The Child Emperor

The death of Han Xing and the fall of Hangu Pass made the situation that had just stabilized suddenly become tense again. Han Ruzi could clearly feel that the court and the imperial court were not as resolute as they were a few days ago, and the orders he issued were unmanned. Contradicted or refuted, but the feedback received was significantly less and slower, as if the underwater bait was eaten by smart fish little by little, and the anglers on the shore were unaware.

Han Ruzi discussed with the ministers for a whole day, and the number of participants gradually increased, and finally reached more than 30 people. Everyone's opinions were unanimous. Who to send has become a thorny problem.

The ministers are arguing over some minutiae, and a candidate recommended by a minister will inevitably be opposed by at least two ministers. The reasons are always very good, or the prestige is not high, or the ability is insufficient, or the health is unwell...

Han Ruzi was still involved in the debate at first, but then he simply watched from the sidelines. He understood that it was not that the ministers were incompetent, nor were they timid. On the contrary, these people had rich experience. As soon as they smelled the change of the emperor's throne, they immediately tried to stay out of it and help each other. It can neither appear too negative, nor too hard, so as not to leave an excuse.

Han Ruzi was very angry. His impression of the minister had always been bad, but now it has become even worse.

Tomorrow is the day when the Taimiao confesses to the ancestors. No matter what, Han Ruzi must first officially restore the throne. Before dark, the government will be over. The only decision made is to strengthen the defense of each army, and wait for more detailed news from Hangu Pass. Decide.

The emperor can take a sedan chair back to the palace, and Han Ruzi will send Chengyu away, walk with Yang Feng, and are protected by soldiers from the front and rear—these people have no definite identity, neither guards nor Suwei, but Most trusted by the emperor.

"I really want to replace them all." Han Ruzi was indignant, "You saw it too, the only one who is willing to make an idea is Xiao Sheng!"

Without waiting for Yang Feng's answer, Han Ruzi added: "I understand that Xiao Sheng is not really doing his best, he is afraid of retribution - did I forgive the minister too early? We should leave them a little pressure."

Yang Feng was uncharacteristically, but um, he didn't reply a word. It was very similar to the ministers in the Palace of Diligence. Han Ruzi stopped, "Don't you think the ministers are going too far?"

It was just dark, and the front and rear lanterns were a little far away. Standing in the corner of the eye, Yang Feng looked a little old. When he spoke, there was no fatigue in his voice, "If it were Your Majesty, what would you do?"

"I... if I were the minister?"

Yang Feng hummed again.

"I will..." Han Ruzi thought for a while and couldn't help sighing. He was angry in his heart for a long time, but he didn't think about a question: the minister's actions were actually quite normal. An emperor suddenly rises and falls, and the person in power today may become a prisoner tomorrow just because of a wrong choice. If he is a minister, he will also be wise to protect himself when the situation is unstable.

Shen Mingzhi, Xiao Sheng and others are negative examples. They participated in the struggle for the throne because of their greed, and they made frequent mistakes. Instead of getting any benefits, they got into trouble.

"One can't be selfish enough to think that others are not selfish." Han Ruzi chuckled, realizing that after he became emperor, he was much more "selfish" than before.

But if you can't be overly selfish, what's the point of being an emperor?

Han Ruzi did not raise this question to Yang Feng, became calm, no longer complained about the minister, and did not ask Yang Feng for advice, he understood that this time he had to make his own decision again.

Even dinner was useless, Han Ruzi went directly to see his mother, and also to see the queen mother.

This is not the time for him to be a puppet. Even if the empress dowager does not want to see the emperor, the people around her dare not refuse the emperor's arrival, let alone stop him, but greet him respectfully.

The Queen Mother sat on the couch, and Wang Meiren was still standing beside her like a maid.

Han Ruzi wanted to pick up her mother on the first day she entered the palace, but Wang Meiren refused. In her opinion, serving the Empress Dowager Shangguan is not only an obligation, but also an honor.

In Han Ruzi's heart, the first major thing to re-proclaim the emperor is to make his mother the empress dowager. There is a precedent for the two palaces to stand side by side. Even if the emperor does not say anything, the minister will take the initiative to bring it up. Yuan Jiuding, Minister of Rites, has already hinted at this.

The fall of Hangu Pass disrupted the plan, and everything had to be postponed.

Han Ruzi didn't need to kneel down as before, bowed his body in salute, and greeted him politely. He said, "The queen mother must have heard that the general Han Xing was assassinated, and Shangguan Sheng occupied Hangu Pass."

The Empress Dowager looked good, but she was less severe, and seemed very happy to hand over her power, "It's my fault that I am incapable of discipline, so that the Shangguan family has such a chaotic minister and thief, which makes Your Majesty worry, if Your Majesty is here to ask the guilt, I have nothing to say. ."

Although the Empress Dowager lost power, she was a symbol after all. Of course, Han Ruzi would not "ask the guilt" and said: "The Empress Dowager is serious, Shangguansheng made a mess on his own, what should I do with the Empress Dowager? I came to see the Empress Dowager to ask for advice on the way to pacify the chaos and govern the country. "

Wang Meiren nodded gently to her son, expressing her approval.

