"Father, why is it that there seems to be no distance between you and the ministers?"
After returning to the imperial study, Wu Tianci asked this question.
Fu Xiaoguan smiled slightly and pointed to the chair opposite him, "Come, sit down and talk."
"Your Highness, Your Highness dares not!"
Fu Xiaoguan looked up at Wu Tianci. Wu Tianci lowered his head with a look of panic on his face, which made Fu Xiaoguan sigh slightly in his heart. It seemed that he, the father, was still too unfamiliar and too majestic in his son's heart.
"God's gift,"
"Your son is here!"
"You are my son. I remember I once told you that I hope the relationship between father and son can be like that of friends. It is true that I am your father, but father and son can get along as equals."
"You haven't done anything wrong. There's no need to be so reserved in front of me. You should be more casual than those ministers."
"It doesn't matter if you made a mistake. We are all erring. If we make a mistake, we should correct it. If we don't, we should learn from it."
"Sit down."
Wu Tianci hesitated for a moment before carefully sitting down, but only half of his buttocks were sitting down.
Fu Xiaoguan suddenly realized that he had made a mistake. Although Wen Xingzhou was a great scholar, he still followed the concept of hierarchy in his bones.
He is in his eighties and has almost no contact with these young ministers. Or even if he did, his deeply rooted ideas would be difficult to change.
Therefore, the princes he taught kept a distance from him even in the harem.
It’s not that children are not close to themselves, but that this is what they learn.
Is there something wrong with Wu Tianci's personality?
Is he timid and cautious?
Maybe not.
He followed the etiquette taught by Wen Xingzhou, and according to the system of this feudal society, he did nothing wrong.
Even if he became the crown prince, he still had to maintain such rules in front of the emperor.
But this is a rule that Fu Xiaoguan does not want to see.
"You asked me just now that there seems to be no distance between me and the minister. This is a very good question."
Fu Xiaoguan brewed a pot of tea. "What should be the relationship between the state, the ruler and his subjects, and the ruler and his people? It's like the relationship between water and a boat. Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. I think you've learned this principle, but you need to deeply understand it."
"In the book Mencius, there is a saying about the relationship between ruler and minister: If the ruler treats his ministers like his own hands and feet, then the ministers will treat the ruler as their own heart and soul; if the ruler treats his ministers like dogs and horses, then the ministers will treat the ruler as their fellow countrymen; if the ruler treats his ministers like dirt, then the ministers will treat the ruler as their enemy."
"So the relationship between the ruler and his subjects is not about simply controlling them, but about treating them as equals, as brothers."
"If the common people treat me well, I will repay them with common people's kindness; if a great man treats me well, I will repay him with great kindness! This is what the vast majority of the people and ministers think in their hearts. What does this sentence mean?"
"It means that if the monarch treats me like an ordinary person, then I can only do for him what anyone can do. If the monarch treats me as a pillar of the country, then I will make the contributions that a pillar of the country should make for him."
“This is the human heart!”
"How do you win people's hearts? The best way is to put yourself in their shoes and gain their hearts with your own."
"I never considered myself the emperor of Daxia, nor did I ever consider them as my subjects. I considered them friends, and deep down they considered me a friend as well."
"Friends should speak freely and share everything. Only then will they dare to speak frankly and point out my problems or the country's problems without any scruples."
"No one is perfect in this world. Everyone makes mistakes, but for an emperor, the most important thing is to have someone who can point out your mistakes, have the courage to admit them, and then correct them."
“…”
Wu Tianci's waist gradually straightened up, his drooping head gradually raised up, and his eyes, which were too reserved to look directly at his father, also became firm.
He moved his butt and sat down on the chair. He even took the teacup handed to him by his father and took a big sip.
Only then did he realize that the famous Emperor of Daxia was not that scary.
This strange father gradually became clearer and warmer in his mind.
It turns out that what the teacher taught is not the same as what the emperor wanted!
It turns out that getting along between the monarch and his subjects is not that difficult.
It turns out that many things can be thought of more simply and handled more simply.
My father is not as omnipotent as my husband or mother said. He also makes mistakes. He is not a god. He is still a human being.
After listening to Fu Xiaoguan's eloquent and heartfelt words, Wu Tianci was much less afraid of his father and even felt a desire to get closer to him.
"A father and son should have a better relationship. I admit that I wasn't a good enough father. I didn't spend the happiest childhood with you, nor did I comfort and encourage you when you were depressed or frustrated."
"It's not that Dad wants to keep his distance from you. It's that Dad...isn't used to being a father yet. Of course, Da Xia did have a lot to do during those years, but that's not an excuse. Dad has been reflecting on this point."
"Now let's go back to what Mr. Wen taught you. Was he wrong?"
Wu Tianci thought about it and didn't know how to answer.
"He's not wrong, because he's standing on a different side. In his mind, the king should be high and mighty, so that the king's majesty and supreme status can be reflected."
"But he was wrong again. He made the mistake of drawing the line too far and creating too much distance."
"You will understand these things if you feel them slowly."
"I hope you can finish reading the Ministry of Revenue account book I'm giving you today within a month. My first test is... how to increase your income!"
Wu Tianci nodded firmly, "Well, I will take a good look at this account book and give you an answer."
"Okay, go back first and tell your mother that I'm going to have dinner with her tonight."
"Okay, I'll take my leave!"
Wu Tianci walked away holding the account book.
A man walked out from behind the screen of the imperial study. He was Zhuo Yixing.
"Aren't your words a bit too profound? He is still a child after all."
"If he can't understand it right now, just remember it. One day, when he encounters something, he might understand. Please take a seat!"
Zhuo and his entourage bowed to Fu Xiaoguan before sitting down.
"In fact, I have always believed that you would make the Queen's son Fu Yian the Crown Prince."
Fu Xiaoguan grinned and poured a cup of tea for Zhuo Yihang. "The name Yi'an was given by his fourth uncle, who is...Yu Wenshu."
"At that time, he said that my family was wealthy and powerful, and that only if the eldest son was safe would our family's status be stable... At that time, I didn't know Ling'er had already given birth to Tianci."
"Of course, you don't have to thank me for the inheritance of the throne. Tianci is also my son. But what I hope for is..."
Fu Xiaoguan raised his head and looked at the people at the table. He said this very seriously: "The succession of the throne can be smoothly transferred. This is a national matter, and it is also my family matter!"
"I'm going to take all the other princes away from here. Of course, if something unexpected happens to me and I don't fulfill this promise... I absolutely don't want the bloody incident at Shili Pinghu to happen again!"
Zhuo Yihang pondered for a moment: "I understand, old minister!"
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