The prince is more stable

Chapter 985 A Generous Birthday Gift
What would it be like if the imperial court were full of loyal ministers and good people?
To put it bluntly, if everyone is a loyal minister and a good person, it will only hasten the downfall of the country.

"Water that is too clear has no fish," and "the coexistence of yin and yang, good and evil" is the truth of this world.

If the world were full of truth, goodness, and beauty, then "truth, goodness, and beauty" would actually be "evil" in another sense.

The same applies to the imperial court.

Throughout history, the composition of the imperial court has been complex, including loyal ministers, treacherous ministers, factions, opportunists, hypocrites, and true villains.

Could the emperor, high above all others, distinguish between the loyal and the treacherous in the court?
Any emperor with a modicum of ruling ability knows this better than anyone else, but he will tacitly allow the existence of treacherous officials and villains, letting them form a check on so-called loyal ministers and moral gentlemen.

All things in nature exist for a reason, regardless of species or object, and are indispensable to the natural world, regardless of good or evil, right or wrong.

The same applies to treacherous officials in the imperial court.

Zhao Xiaoqian had seen Cai Jing's reputation in history books in his previous life, but he still decided to give him an important position in this life because Zhao Xiaoqian was confident that he could control and make full use of Cai Jing's good and evil, loyalty and treachery.

Sometimes, when dealing with people and affairs in the imperial court, the efficiency and results are often surprisingly good when treacherous officials and opportunists are used to help resolve them.

That's right, this is the so-called "art of the emperor." The art of the emperor does not determine the closeness or distance of officials based on their good or bad deeds; it focuses more on the emperor's control and utilization of his officials.

As long as a treacherous minister has value, regardless of whether he is truly wicked, the emperor will employ him. When necessary, he may even deliberately favor him and suppress loyal ministers for the sake of the treacherous minister.

What's the difference between doing this and being a tyrant?
Of course there is a difference. The difference between a wise ruler and a foolish ruler is that a wise ruler is very clear-headed and can distinguish between loyalty and treachery. He will use loyal ministers as well as treacherous ministers. As long as things can be done well, even treacherous ministers can be loyal ministers.

A foolish ruler is different. A foolish ruler is simply blinded by the outward appearance of a treacherous minister, mistaking the treacherous minister for a loyal minister, being influenced and controlled by him, and thus persecuting loyal and good people and making the court a mess.

Today, those who came to the Wende Hall to celebrate Zhao Xiaoqian's birthday cannot all be called treacherous officials, but at least they are all political opportunists.

"Speculators" means that they don't care about loyalty or treachery, good or evil, but only about the general trend and fame and fortune.

They would bend whichever way the wind blew, and if one day the Song Dynasty fell and the enemy invaded Bianjing, this group of people would definitely be the first to kneel before the enemy.

Furthermore, they flock to wherever there are benefits, and once they've gained something, they decisively withdraw, rarely taking sides, making no statements, or taking responsibility—making them even worse than scumbags who cheat people out of money and sex.

Of course, if it is the general trend and the whole court speaks in unison, their stance and statements will be faster and more decisive than anyone else's.

If a wise and capable ruler wants to employ these people, he can only do so when things are going well. They can only add to the good fortune, not provide help in times of need.

If a country is at a critical juncture of life and death, any slightly wise ruler will kill them immediately, then appoint loyal and capable ministers to restore order and save the country from collapse.

That's right, this is also "the art of rulership".

Zhao Xiaoqian didn't know if he could be considered a wise ruler; he only knew that he was at least not confused, and he understood opportunists like Cai Jing very well.

Given the current situation in the Song Dynasty, Zhao Xiaoqian needs treacherous officials and opportunists to do things for him.

Today, Cai Jing and his entourage have certainly broadened their horizons, as they have witnessed what a "buffet" truly means.

The emperor and his ministers gathered in the Wende Hall and chatted for a while, mainly with Zhao Xiaoqian listening to everyone's flattery.

Not long after, Zheng Chunhe led a group of palace servants in, carrying more than a dozen large basins.

Lifting the lid of the large basin revealed steaming hot dishes. The dishes weren't particularly fancy or expensive; they were all home-style fare, much like the makeshift canteens set up on construction sites in later generations to provide boxed lunches for migrant workers.

Then the palace servants brought over dozens of bowls, plates, and tableware, which were piled up next to the large basin.

Cai Jing and the others were stunned. Having lived most of their lives, they had never seen such a way of eating. The main question was: how should such a novel meal be eaten, and how exactly should it be done?

Everyone stared blankly at Zhao Xiaoqian, and for a moment no one dared to make a move, fearing that they would make a mistake in etiquette and commit a breach of decorum before the emperor, which would be a great injustice.

Seeing that no one moved, Zhao Xiaoqian smiled gently, got up and walked to a dozen large basins. He took a plate and used a small spoon from the basin to put some food on the plate. He went from basin to basin, taking a spoonful of the food he liked. After taking all the food, he sat down at the table.

Zhao Xiaoqian greeted Cai Jing and the others, laughing, "What are you all standing there for? Eat your food, eat whatever you like, and you can get more when you're done."

Cai Jing and the others memorized Zhao Xiaoqian's actions. Then, Cai Jing took the lead and took plates, imitating Zhao Xiaoqian, and took turns taking food from the large basin.

Zhao Xiaoqian couldn't help but burst into tears.

