Chapter 318: Chapter 318: Senior Grand Secretary Zheng

He truly wanted to assist the Emperor, his son-in-law, in bringing prosperity to the people and ensuring they no longer lived in deep misery. He hoped the people of Daqian could live in peace and contentment, their doors unlocked at night, ushering in a golden age where lost items on the road remained untouched.

“Aren’t you worried that your power will be halved, Father-in-law?” Xiao Yunjing asked.

Gu Xicheng shook his head. “As long as I can serve the people, what does it matter if my power is greater or lesser? Besides, what use is immense power if one doesn’t wield it for good? Didn’t Li’er often say in the past, ’If an official doesn’t champion the people’s cause, they might as well go home and sell sweet potatoes’? Your Majesty need not worry. The proposal to establish two Senior Grand Secretaries is a good one.”

Having risen from humble beginnings, he understood better than anyone the lives of those at the lowest rungs of society and what they needed most. With more power in his hands, he would have more opportunities to do what he could for the populace.

Moreover, there was a critical consideration: traditionally, there had always been only one Senior Grand Secretary. The power wielded by a sole Senior Grand Secretary was immense, creating a precarious situation akin to walking a knife’s edge or treading on thin ice, where any misstep was deeply feared. Consequently, they often acted with extreme caution.

He himself had experienced this in the past. Compounding this, Chu Xiong had been a man of unpredictable temperament, which had made his position even more challenging.

If there were two Senior Grand Secretaries, they could at least consult with each other. And if anything went awry, the responsibility would be shared between them.

Xiao Yunjing perceived Gu Xicheng’s sincerity and understood his character. It was clear he wasn’t merely trying to flatter him as the Emperor, so Xiao Yunjing accepted the idea.

“Very well. At tomorrow’s morning court session, I shall announce this matter.”

“Your Majesty, isn’t this a bit too hasty?” Gu Xicheng asked. He had only just returned after being missing for so long. Weren’t they even going to make a token gesture of investigating what happened first?

Xiao Yunjing waved his hand dismissively; he knew what Gu Xicheng was concerned about. He had his own explanation ready. He would simply state that he had taken Gu Xicheng to Beijing. The current development in Beijing was evident to everyone in Daqian. Besides, he was the Emperor. If he said he had taken Gu Xicheng there, who would dare to utter a word against it? At most, some might whisper behind their backs that the two of them had colluded long ago.

Let them talk. Gu Xicheng was Li’er’s father; if he, the Emperor, didn’t ally himself with his own father-in-law, who else would he ally with?

“Too hasty?” Xiao Yunjing scoffed. “Daqian is currently in dire straits, and it is a time of urgent need for capable individuals. I will employ anyone useful to Daqian. As for those who lack ability yet dare to grumble, what use do I have for them?”

He would not be led by the nose by those old, established aristocratic families in the court. Anyone who refused to submit could go home and manage their own household affairs.

Gu Xicheng replied, “Yes, Your Majesty. This subject obeys the decree.”

Gu Xicheng deeply admired Xiao Yunjing’s iron-fisted approach. Although this Emperor, his son-in-law, appeared young, he was in fact remarkably cunning and resourceful. While he could be somewhat autocratic, he was a significant improvement over Chu Xiong, who had insisted on having the final say in all matters, large or small. Xiao Yunjing was different. He asserted his authority decisively only on certain matters, and his actions were consistently aimed at benefiting the nation and its people.

At the same time, Gu Xicheng sensed that measures were being subtly directed against the old aristocratic families in the Capital City. These old families wielded excessive power and controlled the economic lifelines of Daqian. A single outcry from them could make the entire Daqian tremble. Indeed, it was high time to address this. Beside the dragon’s couch, how could others be allowed to slumber peacefully?

After they had discussed some other matters, Gu Xicheng finally asked, “Your Majesty, how is Li’er doing?”

Yesterday morning, on the mountaintop, he had seen that Gu Qingli was not in good condition.

Xiao Yunjing maintained a composed demeanor. “Li’er has been a bit unwell these past few days. Father-in-law, please don’t worry. She’s merely exhausted from taking care of the three little ones. She’s just fatigued; a few days of rest will see her right.”

“Then I can rest assured.” Gu Xicheng sighed in relief. He knew Gu Qingli always took care of the children herself. When they were younger, it had been manageable. Now that the children were older, caring for the three little ones demanded even more energy. It was understandable that Li’er’s constitution might suffer from the strain.

