Chapter 376
(The last day of the double monthly pass, I hope everyone can cast a valuable vote!!)
The ministers showed extremely unanimous support for the Empress Dowager Cining's search for relatives, even more enthusiastic than the emperor himself.
"This matter cannot be delayed. Donghai Kingdom should be instructed to investigate in detail, draw up a list, and connect the Wang family to the capital as soon as possible, so that the Queen Mother's family can be reunited." Prime Minister Shen Mingzhi suggested solemnly, which seemed a little urgent.
However, the emperor had to calm down, "Don't worry, you have to find out the truth first, you can't just believe in the words of Donghai Kingdom."
Shen Mingzhi stepped aside, pointed to another minister and said, "Master Yuan, the Minister of Rites, is mature and serious, and it would be more appropriate for him to go to the East China Sea to investigate the truth."
Yuan Jiuding did not refuse, and stepped forward and said, "I would like to visit the East China Sea, in short, I will not let this matter have any regrets."
The emperor couldn't be too cold, so he nodded in agreement, and exhorted a few more words.
The whole morning was devoted to discussing this matter. The ministers provided several cases recorded in the history books for reference. It did not often happen that the queen mother sought relatives, but in the early stage of the Great Chu, there was an queen mother who waited until the death of the queen mother. , only to promote his own relatives. In the earlier dynasty, another empress dowager took many years to get along with her family because of bad relations with her family.
In these cases, the emperor always had to reward his uncle, and at least one person was named a marquis.
Han Ruzi felt that it was too early to consider the reward plan at this time, and felt that it was too heavy. "The so-called reward and punishment are clear, even if the Wang family found in the East China Sea is really my uncle, shouldn't he be rewarded for nothing?"
"Otherwise, Da Chu established the country with filial piety, and put filial piety first in the world. Empress Dowager Cining lost her parents since childhood, and she had to prepare for the hardships of not having relatives. If she could find her close relatives, she should reward her and tell the world. Don't worry, Your Majesty, This is the practice of all dynasties, and the court has no objection, even the people of the world should praise your majesty for his filial piety." Shen Mingzhi insisted on his own opinion.
Han Ruzi had nothing to say. He really wanted to send a competent minister to the East China Sea to investigate the truth, but the original candidate was not Yuan Jiuding, but Zhao Ruosu, a member of Zhongshu She, but Zai and others were full of enthusiasm, so he temporarily changed his mind.
This afternoon, Zhao Ruosu, as usual, came to the Marquis Mansion to deliver a stack of memorials, but was unable to leave as usual, and was stopped by the emperor.
Yang Feng had recommended him for a long time, and Han Ruzi also admired this person. Because of this, he did not reuse it for a long time, but silently observed. After a few months, Han Ruzi had to admit that he did not see anything.
Zhao Ruosu's bravery and composure in Jincheng were short-lived. Since the siege, he has reverted to the taciturn and unmarked Zhongshu Sheren, who went in and out quietly, trying to keep the emperor from noticing his existence.
It was the same this time, Zhao Ruosu gently placed a stack of memorials on the corner of the table, then gently pushed in half a foot, sorted out the top ones a little, bowed and prepared to retreat.
Han Ruzi said without raising his head, "Can a relative who has no merit also be rewarded?"
Zhao Ruosu was fixed there, one foot in front and one behind. After waiting for a while, he found that the emperor was indeed talking to him, and replied, "It depends on the situation."
"Speak." Han Ruzi still didn't look up, and concentrated on reading a memorial.
"Well... most of the time, if the relatives have no faults, they are considered meritorious and can be rewarded, but there are limits, and they are not as high as the feudal lords. There are usually no more than three people in a school. You can have more servants in the field house, but you can’t arrogate them, and if some of your relatives make meritorious deeds, it will be counted separately.”
This answer was quite satisfactory, Han Ruzi was not satisfied, raised his head and looked at Zhongshusheren.
Zhao Ruosu felt that she might not be able to walk for a while, so she retracted her front feet and bowed her body deeper.
Zhang Youcai knew the emperor best, and silently greeted the other two eunuchs to leave the room with him.
"There is something I don't know, and I hope Master Zhao can explain it."
"Don't dare, Wei Chen has a little understanding of the allusions of the previous generation, maybe it can be used for reference."
Han Ruzi smiled. In contrast, he admired people like Deng Cui even more. Although his behavior was out of order and he was often smart, he would not hide too much. energy.
"After all, foreign relatives are foreign surnames, and they can be rewarded heavily if they have no merit. The children of the clan are of the same surname as I, but they cannot be rewarded without merit. What is the difference between being light and distant?"
"This is thanks to the previous generations of emperors in this dynasty. Since Taizu made the tripod, he has set a set of rules for the division of the clan, or called the king, or the prince, or the increase or decrease of the title, or the appointment of the official position. Acting according to the rules, the awards are actually very numerous and extremely heavy, but they are not issued by the palace, so His Majesty does not feel deeply. ."
Han Ruzi nodded, slightly satisfied, and said with emotion: "I read the history books and found that the emperors of the past dynasties were more closely related to foreign relatives, but alienated from the clan branch, probably this is the reason."
If relatives want to receive rewards from the emperor, they naturally have to maintain a close relationship. The clan is even more grateful for the rules set by the founding father. For today's saints, the principle of not guilty is the principle. People with big ambitions will deliberately please, and those who have no intention of being powerful can be free. comfortable.
Zhao Ruosu only told the facts he knew, and didn't say a word about the conclusion.
