Chapter 1529: King and Minister
A few days later, Emperor Wen and his entourage rushed from Linjiang to the new capital of Guangling.
Accompanied by everyone, Emperor Wen went to inspect the various construction sites in the new capital.
Just after looking at the future palace, Emperor Wen suddenly asked Yun Zheng: "By the way, where is Xu Shifu?"
Yun Zheng replied: "Build a wall in the north."
Emperor Wen was silent for a moment, then ordered, "Then take me to see it!"
Yun Zheng agreed and immediately took Emperor Wen to the north city wall.
On the way to the construction site, Emperor Wen whispered a few words into Mu Shun's ear.
Mu Shun said nothing more and immediately passed on Emperor Wen's instructions.
When he arrived at the construction site, Yun Zheng sent someone to ask which section Xu Shifu was in.
Soon, the person sent out came back to report: "Your Highness, the people on the construction site said that Xu Shifu seemed to be dying. He lay down in the shed yesterday..."
"No more?"
Emperor Wen's eyelids jumped, and he immediately ordered Zhou Dai: "Send a few people to carry Xu Shifu over!"
Zhou Dai accepted the order.
Soon, several imperial guards carried the already terminally ill Xu Shifu over on a bed board.
After not seeing him for a few months, Xu Shifu has changed a lot.
The noble aura he possessed had long since disappeared; he smelled smelly, his hair was disheveled, and he was almost skin and bones. His eyes were hollow and lifeless, and only when he saw Emperor Wen did a little light appear in them.
Looking at Xu Shifu's current state, Emperor Wen couldn't help but sigh in his heart.
After a moment of silence, Emperor Wen pointed to the small house not far away and said, "Carry him in!"
The imperial guards immediately carried Xu Shifu into the small house.
"I'm going to talk to him, you guys go and do your own things!"
Emperor Wen waved to Yun Zheng and others, then turned and walked into the small house.
This time, Emperor Wen did not let Mu Shun follow him, and came to the room where Xu Shifu was placed alone. Mu Shun and a group of imperial guards were waiting outside.
In the room, Emperor Wen and Xu Shifu looked at each other in silence for a long time.
"Your Majesty, are you here... to see me make fun of you?"
After a long time, Xu Shifu finally spoke first.
Xu Shifu was very weak, and his hoarse voice was a little sad.
He no longer called himself a "guilty citizen" or a "guilty minister".
He probably won’t make it through the day anyway!
Do whatever you want.
At this time, are you still afraid of death?
"Why should I laugh at your joke?"
Emperor Wen sighed softly, "Do you still remember what I said to you when I first ascended the throne?"
"It's been too long, I don't remember." Xu Shifu answered weakly.
It has been twenty-eight years since Emperor Wen ascended the throne!
How could he still remember what happened twenty-eight years ago!
"But I remember."
Emperor Wen let out a long breath, "On the day I ascended the throne, I patted your shoulder and told you that I hoped you and I could leave a good story of mutual understanding between the ruler and his subjects for future generations..."
When he first ascended the throne, he was also full of vigor and vitality.
He has ideals and ambitions to be a king.
At the same time, he also knew that Xu Shifu was a talented man.
He hoped that they would understand each other and work together to create a prosperous era for Daqian.
However, too many things in the world go against our wishes.
As Xu Shifu's status became higher and higher, and as the princes grew up, there were some more and some less things in the relationship between the monarch and his subjects.
From mutual understanding between the ruler and his subjects to mutual suspicion, concealment and exploitation.
Finally, they turned against each other completely!
In the end, they fell into the cliché of the relationship between monarch and ministers throughout the ages.
Perhaps, this day was destined to come from the moment the third child was born!
Listening to Emperor Wen's words, Xu Shifu's face was full of self-mockery, "Your Majesty's heart is as deep as the sea, who can understand you..."
The understanding between a monarch and his subjects can, perhaps, only appear in history books!
Emperor Wen had placed spies around him for many years, so how could the emperor and his ministers know each other well?
He originally thought that he would be able to resist when Emperor Wen took action.
However, the fact is that when Emperor Wen took action, he had no power to resist at all.
He could only watch helplessly as his years of hard work went down the drain.
Perhaps, from the very beginning, they were just pawns in Emperor Wen's hands.
"A heart as deep as the sea?"
Emperor Wen smiled bitterly, "Throughout history, how many people who can sit in that position don't have a heart as deep as the sea? If you sit in that position, if you don't have a heart as deep as the sea, I'm afraid you would have become a puppet of powerful officials like you."
Being an emperor is really not that easy!
If you want to be a good emperor, you are destined to give up many things.
If you want to secure the throne, how can you do it without some tricks?
"Yes! I...can't defeat His Majesty after all!"
Xu Shifu let out a long sigh, with a bitter look on his thin face.
They were defeated so completely!
When Emperor Wen and Yun Zheng actually started to take action, all their arrangements became a joke.
"I really don't want to fight with you, but I have to fight with you."
Emperor Wen smiled bitterly, "Ask yourself, I have never treated you unfairly. You should never, ever, cross my bottom line! You have pushed me into a dead end, and I have no choice but to take action against you..."
"Some things are beyond your and my control."
Xu Shifu looked at Emperor Wen with cloudy eyes, "If we don't touch the bottom line of His Majesty, how can we save our lives when the new emperor ascends the throne in the future?"
From the moment Yun Li was born, he had no choice.
He has no choice but to stand on Yunli's side, and he must stand on Yunli's side.
Otherwise, when the new emperor ascends the throne in the future, those who have close ties with Yun Li may very likely become the victims of the new emperor.
"Maybe!"
Emperor Wen did not argue with him and asked Xu Shifu again: "Do you regret it?"
"regret?"
Xu Shifu was stunned for a moment, then sighed: "I should still regret it! However, I don't regret everything I have done, but I regret entering the court as an official and regret considering the emperor as my confidant..."
Emperor Wen was speechless, and said with a wry smile: "It seems that you hate me very much!"
"Don't hate."
Xu Shifu replied.
"Don't hate?"
Emperor Wen was surprised, "You regret considering me as your confidant, don't you hate me?"
"Don't hate."
Xu Shifu slowly closed his eyes and sighed: "If I have to say who I hate, I should hate myself! When I was young, I thought many things were too simple. When I stood in the court, many things were beyond my control..."
How can I not feel hatred after falling from being a Duke to such a state?
When he was first imprisoned, he hated Emperor Wen.
But now, I no longer hate her, and there is no need to hate her.
If you want to hate someone, hate yourself!
He was also a man who was well-versed in history books, and he knew too many cases of conflicts between rulers and his subjects.
But he still resolutely stepped into the court.
Just as Emperor Wen thought he could prevent the bloodshed among the princes for the position of crown prince, I also thought that I could navigate the court with my intelligence and wisdom and would not become one of those ministers in history books whose properties were confiscated and whose clans were exterminated.
But, they all overestimated themselves!
From the moment they made their choice to each other, some things might have been destined.
"Yes!"
Emperor Wen sighed in deep agreement: "I am not the same as you."
"It's useless to say any more at this point." Xu Shifu opened his eyes again, "I just want to ask Your Majesty a question. I hope Your Majesty will tell me the truth for the sake of my dying man."
"it is good!"
Emperor Wen stared at Xu Shifu and said, "Ask!"
