Since Zhuo Ruhe became prime minister, he has never received a separate summon from the emperor in Lingyun Pavilion. Therefore, when he received the news, he was very surprised. When he walked into Lingyun Pavilion, he felt a lot of emotion in his heart, thinking that he should be the most difficult prime minister in Da Chu in history.

The emperor stood up to greet him, and the two eunuchs brought a chair instead of the common stool. Zhuo Ruhe sat down after saluting and was secretly alert.

"Can officials in the court do their best?"

"Everything is normal. All the people from all the yamen have all been delayed a few days ago, and I can finally make up for it."

"The prime minister has worked hard for the abolition of private slaves."

Zhuo Ruhe stood up, "I dare not refuse. I will do my best. I am just having many difficulties. It's time to get a lot of trouble. My health is not very good. Please prepare more just in case."

Han Ruzi smiled and signaled Zhuo Ruhe to sit down, "Zhuo Xiangke still remembers the first time you and me meet?"

"I will never forget it forever."

"At that time, Zhuo Xiang said, 'The government seems to have food but there seems to be no food', and I will never forget it for my whole life."

Zhuo Ruhe was both moved and ashamed, and had a hint of confusion. He didn't understand what the emperor meant to mention this sentence. Could it be that he was mocking himself for "it seemed to be sick but not sick"?

Han Ruzi didn't think so much and continued: "At that time, I thought that officials in various places did not think about people's livelihood. They were all corrupt officials and evil officials. It was because I was too young. Now that I think about it carefully, the officials did this just to deal with more urgent emergencies, and to deal with endless demands above. Therefore, the root cause is not in the officials, but in me."

Zhuo Ruhe replied: "Your Majesty does not have to blame yourself too much. There are corrupt officials and evil officials, and it has nothing to do with Your Majesty."

Han Ruzi did not continue to "reflect" and asked: "How is the progress of land reclamation? Is there still a shortage of manpower?"

The land reclamation was the core of Zhuo Ruhe's rule. He immediately replied: "Last year's bumper harvest was very helpful to land reclamation, and the manpower was still in short supply. However, there was no need to be urgent for such matters. If there were too many land reclamation people, the government would not have enough ploughing tools. Moreover, there were many people at this time, and there would inevitably be few people in the future. The extra ploughing tools would be wasted at that time."

Han Ruzi nodded, leaned forward a little, and asked very seriously: "In Zhuo Xiang's opinion, what is the prime minister's responsibility?"

Zhuo Ruhe understood that this was the focus of today's conversation. He stood up and bowed, "I think that the Prime Minister is the assistant to Your Majesty. In terms of government affairs, he does not seek excellence, but seeks completeness, not seeks merit, but seeks stability."

"What is the emperor's duty?"

This question is even harder to answer. Zhuo Ruhe calmed down and replied carefully: "The emperor is in charge of the world and ruled with his responsibilities. He must be the one who chooses and uses officials."

"What Zhuo Xiang said is the Emperor Taiping. What if it is a chaotic era? The emperor also wants to rule?"

"If in a chaotic world, the emperor and the prime minister will quell the chaos and the other will defend the cause. Those who quell the chaos will fight in all directions. Those who quell the stability will need to be fully and steadily, and all the things that need to be used by those who quell the chaos will be used."

"Zhuo Xiang thinks who should quell the rebellion and who should keep it?"

Zhuo Ruhe polites again, "I think it's not a chaotic world right now."

"There are strong enemies in the West and the Huns in the North. Zhuo Xiang thought this was not a chaotic world?"

"Western strong enemies are far apart, and they are suddenly rising countries. The sharp edge is no different. If it is time to go, it will be defeated in time. The Great Chu is ready for a strong battle, and there is no need to worry too much. As for the Huns, it will take more than a day to cause disaster. Even before Emperor Wu, the Huns did not make the Great Chu a chaotic world. Now the internal part is broken, and although the Great Chu is a little weak, it is not afraid of it."

Han Ruzi nodded. This is what most ministers think, so they are not in a hurry and even took the time to make a slack work. In their eyes, the current crisis is very ordinary and can be dealt with normally. The emperor has never seen the world before, so he is so serious.

"I hope everything is as Zhuo Xiang said." Han Ruzi once hoped for war, but now he has changed his mind. War is just what he wants, ministers do not support it, and most importantly, the people do not support it. Most people would rather live a peaceful and hard life than force their wife to abandon their children and go to the frontier to make meritorious service.

"Putting up chaos is a temporary achievement, and maintaining success is a cause for all generations. I am greedy for temporary achievements and do not be good at maintaining success. Although it is not a chaotic time, I am a little unable to follow my efforts. The important responsibility of maintaining success can only be handed over to the prime minister."

Zhuo Ruhe was ready to talk to the emperor, and even offend him a little, and then took the opportunity to resign. He never expected that the emperor would go with the flow and wanted to take on the responsibility of keeping his achievements. He was both surprised and a little frightened, and he didn't know how to answer.

"Your Majesty..." Zhuo Ruhe spit out two words for a while, but still didn't know what to say.

"Zhuo Xiang let go and do it, the court is yours again."

Zhuo Ruhe knelt down, "The country belongs to Your Majesty, the subjects belong to Your Majesty, and the court belongs to Your Majesty, and I am just in charge of it."

Han Ruzi laughed. The ministers are sometimes more sensitive to this kind of thing than the emperor himself. "Then continue to manage it. I believe that Zhuo Xiang has this ability."

"But..." Zhuo Ruhe did not get up.

Han Ruzi was a little harsh, "The matter of abolishing private slaves must be carried out. Zhuo Xiang can make adjustments as appropriate, but it cannot be stopped. If you say that the country and subjects belong to me, then don't let the Great Chu appear in the place of transformation and the people outside the law."

