Chapter 252 Obstructed
The emperor expected the people's reaction. He knew how shocking today's action was, unprecedented and unparalleled, and he also knew how great the risk was.
But there is no wall in this world that is impenetrable. Covering up things all day long will only make people timid. He has suffered a lot from this in the few years since he ascended the throne.
He didn't want the next emperor to experience what he had experienced.
It is not easy to conquer an empire, and it is even harder to keep it. When he was still a prince, he had aspired to be a wise ruler who served the country and the people.
But because of the need to keep secrets of one kind or another, I have lost my original intention. Now that I have such an opportunity, I might as well burn my boats and leave a clean record behind so that I can move forward with ease.
As a son, you should be filial, but you should not be foolishly filial. Your parents' faults are your parents' faults. He is his own person and should not bear the responsibility for his parents' faults and make matters worse.
If his children bear the consequences of his mistakes in the future, this country will become more and more corrupt.
He did not regret what he had done today. Amid the people's angry curses, he ordered Feng Ruobao to go to the palace gate and read the imperial edict appointing Wei Qingyan as the Crown Princess.
The whole audience was in an uproar again.
The ministers all requested to meet with the emperor. Exposing the royal family's corruption had already shaken the foundation of the country. Now he wanted to make a woman the crown prince and hand over the Wei Dynasty to a woman. How could this be allowed?
Many ministers believed that women should be kept in the back house to take care of their husbands and children, and how could they step on their heads.
Some people were truly worried that the emperor's series of actions would cause the collapse of the Wei Dynasty, leading to internal and external strife.
Some, such as the Xie family, felt that Wei Qingyan's becoming the Crown Princess would harm the interests of their families.
The late emperor had promised that the three generations of empresses in the Shi family would come from the Xie family. Therefore, even if the crown prince was deposed and Xie was disabled, Xie Jiu remained calm, because they were determined that no matter who the next crown prince was, the empress could only be from the Xie family.
But now the emperor wants to hand over the country to Wei Qingyan. Not to mention that Wei Qingyan and the Xie family have had a feud, how can a woman like her marry the queen?
It is impossible for a man from his Xie family to enter the harem and become his husband. How is that different from being a son-in-law? How can a man from his Xie family be a son-in-law?
Besides, she has married into Prince Rong's mansion.
Prime Minister Xie could no longer sit still, and he looked like he would die by crashing into the palace gate if the emperor didn't see him.
How could the emperor not think of these people's thoughts, so he personally took Wei Qingyan to the palace gate tower.
"Today's edict of apology serves as the late emperor's confession and my apology to the world. I have been responsible for failing to oversee many of these events. I have failed as a ruler."
"Your Majesty, you must not say that..."
An old voice sounded, trying to stop the emperor from continuing.
Your Majesty's courage in admitting your mistakes is commendable, but without the royal dignity, how can you shock the world and rule the people?
The emperor recognized the honest and loyal old Hanlin and raised his hand, "The so-called world is actually the people. When the emperor rules the world, he rules the people.
"Governing the people means ensuring they have food to eat, clothes to wear, and shelter to live in. Is this what all people in the world want? Am I right?"
He looked at the crowded crowd below the city wall, waiting for their answer.
This was indeed what the people were asking for, but no one dared to respond to the emperor's request. The noisy crowd at the palace gate fell silent for a moment until a childish voice said, "Yes, Gouzi wants food to eat when he's hungry, a roof over his head when he's tired, and clothes to wear when he's cold."
With his leadership, the people began to follow suit.
The emperor laughed, "In that case, what does it matter whether the person sitting in this position is a man or a woman?
As long as she can govern this country well, bring peace to the world, and satisfy the people's wishes, then that is the true meaning of the emperor's status."
Things really happened as feared. The deposed crown prince had no future, so he just threw in the towel and angrily said, "But how could Father know that she could do all this?"
"Qingyan succeeded the Protectorate General at the age of fifteen, and at eighteen she defeated Wudan, who had invaded Wei for years. I need not elaborate on these matters. When it comes to pacifying the world, none of my children can surpass her. Do you admit that?"
The emperor was asking not only the crown prince but also all the civil and military officials.
"But governing a country is not as simple as fighting a war." The deposed prince was dissatisfied. He had been trained as the crown prince since he was a child. As the crown prince, why did he need to go to the battlefield himself? There were military generals to do it.
Wei Qingyan is good at fighting, but may not be capable of governing the country.
The emperor just smiled and didn't reply. He looked at Feng Ruobao and said, "Show them the memorials that the Crown Princess has been handling these days."
Only then did everyone notice that the eunuchs following behind the emperor were holding piles of memorials in their hands.
