Xie Ming

Qiu Ban advocated upholding the old precedent to correct the argument, but Xiao disagreed and did not agree.

The two sides argued back and forth, neither willing to back down.

Helpless, Yao Zuyin's attempts to make jokes were seized upon by Xiao Jiang as a pretext to be tied up and brought in.

Upon hearing this, the old monk stroked his white beard, unhurriedly.

"Hehehe, you two, each of you has your own reasons."

"In that case, how am I supposed to judge?"

"In my opinion, there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with what they said."

The old monk Hongren was adept at navigating social situations, and his words were still full of witty banter, continuing to keep the mystery hidden.

Upon hearing this, Zhizhong became impatient and refused to give up.

They couldn't wait to unravel the mystery; they simply went straight to the point of appealing.

"Hey, Master, you can't do that!"

"Please stop playing games with us."

"Just let us know what our opinion is, instead of making a resolution!"

They pressed forward relentlessly, leaving no stone unturned.

Seeing this, Yao Zuyin shook his head helplessly, refusing to let go, and laughed it off, always trying to provoke people.

"Hehehehe."

Tired of being fished out, Xiao added fuel to the fire.

"Yes, Master, you should speak."

Well, experience counts.

Yao Zuyin's move really whetted everyone's appetite.

Only when both sides grew impatient and eagerly awaited his arrival could he begin to offer his advice in a detailed and persuasive manner.

"Uh, hehe, this."

"Xiao Chuan, since you insist that I speak, then..." He glanced at Xiao Qu, ready to hear his son's attitude.

"Hehe, as for the matter of being granted a title, I advise you to put it aside for now."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao and Qiu fell silent.

It was Xiao who looked at Qiu, and Qiu who came could not hide his smugness.

Although neither of them spoke much, the old monk had keen hearing and could observe and learn something from just their breathing.

Half guessing and half feeling, I think it's just this one sentence that Xiao Ding is not convinced.

Fortunately, he had a lot of follow-up conversation and managed to catch up quickly.

"Hehehehe."

Why do you say that?

Actually, that's how it is.

"I believe that what Zhizhong said just now truly reveals the correct principles of the Great Way."

"At present, the Southern Court is in turmoil, and the Qing army is pressing in."

"It is only through military merit that one can establish oneself and seek employment in the future."

"As for what came later, like the Northern Expedition and the Western Expedition, ah."

"The battle is still ongoing."

"It needs to be sealed off, and it can be sealed off; there are plenty of opportunities."

"There's really no need to rush into creating a so-called lively and joyous occasion just to join in the celebration."

"The reason for not granting them titles early is entirely because we fear that these individuals and nobles will become arrogant and uncontrollable once they have gained power."

"By then, it won't be so nice."

Yao Zuyin spoke calmly and unhurriedly, and his intentions were largely the same as those of Lai Zhizhong.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Li wanted to defend himself, but found it difficult to accept the explanation entirely.

"Can"

"But."

However, it seemed that even the old monk Yao had considered that Xiao Lang would find it difficult to express his thoughts and would surely refute him.

Hearing the interruption, he waved his hand decisively and continued the story later.

Seeing this, Xiao felt resentful and had no choice but to keep quiet for the time being, waiting for others to finish speaking.

"Hoo Hoo Hoo"

"Xiao Chuan, there's no need to rush. Let me finish what I have to say."

He began reciting incantations, stroked his beard again, and unconsciously adjusted the cuffs of his monk's robe with his other hand.

"Uh, this."

"These heartfelt plans are nothing more than the same old stories of Zhizhong and me worrying about the long term."

"Just now, from what you said, Xiaochuan..."

"Upon first hearing this, one should certainly not overlook it."

"Building a team and winning people's hearts are not easy." "Everyone has followed you to this point with great difficulty. If you feel it's not right not to show your appreciation, that's understandable."

"But, Xiaochuan, you must not forget."

"The current court is not your new dynasty yet; it is still the court of the Ming Dynasty."

"Your status and position are far inferior to those of the founding emperor, let alone the idea of ​​enfeoffing the world."

"Others may be vague about this, but you'd better keep it firmly in mind at all times!"

"So, what's with all this talk of the Six Dukes and Twenty-Eight Marquises? You haven't even become the founding emperor yet, so why are you in such a hurry?!"

"Given your current status, to offer official positions and promises to your subordinates is not a favor to the world; it's forming cliques!"

"What do you mean by 'when one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven'?"

"Are you being too hasty in your pursuit of quick results?"

"If you insist on doing this, how can you avoid attracting criticism from the entire court?!"

A word to wake up the dreamer.

When life is full of ups and downs, and one becomes famous and influential, becoming the center of attention and surrounded by admirers, it's inevitable to become arrogant and forget oneself.

The current situation is exactly as described.

Xiao Jingchuan quelled the rebellion of the Southern Party and temporarily stabilized Hangzhou.

Although he seemed to have great power, no matter what, the world still belonged to the Ming Dynasty.

Despite the dire situation, beset by internal and external troubles, at least nominally, the Ming Dynasty still existed, a fact known to all.

At this critical juncture, forcibly promoting and cultivating key military officials will surely draw criticism and condemnation from the entire court.

The court was already insecure and could not withstand such turmoil.

Even if you follow Cao Cao's example, don't be arrogant and domineering, or you'll end up like He Jin.

Therefore, Yao Zuyin's pointing out of this crucial point is extremely important.

Furthermore, after he finished speaking, seeing that Xiao was moved, he quickly added a follow-up sentence, intending to give Xiao Lang a way out.

"Hehe, of course."

"But then again..."

"As for you, you also have your own predicament to resolve, and you need to appease your subordinates as well."

"From both a moral and logical standpoint, this point is not wrong."

"If all else fails, how about this compromise? What do you think?"

Yao hurriedly asked Xiao Lang.

Upon hearing the voice, Xiao Jingchuan was still somewhat dazed. When asked, he answered without thinking.

"Uh, you, you mean..."

He turned around and continued talking.

"Hehe, right now, maintaining stability is the top priority in the Central Committee."

"Moreover, the danger to Hangzhou still exists."

"The information about Fujian's naval and troop movements is uncertain, which is a major concern."

"For now, you'll have to bear with it."

"If you really want to grant a fief, at least wait until the Fujian soldiers have retreated before it's too late in Shanxi."

"Pick one or two typical examples, promote them, and bestow upon them the title of Earl. That would be quite possible."

"This is a satisfactory explanation to the military."

"Xiao Chuan, what do you think of this arrangement?"

Yao Zuyin seized the opportunity to back down and knew when to stop.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Lang took a deep breath and sighed.

"call--"

"That's true."

"Alright, let's do it this way."

“In the past, meritorious generals in the army were promoted in order of merit. Although they were not granted titles this time, they were at least promoted in rank.”

"I'll think of a way to stabilize the situation for the ones above."

"There shouldn't be any major trouble in the short term," Xiao compromised.

Upon hearing this, Yao Zuyin immediately pressed for a decision.

"Hey, that's more like it, hahaha!"

After saying this, Xiao didn't linger.

"That's good."

"Let's just put this matter behind us."

"Yes, Feiyu, Master, this time, aside from any rewards and honors, the most pressing issues regarding military matters are truly the two items of provisions and pay."

After their discussion, the military council continued without pause. The three scholars gathered together, discussing matters of state and military affairs, brewing wine and tea, and engaging in intimate, private conversation around the table. (End of Chapter)