Zhuo Ruhe finally believed that the emperor really wanted to return the power of the prime minister to him and kowtowed, "My qualities are crude, and he often disappoints Your Majesty. He abolished his private slaves and has a long way to go. I am also powerless, and I may disappoint Your Majesty even more."

"Does the Prime Minister think the private slaves should be cancelled?"

"It should be that if it is not cancelled, these unregistered people will become countries within the country. Although they are in the territory of Da Chu, they are not subjects of Da Chu."

"It seems that there are people but there seems to be no people?" Han Ruzi smiled.

"That's right." Zhuo Ruhe felt sweating.

"The bad luck in Chu lies with me. If I want to revive my ancestral property, I can only rely on the court to be the prime minister first. In any case, Zhuo Xiang has the heart to protect and help the people, so that's enough. As for specific matters, I will do it with all my might."

"I dare not slackew, and I will do my best."

"Zhuo Xiang asked him to sit down, and he didn't have to kneel down and talk."

Zhuo Ruhe stood up and sat down, still feeling confused, not understanding where the emperor's trust in him came from.

"I have a Kang Zijiao who comes from a poor family and knows the sufferings of the people better than ordinary people, which may be of some help to the prime minister."

Zhuo Ruhe felt a little relaxed, thinking that this was the emperor's normal method, and replied: "There is a few governors in the Prime Minister's Office, and Kang Zijie was born as the second-hand man, so he can be the official."

“So very good.”

The governor is not a high-ranking official, but he often walks around the prime minister and can participate in government affairs. Zhuo Ruhe appointed Kang Zijiao as this official and accepted the emperor's supervision over himself.

"The Ministry of War still lacks the official position of seals, can there be a general? "Han Ruzi asked again.

Suddenly regaining trust, Zhuo Ruhe was not able to react, and was panicked and thought for a while, "According to the convention, the Minister of War should be promoted from the Minister of War, or from the Minister of the Other Department, and they are all ministers. Nowadays, there are many troubles in the frontier and the military affairs are complicated, so a minister who is both good at martial arts should be chosen as the minister."

Han Ruzi nodded and waited for Zhuo Ruhe's answer.

Zhuo Ruhe thought for a while, "It's appropriate to have someone, I'm afraid that your Majesty will think it's inappropriate."

"Why is it inappropriate?"

"This person has just been to the family of sin and is not in good health."

"Teacher Cui?"

“That’s right.”

Han Ruzi was surprised for a while and suddenly felt that this suggestion was not too incredible, "Tell me the reason."

"Tao Cui has experienced many battles and is not a sure victory general, but he is familiar with military affairs. He used to be an official, but later he was sent to the Southern Army by Emperor Wu to change to a military position. He has a relatively good understanding of the responsibilities of the ministry."

"Tao Fu Cui was once a general. Wouldn't he be the Minister of War be demoted?"

"Tao Cui has already stepped down and has been recently deprived of his title. He was appointed as Minister of War because he was guilty of making meritorious service, not a demotion."

Han Ruzi shook her head, "I just demoted Grand Tutor Cui, but suddenly I appointed him as Minister of War. No one knows it, and I think I was bluffing before."

"Only Your Majesty ruled that if the Tutor Cui is inappropriate, Minister Sun of the Ministry of Revenue can be the alternative, and Minister Zhou of the Ministry of War can also be the Minister."

"The prime minister agreed at his discretion and handed over a memorial tomorrow." Han Ruzi did not completely refuse.

"Abide by the order, Your Majesty." Zhuo Ruhe knew that he should surrender, but he was always uneasy and eager to know the emperor's true thoughts, so he said, "I have something to say, please listen to him."

Han Ruzi waved his hand and signaled the prime minister to say that he could say.

"Absolutely abolishing private slaves is a damaging force. The Great Chu could not bear the sudden increase in the large population. Your Majesty asked me to take the important task. I would like to register as a private slave first, and all other things should be slowed down."

This is only one step away from taking back the imperial edict. If the emperor agrees, Zhuo Ruhe can let go. If he disagrees, then the so-called trust is just a temporary rise and should not be true.

Han Ruzi fell silent and said for a long time: "The Prime Minister first discusses a specific plan with the ministers."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Zhuo Ruhe believed it two or three more times, but he wondered what had changed the emperor's attitude.

Zhuo Ruhe took his leave, and Zhang Youcai, who had been standing by the emperor, couldn't help but say: "The Prime Minister clearly wants to take the opportunity to lift the Cui family, and there must be a deal behind it."

"Don't worry about too much, you are so idle, I will give you an important task."

Zhang Youcai showed joy, "Okay, a private visit? Or investigate the case?"

"Not even, from now on, you will take charge of the seal for me."

Zhang Youcai was shocked. Zhongzhang Seal was a big official in the palace. In terms of status, he was usually only lower than Zhongshen. He is now the emperor's personal eunuch, which is equivalent to reaching the sky in one step.

"Your Majesty is to be honest? Isn't there anyone in the palace holding seals?"

"You can be transferred away. You are the one I believe in. I feel more at ease if you take charge of the seal."

"But I don't want to leave Your Majesty. I'm not at ease if others serve Your Majesty."

"The seal of the middle palm can also be left by my side."

"Then I do!" Zhang Youcai was happy.

Han Ruzi smiled, "The Prime Minister has something to do, and the Censorate must not be idle. Go and ask, has Censor Qu returned to Beijing?"

Zhang Youcai ran out in a flash and came back soon, "The Secretariat downstairs said that Censor Qu is still on the way and it will take at least three days to arrive in Beijing."

"Well, don't worry." Han Ruzi tapped the table with his fingers and suddenly stopped, "Send someone to Juehou's Mansion to pass on Zhao Ruosu." (To be continued.)

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Chapter completed!