Chapter 308: First People's Representatives Congress

"You, you..."

Ying Rong was furious.

This situation before him was something he hadn't anticipated. He had always boasted that his control over the Liangzhou bureaucracy was enough to make the Liu father and son wary!

He hadn't expected.

That this Liu Prefect, with just one "democratic election," would turn his own self, whose peach and plum trees filled the world, into almost a lonely widower.

"Lord Ying, the Platform of Prefect Liu is correct!"

"Yes, this matter does not conflict!"

"Although the people are nominating, it does not hinder the distinction between official and commoner status, and as we are the parents of the people, we ought to listen to the voices of the people!"

A group of people said this.

Pfft!

Ying Rong nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood.

Listen to the voices of the people?

Be parents of the people?

When did you become so righteous? It's not because you see an opportunity to enter the Cabinet, is it? This doesn't even give you face!

Tearing faces openly!

Ying Rong nearly blacked out before his eyes, looking at the smiling Liu father and son beside him, he gripped the armrests of his chair tightly and coldly laughed: "Good, good, good, since Prefect Liu already has a Platform, we naturally must proceed according to regulations!"

A cold light flashed in his eyes.

Since you want to tear faces with me, then don't blame me, Ying Rong, for being impolite! This is forcing me onto a desperate path! How could he just sit and wait for death?

Thus.

The first grand democratic election in Liangzhou Prefecture thus began.

Even those causing trouble at the Liangzhou Prefecture gate, who had just beaten these negative and lazy officials until their noses were swollen and faces bruised, began to watch the spectacle.

People nominating officials?

People listened, looking at each other in blank dismay, feeling quite incredulous.

And this matter too?

Since ancient times, officials have been appointed by the court; these "lowly people" of ours, where would we get the chance to participate? This is absolutely an unprecedented first!

Even many people simply hadn't reacted yet.

"What?"

"Let us nominate Cabinet members?"

"This..."

For a moment, these people cheered and leaped with joy. When could they ever dominate the fate and future of this group of officials? Thus, they also stopped causing trouble, and many began to run through the city spreading the news.

"Quickly go to Liangzhou Prefecture to see!"

"Elected, elected!"

"We can elect the Cabinet!"

The entire city's populace, upon hearing, were in an uproar, whether merchants, farmers, or artisans, in an instant they felt a sense of participation, overjoyed beyond measure.

"Can it really be done?"

"Go, go, go, quickly go see the excitement!"

Soon.

Liangzhou Prefecture became packed with three layers inside and three outside, many people had nowhere to stand, so they found nearby tall buildings. The election scene thus became like a grand gathering.

Although they couldn't participate in this first Cabinet election— but it doesn't matter! This Platform and Method have already been written clearly, starting from the second Cabinet, these people's representatives will begin progressive elections one after another. Isn't that saying they all have the right to participate in governance?

Although they cannot directly participate, this also gives these people a sense of social belonging, a sense of honor in being able to participate in governance!

For an individual, this is absolutely a tremendous spiritual uplift.

This will make these people truly united with Liangzhou Prefecture.

What Liu Zheng wants is precisely this feeling. He wants to turn all thirty districts and counties of Liangzhou into a single iron plate. Because such a situation is not easily achieved elsewhere in the Longyan Dynasty.

Which feudal king's territory is not filled with internal strife among interest groups?

If the entire Liangzhou were united as one, what kind of energy would erupt?

Therefore.

No matter how stifled Ying Rong feels at this moment, this much-watched Cabinet election still finally began.

Lasting seven days.

The first day's work was nomination. From the over two hundred people at this scene, twenty were selected.

These twenty people will be the candidates for Cabinet members.

Then, the following six days will be on-site evaluation of these twenty people.

How to evaluate?

Policy discussion!

On-site policy discussion, debate, and evaluation of administrative ability!

After evaluation, the two hundred representatives on site will vote again.

Altogether six days, the procedure is still quite extensive. Then the final nine Cabinet members will be decided.

"How preposterous, how preposterous! Infuriating me to death, infuriating me to death!"

That day.

Returning home, Ying Rong could no longer hold back and smashed tables and kicked stools.

"Master, master, what's going on..."

A group of people trembled nervously.

Ying Rong's eyes flashed with a harsh color: "This Liu father and son, they want to rebel against heaven!"

