Simulates history, but Chongzhen is the Divine Emperor at the beginning

Chapter 259 A Ruler and His Minister Know Each Other Well, Birds of a Feather Are Birds of a Feather!
"This means... they're not cutting it anymore?"

Sitting on the soft bed in the prison, you couldn't help but fall into deep thought...

[You originally estimated that Zhao Gou would use you as a disposable scapegoat; once the situation turned against him, you would be sacrificed to maintain his glory and greatness!]

The logic is clear: after all, Zhao Gou wasn't a sentimental person, so it's normal for him to distance himself from those in power... In the original history, he had already distanced himself from Qin Hui and others, and in his later years, he pinned all the blame for the murder of Yue Fei and the peace negotiations with the Jin on Qin Hui and others, trying to whitewash his own image as an innocent victim.

Of course, since everyone is aware of the situation, his attempt to shift blame didn't have much effect: the treacherous minister Qin Hui is beyond redemption, but the corrupt emperor Zhao Gou was certainly no better...

However, regardless of the final outcome of his exoneration attempt, Zhao Gou has already done his best to clear his name... This suggests that he is unlikely to voluntarily take responsibility for his subjects; distancing himself from the situation is simply his normal practice.

But now, contrary to his usual self, he was resolute: I will protect you!

This unusual behavior is truly perplexing...

Therefore, if a reasonable explanation must be given for this, it can only be that you still have other uses for Him... These uses are so great that they could even make Him go against His nature and normalcy, choosing to take the blame in a disadvantageous situation.

So, what is this value?

[After a moment's thought, you'll know the answer: "It's to be His loyal hound and seize His power of lust!"]

[Given that "God Zhao Gou" is solely focused on satisfying his perverse desires through the Northern Expeditions, thereby acquiring immense divine power until he becomes the sole true god unifying the North and South, then he must persist in the Northern Expeditions until unification is achieved!]

The Northern Expedition always required someone to manage it. As the emperor, he couldn't do everything himself, so he needed a group of loyal and capable subordinates to do the work. Whether it was managing the government, governing the people's livelihood, or recruiting court writers to promote the war faction's ideology, such people were indispensable.

And you, clearly, are the kind of loyal person who fits the bill...

Throughout the entire Northern Expedition, you consistently and unequivocally sided with the Emperor, and relentlessly attacked pro-peace officials like Yue Fei and Han Shizhong, following his instructions. You can be said to have rendered him a great service!

[Without you fabricating charges against the "Four Generals of the Restoration," Zhao Gou would have had no suitable reason to imprison them; without you publishing articles among the people advocating for war, the mobilization for the Northern Expedition could not have been so grand; without your reckless charges for the emperor, Zhao Gou would have found it difficult to establish a "one-man rule" in the court!]

Although in a sense Zhao Gou's Northern Expedition was inevitable, and your presence or absence wouldn't affect it, your series of loyal and obsequious actions have made Him extremely comfortable...

Throughout history, some rulers disliked treacherous officials, others disliked upright officials, and still others disliked loyal officials... but virtually no ruler disliked sycophantic officials!

What is a sycophantic minister? A minister who flatters and fawns upon his superiors.

Although sycophants generally have a bad reputation, who wouldn't like a minister who is obedient to them and speaks sweetly?

After all, at most, treacherous officials are incompetent and morally corrupt, but in terms of loyalty, they are in no way inferior to loyal officials! In fact, there are numerous instances in history where, after being betrayed and abandoned by all, it was treacherous officials who stayed by his side until his last breath…

Therefore, there is no particularly clear line between a sycophant and a loyal minister: a sycophant who is capable and moral is a loyal minister, while a loyal minister who is incapable and morally flawed is, in fact, a sycophant.

And you, you just happen to be an extremely capable sycophant! You can write those worthless articles destined to get you purged for the emperor's sake, you can also launch a frenzied attack on famous heroes like Yue Fei and Han Shizhong for the emperor's sake, and you can spend all day cheering for the emperor: "Loyalty! Sincerity!"

Under these circumstances, Zhao Gou would naturally protect you to the best of his ability: you are no longer a disposable, useless sacrifice, but a loyal and reusable dog worthy of the emperor's active protection!