The Empress Dowager was silent for a moment, "Your Majesty really asks for advice?"

"There is no falsehood at all."

The queen mother was silent for a while, "Tell me about the details of Hangu Pass."

Han Ruzi explained the matter in general, and answered all the questions raised by the queen mother one by one.

"Assassination of the general is by no means an idea that Shangguan Sheng could come up with. His subordinates have no assassin who can do such a thing. Shangguan Sheng either got help from others or was used."

When the queen mother talked about her nephew, it was like an outsider who was talking about something irrelevant, without the slightest "mother-son relationship" - she had already avenged her own son, so she didn't need to establish another "son".

Han Ruzi conjectured the same, but he was more concerned about another question: "Shangguansheng occupies Hangu Pass, will you stay or go next?"

"It will definitely continue east." The Queen Mother said without hesitation.

"What if the people around him disagree? Like those who helped him assassinate the general."

"You still don't understand Shangguansheng. He is not a running dog, but a beast. You can use him to hunt down prey, but you can't make him stop. Even if the assassin makes a lot of noise, Shangguansheng will still run all the way back to the East China Sea, he thought there It's his home." The queen mother paused, "I gave him the idea, and he has already identified this path."

Han Ruzi didn't want to investigate whose idea this was, and bowed his hands in a salute, and asked, "Who is available for the civil and military affairs of the Manchu Dynasty?"

The Queen Mother smiled slightly, "Your Majesty also hit that soft wall?"

"I bumped into it and almost fell into it."

"I have tried many methods, but the wall can't be broken, demolished, or bypassed. Have you thought about replacing them all?"

"I thought about it."

"Never do it because I've tried it and found it terribly wrong and it's a trap."

"How do you say?" Han Ruzi became more interested. Yang Feng objected to him, but the reason given was very vague. He needed a more direct reason, and the queen mother happened to be the most suitable to answer this question.

"Because the emperor is a lonely man, he has to rely on others to do things. The emperor can choose his cronies, but there are thousands of officials in the world. How many cronies can you have?"

Han Ruzi did not answer, and his cronies were not even enough to form a political team.

"So you still have to use ministers to do things, replace one batch, and another batch will come up, and it will soon become a soft wall, and it is not as good as the previous batch. It was not delivered to various places, the rent was insufficient, the household registration was wrong... A lot of problems came up, whether it was big or small, and finally the emperor had to invite the old ministers back one by one. The emperor will also find out , those old ministers never disappeared, or were sent to positions where the emperor did not notice, or they stayed at home, and accurately calculated when they would be able to resume their positions."

"Where is the problem?" Han Ruzi asked.

The queen mother smiled and didn't answer. If she found out what the problem was, the emperor standing in front of her now would not be Han Ruzi.

"Isn't there anyone in the Manchu civil and military affairs?"

"Yes, but it may not meet His Majesty's wishes."

"Why?"

"With all due respect, His Majesty's foundation is not stable at this time. There are few loyal and reliable people, and those who can use it are mostly snobs. If His Majesty can't cross the threshold of 'loyalty' in his heart, who can you use?"

Han Ruzi thanked the queen mother and left.

Wang Meiren sent the emperor to the gate of the palace and whispered, "Don't worry, the more stable the emperor's position is, the more people are loyal to His Majesty, and the more ministers who are willing to do things will naturally increase."

"I'm not in a hurry, mother." Han Ruzi is indeed not as eager to do things as he was at the beginning. He has already taken a big step from puppet, abolished emperor to re-proclaimed emperor. As for grasping real power, that is another big step. , must be taken steadily.

"No matter what, the Southern Army must be sent out. Any conditions Cui Hong proposes are acceptable."

"Yes, mother."

Wang Meiren's eyes showed pity and love, and she reached out and gently stroked her son's cheek, "Your Majesty is not the luckiest emperor, but the smartest. The great Chu Jiangshan belongs to His Majesty, and will be passed on to His Majesty's children and grandchildren in the future."

Han Ruzi smiled, only his mother would be so unconditionally optimistic about him and give him the most praise.

He certainly didn't think he was the wisest emperor, but he believed he was by no means the hapless and incompetent one.

After the meal, Han Ruzi returned to the bedroom, and soon saw that the Queen's expression was a little unnatural. It seemed that she had something to say, but she did not dare to say it.

"Did the Cui family send someone to deliver the letter to you?" Han Ruzi guessed with a smile, not caring that the queen wanted to speak for the family.

Cui Xiaojun's face flushed, "Yes, my father said...he is too old to bear the pain of fighting."

"But if he is asked to hand over the position of the Southern Army Chief Sima, he will definitely not feel old."

Cui Xiaojun's face turned even redder, "Your Majesty... Does Your Majesty really want to eradicate the Cui family?"

Han Ruzi walked up to the queen and said softly, "Even for you, I wouldn't do it. I'll give your father a chance to ask him to take the initiative to fight. You don't need to be embarrassed or interfere, Mrs. Cui will do it."

At dawn the next day, Han Ruzi summoned his ministers in the Hall of Qinzheng, and announced that he would go on a personal expedition.