I Am Truly Not a Treacherous Minister Your Majesty

Chapter 70: Conversation (2)

Qin Ji looked at the other person across the table.

Did the Prince of Rongsheng really lack anything?

Money? He had plenty. The court’s annual salary for him was more than many commoners could imagine, not to mention that Xia Yuxiao would sometimes give him some “pocket money.”

This pocket money was not a small amount either.

Did he lack beautiful women? His mansion was not exactly filled with beauties, but he had many wives and concubines.

Only power was left.

However, as a prince, although his power was not as great as the emperor’s, there were very few people in the court who dared to speak against him—at least not openly.

“I have seen Your Highness’s governance. If this is a vision formed by you alone, I believe you must truly yearn for such a world.”

Qin Ji tasted the tea in front of him.

“A world of great harmony, the sages spoke of it, but it has never been realized.”

The Fifth Prince seemed to be speaking to him, yet also seemed to be muttering to himself.

He did not understand where he had lost.

He had his own private soldiers, his own armed forces. He had prestige and the support of many in the court, and the person sitting on the throne was not very stable.

He also had a large group of subordinates loyal to him and his beautiful vision.

Why?

“The sages said, it is just words,” Qin Ji looked at the tea pet that had become translucent after being watered with tea, “Your Highness, what the sages spoke of is a dream, a dream that is difficult to realize.”

“Difficult to realize, so we don’t even try?” Xia Yun asked.

“So, didn’t you try?” Qin Ji tapped the precious nanmu tea tray and said, “It didn’t work.”

“Indeed, I ended up trying myself into a corner.”

The Fifth Prince smiled helplessly.

He truly couldn’t win, he admitted it.

“Today, His Majesty should only question you, not really hold you accountable on the spot. Please give me some face and don’t make it difficult for me.”

Looking at the soldiers outside who had already searched the residence of Prince Rongsheng, Qin Ji asked, “Have you finished searching?”

“Reporting to the Grand Marshal, almost done!” The soldiers in the courtyard shouted, then looked inside.

His meaning was clear: should we search this room?

“Almost done, go check if there are any hidden places,” Qin Ji waved his hand, “I have something to discuss with Prince Rongsheng, search later!”

“Yes!”

The soldiers were very obedient and immediately left.

“You have great prestige among them,” Xia Yun sighed.

He always thought his subordinates were the most loyal and pure, but interestingly, Qin Ji achieved the same result in a different way.

“Just average,” Qin Ji looked at the soldiers in the courtyard, “I just treat them as my own people. Soldiers are an interesting group. Sometimes, getting along with them is more useful than just reasoning with them.”

“So I wanted to bring you under my command from the beginning… unfortunately, it was too late.”

“It’s not a matter of being too late, Your Highness, you took the wrong path.”

Qin Ji could only say this.

“Oh? Is my idea wrong?”

Faced with Qin Ji’s “criticism,” he was somewhat interested and asked.

“Your idea is not wrong,” Qin Ji shrugged – a gesture favored by people from the western countries, “You see, your opponent is not an ordinary person. Our emperor is quite capable. Moreover, the people of Daxia are not yet willing to follow you.”

Qin Ji knew what the Fifth Prince wanted to do. He hoped to truly free the people of Daxia from their current lives and realize the utopia where the elderly and children have a place to go, families are prosperous year after year, and people do not need to bow to anyone in fear.

But the problem was that his vision was too far-reaching.

Although the people of Daxia were not living in abundance, with the diligent governance of successive emperors, they could at least ensure their basic needs were met, barring any natural disasters or man-made calamities.

The people’s demands were simple: to have enough to eat, to be warm, and to have a cozy home with their families. As for the distant future, that might be something to consider later.

In short, Qin Ji understood what the Prince of Rongsheng wanted to achieve, but his efforts lacked a solid foundation.

The slogans you shout are loud, and there are some knowledgeable people following you, but what use is that? Most of the people of Daxia only want to have enough to eat and wear. With Daxia’s efforts, this goal is slowly being realized. At this time, you suddenly come out and say you want to overthrow the Daxia that has existed in the people’s hearts for thousands of years…

Honestly, it’s very difficult.

For Qin Ji, although he initially had similar thoughts to the Prince of Rongsheng, he never thought of relying on his subordinates and soldiers to accomplish this feat.

Because, to take a step back, even if he had military power now and forcibly overthrew Xia Yuxiao’s rule, what then?

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In the hearts of the people, the thousand-year-old Daxia would not disappear, and he, a “traitor,” would never be legitimate. No matter how hard he tried to resist the backlash from those old guys, it would be to no avail.

Progressive ideas require a sufficiently progressive era, and new things naturally need a background of transition between the old and the new. Otherwise, it is difficult to escape the suppression of old things.

Moreover…

You, the Prince of Rongsheng, haven’t even done the basics well. With just these people in your hands, how do you plan to proceed? Your education efforts are a mess, and you can’t even enlighten the people; your construction efforts are also amateurish…

So, it’s a foregone conclusion that the Prince of Rongsheng will find it hard to turn the tide.

“Time is almost up, Your Highness,” Qin Ji looked at the time and said, “I am now working for His Majesty. You know, it’s not good to delay His Majesty’s orders for too long.”

“I understand.”

He sighed deeply and then stood up.

“Well, you don’t need to worry. You won’t be in trouble today. I assure you with my title of Grand Marshal.”

Xia Yuxiao would not really kill the Prince of Rongsheng on the same day. Even for sentencing a commoner, Daxia would go through a series of procedures, let alone the royal family. This time, Xia Yuxiao just wanted to give the Prince of Rongsheng a warning, summoning him over to give him a slight reprimand.

In the eyes of most royal family members, such criticism and accountability were already considered significant.

This time, Qin Ji had no objection to Xia Yuxiao’s decision because he knew that this was both a matter of the court and a family affair of the Xia family. Although he participated in the final decision, it was just participation.