The memorial presented was three fingers thick, and before Si Fengwu had even begun to read, his expression had darkened.
"This king and his consort will look at this later. Let's first discuss the recent court movements. What issues might the ministers raise at tomorrow's court session? This king wishes to prepare in advance."
This statement conveyed a clear attitude to Duke Nan and the others. He would handle the matter of the impoverished officials, but for now, he was more concerned with the court's dynamics.
Duke Nan shifted the topic. "Currently, the court's primary concern is the enthronement. Your Highness previously instructed the Ministry of Rites and the Court of State Ceremonial to invite representatives from Great Qin, Southern Qi, and the Turks. We have conquered Northern Wei, which has thwarted the Turks' plans. The ministers worry that the Turks might cause trouble during the enthronement ceremony, hence their reluctance to invite them. Secondly, there is the matter of officials from former Northern Wei, Western Liang, and Yunqiang entering the court. Western Liang is manageable, but the people of Northern Wei and Yunqiang look different from us. The prevailing sentiment is that 'those not of our kind will surely have different intentions'..."
Since their goal was to help Si Fengwu and Lu Qingwan quickly grasp the court's pulse, Duke Nan glossed over these matters. When it was the turn of Elder Wen and Elder Chi, they also refrained from discussing trivialities, stating concisely, "Prime Minister Nan has said all that needs to be said. This old man will only add one point. The appointments and dismissals of officials by Your Highness and the Princess Consort are based on the willingness of various regions to be governed and arranged by the court. Have the two considered that the new dynasty's foundation is unstable, and many regions, not just the former officials but also the common people, are still unwilling to accept the new dynasty's rule?"
Si Fengwu couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at these words. "Elder Wen never speaks without reason. If you say this so suddenly, have you heard any rumors?"
Elder Wen smiled enigmatically and looked to Elder Chi beside him. Elder Chi spoke calmly, "It is not just this old man. If Your Highness and the Princess Consort remain in the new capital for a while longer, you two will likely hear these rumors as well."
Elder Chi continued with gravity, "There are rumors circulating that Your Highness conquering parts of the Three Eastern Kingdoms and one region is ostensibly to establish a new dynasty, but in reality, it is to create a massive slave market for Great Qin. In the future, all citizens of the new dynasty will be classified as lowly, becoming serfs, and will fight for Great Qin against Southern Qi and the Turks, performing the menial tasks that the people of Great Qin are unwilling to do. The lives of the people of Great Qin will be supported by the flesh and blood of all the citizens of the Three Eastern Kingdoms and one region..."
Elder Chi's words were exceptionally grave, and Elder Wen also appeared deeply worried. Si Fengwu's expression dimmed upon hearing this. "If these were mere common rumors, they would likely not warrant such grave concern from you two elders. Is there anything peculiar about these rumors?" Common rumors might affect the reputation and careers of court ministers, but they would not alter the ministers' decisions. Rumors that could cause Elder Wen and Elder Chi to bring them to Si Fengwu's attention were naturally not ordinary rumors.
Upon hearing this, both men turned their gaze towards Prince Consort Shao, who had entered with them and had remained quietly like a backdrop. Si Fengwu and Lu Qingwan exchanged a glance. "Is this rumor related to what Prince Consort Shao mentioned to this king in his memorial previously?" Prince Consort Shao held the position of Governor-General of the Northwest, overseeing all governmental affairs in that region. However, just half a month ago, he had personally submitted a letter requesting to return to the capital to discuss an important matter with Si Fengwu in person, a matter that could not be directly stated in a memorial. Si Fengwu and Lu Qingwan both trusted Prince Consort Shao's character and believed he harbored no improper intentions towards the new dynasty, so after deliberation, they had agreed. Prince Consort Shao had also timed his arrival perfectly, reaching the new capital just one day before them. With Elder Wen and Elder Chi now collectively presenting him, Si Fengwu and Lu Qingwan became somewhat anxious. They couldn't fathom what matter would warrant Prince Consort Shao personally traveling from the Northwest and insisting on discussing it with them face-to-face.
Prince Consort Shao was direct. "The circulating rumors are indeed not worth the elders' concern. However, Your Highness, what if this rumor is not groundless?" This abrupt statement left Si Fengwu and Lu Qingwan bewildered, and their hearts involuntarily became heavy. The fact that Prince Consort Shao, Prime Minister Nan, Elder Wen, and Elder Chi were all involved indicated that this matter was far from trivial.
Seeing their serious expressions and their readiness to listen attentively, Prince Consort Shao delivered a shocking statement. "The rumors say that Your Highness is establishing a new dynasty to turn parts of the Three Eastern Kingdoms into a slave market for Great Qin. I do not know if someone is deliberately creating signs to match this rumor, or if this phenomenon occurred first, leading to the rumor that the new dynasty would become Great Qin's slave market. Regardless, since Your Highness first captured the border cities of Great Gan, a large number of young men and young women have disappeared from the Three Eastern Kingdoms and one region. Furthermore, at regular intervals, they reappear in Great Qin's mines, brothels, and even courtesan houses. Your Highness, as of today, the rumor is no longer a rumor, but a statement of fact."
Si Fengwu and Lu Qingwan were both shaken. Neither had expected such a large-scale population loss to occur before the formal establishment of the new dynasty. Lu Qingwan exclaimed in shock, "Since you all have noticed this matter, it must be quite substantial by now. How did you all become aware of it?"
Prince Consort Shao said solemnly, "The Northwest campaign ended the earliest, and the post-war reconstruction work also began the soonest. This official was ordered by Your Highness to oversee the reconstruction efforts in the Northwest, tasking the Northern Army with building bridges and roads, rebuilding streets, and managing the population. However, soon the officials below discovered discrepancies between the war casualties and household registration records. Some people were alive and well when the war ended, but then disappeared after the war concluded. We initially thought it was a mistake in the casualty records, or that they had wandered off, but upon closer inspection, the number of people with issues kept increasing. This official personally investigated, but before we could ascertain the exact number of missing people, the chief clerk who first reported the matter suddenly drowned..."
From Prince Consort Shao's words, it was clear that this large-scale disappearance was far from simple. After Prince Consort Shao finished speaking, Elder Wen picked up the conversation. "Yesterday, after hearing of this matter from Prince Consort Shao, this old man immediately used the strategist's golden eagle to send a message to my son, confirming that similar incidents are occurring in the Southern territories." Prime Minister Nan and Elder Chi also concurred. After hearing from everyone, it seemed that almost no place within the Three Eastern Kingdoms and one region was untouched.
Lu Qingwan was greatly shocked. "Such heinous acts have developed to this point, and we were completely unaware. This must mean someone has deliberately severed our intelligence channels!" Si Fengwu and Lu Qingwan had access to countless intelligence resources. If someone had deliberately prevented this news from reaching their ears, even if they weren't actively investigating, rumors would have at least reached them through word of mouth.
Si Fengwu remained silent, then turned to Li Qing. As the person in charge of intelligence by Si Fengwu's side, he was undeniably responsible for missing such critical information.