Chapter 294: Put on this golden headband, and you will no longer be a mortal

"Righteous Path, Brother Chen Wen, don't you think I've been neglecting my proper duties these past few days?

Why haven't you submitted any memorials?"

One day, while handling official business in the Chuigong Hall, Zhang Jie summoned Wang Lun and the others, asking with some bewilderment.

According to the history he understood, if any emperor were to indulge in beauty like this all day long,

failing to hold court for days and neglecting state affairs, the officials would have submitted memorials of remonstrance even at the cost of their lives!

How was it that with him, there wasn't a single ripple?

Could it be that his authority was so overwhelming that Wang Lun and the others didn't dare to submit memorials at all?

"Your Majesty, to solidify the foundation of the state, you have been toiling day and night. After so many days, you have grown thin."

It would have been better if he hadn't mentioned it; the moment he did, the eyes of Wang Lun and Chen Wen turned red.

"Uh..."

Feeling his own body, which had not grown thin but had actually gained some weight due to excessive nourishment,

even Zhang Jie, whose face was thick enough that even cannonballs shouldn't be able to pierce it, couldn't help but feel a bit ashamed.

During this period, he had basically acted as a hands-off manager,

while Chen Wen and the others had done all the hard work, organizing military supplies,

receiving new territories, and maintaining the normal operation of the imperial court.

It could be said that apart from being the final decision-maker, he had hardly cared about matters outside the court.

A while ago, he was a bit like Liu Bang entering Xianyang,

indulging in a soft bed of pleasure among the beauties of the Qin Second Emperor's Epang Palace.

As a result, Chen Wen and the others thought he wanted a child

to stabilize the foundation of the Great Gan, which really made him feel ashamed.

As for children and the like, with his prospects for longevity, he didn't care at all!

After all, could it really be that he would end up like Charles of the 21st-century United Kingdom—without Ireland, and Scotland almost gone—

who almost spent his whole life as the crown prince?

Kangxi's crown prince, Yinreng: "Is there any crown prince in the world who has waited forty years?"

Elizabeth's crown prince, Charles: "Forget it, I've been the crown prince for over sixty years."

It's only because modern medicine is advanced, otherwise I might have left before my old mother~

"Your Majesty, this subject has a memorial to submit."

Just as Zhang Jie was complaining in his heart, Wu Yong stepped out.

"Oh, what matter does Minister Wu wish to submit?"

'Has it come? The subject remonstrates to the death, the emperor happily accepts the advice,

and then the story of a ruler and subject who understand each other and the government is harmonious is about to happen to me?'

Zhang Jie roared with excitement in his heart.

Although the pool of wine and forest of meat, and the singing and dancing every night during this period were not bad, he still felt it was too dull.

Even the most delicious food, if eaten every day, every meal, every day,

eaten every night, eaten day after day, night after night,

would soon become tiresome; the same goes for grinding gear.

Having grown a bit tired of it, he now just wanted to find some other fun.

Leaving behind a story for future generations like that of Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, and Wei Zheng—one speaking frankly and the other accepting advice with an open mind—would be quite good.

"Your Majesty!"

Wu Yong bowed to Zhang Jie with a serious face, quite in the posture of a remonstrance to the death:

"You are already the Majesty of our Great Gan, the master of all people under heaven,

you should refer to yourself as 'Zhen' like the rulers of the previous dynasty, instead of calling yourself 'I'."

"Is it just this small matter?"

Zhang Jie, who thought something major had happened, felt a bit dispirited.

It was just a mere form of address, why bother caring?

Besides, he had called himself "I" for a lifetime; changing it suddenly, he wasn't used to it either.

"Your Majesty, this is no small matter."

Wu Yong still had a serious face and said in a deep voice:

"Since the First Emperor called himself 'Zhen', every emperor of every dynasty has called himself 'Zhen'.

If Your Majesty continues to refer to yourself as 'I', it would be too self-deprecating."

