My subjects are too rebellious!

Yan Song stared at the ginkgo tree in a daze and continued to recall the past.

When he knelt before Lu Zhi for the first time, he was so struggling and afraid in his heart.

The heavy gravity of reality tugged at his character, which had not yet completely fallen.

This was the last glimmer of the scholar-official spirit that remained in his life.

He knew what Lu Zhi wanted, but he was more afraid that after taking this step, his reputation in the circle would be completely ruined.

There's no turning back.

He didn't know how future history books would evaluate him.

Autocracy? Corruption? Framing up loyal officials?

Unfortunately, if loyalty is not absolute, it is absolutely disloyal.

In this game of thrones, there is no room for fence-sitters.

This Minister of Rites with thick eyebrows and big eyes, who is honest and simple-minded, is walking into the darkness step by step.

When the Queen Mother rightfully seized the tiger talisman and took charge of government affairs from behind the scenes.

Yan Song was frightened and he saw the direction clearly.

He knew where he was going.

There is a price to pay if you want to be a player in the game of power.

When people hold the seal in their hands, they often have a naive delusion.

He thought he was the one who was unilaterally exercising power, just as people often thought that the wise were enlightening the foolish.

It is the heroes who save the weak, and it is the Buddha who saves all living beings.

But in fact, it is the blind and foolish who lift up the wise, the weak who set off the heroes, and all living beings who save the Buddha.

It is power that plays tricks on those who are self-righteous.

Yan Song now realized that the theme of this power game was betrayal, sacrifice, and murder.

The one who betrayed was his former self.

What is sacrificed are all the things that you were proud of and cherished in your past life.

Only by completing the murder of yourself can you continue on this path.

When the murderous thought arises, eighty thousand doors of obstacles open.

So that year, I took a step forward and walked firmly towards the depths of darkness.

Yan Song looked at the ginkgo tree and sighed softly.

"The leaves on the trees have all fallen, and I can't see the wind anymore."

He turned around, stroked the wine glass on the table, and talked to himself.

"There are books on the pillow and wine in the cup. What else can I ask for?"

At this moment, the eyes that had been a little cloudy just now became clear.

...

On the other hand, after learning what Gao Yanei had done, Yu Huatian understood what His Majesty meant.

"Zhao Tong, you take a team of Jinyiwei and lurk in the capital to monitor all officials."

"Remember, I want to know the actions of all the officials, including who they met and talked to during the day, and what they talked about."

"We need to find out which woman he sleeps with at night, what positions he holds, and how many times he goes to the bathroom in a day."

"My subordinate understands!"

"Go."

Yu Huatian narrowed his eyes and smoothed his hair.

"Ma Jinliang."

"Master."

"Has there been any movement from the East Factory recently?"

"My Lord, since you came out of the Imperial Prison, you have been in charge of the Imperial Guards according to His Majesty's order, and the East Factory has gradually declined."

Yu Huatian curled the corner of his mouth slightly and said disdainfully.

"Then Wei Zhongxian didn't go to see the Empress Dowager?"

"I did, but... the Queen Mother didn't say anything."

Yu Huatian understood Wei Zhongxian's thoughts, but he did not think that Wei Zhongxian could compete with him for favor.

"Don't worry about it, just do your best for His Majesty."

"Yes, I understand."

Ma Jinliang rolled his eyes and looked stern, lowered his head slightly, and stood behind Yu Huatian.

The Wei Zhongxian they were talking about was now kneeling in the Qianqing Palace asking to see His Majesty.

"Your Majesty, the head of the East Factory, Wei Zhongxian, is kneeling outside."

Qin Chuan put down the red brush in his hand, raised his head and glanced at Zhang Rang.

This glance almost frightened Zhang Rang to death.

The strong murderous intent almost made him turn around and run away.

"This old dog, what is he doing here?"

Zhang Rang did not hesitate and immediately replied, "Your Majesty, I do not know."

After thinking for a while, Qin Chuan nodded and said, "Go, call him in."

Zhang Rang hurried to invite them, and soon two eunuchs, one old and one young, walked in.

Wei Zhongxian didn't dare to look up, he just knelt down and kowtowed several times.

