Chapter 65: Pointing Fingers at Emperor Yonghe
The middle-aged man who struck up the conversation wore a long robe and had a short beard. When he spoke to people, he would slightly raise his chin, exuding a certain air of dignity.
As soon as Qiao Mu spoke, the middle-aged man with a short beard who was talking with her showed a look of surprise. It seemed that he didn't expect Qiao Mu to respond like this and was momentarily speechless.
It was Guard Chu, who was sitting at the same table with him, who couldn't help but twitch his eye corner and glanced at Qiao Mu.
He knew the Great Yan Emperor beside him because the former Minister of Punishments, Wang Shanhe, who had been in seclusion for many years, recommended him to meet this Qiao Pifu.
But this was just a sudden urge, which didn't mean that the Great Yan Emperor valued Qiao Pifu very much.
Speaking in this way, directly mentioning the disastrous Inhuman War of the Great Yan Imperial Court, could anger the emperor and bring about fatal consequences, which was not impossible.
After a while, the middle-aged man who had been talking suddenly regained his senses and frowned.
"Why are you talking to me about the current emperor?" he asked.
"Wasn't it you who gave advice on ruling the country first?" Qiao Mu casually sipped tea and said.
It's not uncommon for the common people in teahouses and pubs to passionately debate and give advice on ruling the country.
The middle-aged man with a short beard was momentarily speechless. He was about to react, but then his furrowed brow relaxed.
In the past, there was a government official named Wang Shanhe who worked in the Department of Punishments. He had a strong personality and didn't tolerate any nonsense.
Temperament is one thing, but the important thing is whether someone has true talent and knowledge.
If this person, Qiao Pifu, is like a second Wang Shanhe, maybe he can endure for a while.
Then, a middle-aged man with a short beard said:
"Since you want to guide the country, why not tell us about the current Emperor? What kind of person is he?"
This question was not only testing Qiao Mu, but also showed a willingness to listen to the people's opinions.
The Great Yan Emperor usually stays in the palace, but this time he secretly went out to listen to the voices of his people.
Without hesitation, Qiao Mu said, "This Emperor deserves to be..."
He suddenly stopped talking halfway and frowned, looking at the middle-aged man.
Because he had discussed the assassination of the emperor with Qiao Canxue in Yan City, Qiao Mu has been obsessing over this matter ever since.
Just now someone asked him this, and he almost blurted out that the emperor should die.
The present-day Qiao Mu disguised himself and ventured into Heyang City, speaking without restraint.
But speaking without restraint and courting death are two different concepts.
Qiao Mu's brow gradually furrowed.
What's the deal with this stranger who struck up a conversation? Intentionally trying to engage him in talk, intentionally seeking his opinions on ruling the country, and discussing the current emperor?
How wicked is this person's intentions, wanting to harm me.... hmm? Harm me?
Qiao Mu suddenly remembered, he is cheat-enabled.
Is he afraid of death?
What Qiao Mu is afraid of is a low-quality death, and what he longs for is a high-quality death.
If it's something like ranting "the current emperor should die" in a teahouse, clearly dying would be meaningless.
But if he could spout reasoning and speak at a high level, even if he were to die for his words, Qiao Mu could earn a reputation. Death Assessment shouldn't be lacking in that regard.
"Are you talking about Emperor Yonghe of the current reign? Emperor Yonghe is naturally a good emperor, and that's all there is to it," said Qiao Mu.
The middle-aged man with a tight frown on his short beard relaxed.
Who doesn't like disguising oneself and listening to others praise them?
Qiao Mu likes it, and he also likes it.
Now he is in disguise, secretly visiting to listen to the people's voices.
And Qiao Mu was a small town constable, a low-ranking government official, who naturally belonged to the common people.
Rounded up or down, this is what the common people of Great Yan are saying about him being a good emperor.
How could he not feel happy?
"You say the current emperor is a good emperor? What specifically makes him good?" The middle-aged man with a short beard suppressed a hint of joy in his heart and asked again.
Please continue speaking, tell me more, I love listening.
Only Qiao Mu continued:
"The good thing is that he chose a good reign title."
"Forever harmonious (Yonghe), forever harmonious (Yonghe), the current Imperial Capital surrendered without a fight to the inhumane, paid tribute and licked their feet. They didn't even dare to engage in warfare, so how could it not be forever harmonious?"
"As long as we surrender before the enemy takes over, war cannot break out. Isn't this forever harmony?"
When these words were spoken.
The middle-aged man with a short beard, Guard Chu, instinctively looked down and didn't dare to look at the expression on the face of Emperor Yonghe next to him.
The several clothed catchers next to Qiao Mu were also shocked with wide eyes.
Captain Qiao, it's one thing for you to eavesdrop and slack off at the teahouse, but now you dare to criticize the current emperor, aren't you afraid of death?
The strong will to survive made them instinctively take a few steps back and look around, afraid that this treasonous remark would be overheard by others.
Fortunately, the storyteller was reaching the climax of the story, and the teahouse was full of customers who were captivated, seemingly paying no attention to Qiao Mu and his companions in the corner.
The middle-aged man with a short beard took a deep breath and took a while to barely calm his emotions before slowly saying:
"The strength of the inhuman is overwhelming, something that the Great Yan Imperial Court cannot match. After all, even the Martial Saint of the previous emperor was defeated miserably, and the entire army of 100,000 elites perished."
