!"

"Your Majesty, the people no longer have the strength to pay taxes, please stop the nationwide tax collection!"

"Your Majesty, this matter must not continue!"

With everyone speaking at once, the Great Hall instantly became noisy.

Xuan Yuan Wanrong's expression grew increasingly ugly; she couldn't understand what she had done wrong.

It was just tax collection. Although the amount of silver needed for disaster relief was huge, the Eastern Tang Kingdom had a large population, and when divided among everyone, it was only a negligible amount of silver.

Could it be that the people couldn't even afford this little bit of silver?

How is that possible!

If they were poor to that extent, the Eastern Tang Kingdom should have been in chaos long ago. But from what she had seen before, although the Eastern Tang Kingdom was somewhat poor, it hadn't reached the point where the people couldn't survive!

Thinking of this, her gaze couldn't help but shift toward Xu Que. As if remembering something, her heart skipped a beat, and she felt dazed.

This guy seemed to have really said before that there would be a big problem within seven days.

Now, sure enough...

However, how could he have known beforehand?

"Tsk tsk tsk..."

Xu Que noticed Xuan Yuan Wanrong's gaze and sneered inwardly.

Hey, I warned you that the tax increase trick wouldn't work, but you wouldn't listen.

Now you're in trouble, and you know to look at me? Want me to help you?

I won't help! Are you angry? Are you angry?

……

Xuan Yuan Wanrong clearly noticed the gloating smugness in Xu Que's eyes, but she couldn't be bothered to pay attention to it.

Facing the remonstrations of the ministers, she was at a loss for what to do.

If she stopped tax collection, how would the drought and famine be resolved?

If she didn't stop, the country would likely fall into chaos.

After hesitating for a moment, she finally spoke: "Minister of Revenue, how much silver is left in the national treasury?"

Upon hearing this, the Minister of Revenue's heart trembled: "Reporting to Her Majesty, there is... less than ten million taels of silver left in the national treasury."

"Allocate it all for disaster relief."

"Ah, this..."

The ministers were all stunned.

What is Her Majesty saying?

If we give it all away, what will we do if something else happens?!

That is the national treasury, the silver that supports the operation of the country. If it's empty, the entire country won't be far from collapse!

"Your Majesty, you cannot!"

"This must absolutely not be done!"

The ministers remonstrated one after another, trying to stop Xuan Yuan Wanrong's actions.

Xuan Yuan Wanrong frowned again.

This won't work, that won't work, what exactly should be done?

Could I possibly conjure silver out of thin air?

"Got a headache? At your wit's end?"

At this moment, Xu Que's cheeky voice drifted over.

Xuan Yuan Wanrong looked over and saw Xu Que smiling at her, his expression extremely punchable.

"What do you want to say? Is there any point in mocking me at a time like this?" She suppressed the urge to hit him and said in a low voice.

"Of course there's a point in mocking you, but it's unnecessary. Actually, this matter is very simple. I can help you solve it, but you have to promise me one thing!"

"Speak!" Xuan Yuan Wanrong took a deep breath and said slowly.

"Straightforward! Then I'll be blunt. I don't want that Imperial Seal, but you must give me the power to mobilize all departments. If you don't delegate power, it's very difficult for me to get things done," Xu Que replied.

He had tried to stir up trouble before, but discovered that he had actually been sidelined by Xuan Yuan Wanrong, so his orders were basically useless scraps of paper; no department was willing to listen to him.

Now that he had finally caught an opportunity, with just one move, he, the King of Acting Cool, could rise directly.

"Are you sure you can solve it?"

Xuan Yuan Wanrong looked at Xu Que suspiciously, seemingly very uneasy and disbelieving.

But after hesitating for a long time, she realized she had no other options, so she decided to take a step back and nodded: "Fine, but all your orders must be reviewed by me."

Anyway, things had reached this point; she might as well see what he was actually capable of.

If something really went wrong, she would still have time to intervene since she would be reviewing the orders.

"No problem!"

Xu Que's eyes lit up instantly, and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

He had originally only wanted the transfer order from the Ministry of Works, so he had been prepared to haggle.

He hadn't expected Xuan Yuan Wanrong to agree so easily!

Woman, your name is Naivety!

……