National Division

Chapter 80: Respect him, fear him, and kill him!
Dali Temple, in front of the prison

With a rustling sound of pages turning, the Empress opened the memorial with her slender hands, and Gu Nanzhu quietly picked up the lamp and brought it closer to provide light.

"I have heard that the emperor's rule is like the heavens and earth, which encompass all things to achieve their vastness. It is like the rivers and seas, which accept all streams to achieve their depth. Therefore, when an enlightened ruler governs, he not only values ​​the pure reputation of virtuous men, but also does not completely reject the usefulness of petty men. This is because the way to use people effectively lies in one's own mind."

The diva's gaze lingered on "It depends on one's heart" for a moment, and she was struck dumb, her heart trembling violently.

Just as Yue Fei said, "The essence of military strategy lies in using orthodox tactics to engage and unorthodox tactics to win, and it lies in the mind of the people," which fully describes the essence of military strategy.

As the diva continued reading, she felt her pupils shrink and her hair go numb.

"Therefore, we know that not all virtuous men are impractical and incapable of fulfilling their duties, nor are all petty men treacherous and unusable. A virtuous man is like a jade tablet, which can be used to maintain order in the court. A petty man is like a dagger or chopsticks, which can be used to resolve troublesome matters."

It can be said that Shen Xian's words at this moment almost perfectly touched the Empress's heart.

“A gentleman upholds righteousness like a pillar, and his integrity is admirable, but he may be too rigid in his adherence to principles. A petty person observes situations as clearly as if they were fire, and his intelligence is commendable, but he often fails due to greed and indulgence.”

When the Empress read this, she felt her breathing become rapid. Indeed... a virtuous person is upright and defies authority, while a petty person is clever and greedy.

"The key to employing both types of officials lies in the art of checks and balances. If virtuous men supervise wicked men, their schemes will not succeed. If wicked men participate in the work of virtuous men, their empty talk will be restrained. It is like cooking fresh fish; the interaction of water and fire creates the best flavor. It is like controlling a horse; the reins and bridle are used to control it so that it can travel a thousand miles. If Duke Huan of Qi relied solely on a lowly servant, and worms roamed the house, this was the disaster of relying too heavily on wicked men. If Duke Xiang of Song was bound by the principle of 'benevolence,' and lost his army, this was the drawback of relying solely on virtuous men."

People often use the line between virtuous and petty to distinguish between people, but wise rulers see that the virtuous and the wicked cannot be discerned by appearances alone, and that the use of someone or something should be adjusted according to the circumstances.

At this moment, the Empress was reading this, and her face was flushed. Her fair and delicate hands were trembling from the effort.

Only the phrase "use or discard should be adapted to the circumstances" kept surging in my mind.

This man is indeed a national hero, possessing the skill to slay dragons.

If they cannot be used by her, they should be executed on the spot!

It can be said that Shen Xian, from the perspective of a "national advisor" and "imperial tutor," clearly understood the personnel strategies of the Empress and even wise monarchs throughout history.

But at the same time, it also carries a faint sense of superiority.

It's presumptuous, but also exciting.

Ordinary people describe this exciting and intoxicating feeling as reading forbidden books on a snowy night.

Emperors also found this kind of imperial learning stimulating and captivating.

Otherwise, people like Liu Ji and Yang Du wouldn't have been treated as honored guests by Zhu De and Yuan Shikai.

These profound teachings of Han Feizi and the art of rulership are so enigmatic that people throughout the world are caught in the game, misled by the illusions of fate. How can they possibly discern them?

Shen Xian awakens a memory from his past life, and in this era of information explosion, his insights point directly to the essence of the Dao.

In fact, even emperors may not all understand this principle. For example, Emperor Chongzhen abandoned the eunuch faction and favored the Donglin faction.

The Empress eagerly read on, her phoenix eyes sparkling, afraid of missing a single word. The words on the page seemed to cascade down like a waterfall, striking the Empress's heart again and again, making her heart flutter and unable to control herself.

