In Love With My Fierce Farming Wife!
Chapter 691 - 673: The Death of the Former Emperor is Very Suspicious!_1

Chapter 691: Chapter 673: The Death of the Former Emperor is Very Suspicious!_1

Qin Feimo frequently furrowed his brows, just about to utter his golden words, but the Uncle-in-law at his side preempted him again.

"Lord Zhang, your statement is such a heart-stabbing one. Considering the multitude of wives, concubines, illegitimate sons and daughters in your family, not to mention the countless deeds of farmland and shops, even the tiniest slippage from your fingers would be more than enough to fund food and fodder, isn’t it?"

Lord Zhang was not to be outdone, immediately giving a cold sneer, "Speaking of wealth, who can compare with you, our Uncle-in-law, who owns gold and silver mountains? I remember back then..."

Both sides were arguing back and forth, exposing each other’s secrets.

Qin Yi silently knelt to the side, carefully observing the expressions of the people in the court.

Unexpectedly, he met Qin Feimo’s nonchalant gaze, which startled him, causing him to quickly look down.

The debate ended without a conclusive result.

After everyone had left, His Majesty kept Qin Yi behind.

Qin Feimo finally softened his expression, casually smiling, "Brother-in-law, sit down. Let’s chat properly."

Qin Yi quickly bowed in response, "Your humble servant is extremely anxious and fearful. This brother-in-law title is absolutely against the rules. I earnestly beg Your Majesty not to overwhelm your humble servant."

Recalling their previous encounters, Qin Yi understood that Qin Feimo as he was now was no longer the same Fei’er who used to fuss over Pan’er in Luoyan Village. The man before him was now a monarch who could decide a person’s fate with a simple nod.

"What’s so inappropriate about it? Sit down and let’s talk." Qin Feimo didn’t take his reservations seriously and pointed to the stool.

Helpless, Qin Yi had no choice but to express his gratitude again and sit on the edge of the stool.

"How is my cousin doing now?"

Qin Feimo made a seemingly casual inquiry, but his eyes revealed a sense of urgency.

The reason why he was so eager to show his achievements to the courtiers, the deepest desire in his heart, was naturally the promise he had made to Pan’er.

He still remembered when he proclaimed, "No one can hurt you, including myself!" Such grand words filled with ideology!

That promise, with his current status, seemed more inflated than ever. But he also knew that he could not fulfill it with his current capabilities. He could only force himself to bury this thought deep within his heart.

Qin Yi managed a slight smile, "Thanks to His Majesty’s blessing, Pan’er is doing very well recently. She has been quite eager to play, and attempted to fund for food and fodder by wiping out a den of mountain robbers. She used all the money and food from the robbers’ den for our soldiers on the front lines. It’s just too hard on her..."

By saying this, he was providing His Majesty with a clear picture of Pan’er’s actions concerning the robbers’ den. It was want for nothing but to get ahead of any potential trouble that could arise if someone reported this matter.

These words hit Qin Feimo hard, causing him to unconsciously clench his fists.

"The truth is, I also understand that this war is not easy to fight, especially given the lack of food and fodder. However, the Uncle-in-law was right about one thing. Our Great Zhou society is still recovering from numerous calamities. Our current difficulties can only be overcome if everyone works together with all their might. Don’t you agree, brother-in-law?"

No food and fodder could be provided, yet the army was still expected to fight the war.

"Yes, indeed..."

At this moment, could he, Qin Yi, refuse?

Qin Yi tasted bitterness in his mouth. Thankfully, he had anticipated that he would not receive any food and fodder on his trip to Jingzhao Prefecture, so his sense of disappointment wasn’t too great.

However, he still had to put on an act.

"But Your Majesty, our army is currently outnumbered four to one. If they’re also unable to eat properly, to the point where their two meals a day turn into one meal of wild vegetable porridge, they will struggle to fight. It would be amazing if they even manage to hold their silver spears, let alone face the enemy. This may be crude, but isn’t it the truth, Your Majesty?"

Qin Feimo was fully aware that Qin Yi was speaking the truth, but the fact that the national treasury was depleted was also an inescapable reality.

He clenched his teeth, "Here’s what we’ll do! You wait and see. I’ll try to come up with a solution tonight and gather as much as I can for you to take back to Hezhong Prefecture."

Qin Yi was overjoyed!

He immediately stood up and gave thanks, "On behalf of the tens of thousands of officers and soldiers stationed at Hezhong Prefecture, I thank Your Majesty for your great kindness!"

As His Majesty had spoken, that night, Qin Yi stayed at Ye Family’s Mansion.

That night, Qin Yi and Ye Han analyzed and discussed the surrounding military and national strength for half the night, deeply worried about the prospects of Great Zhou. The external food and fodder shortage was a minor issue, but the fact that the other side was starting to undermine the spirit of the courtiers from within was a major issue!

"If this continues, with both internal and external troubles, it will lead to a decrease of one and an increase of another. If Qin Zitong grows up, I’m afraid..."

The rest of their concerns remained unspoken.

On a long, sleepless night, the two men drowned their sorrows in alcohol under the moonlight, but found no one to confide their troubles to.

With a light bout of drunkenness, Qin Yi leaned against the stone table and fell asleep. In his stupor, he felt Ye Han standing next to him, watching him for a long time. He wanted to open his eyes, but the effects of the alcohol were too strong and he fell into a deep sleep.

Gazing at Qin Yi, whose brow was still furrowed in his sleep, Ye Han sighed deeply.

In a low voice, he murmured, "I have a secret that I’ve kept to myself. I originally planned to take this secret to the grave. However, every time I see you, I feel guilty. Well... The truth is, there’s something strange about the death of the former emperor."

Ye Han grew silent again and then shook his head, laughing!

He turned back and looked into the dark night sky, talking to himself, "What’s the point of speaking about it now? The servants who were with the late emperor at the time are either dead or missing. The truth has long been buried underground along with the emperor. It’s just a pity for you..."

He was about to say something more but decided against it, sighing, and headed over to a nearby chair to close his eyes and rest.

Qin Yi’s eyes twitched a few times in his sleep but quickly restored its calm.

That night, although the situation seemed calm, many Princes and Ministers in Jingzhao Prefecture had trouble sleeping. They feared that an Imperial Decree might come down at night, and despite their abundant family wealth, they couldn’t defy that decree.

With such worries, Qin Feimo didn’t sleep all night, resulting in him appearing in court with dark circles under his eyes.

In the morning court session, the issue of gathering food and fodder was naturally brought up again.

Although Qin Yi had heard about the hypocrisy of these courtiers from Ye Han, it was only when he witnessed the state of the morning court that he realized the extent of the problem.

He still remembered that during the reign of the previous emperor, the morning court was so crowded with people that it extended from the grand hall to the outside. Everyone stood solemnly, not daring to even cough lightly. But now, there were only a few courtiers who attended the morning court. There were a few who were yawning, whispering and chatting. Even when they greeted His Majesty, they dragged their feet. There was no sense of propriety at all.

This scene made Qin Yi’s heart sink.

He couldn’t help but question, was his previous concession right or wrong?