Since Zhuo Ruhe became the prime minister, he had never been summoned by the emperor alone in Lingyun Pavilion, so when he got the news, he was very surprised, and when he walked into Lingyun Pavilion, he felt a lot of emotion in his heart, feeling that he should be the most difficult prime minister in the history of Great Chu. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info

The emperor got up to greet him, and the two eunuchs brought a chair instead of the usual one, and Zhuo Ruhe sat down after saluting, secretly vigilant.

"Can the officials of the DPRK and China still do their best?"

"Everything is normal, the people from all the yamen are all together, and some things were delayed a few days ago, but they can finally make up for it."

"The abolition of private slavery has the Prime Minister Lao."

Zhuo Ruhe got up, "The minister doesn't dare to shirk, the minister will do his best, but there are more difficulties, and now it is an eventful time, and the minister's physical condition is not very good, please make more preparations for your majesty, just in case." ”

Han Ruzi smiled and motioned for Zhuo Ruhe to sit down, "Zhuo Xiangke still remembers the first time you and I met?" ”

"The minister will never forget it."

"At that time, Zhuo Xiang said a sentence, 'The government seems to have food but it seems to have no food', and I will never forget it."

Zhuo Ruhe was both moved and ashamed, and there was a trace of confusion, not understanding what the emperor's intention was when he mentioned this sentence, was it sarcastic that he "seemed to be sick and didn't seem to be sick"?

Han Ruzi didn't think so much, and continued: "At that time, I thought that officials everywhere did not think about the people's livelihood, they were all corrupt officials, evil officials, and I was too young. ”

Zhuo Ruhe replied: "Your Majesty doesn't have to be too harsh on yourself, there are corrupt officials and evil officials, and they have nothing to do with Your Majesty." ”

Han Ruzi did not continue to "reflect" and asked, "How is the reclamation going?" Is there still a shortage of manpower? ”

Reclamation is the core of Zhuo Ruhe's administration, he immediately replied: "Last year's bumper harvest was of great help to the reclamation, and manpower is still in short supply, but there is no need to rush this kind of thing, if there are too many reclamation people, the government will not be able to provide enough farming tools, and there are many people at this time, and there will be fewer people in the future, and the extra farming tools will be wasted." ”

Han Ruzi nodded, leaned forward slightly, and asked very seriously: "In Zhuo Xiang's opinion, what is the duty of the prime minister?" ”

Zhuo Ruhe understood that this was the focus of today's conversation, and stood up and saluted, "The minister thinks that the prime minister is the assistant of His Majesty, and in government affairs, he does not seek refinement, but perfection, and does not seek merit, but stability." ”

"What is the Emperor's duty?"

This question is even more difficult to answer, Zhuo Ruhe raised his spirits and replied carefully: "The emperor sits on the world, rules by hanging the arch, and his primary responsibility is to select and use officials. ”

"What Zhuo Xiang said is the Son of Peace, what if it is a troubled time? The emperor also wants to rule with a bow? ”

"If in troubled times, the Son of Heaven and the Prime Minister are one to quell the chaos and the other to defend it, and those who pacify the chaos will fight in all directions, and those who defend it will need all the things they need to seek stability and provide all the things they need to apply to quell the rebellion."

"Zhuo Xiang thinks you and me, who should calm the chaos? Who should keep it? ”

Zhuo Ruhe saluted again, "I think this is not a troubled time. ”

"There are strong enemies in the west, and there are Xiongnu in the north, so Zhuo Xiang thinks this is not a troubled time?"

"The strong enemies of the West are far apart, and it is a country of sudden prosperity, where the edge goes, there is no difference for a while, and over time, its defeat is also fast, and the Great Chu can be ready for battle, so there is no need to worry too much. As for the Xiongnu, it was not a day or two for the disaster, even before Emperor Wu, the Xiongnu did not let the Great Chu become a troubled time, and now its internal division, although the Great Chu is slightly weaker, is not afraid of it. ”

Han Ruzi nodded, this is the opinion of most ministers, so they are not in a hurry, and even take the time to make a sabotage, in their eyes, the current crisis is very ordinary, and it can be dealt with normally, the emperor has never seen the world, so he will be so serious.

