"I think Zhang Pan can be used. What do you think, Princess?"
Chen Tingjian slowly put down the black spot and looked up at his daughter-in-law.
Huayang met his gaze with a stern look: "My daughter-in-law thinks that Zhang Pan is too smooth. At present, my father is being favored by my mother and my brother, so he will follow my father's lead. Once my father is old in the future, or someone shakes the foundation of the reform, Zhang Pan can abandon Prime Minister Gao and join you. At that time, he will also abandon you and your reform cause without hesitation, and turn to cater to those ministers who oppose you and take an easier path."
Chen Tingjian picked up another black piece, pinched it between his thumb and index finger, and twisted it gently.
The daughter-in-law's reason was not very convincing to him.
First of all, Zhang Pan was only one year younger than him. When he was old, Zhang Pan would also be old, and it was even possible that Zhang Pan would not live longer than him.
Secondly, if someone can shake his reforms and he can't stand firm, then no matter who he promotes, those people will scatter like monkeys when the tree falls.
Rather than being constrained by future hidden dangers, it is better to first employ some people who are willing to work for him, and then observe slowly.
Chen Tingjian did not object to his daughter-in-law, but just played chess silently.
Although Sun and Chen Jingzong were standing far away, they were in the same room. How far could they be? As long as you listened carefully, you could still hear their conversation.
As Chen Tingjian remained silent, the eyes of mother and son met in mid-air.
Chen Jingzong wanted to look back to see if Huayang was angry with the old man or felt wronged. However, as soon as he moved, Sun grabbed his arm and stopped him from interfering.
Huayang didn't expect her father-in-law to agree with her immediately. She put down a white piece and said calmly, "Father, I have been with the Prince Consort for a long time, and I have learned his bad habit of speaking his mind. If any of my words offend you, please bear with me."
Chen Jingzong's scissors tilted and almost cut a crabapple bud.
Chen Tingjian smiled and said, "Princess, please feel free to speak."
Hua Yang: "Among all the ministers, you are still relatively young. However, people are born, grow old, get sick and die, and there are always unexpected accidents. Of course, your daughter-in-law hopes that you can live a long life, but your daughter-in-law has to consider that if something happens to you one day, who in the court can inherit your legacy and continue to support and urge your brother to implement your reforms."
Chen Tingjian: …
If the eldest or third daughter-in-law had cursed him like this, Chen Tingjian would not have needed to reprimand her. He could have just sulked his face and scared the two daughters-in-law to tears. But the one sitting opposite him happened to be the eldest princess.
Sun coughed and spoke to her son facing the crabapple blossoms: "Hey, I suddenly remembered Doctor Li. I wonder if his medical book has been edited yet."
Chen Jingzong: "If he could concentrate on compiling the book, it should have been completed by now. But he has to consult patients every few days, especially those dignitaries. It takes half a month to treat an illness, and he has to take care of them for another half a month to recuperate, which has delayed the compilation of the book."
Chen Tingjian: …
For Chen Ge Lao, who was handsome when he was young and had an immortal air when he was old, the most embarrassing time in his life was the month when he spent his treatment in Lingzhou.
So, people must accept their age. Although the eldest princess' words are a bit harsh, they are also true.
Chen Tingjian sighed and compromised, "If Zhang Pan is not up to the task, who does the princess think is suitable?"
Huayang was well prepared and said, "The person my daughter-in-law wants to recommend is known to everyone in the world. It is Mr. He Qingtian, He Qingxian."
Chen Tingjian: …
There were a few suppressed laughs coming from the window. Who else could it be but Sun
Chen Tingjian could not express his dissatisfaction to the princess, so he could only pretend to be annoyed by his wife and frowned at his wife and children.
Huayang suppressed his smile.
Like Zeng Ge Lao and Zhang Pan, the two originally supported Prime Minister Gao, so they were at odds with their father-in-law.
He Qingxian did not belong to any political party. He and his father-in-law were both successful candidates in the same imperial examination. His father-in-law took the top spot, and He Qingxian took the second place.
The two men are of similar age and have similar ambitions, both of whom regard it as their mission to enrich the country and strengthen the military.
It’s just that the top scorer and the runner-up have completely different personalities.
My father-in-law is more like a gentle and introverted jade. He keeps a low profile when necessary and is also tactful and worldly-wise. It was not until he was promoted to the Prime Minister of the Cabinet that he finally revealed his domineering and arbitrary side.
He Qingxian was like a sharp sword. He adhered to his own moral principles, loved the people like his own children and hated corrupt officials. He was so bold that even the emperor of Huayang was scolded by He Qingxian in more than a dozen memorials.
The more the people praised He Qingxian, the more he was excluded by the officialdom, because He Qingxian could not tolerate even the slightest flaw in an official.
From then on, the feud between my father-in-law and He Qingxian began. Later, when He Qingxian was serving as Prime Minister Gao, he was dismissed from office because of impeachment. After my father-in-law was promoted, he probably couldn't stand He Qingxian's temper, so he only allowed He Qingxian to work in local positions.
He Qingxian supported some of his father-in-law's reforms and opposed some of them. He even thought that his father-in-law's reforms were superficial and not profound enough. In short, he did not think much of his father-in-law. However, when his father-in-law implemented the land survey the next year and the one-whip system the year after, He Qingxian continued to dislike his father-in-law's superficial efforts, but at the same time he actively cooperated with him. Nanzhili, where he was located, was also the place where reforms were implemented most smoothly and successfully.
