The heroine Jiangshan

Chapter 93 Shadow Cabinet
There was a brief silence in the Huxin Pavilion, but the calm was soon broken by Tong Hao's chuckle.

"Your Highness, the Crown Prince, is currently observing the government affairs. When I went to the Ministry of Accounts to pick up the documents on official business a few days ago, I saw His Royal Highness was reading the papers in the signing room of the Yang Department Hall, but he was very serious."

Yang Butang is now Yang Huizheng, Minister of the Household Department.Yun Ruochen had heard of this lord's name, but he didn't recognize him, only heard that he was a very strict old man.

She smiled slightly, tasting the layers of meaning conveyed by Tong Hao's words.

When he accepted her words, it meant that he accepted the olive branch she offered, and accepted her solicitation by default.

And when he explained this matter in detail, he also showed Yun Ruochen that he was also paying attention to the prince.He also said that the prince is serious about his work, which is a flattering compliment, but he secretly commented that "the prince is very hardworking, but at present it is just hard work, which is not enough".

Combined with what Yun Ruochen said earlier, "find someone to help my father", in fact, Tong Hao's attitude is already very obvious.

He is willing to do things for the Prince's Mansion, and he is confident that he can do well—this is what Tong Hao wants to tell Yun Ruochen.

Gu Che couldn't fully understand these words at this time, but Yun Ruochen understood them.

Yun Ruochen was not the only one who understood.Chang Shiyang also immediately understood what his friend meant, and a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes.

While he was still thinking about whether he should join the prince's camp, his friend couldn't wait to express his opinion.Shuhan is so optimistic about the prince, doesn't he hesitate?

In the world Yun Ruochen lives in today, when the history developed to the Qing Dynasty, it had reached a peak in feudal society, but there was also a "strange split".

That is, the idea of ​​absolute imperial power based on Confucianism is becoming more and more consolidated, while the relationship between monarch and ministers presents two seemingly contradictory and strange forms of "absolute obedience on the surface" and "mutual restraint in action". .

All of this is probably inseparable from the maturity of the civil service system.

Different from some small courts that relied on military power to rule the people, the unified Qing Dynasty implemented the policy of ruling the country by civilian officials.Taizu Qing admired scholars very much, and even overemphasized literature over martial arts.He relied on literati to govern the court for him, and kept weakening the power of generals, thinking that in this way he could protect the country.Those scholars can only exist by relying on the emperor...

It's a pity that the wise and mighty Taizu Qing never heard a sentence, knowledge is power... Well, this is what Yun Ruochen silently complained when he read the history of the Qing Dynasty and listened to the lectures of the gentlemen.

In short, civil servants hold most of the power in this country.Through the imperial examinations again and again, they are closely connected with teachers and students, fellow students, same year, township party, etc., and organize them into a large network of interests with intricate relationships.

Each small group formed a large faction, and the faction and the faction reached a certain kind of tacit agreement in the open and secret struggle, that is, when facing the imperial power, they swore to protect the interests of the civil official group.

They advocated that "the holy emperor should be governed by the arch", which means that a good emperor should sit on the dragon chair obediently and be his emperor, and leave all other specific affairs to us errands.

If the emperor disagrees, they will unite and use a non-violent non-cooperative method so that the emperor's order cannot leave the imperial city at all.If the emperor does not compromise with the civil servants, many things he wants to do will not be able to be done at all...

Of course, civil servants are not omnipotent. After all, the emperor is still the lord of the world in righteousness.And the children of the royal family and the powerful group will not let the civil servants harm their interests.That's why a cowardly emperor can easily be hijacked by civil officials, but for a domineering genius like Emperor Yuan Qi, civil officials can only be played around with applause.

Emperor Yuan Qi was indeed a genius. He ascended the throne at the age of 17, and first regained the power of governing the country from the hands of powerful officials with the help of the former King Shu and other dignitaries. After more than 30 years, he continued to use differentiation, anti-intimidation, temptation, intimidation, etc. means, which caused the various factions to fight endlessly, and the bigwigs of the factions had to turn to him to balance the relationship.

Although during the reign of Emperor Yuanqi, the country's finances did not necessarily improve, and even financial crises often occurred, and there were small turmoil, uprisings, or famines in many places, etc., but Emperor Yuanqi was always in power. He was never held hostage by courtiers or eunuchs... This is indeed a miracle in the Qing Dynasty.

But the civil servants only temporarily compromised and surrendered, and they still wanted to counterattack all the time in their hearts.They miss the glorious years when the civil servants of the past two generations held power in the court, and secretly conveyed a message to their descendants——

The emperor can give you fame, but your official career is actually still in the hands of the bosses of various factions!Of course you must be loyal to the emperor and patriotic, but when doing things, you must always remember to put the interests of civil servants first, and you must not easily vote for the emperor's camp.We and the emperor are essentially just a "cooperative relationship", jointly managing this country...

