allonlinenovel Chapter 1317 Harboring Malicious Intent
Chapter 1317 Harboring Malicious Intent
This "negotiation" between the two countries was temporarily shelved after the emperor said, "We'll discuss it again tomorrow."
After the court session, Ōtomo no Maro proactively ingratiated himself with Guo Bizheng: "Minister of Rites, you are very fair. Thank you for speaking up for us..."
Guo Bizheng shook his head slightly, his expression calm: "Envoy, there is no need for thanks. My actions are all for the sake of the people of our Great Zhou, and not out of favoritism towards you."
Ji Benchang happened to pass by the two of them and scoffed when he heard this.
just?
It's ridiculous.
What kind of justice is the "justice" spoken of by foreigners?
In the minds of these Japanese, only things that are profitable for them deserve to be called just.
Guo Bizheng actually believed that the Japanese pirates were praising and thanking him.
This old man is really getting worse as he gets older...
Watching the officials descending the Heavenly Ladder in twos and threes, Ji Benchang rubbed his right leg and slowly walked towards the side hall.
Chen Xingshen caught up with him: "Sir, what brings you here?"
Ji Benchang walked two more steps in silence until the stairway to heaven was completely out of sight. Only then did he lean against a pillar and slowly sit down.
"I'll leave later," he said. "There are too many people right now, and I don't want to squeeze in with them."
Chen Shengshen looked at his pale lips and felt a pang of pain in his heart: "Are your legs... even more painful?"
As he spoke, he turned around and said, "Please don't move anymore. I will go and find Magistrate Lü right away."
“Come back! Ouch—” Ji Benchang stood up, wincing in pain. “I’ll rest for a while and then go back to the yamen to call a doctor. There’s no need to trouble Director Lü. The National Medical Bureau has a lot on its plate lately, and he’s worried sick.”
Chen Shengshen's eyes held a stubbornness: "But Chief Physician Lü is the best doctor in the capital..."
"I'm really not that big of a deal..."
Just as Ji Benchang was waving his hand, Eunuch Hong's head suddenly popped out from the corner of the corridor: "Oh, Lord Ji, what are you doing here! This old servant has been looking for you for ages!"
Seeing the thin layer of sweat on Eunuch Hong's forehead, Ji Benchang paused slightly: "Is there something you need, Eunuch Hong?"
Eunuch Hong pecked at rice like a hen: "Yes! His Majesty summoned you and Lord Yu to the Imperial Study, and Lord Yu is already there waiting!"
Ji Benchang's mind raced: "Did they only summon me and Lord Yu?"
Grandpa Hong continued pecking at the rice, then covered his mouth and said, "Just the two of you."
Ji Benchang immediately understood—it must be news from Liuyang Prefecture!
"Let's go, let's go!" He couldn't wait a moment longer, practically pushing Eunuch Hong forward. "Hurry, hurry, time waits for no one!"
Grandpa Hong stumbled: "Oh dear, slow down! You can't aggravate your leg injury!"
Ji Benchang: Forget about leg injuries, as long as Liuyang Prefecture is safe, I'd even let him saw off both of his legs!
It only took him a quarter of an hour to get from the Golden Palace to the Imperial Study.
Upon entering, the emperor immediately had Eunuch Hong bring him a stool, and after a while, Yu Zhengqing also received a stool.
After sitting down, he couldn't contain his curiosity: "Your Majesty, is there... any news from Liuyang Prefecture?"
The emperor picked up a piece of paper from his desk, and Eunuch Hong took it and handed it to him.
The Emperor said, "Yu Qing, let's watch it together."
Yu Zhengqing immediately leaned his head closer.
After reading the letter from beginning to end, the two paused slightly.
"Mirror?"
"lime?"
Ji Benchang rubbed his fingers together, guessing, "Lord Shen... wants to drive away the locusts?"
He had barely finished speaking when he shook his head at himself, "No... wait—what's wrong with that?"
He couldn't quite understand it for a moment.
“Shen Zheng doesn’t want to drive away the locusts, she wants to exterminate them!” Yu Zhengqing suddenly spoke up, a look of horror in his eyes: “Driving away the locusts is only a temporary solution. Given her personality, she would never just drive the locusts away and let them continue to harm the people of other prefectures!”