When his father-in-law was being purged by the imperial court, He Qingxian sent memorials to the capital almost every day, all of which spoke for his father-in-law.
Unfortunately, he was alone and weak, not only was he unable to help his father-in-law and the entire Chen family, he was also exiled to a remote place.
"Father, what do you think of Lord He?" Huayang asked with a smile.
Chen Tingjian stroked his beard twice and said helplessly: "He is the most honest and good official in the world. I cannot deny this. But if he is transferred to the capital and recommended to join the cabinet, I am afraid that everyone in the officialdom will be impeached by him, which will be detrimental to the implementation of reforms."
Reforms have to be implemented by local officials. He Qingxian dislikes everyone and it will only cause trouble for him.
Huayang: "You are the Prime Minister. It is you and your brother who have the final say on how to deal with the officials under you. As for He Qingxian, you only need to bring out the four words of benefiting the country and the people. He loves the people so much that he will definitely listen to you. It is better than being away from the officialdom and watching the people suffer without being able to do anything. I don't believe he will not understand this truth."
Chen Tingjian: "But he does not approve of my reforms."
Huayang: "Zhang Pan approves of your reforms, and so does Lu Ge Lao, but they are all following your arrangements. Father has to worry about all aspects of the reforms alone, so it is inevitable that there will be some shortcomings. Your daughter-in-law knows that you put the emperor and the court first, while He Qingxian puts the people first. So, if He Qingxian assists you, it will be easier for you to find and fill in the gaps."
"Take the performance evaluation system for example. It certainly has significant results, but my father has set up annual tax collection tasks for local officials. Honest officials will supervise the gentry and prevent them from underpaying or missing taxes. Corrupt officials usually accept gifts from gentry, so they don't start with the gentry. Instead, they force the people to pay more taxes, forcing some people to give up their land and become homeless. Such corrupt officials need ministers like He Qingxian to deter them. With He Qingxian in the court, the people of the world will have more confidence in your reforms."
Chen Tingjian pursed his lips for the first time.
He is not a saint and cannot be perfect in everything. Sometimes, in order to achieve an ultimate goal, he has to allow some flaws.
His policies are for the people and the country, but there are so many local officials in the world, not everyone strictly abides by the policies. They will be cunning and they will oppress the people.
In the end, it was all his fault.
The old man was unhappy. Hua Yang softened his voice and said, "Father is devoted to the country and the people. Your respect and admiration for you even exceeds that of the late emperor. Your husband can prove this to me. However, not every official in the world can be as selfless as father. For the sake of the overall situation, father can only choose to accommodate. But father is not alone. He Qingxian can assist you. If you two work together, perhaps this reform can be implemented more thoroughly."
Chen Tingjian still pursed his lips, lowered his eyes, and stopped playing chess.
The old man is not a child who can be comforted by a few soft words. Huayang thought about it, picked up all the white pieces on the chessboard, and put another one down, placing it beside all the black pieces: "If my father's black pieces are all the civil and military officials in the court, do you know who my white piece is?"
Chen Tingjian raised his eyes and looked.
The lonely white chess piece, facing the densely packed black chess pieces, still exudes an overbearing arrogance, just like the arrogant eyes of the eldest princess opposite, and just like Emperor Yuanyou in the palace.
Hua Yang whispered, "In fact, how long the reform can be implemented does not depend on you, Zhang Pan, He Qingxian and others, but only on this."
She tapped the white chess piece gently.
All of Chen Tingjian's negative emotions disappeared. He nodded sincerely, truly submitting to the eldest princess's sharp insights.
Hua Yang said: "You are his teacher, and so are the other ministers. He is still young, and he will read your expressions and be influenced by your ambitions and political views until he matures and will no longer be easily swayed by anyone."
Chen Tingjian looked solemn: "Yes."
Hua Yang: "So, father hopes that you are the only one who dares to speak the truth around him, and others either sincerely support you and just repeat your ideas, or openly support you but secretly instill their own strategies for governing the country in front of him. Or, father hopes that he will not only have a prime minister like you who takes the overall situation into consideration, but also a minister who loves the people and can always convey the sufferings of the people to him?"
Chen Tingjian suddenly left his seat, lifted up his skirt, and knelt down in front of the princess opposite him: "I will remember the princess's teachings today."
Huayang was not worthy of his kneeling, so she stepped forward to support him, tears welling up in her eyelashes as she said, "It is your daughter-in-law who should thank you. You work day and night for the court, the people, and the emperor. Without you, your daughter-in-law would not know who to tell these words to. Your daughter-in-law recommended He Qingxian in the hope that someone would be willing to sincerely help you share your worries. Even if it is just one more person accompanying you to bear the slander and hatred of those people, it is better than you standing alone in front."
Chen Tingjian's eyes were actually reddened by this last sentence.
Seeing that both of them were about to cry, Chen Jingzong's sneer suddenly came from the window: "If Lord He knew that he only came to Beijing to help others take the knife, I'm afraid he would pack up and run away overnight."
Huayang: …
Chen Tingjian: …
Sun wiped her tears with one hand and hit her son hard on the butt with the other!
(End of this chapter)