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"I only want myself and my successor to be wise rulers."
When a dozen important officials followed He Yuanjing into the imperial study, they found that in addition to Emperor Xingwu, there was also a recorder sitting inside.
The Recorder was under the jurisdiction of the Secretariat and was responsible for recording the emperor's words and deeds and important state affairs. For example, when Emperor Xingwu presided over court meetings, sacrifices and banquets, watched military exercises and hunted, and received foreign envoys, the Recorder had to be present to perform his duties. However, when Emperor Xingwu was entertaining himself on a daily basis or summoning ministers to the imperial study, he did not like to call the Recorder to accompany him unless he thought it was necessary to ask the Recorder to come and make a few notes.
Today, Emperor Xingwu wants to discuss the candidate for the crown prince. This is a major matter concerning the next emperor, so of course it has to be reported to the attendant.
When everyone was present, Emperor Xingwu gave a seat to Xie Xunwen, the Minister of Rites, who was one year younger than Yan Xizheng but had started working with crutches this year, and then asked He Yuanjing to leave.
Behind Emperor Xingwu hung a map of the Great Qi. He tilted his chair sideways, turned his head, and examined it carefully for a moment. Then, looking at his ministers lined up in two rows, he pointed at the map and smiled, saying, "Eighteen years have passed. I've governed the Great Qi quite well, don't you agree?"
All the ministers agreed in unison. Yan Xizheng then said separately, "I'm not flattering you. Your Majesty's achievements in civil and military affairs are no less than those of the Qin Emperor and Han Emperor."
Emperor Xingwu waved his hand before the other ministers echoed him. "Left Prime Minister, you're overly flattering. I wouldn't dare compare myself to the Qin Emperor or Han Emperor Wu. Back then, I started my rebellion so that the people, like me, who had suffered at the hands of the previous dynasties' tyrants and treacherous ministers, could have enough to eat and sleep peacefully. Now that I've achieved that, I've lived up to the trust you and the people of the world placed in me. I feel at peace."
"But the credit is not mine alone."
As he spoke, Emperor Xingwu stood up and, starting with Yan Xizheng from the civil service side, recalled the contributions of the dozen or so civil and military ministers present one by one. Among them, only Imperial Censor Nie Ao and Minister of Rites Xie Xunwen were officials of the previous dynasty who were promoted and appointed by Emperor Xingwu at the beginning of his reign. Only Minister of Works Liu Qi and Minister of Punishments Lin Xian were capable officials of the new dynasty who were promoted for their talents and achievements a few years after the founding of the country. These four did not have the merit of following the emperor, but they had the merit of assisting Emperor Xingwu in stabilizing his rule and benefiting the country and the people.
The remaining two prime ministers, three ministers, and military officers such as Prince Yong were all founding heroes and heroes who built the country.
After reminiscing and praising his past, Emperor Xingwu stopped in front of the map, patted the location of the capital Luoyang, and said, "The reason why the Great Qi can enjoy peace and prosperity today is because I have devoted half my life to it, and because you have assisted me in devoting half my life to it. Without me, you may not be able to wait for an emperor to lead you to establish a new dynasty. But without you, I would definitely not be able to become this emperor on my own."
Yan Xizheng knelt with his ministers, tears welling in his eyes. "Your Majesty is a wise ruler chosen by Heaven to save the world. Since we are so fortunate to have such a wise ruler, how can we not serve you with all our heart and soul? It is because of your appreciation that we have achieved our humble contributions. This is our duty as a minister. We will never dare to be arrogant in front of Your Majesty."
Emperor Xingwu: "Everyone, stand up! Today, there is no emperor or minister here. Only me and my old friends. Anyone who dares to kneel again will be kicked out!"
After all the ministers had taken their places, Emperor Xingwu sat back in his chair and sighed, "You may be modest, but I'm sure you all share my hope that the Great Qi will grow stronger year by year. Isn't that right?"
The ministers nodded.
Emperor Xingwu: "To make the Great Qi strong, we need both wise ministers like you as our advisors and a wise ruler at the helm. So, what constitutes a wise ruler? When I first ascended the throne, I couldn't articulate it clearly. I knew I must govern diligently, love the people, and not exploit them. After so many years of governing, I can finally articulate it."
