75: Construction of the Imperial Mausoleum

Chapter 75: Building the Imperial Tomb

In Qiankun Hall, Zheng Yi was resting his eyes and calming his mind.

Sleeping in Yonghe Palace yesterday, Consort Shu—now she should be called Consort Yang—fainted after just twice due to excessive excitement, and Zheng Yi had no choice but to simply hold her and sleep for the night.

"Yang Huan, Consort Yang... It was still too impulsive last night. Yang Huan is, after all, the descendant of a rebel!"

Zheng Yi's mind was filled with a myriad of thoughts, and he kept thinking about the conversation with Yang Huan last night.

"However, this matter is nothing much. By convention, the Emperor can have two noble consorts. Now that the positions of both noble consorts have been decided, it will also extinguish the little thoughts of others."

"Besides, wanting to confer the title of noble consort on someone is My family affair, and no one can say anything about it!"

"The most urgent matter is still the affair of the Emperor's mausoleum."

"Among the twenty mausoleums of the Great Yu Imperial Dynasty, cultivation secret techniques are hidden. No matter what, they must be dug open!"

At this moment, his eyes suddenly lit up and he said, "That's right, I seem to remember that when the Immortal Summoning Order was issued last year, there seemed to be a tomb raider disguised as a feng shui master who came to take a look."

"Seemingly called... Hu Bayi?"

"Is there really such a person?"

"Chengen!"

Liu Chengen walked in briskly and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, what are your orders?"

"Do you remember if there was a tomb raider pretending to be a feng shui master who came to scam rewards last year? Is he still around?"

Liu Chengen thought for a moment and said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, this person is still in the Jinyi Guard prison and has not been released."

As the Emperor's personal eunuch, his memory has always been very good.

If Your Majesty wanted to know about something and you couldn't answer for a moment or got it wrong, wouldn't that be committing the crime of deceiving the Emperor?

"Bring him into the palace, I have something to ask."

"Understood!"

Liu Chengen left briskly, while Zheng Yi was still recalling the matter.

Half a day later, Liu Chengen brought a middle-aged man who had changed clothes, but whose face was still extremely pale and whose legs were somewhat lame, to Qiankun Hall.

Along the way, Liu Chengen kept instructing this person.

"Later when you see Your Majesty, you must not look straight at Your Majesty! You must not look around randomly, understand?"

"Un-, this villain understands, this villain understands!"

"Today Your Majesty may pardon your crimes and you must forget the hardships you suffered in the imperial prison, otherwise no one can save you!"

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, this villain thanks the Father-in-law for his instruction..."

Soon the two arrived at Qiankun Hall, and Liu Chengen directly led him inside.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the person has been brought here."

As the words fell, he hurriedly pounced forward and lay flat on the ground, with his buttocks stuck high up.

"Com-, commoner Hu Bafeng, greets Your Majesty, may Your Majesty live for ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand years!"

Hu Bafeng?

Zheng Yi remembered, this person's name was Hu Bafeng, not Hu Bayi.

"Get up."

"Yes, yes, yes, yes..."

"Your Majesty."

Liu Chengen walked up briskly, holding a volume of case files in his hands.

"Your Majesty, this is the case file extracted by the Jinyi Guard from Hu Bafeng's mouth, regarding all the criminal cases he has committed over the years."

Zheng Yi glanced at it and motioned for it to be placed before him.

Being able to survive the Jinyi Guard imperial prison, it seemed this Hu Bafeng was also a shrewd fellow.

As long as he stated all his crimes, although flesh-and-blood suffering was inevitable, at least his life was saved.

He began to flip through Hu Bafeng's case file, while Hu Bafeng knelt on the ground with a panicky and uneasy heart.

At this moment, Zheng Yi clicked his tongue in wonder.

According to the records in the file, this Hu Bafeng was one of the northern tomb-robbing chiefs, having stolen and excavated over thirty Ancient Tombs and profited more than one hundred thousand liang of silver.

He was best at using the art of feng shui to find large and Ancient Tombs, and then calling upon friends or acting alone to rob and excavate Ancient Tombs.

Unfortunately, this time he was blinded by greed, and under the instigation of others, he entered the palace wanting to use feng shui arts to swindle the Son of Heaven's reward.

In the end, he was seen through by Zheng Yi and Zhao Su Ling and thrown into the great prison.

