Feng Minyi was covered in mud. When she returned to the inn, they told the boss the good news.
"Boss, the dry well has been repaired. Go and ask someone to fetch water."
"Hey, sir, you are truly a benefactor to our town. Please accept my respect."
Feng Minyi waved her hand and went upstairs to change clothes.
When he and Wang Yiyao went downstairs and prepared to leave, a large group of people gathered at the door of the inn.
"This must be the strong man. Thank you for repairing the well in our town. This has saved many of us."
"You don't have to be so polite, you should, you should. Okay, it's time for us to hit the road. Please come back, everyone."
Feng Minyi pulled Wang Yiyao through the crowd and then rode on the road.
When they returned to the capital, they felt that the bustle in the capital was no longer there. All the vendors had sad faces, and many of the shops facing the streets were closed.
"What's going on? Why are so many shops closed?"
"You have to ask your imperial brother. His taxes are so heavy. Who can afford to pay them? It's better to go home and farm."
Feng Minyi was very worried about this. He didn't know what happened to his imperial brother and why he had to enact such a heavy tax law.
As soon as she returned to the palace, Feng Minyi drank a few sips of tea and then went to the Duke's home.
"King Donglin, you are finally back. Now the situation in the court has changed. Your Majesty, he listened to Wang Shangshu's opinion and increased taxes. The people and some traders are suffering miserably. You must have seen it when you came back.
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"Why don't you, Duke of the State, advise the emperor? If this continues, Western Qin will collapse."
"My lord, you don't know. The emperor today is no longer the emperor of the past. You will know when you enter the palace."
Feng Minyi came back from the Duke's house and went into the palace to see the emperor.
As soon as he heard that Feng Minyi was back, the emperor was filled with resentment. He was not dead yet. This time, even his blood drops failed to kill him. His fate was really terrible.
"Brother, please pay homage to your royal brother,"
"I'm back, everything is going well."
"Brother Imperial, these are some new methods and experiences in iron casting that I learned in the Northern Kingdom. They are all recorded in this booklet."
Gao Zhan stepped forward and presented the pamphlet to the emperor. The emperor opened it and took a few glances, and was very satisfied.
"Okay, very good. You really didn't disappoint me. Gao Zhan, please tell me. Today I have to serve King Donglin. This time he went to the Northern Kingdom and made great achievements."
"Brother, you don't have to be like this. I still have things to do at home, why not..."
Before Feng Minyi finished speaking, the emperor interrupted him, "Okay, it's settled."
The emperor came over, held Feng Minyi's hand, and then pulled him together to the banquet hall in the palace.
He winked at Gao Zhan, and Gao Zhan immediately understood and invited some of the emperor's favorites to accompany him.
It is said that it is to help Feng Minyi to clean up his troubles, but in fact, there are many crises. The people accompanying him this time are all Feng Minyi's political enemies, and all of them are traitorous officials.
Feng Minyi didn't even want to look at them.
"Your Majesty, let's toast you together. You have been traveling for many days for us in Western Qin, and it has been very hard."
Feng Minyi picked up the wine glass with an expressionless expression and drank it all in one gulp.
"King Donglin is really generous, and I really admire him."
After this meal, Feng Minyi was sitting on pins and needles. Several of them took turns wanting to toast, but Feng Minyi refused.
"Your Majesty, my brother is feeling a little unwell, why not come here today."
"Okay, since you don't feel well, go back and rest first."
On the way back, Wang Shangshu caught up with Feng Minyi halfway.
"King Donglin, wait."
Feng Minyi knew he was behind her, so she didn't look back at all. When he came to her, she pretended to smile.
"Master Shangshu, what do you want?"
"My lord, you have encountered many difficulties recently and have been able to turn them into safety. You must be the best among people chosen by God. Moreover, someone has spread the news about you at the border to the ears of the ministers."
Feng Minyi glanced at it, and Wang Shangshu knew that he was testing him out of bad intentions. This man was very deep in the city.
"Your Majesty, don't you want to leave so fast? You have been away for many days, and you are not aware of the current situation in the court. Our emperor's temperament has changed drastically. This makes me very embarrassed."
Wang Shangshu's remarks completely shied away his responsibilities, saying that he was not allowed to do this in order to satisfy the emperor's extravagant life.
"Oh? So that's it. It seems that Wang Shangshu is really in trouble. I will try to persuade him, don't worry."
"What's the use of persuasion? The emperor has already become like this. With the prince's heroic strategy and courage, don't you have other ideas? How about..."
While Wang Shangshu said this, he took off an old ring in his hand and replaced it with a new one.
The meaning had been expressed very clearly, and Feng Minyi had already heard his probing intention.
"Wang Shangshu, I advise you to do your job well and not to worry too much. Otherwise, be careful with your head. My sword is not very discerning."
As soon as these words came out, Wang Shangshu was shocked. He didn't expect that King Donglin was really capable.
"Then Wei Chen will take the first step."
Wang Shangshu left in dejection. He was very uneasy. What the emperor had told him was to test Feng Minyi, and he had completed it. However, Feng Minyi's words in the end made him scared, although the two of them had never been together before.
Deal with it, but he didn't take Feng Minyi seriously.
He thought Feng Minyi would only tolerate it, but what he said today really shocked Wang Shangshu.
Back at the house, Feng Minyi was in a heavy mood, and Wang Yiyao saw that he had something on his mind.
"What's wrong? He looks very worried."
"I entered the palace today and saw that the emperor's life is very extravagant. Now he uses abalone, bird's nest, and sea cucumber every day. In the past, he would only drink one of these things every three days, and sea cucumbers and abalone would only be consumed when he was offering tribute.
Will quote."
"Really? Then it seems that there is a reason for increasing taxes, and the desire is always getting bigger and bigger."
Wang Yiyao traveled from modern times and was used to the extremely luxurious life of many emperors, so she didn't find it strange. However, Feng Minyi, who cares about the country and the people, naturally couldn't accept it.
"Some of the furnishings in the palace have also changed their appearance. Brother Huang's palace is really luxurious. It should have been renovated."
"I know you are very worried about this, but he is the emperor, and we, as ministers, can only give friendly reminders and cannot interfere too much."
Feng Minyi felt resentful when he thought of this. As an emperor, if he cannot think about the people and only cares about himself, then his demise will not be far away.