When His Majesty summoned them to the imperial study and said that he would discuss the reward for the king of the southwest, everyone wandered, and none of them opened their mouths to agree.

"What? Do all the secretaries think that the king of the southwest should not be rewarded? Emperor Shun saw the hesitation behind them at a glance, and said bluntly, "I hope to be an emperor with clear rewards and punishments, and reward and punish for mistakes for meritorious service, so as to motivate the ministers to serve Great Xia." ”

"Your Majesty, the King of the Southwest is already a king of the opposite sex on one side, how does Your Majesty plan to reward him?" After Shoufu Zhu Ge returned to his hometown, the cabinet faintly respected Zhou Suizhi, and he naturally asked this question.

Emperor Shun said, "Naturally, it is a honorific number to show grace." ”

The ministers looked at each other, and they were probably sighing in their hearts that they were really children, and they didn't know the art of balance at all. Even the first emperor was afraid of the king of the southwest, and sent him far away to garrison in the barbarian land, and the little emperor in front of him turned out to be a newborn calf who was not afraid of tigers, and really believed in the theory of the Ming monarch's loyal ministers.

"When the first emperor was there, he intended to cultivate rising stars, if it wasn't for King Qing's rebellion, I'm afraid that the first emperor would not let the king of the southwest make such military achievements. Your Majesty thinks about it, the courtier's merit is great, and his appetite is great, and now he is in the prime of life and has lofty ambitions, and His Majesty has just ascended the throne, and his foundation is weak. If he is really given the supreme honor, when he is born with two hearts, can His Majesty be sure to surrender? Zhou Suizhi didn't mean to despise the young monarch, he followed the good path.

Emperor Shun was stunned for a moment, he was still young, he did not have a deep sense of kingship, and he did not have the slightest city government on how to select, employ, and control people. Zhou Suizhi said a little bit, and he said in hindsight: "Are you saying that giving him too much power will feed his appetite?" ”

"The minister does not dare to talk about the meritorious heroes, but the king of the southwest, as His Majesty's courtier, naturally has the duty to share the worries of the king. If every time he returns from an expedition, he will be rewarded, and when there is no one day when there is no seal, will His Majesty use the throne to satisfy his appetite? Zhou Suizhi accentuated his tone.

Emperor Shun leaned back in the chair, he didn't expect that there was such a big mystery behind it. If he doesn't seal it, it seems that he is stingy and picks the door, and he can't let his courtiers work hard for him. But if it is sealed, as they said, if one day the king of the southwest looks at his throne, will he also be in him?

"According to what Zhou Xiang has seen, how should this matter be handled?" The first emperor confessed to him before his death, and he had to rely more on Zhou Suizhi and others in court politics. Therefore, Emperor Shun put his hope on Zhou Suizhi, hoping that he would have a way to properly solve the matter of rewarding.

"You can seal it, but you don't need to seal the king of the southwest. Under the king of the southwest, each officer is promoted to one level, so that he can not only attract the people below, but also let everyone know that His Majesty reuses the meritorious heroes. Although the king of the southwest can't be sealed himself, he shouldn't have any complaints about His Majesty when he sees that the people below are promoted. Zhou Suizhi said his thoughts.

Emperor Shun's eyes lit up, and he got up excitedly, "It's really a good way!" If you do this, I will not seal him, but I will give him gold, silver, and jewelry. Under the King of the Southwest, all the soldiers were promoted to the first rank. ”

After speaking, Emperor Shun looked at Zhou Suizhi's gaze much kinder. He finally knew that his father had left these people to him, and that he wanted to plan for him at such a moment.

After leaving the palace, the ministers got into the carriage and returned home. Sun Yuandao, the secretary of the ministry, deliberately stayed behind, and after everyone left, he called out to Zhou Suizhi, who was about to board the carriage.

"Zhou Xiang."

Zhou Suizhi turned sideways, saw that he seemed to have something to say, and said, "What is the important matter of Master Sun?" ”

"I can't talk about important things, I just want to invite Zhou Xiang to have a few drinks in the next mansion. You and I have worked together for so many years, and there are almost very few people chatting in private, I don't know if Zhou Xiang appreciates his face? Sun Yuandao stepped forward and said with a smile.

Zhou Sui's heart turned, and he naturally knew that he was deliberately trying to win him over. The reason is naturally because he showed his face in front of the little emperor, and he will probably be reused in the future.

Zhou Suizhi made a little embarrassed, and said, "Master Sun, forgive me, there is some inconvenience today." Madame had already sent someone to report that there was a distinguished guest waiting at home today, and told me to go home early. ”

Sun Yuandao squinted, Zhou Suizhi was born as a civilian, and had no noble relatives, all the way to this day, he thought he had his own harmony, but he didn't expect to be rejected so bluntly. Sun Yuandao sneered in his heart, if he hadn't seen that he had a thin face in front of the little emperor, with his background in the Sun family of Jizhou, he would have taken the initiative to win over a helpless pure minister?

