Transmigrated into a female county magistrate during a famine, leading her country to prosperity

In the past, Lu Botang was a recognized force to be reckoned with, the kind of person who could be brandished by anyone.

But today, when faced with the urging of other officials, he remained unusually silent.

"General Lu, please say something!" The officials held him tightly.

He lowered his eyes for a moment, then looked around the Golden Palace: "Do you really want to hear what this general has to say?"

The officials nodded.

"Langjiang" was actually a leisurely military post. Looking across the court, there were at least twenty or fifty military officers who were given the title of "Langjiang".

However, if the words "Dianjun" are added before "Langjiang", the meaning of this official position changes.

The fifth rank might not seem high, but within the imperial city were not only the imperial palace, but also the offices of the six ministries, the residences of the imperial family...

If the security of the imperial city is all under Yu Jiusi's supervision, it is tantamount to His Majesty entrusting the safety of his "family home" directly to Yu Jiusi.

Can a young, inexperienced military officer who has only been in the court for a few years really shoulder such a great responsibility?

The officials believed it was a long shot.

Not to mention, Yu Jiusi is the grandson of the Earl of Yongning and has a very close personal relationship with Shen Zheng.

If this kid really takes charge of the imperial city's defenses, then when Shen Zheng returns to the capital next year, won't the entire capital be under the surname "Shen"?

Thinking of this, the officials' resistance was written all over their faces.

Lu Botang took in their expressions and chuckled, "I believe... Yu Jiusi is capable of the job."

The officials were taken aback.

Isn't Lu Botang all about guns and firecrackers?

How could he endure such a humiliating disgrace?

"General Lu, did you not hear His Majesty's meaning clearly?" Lu Shenglin, the Vice Minister of the Imperial Guard, said in a low voice, "His Majesty entrusts the gate control of the imperial city to Yu Jiusi, which is tantamount to giving him half of the imperial city's lifeline. How old is he? How can he be competent!"

Lu Botang glanced at him and said in an unusually loud voice, "You can't even manage the Imperial Guard under your own command, so what right do you have to manage Yu Jiusi?"

Ji Benchang exclaimed "Oh dear!" and bluntly retorted, "Lu Shaoqing, you've only been out of confinement for a short time, and you're already worrying about others again. Be careful... you won't be able to leave the house tomorrow!"

Lu Shenglin's face suddenly darkened.

He really wanted to tear Ji Benchang's foul mouth to shreds!

The thought of how he had been impeached by the Earl of Yongning and the head of the Imperial Medical Bureau for "dereliction of duty" because he failed to treat smallpox, and how he had been confined to his quarters by the Emperor for a month, made him so angry that he could hardly breathe.

Just as the Prime Minister said, those surnamed Yu and Shen are destined to bring him bad luck!

"Lord Ji, I am merely stating the facts!" He suppressed his anger and told himself not to argue with Ji Benchang. "Even if Yu Jiusi is a nobleman's son, he is still inexperienced. How can he be expected to protect the safety of the capital?"

Ji Benchang looked at him with a "What nonsense are you talking about?" expression: "Inexperienced? Lu Shaoqing, have you forgotten that last year's smallpox outbreak in Changnan Prefecture was quelled by him and Jiang Zhiming? If it were you in that situation, you would probably have run away long ago, right?"

"You!" Lu Shenglin was so angry that his nose was crooked.

It's Changnan Prefecture again!

It's that damned Changnan Prefecture again!

This wretched place, Changnan Prefecture, is probably also his nemesis!

"What do you mean, 'what do you mean, 'what do you mean'? Just shut up." Ji Benchang clicked his tongue, then turned to look outside the hall. "What's wrong with letting Yu Jiajiu guard the capital? Are you afraid they'll stop you at the gate and won't let you in?"

"..."

Lu Shenglin fell completely silent.

It’s not that I don’t want to.

But I dare not.

Other officials who had previously expressed their dissatisfaction also fell silent.

Ji Benchang's mouth is like a stick smeared with excrement; anyone who goes up to him is bound to get poked a couple of times.

