Miao Zhen and the other two were having the time of their lives training in Fujian. They did not even bother with Wang Cong anymore. When they received Junior Martial Uncle's letter, they tossed it aside, considering themselves informed.
By the time Pan Yun emerged from her work at the Ministry of Works, all the disaster-relief supplies had been distributed. Preparations had been made in advance for this windstorm and flood, and the post-disaster relief had also been timely. Nothing had gone wrong throughout, improving the Imperial Court's reputation. Some commoners even whispered in private, "The new Emperor is better than the late Emperor..."
Yet others murmured, "The new Emperor is spending money and grain to buy the people's hearts. If the treasury is emptied, disaster will befall the realm."
As Pan Yun traveled toward Ruijin County, she listened to the talk in the streets.
The Ming Dynasty had ultimately perished because of a financial crisis, so that person was half right. If the treasury were empty, disaster would indeed befall the realm.
But she, along with the civil and military officials, would never allow the Ming Dynasty to reach that point.
Though the court had corrupt officials, it also had upright people devoted to the nation. At this time, the officials, gentry, and people throughout the realm still held the Zhu Clan in deep reverence.
Old Zhu was the only man in four hundred years to recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun and reunify north and south;
The authority of Emperor Taizong and Renzong still lingered, while the present Emperor had the will to reform and listened to advice. Without treacherous eunuchs like Wang Zhen stirring trouble at his side, the officials' ambition to leave their names in the annals of history blazed up once more.
And aside from