gnovel Chapter 81 My Rules Are the Only Rules
Chapter 81 My Rules Are the Only Rules
After Liu Shan returned to Chengdu, he had no time to rest. Ministers flocked to the palace to report on their work.
By the time he finished dealing with his official duties, it was already late at night.
If Zhuge Liang hadn't already dealt with some trivial administrative matters, he probably would have been busy until dawn the next day.
"Your Majesty, it's getting late."
Wang Gui handed him a bowl of freshly brewed tea, reminding him that it was time to rest.
"How is the Empress doing?"
"I gave the order long ago. His Majesty is busy with state affairs and told the Empress not to wait," Wang Gui said while adjusting the lamp wick.
"it is good."
After Liu Shan finished reviewing the last memorial, he rubbed his eyes and then stretched.
"Your Majesty, would you like to return to the side hall to rest?"
Liu Shan thought for a moment and then called Huo Yi over.
"Shaoxian, what are my plans for tomorrow?"
Huo Yi cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, after the court assembly tomorrow, Minister Yin Mo will be giving you a lesson. After noon, Lord Yang Hong will be entering the palace to meet with Your Majesty to discuss the matter of this trip to Jiangzhou to investigate the case."
Liu Shan felt a headache coming on after hearing this, and waved his hand at Huo Yi, saying, "I understand, go back and rest."
Huo Yi hesitated for a moment.
He knew that Liu Shan was diligent and hardworking, and no one could persuade him when he was busy, so he had no choice but to leave quietly.
After resting for a while, Liu Shan picked up his pen again and wrote down the examination questions for the commander of the Wudang Flying Army.
The following day, after Liu Shan announced the decree seeking talented individuals at the court assembly, the city of Chengdu was immediately in an uproar.
Officials from all departments and offices of the imperial court were discussing this matter.
"Have you heard? His Majesty announced at the court assembly today that he will publicly select the commander of the 'Wudang Flying Army'."
"What kind of army is the 'Wudang Flying Army'? I've never heard of it."
"It is said that this is an elite force composed of soldiers from the south selected by Prime Minister Zhuge Liang, capable of fighting a hundred men each."
"This is incredible! Whoever becomes the commander will be able to do whatever they want in the court."
"That's right, and I heard that this selection process is an open exam, and whoever gets the highest score will be chosen."
"Military positions are always appointed from above; how can subordinates be asked to take exams?"
"You only know one side of the story. His Majesty's decree is that the most capable should be appointed, which is fair and just."
"Hey, this is really something! Doesn't this give us poor kids a chance?"
"A chance? Keep dreaming. The recruitment notice says that candidates must be graduates of the Imperial Academy. Don't you have any idea how you did on the entrance exam?"
"Those who can enter the Imperial Academy are not ordinary people, let alone graduate from it. Being the commander is not an easy job."
"I'm determined to pass next year's entrance exam. That's all for now, I'm going home to bury myself in my studies."
After the court assembly ended, Liu Shan changed his clothes and then walked towards the side hall.
"teacher!"
Outside the door, Liu Shan bowed and clasped his hands towards Yin Mo inside the hall.
This former servant of the crown prince, now an advisor, stood as straight as a pine tree and nodded slightly to Liu Shan in response.
In the imperial court, the two maintained the proper etiquette between ruler and subject.
Now it is the etiquette between teacher and student.
After the two were seated, Yin Mo said, "This old minister has been lecturing Your Majesty for more than two years. Your Majesty has now assumed personal rule, and the country is peaceful and prosperous. All the court officials are diligent, so this old minister has nothing more to teach you."
Liu Shan respectfully said, "I owe my current status entirely to my teacher's meticulous guidance, and I will never forget it."
Liu Shan had rarely read or studied ancient classic books before.
Under Yin Mo's tutelage, he finally understood what ancient emperors were learning.
Especially with the Zuo Zhuan, Yin Mo could teach and explain it without even using the book. To be able to master a course to such a degree shows his profound skill.
Yin Mo nodded, and said with a hint of regret, "Today is the last lesson this old minister will give to Your Majesty. After this, this old minister will go to the Guanglu Xun Palace to serve as an advisor."
"In that case, please enlighten me!"
Yin Mo smiled.
"Your Majesty, this old minister knows that Your Majesty's scholarship is novel, so how about we have a debate for this final lesson?"
Liu Shan became interested and asked, "May I ask, teacher, how do you intend to debate this?"
Yin Mo thought for a moment and said, "This old minister has studied the Zuo Zhuan extensively, and it is also the Zuo Zhuan that I have discussed most with Your Majesty. It is not only a historical book, but also a masterpiece that brings together Confucianism. How about we use this as the topic?"
"Teacher, please give me a question."
"military power!"
Although Yin Mo's voice was not loud, it was extremely penetrating.
"Good topic. The teacher wants to use the past to discuss the current matter of the imperial edict seeking talented people, right?"
Yin Mo nodded in satisfaction.
"Since ancient times, 'military affairs' and 'power' have been inseparable. Duke Xian of Jin listened to the slander of Li Ji and ordered Crown Prince Shen Sheng to lead an army to conquer Dongshan, which was actually a way to remove him from the center of power. Although he was nominally given the responsibility of commanding troops, his political influence was actually weakened, which ultimately led to Shen Sheng being framed and killed."
"In the court today, there is a fierce struggle among various factions for the right to command troops, with neither side willing to yield. I have seen this situation far too often; in the end, one side always wins, while the other two remain dissatisfied."
"But Your Majesty chose the most unexpected answer, offending all three parties with a single decree seeking talented individuals. This old minister is foolish and truly cannot understand Your Majesty's purpose in doing so."
After listening, Liu Shan pondered for a moment and said, "The government is in the hands of the Ji family, and now there have been four rulers. The people do not know their ruler, how can they maintain the country? Therefore, a ruler should be careful with his power and reputation, and should not entrust them to others."
This also comes from the Zuo Zhuan. Liu Shan used a story from it to respond to the story that Yin Mo had just quoted.
Yin Mo frowned slightly after hearing this and said, "Your Majesty is saying that if military power is transferred to the families of those high-ranking officials, the country will cease to exist. But this matter is not directly related to what we are discussing today."
"What the teacher said is absolutely right. Although the two are not directly related, there is an inevitable connection between them."
"What is the connection?"
"The military power you speak of, teacher, is something to be fought for. The military power I speak of, I bestow."
Yin Mo was stunned for a moment, still unable to understand.
Liu Shan smiled and said, "When there is contention, there will be dissatisfaction. Because the outcome of contention is determined by 'people'."
"If I do nothing and let them fight, what will happen in the end?"
Yin Mo thought for a moment and said, "Either we reach a stalemate, or one side wins and the other two are dissatisfied."
"That's right," Liu Shan said. "No matter which way it is, there will always be people who are dissatisfied. Those who are dissatisfied won't hate their opponents, they will hate me, because I failed to control them."
He looked at Yin Mo.
"But I changed my approach; instead of competing, I'll just have a test."
"Test?"
"Yes, let's have a test." Liu Chan said excitedly, "Written test and interview, whoever is capable can go, and if you lose, you can only blame yourself for not being capable enough."
"But no one will be dissatisfied with the exam, because the result of the exam is determined by the 'rules'."
Liu Shan looked at Yin Mo with increasingly sharp eyes.
"You can complain about what people decide. But you can't complain about what the rules are."
"Military power belongs to them only if I give it to them. If I don't give it to them, they can't take it."
"Because my rules are the only rules."