The spring rain in the fifth year of Daxia lasted for more than ten days.
The quarrel between the Emperor and the Minister of Chancellery Yan Xiwen in the Imperial Study of the Great Xia Palace was not covered up. Although it had not yet spread to the people, many officials in the temple already knew about it.
This is not a very ominous sign.
The plan for the two mountain transportation networks that had cost the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Revenue countless efforts was shelved because of the emperor's veto. Although Qin Mowen and Ning Yuchun took the plan to see the emperor again, the little emperor was obviously extremely resistant to them.
But he put forward a condition -
He will sign this plan whenever the Ministry of Justice releases the person.
The three-minister cabinet deliberation is the basic system of the court, but there is also a constraint - state decrees also require the emperor's consent.
This is the alternative separation of powers created by Fu Xiaoguan - the separation of imperial power, legislative power and deliberative power.
Of course, Zhuo and his group also knew about this.
In the cabinet office, the two speakers, Nangong Yiyu and Meng Changping, sat in front of Zhuo and his party.
"This matter... can only be handled by you personally."
Zhuo Yixing shook his head. "I've already met the Emperor. How about... we both take a step back?"
The next step would of course be to agree to the emperor's conditions and release Tuoba Changhuan.
Meng Changping shook his head: "That's inappropriate. If this kind of thing sets a precedent, the Constitution will become a dead letter!"
"Back when he was still in Guanyun City, the Emperor spent a lot of effort to promote the Constitution and let the people know about it and understand their rights and obligations."
"Besides, universities across Daxia now offer specialized law courses, and those students studying law are all aware of this. If this matter were to become public... Lord Zhuo, how do you think students would view law? And how would they view the emperor?"
Zhuo and his group fell silent.
Nangong Yiyu pondered for a moment and said, "How about this? The construction of the Yueshan Road network is a major event decided by the Emperor. It is part of the rural revitalization plan, which aims to help the people of Yueshan Road get out of poverty and become prosperous."
"The Ministry of Revenue's special funds have already arrived, and the engineering team is ready. We are just waiting for this document to be issued."
"Lord Zhuo, how about...this matter not going through the Emperor, but having the three Prime Ministers and the Cabinet jointly discuss and implement it directly?"
Zhuo Yixing was shocked, "No! This is absolutely not allowed!"
"This also sets a bad precedent... Think about it, if we proceed with this without the Emperor's approval, what would the Emperor think?"
"Then what's the point of having an emperor in Daxia? If this happens this first time, will all future policies be directly drafted by the three prime ministers and approved by the cabinet before being implemented? Wouldn't the emperor then become a puppet and a symbol?"
Zhuo Yixing waved his hand and shook his head, "If that's the case, then the imperial power is being lost. Even the retired emperor wouldn't agree to this."
Meng Changping nodded upon hearing this: "Lord Nangong is a little too anxious. This is indeed inappropriate."
Nangong Yiyu spread his hands and said, "What should we do about this? Just wait like this? It doesn't matter to us, but so many people on both sides of the mountain are eagerly waiting for this!"
Zhuo Yixing took a deep breath. "The person who tied the bell must untie it. Ultimately, we must have a proper discussion with the Emperor... I will go to see the great scholar Wen Xingzhou. He is the Emperor's teacher after all. I will ask him to persuade the Emperor to back down."
…
…
Imperial study.
Wen Xingzhou sat in front of Wu Tianci with a somewhat gloomy expression.
"Cough, cough, cough..." Wen Xingzhou covered his mouth and coughed violently for a while. He was over seventy years old and very old.
He came to the imperial study in a sedan chair, but even on the bluestone path in front of the imperial study, he walked in tremblingly with the help of a servant.
"emperor,"
"Master...Master is old. If you need anything, just tell me and I will go to your house!"
Wu Tianci poured Wen Xingzhou a cup of tea, then turned to Liu Jin and ordered, "Go and call the director of the Imperial Hospital!"
"Also... take three boxes of the thousand-year-old ginseng and deer antlers that Loulan presented to me as tribute last year, and the high-quality pearl shell powder that Goryeo presented as tribute. I'll send them over later."
"I obey your order!"
Liu Jin bowed and retreated.
Wen Xingzhou waved his hand and said breathlessly, "Your Majesty... I am old and at the end of my life. These good things cannot prolong my life."
"Over the years, I have long since seen through life and death. After all, everyone is mortal. In fact, I have long since died without regrets."
"Ahem... I still remember back in the Wu Dynasty, in Guanyun City... That year, the Wu Dynasty Literary Festival was the first time the Emperor came to the Wu Dynasty."
"I don't remember the literary gathering that year very clearly, but I do remember the details of the discussion when he was at my house and we were discussing the book 'Law Code' that I wrote."
"He first raised the idea that reason resides in the heart. The principles of nature, humanity, and physics reside only within our hearts. All people share the same heart and the same principles. The universe may be vast, but with a single thought toward goodness and a heart filled with conscience, even ordinary people can become sages! They can all become Yao and Shun!"
Wu Tianci was shocked. He had studied under Wen Xingzhou for ten years, but this was the first time he heard such words.
Even ordinary people can become sages and become Yao and Shun?
Doesn’t this mean that anyone in the world can become emperor?
Why does my father think so?
"The Emperor is far-sighted, Your Majesty. He believes that all people are equal! Just like what he did when he was in charge of Daxia, just like how he treated the people and ministers equally!"
"He said that people are not divided into high and low, only different divisions of labor! The sacred school forcibly divides people who originally had equal divisions of labor into different levels, and established the Three Bonds and Five Constant Virtues, simply for the benefit of the ruling class. To be more specific, it is to maintain the supremacy of imperial power!"
“Cough cough cough…”
Wen Xingzhou coughed violently for a while again. He spread out the handkerchief that was covering his mouth, and there was a bright red bloodstain on it.
He wrapped up the handkerchief and stuffed it into his sleeve pocket as if nothing had happened, and said:
"He said it was a cage that imprisoned ordinary people."
"He said that the human mind is the greatest cage."
"He also said that his ideal is to remove the cages that have shackled the people, restore equality, and make the world more joyful, brighter, more lively, and more beautiful!"
"Your Majesty, do you understand?"
"Why would the emperor abdicate in his prime?"
"Because he doesn't cling to this power at all! What he pursues is freedom of thought, peace and prosperity for the people of Daxia, and a life of plenty for the people!"
"The construction of the road network in Yueshan is an extremely important public welfare project, benefiting hundreds of millions of people in both areas, Your Majesty!"
"Do you really need to go against the will of the people just to get the governor's son released a year early?"
"I heard you had a quarrel with Prime Minister Yan over this matter... Your Majesty, this is your fault! If you still don't change... cough cough cough cough... After I die, please don't write on the tombstone that I am your teacher!"
"That... I would be ashamed even in my grave!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