Seeing Wu Yong so serious, Zhang Jie couldn't help but care, turning his head to look at Chen Wen and Wang Lun:

"Do you ministers also think so?"

"Exactly."

Wang Lun nodded and bowed as solemnly as Wu Yong:

"Your Majesty, nothing but 'Zhen' is sufficient to declare Your Majesty's nobility and honor."

Chen Wen, who followed closely behind, also warned:

"If the subjects of the world were to know that Your Majesty still refers to yourself as the 'I' of a commoner,

I fear it would lose Your Majesty's dignity and the dignity of our Great Gan."

'This is what an emperor is!'

Looking at the three people whose expressions were incomparably serious and who clearly thought so in their hearts, Zhang Jie sighed in his heart.

Although an emperor theoretically possesses the power to change all rules,

is supreme, and decides the life, death, honor, and disgrace of others with a single word,

in reality, the emperor himself is nothing but a prisoner of the rules named "Emperor,"

"Monarch," and "Imperial Throne."

If any emperor truly thinks he can do whatever he wants,

then what awaits him will be the collapse of the dynasty.

Emperor Yang of Sui, Yang Guang, who conquered Goguryeo three times and built the Grand Canal, wanting to do in ten or twenty years what should have taken hundreds of years,

becoming the "Emperor of the Ages," only to have the Great Sui, which should have had a hundred years of national destiny, perish in the second generation, was like this.

Emperor Huizong of Song, Zhao Ji, who indulged in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, created the Slender Gold script, and "could do everything except be a ruler,"

and in order not to become a ruler of a perished state, hurriedly passed the throne to his son,

calling himself the "Daoist Emperor" and believing in Guo Jing's Six Jia Divine Soldiers, was also like this.

He suddenly thought of that famous line in "A Chinese Odyssey":

"Put on this golden headband, and you will no longer be a mortal; the love of the world will have nothing to do with you."

When he became this emperor and possessed supreme power,

he was no longer an ordinary person and would also be bound by corresponding rules.

"Fine."

Zhang Jie sighed and chose to accept the advice of Chen Wen and the others:

"I will follow your advice; from now on, I will refer to myself as Zhen."

Although his strength was enough to break these rules, and he could refer to himself however he wanted,

and do whatever he wanted, but Gul'dan, what is the price?

To bear the filth of the state is to be the master of the altars of soil and grain. To bear the misfortunes of the state is to be the king of the world.

Since he chose to be this emperor, he naturally would not shirk the responsibilities an emperor should shoulder.

Like Fan Xian in "Joy of Life," who clearly had the strength to ascend the throne but chose to hide behind the scenes and remote-control it,

wanting only the power of an emperor but not assuming the obligations of an emperor—that choice was not for him.

Rights and obligations have always been unified; if you are in that position, you should plan for its government.

If you are in that position but do not plan for its government, there will eventually be a backlash.

Still using Fan Xian as an example: even if he had the strength to suppress the world while he was alive, what about after he died?

After he died, there would be nothing more than two results:

Either Fan Xian's descendants would learn from Cao Pi and Sima Yan, abolish the Qing Emperor, take his place, and establish themselves as emperors.

Or the next generation of the Qing Emperor, after gaining great power, would ransack the homes and exterminate the clans of Fan Xian's descendants.

There is no third choice!

Political struggle is just that cruel.

Political struggle is not a tender game of house; it is a life-and-death struggle!

"There is no ruler as wise and decisive as Your Majesty!"

Seeing that Zhang Jie was still the Zhang Jie from Liang Shan who could accept advice with an open mind,

and had not changed because of ascending the throne,

Chen Wen and the others were overjoyed and all spoke in praise.

"Alright, alright, go and do your work."

Zhang Jie, unable to laugh or cry, dismissed the few people who were flattering him. ===== CHAPTER 295 =====

Zhang Jie dispelled the few men who were sucking up to him, feeling a mix of amusement and exasperation.