In front of the gate of the General's Mansion, two young masters, Huang Tao and Huang Feng, saw brothers Huang Jingming and Huang Wenbo dismounting from their horses and hurriedly stepped forward to salute.
After the two welcomed the two elders into their home, they asked in a low voice:
"Father, second uncle, how is the court today?"
Huang Jingming looked puzzled and said softly, "Hmm", and just went to the study to talk.
"Wenbo, what do you think of His Majesty's behavior?"
On the way to the study, Huang Jingming asked about his cousin as if he was taking a test.
"Brother, Marquis An Guo is quite familiar with this method of using force to fight, but I don't know if it was taught by Bachelor Wang in private."
The Bachelor Wang mentioned by Huang Wenbo refers to Wang Pu, who had just been awarded the title of Bachelor of the Hanlin Academy.
"It's Your Majesty, not Marquis Anguo."
Huang Jingming emphasized heavily.
"If you say such things in front of others, Your Majesty will be held accountable. As an elder brother, I will not protect you."
"Hey, didn't I just act like this in front of you, big brother?" Huang Wenbo laughed and didn't take it seriously, "I am stupid to say this after I leave this door."
While talking, the four of them walked all the way to the study.
After entering the study and retreating from the servants, Huang Jingming briefly told his two sons what he had experienced in the court today.
He picked up the tea cup placed on the desk, took a sip, and asked his two sons the same question.
"As the saying goes, those who enter the game are confused, but those who are onlookers are clear. What do you think of His Majesty's performance today? There are no outsiders in this study, that's all."
As he spoke, he signaled to his eldest son Huang Tao with his eyes.
Seeing his father's gaze, Huang Tao coughed lightly and said:
"Father, it seems that the little emperor's methods are not simple. After today's events, even if Ma Shangshu will not completely join the royalist faction, he will still favor the little emperor on some key issues. It can only be said that in the end, Only the Queen Mother and her family suffered a huge loss."
At the end of the sentence, Huang Tao even had a hint of schadenfreude in his eyes.
He really couldn't stand the Queen Mother's party who often caused trouble for his father and second uncle.
"What the elder brother said is that the only one who suffered a loss during this court meeting was the Queen Mother Xuande."
The second son, Huang Feng, nodded in agreement.
"However, father, even if Shangshu Ma's position changes, we must try our best to win over those neutral officials. Even if the little emperor has powerful methods, it is an indisputable fact that his foundation is weak. As long as father can offer a bigger bargaining chip, there is no need to worry about it. Some people don’t come over to our side.”
Huang Feng said proudly.
Our General's Mansion, ah no, it is now the Prince Taihe's Mansion. What we want is to have a mountain of tai to hold it down, to use its power to overwhelm others!
"Big brother has someone to succeed him!"
After listening to the words of the two juniors, Huang Wenbo smiled and cupped his hands towards Huang Jingming.
"Why have successors? The two of them are still young! They probably won't be able to imitate the little emperor's methods alone!"
Huang Jingming laughed and waved his hand.
Seeing the faint look of dissatisfaction on the faces of his two sons, he snorted coldly and said:
"Not convinced? Then I will test the two of you in the school. Just because of His Majesty's approach to the Lingchuan Mansion this time, if I were in your place instead of the two of you, how would you deal with it next? Second brother, you tell me first! "
Huang Feng, who was named, thought for a moment and said:
"Father, my son thinks it's better to remain unchanged in the face of all changes."
Huang Jingming said lightly "Yeah" without comment.
"Boss, what about you?"
Glancing at his younger brother, Huang Tao said hesitantly:
"My son actually thinks that he should do the same as Ma Shangshu and donate a little silver and two grains of food, just to show his appreciation."
After hearing the answers from his two sons, Huang Jingming shook his head and laughed, then turned to look at Huang Wenbo.
"Do you still think you have someone to replace your brother?"
Facing the eldest brother's rhetorical question, Huang Wenbo could only say reluctantly.
"The two nephews are still young and lack experience."
"You're still young? You also know that when my brother was as old as these two bastards, he was already fighting to the death with the Jin invaders!" Huang Jingming's eyes showed a bit of disappointment, but he still suppressed his anger and explained, "Boss There is a saying that is right, His Majesty has used one hundred thousand taels of silver in his inner treasury for disaster relief. As a minister, I cannot fail to express it, but I must not simply say it."
"Boss, go tell the warehouse and ask them to prepare 60,000 taels of silver and 50,000 shi of rice and grain. Just say that I told you to use them for disaster relief in Lingchuan Prefecture."
"Father, if you add all this up, I'm afraid there are a small amount of ninety thousand taels of silver."
Huang Feng couldn't help but twitch at the corners of his eyes.
Ninety thousand taels of silver, even for the Huang family, is a huge expense.
Dachu is located to the south of the Canglong River. It has a humid climate and developed water systems. Its grain output ranks first among all countries. Therefore, grain prices have been relatively stable in the past few decades.
On weekdays, one tael of silver can be exchanged for two stones and half a meter of food.
However, during this period, due to the disaster in Huangzhou Prefecture, which was located in the grain-producing area, food prices rose a lot, and one tael of silver could only be exchanged for two stones of rice.
"Your Majesty is not stingy with money and food. As a minister, how can we cherish our family wealth?"
Seeing that his two sons hadn't reacted yet, Huang Jingming suddenly became furious. He resisted the urge to find a stick and beat the two of them, and said angrily:
"Wenbo, please explain to these two idiots for me!"
After saying that, he was still angry and snorted coldly:
"That's it. I thought I was so smart. If I were thrown into the court, I would have been eaten without even the bones left!"
"Brother, calm down. The two of them just don't know some of the unspoken rules in the court."
After comforting his eldest brother, Huang Wenbo explained to his two nephews:
"Your Majesty, as the head of Chu, donated one hundred thousand taels for disaster relief. Ma Xian, a second-rank official, said at the court meeting that he would donate 40,000 shi of rice and 40,000 taels of silver. This is to give the ministers Marked a line!
If you don't donate money or food, not to mention what His Majesty thinks of you, the common people alone will make you bloody!
Your Majesty, as the king of a country, has donated money for disaster relief. How can you be so virtuous and capable that you can’t contribute even a dime?
Let me ask you two, do you still want your official reputation?
Your father has just been conferred a royal title by His Majesty. If you don't express it now, when will you express it?
And only by donating more than the old fox Ma Xian can the mouths of the officials and the people be silenced! "
Huang Jingming snorted coldly and couldn't help but add.
"Huh, this money can be earned back after spending it, but how can such a good thing like money and food in exchange for fame be so easy to come by? If it weren't for the fear of His Majesty's reaction, but just this time, my father would have wished to donate a hundred and eighty dollars. One hundred thousand taels of silver! Of course, this is just a private conversation. If you two brats dare to go out of this study and talk nonsense, believe it or not, I will cut out your tongues and feed you wine!"
There were some things he didn't say in front of his son.
If the Huang family wants to usurp the throne in the future, they must do more to win over the people, because the more they do, the less resistance there will be between the government and the opposition when that day comes.
Huang Tao and Huang Feng were scolded by their father, but they didn't dare to say anything.
