From Panlong Town to the southeast, pass through Daming Prefecture, and cross the three provinces in the north of the Yangtze River, it is Shengyang City, the capital of the Zhou Dynasty.

Shengyang was originally named Shouyang. It was originally the capital of the previous dynasty. It was located south of Shoushan and was in Hebei in the east of the Sui Dynasty, so it was named after it.

Zhou Taizu raised an army from Panlong Town, swept thousands of miles to destroy Houliang, established the Great Zhou, and built the capital here, changing Shouyang to Shengyang. The people of Zhou used to call it Shengjing. Later, after several expansions of the Emperor's Emperor's period, it finally became the first heroic city in the Central Continent.

If you look at it from the sky, Shengjing is a square with a standard straight rope, with nine gates open, three in the east and south, and to the north is the Shengci Palace where the royal family lives.

Today is the first day of the first lunar month of the 25th year of Hong Xiu. The first small dynasty meeting of the New Year has just ended in the imperial study of Shengci Palace. All the officials have left, and only Prime Minister Pei Yuanhou was left alone by Emperor Renzong.

After being given a seat, Renzong ignored the prime minister who had been in court for fifteen years. Instead, he arranged the memorials submitted by the ministers at the court meeting on the imperial case one by one and began to review them. For a moment, there was no other sound in the study except for the sound of moistening the pen and grinding the ink.

The Minister of the Internal Affairs Office retreated to the corner with little concern and looked at the monarch and ministers. After the Jiayuan Student Movement, students from Pei Xiang taught and promoted the so-called policy and concept of governing the country in the court and the country, and were serious about everything in everything. It was impossible for the Prime Minister to be acquiesced and indulged in the prime minister. Renzong and Prime Minister also developed from the original monarch and ministers to the present. It is not an exaggeration to say that the power is the same as the fire.

Time flies with the rustling sound of the sunset hourglass on the imperial desk. The emperor devotes himself to the memorial, nodding and frowning, as if he has long forgotten that Pei Yuanhou is still in the room. Pei Yuanhou has been straightening his back and sitting down with his head down, with a modest and calm expression, and does not care about being forgotten in the corner.

Finally, when General Manager Dai was standing weak, the sunset shone through the pavilion column and spread into the imperial study room. The emperor rubbed his wrists that had been holding the pen for a long time and picked up the already cold tea. He asked while drinking: "Censor Liu Benxi, the Chief Censor, went to Zhehuguang Governor Guo Hao to embezzle and cheat, embezzle the buried water to control the public bank, resulting in a deficit of three million vehicles, and the completion of the river embankment was delayed by one year. What do you think about this at this time?"

Pei Yuanhou thought intently and replied after a moment: "I have read the final report on the management of the buried river embankment this year. There is indeed a big loss. However, the main reason is that floods have occurred frequently in the past two years and the price of manpower has increased. Not someone has benefited from it. The Ministry of Personnel's assessment of Guo Mao for three consecutive years is the first, which is not unreasonable. Although this person lacks flexibility in his work, he wins in the word "serious". I don't believe it. However, since Master Kuhai went north, the Burying River has become increasingly difficult to manage. In the next year, the budget and manpower should be increased to prevent the water from getting out of control and causing a major disaster."

Renzong nodded slightly and ordered General Manager Dai to notify the Ministry of Revenue to re-draft the budget for flood control this year. General Manager Dai took the order and left.

As the sky gradually became late, the eunuchs and palace maids lit up the lights in the imperial study room. Renzong nodded and waved his head back, so there were only two most powerful people in the Great Zhou Dynasty.

The candlelight swayed. After the two looked at each other, they laughed tacitly. There was no such thing as the monarch and ministers in the outside world. If this scene was seen by some powerful officials in the court who had been using this place to make a fuss tonight, they would probably not be able to rest.

After there was no one else in the imperial study room, the two of them were obviously relaxed a lot. Renzong first asked: "Pei Qing, how is the student movement in the near future?"

The Jiayuan Student Movement was originally the biggest problem between the emperor and the ministers. The civil rights, elections, and panel system advocated by the student movement have fundamentally shaken the Zhao royal family's control over the Zhou Dynasty. Over the years, no matter how quarrels between the court and the opposition were quarreling about this matter, the real people in power in the imperial center have never expressed any opinions on this. Although Pei Yuanhou is a recognized representative of the student movement, he has never publicly discussed related issues with the emperor in the court. Today, Renzong actually discussed this matter directly with Pei Xiang in private, subverting the outside world's thorough understanding of this vigorous regime reform.

Pei Yuanhou stood up from his chair and replied humbly: "Report to Your Majesty, the momentum of the development of the student movement has been going smoothly with the intentional cooperation of all parties in recent years. Shilin has also been more tolerant of the new policy since the Panlong Town Incident eleven years ago. The Imperial College even offered a separate course to study the possible governance of the civil rights government. Nowadays, most of the young scholars are supporters of the student movement. The only thing that is worrying is the attitude of the military. Most of the soldiers of the army are finally royal family. Cooperating with a few influential scholars, they are still trying their best to suppress the rise of local student movements."

When Renzong heard the words assassination of Panlong Town, his eyelids twitched, and then quickly returned to normal, thinking for a while, and continued to say: "Implementing the new policy to inspire people's wisdom is the ambition I made when boarding the plane. My Great Zhou has been established for more than a hundred years. The people only know that the Great Zhou is becoming stronger and stronger, with many soldiers and generals, and the hundreds of industries are prosperous, but they do not know that the Baihu tribes, which are only separated by a mountain, have grown even more amazing in the years of competing with our dynasty. During the Taizu period, the four army in Zhenbei rode out of the pass, and the Baihu shores killed within four months were bleeding and drifting. When the Emperor's period, the whole country was devoted to the strength of the whole country, but they could barely block the group of barbarians outside Miyun Pass. If this was the same, one would rise and the other would grow, I was worried that one day, I would stand at the head of Shengyang City and hear the neighing of Hu horses."

