Chapter 280: Chapter 280
Purple Palace Hall was, as usual, brightly lit.
Before and behind the desk, the father and daughter once again sat facing each other. However, compared to the other person's dazed state, An Ning herself appeared particularly at ease.
In short, she didn't look at all like someone who had just dealt with a bout of turmoil and had even personally killed several people.
At this moment, she even had the mood to taste the newly brewed tea and snacks brought by the palace servants.
In contrast, the other person:
Perhaps the blow he had just received was too great, as even now, Zhao Zhen still hadn't quite regained his composure.
His entire face was indescribably pale and ashen.
It wasn't until An Ning had finished half her cup of tea that he slowly raised his head, his voice hoarse as he spoke:
It also seemed probing:
The esteemed Official, actually didn't even know when those close to him had developed disloyal intentions.
One might ask, in this world, is there an Official more incompetent than him?
Recalling the scenes from earlier, a trace of self-mockery unconsciously appeared in Zhao Zhen's eyes:
Raising her eyes to look at the person before her, An Ning slowly put down her teacup:
"No, Father is mistaken. Those people from earlier, such as Chief Zhang, were never my people from the start. As for why they acted as they did just now..." An Ning let out a light laugh:
"It was simply because, at that moment, these people understood perfectly well that offending you, Father, might not necessarily cost them their lives, but if they were unfortunate enough to offend me..."
"That might entail more than just their lives and property!"
Facing his suddenly darkened expression, An Ning laughed lightly again, her gaze unwavering as she said:
"Actually, regarding this point, Father, you should have understood long ago, shouldn't you? Never mind other examples, just look at my several younger sisters who are still alive and kicking to this day – isn't that proof enough?"
As her words fell, Zhao Zhen's face turned pale again.
Clearly, he seemed to recall some unpleasant memories. On his typically refined and gentle face, there was now a rare expression of deep sorrow and profound regret...
Knowing that he must have thought of his several sons who died young, causing him heart-wrenching pain and regret, An Ning took a sip of tea, feeling noncommittal about it inwardly.
If he knew it would come to this, why didn't he act sooner!
Admittedly, the fact that her younger sisters survived until now was largely thanks to the Imperial Hospital under her command becoming increasingly proficient in recent years, not daring to slack off in the slightest.
However, for young children, especially those who were inherently weak, careful daily care was equally crucial.
But what was the situation in the palace before? Never mind other things, incidents like finding stones in the Official's meals, or clumsy servants spilling hot water on the Official, such absurd things could happen repeatedly.
What left An Ning most speechless was that trivial matters like the consorts using a few extra oranges, or whispers shared privately between concubines, could reach the ears of ministers outside the palace in less than half a day. Leading to a bunch of censors and remonstrating officials chattering incessantly.
It was so bizarre that it was almost unbelievable, unprecedented throughout the dynasties.
This showed just how lax palace discipline had become. Regardless of whether cleaning up the palace and enforcing clear rewards and punishments would be useful for the young princes and princesses.
In An Ning's view, even if there was only a one percent chance, for the sake of one's own children, those new little lives, one should at least try!
Even for his own sake, didn't he feel unsafe living in such a palace?
Forget it! An Ning took another sip of clear tea.
After a brief silence between father and daughter, it was Zhao Zhen opposite who spoke first:
"Today's events were within your expectations all along. Even your earlier step-by-step pressure on those people was all for today's outcome..."
Seeing that An Ning did not deny it, and thinking of the corpses from earlier, Zhao Zhen's eyes again showed a pained expression as he slowly closed them.
It was a long time before he spoke in a hoarse voice:
"If you had just waited a little longer, just waited, after I, your father, pass away, the position of Official would inevitably be yours. Even those court ministers, with your methods, could potentially be dealt with peacefully through gradual planning in the future.
Why must you use such drastic and cruel methods? Needless loss of many living lives, and even your own flesh and blood, you...
Ah, Fukang, are you really that impatient?"
Going so far as to use so many lives as chess pieces.
As he said this, Zhao Zhen's tone unconsciously carried a note of anguish.
After a moment of silence, An Ning finally stood up. Looking through the window screen at the busy cleaning servants outside.
In the twilight, her originally clear and pleasant voice carried a hint of lightness:
"Father, others say you are extremely benevolent and righteous, that you cannot bear to harshly criticize even the lowly palace maids and eunuchs by your side, and that you are tolerant and forbearing towards the scholars and officials in the court."
"But Father, is your benevolence and tolerance only directed at these people?"
"In these years at the Ministry of Revenue, I have actually reviewed quite a lot of household registration data. Just looking at the past two years, the total number of households in our dynasty is only a little over 12 million, with the adult male population barely reaching around 20 million. Yet, the number of 'recruited' vagrant soldiers alone amounts to a full 1.2 million."
Meaning, out of every dozen or so people, at least one was a landless, property-less vagrant, an element of social instability.
"The population is growing, yet the amount of fertile land subject to annual taxation decreases year by year."
In the end, into whose hands did these lands go?
And despite this, the number of court officials increases sharply every year...
"Gradual planning, ha!" An Ning let out a light laugh.
"Father, as the Official, you cannot fail to understand: once factional strife in the court begins, with policies changing overnight, who will truly suffer in the end?"
"Or does Father feel that those partisans who are already stuffed to the gills but still engage in treasonous acts are pitiable, while not finding the common people who are deeply oppressed by these same individuals and still not satisfied, pitiable?"
"Of course, most importantly, for me, if I can round them all up and kill them in one sweep, why bother expending effort on gradual planning..."
Turning to face his seemingly pained gaze, An Ning again laughed lightly:
"If Father feels sorry for the Li Family, that's even more unnecessary. After all, after that incident occurred, knowing full well that this person was problematic, why did you rehabilitate the Li Family again? What was the purpose, and who were you trying to check and balance – both of us understand that very clearly!"
So now, having nurtured a tiger that turned into a scourge, who is there to blame?
That the Official's position would be hers someday?
An Ning inwardly scoffed; only a fool would believe that!
What a joke! Her cheap father probably still clung to the dream of having a son even now!
Under his daughter's penetrating gaze that seemed to see through everything, Zhao Zhen's shoulders slumped completely in defeat.
After a long silence, he finally spoke:
"So... Fukang, your goal today is..."
"Exactly. Since Father has already guessed it. Then..."
As she spoke, An Ning stepped forward, casually took a blank imperial edict from the nearby desk, and said with a light laugh to the person before her:
"Then, will you write this abdication edict yourself, Father, or shall I do it myself..."