eurekapd Chapter 186 The Man Who Killed His Father Is Dead
Chapter 186 The Man Who Killed His Father Is Dead
Song Siyao played chess with Emperor Changlong in the palace for three days.
Of course, it's not just about playing chess.
When Emperor Changlong held court, Song Siyao stood beside him.
After Emperor Changlong read the memorials presented by the court officials, he handed them to Song Siyao and gestured to her with his eyes for her to take a look as well.
After the court session, Emperor Changlong reviewed the memorials submitted to the emperor.
At first, he only let Song Siyao watch from the side. When there was a point of contention, he would look up and ask Song Siyao for her opinion.
He was shocked by Song Siyao's way of thinking, amazed by her wisdom, and admired her talent.
After being asked too many questions, he simply picked up a memorial and handed it to Song Siyao, instructing, "Sit across from me and review the memorials. Make your own decisions on minor matters, and ask me about major ones."
Neither the deceased Grand Tutor Su nor the living Prime Minister Jiang had ever sat before Emperor Changlong alone to review memorials like Song Siyao.
Sometimes, when Emperor Changlong was too busy, he needed their help to review the memorials. They would only help with annotations, and Emperor Changlong still needed to review all the memorials himself.
Song Siyao reviewed the memorials very carefully, and she would reply to them seriously no matter how small the matter was.
The memorial was quickly reviewed.
She placed the memorial she had reviewed in front of Emperor Changlong, saying, "Your Majesty, please review it."
Emperor Changlong smiled and said, "Alright, let's see what Princess Youfeng has to say."
He opened the folded document, and his eyes lit up.
This memorial was written by the magistrate of Shenyang County, and it was about some trivial matters.
Emperor Changlong would usually only reply with "read" to such memorials, and the person who wrote the memorial knew what to do.
However, Song Siyao was different. She replied very carefully, explaining in detail how to solve the problem, and also reminded the county magistrate to remember to give feedback.
After Emperor Changlong reviewed all the memorials, Song Siyao had put her heart into each and every one of them.
"Youfeng, why are you replying to these seemingly trivial matters in such detail?" Emperor Changlong asked curiously.
“Your Majesty, there are no small matters when it comes to the people’s livelihood.” Song Siyao explained, “These things may seem insignificant, but that’s how ordinary people live: firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, tea, and everyday life in the fields and gossip among neighbors.”
Emperor Changlong nodded, "You did very well, even I couldn't do that."
“His Majesty is busy with countless affairs of state, and it is inevitable that there will be oversights,” Song Siyao said.
"How do you know so much about the daily lives of ordinary people?" Emperor Changlong asked with a puzzled expression.
"Back in the military camp, when I had nothing to do, I would often go out and chat with the local villagers. Over time, I learned what their lives were like."
Song Siyao's experiences are not limited to Fengshadu. In modern times, she hid in a village for several years to conceal her identity.
Emperor Changlong looked at Song Siyao with increasing satisfaction, "I am ultimately like a frog in a well, only by stepping into the lives of ordinary people can I truly understand them and make accurate judgments."
"Your Majesty is wise; you are a blessing to the people."
Song Siyao's eyes were sincere, without a trace of flattery; she genuinely believed that Emperor Changlong was a rare and wise ruler.
He was concerned about the suffering of the people and was anxious about their urgent needs.
“Youfeng, you are my eyes. You must go to the places I cannot go, so that I may know what kind of lives the common people are living.”
Emperor Changlong looked at Song Siyao with eager eyes.
Even if you could find someone as talented as Song Siyao in the entire Great Zhou Dynasty, no one would care about the people of the world as much as Song Siyao does.
But even someone as concerned about the people as Song Siyao might not have her talent.
Song Siyao is just right, possessing both qualities.
This is the kind of Song Siyao that Emperor Changlong needed, and even more so, the people wanted.
"Your subject will obey the decree and will not fail Your Majesty's expectations." Song Siyao accepted the order.
The three-day deadline has passed.
Song Siyao left the palace.
The officials were utterly shocked as they looked at the memorial.
They recognized the handwriting on the document; it was Song Siyao's!
Most of them were not qualified to read memorials with Emperor Changlong.
Therefore, the so-called punishment of playing chess with someone for three days is just a pretext.
Song Siyao's status is even higher than before.
They sensed that the world was about to change, and that from then on, Song Siyao would become a favorite of Emperor Changlong.
Who says daughters are inferior to sons?
Song Siyao was stronger than most men in the world. For a time, rumors spread throughout the capital that it was better to have a daughter than a son, and that a daughter should be like Princess Youfeng.
At this moment, Song Siyao was sitting in the front hall drinking tea.
Hong Shao reported the events in the capital over the past three days in detail to Song Siyao.
This also includes these comments from people in Beijing.
"Princess, you are now a very popular person in the capital. Everyone is talking about you, admiring you, and liking you."
Hong Shao smiled broadly, beaming with pride.
Whether she was once a young general or is now Princess Youfeng.
They are all our pride.
It is also the pride of the Zhenbei Marquis's Mansion.
It is the pride of the entire Great Zhou Dynasty.
Song Siyao's expression was calm, and her voice was unusually calm. "Fame and fortune are a double-edged sword. Some people respect me, and some people hate me. The more fame and fortune I gain now, the more people will hate me. We must be more careful and not give others any leverage."
Hongshao suppressed her smile and answered seriously, "Yes, Princess, I will give the order to everyone to act cautiously."
As soon as she finished speaking, Cang Yue entered. "Princess, news has arrived from Yan."
"Speak." Song Siyao raised her eyes.
Cang Yue replied, "Prince Cheng died in front of Emperor Yan. He rotted from the inside out until he was completely rotten and turned into a pool of blood."
Song Siyao's eyebrows twitched slightly; everything was going according to her plan. "What was the Yan Emperor's reaction?"
“They are furious. According to our intelligence, the Yan Emperor will not let this go. They have a new plan, and the news will probably reach the capital soon,” Cang Yue said.
"Keep a close eye on them. The matter between the Great Zhou and the Yan Kingdom is not over yet." Song Siyao's tone suddenly turned cold.
“Princess, the Yan Kingdom has been defeated and forced to surrender this time. Do they still dare to provoke us?” Hongshao said angrily.
“Of course they dare, and their counterattack will be even fiercer,” Song Siyao said.
"Then fight! Fight them hard! Fight them until they submit!" Hongshao clenched her fists.
"The best strategy is to attack the enemy's plans; the next best is to disrupt their alliances; the next best is to attack their army; and the worst is to besiege their cities. Throughout history, when two countries have fought, besieging a city is the worst strategy. The best strategy is to subdue the enemy without fighting. Moreover, the Great Zhou cannot afford to go through another war. It needs to recuperate and the people need to live in peace."
Song Siyao's expression was solemn. "The same logic must be understood by the Yan Emperor. Their defeat in this battle has also damaged their strength. They will not launch another war in the short term and will change their attack strategy."
“Princess, what if they resort to underhanded tactics?” Hong Shao asked worriedly.
"Using dirty tricks isn't something only they know how to do."
Song Siyao's smile was icy. She looked at Cang Yue and said, "I remember that Emperor Yan had a favorite concubine named Jin Jiaojiao, right?"
"Yes, princess."
"Make good use of this; it's a valuable piece." Song Siyao's gaze was deep and unfathomable.