Sun Mo, Meng Yuan, Wang Zhe, and Xie An, the four ministers, kept signaling to Qian Jieren.
Qian Jieren cursed inwardly, but since his Ministry of Revenue was the biggest beneficiary of the reform, he had no choice but to cautiously remind him, "Prime Minister, your ideas are good, but separating family members like this, I'm afraid..."
Although his words were not fully spoken, Chu Chen was a smart person and naturally knew what the word "afraid" implied.
Chu Chen smiled slightly, "It's alright. If those aristocratic families want to do something, they'll have to have the time."
Qian Jieren and the others were stunned. Aristocratic families would be busy? The most idle and leisurely were those people, how could they not have time to trouble the Prime Minister?
"Everyone, have you heard of the 'Tui En Ling' (Policy of Extending Grace)? Do I need to introduce it to you?"
Chu Chen said with a look of earnest recommendation, a mysterious confidence in his smile.
"Tui En Ling?"
Qian Jieren and the others exchanged glances, truly not knowing what it was.
"Tui En Ling, as the name suggests, is grace extended from top to bottom!"
Chu Chen's lips curled slightly and he asked, "May I ask, from ancient times to the present, in the Yunyue Kingdom, or even the entire Qingzhou Continent, whether it be aristocratic families, powerful officials, or local gentry, if a family has many assets, is it not always the eldest son who inherits more than ninety percent, with the remaining children sharing the remaining ten percent of the family property?"
"Reporting to the Prime Minister, it is indeed so, but what does this have to do with Tui En Ling?" Qian Jieren asked, confused.
"It does, and it has a great deal to do with it! Because Tui En Ling is the court granting inheritance rights to sons other than the eldest son by law, allowing and supporting them to compete with the eldest son for family property, and permitting them to share the parents' property equally with the eldest son! What do you say, does it have anything to do with it?"
"This... this."
Qian Jieren and the others were dumbfounded.
If the previous policy of household division had merely posed a great threat to the aristocratic families and powerful officials, then this Tui En Ling was digging at the very roots of these families.
The household division policy stripped away the forces of collateral branches and distant relatives from the main family, weakening the power that aristocratic families could unite. This Tui En Ling was even more ruthless, directly causing chaos within the aristocratic families, making them fight amongst themselves over family property.
With these two strategies weakening them layer by layer, could aristocratic families still wield the same immense power as before? Could their families continue for a thousand years? It was likely difficult. Even if someone talented emerged from within the family to gain temporary power, under these two policies, they would no longer be able to achieve the feat of a thousand-year-old aristocratic lineage.
Understanding this, Qian Jieren and the other four looked at Chu Chen with complex expressions, unsure whether they should continue to serve in the court. They themselves were from aristocratic families.
"Everyone, the world has changed. As long as I am here, these aristocratic families and powerful officials will ultimately not be able to contend with me. I also know that you five come from aristocratic families and understand your difficulties, but the choice is in your own hands."
Chu Chen paused, then looked at the five of them with six parts confidence, three parts warning, and one part deep meaning, continuing, "Aristocratic families and powerful officials will become a thing of the past with the changing times. After this, throughout the land, everyone will have a unified mind towards the nation and stand together against external enemies. I hope you will broaden your horizons, not be confined to a single family, clan, province, or country as before, but boldly look towards neighboring countries and the entire continent!"
"Hiss~"
Before Qian Jieren and the others could recover from their previous shock, they were once again stunned by Chu Chen's words.
Does the Prime Minister ambitiously want to assist His Majesty in conquering the surrounding countries? To unify the entire Qingzhou Continent? But could this be achieved? Or would he truly be willing to assist His Majesty? Did His Majesty also harbor such ambitions? What path should their families take in the future?
A series of self-questioning filled their minds, leaving no room for other thoughts. They were all in a daze, out of sorts.
Seeing their state, Chu Chen knew that official business would likely not be accomplished today, so he said, "I am granting you all a day off today. Go back and think carefully."
With that, he got up and left, leaving Qian Jieren and the other four sitting in their places, at a loss.
In the Imperial City, at the Qingming Palace.
Princess Xinyue, who was cultivating in the training room, suddenly received news from a female official and was overjoyed. She got up, returned to her room, tidied herself up, and happily left the palace.
In Shuangyue City, having shed their official robes and noble attire, Chu Chen and Xinyue, dressed in exquisite brocade robes, walked through the streets.
"Chu Chen, why is the court taking a holiday today?"
"Except for the Ministry of Rites, my colleagues in the other five ministries are in poor spirits and don't seem to have the inclination to handle state affairs, so it's a holiday."
"I see."
Xinyue nodded. She didn't care about this and had merely asked casually.
At this moment, Li Xinyue was wearing men's clothing, but she had not excessively masculinized her appearance. The prominent chest muscles made it obvious at a glance that she was a woman disguised as a man.
Linking her arm with Chu Chen's, a smile on her face as she looked at the passersby, Li Xinyue said, "It seems the hand warmers you invented are quite useful. Everyone walking by has a hand warmer tucked in their sleeves for warmth, their faces look rosy, no longer as red and frost-bitten as they used to be from the cold wind."
"Naturally. Don't you look at who I am? I am the greatest inventor of this century in the Yunyue Kingdom!"
Chu Chen said with a proud smile.
"Smug!"
Although she didn't know what "this century" meant, Li Xinyue knew he was being smug and playfully scolded him, then pulled Chu Chen's arm and walked forward.
"Let's go, let's go! It's rare for you to have free time to accompany me shopping. Today, no matter what, I must eat my way through this entire street!"
"Uh~ are you a pig? You can eat so much?"
"I am a martial cultivator now, what's a little eating?"
Bickering, the two arrived at a small stall. They saw the stall owner intently pouring oil onto a hot plate, making a sizzling sound, and then a fragrant aroma wafted out.
Next, the stall owner poured thinly sliced meat onto the sizzling hot lard, constantly flipping it with chopsticks, cooking it until it gave off a meaty aroma.
Finally, he carefully sprinkled some salt powder, then brushed on mustard with a brush, and finally picked it up and placed it in a prepared wooden bowl.
Only then did the stall owner notice Chu Chen and Li Xinyue.
"Oh, two esteemed guests, would you like some meat slices?"
"Yes! Two bowls!" Li Xinyue swallowed and shouted.
"Alright~ Here you go, that'll be ten copper coins."
Li Xinyue was about to take it, but then remembered she hadn't brought any money! She looked at Chu Chen awkwardly.
Chu Chen smiled and patted his pocket.
While the stall owner and Li Xinyue were bewildered, a servant walked out from the crowd and paid for them.
"Good thing you brought money."
Li Xinyue sighed with emotion, took the meat slices, handed a bowl to Chu Chen, and eagerly tasted her own bowl.