Qin Chuan was a little surprised when he saw his respectful behavior.

What was surprising was not Wei Zhongxian's attitude, but his 55% loyalty.

Qin Chuan was a little confused. He didn't know why he was only 25 when he accompanied him out today, but now he became 55.

"See what I am doing."

Qin Chuan's tone was slightly better, and the majesty in his voice shocked Wei Zhongxian's body.

This feeling seems different from meeting the Queen Mother.

Wei Zhongxian thought so.

"Your Majesty, I want to do something for you."

Qin Chuan pulled the corner of his mouth and smiled strangely: "Working for me? Haven't you always been working for me?"

How could Wei Zhongxian not know that this was His Majesty blaming him for his inaction over the years?

I could only bite the bullet and say, "Your Majesty, please understand. I will serve you wholeheartedly and loyally from now on."

Looking at this somewhat lonely old eunuch, Qin Chuan seemed to remember a statement he had read in his previous life.

"As long as Wei Zhongxian is alive, the Ming Dynasty will not perish."

He also remembered that it was November of the seventh year of the Tianqi reign, when a destitute and old eunuch hanged himself on his way to Fengyang to guard the mausoleum.

And he was none other than the powerful and influential Wei Zhongxian, the Nine Thousand Year Old.

But in Qin Chuan's eyes, it was a joke.

Despite this, Qin Chuan decided to give him a chance.

After all, he remembered that it was actually the "Donglin Party" that opposed the emperor in his previous life.

However, Wei Zhongxian, the emperor's favorite, stood firmly on the emperor's side and helped him fight against the Donglin Party.

Qin Chuan actually didn't like the Donglin Party.

They are just a group of self-righteous people who always seem to have the truth in their hands and talk big.

But most of them seriously lack the practical ability to govern the country.

It's no different from that group of people in the late Qing Dynasty who claimed to be upright.

"Wei Zhongxian, I will give you a chance to work for me."

"If you can do it well, then from now on, you will stay by my side."

Wei Zhongxian immediately said excitedly: "Thank you, Your Majesty! I will definitely live up to your trust! I will do my best to help you solve your problems!"

Qin Chuan smiled and said, "This matter is simple and complicated at the same time."

"The task I have assigned to you is to provide porridge to the people on my behalf."

"Not only around the capital, I want to provide porridge to all the people in the Wu Dynasty."

"You could possibly do it?"

Wei Zhongxian did not understand the purpose of His Majesty's action, and looked up at His Majesty in confusion.

Qin Chuan understood the confusion, and immediately stood up, put his hands behind his back and spoke leisurely.

"Wei Zhongxian, I am giving you a mission to cleanse your sins."

"At the same time, it is also a job that can make the people remember your East Factory and praise your East Factory."

"Do you understand?"

Wei Zhongxian lay on the ground, thinking rapidly in his mind.

Since he could become the head of East Factory, he is certainly not a fool.

After a while, I understood the reason.

Qin Chuan likes smart people, but he likes smart people who can work for him even more.

He looked at Wei Zhongxian with satisfaction and put on a gentle smile.

"Get up."

Wei Zhongxian was helped up by Qin Chuan with some fear, and looked at the emperor in front of him in disbelief.

The emperor actually helped me?

At this moment, Wei Zhongxian seemed to understand why Yu Huatian would follow His Majesty so wholeheartedly.

"Giving out porridge requires a lot of care and is not a simple task."

"If you do a good job, the people will thank you. If you don't do a good job, then your Dongchang's reputation among the people will be irreparable."

"You have to be careful, do you understand?"

Wei Zhongxian naturally understood this and had figured out the reason behind it.

"Your Majesty, I understand!"

"I will do my best to complete the tasks assigned by Your Majesty!"

Qin Chuan patted Wei Zhongxian's shoulder with satisfaction, and then added.

"If there are still people in the East Factory who bully others and are tyrannical and overbearing..."

"Your Majesty, if there are still such people left in the East Depot, I will kill them all if I see them."

Looking at Qin Chuan's satisfied smile, Wei Zhongxian's impression of the emperor changed again.

Qin Chuan's smile became more and more brilliant.

Because Wei Zhongxian's loyalty increased again.

It’s now 69.