On this day, the Fourth Prince summoned Qin Mo, the son-in-law of Bie Chuke, to the palace. Although Qin Mo was the son-in-law, he rarely met with the Emperor in private, so he was inevitably nervous and rushed to the Hall of Mental Cultivation early in the morning.
When Qin Mo heard about the Grand Princess's consort, Suhar, going to Dayuan to request troops, he felt that as the consort of the Qing Dynasty, he should also do his part for the Qing.
"Your Majesty, please send your son to the front lines. Your son also wishes to do his part for the Qing Dynasty!" Qin Mo knelt on the ground and pleaded with the Fourth Prince.
The Fourth Prince chuckled, "What can a civil official like you do on the front lines?" Qin Mo was currently serving as the chief clerk in the cabinet, helping the Fourth Prince with some paperwork.
Qin Mo's face flushed red. "Your Majesty, I can help transport grain. I'm willing to do anything that can help."
The Fourth Prince was pleased; it was better for Qin Mo to offer his services than for him to bring it up himself. However, he hadn't summoned him today for this reason. "Qin Mo, I appreciate your thoughtfulness. But the reason I summoned you today is to promote you. I want you to be the Left Grand Secretary of the Grand Council, specifically to manage important affairs of the court on my behalf."
Qin Mo was terrified. He had thought that the emperor wanted to see him because of the Northwest, but he never expected that it was to promote him. Moreover, the Left Secretary of the Military Council had power equivalent to that of the prime minister, which he could not possibly accept.
"Your Majesty, I am afraid I am not capable of undertaking this great responsibility! I beg you to rescind your order and select a new candidate!" Qin Mo knelt on the ground, pleading with the Fourth Prince to reconsider.
"How could I take back what I've said? Since I've decided to appoint you as the Left Secretary of the Grand Council, you only need to figure out how to do it well. You don't need to worry about anything else." The Fourth Prince knew that Qin Mo was a talented person, but he was humble and didn't compete for anything. If he wasn't put under some pressure, he wouldn't accept the position.
Seeing the Emperor's anger, Qin Mo dared not argue with him any further. He knelt on the ground, refusing to utter a sound, knowing he was truly incapable of shouldering such a heavy responsibility. Seeing his silence, the Fourth Prince asked, "Have you heard about the Imperial Son-in-Law's trip to Dayuan to request troops?"
"Your Majesty, I heard that the eldest princess has also gone to Dayuan." Qin Mo felt bad that his sons Hongli and Suhar had both contributed to the front lines while he had stayed in the court.
"Yes, the eldest princess has also gone. My children are all fighting for me in the Northwest, and I am truly worried about them. I am preparing to personally lead the expedition to resolve this matter as soon as possible." The situation is unstable now, and the soldiers are becoming increasingly demoralized. Only by going myself can I boost morale and ensure victory in this battle!
Qin Mo was shocked, never expecting that the battle in the Northwest would require the Emperor's personal presence. "Your Majesty, if you go to the Northwest, what will happen to the court..." The court is currently unstable, and if the Emperor goes to the Northwest, various factions may take advantage of the situation to rise to power.
The Fourth Prince frowned. The rebels had not yet been found, and the remnants of the Eighth Prince's faction had not been completely eliminated. It was indeed a very troublesome situation. "That's why I made you the Left Grand Secretary. The Grand Council is currently under the sole control of Longkodo. I need to find a powerful force to check and balance him. You are my son-in-law and a man of great wisdom and resourcefulness. I can rest assured that this matter is entrusted to you."
Qin Mo cast a grateful glance his way, surprised that the Emperor trusted him so much. However, Qin Mo feared that he might fail in his duties and disappoint the Emperor, yet he couldn't very well refuse. "Your Majesty, I will certainly live up to your expectations and fulfill my duties as Left Secretary."
The Fourth Prince looked at Qin Mo with appreciation, "Since that's the case, I will announce to all officials tomorrow that you have been appointed as the Left Secretary. You must do a good job as the Left Secretary and not disappoint me!" The Fourth Prince encouraged Qin Mo, and Qin Mo kowtowed to express his gratitude.
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