Many years later, perhaps the history books will praise the merits of Emperor Shunde of the Great Chu, praise his various policies during his reign, completely push the country to the top, and create a "prosperous era of Shunde" that countless people in later generations admire and yearn for.

However, at this time, Yuan Ke didn't feel that what he had done was a big deal. He's just trying to do the best he can in his job as emperor.

Yes, the emperor is a profession.

This is the truth that Zhou Yingyue made him understand.

As long as he does not regard this country as his own private property, does whatever he wants unscrupulously, and can have a little awe in his heart, then this emperor will definitely not do too badly. After all, what the emperor needs is not the ability to govern the world, not the latitude and earth, he only needs to know and employ people. There are so many ministers on the side, and it is not impossible to rule by hanging the arch.

The first time Yuan Ke saw Zhou Yingyue, it actually went back to a long, long time ago.

At that time, he was just an unappreciated prince. Brocade clothes and jade food are naturally indispensable, and they will not be bullied, but the negligence and neglect of the palace people are obvious. With brothers and sisters to compare, Yuan Ke knew since he was a child that there were many things he couldn't get.

So he was honest and waited for him. In this way, it can be regarded as An Ansheng's growth.

It wasn't until he got in touch with Fuwangfu that he had to take care of it there, and Yuan Ke's life in the palace was a little better. The first time I met Zhou Yingyue, it was at this time. In a palace banquet, Zhou Yingyue was the focus from beginning to end, and even the queen mother and queen were affectionate to her.

At that time, Yuan Ke didn't like her. Because Zhou Yingyue is too public, it is actually completely different from his way of life. In his heart, Yuan Ke was faintly envious and a little disgusted.

He thought that Zhou Yingyue was the daughter of a certain important minister's family, so he would be so honored. -- Even the Queen Mother and Empress need to make some gestures occasionally.

But he later learned that it wasn't like that at all.

At that time, Zhou Yingyue's father was just a waiter in the Hanlin Academy, although Hanlin was noble, but this official rank was too low. It stands to reason that Zhou Yingyue shouldn't even be qualified to participate in such a banquet. But not only did she come, but her appearance was so brilliant that even those noble ladies of the family were suppressed.

Although he was still young at the time, the impact of this incident on Yuan Ke was particularly far-reaching.

It was also from Zhou Yingyue that he learned a truth: there is nothing in this world that should be, it depends on whether you can fight for yourself.

Some people's lives are given by God, and some people earn their own lives.

Since then, some thoughts have been like seeds, buried deep in his heart, taking root, waiting for the day when they will blossom and bear fruit.

And his gaze will always stay on the person who has a profound impact on him, intentionally or unintentionally. Zhou Yingyue is a celebrity in the capital, even in the palace, there will be news about her from time to time. Of course, no one around Yuan Ke would gossip with him, but it was inevitable that he would still hear a sentence or two.

There are always some people in this world who seem to be born with an aura, which is enviable. Yuan Ke's thoughts about this girl changed from envy and jealousy at the beginning to gradually brewing and fermenting in the end, and turned into an indescribable admiration.

At that time, Yuan Ke didn't understand such a mood, but every time he heard the news about her, he couldn't help but feel his heart skip a beat.

Then he pricked up his ears and listened. Although I knew that those things had nothing to do with me, and it was useless to listen to them, I still couldn't help but pay attention.

It's like using your heart to learn something from that distant story.

really became familiar with Zhou Yingyue, but after going to Haizhou.

Because the customs matter was set up by Yuan Zifang and Zhou Yingyue, when he first arrived here, Yuan Ke didn't do anything, just stood quietly and observed. Anyway, this is the original purpose of letting him come here: to have such a person in charge, to remind some people that this is still the territory of the imperial court after all, and they can't do whatever they want, just do it.

After all, he's just an ornament.

A little bit of observation, simulation, and derivation, gradually sorted out the things here, and then Yuan Ke used his means little by little to bring control into his own hands.

It wasn't until he was in control that Yuan Ke appeared in front of Zhou Yingyue.

This is the first time he has carefully looked at Zhou Yingyue, although he has been paying attention to it all these years, but the two have never met once, and it is impossible to get along alone, at most at the banquet, just look at it from a distance.