Since ancient times, no matter which prefect, inspector, or prefectural governor takes office in a prefecture, they must first pacify the local powerful clans. Who would have thought that Liu Zheng would directly employ the strategy of 'draining the pond to catch the fish'! More importantly, his 'draining the pond to catch the fish' actually gained the support of many people! This is the most terrifying thing!

Especially today.

Twenty cabinet member candidates have already been selected.

On his side, he has already secured four seats!

What does this mean?

Twenty, and he only has four! Ying Rong, who always thought he occupied half the Liangzhou officialdom, is now furious. Does this mean that the cabinet only has a few of his people who can get in, perhaps only one or two?

One or two!

What's the use of that!

They can't even seize the initiative in voting!

"Sir, what should we do?"

"Sir... you must think of a way!"

Following Ying Rong's group, each one is anxious. They previously held key positions in Liangzhou, and if they lose these posts, their glory will be gone.

Ying Rong pondered for a moment, then coldly laughed: "This Liu prefect is truly a newborn calf unafraid of tigers, yet he does not know how deep the waters of Liangzhou are..."

"Send a letter to the Third Prince!"

"By the way, our people, regardless of the outcome this time, continue to work passively..."

"Yes!"

Pingzhou.

Lu Prince's Mansion.

Xie Ling has been waking up from nightmares every day these past few days.

"No, no, don't kill me! Don't!"

A group of people stood trembling beside the Third Prince, and the Lu Prince was no exception.

"Your Highness, Your Highness..."

The Lu Prince let out a deep sigh.

Since the defeat at Cheshi, the Third Prince has been like a lost soul, his spirit unstable every day. After waking from a nightmare, he panted heavily, took a long time to calm down, and seeing so many people, seemed to feel he had lost face, immediately his expression changed: "What are you all doing here? I'm fine, get out, get out, get out, all of you get out!"

The group of people fled in fright.

Only the Lu Prince stood beside him, smiling awkwardly: "Third Prince, why don't we first return to Jinghua and discuss this matter with the Empress..."

"Return to Jinghua? Return to hell with Jinghua! Go back to do what? Go back to let the Crown Prince laugh at us!"

Xie Ling shouted with a ferocious face.

The Lu Prince smiled bitterly.

Not returning to Jinghua, does that mean others won't be laughing at us? This time, Xie Ling's losses in Liangzhou are not small—Zheng Yuxing died, and Rongshan Pass was lost.

Soon, the Liangzhou Army fell into Liu Zheng's hands.

This instantly emptied the Third Prince's influence within the Liangzhou region... Speaking of which, in this political game, he is even worse than the Crown Prince! At least after losing Chen Ping, the Crown Prince still mended relations with Liu Zheng. At least on the surface, Liu Zheng has now become the Crown Prince's man.

"No, I cannot return to Jinghua, I cannot return to Jinghua!"

Xie Ling jumped up with a shout: "You know the Emperor's character, don't you? If I return, I will never again have a chance to seize power! Not a single opportunity remains—he will not give me a chance, he will not!"

The Lu Prince sighed.

What can be done about this? Originally, the Lu Prince had always maintained neutrality. When the old emperor was critically ill, he wavered and ultimately chose the Third Prince's side—after all, he still belonged to the Empress's faction.

But now it seems...

This Third Prince is also not someone to be relied upon.

He suddenly regretted his earlier choice.

However...

The great trend of the world, since ancient times, once he chose this side, he cannot regret it.

At this moment, someone delivered a letter.

This letter was naturally sent by Ying Rong from Liangzhou.

"What?"

Seeing the letter's content, Xie Ling's face turned ashen, and he coldly shouted: "This Liu prefect is too much—he even spares no Zheng family-affiliated powerful clans! What does he want, huh? Does he want to rebel?"

The Lu Prince took the letter, read it once, and was also stunned.

Cabinet?

People's Representative Congress?

This Liu prefect, when he gets involved in politics, has quite a few twists and turns.

However...

Isn't this a bit too harsh?

At this moment, doing this is simply like carving flesh from the Third Prince's heart!

A flash of viciousness passed through Xie Ling's eyes as he growled low: "Liu prefect, Liu prefect, since you insist on joining the Crown Prince's camp, then don't blame me for being impolite!"

The Lu Prince startled: "Your Highness, are you thinking..."

Xie Ling coldly smiled: "You move against my Liangzhou foundation, I will move against your reputation foundation! Immediately go investigate—how is the progress of his so-called Grand Canal?"

Upon hearing this, the Lu Prince's face changed dramatically.

Grand Canal?

Xie Ling wants to pull a crooked scheme on the Grand Canal?