New Year's Eve of the fifth year of Daxia.
The city of Chang'an was ablaze with lights and beautiful scenery.
The fireworks in this city have never stopped since dusk. The sound of firecrackers can be heard continuously in the streets and alleys, and the fireworks bloom beautifully in the dark night sky.
The banquet at Yun Xiyan's house has ended. Everyone sat around the tea table, sipping the fragrant tea, listening to the sound of firecrackers outside, and occasionally the light of fireworks flashed outside the window.
“This is the golden age!”
Yan Xiwen drank two more cups, her face flushed red, and she held the teacup with great emotion*——
"Back in Jinling, when he married Yu Wenjun and the others, he threw a magnificent fireworks display. Fireworks were a luxury back then, but they've become commonplace these days."
"He should be out on the vast ocean right now... He's dreamed of the prosperity here, fought for it, and seen it with his own eyes. So, I imagine he wouldn't be lonely out there. I just wonder how he's spent these years."
The people here are all former members of the Yu Dynasty.
Some of them were not beautiful when they met Fu Xiaoguan, such as Yan Xiwen. Because of Fu Xiaoguan's appearance, his beloved Dong Shulan became Fu Xiaoguan's wife.
For example, Shi Yiming and Fu Xiaoguan not only have no friendship, but instead start with hatred.
No matter what happened in the past, these people eventually came to Fu Xiaoguan's side and became the pillars of Daxia today!
"That's what makes him great!" Ning Yuchun grinned. "Back in Jinling, we often went to Sifanglou for drinks. This guy... now I think about it, he was truly a hidden dragon, but back then he was just keeping a low profile. Later, when he encountered a storm, he soared to the sky. He made Daxia what it is, and he made us what we are."
"So I was thinking, if one day I can no longer hold this position, or retire, I will definitely take a huge ship to the place he mentioned called Yingtian Continent."
"Go and see if he's living a happy life. Go and ask him... can he still eat when he's so old?"
"That's a great idea!" Qin Mowen clapped his hands in agreement. "We'll go together then!"
"Okay, it's decided. Let's go together then!"
…
…
Chang'an, Wudaoqiao, and Xiaoshiqiao Hutong.
Zhuo Yihang's residence is here, only three courtyards away from Ji Yungui's residence.
Most of the people living here are officials from Chang'an City, because it is closest to the imperial palace.
Today is the New Year's Eve, and the Zhuo Mansion is more lively than in previous years because a special guest has come today - the Great Xia Emperor Wu Tianci!
The banquet had ended, and Zhuo and his party brought Wu Tianci, Zhuo Bieli and Zhuo Donglai to his study.
This is not the first time Wu Tianci has come to Zhuo Mansion.
When Wu Linger was in Guanyun City, she had taken Wu Tianci to the Zhuo Mansion many times. After arriving in Chang'an City, she had also been there three or five times. Although Wu Tianci did not make the relationship between the Zhuo Mansion and herself clear, he knew it clearly.
This is his grandfather's home, where he would feel more relaxed and casual.
Sitting in front of the tea table, Zhuo and his group brewed a pot of tea.
"emperor……"
"Grandfather, this isn't the palace, so don't be so unfamiliar. Just call me Tianci!"
When Zhuo Yixing heard this, he was very happy. Who said that my great-grandson doesn't know etiquette?
Isn’t this very reasonable?
"Well, Tianci, your parents have been away at sea for over half a year. Do you feel lonely in the palace? I'm thinking that since you're fourteen years old now, would you like to choose some concubines? That way, the palace will be more lively."
Wu Tianci grinned, "Grandfather, there's no rush for this. Let's wait another two years. But Grandfather can help me look for one during normal times."
Zhuo Yixing nodded happily, his long beard wisping at him. "To be honest, Prime Minister Yan's daughter is a little too young. Also, Minister Yun Xiyan's daughter is only five years old this year... Prime Minister Ning and Prime Minister Qin's daughters are about eleven or twelve years old, but they're still in Jinling, so I haven't met them yet."
"I'll ask Prime Minister Ning and Prime Minister Qin in a few days. Tianci, over the past six months... I think you seem a little aggrieved."
The joy on Wu Tianci's face gradually faded. He fell silent, holding the teacup in his hand, and hesitated for a moment before saying, "It's not grievance, it's frustration!"
He suddenly raised his head again, looked at Zhuo and his group, and asked seriously, "Does this country really need an emperor?"
"Important matters at court...even memorials sent in from all over the country, first pass through the Secretariat, which selects some of them before submitting them to me."
"Even the memorials submitted to me already contain comments from the three ministries. As an emperor, the most I can do is look at those opinions and give them my approval."
"Even if I add some opinions, they must ultimately be approved by the cabinet... Do you think I, the emperor, am dispensable?"
Zhuo Donglai looked up at Wu Tianci. According to seniority, he was Wu Tianci's uncle.
He is now the governor of Guangnan West Road in Daxia.
He rarely spent time in Beijing, so he didn't quite understand why his nephew, the emperor, would think this way.
"It's not what you think," Zhuo Yixing poured tea for Wu Tianci and said, "Your father established the three-minister cabinet voting system to limit the emperor's power!"
"Your father said that no matter how powerful a person is, he can never be omniscient and omnipotent. Not even he can. No one is perfect; everyone makes mistakes. Some mistakes can be corrected, but others, once made, can bring disaster to the entire country."
"You must understand your father's good intentions. He is doing this for the sake of Daxia's thousand-year national prosperity."
"Power needs to be constrained, and the method your father used has constrained imperial power to the greatest extent possible, while also minimizing the damage to the country caused by incorrect decisions."
"You are the emperor of the greatest country in the world. Under your command are a group of capable ministers carefully selected by your father! Whether it is the three prime ministers or the provincial governors, they were almost all hand-picked by your father himself."
"He wants you to grow up in a stable political environment, so that you can learn more from these capable ministers... such as how to handle current affairs, appoint and dismiss personnel, manage the economy, and fully control Daxia!"
"These are the foundations of governing a country! Even though you've studied under him for a year, and he may not have accomplished much, he actually knows everything about everyone and everything in Daxia."
"He said that governing a large country is like cooking a small fish. The heat, seasoning, and the combination of dishes—these seemingly simple things actually contain profound knowledge. This is something that Master Wen can't teach you. You have to observe, learn, and experience it yourself!"
Zhuo and his group said a lot of earnest words, but Wu Tianci's heart had already been rebellious. He firmly believed that imperial power should be supreme. He firmly believed that if what the emperor said had no effect, then the throne would be meaningless.
Although he heard what Zhuo Yixing said, he did not take it to heart, nor did he reflect on himself. In fact, a look of impatience gradually appeared on his face.
He left.
He left Zhuo's house with a gloomy look on his face.
In the study of Zhuo's house, Zhuo and his group looked at the cup of cold tea that had not been drunk and were silent for a long time.
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