Xu Guangqi was getting more and more confused about what Xiao Ruxun wanted to do, and how she would do it. But he was clear that from the initial yearning, to the current reverence, and even fear, Xiao Ruxun's change was also his change.
The Emperor did not need people to respect him. The Emperor only needed people to fear him.
A courtier with fear in his heart was a good courtier.
Xu Guangqi believed that Xiao Ruxun already had this thought.
Otherwise, why would he make Chen Longzheng cry like a child?
Emperor, how heartless can you be?
Xu Guangqi understood everything. He knew everything. He could understand everything.
So, looking at the crying Chen Longzheng, he knew that he could not say or do anything.
Allowing Chen Longzheng to return to his side was the most lenient the Emperor could show to Chen Longzheng. It was also giving him a chance to start over because he was safe by his side.
Xu Guangqi felt that it was because he had never resisted, never been dissatisfied, and never resisted, that was why Xiao Ruxun was so lenient towards him. Xu Guangqi did not believe that the rumors about him being Wang Xijue's successor were groundless. Otherwise, he would have stayed in the Ministry of Military Works instead of being selected to take charge of the locust control.
The Ministry of Military Works was researching knowledge, and the locust control was a political achievement. It was a great achievement to win the hearts of the people. If it was done well, his prestige in the court would quickly rise to the level of being the Prime Minister of the Empire.
Perhaps this was Xiao Ruxun's goal. Xiao Ruxun planned to let him take over the old puppet Wang Xijue and continue to be his puppet.
Being Xiao Ruxun's puppet was much more difficult than being the Prime Minister of the previous dynasty. Not only did he have to be obedient and obedient, he also had to be competent. His ability could not be bad, or the Emperor would not be happy.
In short, the Emperor needed a marionette who was both obedient and able to do things, and who could dance a wonderful dance within the limits of his permission.
The Grand Secretary was the actor in front of the stage, while the Emperor was the director who controlled everything.
Everyone had seen what Wang Xijue did as the Grand Secretary. Even though he was more fragile than paper, no one dared to say that he was a paper-thin Cabinet Elder.
He was an incomparably perfect marionette, a docile old man who listened to Xiao Ruxun without any resistance. He was extremely respectful in front of Xiao Ruxun. Whatever Xiao Ruxun said, he would add oil and vinegar to it, and then say it out loud.
It was perfect.
And Xu Guangqi was the next Wang Xijue that Xiao Ruxun had deliberately cultivated.
He had a gentle personality, political ideals, political ability, experience, foresight, and most importantly, he was obedient.
Meanwhile, from Xu Guangqi's perspective, Chen Longzheng was the third Empire's Prime Minister that Xiao Ruxun was currently polishing.
After washing away his romantic fearlessness and branding it with reverence, he began to carefully lower his head and conduct himself. In this officialdom, all of his previous edges and corners were gradually polished away, and he became docile, obedient, and competent.
Then, he would naturally receive those threads from his aged hands, tie them on his body, and then continue to dance a gorgeous palace dance under the Emperor's instructions.
However, compared to this Chen Longzheng, Xu Guangqi felt that he preferred the fearless Chen Longzheng who had a wretched smile on his face after drinking with him, and then loudly sang the song "A fair and graceful lady is a gentleman's desire".
However, it was quite a pity that Chen Longzheng would never return.
The empire did not need romance!
Xu Guangqi deeply understood that what Xiao Ruxun needed was iron, blood, fire, and gold, not romance.
This Emperor who had grown up in a storm of blood did not like romance. He especially hated extravagance, love, and even more so, he hated the style of scholars.
Xu Guangqi's thoughts were very correct, and his understanding was very accurate.
In Xiao Ruxun's view, the so-called style of scholars was nothing more than a group of boasting worms who did not pay taxes. They were parasites on the Empire, gnawing on the Empire's flesh and blood. Even though their hands and mouths were covered in blood, they still desperately pasted gold on their faces, using the blood and tears of the nation to write the Qinhuai romance, so that their good name would be sung through the ages.
For Xiao Ruxun, there was a very simple political standard to distinguish between friend and foe — those who paid taxes were his own people, and those who evaded taxes were his enemies.
Therefore, he did not hesitate to break the style of scholars, trample them under his feet, and whip them again and again, completely destroying their modesty.
When the courtiers brought out Confucius's words to the Emperor, what responded to them was the Emperor's iron fist.
Less nonsense.
Work! Pay taxes!
I don't like love, I don't like beautiful poems, I don't like gorgeous essays, I don't like the Preface to the Collection of Orchid Pavilion, I don't like Zui Weng's Pavilion.
I only like you to work honestly, and I like you to pay taxes honestly.
Xu Guangqi did not understand Xiao Ruxun's complicated heart, but he was very clear that in front of this increasingly powerful Emperor, everything was void and powerless.
The law was the embodiment of the will of the ruling class, and the ruling will of the Daqin was the will of Xiao Ruxun. That was how it was written in the constitution.
Rules were also the rules of the ruling class, and in the Daqin, there was only one person who made the rules, the Emperor Xiao Ruxun.
Talking to you about the law, going through the procedures, and holding a joint trial is already giving you face. The emperor can bypass any department and do whatever he wants through the Central Investigation Department, a vicious dog, so why would he need to go to the Ministry of Justice to go through the procedures?
The cabinet elders, who could even suppress the imperial power in the former Ming Dynasty, were only ordinary civil officials under Xiao Ruxun.
Even this was giving them face, asking them about everything and letting them look over it.
But how exactly did he do it? Was there a need for others to speculate?
There was no need at all.
Xu Guangqi silently sighed and then patted Chen Longzheng's shoulder.
"Let bygones be bygones. Tilong, there are still many things for you to do. We found many places where locusts are growing, and we need to go and investigate further. Once we complete the locusts control mission, all of us will be able to leave our names in history."
Chen Longzheng raised his head and looked at Xu Guangqi with teary eyes.
"Can I be forgiven for what I have done?"
"Of course you can. As long as you receive the Emperor's approval, no one will know that you have done anything bad. Future generations will only know that you are the hero who controlled the locusts."
"Hero …"
Chen Longzheng seemed to be grasping at straws, "Yes, hero! I want to be a hero! I want to do many good things, I want to benefit the country, I want to do things for the people, I want to leave my name in history! "
Chen Longzheng held Xu Guangqi's hand tightly, "Governor, if I do this, I will be forgiven, right?"
Xu Guangqi nodded repeatedly.
"Yes, that's right, you will definitely be forgiven."
"That's great … that's great … I will do my best … I will do my best!"
Chen Longzheng bit his lips tightly, a smile appeared on his face, but his eyes were filled with tears.
Yes, work hard.
Leave your name in history.
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