"In short, internally, we need to move the capital and reduce the military, recuperate, curb annexation, encourage trade, especially maritime trade, and do our best to repair the river and promote the original learning; externally, we need to appropriately strengthen the control over the northern border, expand peacefully to the west, and try not to use the sword and sword... This is our national strategy for the next 20 years, or even 30 years... Anyway, this is the national strategy before I die, and I don't know how much I can do or how much I can achieve... Everyone, the grievances of the old Song Dynasty have been settled, and the journey of the new Song Dynasty is imminent. Does anyone still have any doubts?"
"Although I am old, I am willing to follow you on your journey again."
The officials had different reactions at first, but soon, under the leadership of Lü Haowen, Zhao Ding, Zhang Jun, Han Shizhong, Li Yanxian, and other civil and military officials did not dare to delay for a moment, and stood up one after another, waiting for Lü Haowen to speak before they all bowed in reverence.
He said that he was willing to follow the government on the expedition again.
In fact, no one dared to hesitate.
And up to this point, everyone knew that this was the real highlight of this Mingdao Palace sacrifice.
"Everyone, get up!"
Zhao Jiu burst out laughing on the spot, and when everyone sat back down, he sighed again. "Do any of you still think that I will be lazy about government from now on? Do any of you think that I am a bit too nosy? Do any of you think that I want to do too many things, and that it will be too hard to follow me in the future, so that you are afraid for a while?"
"So that the emperor knows that I was indeed scared just now."
Seeing that the atmosphere had completely calmed down, Wanqi Xie, the governor of the Jingdong Road, who was sitting at the bottom, took the opportunity to joke. "But when I think about how the government was able to lead us through the difficult and arduous past ten years... no matter how difficult the road ahead will be, what is there to fear?"
Zhao Jiu laughed again.
After laughing, the official turned around and looked at the Xuanyuan Palace behind him, but he seemed to be thinking about something: "Speaking of which, I drank too much and talked a lot. I was so busy talking that I almost forgot one thing. Fortunately, Wanqi Jinglüe reminded me..."
Everyone quickly put on a serious attitude, but after going through the previous twenty-year small goals, this seriousness seemed a bit for show.
"In fact, I was afraid before." Zhao Jiu answered seriously. "But there is no way. Since you are in this position, you should know that the road is ahead and you have to walk on it... If you don't walk on it, you will let down the people of the world... The same goes for you. Don't think that you can enjoy yourself just because you have made great achievements in the past ten years, or even go against the trend... We have experienced so much, don't we understand? The so-called heroes of the time are just ordinary people. Ordinary people grit their teeth and take a step forward to become heroes of the time, so don't be complacent because of your achievements."
"There are always officials in front."
Han Shizhong was alert and immediately expressed his position. "We will never let the emperor down."
"It's not that you have let me down. Besides, the emperor is the emperor, and Zhao Jiu is Zhao Jiu. The former is a position, and the latter is a person. But the position needs a person." Zhao Jiu looked at his most trusted military official and shook his head. "I said there is one more thing. I really don't mean to warn you, or even to encourage myself. It's just that there is a truth, a matter in my heart, like a thorn in my throat. If I don't say it today, I won't let you understand it, and I won't express my attitude myself. I always feel uncomfortable. But if I say it directly, I'm afraid that few people will remember it, and I myself will be a little numb..."
"Your Majesty, please speak frankly, and we, the officials, will all keep it in mind." Li Yanxian also stood up and bowed.
"Don't speak directly yet. Let me ask you a question first..." Zhao Jiu smiled again, but poured himself another glass of wine. "We have just decided on the eighteen meritorious officials for the ten years of Jianyan, and we have even ranked them... Then I would like to ask all the meritorious officials, in the victory of Jianyan, whose merit is greater, the combined merit of your thirty-six civil and military officials, or my merit?"
Li Yanxian and Han Shizhong were at a loss for words and instinctively looked at the gentlemen. In the slightly quiet front yard of Xuanyuan Palace, Lu Haowen hesitated for a moment and finally stood up.
"Excuse me, there is a saying since ancient times that grace comes from the superiors, I think that merit should also come from the superiors..." Lu Haowen was a little cautious in his words. "Of course the meritorious officials have made great contributions, but the emperor is the Son of Heaven, and has received the mandate from heaven. If the emperor had not taken the position, formulated the strategy, and guided the people to resist the Jin Dynasty, and appointed us at the same time, how could we have made any contributions? Most of the merits of the officials should be attributed to the emperor."
“That makes sense.”
Zhao Jiu nodded, but asked again seriously. "But if that's the case, then one hundred governors and hundreds of county officials combined are not as good as thirty-six meritorious officials? After all, if there were no thirty-six meritorious officials who made decisions and used military force as their leaders, how would the people below do their work?"
"Your Majesty, this is different."
Zhao Ding quickly stood up and took over the conversation. "The governors and county officials are also appointed by the government. They listen to the words of us, the prime ministers and marshals, but they also need to know the government's decisions and understand the government's rewards and punishments... and we, the ministers, are just using the government's strategies and authority to reward and punish."
"So, my contribution is still the greatest?" Zhao Jiu tried hard to smile.
"That's right." Zhao Ding tried his best to answer.
"I see." Zhao Jiu nodded and poured himself a glass of wine. "But I still don't understand... I was just sitting under the dragon banner and pointing the direction, Yaoshan and Huolu... It's nonsense to say that I didn't have any merits of leading by example. Thousands of troops swept across the country, tens of thousands of soldiers died in one battle, and hundreds of thousands of national heroes collapsed like a landslide. How could it be that I was the only one who achieved this merit?"
"So that the emperor knows that I am the emperor, the Son of Heaven, and I enjoy the four seas." Although he didn't know what the emperor was going to do, Zhang Jun had to stand up. "And the emperor is the master of all living things and the ancestor of prosperity and benefit... For some things, it is enough for the emperor to sit there."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com