"First, a wise ruler must be wise and intelligent. He must know how to provide relief when natural disasters strike, how to govern and prevent disasters after they occur, how to deploy troops to defend against foreign invasions, and how to train, strengthen, and improve weapons after the battle, right?"
All the ministers agreed, but Qin Hong was the only one who felt ashamed when he thought of his incompetence and headaches during his time as regent.
Emperor Xingwu noticed this and comforted his eldest son, saying, "Don't be ashamed, Hong'er. Although you may not be wise or intelligent, nor do you have the courage to face difficulties head-on, your willingness to resign shows that you have self-awareness and are willing to give up the throne that is within your grasp for the sake of the greater good. For this reason alone, I look up to you."
Qin Hong: "..."
It seemed like his father was scolding him, but it also seemed like he was really praising him.
Emperor Xingwu continued, "Back to the topic of a wise ruler. Secondly, a wise ruler must know how to appoint the right people. With so many state affairs every day, a wise ruler alone would be exhausted in just a few years. Therefore, a wise ruler must be able to identify capable ministers and generals. He should allow capable civil officials to assist in governing the country, and allow talented military officers to train troops and defend against the enemy. People like Yongkang, who recommended anyone for gold and silver, or Hong'er, who recommended someone because he trusted his sister, are not the qualities of a wise ruler."
Qin Hong's face turned red, and the ministers were unable to say anything.
Emperor Xingwu said: "Third, a wise ruler must also be diligent in his work and love his people. Otherwise, no matter how wise an emperor is and how well he appoints people, if he uses that wisdom every day to find ways to be lazy and enjoy himself, fighting crickets one day and sleeping in the next, how will he have the time to handle state affairs and promote talented people? Over time, the court will be controlled by powerful and treacherous ministers, and chaos is inevitable."
Qin Hong: "..." Fighting crickets and sleeping in, is father scolding my second and third brothers?
The ministers remained silent.
Emperor Xingwu: "Finally, a wise ruler must have foresight. The people may only think about this year's harvest, and the soldiers may only think about whether their swords, spears, and horses are still usable. But a wise ruler must think about a dozen or even dozens of years into the future. Only an emperor who is concerned about ensuring that the people can have decades of adequate food and clothing and that the soldiers can win battles for decades will not dare to slack off for the sake of temporary peace. Only an emperor who constantly maintains an enterprising spirit can surpass the founding emperor."
The civil officials all praised the emperor for his brilliant summary of these four points!
Now that he knew what a wise ruler looked like, Emperor Xingwu leaned back in his chair and said to his trusted ministers, "Come on, tell me, which of my five children has the best potential to be a wise ruler."
Five children...
Yan Xizheng closed his eyes and wanted to find a chair to sit down.
Nie Luo's eyes twitched, and his lips, which were becoming thinner with age, also moved, but he endured it for the time being.
Not to mention the several important civil officials, even the military officials, the emperor's hints were so obvious, Lu Zan looked at Zhang Jie behind him in shock, Zhang Jie had already lowered his eyes, Hou Wanzhong and Xue Ye were watching each other's noses and their minds, Fan Zhong still had that careless look of "I'm listening but I don't understand anything and will never interrupt."
Perhaps they were reluctant to speak, or perhaps they were waiting for the right moment. So, after a while, Prince Yong finally understood what was happening. He was the first to speak. He looked at Emperor Xingwu in disbelief, "What do you mean, brother? Why five children? This is about selecting a crown prince. What do Yongkang and Lin'er have to do with it?"
Emperor Xingwu stared at his brother and said, "I founded the Great Qi. I toiled for half my life to rid the Great Qi of internal and external troubles. I will only feel assured if I choose a wise ruler who can make the Great Qi even more prosperous and powerful. Therefore, I value only the talent of a wise ruler. If my son is capable, then he will take over. If my son is not capable, then my daughter will take over."
Prince Yong: "Yes..."
Emperor Xingwu: "Why, I can't be the master of Da Qi or the Qin family anymore?"