"Forget it, forget it..." an official said in a low voice, "His Majesty issued the decree directly without even considering discussing it with us. Let's just do Yongning Earl a favor and not go against His Majesty."

Some officials sighed and shook their heads.

Their favor... it wasn't given to the Earl of Yongning, it was clearly given to Shen Zheng.

As the discussion subsided, the Emperor's gaze swept across the hall, and he called out to Yue Zhenchuan: "Minister Yue, send a message to the Military Commander that one-tenth of the first batch of black charcoal mined be sent to Liuyang Prefecture as my New Year's gift to Minister Shen."

Officials: ......

What a wonderful "New Year's gift"! They had been officials for many years and had never heard of it before.

Yue Zhenchuan felt a pang of heartache for only a moment: "Your subject obeys the decree! I will certainly deliver this 'New Year's gift' to Lord Shen before the New Year!"

The emperor nodded in satisfaction: "Does any other minister have a report to present?"

The officials remained silent.

On the steps of the palace, all was quiet except for the soft rustling of autumn leaves in the wind outside.

Just as Eunuch Hong was about to shout "Without further ado, court is adjourned," a figure suddenly appeared outside the Golden Palace—the Messenger of the Ministry of Justice.

At the Emperor's signal, Eunuch Hong strode out and asked the Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review, "What urgent matter is it?"

The Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review couldn't say whether the matter was urgent or not, and could only truthfully report: "Eunuch Hong, please inform him that the former Prefect of Liuyang Prefecture, Lord Yu Zhengqing, has returned to the capital, and he also..."

As he spoke, the Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review felt that the matter seemed a bit urgent: "He also brought back the Provincial Education Commissioner of Liuyang Prefecture..."

Eunuch Hong was startled.

Seeing that the officials in the hall were all secretly looking over, he quickly raised his sleeve to cover his mouth and asked in a muffled voice, "Where is Lord Yu? Where is he right now?"

The Commissioner of the Court of State Affairs glanced at the Vermilion Bird Gate: "Outside the Vermilion Bird Gate."

Eunuch Hong then asked, "Where is Huai Gongwang?"

The Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review: "In the prison cart."

"...Don't go." Eunuch Hong's tiny steps almost sent sparks flying.

Approaching the emperor, he lowered his voice as much as possible: "Your Majesty, Lord Yu has arrived safely in the capital and has even taken Huai Gongwang directly to the Zhuque Gate."

The emperor's expression remained unchanged, without even raising an eyebrow: "Send it directly."

Eunuch Hong: "Is it... the Emperor's message?"

The emperor nodded, without lowering his voice: "Tell Huai Gongwang not to get out of the carriage, but to go directly to the palace in the carriage."

Eunuch Hong was slightly taken aback.

"Directly entering the palace by carriage"—at first glance, it sounds like some kind of preferential treatment...

The officials' ears twitched, secretly grasping the key points.

"Huai Gongwang? That name sounds very familiar?"

"What urgent matter could it be that His Majesty would allow him to enter the palace by carriage?"

"How enviable! When will we be able to be like that?"

"Let's try a little harder. This kind of preferential treatment isn't something just anyone can enjoy. However... the surname Huai isn't very common. If I'm not mistaken, this person... seems to be from the Ministry of Rites?"

"Ministry of Rites?"

"Hiss—" someone remembered: "Isn't the Prefectural School Supervisor of Liuyang Prefecture surnamed Huai?!"

Liuyang Prefecture!

It's related to Shen Zheng again!

Immediately, dozens of eyes focused on Guo Bizheng, the Minister of Rites: "Minister Guo, what good news is your Ministry of Rites holding back? Why wait until the person returns to the capital to announce it...?"

As they were talking, the officials suddenly fell silent, because they noticed that Guo Bizheng's face seemed even paler than the clouds on the horizon.

Ji Benchang spoke frankly: "Judging from Lord Guo's expression, I'm afraid something has happened?"

"clatter--"

"clatter--"

Two drops of cold sweat fell from Guo Bizheng's jaw onto the gold brick.

Before he could wipe the sweat from his brow, he looked up to see the emperor smiling at him.