"How about this, go back to your home to entertain guests today, and visit in person tomorrow after you get off duty?" When Sun Yuandao was thinking about it, Zhou Suizhi proposed a solution.

Sun Yuandao smiled and said, "Okay, tomorrow, I will welcome Zhou Xiang in the mansion." ”

"Don't dare."

"Farewell."

Zhou then got into his own carriage, the coachman raised his whip, and the carriage drove slowly towards Zhou's mansion.

When Zhou Suizhi entered the house, the housekeeper came to report that the distinguished guest was already waiting in the study. In this way, it seems that his rejection of Sun Yuandao is not an excuse, but a real thing.

Zhou Suizhi didn't have time to change into a court robe and hurried to the study. Pushing open the door, I saw a man in a dark green robe browsing the books in front of the bookshelf.

"Your Royal Highness the Minister." Zhou Suizhi bowed his hand.

Zhu Zhaozhen, the king of Rui, was sent to the fiefdom early because he did not like Emperor Taizong. Compared with King Qing, who has always attracted attention, and King Lu, who is upright and tough, his existence seems to be the most uncared about. And because his fiefdom was too far away from Beijing and too remote, occasionally he would be blocked by the first emperor in the name of "the road is far away and there is no need to travel".

Although Zhu Zhaozhen and the first emperor are half-brothers, because his mother is a Jiangnan woman and looks gentle and soft, he himself is also gentle as jade, and he does not have the burly figure of Emperor Taizong, which is probably one of the reasons why he is not likable. And because he has experienced the warmth and coldness of the world since he was a child, he is very humble in dealing with people, and people who interact with him can feel his approachability.

He secretly rushed all the way from the fiefdom to the capital, naturally there was something important.

"You don't have to be polite in the sub-period, you and I gentlemen intersect, don't be bothered by these red tapes." King Rui personally helped Zhou Suizhi up, and said with a gentle smile, "You and I were so light and comfortable when we were in Rongcheng, and we got along very happily, although I have changed places now, I still hope that Ziji will not see me outside." ”

Zhou Suizhi has visited many places before entering the office, and met King Rui when he settled in Rongcheng, because of his simple style, friendly and polite, and not because he is just a small talent and despise him, the two talked very happily, it is also a good story. Over the years, they have not broken off their contacts, and Zhou Suizhi's ability has become higher and higher, and there is no lack of secret help from King Rui.

"It is very rare for the minister and the prince to have that fate, and the minister will never forget it in his life." Zhou Suizhi smiled and invited King Rui to sit down in the upper seat, and he sat in the second seat.

King Rui did not hide his intention to come tonight, he said bluntly, "I already have the heart to seize the throne, but the road ahead is dangerous, and I want to ask for help." ”

Zhou Suizhi was stunned for a moment, and then got up, "The minister and the prince are friends who are irreversible, and the ministers invited by the prince are all about it." It's just that the seizure of the throne is dangerous, is the prince really ready to plan? ”

"You don't ask me why I'm fighting?"

"The emperor is young, but the Great Xia war is raging, and the people's grievances are boiling, I am afraid that there is not much time for the emperor to grow up. For the sake of the people, it is the prince who would rather ascend the throne, so that the world can be stable as soon as possible and all the people will be obedient. Zhou Suizhi bowed to him, and his feelings were sincere.

King Rui helped him up again, he didn't expect things to go so smoothly, and with Zhou Suizhi's current status, he thought that he would not help him.

Zhou Suizhi got up, looked at him calmly, and said, "The master of the National University is not my luck. If the prince can ascend the throne smoothly, the ministers are willing to assist with all their might, and there is no second heart. ”

Based on King Rui's understanding of him, since he said so, there is no possibility of change. He settled down a lot, thinking that this trip was too worthwhile.

At night, after sending off King Rui, Zhou Suizhi returned to the main house.

Mrs. Zhou had already prepared the meal, and as soon as he sat down at the table, she sent the girl to bring him water to clean his hands, and personally handed him a handkerchief to wipe his hands.

"You left him perfunctory?" Mrs. Zhou is more than ten years younger than him, only thirty this year, but she has a maturity in her eyebrows.

Zhou Suizhi took a sip of soup, and the subordinates all retreated, and the two of them naturally had no secrets, he said truthfully, "He wanted me to help him win the throne, and I agreed." Today's situation is as chaotic as possible, and we have a chance when we are chaotic. ”

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