Of course, Zhou Yingyue was born good-looking, but what made Yuan Ke lose her mind was the kind of high-spirited and self-confidence in her body. He was ashamed of himself.

And the first thing Zhou Yingyue said to him was, "Your Highness is acting too carefully." ”

"Oh?" Yuan Ke was a little puzzled and a little unconvinced.

He thinks that he has done a good job, and there is no way to do it better, but in Zhou Yingyue's eyes, he is "too careful"?

Zhou Yingyue smiled, "I thought that when you arrived in Haizhou, you would immediately find me to understand the situation." But now it seems that it is not needed. ”

She actually saw his plan clearly. Of course, by this time, many people must have seen it. But what makes Zhou Yingyue different from others is that she knows that Yuan Ke is not here to do decorations, and she also knows that sooner or later he will have to take control of Yiqiē.

But the timing of what she did was obviously not the same as what Yuan Ke was doing.

Yuan Ke said with a bit of strong argument, "I'm just afraid that I'll trouble you." I'm going to have to deal with it myself anyway. ”

Zhou Yingyue was surprised, "You are the prince, what is there to worry about?" Isn't it natural to let someone else do things for you? ”

At that time, Yuan Ke only felt a slight embarrassment. Because of his efforts, he was vetoed by Zhou Yingyue. However, in the long contact that followed, he had to admit that Zhou Yingyue was really just surprised at that time.

I was surprised that he didn't use someone else, but still needed to use such a means. - Although Zhou Yingyue never said it, Yuan Ke himself gradually saw it clearly.

In Zhou Yingyue's opinion, as a prince, he doesn't need to be so cautious at all, and he can take it for granted.

From then on, he began to reflect on himself, and when he encountered a situation, he would always think "how should I do it" instead of "what do I want to do". He was born as a prince, although Yuan Ke himself has never been proud of this identity, and even faintly disliked it in his heart. But this is indeed a very useful identity, this advantage is innate, and others can't envy it. He can not care about himself, but he can't let others not care.

The one who climbs from the bottom needs the same caution he used to have, but the "Three Princes" don't need it.

That's where he got it wrong.

In front of Zhou Yingyue, Yuan Ke is always easy to feel ashamed. This was true since she was a child, and now it seems that she is still ahead of the curve when she grows up. But Yuan Ke was not hit, but was aroused to be competitive.

In the year he was in Haizhou, his contacts with Zhou Yingyue increased sharply, and he slowly understood his mood. However, this kind of thought had just emerged, and it was scattered by Yuan Ke himself.

She's already engaged.

He didn't come too late, but he wasted too much time, so the last person standing by her side was not herself.

Jealous? Hate? Yuan Ke couldn't say clearly, but he knew that maybe there were too many people and things in this world that he could change, but Zhou Yingyue was definitely not included. On the day he sent her away, seeing the expectant smile on Zhou Yingyue's face, he knew that he had lost from the beginning.

Zhou Yingyue was right, he was too careful in the past, but in fact, he seemed to be a child, and it was difficult to achieve big things. After all, he is different from others, and it is safe to take steps forward, but it is inevitable that he will lose his atmosphere.

This feeling, until Yuan Ke ascended the throne, did not dissipate, but became more and more obvious.

As an emperor, if he is blindly cautious, always letting himself go around in the little pattern in front of him, and has no long-term goals and ambitions, then his life will be no different from that of his father. In the end, he fell into the whirlpool of balancing the court and fighting for control with important ministers, unable to extricate himself.

He made the mistake of thinking of himself as a person at the bottom, but he wasn't. After returning from Haizhou, the forces that came over one after another are proof of this.

So Yuan Ke worked hard to adjust himself and make himself more like an emperor.

This is actually very difficult for him. Because no one thought he would sit in this position since he was a child, he never learned anything about it. Fortunately, it's not too late to start now.

So in the confrontation with Yuan Ziqing, Yuan Ke finally took a step back. He must admit that at that time, he was not Yuan Ziqing's opponent, and if he continued, it would only be a lose-lose ending, and he might not be able to gain the upper hand.

So push him out and use that time to study on your own. Listen to the scriptures and feasts, learn from history, and at the same time, absorb the part that is useful to you from Yuan Ziqing's actions.

