A son who doesn't resemble his father? Love you, old man, see you at Xuanwu Gate!

Chapter 30 Hongfu
The Court of Justice.

Known as the number one prison in the world.

The four walls are made of stone, the floor is covered with stone, and the roof is made of stone slabs, all of which are made of granite.

The prison is ten feet deep, never seeing sunlight all year round. It is as dry as Chang'an, yet dampness is common. Even without torture, people imprisoned inside will inevitably become weak and plagued by all sorts of illnesses over time.

Descending the stone steps of the Imperial Prison, one sees a deep, dark stone passageway inside, dimly lit only by the faint yellow light of oil lamps on the walls. One stone passageway leads to another, and each entrance resembles a predatory tiger's jaws.

The Taoist saying goes, "Govern by non-action."

From a young age, Liu Che was influenced by his father and grandfather, but he never looked down on this natural way of life, nor did he believe in the lines on his palms, only in the strength of a clenched fist.

But for some reason, Liu Che suddenly sensed the existence of fate.

This was his second visit to this place; the first time was to meet with Prime Minister Dou Ying.

Then, Dou Ying was executed by being cut in half at the waist and his entire clan was exterminated for the crime of forging a will and committing treason.

Today, he has come to this place again, and the prisoner he wants to see has been convicted of the serious crime of "colluding with the rebel king" and will be executed by being cut in half at the waist. The prisoner's family will also be exterminated for "gathering a crowd to commit treason".

The Minister of Justice, Zhang Tang, and the jailers led Liu Che to a very secluded prison gate and stopped.

There were no lights in the cell, and it was impossible to tell whether it was day or night. The light from the lantern outside the cell door shone in, and you could only vaguely see Zhuang Zhu, with his snow-white hair, lying on the scattered straw on the ground. His breathing was irregular, and even the simple action of opening his eyes was difficult for him.

If he hadn't insisted on seeing His Majesty, he probably would have already passed away.

His only hope at this moment is to see His Majesty one last time and hear him recount the last and most important things in his life.

Zhuang Zhu was very clear and confident in his heart that the Emperor and he shared a deep bond that went beyond the ordinary relationship between ruler and subject.

Throughout his years in the Han Dynasty, his position remained unshaken and illustrious. Many people criticized his virtue and integrity, but no one questioned his talent.

Having done dirty work his whole life, Zhuang Zhu believed from the bottom of his heart that he was of average talent. He did not have the great virtue of cultivating talent to achieve great things, but he had the extraordinary talent to transform great virtue into political affairs.

I am worthy of Your Majesty's honor, but I am not qualified to stand on my own two feet.

Twenty years have passed in the blink of an eye. He has seen the vast ocean, yet he can no longer find a single drop of water. In these few remaining days, he must recommend to the Han Dynasty and His Majesty a man of extraordinary talent capable of turning the tide of history. At the same time, this person must possess exceptional political integrity so as not to cause future trouble for the Han Dynasty and His Majesty.

Heaven has eyes; he got what he was waiting for.

People who have been in darkness for a long time are very sensitive to light. When he saw a bright light ahead, Zhuangzhu was already in tears.

The cell door opened, and Zhang Tang first brought in a table and chairs, then retreated outside.

Liu Che entered the cell, helped Zhuang Zhu sit down in a chair, and remained standing in the same spot.

"Your Majesty," Zhuang Zhu said with difficulty.

"Take your time, I'm here."

"I await Your Majesty's arrival with my remaining strength, for I wish to recommend a great statesman to succeed me. This man possesses the extraordinary talent to turn the tide, and I hope Your Majesty will employ him." "Who?" Liu Che's voice revealed surprise.

"Master Dong."

"Oh?"

Liu Che showed a disappointed expression, "Dong Zhongshu does have some ability, and his learning is profound, but he is limited to scholarship. How can he be called a great talent who can turn the tide?"

Zhuang Zhu bowed with difficulty, his old face solemn. "Your Majesty, please hear my last words. I know how difficult it is to learn and how difficult it is to navigate the world. Dong Zhongshu served as the acting prime minister in Jiaoxi for three years. His many methods have greatly shocked me. Wherever this man is, he is like a towering mountain. If Your Majesty can use him, it will be a great blessing for the Han Dynasty."