Prince Yong was a man of great integrity. He could listen to his elder brother on other matters, but he had to say what he had to say on this matter, and he did so confidently. "Of course, elder brother has the final say. He should make the final decision on everything, but I've never heard of a family leaving their inheritance to a daughter. A daughter married off is like spilled water. If elder brother really makes Lin'er the crown prince, then will the Great Qi Dynasty be called Qin or Zhang in the future?"
As he spoke, Prince Yong looked at Zhang Jie with undisguised anger.
Zhang Jie knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "I dare not interfere in the selection of the crown prince. I only swear that my family has no rebellious intentions. I beg Your Majesty to understand this."
Emperor Xingwu did not rescind Zhang Jie's ceremony, nor was he angry with his brother. He smiled and said, "Of course the surname will be Qin. If Lin'er becomes the crown prince, all her children will have the surname Qin. If the Zhang family does not wish, I will not force them. I will simply revoke the decree granting the marriage."
Zhang Jie bowed his head and said, "I dare not. It is a blessing for Zhang Su to have a son and daughter for the royal family, and it is also a great fortune for my family."
Prince Yong: "Bah! Of course it's your Zhang family's blessing. Even if Lin'er's children are named Qin, they are all descendants of your Zhang family. My eldest brother worked so hard to build the kingdom, but it was easily snatched away by your Zhang family's descendants. Your Zhang family's ancestors would be laughing in their graves!"
Emperor Xingwu remained calm and even joked with Prince Yong, "I asked you to choose the one with the qualities of a wise ruler from among my five children, and Prince Yong immediately decided that I would choose Lin'er. Could it be that in Prince Yong's heart, Lin'er is the one who best fits the criteria for a wise ruler?"
Prince Yong was anxious: "Brother, don't laugh! Yes, I admit that Lin'er has the best potential to be a wise ruler, but if she becomes the crown prince, the Da Qi family will have to change their surname to Zhang. So, brother, how about you choose the third brother? Let the third brother be the crown prince, and Lin'er, as his sister, will assist him in governing the country. The third brother listens to Lin'er the most, and if they work together, they can still govern Da Qi well!"
Emperor Xingwu looked at his ministers and asked, "What do you think? Can Prince Xian be crown prince?"
Yang Zhimin looked around and took the lead: "I'm afraid that His Royal Highness Prince Xian is not able to be diligent in his work."
Nie Ao: "Not only that, I see that Prince Xian has no interest in government affairs. If he has no desire to govern, how can he possibly be capable of governing?"
Xie Xunwen, the Minister of Rites, who was sitting on a chair holding a cane, saw the emperor looking at him and shook his head helplessly: "Prince Xian is kind and respectful to the wise and humble. He can be a virtuous king, but he is not worthy of the important task of being a wise ruler."
Except for Prince Yong, no one supported Prince Xian, so Prince Xian was kicked out as a candidate for the crown prince.
Prince Yong: "If the third brother is not good enough, there is still the second brother. The second brother attacked the royal court this time and made outstanding military achievements..."
Yan Xizheng didn't even let Prince Yong finish his words. He stepped aside and sternly retorted, "Prince Jing is brave but foolish, and stubborn. The Imperial Concubine and I have repeatedly urged him to concentrate on his studies, but he has turned a deaf ear. Even his closest relatives, like me, are unable to dissuade him. If Prince Jing becomes king, he will surely be blind to his own ways and will put the Great Qi in danger!"
Emperor Xingwu looked at the Minister of War, Tan Shixun.
Tan Shixun glanced at Xie Xunwen, the Minister of Rites, and could only say impartially, "Prince Jing is brave and mighty, and could be a formidable general, but he loves flattery and hates honesty, just as the Left Prime Minister said."
Emperor Xingwu looked again at Hou Wanzhong, who was accompanying his two children on the Northern Expedition.
Hou Wanzhong: "...During the Northern Expedition, the princess issued a clear order forbidding the Eastern and Western Special Forces from indiscriminately killing the elderly, weak, women, and children among the Hu people. Later, I heard from the Western Special Forces that Prince Jing, after searching the Hu tribes in vain, had become enraged and slaughtered them indiscriminately. Military orders have not yet convinced Prince Jing to obey. If we, the ministers, had offered our advice, I fear we would have been unable to persuade him."