Han Ruzi asked again: "The prime minister and others are discussing government in the Qinzheng Palace. I stay in the Marquis Mansion every afternoon, and the emperor and the prime minister are not in the same place. Has this happened before?"
"Yes, and it's very common, but His Majesty's approach is a bit unusual."
"Oh? How did other emperors do it?" Han Ruzi became interested, Zhao Ruosu was like a lottery in the temple, and he had to ask the right questions before he could give a proper answer.
"As far as we know, most emperors often live in the palace, and the prime minister presides over the government outside the palace. They report everything to the palace, and they are at peace with each other. There are also some emperors who build new palaces outside the palace, but they mainly play and discuss politics. As a supplement, His Majesty’s unusual thing is to use the Marquis’ Mansion as a place for long-term political discussions, and there are no important ministers around, so the Palace of Qinzheng will feel neglected.”
Han Ruzi laughed twice. This is exactly the problem. If he is often accompanied by important officials, the House of Marquis will become another palace of diligence, and it will be difficult for him to break the rules.
"My idea is actually very simple: the reason why rules are rules and what conventions do are conventions must have a reason, and it cannot be easily changed, but there are constant internal and external troubles, and many things go beyond the scope of rules and conventions, and it is necessary to use Extraordinary means to solve it. Therefore, I hope that the prime minister will stick to the rules and maintain the stability of the court with rules and conventions.
"Your Majesty has this idea, Da Chu is very lucky."
"But the prime minister and other ministers seem to be uneasy about this. What should I do? Be honest with the prime minister? Or should I wait a little longer?"
Zhao Ruosu knelt down and said, "Your Majesty must not be open and honest with the minister. This is true for the prime minister, and the same is true for other ministers."
Han Ruzi was slightly surprised, "What's the reason?"
"Your Majesty has always been the emperor of Great Chu, but the prime minister and others may not always be ministers of Great Chu. Your Majesty always has to change ministers. Today's openness and openness will be embarrassing in the future. ."
In fact, Han Ruzi didn't have this plan. "However, how should the monarch and minister communicate with each other?"
"It needs to be considered on a case-by-case basis, there are no certain rules."
"For example, this time the queen mother is looking for relatives. Even if it turns out that it is really my uncle, I don't want to reward him immediately. How can I tell the prime minister so that he can understand my intentions and not particularly object?"
Zhao Ruosu thought for a while, "Wei Chen has a suggestion, can your Majesty listen to it?"
"Um."
"Prince Yong's orphans and uncles are still here, so we might as well start with them."
Han Ruzi raised his eyebrows. Prince Yong's orphan was the child who replaced him as the puppet emperor before. There were two uncles surnamed Wu, both of whom were named marquis. The foundation was too shallow, it didn't play a big role, and it was not held accountable afterwards.
This is an extremely sensitive topic, Zhao Ruosu dared to bring it up in front of the emperor, and was not timid.
What Han Ruzi hopes to see is this kind of courage to speak out. If everyone is silent in front of him, then he is really "a lonely man" and can only fight internal and external troubles by himself.
"Go on." Han Ruzi didn't fully understand what Zhao Ruosu meant.
"The two of Wu's family are no longer qualified to be called marquis. Your Majesty can ask Yousi to deal with this matter as soon as possible. After the memorial arrives, write the approval. As for what to write, Your Majesty can decide."
Han Ruzi realized something, "I said it directly, but the prime minister refused to accept it. After writing a few sentences, he would take it seriously?"
Zhao Ruosu, who was kneeling on the ground, kowtowed, because what he said was becoming more and more out of line, "The emperor usually speaks cautiously, if he has to speak, he is usually not sincere. , the more the chancellor must insist on his own opinion. There is another reason, this debate will leak out sooner or later. If the relatives are in power, they will never complain about Your Majesty, but they may resent the ministers for not 'struggling for reasons'. , and it should not be made public. The Qinzheng Hall is a place for discussions, ministers can fight, but Your Majesty can’t fight, only by being above the top can advance or retreat.”
"But can I hint in the reply?"
Zhao Ruosu nodded, "With a suitable memorial and a suitable reply, the prime minister will definitely understand that if he understands the rules, he will never object. This is the so-called 'indisputable dispute'."
Han Ruzi laughed, this remark really made him suddenly enlightened, and he also understood what kind of approval he had to make. In canceling the memorial of Wu's Shuanghou, he didn't need to mention his relatives, he only needed to appropriately express his feelings for the arbitrary title of lord. Dissatisfied, Shen Mingzhi will understand the emperor's intentions and reconsider the award to Wang's family.
It was a delicate game, in which the emperor and the prime minister did not have any apparent disputes, and they gave each other credit: the emperor handed over the power to propose the contents of the award to the prime minister, and the prime minister would extol the holiness in the final memorial.
"You should always stay by my side, Zhao Ruosu, you have made great achievements in Jincheng, and you should be promoted."
Zhao Ruosu kowtowed again, "The emperor must not be open and honest with his ministers, and vice versa. Wei Chen is bold, and he has just been honest with His Majesty.
Han Ruzi said in surprise: "Why, do you want to resign?"
Zhao Ruosu raised his head, "Your Majesty really wants to keep Wei Chen by his side?"
"Um."
"Then transfer Wei Chen to serve as the head of the House of Tired Marquis."
Although the rank of Zhongshu Sheren was not high, he was still a lot higher than the government chief, and the Zhongshu Province was the most important department, so Zhao Ruosu had demoted himself to the end.
("Emperor Ruzi" has been written in the second half of the process, and my physical strength is a bit weak. The publication time has been slightly adjusted: before 9:00 am and before 7:00 pm, please let me know.)