One can conquer the world immediately, but one cannot govern it immediately. Only scholars can govern the world.

However, the disdain for scholars began with Emperor Gaozu. Although subsequent emperors did not, like Emperor Gaozu, loosen their pants and urinate in the hats of Confucian scholars, and did not appear eager to seek out talented people, they were indifferent and distant towards scholars in their hearts.

For over seventy years, the world had enjoyed peace and prosperity. Everyone was still pursuing military merits, but in the court and among the common people, the situation of scholars improved day by day, and they gradually became an indispensable presence in the empire. Dong Zhongshu was a towering figure in scholarship.

If the mountain belongs to Your Majesty, then all scholars in the world will have to rely on Your Majesty, and their literary and martial skills can only be sold to Your Majesty. Your Majesty's empire will naturally remain as stable as ever.

All His Majesty has to give up is a position in the inner court with a salary of 600 shi (a unit of grain).

Liu Che was very perceptive of the earnest nagging of his elderly ministers, for a dying man's words are often wise. However, he could never tolerate the likes of Dong Zhongshu constantly nagging and opposing this or that. After a moment's thought, he said in a tone of accepting advice, "The position of Grand Master of the Palace is too low for you to fulfill your entrustment. The position of Grand Censor is vacant, and since he is a man of extraordinary talent, it would be better to let Dong Zhongshu fill the vacancy."

The inner court is too close, and the outer court is too far. If we send them to the outer court, aside from anything else, we'll at least have some peace and quiet.

Furthermore, he was very dissatisfied with the recent performance of Chancellor Gongsun Hong. Supporting Dong Zhongshu to the throne would lead to a fight between two tigers, and one of them would surely be injured.

Zhuang Zhu closed his eyes, and two more streams of hot tears welled up on his aged and pained face.

Different ways of employing people, how can they be the same?
"Your Majesty, please tell me the truth, do you really not need Lord Dong?"

"I have entrusted the position of one of the Three Dukes to you. What difference is there between the Inner Court and the Outer Court?" Liu Che said firmly.

Zhuang Zhu fell silent, then let out a long sigh. "If Your Majesty does not employ Lord Dong in the central court, then please kill Lord Dong! For the sake of Your Majesty's throne, he must not be used by others."

Liu Che looked at Zhuang Zhu and found him to be so unfamiliar. Dong Zhongshu had been wandering in the court and in the provinces for so many years, but what achievements had he made?
Zhuang Zhu's stubbornness reminded Liu Che of the events of the first year of the Jianyuan era, when all the other candidates in the palace examination were jealous of Dong Zhongshu. In an instant, he felt a pang of pity for this old meritorious official, whose hair was as white as frost and who was as thin as a rake. He smiled dismissively and said, "Alright, alright, if he is not allowed to hold the position of the central court, then kill him."

Zhuang Zhu reached his physical limit, leaning weakly against the chair, unable to speak any longer.

Liu Che then spoke words of concern, just as he had said to Dou Ying that winter in the fourth year of the Yuanguang era, after leaving the Tingwei prison.

Zhuang Zhu watched His Majesty's retreating figure, raised his hand with difficulty, and tried to call out to His Majesty again, but it fell back down halfway through the air, and turbid tears streamed down his face.

Before being imprisoned, he had been paying close attention to the Crown Prince's actions. Based on his limited knowledge, the Crown Prince's behavior was not what one would expect of a heir apparent. Of course, His Majesty, as the father, also did not behave like a qualified father.

He couldn't tell anyone the words that sowed discord between the emperor and his son, and he kept these thoughts buried deep in his heart. But he always hoped that His Majesty could understand his heart through flesh and blood.

Unfortunately, His Majesty cannot, and even if he could, he would not kill his own eldest son, the Crown Prince.

Based on this alone, Your Majesty is far inferior to Emperor Xiaowen and Emperor Xiaojing!
(End of this chapter)