Chapter 508
Since Zhuo Ruhe became prime minister, he has never received a private summons from the emperor in Lingyun Pavilion, so he was very surprised when he got the news. When he walked into Lingyun Pavilion, he felt a lot of emotion in his heart, and felt that he should be the great Chu. The most difficult prime minister ever.
The emperor got up to greet him, and the two eunuchs brought a chair instead of a common stool. Zhuo Ruhe saluted and sat down, secretly vigilant.
"Can the DPRK and Chinese officials still do their best?"
"Everything is normal, everyone from all the yamen is here, I have delayed some things a few days ago, but I can finally make up for it."
"For the abolition of private slaves, the prime minister has to work."
Zhuo Ruhe got up, "I dare not shirk, I will try my best, but there are many difficulties, and now it is a time of trouble, and my physical condition is not very good. Please, Your Majesty, make more preparations, just in case."
Han Ruzi smiled and motioned Zhuo Ruhe to sit down, "Zhuo Xiangke remembers the first time you and I met?"
"I will never forget it for a lifetime."
"At that time, Zhuo Xiang said a sentence, 'The government seems to have food and it seems that there is no food', and I will never forget it in my life."
Zhuo Ruhe was both moved and ashamed, but also a little confused. He didn't understand what the emperor meant when he mentioned this sentence. Could it be that he was mocking himself for "seemingly sick but not sick"?
Han Ruzi didn't think about it that much, and continued: "At that time, I thought that officials in various places did not care about people's livelihood, they were all corrupt and evil officials, and I was too young. Now that I think about it carefully, the officials did this to deal with more urgent problems. In emergencies, it is to deal with the endless demands from above, so the root is not the officials, but me."
Zhuo Ruhe replied, "Your Majesty doesn't need to be too harsh on yourself. There are corrupt officials and bad officials, and it has nothing to do with Your Majesty."
Han Ruzi did not continue to "reflect" and asked, "How is the land reclamation going? Are there still shortages of manpower?"
Land reclamation is the core of Zhuo Ruhe's governance, and he immediately replied: "Last year's bumper harvest was of great help to land reclamation, and manpower is still in short supply, but there is no need for urgency. Moreover, there are many people at this time, and there will inevitably be fewer people in the future, and the extra farming tools will be wasted."
Han Ruzi nodded, leaned forward slightly, and asked very seriously, "In Zhuo Xiang's view, what is the prime minister's duty?"
Zhuo Ruhe understood that this was the focus of today's conversation, got up and saluted, "I think that the prime minister is the assistant of His Majesty. In government affairs, we do not seek refinement, but integrity, not merit, but stability."
"What is the duty of the emperor?"
This question is even more difficult to answer, Zhuo Ruhe managed his energy, and replied cautiously: "The emperor sits on the world and rules, and his primary responsibility is to select and use officials."
"What Zhuo Xiang said is the emperor of peace, what if the times are in trouble? The emperor also wants to rule?"
"If in a chaotic world, the emperor and the prime minister will fight the chaos, and the prime minister will defend the chaos, and those who calm the chaos will fight in the Quartet.
"Zhuo Xiang thinks you and I should pacify the chaos? Who should defend?"
Zhuo Ruhe saluted again, "I think this is not a troubled world right now."
"There are strong enemies in the west and the Huns in the north. Zhuo Xiang thinks this is not a troubled time?"
"The strong enemies of the West are far apart, and it is a country of sudden prosperity. Wherever the edge reaches, there is no two in a moment. Given time, the defeat will be quick. The Great Chu is ready to fight, and there is no need to worry too much. As for the Xiongnu, it will not be a day or two. , Even before Emperor Wu, the Huns did not let the Great Chu become a troubled time, and now its internal division, although the Great Chu is slightly weaker, is not afraid of it."
Han Ruzi nodded. This is the view of most ministers, so they are not in a hurry, and even take the time to make a sabotage. In their eyes, the current crisis is very ordinary and can be dealt with normally. The emperor has never seen the world before. so seriously.
"I hope everything will be as Zhuo Xiang said." Han Ruzi once looked forward to war, but now he has changed his mind. The war is just what he wants, the minister does not support it, and most importantly, the people do not support it. Most people would rather live In the hard days of peace, I do not want to force my wife and children to go to the frontier to make contributions.
"Stopping chaos is a momentary effort, and keeping it successful is the work of all ages. I am greedy for a moment's success, and I am not good at defending it. Although it is not a chaotic world, I am somewhat powerless to keep it. The heavy responsibility of keeping it is only handed over to the prime minister."
Zhuo Ruhe was ready to fight with the emperor, he could even offend him a little, and then take the opportunity to resign. He never expected that the emperor would push the boat along the way, and he had to take responsibility for himself, which was both unexpected and a little bit. Terrified, I didn't know how to answer.
"Your Majesty..." Zhuo Ruhe took a while to spit out two words, but he still didn't know what to say.
"Zhuo Xiang let go and do it, the court is yours again."
Zhuo Ruhe thumped and knelt down, "Jiangshan belongs to Your Majesty, the subjects belong to His Majesty, and the court is even more His Majesty's, the ministers are in charge of it."
Han Ruzi laughed. The minister was sometimes more sensitive to this kind of thing than the emperor himself. "Then let's continue to manage it. I believe that Zhuo Xiang has this ability."
"But..." Zhuo Ruhe didn't get up.
Han Ruzi was a little stern, "The abolition of private slaves is still to be carried out, Zhuo Xiang can be flexible as appropriate, but it cannot be stopped. You said that the country and the subjects are all my own, so don't let Da Chu appear outside the world and outside the law. people."