"I hope everything is as Zhuo Xiang said." Han Ruzi once looked forward to war, but now he has changed his mind, war is only what he wants, the minister does not support it, and most importantly, the people do not support it, most people would rather live a peaceful and hard life than abandon their wives and children to go to the frontier to make meritorious contributions.

"Quelling chaos is a temporary effort, keeping success is the cause of eternity, I am greedy for a moment's work, not good at keeping it, although it is not a troubled time now, I am also a little powerless, and the heavy responsibility of keeping it can only be handed over to the prime minister."

Zhuo Ruhe was ready to have a fight with the emperor, and even offended him a little, and then took the opportunity to resign, never expected that the emperor would actually push the boat down the river, and he wanted to let himself take the responsibility of success, which was both unexpected and a little frightened, and he didn't know how to answer.

"Your Majesty......" Zhuo Ruhe spit out two words for a while, still not knowing what to say.

"Zhuo Xiang let it go, the court is yours again."

Zhuo Ruhe knelt down, "The country belongs to His Majesty, the subjects belong to His Majesty, and the court is His Majesty's, and the ministers are just in charge." ”

Han Ruzi laughed, the minister is sometimes more sensitive to this kind of thing than the emperor himself, "Then continue to take care of it, I believe that Zhuo Xiang has this ability." ”

"But......" Zhuo Ruhe didn't get up.

Han Ruzi was a little stern, "The abolition of private slavery still has to be carried out, Zhuo Xiang can be flexible as appropriate, but it can't be stopped, you say that the country and the subjects are mine, then don't let Dachu appear in the land and people outside the law." ”

Zhuo Ruhe finally believed that the emperor really wanted to return the power to him, and kowtowed: "The ministers are crude and rude, and they often disappoint Your Majesty, and there is a long way to go to abolish private slavery, and the ministers are also powerless, so I am afraid that Your Majesty will be even more disappointed." ”

"Does the Prime Minister think that private slavery should be abolished?"

"Yes, if it is not canceled, these stateless people will become a country within a country, although they are in the territory of Great Chu, they are not subjects of Great Chu."

"It seems that there are people and there are no people?" Han Ruzi smiled.

"Exactly." Zhuo Ruhe felt that his body was sweating.

"Chu is not lucky, the sin is only in me, I want to revive the ancestral industry, I can only rely on the imperial court, first of all, the prime minister. In any case, Zhuo Xiang has a heart to protect the people and help the people, which is enough, and as for specific affairs, he will do his best. ”

"The minister does not dare to slack off, and he will do his best."

"Zhuo Xiang, please sit down, you don't have to kneel and talk."

Zhuo Ruhe got up and sat down, still at a loss in his heart, not understanding where the emperor's trust in him came from.

"There is a Kang Zijiao by my side, who is from a poor family, and knows more about the people's sufferings than ordinary people, which may be helpful to the prime minister."

Zhuo Ruhe's heart was a little wider, and he felt that this was the emperor's normal means, and replied: "There is one less governor in the Prime Minister's Mansion, and Kang is from a good background, so he can be an official." ”

"That's very good."

The governor is not a big official, but he often walks beside the prime minister and can participate in government affairs, Zhuo Ruhe appointed Kang Zijiao as an official, and he also accepted the emperor's supervision of himself.

"There is still a lack of officials with palm prints in the Ministry of War, can Zhuo Xiang recommend it?" Han Ruzi asked again.

Suddenly regaining trust, Zhuo Ruhe didn't react, he panicked in his heart, and thought for a while, "According to the convention, the secretary of the military department should be promoted by the squire, or transferred by the secretary of another department, all of them are civil ministers." Nowadays, the frontier is troubled and the military affairs are complicated, so a minister who is both civil and military should be selected. ”

Han Ruzi snorted and waited for Zhuo Ruhe's answer.