As for his Disciples and grandchildren, upon seeing Hu Bafeng thrown into the great prison, they fled in panic and now no one knew where they had run off to.

"Hu Bafeng."

For a long time, Hu Bafeng felt his knees losing sensation before he heard Zheng Yi call him, and he hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, this villain is here."

"You are a talent, I appreciate you very much."

Zheng Yi said straightforwardly, "I have a task here to assign to you. If you handle it well, I can pardon your crime of deceiving the Emperor, and can even ensure you become an official, enjoy endless glory and wealth, and even return home in glorious attire and become a person of the public gates."

"Are you willing?"

"Return home in glorious attire!"

Hu Bafeng suddenly raised his head. If he hadn't been unable to survive, who would be willing to be a tomb raider?

Thinking of his parents and aging wife at home who suffered bullying and contempt from villagers because of him, he said with agitation in his heart, "Your, Your Majesty, com-, commoner is willing, commoner is willing!"

If it really was as Your Majesty said, being able to be an official, get rich, and return home in glorious attire, only a fool would refuse.

"It's very simple."

Zheng Yi said, "I need you to excavate an Ancient Tomb for Me."

"Rob a tomb?"

"Hmm?"

Zheng Yi frowned and said, "It is a protective excavation, understand?"

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, this villain knows his mistake."

Hu Bafeng asked carefully, "I wonder which Ancient Tomb Your Majesty needs this villain to prot-, protectively excavate...?"

Zheng Yi did not answer directly, but tapped on the desk and said, "At that time, you will know."

"I now specially confer upon you the title of: Mojin Captain, as a fourth-rank military official."

"What? Fourth-, fourth-rank military official!"

Hu Bafeng was immediately stunned, and hurriedly knelt on the ground kowtowing continuously, saying, "Your Majesty regards this villain so highly, this villain is truly grateful and has no way to repay you. From now on, even if Your Majesty asks this villain to die, this villain will never frown even a bit!"

Zheng Yi said, "I won't let you die. If you die, who will do My work?"

"Your Mojin Captain position was pioneered by Me, and it is a separate military branch dedicated to the protective excavation of various Ancient Tombs, commanded personally by Me."

"Right now under the Mojin Captain, there is only you alone. You need to write letters personally to summon your acquaintances, good friends, and Disciples one by one."

"The more people you summon, the more people under your command, and the more rewards I will give you, understand?!"

"Yes, yes, yes... This villain, oh no, right, th-this subordinate understands!"

"Step down. When to excavate and which Ancient Tomb to excavate, I will tell all of you when the time comes."

"Yes, yes, yes, this subordinate understands!"

Hu Bafeng hurriedly stood up and walked out of the hall beside himself with joy.

"Chengen."

"Your Majesty."

"Call two Shadow Guards and Jinyi Guards to watch him, arrange a residence for him outside the palace, and if there is any unusual movement, capture him immediately."

"Understood!"

"Have him write letters today to summon the tomb raiders of the world, but this matter must not be publicized with great fanfare, I have great use for it."

"Understood!"

...

Today was the grand court assembly.

Numerous ministers looked in surprise at Zheng Yi on the dragon throne; there had not been a grand court assembly for more than half a month.

Just a few days ago Your Majesty finished selecting consorts, why is there time today to hold a grand court assembly?

Could it be... that there is some major event to announce?

"If you have matters, memorialize; if not, withdraw from court!"

As the words fell, the main hall fell silent for a few breaths, and then an official from the Ministry of Rites suddenly stepped out of the ranks and said respectfully,

"Your Majesty! Consort Shu of the Yang family is a descendant of Yang Reverse, she cannot be conferred the title of noble consort."

"This minister seconds this!"

"This minister seconds this!"

"This minister seconds this!"

Soon, several other officials stepped forward to second what this person said.

Zheng Yi glanced at the few people at the very front of the court ministers. Lu Xiangqing and Cui Jinghao had not expressed their stance, so he immediately said, "This is a matter of the inner palace, which naturally has the Empress Dowager, the Empress, and Consort Duan to handle. As ministers of the outer court, you should set your sights on the world!"

"There is no need to care about this matter!"

"This..."

The few people in the middle were dumbfounded and could only helplessly say, "As you command!"

Another official from the Hanlin Academy stepped out and said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, this minister has a memorial to present."