After a few years, Yuan Ke finally felt that he had almost controlled it, and he would no longer be hindered by Yuan Ziqing.

There was a secret joy of victory in his heart. Because he finally defeated Yuan Ziqing somewhere. However, just when he was complacent, Yuan Ziqing suddenly wanted to leave.

The qiē he values is still not cared about by Yuan Ziqing.

This qiē made Yuan Ke angry. If it weren't for Zhou Yingyue's timely appearance, he might have used this anger to send out all the depression he had been suffering for many years.

Zhou Yingyue just told him a story. The protagonist in the story takes advantage of the weaknesses of others, wantonly sways others, and plays with a qiē between applause. After Fu Yixiao, Yuan Ke felt more and more that the protagonist in that story was so similar to the emperor?

He asked Zhou Yingyue, "Even if you have the ability to control a qiē, why can't you?" ”

"Because there's a limit to all control." Zhou Yingyue shook her head, "Playing with people's hearts is like a suspension bridge on a cliff, every step is thrilling." If you are not careful, you will fall to pieces. ”

No one is stupid, so how do you know that the person you are playing with is not playing with you?

Yuan Ke's eyes flashed, "You're here to be a lobbyist?" ”

"Definitely." Zhou Yingyue said, "I know that Your Majesty is broad-minded and can be the king of the world, so I came to offer advice." ”

"What's the best idea?"

"But let it be."

"What's the explanation?"

"If you treat this world as a shop, your majesty is the owner, if you quit your job and don't do it, can you still not allow it?" Zhou Yingyue said, "What the owner can do is either to pay a lot of money and leave people behind." Or let him go. Why tear your face? ”

"Just let him go, what if he goes to another store, or opens his own store?"

"Other proprietors may not be as generous as His Majesty, and they don't have enough capital to open their own stores. When he hits a wall, he will naturally know the benefits of His Majesty. What do you think? ”

Yuan Ke was silent. He wanted to say that he was different from the shopkeeper after all, he was the emperor of life and death, and as long as he didn't allow it, no one could leave. But in my heart, I felt that there seemed to be something wrong.

Zhou Yingyue saw that he didn't speak, and said, "As the proprietor, the shop is his own, so naturally he can do whatever he wants." The guy quit if he didn't like it, and he changed careers when he was not interested in selling things, and he gave it away for nothing when he saw the customer's fate, and if he didn't like it, he charged a high price...... These are the freedoms of the Majesty, but the Majesty thought, how long can this store be open? ”

No matter how much Yuan Ke doesn't know how to do general affairs, he knows that this store is not far from closing down.

He was silent for a moment and said, "Naturally, I want to run the shop properly. He ascended to this position step by step, not to be a faint monarch and be scolded by future generations. He wants to prove that he is no worse than anyone else, that he can fight for his life.

"Your Majesty, if you have a decision, then you don't need to say more about the courtiers." Zhou Yingyue said immediately.

The four words of advance and retreat, she mastered it perfectly. Even if he said such a thing, it would not make Yuan Ke feel annoyed. Yuan Ke looked at her and couldn't help but lose his mind. If only we had met earlier......

He shook his head, and what Zhou Yingyue said came to mind: Let it be.

There is no other way.

Zhou Yingyue's words brought a new direction for Yuan Ke to think. Whenever he felt that he was hesitating, he would inevitably change to this line of thought: to run his own shop well, even if he doesn't like it, as long as he has the ability, he should reuse it, and if he has other thoughts, he doesn't have to force him to stay. There are some goods that you don't like, but you can make a lot of profits, and you can't object to them. Some of them seem to be fancy, but no one buys them at all, so they have to give up ......

Changing his mind, he found that a qiē seemed to be easily solved.

As an emperor, it is inevitable that his self-confidence will swell, thinking that since he is the co-master of the world, then whatever he does should be right, and it is difficult to control the so-called degree. But as long as you change the world to your own store, there will naturally be constraints in your heart.

With constraints, there is awe, in this way, do business without worrying about losses, and being an emperor will naturally not harm the interests of the country.

The emperor is only a special profession, and there is no unbridled power.

Perhaps later historians tried all their best, and it was impossible to find that the fundamental reason why Emperor Shunde was wise and martial in his life, rarely made mistakes, and even if he made mistakes, he could quickly reverse it back.