Zhuo Ruhe thought for a while, "There is one person who is suitable, but I am afraid that Your Majesty will think it is inappropriate." ”

"Why not?"

"This person has just been in the sin house, and his health is not very good."

"Mrs. Cui?"

"Exactly."

Han Ruzi was surprised for a while, and suddenly felt that this suggestion was not too unbelievable, "Tell me the reason." ”

"Cui Taifu has experienced a hundred battles, although he is not a victorious general, but he is familiar with military affairs, and he used to be a civilian official, and later was sent to the Southern Army by Emperor Wu, so he was changed to a military position, and he understands the responsibilities of the ministry and department."

"Cui Taifu used to be a general, isn't it a demotion to serve as the secretary of the military department?"

"Cui Taifu has long since stepped down, and he was recently deprived of his knighthood, and his appointment as the secretary of the Ministry of War is a meritorious service, not a demotion."

Han Ruzi shook his head, "I just degraded Mrs. Cui, and suddenly entrusted the secretary of the military department, outsiders don't know, and they think that I was bluffing before." ”

"Only Your Majesty ruled that if Mrs. Cui is inappropriate, Sun Shangshu of the household department can be an alternative, and Zhou Shilang of the military department can also be an alternative."

"The prime minister agrees at his discretion, and hand over a copy of the recital tomorrow." Han Ruzi did not completely refuse.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Zhuo Ruhe knew that he should retire, but he was always uneasy in his heart, and he was eager to know the emperor's true thoughts, so he said: "The minister has something to say, please listen to Your Majesty." ”

Han Ruzi waved his hand and motioned for the prime minister to speak.

"The sudden abolition of private slavery hurts the muscles and bones, Da Chu can't bear the sudden increase in a large number of people, Your Majesty has entrusted the ministers with a heavy responsibility, and the ministers are invited to enter the household registration for the private slaves first, and all other things will be delayed."

This is only one step away from taking back the holy decree, if the emperor agrees, Zhuo Ruhe can let it go, if he does not agree, then the so-called trust is just a momentary pleasure, and it should not be true.

Han Ruzi fell silent, and said for a long time: "The prime minister will discuss a specific plan with the ministers first." ”

"Yes, Your Majesty." Zhuo Ruhe believed two or three points more in his heart, but he wondered what had changed the emperor's attitude.

Zhuo Ruhe retired, and Zhang Youcai, who had been standing beside the emperor, couldn't help but say: "The prime minister obviously wants to take the opportunity to promote the Cui family, and there must be a deal behind it." ”

"Don't worry too much, you're so idle, I'll give you an important task."

Zhang Youcai's face was happy, "Okay, private visit?" Or is it an investigation? ”

"No, from now on, you will be in charge of the treasure seal for me."

Zhang Youcai was taken aback, the middle palm seal is not a small official in the palace, in terms of status, it is usually only lower than the middle eunuch, he is now the emperor's personal eunuch, which is equivalent to one step to the sky.

"Your Majesty mean it really? Isn't there someone in the palace who holds the seal? ”

"You can be transferred, you are the person I trust, and I am more at ease with you being in charge."

"But I don't want to leave Your Majesty, others serve Your Majesty, and I'm not at ease yet."

"The middle palm seal can also stay with me."

"Then I do!" Zhang Youcai is happy.

Han Ruzi smiled, "The prime minister has something to do, Yushitai must not be idle, you go and ask, has Qu Yushi returned to Beijing?" ”

Zhang Youcai ran out and came back soon, "The people in the Zhongshu House downstairs said that Qu Yushi is still on the way, and it will take at least three days to get to Beijing." ”

"Well, there's no need to rush." Han Ruzi's fingers tapped on the tabletop, and suddenly stopped, "Send someone to the Tihou Mansion to pass on Zhao Ruosu." (To be continued.) )