Chang Shiyang and Tong Hao were in the Imperial Academy, so they often came into contact with this kind of thinking.

That's why Yun Ruochen had to take the trouble to go round and round to attract them.They taught her to read, just for official business.However, they can be regarded as her "own people" only if they can "do things" for her and the Prince's Mansion... The difference here is very subtle and practical.

Those in later generations who think that as long as they become emperors or even princes, they can have complete power and the loyalty of all people for granted, and they don’t need to be scruples about doing anything, they are simply ten thousand times more naive than her own father Yun Zhaochong what.

It is because of such a deep background that Chang Shiyang needs to carefully consider his own position.Yes, he is eager for the help of the nobleman, but to what extent does he want to cooperate with the prince?Ordinary, Ke Qing, or wholeheartedly?How to master this degree?
But Tong Hao seemed to accept it without any struggle at all.

Does this mean that Tong Hao has actually been waiting for this moment?
After Tong Hao said those few words, Yun Ruochen smiled brightly.The expression on Tong Hao's face was also relaxed, as if he didn't care about the weight of what he just said.

It is so important that it affects his future and destiny.

Infected by Tong Hao's attitude, Chang Shiyang finally made up his mind.

"His Royal Highness is benevolent and tolerant, not only us, but many scholars also admire His Highness the Crown Prince."

His attitude was relatively reserved, but he also pointed out the key point, that is, he also decided to accept Yun Ruochen's "good intentions" with Tong Hao.

"Chen'er, on behalf of my father, thank you two gentlemen...for your kind words."

Yun Ruochen deliberately paused, and bowed down to the two of them again.This time, the two did not turn sideways to avoid it.They all understood that this obeisance was Yun Ruochen's expression of sincerity on behalf of the prince.

After a long time, when they left the palace, Chang Shiyang suddenly remembered a very important matter. They were discussing their future with a nine-year-old girl.But during the conversation, why didn't he have any special feeling at all?It was also at that time that strange feelings about Yun Ruochen flooded into his heart.

At that time, Tong Hao heard Chang Shiyang talk about his mood, but he smiled and said: "Yuanshan, you feel that the little princess is different?"

"From the first time I saw her, I knew that this little princess will be different from her aunts in the future... It's not because of the favor of the emperor and princes, but... she Originally, he was a very special child..."

"This..." Chang Shiyang hesitated for a moment, and said, "Are you so sure?"

"Yes. As long as you have a little understanding, you will find the importance of Princess Huarong in the Prince's Mansion... Many things, certain or uncertain, have her shadow..."

After Tong Hao met Yun Ruochen, he deliberately made a lot of investigations.The deeper the investigation, the more frightened he became.

This is a girl who cannot be guessed by common sense...

"But, she is a daughter after all."

Chang Shiyang thought a little conservatively: "The crown prince relies on her so much, if one day later, the old peace and peace of the Tang Dynasty happened again, how should we deal with ourselves?"

"Yuanshan, you!"

Tong Hao smiled: "You are still too pedantic. Yes, she is a woman, but... as long as she can give us what we want, is it really important whether it is a man or a woman?"

Unlike Chang Shiyang, who was born in a conservative family in Shanxi, Tong Hao, who grew up in the free style of study on the southeast coast, has more unrestricted thinking.

"Since you and I have embarked on official careers, we naturally have ambitions in our hearts. If we follow the rules and get our qualifications in the Imperial Academy, or we will be released as small officials in the future...how long will we have to wait until we can really get it? Can we achieve our ideal position?"

When talking about these words, Tong Hao's eyes sparkled: "When I was studying, I thought that there are too many things to improve in this Daqing..." This is the limit of what he can say .Those specific ambitions are only hidden deep in his heart, even with his best friend, he dare not speak out easily.

Only then did Chang Shiyang suddenly realize, and immediately felt ashamed again.Compared with him who only thinks about his career, Tong Hao stands taller and sees farther.Just now, I was still wondering if my friend was too utilitarian... I'm ashamed...

Yun Ruochen didn't hear the conversation between the two, but she was still very satisfied with her first act of recruiting staff.

The first step in the formation of the shadow cabinet, success, you can be a little proud!
"Ruochen, are you happy?"

After watching the little eunuch send the two gentlemen away, Gu Che stopped eating and drinking, and looked at Yun Ruochen with complicated eyes.

For him, the emotions at the moment were new.

"Yeah, I'm really happy..."

Yun Ruochen was standing in front of the only half-open window of the Huxin Pavilion, pointing to the snow scene on the lake and said to him: "Ache, look at how beautiful the snow is."

"Remember? When we first met, it was snowing like this..."

"We've known each other for almost a year, Che."

Yun Ruochen turned his head and smiled at Gu Che.

At this time, in the meditation hall in the other corner of the deep palace, Emperor Yuan Qi was listening to Zhang Yuan's report on Yun Ruochen and the gentlemen's "appreciation of snow" with a blank face.

(End of this chapter)