Episode 30 recap: Liu Yan discovered the conspiracy of Rou Jia Gong Zhu.
Liu Chen felt that he had raised a group of loyal ministers who constantly worried for him, almost wanting to make decisions on his behalf. Liu Chen stated that the court had no spare money to support a group of useless individuals. Everyone advised the Emperor to think twice about the situation. When Liu Yan arrived, he asked whether they wanted the Emperor to think for himself or for their own benefit.
Liu Yan went to see the Empress Dowager, who suddenly bit his hand. Shen Jing Hong came to meet Liu Chen and discussed the drawbacks of the aristocratic families. Firstly, it was very easy for members of aristocratic families to receive an education, but it was extremely difficult for ordinary people. As a result, within the ranks of officials, there were more and more aristocratic children who did not study, leading to a lack of capable individuals to handle government affairs. Secondly, aristocratic families occupied a significant amount of fertile land, and the common people had to pay half of their harvest as a tax. The common people struggled to have enough to eat, and any natural disasters or misfortunes would be disastrous for them. Thirdly, members of aristocratic families controlled the court, and Liu Chen should understand this well.
Liu Chen also believed that the aristocratic families needed to be eliminated. Mu Zhuo Hua liked the place and planned to return after retiring to farm and raise chickens there. Mu Zhuo Hua cooked porridge, but it got burnt because they were too engrossed in conversation. They had to go out to eat with Liu Yan instead.
There was a storyteller narrating Liu Yan's deeds, and Mu Zhuo Hua asked how Liu Yan defeated Bei Liang in the past. Liu Yan explained that he captured the general of Bei Liang and treated him with great courtesy before sending him back. The King of Bei Liang was already worried about the general's growing influence, and this incident made him even more afraid, leading to the execution of the general.
Afterward, Liu Yan led his troops and decisively defeated Bei Liang. Zhi Mo gave a papaya to Guo Ju Li, intending to say "I offer you a papaya in return for a precious gem," but Guo Ju Li didn't understand the gesture and thought it was a gift for her to eat, so she ate the papaya. Liu Yan recalled the words that the Empress Dowager had spoken to him before and suddenly felt that something was amiss. The spies from Bei Liang were not sent by the Empress Dowager, and Xue Xiao Tang, who was always with the army, should not have had contact with these spies. This indicated that there was another person behind the scenes.
Now that Liu Yan had recovered his health and with hidden turmoil in the court, he had to return. Mu Zhuo Hua expressed her intention to accompany Liu Yan back. Minister Sun approved the documents, but the annotations were not made by Liu Chen, which made him very angry. Liu Chen felt that he had raised a group of loyal ministers who constantly worried for him, almost wanting to make decisions on his behalf.
During the court session, Liu Chen stated that he had identified the officials who benefited from the hereditary system and intended to dismiss them. However, the ministers beneath him were unwilling, as they believed that the hereditary system was a tradition and didn't want Liu Chen to be seen as neglecting ancestral practices. Liu Chen emphasized that the court had no surplus funds to support a group of useless officials.
Everyone advised the Emperor to think carefully, and Liu Yan intervened, questioning whether they wanted the Emperor to think for himself or for their own benefit. Liu Yan's few words left the ministers speechless but implied that Liu Chen should hold off on dismissing officials for now. After the court session, Liu Chen asked Liu Yan why he had stopped him. Liu Yan explained that Liu Chen had just ascended the throne and his foundation was not yet stable. The most important thing at the moment was to consolidate his power. The influence of the aristocratic families was profound, and it should be addressed later.
Liu Yan went to see the Empress Dowager to make her reveal the identity of another person. However, the Empress Dowager was unable to speak, so Liu Yan wanted her to write it down. Suddenly, the Empress Dowager bit Liu Yan's hand. Liu Yan didn't understand the Empress Dowager's intention, but Mu Zhuo Hua, who was observing, believed that the Empress Dowager was pointing out another culprit. She had noticed a bite mark on Rou Jia Gong Zhu's hand before.
Liu Yan believed that Xue Xiao Tang had strong feelings for Rou Jia Gong Zhu and might have helped her once, but he refused to disclose who it was. Liu Yan's men investigated and reported that the Grand Supervisor had a deep relationship with a Gong Nv named Xing Er, who happened to be Rou Jia Gong Zhu's birth mother.
Liu Yan finally understood how Rou Jia Gong Zhu had manipulated the imperial will. Zhi Jian overheard the conversation and attempted to assassinate Rou Jia Gong Zhu but was surrounded. Zhi Mo arrived and rescued him but got injured in the process. Mu Zhuo Hua treated Zhi Mo's wounds and asked Guo Ju Li to watch over him.
Zhi Jian remained kneeling outside and refused to get up. Mu Zhuo Hua understood his intentions but pointed out that sacrificing her own life wouldn't change anything and would only leave Zhi Mo without any family.
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