Zhao Jiu was slightly startled, and wanted to explain: "Didn't I tell the emperor's uncle about this yesterday?"

"Your Majesty's words yesterday were all perfunctory, and I also know what you are thinking."

Zhao Shi? continued to face him solemnly in the hall. "I know that the emperor is here to seek money for the country... but isn't it also to avoid the grand ceremony? A few days ago, Xu Xianggong of the capital province and Zhu Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites suggested that since we have returned to Tokyo, we should ask the emperor to restore the old system, hold the grand ceremony again, inform the ancestors, and pray for the two saints to calm people's hearts. As a result, the emperor avoided the topic and then went to Daxiangguo Temple in person, and then came here again! May I ask the emperor, why do you do things in person when you can do them with a decree? And why do you procrastinate on things that you should do in person? Why do the emperor's priorities differ from ours?"

Zhao Jiu's complexion had long since returned to normal, but he was standing in the main hall, under the lotus pedestal of the Buddha, smiling and facing the Buddha with his hands clasped in front of him: "These words... especially the last two sentences, your uncle has wanted to say them for a long time, right?"

Zhao Shi? came back to his senses and was a little frustrated, so he bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I have no intention of criticizing you. I am just being fair and have no intention of undermining your authority. Otherwise, I would not have waited until now to come to such a remote place to make a remonstrance."

This was indeed the truth. Apart from Emperor Zhao and Uncle Zhao, the only ones who could enter the Great Hall of the Buddha at this time were Madam Wu dressed as a man, Scholar Kobayashi, and a few Zen monks who stood still... Generals Niu Gao and Da Cui were already inside and outside the mountain gate, and Yang Yi Zhong was only standing at the hall gate with his sword in his hand.

Of course, more importantly, this is a religious place after all, and it naturally has a kind of political shielding and concealment. After everyone has said something, they can pretend that it doesn't count when they leave the house.

"I know, and this is the problem." Zhao Jiu returned to the front and answered after hearing this. "We are all for the public, but our 'public' is completely different. Why is it so? In fact, the emperor's uncle has been in Yangzhou for more than a year, and I have been in another place for more than a year. We have experienced different things, and our thoughts and ideas have long been different. Now that we meet again, we should have made it clear. This is my mistake."

"I respectfully listen to your instructions." Zhao Shi? bowed his head and looked at you seriously.

In fact, it was not just Zhao Shi?. Everyone else in the hall, from Scholar Xiaolin to Madam Wu who was dressed as a man, all pricked up their ears... Of course, the Shaolin monks who specialized in Zen Kung Fu would definitely not bother to listen to these court secrets.

"During the Jingkang Incident, I lost all my parents, brothers and sisters. While I was wandering, I saw that the scholars and common people in the world had similar sufferings, so I gradually developed empathy and began to regard the scholars and common people as my parents, brothers and sisters. As for the emperor's uncle and others, although they also lost their relatives, they still treated some empty shells as the relatives of the emperor, and even wanted me to pretend to be a puppet to replace certain people, without considering the living people before me at all... This is the fundamental reason why there are always problems between us after you returned to the capital."

"Your Excellency...Your Excellency still doesn't quite understand." Zhao Shi? tried his best to respond.

"It doesn't matter if you have to be frank... I once swore that in this lifetime I would restore the two rivers, annihilate the Jin Kingdom, plow up their homes and sweep their caves, and unify the world... Has the emperor heard of this, uncle?" Zhao Jiu's expression remained unchanged and he kept smiling.

"I've heard a little about it." Zhao Shi? responded immediately.

"Then may I ask, uncle, if I want to accomplish this, I should at least be better than Guangwu, right? And if I want to accomplish this, I should also learn from the ancient saints who were better than Guangwu, right?"

“It’s natural.”

"Then why don't you want me to learn from Guangwu, but instead want me to learn from those mediocre people who have failed to recover Yanyun, pacify Xixia, and then unify China for hundreds of years?" Emperor Zhao's expression remained unchanged. "Not to mention, there are still people who want me to learn from those who ruined the country of my clan, hunted in the north, and humiliated the world! Even if I am willing to be humble, how can I do such a thing? Pray for peace and blessings, are they worthy?!"

Zhao Shi? was stunned, and then he couldn't help but lower his voice and said earnestly: "Your Majesty, your world is the world of your ancestors, fathers and brothers, and your throne is also the throne of your ancestors, fathers and brothers!"

"The world of our ancestors was originally the world of the people, and the throne of our ancestors was also the throne of the people!" Zhao Jiu was still not angry, and he could even smile. "But now the people's hearts have been lost by my father and brother. The world of Zhao Song and the throne have been shaky when they were passed to me. I must restore the people's hearts... As the saying goes, water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it. Hasn't the emperor's uncle ever read a book?"

Zhao Shi was completely stunned.

"Uncle," Zhao Jiu said slowly and calmly. "For my dignity, you did not make public remonstrances in Tokyo. I am very grateful. And for your dignity, I also gave you a sincere reply in this foreign land... But after we leave, there are some words that I will not admit, so as to avoid further quarrels among the ministers... Please forgive me."

After saying this, Emperor Zhao turned around, and in the silence, he snatched the incense stick from the somewhat dazed Shaolin Temple abbot, then shook his hand briefly at the dignified golden puppet in front of him, and casually inserted the incense stick into the incense burner in front of him.

He let out another long breath.

I have to say, being a dictator can be pretty cool sometimes... No wonder Zhao Ji could fall to that level?

We must take this as a warning.

Thinking of this, Emperor Zhao put his palms together again, bowed slightly to the puppet, then turned around and walked out of the hall with an expression like a wooden sculpture.

PS: Good night...and happy holidays?

I haven't slept for twenty-one hours, let me sleep soundly.