"It is decreed: From today onwards, commercial taxes on tea, mulberry, hemp and flax in all provinces will be increased by 10%!"

  Eunuch Zhao Jichang read out the imperial edict in his hand, while Ma Xi, who was sitting on the dragon chair beside him, had a gloomy expression and looked impatient.

  What Zhao Jichang read out was like a drop of water in a hot oil pan, causing a burst of comments and discussions. Instantly, the originally solemn and dignified imperial court was thrown into an uproar, like a marketplace.

  Zhao Jichang looked at the chaotic scene, pouted and glanced at Ma Xi, he had already reminded Da Wang to control the situation, but surprisingly, Da Wang just stood there watching everyone whispering to each other without reacting.

  "Is there any objection?" Zhao Jichang asked loudly after clearing his throat.

  In an instant, the commotion subsided and several ministers immediately stood up one after another to voice their opposition.

  "Your Majesty! The previous king had established a tax law, only collecting tea taxes and not commercial taxes, which has been in place for thirty years now. Now that the previous king's funeral is still less than a year ago, changing the tax law may not be advisable!"

  "Yes, Your Majesty! The tax law is to comfort the people and strengthen the country. If you change the tax law and add taxes on mulberry and hemp, I fear it will arouse the resentment of the people! Please, Your Majesty, think thrice!"

  "I concur."

  "I concur."

  Ma Xi's face turned a few shades darker, he swept a glance at the right prime minister Xu Dehuan, and Xu Dehuan immediately understood and stepped out.

  "A few adults need not panic, the tax law is indeed the foundation of governing the country, but the world of the former kings and the current king are different, if it remains unchanged, how can we fill the national treasury and strengthen the military defense?"

  "But..."

  Xu De Xun raised his hand to stop the other from speaking, saying: "You only see the people's grievances boiling over, but you ignore the tigers and wolves lurking around our country? The Jingnan Gao clan has strong troops standing by, Wu Yue has ambitious soldiers surrounding us, and Min Fu is quietly watching with a tiger's gaze. If we don't strengthen our military again, the country will be lost, where will the people go?"

  Several ministers were speechless, and Ma Xi's voice was loud: "Well said! If the country is gone, where are the people? This edict has been decided, no need to discuss it again! I must be a strong military king!"

  The great king had made up his mind and nailed it down, the ministers could only quietly retreat. The right prime minister then stepped forward again and bowed: "Your Majesty, I have a proposal!"

  "Speak!" Ma Xi's body straightened up, with an air of expectation that was completely different from his previous gloominess.

  "Your Majesty, it has been over a month since General Wang disappeared, and the troops from three states have searched for him but to no avail. Although Your Majesty insists on searching for him, the position of Military Governor of Southern Prefecture cannot be left vacant. Please make a decision soon..."

  "What does 'right minister' mean..."

  "It would be better for Your Majesty to announce to the world that Gao Jie has gone missing, and appoint another person as the Military Governor of the Southern Pacification Circuit, so as to ensure that state affairs are worry-free..."

  The king and his minister were getting into the swing of things, one singing and the other harmonizing, when suddenly Situ Li Duong burst out excitedly and loudly blocked them: "No! Your Majesty must not announce that Wang Zuo has gone missing without a trace, nor can you entrust the position of Town South Jiedushi to someone else!"

  Ma Xi Sheng looked at Li Dang and frowned discontentedly: "Why can't it be?"

  "Your Majesty, you and King Qi have always been close. After the previous king's passing, you took charge of the government, with King Qi assisting you. This was the previous king's will! If King Qi were to disappear for just a month, you would declare him incompetent and transfer the governance of Zhen Nan to someone else. I fear that the people would criticize Your Majesty for being unforgiving towards your brother, losing both benevolence and virtue!"

  These few words brought up the late king's will and the reputation of the current king, leaving Ma Xi speechless - could he say that he didn't want a good reputation, or was he hoping for the king's death?

  Although everyone knows what's on Sima Zhao's mind, he would never say it out loud and would rather die than admit it.

  "How dare you! The king's ancestral temple comes first, who dares to object?" The king couldn't retort, but Xu Dehuan could.

