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墨書 Inktalez
Just as Luzi and the others were at a loss, a message came from outside that Prime Minister Housheng of Qi wished to see them. Upon hearing this, Luzi couldn't help but furrow his brow. It was already late at night; how could such a high-ranking official come to visit!?
Luzi glanced at everyone and waved his hand, signaling them to leave. If he didn't do this, Housheng would see that too many people were gathered here, including the Qin General!
The brothers complied, bowing to Big Shopkeeper before leaving the hall.
Luzi adjusted his attire and instructed the Shop Assistant to clear away the tea cups and teapots from the table. After ensuring that no traces were left behind, he personally went out to greet the visitor. After all, Housheng was a prime minister, second only to the king in authority; proper etiquette had to be observed.
The night breeze carried a hint of warmth, making even thick outer garments feel somewhat excessive. Nevertheless, the common wisdom of dressing warmly in spring and autumn could not be ignored. Housheng, who arrived late at night, strictly adhered to this old saying, with a thick fur collar wrapped around his slightly smaller-than-average head. If it weren't for his pair of darting eyes shining with intelligence, one might hardly notice that there was a person inside the bulky robe.
Housheng belonged to the Gou clan and was a former member of the old Ju State, being a cousin of the Queen Dowager. After the Queen Dowager followed King Xiang of Qi Tian Fazhang back to their homeland to ascend the throne, he led a group of younger brothers from the Gou family to seek refuge and establish their status.
It is well-known that the Queen Dowager had secretly pledged her life to the exiled Crown Prince Tian Fazhang of Qi State and bore him a son. She then returned with great fanfare to ascend the throne alongside him. Consequently, her father could no longer tolerate her actions and severed their father-daughter relationship. After all, this was considered scandalous behavior at that time, and it was normal for elders to disapprove.
However, many overlooked a reality: during that era, even feudal lords and ministers no longer respected Zhou rites. Justice was no longer upheld; strength had become paramount. The principle that "the one with the strongest fist has the final say" was indeed true. If so-called social elites were so corrupt, how could ordinary people endure!?
(This is not meant to defend the Queen Dowager; I ask readers not to dwell on this matter. The moral leaders of that time behaved similarly, and it is understandable for common people to follow suit. If one wishes to trace its roots, those with compassion will see it one way while those with wisdom will see it another.)
At that time, Ju State had already submitted to Qi State and was thus referred to as Ju Region. As a Qi person, despite facing much criticism, one dared not speak out against it. Moreover, Tian Fazhang was not only a crown prince but also a Lord of the Nation; his lack of public displays or punitive actions spoke volumes.
Even so, the clan leader and elders unanimously agreed on how to handle this matter. Etiquette is etiquette; family rules are family rules. By expelling those who violated family rules from their doors, they believed they had given enough face to the Sovereign. From then on, even though clan members knew that the Queen Dowager had risen to become Queen, the elders still strictly ordered her younger relatives not to seek refuge in Linzi, the capital of Qi State.
However, human lives are finite; rules can only be maintained through inheritance. In an age where morality had decayed, those without wealth or power were simply disregarded. Young people were filled with utilitarian motives and paid no heed to any national Legalism! As the last Guardians passed away one by one, restless hearts began preparing for rebellion.
When the voices of the young finally outweighed the family rules, the leader Housheng stepped forward to negotiate with the few remaining Elder. His argument was quite simple: in this world, if one wants to maintain the long-term stability of the family, only power can achieve that! What good is being stuck in the past!? They still get bullied by All Day!
At that time, the Knights Templar had already dwindled significantly. This was simply the reality of the world they faced. Moreover, the Elder knew why the surrounding villages dared not bully them, so they secretly raised their hands to vote in favor of the young people's ideas.
What could they do even if they disagreed!? The young people were the future successors!
Thus, Housheng organized the Brother of the Gou Family to head to the capital of Qi State, and subsequently brought the temporary clan leader's opinions to Linzi. Upon hearing that he had been recognized by his clansmen, Queen of Qi immediately fainted from tears.
After waking up, Queen Dowager wasted no time and immediately led Housheng to meet King Xiang of Qi. She wanted to prove to all her clansmen that no matter where she was, she would never forget her people.
The current King Xiang of Qi, who had once fled to Ju Region as a prince of Qi State, often met with the open-minded Housheng for drinks to relieve his worries. At that time, food was scarce without hybrid rice, and relying on nature meant low yields. Those who could fill their stomachs were already considered to be living a moderately prosperous life, let alone brewing alcohol. This shows how precious alcohol was.
With a mindset of living for today and not worrying about tomorrow, Tian Fazhang sought solace in drink and thus recognized this cousin. After drinking, they talked freely about what they would do if they held power in the future, including rewards and titles!
Now that King Xiang of Qi had risen to become a Sovereign, with those past drinking conversations weighing on him, fulfilling promises became a reality. Fortunately, King Qi also had an eye for talent and did not grant a military title to Housheng. After all, the military is fundamental to a nation; protecting their home in Wei State depended on it. Instead, he assigned him a civil position and encouraged Housheng to diligently improve his skills. He acknowledged that as long as Housheng performed well at work, promotion would not be an issue later on.
There was nothing wrong with what King Xiang of Qi did; the position he initially offered to Housheng was insignificant. If he wanted to work, he could go; if not, it wouldn’t affect anything as it was a nominal position. His original intention was good: this assessment would determine whether Housheng could become an official cadre. If he had abilities, promotion would naturally follow. But if he turned out to be useless, then the state would merely pay an extra salary for a civil servant.
But was this really the case? The answer is certainly no!
King Xiang of Qi overlooked a key issue: that is, Housheng's background! To put it plainly, entering the officialdom of Qi State, Housheng represented the family of the Queen! Even if he were given a trivial position, everyone would have to protect him vigorously. While officials might not give face to Housheng, how could they dare not give face to the Queen!?
Who is the Queen!? She is the bedfellow of a Lord of the Nation! Offending Housheng clearly means disrespecting the Queen! When that little pillow talk blows through, who could withstand it!?
Since then, the annual performance evaluations in the State of Qi have consistently placed Housheng at the top. As for King Xiang of Qi, it is unclear whether he believes it or not, but all the ministers certainly do.
The discovery that the State of Qi has such an outstanding King Xiang of Qi filled everyone with great pride; this was a sign from heaven that the State of Qi would prosper! Thus, they summoned the Duke and Grand Commandant to discuss promoting Housheng, and the outcome was predictable.
Housheng, who had soared to great heights like a rocket, finally reached the pinnacle of power as a high-ranking official. Fortunately, he was not one to forget his roots; he remained humble when meeting his former leaders. No matter how high his position became, he never forgot to visit them during holidays and festivals. Since then, Housheng, having amassed considerable political capital, enjoyed unwavering support from the people. He firmly held the position of Prime Minister until the State of Qin unified the realm.
Luzi was already well-acquainted with these historical anecdotes, so he had a close relationship with this State Minister. At this moment, seeing Housheng arrive late at night moved him deeply.
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