Ji Benchang was enlightened.
Yes!
If Xiao Shen only wanted to drive away the locusts, why make such a big fuss?
Can......
Locust eradication...
Having served as Minister of Revenue for decades, Ji Benchang understood that this was an almost impossible task, even though the executor was Shen Zheng, whom he had always valued. Moreover, the first urgent report had stated that this locust plague was so severe that it blotted out the sky, unlike any other locust plague.
He guessed that the chances of Xiao Shen successfully eradicating the locusts were less than 10%.
The chances of the locusts being driven away are only about 20% to 30%.
No matter how you look at it, it still comes down to this: Liuyang Prefecture is in grave danger.
Thinking about it, the joy on his face faded by ninety percent, and he pursed his lips and asked the emperor, "Your Majesty, did the messenger bring back any other news?"
The Emperor shook his head: "This urgent report. Ji Qing, what are your thoughts?"
Ji Benchang's expression froze.
After carefully reviewing the urgent report again, he finally chose to tell the truth: "Your Majesty, I believe that relying solely on human strength may... be insufficient to overcome natural disasters. In any case, I will make the worst-case scenario plan in advance and will not allow the people of Yanzhou, Fuzhou, and other places to be displaced."
The emperor closed his eyes, and the secret expectation in his heart gradually dissipated.
The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.
Silence fell over the Imperial Study.
The autumn wind rattled the windowpanes. The Emperor rubbed his temples and said in a hoarse voice, "Ji Qing, tomorrow morning at court, you will lead Chen Shengshen and others to negotiate with the Japanese envoy. No matter what, you must get them to hand over the method to exterminate the locusts."
Ji Benchang paused, then said, "Your Majesty, those rice seeds..."
"No!" The Emperor's gaze sharpened. "What I want is a solution, not to do business with them! In this Great Zhou, no one can threaten me!"
Ji Benchang was startled: "Your subject obeys the decree!"
......
The court assembly took place as scheduled the following day.
After the usual formalities, Ōtomo no Maro brought up the "exchange" again and offered a discount: "Your Majesty, is 30% of the seeds acceptable? If so, I will immediately present you with the method to eradicate locusts."
Ji Benchang immediately stepped forward: "Japanese envoy, our dynasty is willing to exchange glass eyeglasses with you."
"Glass glasses?" Ōtomo Maro pondered for a moment, then shook his head: "No, we only need rice seeds."
He knew that the glass glasses were also a treasure of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
But for Japan, acquiring rice seeds was the truly profitable business.
Even if they can only get a few dozen shi (a unit of dry measure), as long as they take them back and cultivate them carefully, in a few years they will no longer have to depend on the Great Zhou or bow down to the Great Zhou emperor.
Moreover, the people of the Great Zhou now know how to calcine lime, so the method for eliminating locusts... won't be kept secret for long; sooner or later, the people of the Great Zhou will figure it out themselves.
Meanwhile, he was using a zero-cost method to exchange the real treasure back for Japan...
The thought of this made Ōtomo Maro tremble with excitement.
wonderful!
It's absolutely wonderful!
In a few years, when Japan has truly become powerful, he will lead his Japanese samurai to brave the winds and waves! Invade the Great Zhou! Burn, kill, and plunder! Take all of the Great Zhou's treasures back with us!
At that time, he will make all the people of the Great Zhou who have looked down on and humiliated Japan pay for their crimes in blood!
Oh, and by the way, he also wants to make His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Zhou taste what it's like to bow down and submit to Japan!
"Japanese envoy." Ji Benchang, noticing his strange expression, narrowed his eyes and asked, "You mean, apart from rice seeds, there's nothing more we can discuss?"
Ōtomo nods with a smile: "Yes, Ōtomo."
Ji Benchang raised his hand: "Please ask Minister Lin to take the envoys back to the temple to rest."
Seeing Lin Ai and the others surrounding him, Ōtomo Maro immediately realized something was wrong: "What are you doing? We are good friends, you can't treat us like this!"
Isn't it said that the people of the Great Zhou Dynasty value face and etiquette the most?!
What's going on now?!