"In the past, Duke Huan of Qi wanted to achieve hegemony, so he entrusted the government to Guan Zhong. Guan Zhong had fought three battles and fled three times. He was greedy for gold and silk, but Bao Shu alone recognized his talent. When he entered the court, he united the feudal lords nine times and brought order to the world. Isn't this a case of how the talent of a petty man can accomplish great things? However, in his later years, Duke Huan had Shu Diao, Yi Ya, and Kai Fang in power. He died and was riddled with insects, and his hegemony fell. The same Duke Huan could recognize Guan Zhong when he was lowly, but was later misled by the three treacherous officials. This was because he was blinded by greed and lost the ability to distinguish between good and bad people."

"As for how Marquis Wen of Wei governed his subordinates, he was quite adept at it. He honored Bu Zixia, Duan Ganmu, and Tian Zifang as the 'Three Gentlemen,' which greatly promoted education and culture. At the same time, he appointed Wu Qi, Ximen Bao, and Yue Yang as the 'Three Capable Officials,' which improved military preparedness. Wu Qi killed his wife to become a general, Ximen Bao drowned the sorcerer in Anye, and Yue Yang drank the soup of his son. These were all things that were not morally acceptable at the time, but Marquis Wen did not let their flaws overshadow their achievements. Therefore, Wei was stronger than at the beginning of the Warring States period."

"As for King Zhuang of Chu's meeting where he broke the tassel, he allowed Tang Jiao to get drunk and play around, and later Tang Jiao was able to fight to the death on the battlefield. Duke Mu of Qin pardoned Meng Ming's defeat and finally wiped away the shame of the Xiaohan Pass. These are all examples of wise rulers who do not let a small mistake overshadow their great virtues, and who can tolerate minor faults and achieve great results."

The three examples demonstrate a well-structured and progressively deeper argument, emphasizing a high-level perspective and empathetic thinking.

At this moment, both the eldest princess and Gu Nanzhu turned to look at the Empress, who was engrossed in her performance and whose cheeks were even slightly flushed, and their hearts were filled with curiosity.

What exactly did Scholar Shen write in his memorial that caused the Empress to be so emotionally agitated?
Although Murong Yue, Si Di, and the others had the divine sense to investigate, they dared not act recklessly in front of the ruler.

"Therefore, the way of the sage king should be like that of a craftsman wielding his axe. He selects straight wood (gentlemen) as beams and pillars to establish the foundation of the court. He selects crooked wood (talented men) as yokes to adapt to the changes of the world. He discards rotten wood (treacherous officials) into the hearth to prevent the seeds of disaster. In the past, Emperor Gaozu of Han used Chen Ping's wisdom, knowing that Chen Ping had stolen his sister-in-law's money but did not punish him. Emperor Wu of Han adopted Zhang Tang's harshness and also placed Ji An's integrity in his place to correct him. This is truly the profound principle of using both approaches. It allows the pure and the impure to interact so that the flowing water does not become stagnant, and the strong and the weak to complement each other so that the vessel does not break."

Shen Xian's final paragraph concludes the argument.

The pure and the impure interact, the strong and the weak complement each other, and one should not rely on or believe in only one side. The way of the emperor lies in balance.

“Alas! Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish; only when salt and plum are combined can it be made into the best flavor. If one merely admires the empty reputation of a virtuous person while neglecting the real work of helping others, or indulges the greed and cunning of petty people while losing the foundation of the state, neither of these is the way to revitalize the nation.”

Upon reading this, the sky seemed to change color, and I felt a surge of exhilaration and satisfaction. Shen Muzhi, you understand me!
"Only a wise and powerful ruler, who can keep the balance in his heart, and who can make Ji Qi and Gao Yao serve in the same court, and Guan Zhong ride alongside Xi Peng, can govern the world by simply sitting back and doing nothing."

Shen Xian bowed deeply in respect.

The 15th day of the 3rd month of the 2nd year of the Tiansheng era (Jiwei day)
—In prison at Dali Temple

The last few words can be seen as a reminder to the Empress Dowager: "I am worried about the country and its people while imprisoned in Dali Temple."

Gao Yanfu glanced at Shen Xian without making a sound, and finally didn't forget to set a trap for Zhou Liang.

