dmims Chapter 761: It can be seen that this person has to be crowned king!
Chapter 761: It can be seen that this person has to be crowned king!
"Prime Minister, I am not speaking nonsense." Li Si leaned forward slightly, his eyes burning, "This is a different time! The reputation of the Prime Minister's virtue has long been spread all over the world. This is what the people want. If you are promoted to king at this time, announce it to the world, and issue an imperial decree: All the former subordinates of the King of Hengshan who lay down their arms and surrender will be forgiven! You can also appoint them to official positions as appropriate, and even promise to retain some of their original rights and interests..."
Li Si spoke eloquently, not speaking fast, but every word was weighty, analyzing the political wisdom: "This is to attack the heart first! Wu Rui is in the hands of the prime minister, and his subordinates are leaderless and panic-stricken. If the prime minister, with the dignity of a king, promises leniency, a future and honor instead of using swords and weapons, how can the city guards, soldiers, and even officials and civilians under his command not weigh the pros and cons? By then, most of them will surely surrender, and we will defeat the enemy without fighting! The effect may not be inferior to the previous strategy, but it is upright and will not damage the prime minister's reputation for benevolence!"
Li Si keenly caught the lingering hesitation between Gao Yao's eyebrows, and immediately added: "What the Prime Minister is worried about is that the surrendered people have other intentions and are difficult to get rid of? This is easy! When they surrender, the first thing to do is to confiscate their military power and remove the firewood from under their feet. Then, slowly select and assign them: those with real talents and hard work will be employed according to their abilities and placed in controllable positions; those who are mediocre or have ulterior motives will be given high positions and honored, and their real power will be reduced. In a short period of one or two years, or three years at most, the hidden dangers will be eliminated imperceptibly! Not only will the suffering of war be avoided, the people will be protected, and the Prime Minister's reputation will be preserved. Isn't this the best policy?"
After Li Si finished speaking, he bowed deeply again, his posture was respectful but revealed an unquestionable determination: "These two strategies, one urgent and one slow, one risky and one stable, both have their feasibility. I have analyzed the pros and cons. Please make the decision, Prime Minister! No matter which path the Prime Minister finally chooses, I, Li Si, will do my best, go through fire and water, and will not refuse even if I die!"
Li Si's eloquent and well-organized analysis did not enlighten Gao Yao, but made him feel even more depressed, as if a huge rock had pressed down on him. The city of Xianyang had just been taken over, and the bricks and tiles of the palace had not even warmed up yet, but the trend of persuading him to ascend the throne had already surged again so impatiently!
He subconsciously cast his gaze towards Xiao He and Li Zhao who were standing by his side. They looked at each other with their eyes and hearts, and remained silent. However, their deliberately evasive gazes and silent gestures were a kind of silent approval - in their hearts, they were obviously very willing and wanted him to ascend the throne immediately!
Gao Yao understood. The reason couldn't be simpler. Now that Prince Gao was sitting on the throne of the King of Qin, they were still Qin officials in name. It was not impossible to live this kind of life, but it was not legitimate, and it was difficult to do anything. Who of those who followed Gao Yao all the way through the struggle didn't want to make achievements and fight for a future of being honored as a wife and children and bringing glory to the family?
Only if he could go one step further and truly sit on the supreme position, could they legitimately obtain the status, power and glory that matched it. This desire was human nature and was understandable, but it was like an invisible rope, pushing him step by step towards the golden but dangerous throne.
Gao Yao listened to Li Si's resounding "going through fire and water", and then glanced at Xiao He and Li Zhao's silent but firm silence, and the sigh in his heart deepened. This is probably what is called "one is in a position, and one cannot help himself". When you really stand at the center of this vortex of power, many things are no longer a simple matter of "want or not".
The desires of the people below, their future, and the desire of the entire interest group for higher power and a more stable order will form an unstoppable torrent, pushing you, enveloping you, and moving step by step towards the highest position. Resist? Maybe, but that means fighting against this force that condenses the ambitions of countless people, which means internal division and turmoil. Gao Yao felt a heavy sense of fate pressing on his shoulders.
His eyes finally fell on Xiao He. This old friend who had followed him since his humble days in Pei County and shared the same hardships with him all the way, now chose to remain silent. Gao Yao felt mixed emotions and asked directly, "Xiao He, if you don't say anything, does that mean you agree with what Li Si said and support me becoming king?" His tone was filled with a subtle sense of fatigue and inquiry, "Then, tell me, what should be done with Master Gao?"
When Xiao He was called, he raised his head calmly. As one of Gao Yao's most core members, he knew the weight of his opinion at this moment, and also understood the temptation and struggle behind Gao Yao's question. He did not beat around the bush or be polite, but immediately threw out a cold and direct plan, as if he was stating a matter that had been planned long ago:
"Prime Minister, this is easy." Xiao He's voice was steady without a ripple. "Prince Gao of the King of Qin, in gratitude for the Prime Minister's contribution to the country, specially decreed that the Prime Minister be canonized as 'King' to reward his great contribution. After the canonization ceremony, the King of Qin was grateful to the ancestral temple and decided to move the capital back to the old capital of Xianyang. However, there are unexpected events, and the King of Qin was unfortunately ambushed by the remnants of Wu Rui, the King of Hengshan, on the way..."
Xiao He paused, looked directly at Gao Yao, and spoke the last few words clearly: "The King of Qin...fought hard and refused to surrender, but died in the service of his king."
Xiao He continued, "At this time when the world is in turmoil, the sacred artifacts are without a master, and the people are waiting in anticipation, the Prime Minister, as a king personally conferred by the King of Qin, has made great contributions to the world and has been virtuous to the people. For the sake of the country and the safety of the people, although it is extremely unbearable, he has to follow the will of heaven and inherit the throne to establish the country! In this way, all names and legal principles can be sorted out."
Gao Yao's brows were instantly twisted into a knot, and he stared at Xiao He sharply: "Good man! Xiao He, isn't this... a bit too fake?" He was almost laughing out of anger. This script was simply engraved with the words "I want to be in the top position" on the forehead. "Anyone with a discerning eye can see that it's just a drama of getting rid of Gongzi Gao and taking the position himself? You're too lazy to even cover it up?" He even felt that Xiao He was too perfunctory and not sincere.
"Prime Minister!" Xiao He's voice suddenly rose a few notches, with a kind of coldness and pragmatism that showed insight into the world. "It's never important whether it's true or not! What's important is the result!"
He took a step forward and said in a firm tone, "Among the common people in the world, how many people really care about how the King of Qin died in the deep palace? Do they care whether those high-sounding rhetoric is true or false? No! As you, the Prime Minister, often say, among the common people, who cares whether it is Zhang San or Li Si who sits in the county government? Who cares whether the county governor is Wang Wu or Zhao Liu?"