These treacherous officials and opportunists, how clear-headed they are now, vaguely recalling their university days in their past lives, sprinting towards the cafeteria after class as if embarking on a passionate and selfless love affair.

The first thing I did upon entering the cafeteria was to get my favorite dish, then I would quickly grab a table and chair, and also get a bowl of the free daily soup...

The sight of Cai Jing and the others before him was exactly like college students getting food in the cafeteria in his previous life. Zhao Xiaoqian's eyes reddened, and a faint sense of homesickness from his past life welled up in his heart.

...After finishing their meal, shouldn't these clear-headed people go to the job market to submit their resumes?
Zhao Xiaoqian had just eaten with his family and had no appetite. He was only taking the food to set an example for Cai Jing and the others. Cai Jing and the others followed suit, and did so very well. After taking the food, they sat down not far from Zhao Xiaoqian and obediently ate their rice with their heads down.

He looks more like a college student now.

Zhao Xiaoqian looked at them with a smile, and Zheng Chunhe quietly walked to his side, leaned closer, and whispered his report.

In just a short while, Zheng Chunhe had already counted the birthday gifts sent by Cai Jing and others.

Even Zhao Xiaoqian, with his extensive experience, was stunned by the extravagant spending of Cai Jing and his associates.

Gold and white jade, pearls and agates, rhinoceros horn and ivory, coral and tiger penis... Hmm? Something strange seems to have been mixed in.

If converted into cash, the gifts Cai Jing and others gave today would be enough for them to live off the palace for ten lifetimes.

Zhao Xiaoqian's eyes widened, and he was a little flustered: "They...they're all for me?"

Zheng Chunhe smiled and whispered in his ear, "Yes, they were all birthday gifts from Vice Minister Cai and the others."

Zhao Xiaoqian's body trembled, then trembled again.

This is enough to support a medium-sized war. If it had been brought out earlier, Zhao Xiaoqian would have been able to assemble an army of 100,000 for Zhong Jianzhong to destroy the Western Xia and deal with the Liao allies in the process.

I never expected to receive such generous benefits just for my birthday.

Zhao Xiaoqian felt a pang of regret. Had he known this would happen, he shouldn't have issued the decree yesterday saying that birthday celebrations would not be observed. If the acceptance of gifts had been allowed, the palace would have only had to pay for one meal, but would have received tributes from the entire court. That would have been enough to conquer the Liao Kingdom.

As for whether the emperor would be criticized by upright court officials on his birthday...

Whatever, there's always a price to pay for making money. So what if someone criticizes me? If you don't even have that much shame, what kind of emperor are you? You might as well hide in your boudoir and be a woman.

Zhao Xiaoqian's facial muscles twitched violently a few times. In that brief moment, Zheng Chunhe was surprised to see a variety of emotions on the official's face, including regret, resentment, sorrow, and gritted teeth.

"Is it too late for me to issue an imperial decree to hold a birthday banquet now?" Zhao Xiaoqian asked, taking a breath.

Zheng Chunhe smiled wryly: "His Majesty issued an edict yesterday, and we can't just change it overnight. Besides... it's already late, and there's no preparation inside or outside the palace. Your birthday celebration is almost over..."

"Then let's say that my father's birthday is tomorrow, and two days later, my empress's birthday is. And wouldn't you know it, my prince's birthday is also just a few days away... Invite everyone to the palace for a birthday banquet. I can waive the food fees, on the condition that everyone brings their own gifts..."

The whole family takes turns celebrating their birthdays, and the national treasury is filled. Isn't that great?

Zheng Chunhe was speechless.

The emperor could have simply sent troops to plunder the homes of his officials, but he cleverly used the pretext of celebrating a birthday to carry out his robbery in a seemingly legitimate and respectable manner. What a respectable person the emperor is!

He really... I'm devastated...

After much deliberation, Zhao Xiaoqian finally sighed.

Well, this way of eating is beyond just "ugly," it's downright disgusting.

He didn't care about his own thick skin, but he felt a little sorry that his family's despicable behavior would inevitably be recorded in history books, causing his parents, wife, and children to be despised and scorned by future generations.

"I'll celebrate my birthday next year, Old Zheng. Remember this day next year, make it a grand celebration!" Zhao Xiaoqian said through gritted teeth, unwilling to give up.

Inside the Wende Hall, Cai Jing and his entourage dined elegantly and quietly, showing great curiosity and a sense of honor at this novel buffet-style dining experience.

I always felt that this was a high-class dining style of the upper class. Everyone's every move seemed very restrained and awkward, as if they were afraid that if they did something wrong, they would bring shame to the upper class.

To everyone's delight, they took the food from the bowls and plates and ate it all up. They even wiped the last bit of oil off the plates with their steamed buns and stuffed it into their mouths. Each person's plate looked as if it had just been washed, shining like a mirror, just like a person could straighten their clothes.

Looking at the clean and shiny plates in front of everyone, Zhao Xiaoqian couldn't help but grin.

"How many meals did you go hungry at home just to freeload off me?" Zhao Xiaoqian muttered.

However, this also aligns with the core spirit of eating at a buffet.

The core principle of a buffet is that you must go hungry for a couple of meals beforehand to empty your stomach, otherwise you'll be missing out big time.

Cai Jing smiled somewhat embarrassedly and said, "We are crude and uncouth, Your Majesty, please forgive us."

Zhao Xiaoqian smirked: "Don't laugh, you paid the money, have you forgotten?"

(End of this chapter)