Chapter 953: Why the Pardon

Miao Zhen and the other two were having a blast training in Fujian, even ignoring Wang Cong; when they received the letter from their junior uncle, they just tossed it aside, pretending they'd read it.

By the time Pan Yun finished her duties at the Ministry of Public Works, relief supplies had already been distributed; preparations for the wind and flood disasters had been made ahead of time, and post-disaster aid was swift and orderly, with no mishaps—imperial court reputation improved, and some civilians even whispered: "The new emperor is better than the former one…"

But others murmured privately: "The new emperor spends gold and grain to buy public favor—if the state treasury runs dry, great disaster will come to the land."

Pan Yun rode toward Ruijin County, listening to the gossip in the marketplaces.

Great Ming ultimately fell to fiscal crisis, so that man was half-right—if the state treasury runs dry, great disaster will come to the land.

But she, and all the ministers, would never let Great Ming reach that point.

Though the court harbored corrupt officials, it also held upright men devoted to the state; at this moment, ministers, gentry, and the people still held deep respect for the Zhu clan.

Old Zhu was the only ruler in four hundred years to recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, unifying north and south;

The authority of Emperor Taizong and Emperor Renzong still lingered, and the current emperor had reformist intent, listened to counsel, and with no treacherous eunuch like Wang Zhen meddling, the ministers' ambition to be remembered in history blazed anew.

Pan Yun's role, beyond guiding the emperor, was to serve as the weight on the scale that balanced the ministers.

After all, without treacherous eunuchs to restrain the ministers, wasn't it her duty as a demonic Daoist to step in?

Pan Yun recalled that before leaving the capital, the Imperial Academy had secretly added a new subject, selecting suitable students and clerks to learn the telegraph method she provided; she believed that within six months at most, telegraphy could be implemented nationwide, making information spread faster and economic growth accelerate even more.

As soon as Pan Yun arrived at the Ruijin County government office, she saw Pu Min squatting by the gate, holding a bowl.

Pan Yun raised an eyebrow and walked forward.

Lost in thought, Pu Min looked up along her feet, recognized her, and immediately rose, clutching the broken bowl: "State Master, you've come."

Pan Yun: "Didn't the government office give you money for your journey home?"

Pu Min smiled bitterly: "To be pardoned by the court is already our fortune; nowhere in the empire do pardoned convicts receive funds from the government office to return home."

Thus, apart from convicts serving sentences locally, those exiled to distant lands, once pardoned, either stayed where they were or begged their way home—life was no easier.

Pan Yun had truly never known such details.

Pan Yun tossed Pu Min a silver ingot and told him to hire a horse: "If I hadn't come, were you just going to sit there?"

Pu Min pulled out a handful of copper coins from his pocket: "If you hadn't come today, I'd have started walking east tomorrow with these coins—I'd weave straw sandals and grasshoppers, buy two pounds of flour from a grain shop, enough to last me several days."

Pan Yun was finally satisfied.

The two rode hard back to Quanzhou.

Miao Zhen and the other two had been providing relief in Quanzhou and nearby prefectures and counties, holding free clinics everywhere—they were well known.

Before entering the city, the two saw several tables set up on the grass beside the imperial road; Miao Zhen and the others sat behind them, while over a hundred plain-dressed civilians, wearing straw sandals, waited in orderly lines along the roadside, children running about, selling straw sandals, coarse cloth, steamed buns, and mantou to passersby.

They only waved from the roadside and never crossed the imperial road recklessly, so although Pan Yun slowed her horse, she did not stop, riding straight past them toward the city gate.

Miao Zhen sensed something, looked up, and the two distant cousins exchanged a glance—then one continued riding, the other lowered her head to finish writing a prescription.

Pu Min also saw Miao Zhen and the other three; he hesitated, but seeing Pan Yun ride on, he could only follow closely behind.

The two returned to Quanzhou city; Pu Min pulled his horse to a halt, thanked Pan Yun for her help, and said: "State Master, you may leave me here?"

Pan Yun lifted her eyelids to look at him and said: "Pu Min, I went to great lengths to pull you out of the mine—not so you could fight with Pu Si. My ultimate goal is for you to create value—for me, and for His Majesty."