"Speak!"

"The new top scholar, runner-up, and third-place scholar submitted a memorial, wishing to enter Yong Province in advance to observe politics. I wonder what Your Majesty's intentions are?"

"Observe politics in advance?"

Zheng Yi said, "Have these three chosen their places?"

"Yes."

"The new top scholar Cui Xia Zhao is heading to Chang'an Commandery to be the Chang'an Commandery Registrar."

"The runner-up Li Ziyang is heading to Weinan County to be the Weinan County Magistrate."

"The third-place scholar Wang Anshi is heading to Extended Commandery to be the Extended Commandery Judge!"

Zheng Yi thought for a moment and said, "In extraordinary times, do extraordinary things. Request granted!"

"The three will observe politics for three years, and at that time, assignments will be made discretionarily based on their respective political achievement evaluations."

"Understood!"

After handling a few more minor matters, Zheng Yi suddenly said, "Beloved ministers, I have another matter here to discuss with you all."

Hearing Zheng Yi say this, all the ministers present held their breath and listened attentively.

"I am planning to build an imperial tomb for myself. What do you beloved ministers think?"

Building an imperial tomb!

Numerous ministers looked at each other in dismay. Although it was a normal matter for an Emperor to build a mausoleum for himself while alive...

But... this was simply too fast!

Lu Xiangqing immediately stepped out and said, "Your Majesty is in the prime of your youth, why bother wasting the people's strength and material resources to build a mausoleum?"

"The most urgent task is to suppress the northern civil unrest and the invasion of Wu Country, as well as the matter of Pseudo-Yan declaring independence, Your Majesty..."

"Indeed, Your Majesty, Your Majesty has only personally ruled for five years and is in the prime of your youth; it is not appropriate to build a mausoleum."

"Your Majesty, when the late Emperor was alive, it took eighteen years to build the imperial tomb, consuming immense funds..."

"I hope Your Majesty will think twice!"

Over ten court ministers explicitly opposed it, and a portion of the court ministers clearly held a wait-and-see attitude.

Zheng Yi said, "Regarding the invasion of Wu Country, the northern civil unrest, and the self-establishment of Pseudo-Yan, I have My own plans."

"I deeply know that building an imperial tomb is not something that can be accomplished overnight, so in the early stage we will only do some surveying and mapping work, and will not massively build it at the expense of the people's strength and material resources."

"This..."

Lu Xiangqing and the others hesitated for a moment, and at this time Cui Jinghao stepped forward and said:

"Your Majesty, an Emperor's mausoleum is a major event of the state, which can protect the dragon vein and the stability of the state altars of our Great Yu. This minister seconds this!"

"This minister seconds this!"

"This minister seconds this!"

Soon, many other ministers expressed support, and for a moment the two factions argued fiercely and endlessly.

Zheng Yi made a definitive ruling with a slap, saying, "Regarding this construction of the imperial tomb, My mind is made up, beloved ministers need not persuade me further."

"Now the northern civil unrest, the invasion of Wu Country, and the self-establishment of Pseudo-Yan have made the national treasury tight. I will not mobilize the financial resources of the national treasury or conscript civilian laborers; it will be hosted by the Mojin Captain established by Me and the imperial guard new recruits, and all expenses will be allocated from the inner treasury."

Hearing Zheng Yi say this, and knowing that Zheng Yi's mind was made up, the ministers present stopped arguing.

Upon hearing that building the imperial tomb was paid for by the Emperor himself, Lu Xiangqing immediately stopped saying anything, stepped back and said, "We ministers second this."

"We ministers second this!"

Finally, Minister of Works Jia Yongshao suddenly stepped out and said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, the palace halls have all been built, and the main hall, Jiaotai Hall, has also been completed."

"However, Jiaotai Hall was previously destroyed, and this name is tainted with inauspiciousness. Please Your Majesty rename this palace!"

"It's built?"

Zheng Yi pondered slightly and immediately said, "The newly built palace is bestowed the name 'White Jade Capital', which is for My cultivation and sleeping use."

"The special room I asked you to build, has it been built well?"

Jia Yongshao's expression changed slightly, as if recalling something, his eyes filled with shock and envy.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Jiaotai... White Jade Capital, all the matters entrusted by Your Majesty have been built and completed."

"Tonight, it can be put into use."

"Good!"

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