Chapter 287 A Gathering to Discuss Past Lives ^^
"Oh." Qin Liusong wiped his cheeks with the back of his hand a few times in shame, got up from the ground, and regained his usual composure under the sharp gaze of the new emperor.
Qi Chengming sighed and announced bluntly, "I don't care what happened in the past, from now on, don't let me know that you've been up to no good."
He emphasized the second half of the sentence.
Over the past five days, Qi Chengming has carefully observed everyone's behavior and repeatedly processed this fact in his mind.
He had actually guessed it, but he didn't quite believe Mr. Qin's reasons.
At first, Mr. Qin, along with other reborn officials, might have coveted the reborn memories as a crutch, but as more and more people joined and formed alliances, the future had already changed. Why did none of them reveal everything to him for so long? In the end, it was Lord Xie, who remained outside this reborn group, who exposed the truth.
After thinking about it for a few days, Qi Chengming came up with a vague answer.
—Because this group of people tasted the sweetness of success.
Whether they themselves know it or not, "rebirth" is a title that allows them to openly join forces, enables lowly officials to rise to prominence overnight, and allows semi-retired veteran officials to enter the arena of fame and fortune without attracting attention. It can also exclude those officials in the court who have not been reborn.
Is forming alliances meaningful? Actually, no. But is it important? Absolutely.
This is the ladder that officials climb to the top.
In ancient times there were powerful clans and factions; in the future there will be warlords and academic cliques. They've created a powerful 'clique' for themselves.
Qi Chengming understood why Grand Scholar Mu had immediately sent him the invitation to join the society; he wanted to entrust Qi Chengming with this power, which could easily turn from honey into poison. Now it seemed that although Grand Scholar Mu was wary, he himself had already been swept up in it long ago…
Then let's not even mention Mr. Qin.
—Give a straight hook to an ambitious person like Mr. Qin, and he'll run after it.
Qi Chengming glanced at him silently, having already decided how to deal with this group of reborn officials.
"Wh...what?" "Your Majesty... Waaah!" "Your Majesty is wise!"
Is the new emperor not going to hold them accountable for their crimes?
The tense atmosphere in the hall immediately eased, and many people looked up with surprise, not expecting to be let off so easily.
Li Banhui, who had been summoned from Yanshi County, was almost moved to tears, shouting at the top of his lungs in his hoarse voice, "Thank you! Your Majesty!!"
"Your Majesty, I am ashamed." He San Tie could barely lift his head.
Compared to the retired emperor, the new emperor treated him like a confidant, fulfilling his ambitions and aspirations as an official. They were both teacher and friend, sharing the same ideals. Even so, he quickly joined a secret group in the court, where he thrived and did not choose to explain everything to His Majesty.
He has failed this pure and untainted trust!
"..."
Grand Scholar Mu bowed deeply and remained seated for a long time. A sigh finally appeared in his weathered and unmoved eyes.
He knew that the new emperor was never as suspicious as ordinary emperors, and in this respect he possessed the benevolence of a 'benevolent ruler'.
That is why these reborn ministers have been able to keep this a secret until now, but this is also their fault.
He needs to make a decision.
"His Majesty."
Grand Secretary Mu had no choice but to speak again, meticulously lifting the hem of his official robes and kneeling down to plead guilty: "Your Majesty may not punish me, but I cannot forget my guilt. I organized all of this and consider myself the ringleader, committing the grave crime of deceiving the emperor. I beg Your Majesty to decide my fate."
Mu Jie knew that whether for the sake of His Majesty or for the sake of these reborn ministers, punishing them now was far better than not punishing them at all. Even if the new emperor truly did not intend to punish them, he had to maintain this posture to make the other ministers understand that they had not easily escaped serious crimes. They also could not underestimate His Majesty's benevolence, otherwise—next time, there might not be a next time.
The old man took off his official hat, revealing his graying temples. He kowtowed heavily to the ground, determined to be punished.
A faint smile involuntarily crept onto Qi Chengming's lips. He now realized Grand Secretary Mu's concern and the act he was putting on for him. But Qi Chengming's decision was one he had already made; he stood up, unwilling to discuss it further.
"I don't like repeating myself. Besides, Minister Mu already knows he was wrong, and he deserves to have someone like you continue to help me. Alright—"
Qi Chengming waved his hand, changing the subject: "Who can tell me in detail what I don't know?"
Mu Jie wanted to argue further, but since His Majesty had already said so much, he had no choice but to pick up his hat and stand up again, glancing around to see if everyone had grasped the new emperor's meaning.
Most of the reborn people who can stand here are not stupid; even if they are, they are loyal.
Wherever Grand Secretary Mu looked, he saw that the officials all looked rather unwell.
Some were filled with remorse, some were moved to tears with tears in their eyes, some were astonished as if their greedy desires had just been exposed, some were restless and uneasy, and some subtly leaned to the side, their eyes filled with condemnation as they looked at their reborn cronies. They wanted to preserve their reputation as scholars.
Grand Scholar Mu was satisfied.
Everyone is aware of His Majesty's warning and favor. Factions can never be completely eradicated, but the unease and anxiety of being let off the hook by His Majesty will linger in everyone's heart.
Those who feel guilty will work harder to make amends and perform their duties diligently. Those with ill intentions will realize their mistakes in time and restrain their actions. And—the troublemakers will be awakened but remain stubborn, and may even go further astray.
At that time, it will be time for Your Majesty to rightfully purge such people, and no one will feel the pain of losing their loved ones—because Your Majesty is benevolent.