Zhuo Ruhe finally believed that the emperor really wanted to return the power to himself, and kowtowed: "The quality of the minister is crude, and it often disappoints Your Majesty. Abolition of private slaves is a long way to go, and the minister is also powerless, which may make His Majesty even more disappointed."
"Does the prime minister think private slaves should be abolished?"
"Should be, if it is not cancelled, these stateless people will become a country within a country. Although they are in the territory of Great Chu, they are not subjects of Great Chu."
"It seems that there are people and there seems to be no people?" Han Ruzi smiled.
"Exactly." Zhuo Ruhe felt sweating on his body.
"Chu's luck is not good, and the blame is only on me. If I want to revive my ancestral business, I can only rely on the court, first of all, the prime minister. In any case, Zhuo Xiang has a heart to protect the people and help the people. This is enough. As for specific affairs , do your best."
"I don't dare to slack off, I must do my best."
"Zhuo Xiang, please sit down and don't have to kneel to speak."
Zhuo Ruhe got up and sat down, still at a loss, not understanding where the emperor's trust in him came from.
"I have a self-correcting person by my side, who was born in a poor family and knows more about the sufferings of the people than ordinary people, and may be of help to the prime minister."
Zhuo Ruhe felt a little wider in his heart, feeling that this was the emperor's normal means, and replied, "There is one less governor in the prime minister's residence, and Kang Zijiao was born in second place, so he can be an official."
"So good."
The governor is not a high-ranking official, but he often walks by the prime minister's side and can participate in government affairs. Zhuo Ruhe appointed Kang Zijiao as an official, and he also accepted the emperor's supervision over him.
"The Ministry of War still lacks a palm seal officer, can Zhuo Xiang have a recommendation?" Han Ruzi asked again.
Suddenly regaining trust, Zhuo Ruhe didn't react yet, panicked in his heart and thought for a while, "As usual, the Minister of War should be promoted from the servant, or transferred from another minister, all of whom are civil ministers. Nowadays, the frontier is full of affairs and military affairs are complicated. , should choose a minister who is both civil and military."
Han Ruzi hummed, waiting for Zhuo Ruhe's answer.
Zhuo Ruhe thought for a while, "It's suitable to have one person, but I'm afraid Your Majesty thinks it's not right."
"Why not?"
"This person has just been in the sin family, and his health is not very good."
"Master Cui?"
"Exactly."
Han Ruzi was surprised for a while, and suddenly felt that this suggestion was not too bizarre, "Tell me the reason."
"Cui Taifu has experienced hundreds of battles, and although he is not a sure-fire general, he is familiar with military affairs. He used to be a civil officer, but was later sent to the Southern Army by Emperor Wu, and then changed to a military position. He has a better understanding of the responsibilities of the department."
"Master Cui used to be a general. Isn't being the Minister of the Ministry of War a relegation?"
"Master Cui has long since resigned, and he was recently deprived of the title. Being the Minister of Military Affairs is a crime and meritorious service, not a relegation."
Han Ruzi shook his head, "I just demoted Taifu Cui, and suddenly I was appointed the Minister of War. Outsiders don't know, they thought I was just bluffing."
"Only Your Majesty has ruled that if Mrs. Cui is inappropriate, Sun Shangshu of the Ministry of Household can be an alternative, and so can Shilang Zhou of the Ministry of War."
"The prime minister will decide at his discretion and hand over a memorial tomorrow." Han Ruzi did not completely refuse.
"According to the order, Your Majesty." Zhuo Ruhe knew that he should retire, but he was always uneasy and eager to know the emperor's true thoughts, so he said: "I have something to say, please listen to your Majesty."
Han Ruzi waved his hand, indicating that the prime minister could speak.
"Suddenly abolishing private slaves will hurt your bones. Da Chu can't bear the sudden increase in the large population. Your Majesty has entrusted the minister with an important task. Please first register the private slave's household registration, and all other matters will be postponed."
This is only one step away from withdrawing the imperial decree. If the emperor agrees, Zhuo Ruhe can let it go. If he does not agree, the so-called trust is just a whim and cannot be true.
Han Ruzi fell silent for a long time and said, "The prime minister should discuss a specific plan with the ministers first."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Zhuo Ruhe believed another two or three points in his heart, but wondered what had changed the emperor's attitude.
Zhuo Ruhe retired, and Zhang Youcai, who had been standing by the emperor's side, couldn't help but said, "The prime minister is clearly trying to take advantage of the opportunity to raise the Cui family, and there must be a deal behind it."
"Don't worry too much, you are so idle, I will give you an important task."
Zhang Youcai looked happy, "Okay, private interview? Or investigate the case?"
"Neither, from now on, you will be in charge of the treasure seal for me."
Zhang Youcai was taken aback, Zhongzhangxi was not a small official in the palace, and in terms of status, he was usually only a little lower than Zhongsijian.
"Your Majesty is telling the truth? Isn't there a seal in the palace?"
"You can be transferred, you are the person I trust, and I will be more at ease if you hold the seal."
"But I don't want to leave Your Majesty. I'm not at ease when others serve His Majesty."
"Zhongzhangxi can also stay by my side."
"Then I will!" Zhang Youcai was overjoyed.
Han Ruzi smiled, "The Prime Minister has something to do, and the Censor's desk must not be idle. Go and ask, has Yushi Qu returned to Beijing?"
Zhang Youcai ran out in a hurry and came back soon, "Zhongshusheren downstairs said that Yushi Qu is still on the way, and it will take at least three days to get to Beijing."
"Well, don't worry." Han Ruzi tapped his finger on the table and stopped suddenly, "Send someone to the House of Marquis and pass on Zhao Ruosu."