Feng Ruobao personally led people to distribute the memorial, including one to the deposed crown prince.
Wei Qingyan looked at the emperor with complicated eyes. It turned out that her father had had this idea in mind for a long time. He had asked her to go to the palace every day to review memorials in the past few months, all for today.
This also means that as soon as the emperor knew her identity, he was determined to make the truth about Huangshaling and her life experience known to the world, no matter what, because he knew that was what she wanted.
He was fulfilling her wish, even if it meant damaging his own imperial dignity. Wei Qingyan's nose was slightly sore, and he whispered, "Father."
How could she just leave when her father had done so much for her?
The emperor patted Wei Qingyan on the shoulder and said, "Good boy."
His courage today was given by his daughter. If it weren't for his daughter, he would still be that fool who was kept in the dark. They complement each other as father and daughter, and in the future they will surely be able to govern the Wei Dynasty better with their unity.
Thinking of this, he looked at the ministers with a determined expression.
After reading the memorial in his hand, one minister widened his eyes and looked at the person next to him. The other person also looked shocked. The two of them tacitly exchanged memorials, wanting to see if the one in the other's hand was as amazing.
This situation continued to unfold below the city walls. Even the deposed Crown Prince snatched the memorial from the hands of his attendants, muttering, "This couldn't possibly have been handled by Wei Qingyan. How could a woman like her possibly understand how to govern a country?"
He suddenly raised his eyes to look at the emperor, "Father, these are fake, right?"
The emperor glanced at him and asked, "Do you think I am such a person who treats the country as a joke?"
It wasn’t like that in the past, but it’s hard to say now.
The deposed crown prince was filled with resentment, and a malicious thought came to his mind, "Father, are you planning to follow the example of the previous Emperor Jingde, abandoning the kingdom and taking Lan Shu with you into seclusion?
Father, you used to be diligent in your work and loved the people. Ever since Lan Shu entered the palace, you haven't even been diligent in attending the morning court sessions. Now you have done something ridiculous.
Father, you have always been wise, but please do not follow the example of the previous Emperor Jingde, who abandoned his country for a woman, thus causing the subsequent chaos. For the sake of this country and the people of the world, please think twice."
"The Crown Princess has been taught by General Wei for many years, and her love for the people is deeply rooted in her bones. Later, she followed Military Advisor Wu Lian to travel among the people for three years. Being among the people, she can better understand the difficulties of the people's lives.
Therefore, everything she thinks about in handling government affairs is beneficial to the country and the people, which can be seen from the way she handles government affairs.
But the Crown Princess was still worried that she wasn't doing well enough, so I hired the former Emperor Jingde to teach her about statecraft."
The deposed crown prince simply wanted to accuse the emperor of being blinded by women so that he would give up the idea of making Wei Qingyan the crown princess, so he dragged Emperor Jingde into this.
How could he have thought that Emperor Jingde would actually appear before him, "You...you are not real?"
Judging from his age, Emperor Jingde should be a hundred years old now. How could he still be alive? If he were alive, how could he teach the Crown Princess of Wei?
"My goods are genuine. There must be many old officials who remember my appearance. I can't make fake ones."
Wang Chen smiled at the deposed prince and said, "It's just that you are too vicious in your words. You made me sound like a lustful and foolish ruler.
I have not abandoned my country, it is just fate. I have seen everything that has happened in the Wei Dynasty over the years.
The Su family is a thing of the past. Thank you, Your Majesty, for not despising me. I will teach the Crown Princess everything I know. Although I may not have other skills, I do have some experience in being an emperor.
If anyone disagrees, you are welcome to debate!"
He always had a smile on his face as he glanced at the crowd. When he met one or two familiar people, he would raise his hand and say hello. However, the people he was greeted were once young men, but now they were in their octogenarians.
Emperor Jingde reigned for fifteen years, during which he achieved all his goals and made all his plans sound. He was a wise ruler with virtuous ministers, and his times were prosperous and peaceful. Who would dare to debate with him about the art of governing a country if he could lead such a prosperous era?
In particular, there are many officials here who were first caught by the little devils, then punished by the emperor, and finally forgiven by the emperor. How could they really dare to disobey the emperor's wishes?
But not everyone was willing to accept this. Prime Minister Xie stood up and quickly walked to Feng Ruobao, whispering, "Please remind His Majesty of the agreement between the late emperor and the Xie family. After all, the Xie family kept the late emperor's secret for many years. Even if they have no merit, they have worked hard."
Prime Minister Xie no longer cared that this naked threat would displease the emperor.
How could the late emperor promise to give birth to three generations of queens just because of the help they gave him in the past? The Xie family must have something on the late emperor.
Today, he can only use this handle again.
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