...
Fragments of conversation gradually rose and fell in the main hall.
"Three years ago, I suddenly remembered my past life..." "When Your Majesty was still a prince, one day I woke up..."
Rebirth doesn't depend on rank, but only on when it happened and how much one knows. Therefore, even a lowly official dared to step forward and report: "Your subject reported it a year ago..."
Soon, the ministers deduced that Qin Liusong had been reborn a few years before King Rui was enfeoffed, making him probably the earliest person present to do so.
Qi Chengming listened silently throughout, nodding inwardly.
There are also some reborn officials who weren't present. Lord Xie was reborn at least a few years ago, while my cousin and Wen Er are still unaware of the situation.
"I thought Your Majesty might be enfeoffed in the future and would inevitably pass through this area, so I wanted to find a way to gain merit and offer myself up..." Qin Liusong relived his thoughts and schemes from back then, and could not hide his embarrassment as he spoke. Many people glared at him angrily, making Qin Liusong feel a chill down his spine and some hairs on his back.
Who told him to succeed in his scheme? Before he even made a move, the new emperor himself came over, and he successfully became a trusted confidant during the new emperor's time as a prince.
“Your Majesty…” Song Gu explained according to the timeline of his rebirth.
He choked up with difficulty.
Now that everyone else is here, they all know that the person who accompanied the new emperor to his fiefdom in his previous life was the old Chief Eunuch Song, not him. He can't keep this old story a secret anymore!
The sounds in the main hall gradually subsided.
The other officials who hadn't yet received their turn exchanged glances, their expressions subtly changing, some realizing what was happening.
Taking turns recounting what they knew from their past lives—isn't this just a disguised form of punishment from the new ruler?
Grand Tutor Wu gave a wry smile.
With multiple people comparing themselves to each other, no one can hide their secrets or their past life's image.
Shen Shuzhi: "……………………"
The flood control efforts were temporarily concluded, and Shen Shuzhi, who was returning to the capital to report, was the one most drenched in sweat at the scene. If his actions hadn't been so abrupt, he would have been tempted to give way and kneel before the new emperor, who was listening with great interest.
He had already done what he had done in his past life, experiencing several demotions and resurrections, and he didn't feel anything about it. But now, the thought that the new emperor would know about his past life... why was he so flustered and guilty?!
Shen Shuzhi buried his head deeply, his heart tormented as if it were being fried in oil.
But there's no escaping it! Grand Secretary Mu is right behind him. Even if he tries to lie and stall, others can immediately accuse him…
Shen Shuzhi stood up as if facing death, taking a deep breath with utter despair: "Your subject..."
He forced a smile that looked more like a grimace, and stammered out each word: "I was not given important responsibilities by the Emperor Emeritus, so I sided with the Third Prince's faction. Later... I sent my eldest son to the palace to serve as a guard, and also sent my youngest daughter... and then..."
As soon as he said that, many officials, both high and low-ranking, who were previously unaware of the situation, turned their astonished gazes toward him.
Shock, absurdity, incomprehension, stifling laughter... a barrage of strange and complex gazes rained down on him.
...Lord Shen, this is...
Um.
Several officials whispered among themselves, their expressions subtle.
It's understandable to want to gamble in the struggle for the throne among the princes, but how did he manage to bet so precisely on the new emperor? If Lord Shen didn't have too few capable children, would he have wanted to send some people to the youngest prince, the seventh prince, to seek refuge?
A fence-sitter!
Hmm, we disdain to associate with them!
Shen Shuzhi couldn't hold back any longer. She collapsed to her knees and began to weep and beg for forgiveness: "Your Majesty... I have truly failed you, sob sob sob!"
It's a pity that everyone before him apologized for so long, making his own apology seem insignificant in comparison. But he was the one who really needed to apologize!
You should all give way to this old man!
"Ahem." Qi Chengming almost couldn't hold back either, so he coughed lightly to cover it up and gently told him to stand up. "Lord Shen has a natural talent for water management, and I can't do without you. I didn't personally experience those things in my past life, so let's just pretend they never happened and move on, okay?"
Others might not know, but how could he not know?
Lord Shen is such an unlucky fellow.
He didn't even bet on the seventh prince, the victor in the original story!
No matter how many bets Lord Shen makes, he perfectly avoids the only two correct answers: himself and the original male lead.
It was so funny that he couldn't bear to criticize him. It wasn't like he was just finding out about Lord Shen's fickle nature. Oh well, it's all in the past now.
Those at the back of the line felt more relaxed.
If even Lord Shen's behavior can be forgiven, then what they did is nothing, huh?
Therefore, as the story progressed, the ministers' accounts gradually shifted towards events they were aware of:
"The retired emperor did not abdicate early, and after appointing a crown prince... he instigated hostility among the princes towards you, causing chaos for several more years..."
"Liuzhou vouchers? Ah, in my memory from my previous life, they weren't anything special, because... because the Emperor Emeritus eventually promoted them throughout Dading, and their reputation was just as infamous as silver notes."
As the man carefully recounted his story, he glanced up at the ceiling.
Qi Chengming couldn't help but clutch his chest in heartache, and unusually asked, "...And then?"
He had a bad feeling.
As they continued talking, their expressions became increasingly cautious, and he felt a growing heaviness in his heart.
Several high-ranking officials said that they were the last to arrive, after the fall of the Great Ding Kingdom. Qi Chengming couldn't understand why, even after his early death, the country, which he had ascended the throne, could have met such a fate.
...Now he vaguely understands.
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