Thinking about this, the problem that has been troubling you for so long is finally starting to unravel...

[But you still don't understand: As an emperor, was Zhao Gou really that desperate for loyal followers? If he simply indicated that being a loyal follower would come with benefits, then there would be countless people across the land crying out to be loyal to him!]

Under these circumstances, your indispensability isn't actually that strong... Therefore, Zhao Gou's reasons for taking responsibility for you should go beyond this.

But what exactly is the remaining reason? You're completely baffled... However, your confusion didn't last long, because someone will soon provide the answer for you...

"Imperial Censor Zhou, are you troubled again?"

[Your neighbor, General Han Shizhong, grinned broadly at you… You were initially a little reserved around this “neighbor,” after all, he was the one you had framed and imprisoned, so this unexpected encounter was naturally quite awkward.] [But after getting to know him, your reserve gradually disappeared, because General Han not only didn't mock you, but treated you very kindly, as if there was no enmity between you at all…]

Faced with the old general's curious inquiry, you hesitated slightly before truthfully explaining your confusion about the emperor's initiative to take responsibility. The old general, upon hearing your explanation, burst into laughter!

"Imperial Censor Zhou, are you truly confused or feigning confusion? The reason the Emperor is taking the blame for you has always been due to your own actions."

【what? 】

This bizarre answer startled you, then, as if you'd grasped something crucial, you began to re-examine yourself… and in that re-examination, it suddenly dawned on you: you were blinded by your own involvement!

Why would the emperor protect you? It must be because you're extraordinary! And among these "extraordinary" qualities, besides the fact that you're a capable but treacherous minister, the biggest reason is your questionable background...

As an official appointed by the imperial court, your background must have been investigated by Zhao Gou more than once. However, your current alias is not your true identity. No matter how Zhao Gou investigates, he will definitely find no such person!

This strange situation would naturally cast a mysterious shadow over your image in His eyes... Coupled with the fact that you are indeed an extremely loyal subject, Zhao Gou would naturally value you highly, to the point that he would take the initiative to protect you.

Once you understand this principle, you can't help but smile helplessly: you were truly blinded by your own involvement; such a simple answer, yet you never grasped it...

So you respectfully thanked General Han next door, but the old general just smiled and shook his head, then asked curiously: "Clearly you're not some real mad dog, so why do you so strongly support the Emperor's Northern Expedition?"

You hesitated, not giving a serious answer, because you couldn't casually reveal your "simulated protagonist" identity to others... So you ultimately just stated righteously: "That's naturally because of loyalty! Because the Emperor's kindness can never be repaid!"

[Han Shizhong: Happy!]

Seeing that you were only shouting slogans and not telling the truth, the old general wisely stopped dwelling on the matter and instead began to chat casually with you... You talked about many things, from the war situation to the past, from the Southern Song Dynasty to the Jin Dynasty.

Although he did most of the talking and you listened, it was precisely because of this that you successfully learned a lot of things from him that you didn't know before.

[But in this process of gradually increasing understanding, one question becomes clearer and clearer in your mind... So you ask out of curiosity: "This junior wants to know, can the Emperor's plan to accumulate divine power through the Northern Expedition truly succeed in unifying the North and South of the Song Dynasty?"]

"Yes...it is possible."

Han Shizhong paused for a moment, then slowly said, "However, this method is not the best choice... Compared to this brutal method of large-scale warfare, someone once proposed a better way."

"If we follow his method, we won't have to kill so many innocent people in the Central Plains, nor will we have to send a million Song soldiers to their deaths against the Jin's invincible mutated troops... At that time, the North and South will be unified, and the world will naturally be a peaceful and prosperous era!"

"However, his methods angered the officials and us, leading to his execution at Caishikou, leaving not even a trace of his soul behind..."

【Oh? There's such a good method?】

[You were immediately filled with intense curiosity: "To unify the North and South without causing any casualties and to usher in a golden age of peace... isn't that a good thing?"]

"What is this method? And who is he?"

Han Shizhong grinned.

["This method is called 'Throwing Gold'..."]

"And this person is named Qin Hui!"

【you:……】

……

(End of this chapter)