The memorial in the Empress Dowager's hand felt as heavy as a thousand pounds. She looked up at the young man, feeling as if she had a thousand words to ask him.

However, this memorial could not be shown to the public; it could be described as a "love letter" between the emperor and his subject.

The memorials presented were an exchange and resonance of the art of rulership.

Beneath the Empress's willow-leaf eyebrows, her clear phoenix eyes stared at the young man, her tone already carrying a hint of complexity: "Mr. Shen, you are truly a national hero."

No minister had ever submitted such a memorial to her.

Because all the ministers in the world are in the game of chess, they all think about the issues from the perspective of a minister. Loyal and upright ministers submit memorials to advise the emperor to employ virtuous people and keep away from petty people, while treacherous ministers cater to the monarch's preferences, flatter and fawn, and frame virtuous people.

In the "Memorial on Dispatching the Troops" from the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang also advised Liu Shan, the later ruler of the Southern Tang dynasty, to be close to virtuous ministers and keep away from petty men.

Only Shen Xian's memorial demonstrated that both the loyal and the treacherous could be employed, and that talent and ability should be discerned, but neither should be neglected. It was necessary to guide the situation according to circumstances and adapt to changing circumstances.

A virtuous minister may be virtuous today but not necessarily tomorrow; employ the virtuous and dismiss the incompetent.

A ruler with a grand vision would have two possible reactions upon seeing such a memorial: either appreciation or... murderous intent.

The former refers to the emperor's loneliness, which no one can know; the latter refers to the emperor's fear of being the only one who matters.

This is not the way a retainer should discuss his ruler, but the opinion of a national scholar and imperial tutor—he should be respected, feared, and killed!
Shen Xian's face was calm as an ancient pool without waves. Facing the Empress's complex gaze, which was tinged with a hint of murderous intent, he stepped forward, his eyes filled with sincerity, and cupped his hands, saying, "Talented horses are common in the world, but discerning judges are rare. Your Majesty, with the vast land of China in your heart, should be a sage empress of your generation, as famous as Yao and Shun, and your name will be remembered for generations to come."

At this moment, showing deference will have a remarkable effect.

As for the Empress's apprehension, he could only say that he would have a solution in the future.

The Empress closed the memorial, a hint of eagerness appearing in her bright eyes, and said gently, "It's getting late, Mr. Shen, why don't you come with me to the palace for dinner?"

He was clearly chosen as a strategist and a trusted advisor.

Shen Xian cupped his hands and said, "Regarding the blind girl from the Yu family, it is not that I have concealed her or been negligent. In fact, I was previously engaged to Xian, and I could not bear to break my promise."

At this point, let's leave it at that.

"She's just a blind woman, and she has no connection to the treasonous case. I have already pardoned her." The Empress Dowager smiled slightly on her beautiful face, a stark contrast to the ruthlessness she displayed when dealing with Suo Yuanli, the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review.

Even a blind woman does not abandon her marriage vows. Such a loyal and trustworthy person is also adept at adapting to circumstances, making her both lovable and resentful.

This reflects a similar mentality to that of Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, who felt both joy and pity upon hearing of Han Xin's death.

Shen Xian's face was ashen, and he bowed to express his gratitude.

He did not seek immense power, but only longevity and freedom, so he had no fundamental conflict of interest with the Empress.

It's merely using the principles of humanity to question the principles of Heaven.

Princess Zhenguo looked at the young man who was not yet twenty years old and wondered to herself, what exactly was written in the memorial? Why is the Empress Dowager treating him with such courtesy?
However, Shen Muzhi is truly a man of amazing talent. What young man could have such composure as to remain unmoved even if Mount Tai collapses to his left?
Murong Yue's eyes flickered, and she seemed to be deep in thought.

Si Di had only read a few words before, but was still shocked by the title. She only read the beginning and didn't dare to continue reading.

"On the Regent's Discourse" is not a subject's discourse on the ruler, and I dare not listen to it.

The Empress Dowager was right; she is indeed a national hero.

(End of this chapter)