Recalling Gu Qingli’s medical expertise, he felt even more at ease.

He hadn’t dared to tell Ms. Su what he had witnessed yesterday. If she knew, she would undoubtedly insist on coming to the Imperial Palace to see Li’er. But times were different now. His daughter was the Empress. Except by an official summons from the Empress herself, anyone wishing to see her, even a titled lady, had to first announce their visit and receive permission before an audience would be granted.

“Father-in-law, you should return for now. I won’t keep you for luncheon.”

“This subject requests leave to withdraw.” Gu Xicheng rose, performed the ritual salutation, and exited the Imperial Study.

After Gu Xicheng had departed, Xiao Yunjing summoned Yun No. 14. “What is Chu Yan’s condition now?”

Yun No. 14 replied, “Reporting to Master, if he does not take the antidote within a month, he will be beyond saving.”

Xiao Yunjing pondered for a moment, then said, “Send him the antidote. Ensure he is well enough to receive the imperial decree tomorrow.”

His intention was clear: having just ascended the throne, he needed to promote some of his own loyalists. Thus, he would issue all related edicts together the next day. There were few remaining members of the imperial lineage. Chu Xiong was already an isolated figure. Chu Yan, still unmarried, was similarly alone. So, Xiao Yunjing decided to spare his life, partly to demonstrate a gesture of cherishing kinship. Depending on Chu Yan’s future conduct, if it pleased him, Xiao Yunjing would bestow a marriage upon him, ensuring his line would not die out.

「The next day, several imperial edicts were dispatched.」

One was dispatched to the Gu Mansion, enfeoffing it as the Mansion of the Duke Protector of the Nation, Gu Xicheng as the Duke Protector of the Nation, and appointing him Left Senior Grand Secretary. Ms. Su was honored as a First-Rank Commanded Lady.

Accompanying the imperial edict were two teaching nannies from the Imperial Palace. This was something Li’er had previously arranged, and Xiao Yunjing, remembering it, had them dispatched at the same time.

This imperial edict instantly caused an uproar throughout the imperial court. That the Gu Mansion would be enfeoffed was something everyone had anticipated, but what on earth was this ’Left Senior Grand Secretary’? And what was this about Senior Grand Secretary Zheng now being designated ’Right Senior Grand Secretary’?

Senior Grand Secretary Zheng, however, breathed a sigh of relief. He remained a Senior Grand Secretary; it was merely that ’Right’ had been appended to his title. Gu Xicheng, though reinstated, also had ’Left’ appended to his title. Thinking of this, Senior Grand Secretary Zheng felt a sense of equilibrium.

Senior Grand Secretary Zheng was an astute man. With the new Emperor’s ascension, it was natural that, as the saying goes, ’a new sovereign brings new courtiers.’ To ensure the continued safety and prosperity of his Marquis Zheng Mansion, he knew he had to make a choice. The Emperor was promoting new, favored officials to counterbalance the established, powerful aristocratic families—a strategy employed by every new sovereign. The old aristocratic families had deeply entrenched networks and connections within the Capital City. Their influence was often so far-reaching that a single move could impact the entire nation, even shake its very foundations. The Emperor would not permit such powers to exist and pose a threat to his authority. His Marquis Zheng Mansion had managed to remain unscathed to this day precisely because they understood how to assess situations and align themselves with whoever held the imperial throne. They would never behave like other aristocratic families who, believing they possessed the strength to challenge the Emperor, acted with overweening arrogance and showed blatant disregard for imperial power. This Emperor, Senior Grand Secretary Zheng perceived, was unlike his predecessors. To think of threatening him? In two words: pure fantasy.

With this realization, Senior Grand Secretary Zheng promptly made a decision: he would surrender half of his family’s assets to the Emperor as a means of self-preservation. Follow current novels on novel⦿fire.net

Sure enough, upon receiving these assets, Xiao Yunjing issued an imperial edict to the Marquis Zheng Mansion, bestowing upon it the status of a hereditary marquisate. This signified that the title would pass down through subsequent generations without any reduction in rank; it would forever remain a marquisate. The Marquis’s wife was concurrently honored as a Second-Rank Commanded Lady, though this particular honor was not hereditary.

This action by Senior Grand Secretary Zheng immediately drew the scorn of the other old aristocratic families, who derided him as a pathetic, tail-wagging cur.

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