The king and his minister were silent for a long time, and their minds were outlined in the miserable situation of the Baihu tribes going south, and they both felt chill.

"Besides, Liancheng's bloodline is transmitted to my lineage, and the chance of awakening is getting lower and lower. Since Zhen'er died in Xifeng Mountain, the number of people who awaken the alien blood in the entire royal family has only six people, and there are two people who only know how to enjoy themselves! And my Great Zhou and Baihu are bordered by three thousand miles. Even if I release all these six people from the border to defend, it is impossible to take into account such a vast land. Therefore, reform is imperative!"

Emperor Renzong stood up and walked to the window and stood with his hands behind his back.

"I have studied the history and living habits of barbarians since I was a child. After studying with Pei Qing and Mr. Yuan Qi from multiple sources, I believe that I have found the reason why these barbaric races that are far from civilization have developed so quickly."

Pei Yuanhou followed Renzong to the window and did not speak because he knew that the emperor only needed one listener at this time and a person in the channel to agree with his own ideas.

"That is competition, free competition," Renzong paused and continued, "There are Khans in the Baihu tribes, but there is no emperor. The seventy-two tribes in the Baihu tribes, the Khans only have the power to summon, but no authority to issue orders. Each tribe is relatively independent. The entire Baihai power is the king. The position of Khan is not exclusive to a certain tribe, and the tribe heads are not exclusive to a certain family. Therefore, everyone lives for themselves and fights for themselves. In such competition, although internal friction is inevitable, there are many strong people. Baihu has a population of less than Dazhou, but he can gradually move back to his disadvantages in more than a hundred years of confrontation. It is because of free competition, which is also what I need to learn from Dazhou."

Pei Yuanhou received a soft voice: "So over the years, His Majesty has expanded the imperial examinations, appointed talents, and restricted the rights of royal family members. He has ordered his ministers to secretly develop the civil rights and student movement in order to give the people a way forward and at the same time give them a reason to fight for themselves."

"Yes," the emperor turned around and nodded: "The people of Great Zhou were protected under the bloodline of Liancheng. They lost their determination and motivation to make progress. I want them to understand that every man is responsible for the rise and fall of the world. This is not just empty talk. The Zhou Dynasty is my country, and it is also a country of 30 million people. Even if you give up this royal power, what's wrong?"

Pei Yuanhou lowered his head and sighed, "Your Majesty is a saint."

"It's not a question, it's just a forced one," Renzong shook his head, and then said half a joke: "Next, I'll have to trouble Pei Xiang to continue his efforts and take the students of the student movement to take my corrupt emperor who is a position that is simply abdicated and prevent the reform from real power. Within three years, I will realize the monarchy system. Within ten years, I will abdicate and realize the real civil rights discussion. The people will participate in politics. If someone with both virtue and talent can stand out and lead the Zhou Kingdom to sweep away the northern border, I will not be ashamed of the ancestors of the Zhao family who established the Great Zhou Dynasty."

Pei Yuanhou smiled and bowed, saying, "I will do my best to help Your Majesty abdicate. However, there are often ministers who follow the dragon in this historical book. This hero of the hidden dragon is the only one."

The king and his minister laughed and lost their voices in the imperial study. The two knew in their hearts that the current situation of the ruler's power in the Central Continent will change completely from then on. The fire of reform has been sprinkled. It can even be said that the emperor personally ignited the foundation of his surname for generations.

After a while, Renzong said in a simple tone, "But in his position, he still has to do his own politics. I have three things to deal with in recent years. First, Miyun Pass is to be expanded, and Beichen has the intention to be more than enough to maintain his achievements. Let him come back to command the Jinwu Guard at the end of the year, and also sharpen his character and change the Mu family's father and son to go up."

Pei Xiang nodded and agreed.

"Secondly, Mr. Chunqi, who is in the Tianqingsi area, intends to return to old age. I have summoned Zhou Zhe to return to Beijing."

Pei Yuanhou suddenly browed: "Mr. Li is at the peak of his cultivation and has been in charge of the star map for many years. It's a pity that he will return to his old age. Zhou Zhe is indeed the most suitable candidate for taking over the Tianqing Department's cabinet, but he is still young, so he is afraid that he lacks experience and is not steady enough."

Emperor Renzong smiled and said, "It's not that urgent. Mr. Chunqi promised to accompany me, the last king, to leave office together. However, this star map is a powerful weapon for the country. This time, he called Zhou Zhe back to Beijing and only gave him a prophet to let him start studying in advance."

The Prime Minister nodded and said nothing.

"That's the third," the emperor's face turned gloomy and said slowly: "My favorite daughter died in my hometown. Whether it is the barbarians by Baihu Lake or the brave men who dare to secretly communicate with foreign countries during the Great Zhou Dynasty, they have to pay the price. Pei Xiang, at the Fengqing ceremony eleven years ago, Yu Kun was absent for no reason and returned to the capital within half a month. He was seriously injured. He said that he had gone to suppress the bandits. But a few days ago, when the deputy director of the Supervision Department retired, he secretly reported to me that there was something else in this matter. You can check it out for me."

Pei Yuanqing lowered his head and promised, thinking about the secret thing, and couldn't see the expression on his face.
Chapter completed!