Phi-Fic Chapter 151 He Changting
Chapter 151 He Changting
Shen Li had just been conferred the title of Xiangjun, and not long after, she was unexpectedly canonized as a county princess. This news was like a bolt from the blue, shaking the imperial court in the capital in an instant.
The emperor acted extremely secretly and quietly sent the young eunuch Li Degui to Qingshan County to read out the imperial edict.
Prime Minister He Changting could not hide his astonishment as he held the express report from Qingshan County in his hands.
In just less than two months, an eight-year-old girl from a farming family was able to receive consecutive promotions.
He couldn't help but wonder: Could it be that an immortal has truly descended into this world? Thinking of himself, he was turning sixty-five this year, and the years were passing by, with not much time left.
As his thoughts drifted, he couldn't help but recall the earnest instructions given by the late Emperor Xuan Ce: "Changting, among all these new officials, I appreciate you the most and trust you the most.
Talented people are scarce in my court right now. I hope to promote you in my lifetime. You must not let me down.
Now I only have one prince left, Ye'er. Although his talent is ordinary, I have no other choice. You must protect him with all your strength, even if it means bearing the infamy, you must not refuse.
Since entering the officialdom, He Changting has relied on his own hard work and talent to gain a firm foothold in the officialdom step by step. After the fourth prince, now the emperor, ascended the throne, he was even more loyal and devoted.
He Changting slowly came back to his senses from his recollections, his face solemn and his brows furrowed.
He understood that behind these successive changes must be a complex and subtle intertwining of causes. Shen Li, at a young age, had first used his miraculous powers to pray for rain, then presented high-yield grain seeds and movable type printing. These achievements were like a huge rock dropped into a lake, causing a huge uproar in the court and the country. His prestige among the people was likely to be at its peak.
The emperor was so decisive in repeatedly conferring titles on Shen Li. Was it simply out of praise for his achievements, or was there some other deeper meaning?
Is he trying to use Shen Li to cultivate a new force to check the delicate balance of forces in the court, or is he really completely impressed by Shen Li's extraordinary talent and unique methods?
As He Changting pondered this, he felt a growing sense of unease. The power structure in the court he had painstakingly cultivated over the years seemed about to be thrown into turmoil by this little girl.
He paced slowly in the study, each step seeming to weigh a thousand pounds.
He knew very well that he must not rashly and openly disobey the emperor's will. After all, the imperial power is supreme and the majesty of heaven is unpredictable and should not be easily angered.
But he could not sit idly by and watch his family's interests being damaged. The family's honorable status in the court was the result of his life's hard work and could not be lost.
He decided to send his most capable and loyal confidant to secretly investigate Shen Li's background, hoping to find a clue or two and explore the key points that could be used to check and balance her or use her.
In fact, He Changting was a kind-hearted person. When he first entered the official career, he was full of ambition to serve the country. He wanted to use his talents to devote all his energy to the country and the people.
However, in the court, various forces are intertwined and the conflicts of interest are complicated and turbulent, like an invisible giant net. Any mistake will lead to being stuck in the quagmire.
He had personally witnessed many loyal and upright people who, because they did not understand the subtleties of checks and balances of power, were oppressed by various forces and left with regrets, leaving their ambitions unfulfilled.
There were also treacherous and cunning people who tried to monopolize power and acted recklessly, causing the collapse of the government and suffering for the people.
In order to prevent the court from being completely swallowed by darkness, and to maintain integrity and fairness in this complex situation, he had no choice but to use some seemingly "cruel" measures to balance all parties.
He once secretly punished those corrupt officials who were greedy and brought disaster to the country and the people. Although his methods were decisive, he also made many enemies.
He also cleverly assisted some honest and capable young officials to maneuver skillfully between various forces, just to leave a glimmer of hope for the court.
But in the eyes of others, these actions may have earned him a bad reputation.
At the same time, in the palace, the emperor sat quietly in the imperial study, his eyes deep as he stared at the detailed memorial about Shen Li in his hand.
He knew very well that his repeated promotions to Shen Li would cause great uproar in the court, but he was determined and had no regrets.
The movable type printing technique presented by Shen Li is like a magic key that will unlock the door to cultural prosperity. It is expected to revolutionize the nation's cultural dissemination and education system, spreading the glory of knowledge far and wide.
High-yield grains are like a good way to stabilize the foundation of a country, closely related to the livelihood of the people and the foundation of the country;
The act of praying for rain can help turn the tide and calm the people when the country is in danger. Now she can even make her own rain-making talismans!
He urgently needs such a person who possesses both outstanding talents and magical means to help the country move towards prosperity, even if it means breaking some of the inherent checks and balances of power.
He firmly believed that as long as he held on to the imperial power, he would be able to calmly deal with any complex situation that might arise.