Emperor Xingwu sighed, "Prince Jing is exactly like his uncle when he was young. He needs someone to hold him down, otherwise he'll dare to poke holes in the sky and then blame it for not being strong enough."
Since no one supported Prince Jing, he was kicked out.
Prince Yong still refused to give up and pointed at Qin Hong: "Hong'er..."
Qin Hong fell to his knees and said, "My nephew is untalented and ill. Please, Uncle Wang, please don't harm me anymore!"
After successfully silencing Prince Yong, Qin Hong addressed his father again, "Your Majesty, just now you spoke of the qualities of a wise ruler. Qingyang presented the Ten Strategies for State Administration during the palace examination, and now he has military achievements in the Northern Expedition. This demonstrates his wisdom and intelligence, both civil and military. In the eleventh year of Xingwu, Qingyang recommended the disgraced candidate Jia Fangping for an official position. Later, Jia Fangping made outstanding contributions in implementing government policies. This demonstrates his ability to know people and appoint them to positions. During Qingyang's southern tours with your father, he consulted with officials during the day and wrote books to enlighten the people at night. This demonstrates his diligence and love for the people. In his Southern Tours, Qingyang proposed solutions to the recent Yellow River floods and also had the grand ambition to transform loess hills like Liangzhou into green mountains and reduce the amount of silt carried by the Yellow River. This demonstrates his long-term vision. Therefore, I recommend Qingyang as the crown prince of the Great Qi!"
Before today, he really didn't expect that his father wanted to make his sister the heir, but when his father said it himself, Qin Hong immediately felt that his sister really deserved it!
The ministers all knew that Princess Qingyang did have the qualities to be a wise ruler, which they could not refute. They also thought that the reasons why Princess Qingyang was enthroned as the emperor were inappropriate, and Prince Yong had pointed out all of them. The most crucial point was that after Princess Qingyang's offspring inherited the throne, would the royal family of Da Qi have the surname Qin, or would they claim to have the surname Qin but actually have the surname Zhang.
Emperor Xingwu has not yet responded directly to this point.
Emperor Xingwu looked at his brother, who was furious and anxious, as if the Zhang family was about to seize the Qin family's territory at any moment, and smiled. "My surname is Qin, but I also have half the blood of my mother's family, the Guo family, in my bones. So although I'm officially surnamed Qin, I could also be surnamed Guo. Of course, the people of the world are still more accustomed to judging their ancestors by their father's surname. When I establish my son, I will let his descendants inherit the Qin family's father's surname. Then they will only be descendants of the Qin family, and the world will still be the Qin family's territory."
Prince Yong: "Brother, you are making far-fetched arguments!"
Emperor Xingwu: "If you think so, I will tell you another truth that everyone has acknowledged for thousands of years. From ancient times to the present, the royal family has always rotated, and no family can monopolize the country for long. If I have the ability, I can pass the country to my son. If my son has the ability, she can pass the country to her son. But one day, the Qin family will produce a king who will be a loser and destroy the country. One day, the Great Qi will be reduced to a bygone dynasty, and will only exist in history."
"The Great Qi before its fall has nothing to do with me. No matter how long my arms are, they can't reach beyond two or three hundred years. The only thing I can do is to leave behind a second-generation wise ruler who is willing and capable of protecting the people of the Great Qi generation that I can see."
"No matter how much criticism the Qin family's king, who lost his country, receives, it will not diminish my reputation. But if I choose the wrong second-generation king and let him bring disaster to the country and the people, I will surely lose my integrity in my later years and be ridiculed by future generations."
"So, I don't care what name this country will be ruled by in the future. I just want my successor and I to be wise rulers. As long as the people of Da Qi live better during Lin'er's reign than during my own, my merit as the founding monarch will be complete. I will have no regrets and will not be ashamed of anyone."
Emperor Xingwu, sitting alone in front of the map of Great Qi, said this to his younger brother, eldest son, and meritorious officials as if chatting casually.
【Author’s words】
The glory tonight belongs to Daddy.
100 little red envelopes, see you tomorrow!
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