  Li Duo was indeed not in vain.

  "Your Majesty! The words and actions of the great king are a model for the world, a standard for officials and commoners. If Your Majesty follows your words, there will be endless discussions among the people, and I fear that stopping the mouths of the people is more difficult than stopping a river..."

  Xu De Xun had just wanted to speak, but Li Dang didn't give him the chance, hastily saying: "If the people mistakenly think that the king doesn't care about fraternal affection and speaks ill of the king's reputation, can you bear the consequences?"

  These words are so venomous, which of the king's subjects can bear the damage to his reputation?

  Moreover, Li Dang stepped forward and directly gave a stern warning: "Your Majesty's reputation has been tarnished, my fellow officials and I would rather die than make up for it!" After finishing speaking, he turned around and knelt down in front of Ma Xi Sheng: "Your Majesty! Please reconsider!"

  Everything was said by Li Dang and shut down, what else could Xu Dehui say? He could only close his mouth in frustration.

  The horse in the throne looked at Li Dang and felt like a fish bone stuck in his throat, finally slapping the armrest: "The words of the right prime minister, no!"

  Ma Xi's voice was furious, and the result of his fury was that he didn't even want to stay for a second, so he got up and walked towards the back hall, leaving behind a group of officials who were shocked and speechless.

  "The morning court has been adjourned. Withdraw!" Zhao Jichang hastily shouted and immediately chased after him, while General Cheng among the officials had a bitter expression on his face.

  He still has something important to report!

  Ma Xi Sheng was furious, the play he and Rui Xiang had carefully prepared was ruined by Si Tu. He didn't want to stay here for another minute, he wanted to go to the Imperial Garden to calm down his mood. But as soon as he stepped into the corridor, he saw a palace maid kneeling slowly with an incense burner in her arms. Suddenly, he kicked her away in annoyance.

  This kick, both fierce and savage, landed squarely on the palace maid's chest, causing her so much pain that she couldn't help but let out a loud cry. Ma Xi Sheng instantly flew into a rage, kicking and cursing at the same time:

  "What's all this? Don't you dare kick me? I am the great king, your master! What I want is what I get, when did it become any of your business to interfere?"

  He vented all his anger on the innocent palace maid, and Zhao Jichang, who was following behind him, did not say a word until the maid was kicked unconscious, then he stepped forward and pulled Ma Shiying: "Your Majesty, calm down! It's not worth hurting your body with anger!"

  Ma Xi angrily withdrew his foot, Zhao Jichang waved his hand, and the guards on the side hurriedly came forward to carry the palace maid away.

  "These scoundrels have never let me have a good day! No, I must go find...go find...go make her think of a way for me."

  Ma Xi suddenly changed direction and rushed towards the Hou Gong De Fei Temple, Zhao Jichang's eyebrows slightly furrowed, and then silently followed behind.

  Ma Shi's arrival was ill-timed, as Yuan De Fei was in the middle of worshiping Buddha and burning incense.

  Ma Xi couldn't help but feel uninterested in the Buddha, and it wasn't good to disturb his mother's meticulous nature, so he could only impatiently look around at the entrance of the Buddhist hall.

  A cup of tea's work was done, and with Dan Qing's support, Yuan De Fei finally returned to the main hall.

  "The great king is busy with state affairs from dawn till dusk, how can he have time to visit me today?"

  "Empress Dowager, don't say such things! I am truly displeased now!"

  Ma Xi Sheng said as he casually picked a seat next to him and sat down.

  Yuan De Fei glanced at him, waved her hand, and Dan Qing ushered the people in the Buddhist hall out. Eunuch Zhao Ji Chang also retreated from the hall, but he didn't close the door behind him, instead standing by the doorway.

  "Speak! Why is this matter not pleasant?" Yuan De Fei sat down beside Ma Xi Sheng.

  "It's still just Chi Wang!" Ma Xi said with a resentful tone, like a child who had his toy snatched away.

  Yuan De Fei was taken aback for a moment, then laughed: "What's the big deal? He's already missing, what can he do to bother you?"