Chapter 81: The move to Ningzhuo 1 (1/2)

Many years ago at Northern Wei

At a small noodles shop at the corner of the street racing the silk factory, the young Emperor Zhong and minister Zhu sat on one of the plain wooden tables at the side. Emperor Zhong had succeeded his father just eight years earlier following the death of his elder brother.

They ordered their usual dish, sat by the side and observed the other customers. Emperor Zhong wanted to be closer to the commoners, so he went out of the palace regularly and walked around the commoners to get a fresh input on the true conditions of the kingdom.

Emperor Zhong visited regular places such as tea houses and restaurants to listen to the common folks' opinions on policies and the rest. After their meals were delivered, they sat silently and listened to the conversations around them while drinking tasteless tea.

The men around them glossed over a few political topics, none of which were interesting. Emperor Zhong was about to leave for another hot spot when their conversation changed to a different angle. This was brought about by the arrival of a small group of soldiers putting up recruitment fliers on the notice board.

A male customer clicked his tongue ”argh what is wrong with the Emperor and going on campaigns. This has to be the fifth time this year?”

Another male voice said ”Is he determined to make our troupes live permanently on the war front. Didn't the Duke of Wu just return from battle a month ago, I understand that he is trying to get revenge for the past crown prince's death but it has been 8 years already. Isn't all the bloodshed enough”

The first male voice replied, ”Obviously not!”

Another male voice from the table behind Emperor Zhong also joined in their conversations ”I think that this young Emperor of ours is too bloodthirsty. All these wars should have been tiring by now”

Soon it became a six men conversation.

”His has already gotten his revenge, There has been talk that all these other battles are all for his selfish dream of increasing his sovereign.”

”I hear that this hunger if his will never be quenched”

”That is because there aren't many ministers willing to question him except the Duke of Wu. All other ministers are minions that support everything he does”

”Thanks to the gods that we have one honest official like the Duke of Wu to keep our power-hungry weak Emperor in check”

”Duke of Wu isn't known as the people's voice for nothing”

”I fear that Duke Wu may not be the People's voice for long, with the rate he is being sent out on wars” the man shook his head and continued ”what if he goes to war one day and never return”

”Then we will be left seating docks because he is the only one guarding us. We can not depend on the weak Emperor, now can we?”

”No, Which is why I think that the gods won't let that happen. Don't you see how frequently he had come back in victory, even the gods love him. The weak Emperor can never compare to him, all that sickly Emperor does is seat and eat”

”I swear that he shouldn't have been allowed to take the throne, he is not good enough”

”Yes all he does is give orders, I bet he has never even lifted a sword. If he had ever experienced war, he would understand how we the common folks suffer every time he sends the soldiers on any Crusades”.

Minister Zhu who ad off this time wasn't yet the powerful minister he was in the future but a mere vice-minister tried to calm the Emperor's temper. ”Your_” he started saying when he was given a dirty look by Emperor Zhong and quickly corrected himself. ”Don't take their words seriously, young master. They are illiterate and don't know what they are talking about.

Emperor Zhong just took out a small piece of silver and placed it on the table ”let us go” he said as he stood and left the noodles shop.

*****

There was a break the next day and court was suspended until a day later. During the court session that day, the previous Duke of Wu (*Lu Yaozhu and Lu Yingjei's father) led a few notable military and literary officials to challenge his next campaign.

They argued that the soldiers were weak from the recent war and needed a little more time to rests. They also pointed out that the commoners needed to recover from the tax and manpower used up during the recently ended war.