"Is there a possibility that the current emperor is prioritizing the overall situation?"
"Are you implying that the emperor is making a big strategic move, Mr. Dong?" Qiao Mu interrupted him and casually said.
The middle-aged man with a short beard paused, not understanding Qiao Mu's words.
"My surname is Yan, not Dong..."
"Why should I care about your surname and name?" Qiao Mu said casually.
"By the way, I have a friend with the surname Guo."
"Others say he is very strategic and smooth in handling things. He never shows his emotions and rarely gets angry."
"Even when confronted by a bad person, he restrains himself because he knows that if he acts impulsively, it will disrupt the larger plan. At that time, it wasn't the best moment to make a move, better to play it safe."
"The bad person killed his family members in front of him, but he endured it because he knew that a wealthy person's child cannot easily fall. His years of hard work could not be ruined by a moment of impulse..."
The middle-aged man surnamed Yan waited for a while, but when he didn't hear Qiao Mu continue, he asked again:
"What happened next?"
"Afterward, nothing. The person was gone." Qiao Mu casually replied:
"He was killed by that bad person."
"If there were really strategies and calculations, then it would be a different story."
"What I'm afraid of is those so-called strategies and calculations, which are simply excuses for not wanting to face danger, cherish life, and fear death."
The middle-aged man surnamed Yan's face quickly turned red, then to the color of pig liver.
He felt like the person across from him was indirectly insulting him, but he had no proof.
"Your friend is a person. But behind the current emperor is a whole country, so we can't generalize." he said again.
"Yes." Qiao Mu nodded.
"So, in order to prioritize the greater good, we should follow the example of Emperor Yonghe and spare no effort from the Great Yan Imperial Court to support those superior beings above us, establishing their residences in each major city and always welcoming their presence."
At this point, the atmosphere had already changed.
There were no longer any plain-clothed constables beside Qiao Mu. Those few constables had moved away, appearing completely absorbed in listening to a story, standing about ten steps away from Qiao Mu without making any eye contact.
Who is this person? Hum? They didn't know or recognize this person.
The other tea customers at the neighboring table also changed their expressions and hurriedly got up to leave.
The middle-aged man surnamed Yan couldn't hide his sinking face anymore. His gaze unintentionally went past the other soap-clad constables who were further away from Qiao Mu's, and he spoke in a deep voice:
"Aren't you afraid of death for criticizing the current emperor?"
Finally, the truth was revealed, and I've been waiting for you to say this...
Qiao Mu had always suspected this person had evil intentions and wanted to harm him, which played right into his hands.
Qiao Mu said, "I have always liked a saying from the late emperor."
"Or rather, it was a wise decree issued by the late emperor."
The late emperor?
The middle-aged man surnamed Yan hesitated again. The Inhuman War was fought during the late emperor's reign. How could Qiao Pifu dare to speak so boldly and claim to like the late emperor?
He felt curious unconsciously and didn't react immediately.
Just listen to Qiao Mu continue saying:
"I heard that, after the Inhuman War, a stubborn court official almost hit his head on the Golden Palace. After that, the late Emperor issued a famous decree."
Qiao Mu said seriously:
"Anyone who criticizes me to my face will be tortured; those who dare to advise me through written letters will be burned by hot iron; those who spread rumors about me in public will be beheaded after autumn."
"I heard that before the order was issued, right after the Inhuman War, many ministers were passionately arguing, and there were a lot of people coming and going."
"After the order was issued, there were times when people could voice their opinions; but a few months later, there was no one left to speak up. Anyone who dared to speak either died or pretended to be sick and quit their official positions to go back home."
"I have to say, the late emperor's order was actually quite wise."
Qiao Mu's gaze also swept across the fiercely determined constables around him, exclaiming:
"Even if one was punished for speaking out, it wouldn't harm innocent people around them. At most, it would just be a slow and painful death."
"Such an order allows knowledgeable people like me to speak freely without worries of harming others, eliminating any concerns for the future. How wonderful it is!"
Guard Chu's face darkened as he heard.
Was the late emperor's order really allowing people to speak freely?
Is this person's mind different from others?
And the other soap-clad catchers beside him also had a slight change in their expressions.
They noticed the gaze of the newly appointed catches just now.
This is a reminder to them... not to be afraid.
I will first bring up the words of the former emperor, and I will defend myself. Even if I am executed after autumn, or even die a slow death, it will not harm your lives.
This new appointed catch seems rough and arrogant, but there seems to be a level of detail in him...
And the middle-aged man surnamed Yan also had a slight emotional response.
He is not a foolish person, and he also understood the hidden meaning behind Qiao Mu's words.
Although this decree was issued by the former emperor, after Emperor Yonghe ascended the throne, he didn't explicitly cancel it...
He brought up the words from the time of the former emperor, so even if our current emperor, Qiao Pifu, wants to punish him, it wouldn't be right to harm others.
Just like Wang Shanhe back then, aren't you afraid of death?
The middle-aged man named Yan frowned slightly, feeling that something was not right.
In tea houses and eateries like this, many people do give their opinions, but it's important to have a balanced perspective and not go too far with it.
And this Qiao Pifu, he pointed at the emperor's nose and called him cowardly and afraid of death....
Did he already figure out my identity and purposely deceive me with false information? Emperor Yonghe frowned, realizing that the situation was not as simple as it seemed.
