You have truly caused me great suffering!

The officials were somewhat unaccustomed to His Majesty's move to the Tangshan Imperial Palace.

The main reason is that Chen Shao acted too much like a wise ruler.

The sudden onset of enjoyment can catch you off guard.

Fortunately, after a few days of observation, His Majesty still reviewed memorials every day, but there was an additional process of transmission, making it less convenient for ministers to meet with him.

Since it's not that convenient, they'll have to make their own decisions when faced with certain situations.

We can't possibly make His Majesty travel dozens of kilometers back and forth to Tangshan to make a decision for every little thing.

So the officials finally began to try to break free from their dependence on the emperor.

Chen Shao established a wartime-like Grand Council-like institution during the Dingnan Rebellion, staffed by a handful of officials including Wei Li and Xu Jin, to carry out his will. He held all decision-making power, concentrating it to the extreme, which in effect meant he personally handled every matter.

His subordinates gradually developed a path dependency and became accustomed to this power structure.

He must gradually reverse this situation, establish a healthy and qualified system, and, within his lifetime, create a grand 'ancestral law' for the future.

To prevent treacherous officials in later generations from instigating their descendants to arbitrarily change their own policies.

The current strategy of the Great Jing must be firmly implemented, so that it will not be outdated even a thousand years from now.

Therefore, Chen Shao only needs to do the following: take the helm, live a long life, practice non-interference, and make decisions when major issues arise.

On the sixteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, Liu Jizu came to visit and discussed the important matter of issuing New Year's bonds with Chen Shao.

Then Han Shizhong came by once, but nothing happened; he just came to check on things.

Other officials occasionally came to see the emperor, but it was never anything major.

Chen Shao gradually relaxed, although he still asked Wang Yin to keep a close eye on things and check whether the officials handled government affairs properly every day. At first, it was even more tiring than when he was in the capital.

But this is all temporary.

Inside the Tangshan Imperial Palace, Chen Shao was receiving Li Tangchen, who had come to pay homage to the emperor.

Li Tangchen was fine; he hadn't seen Chen Shao for a few days, so he came to check on him.

Chen Shao said with a smile, "The New Year is approaching again. Don't forget to reward the officials, especially the veteran ministers."

"Your Majesty, please rest assured."

Li Tangchen himself found it strange. Although His Majesty was becoming less and less involved in affairs, his own duties seemed to have become less and easier.

Power is being redistributed, and while it may involve subtle maneuvers, the impact will be lasting and profound.

Li Tangchen was a professor at the prefectural school and taught for decades; Liu Jizu was a merchant who spent half his life in business; Xu Jin and Yang Cheng were both from humble backgrounds.

Although they were all intelligent individuals, they were not as sensitive to power as Cai Jing and others.

If it were Cai Jing, he would have seen it all clearly and thoroughly long ago: how power was lost, how to regain it, and whether it was because His Majesty was dissatisfied with them.
Li Tangchen clearly did not have such concerns; in fact, he had already begun to consider stepping down.

According to the precedent of the previous dynasty, the prime minister only served for three years, but Cai Jing served indefinitely.

Chen Shao has been in power since the first year of Jianwu, and it has been almost two years now, but he has no intention of replacing Chen Shao.

The type of prime minister needed depends entirely on the current situation. If the country is in financial straits and desperately short of money, then someone who knows how to raise funds is needed.

If wartime tensions are high, then a ruthless approach is needed;
In this prosperous era, we need people who are upright, down-to-earth, and conscientious.

All you need to do is maintain the current situation, not seek merit but avoid mistakes, and not have too many of your own ideas; just follow the emperor's wishes.

If Li Tangchen really retires, Chen Shao will not promote anyone else, but will instead promote Vice Chancellor Liu Jizu, following the same path.

Li Tangchen hesitated for a moment, but still brought it up himself, "Your Majesty, I have been in the position of prime minister for two years now."

In the past two years, thanks to the Emperor's benevolence, the new policies have been implemented, the Grand Canal has been operational and the granaries full, science and technology have flourished and craftsmanship has improved. However, I am keenly aware that governing a large country is like cooking a small fish; those who hold the cauldron too long will inevitably burn it.

"Why do you say that? The court relies heavily on you, and no one else can do it. Do not think too much about it."

Li Tangchen sighed and said, "I am not shirking responsibility, but I am truly aware of my own limitations. The duty of a prime minister lies in adaptability, not in holding the position for too long."

"I am over fifty years old, and I often think about this at night: the position of prime minister is not a lifelong title, but a temporary one. If I cling to this post, firstly, I will obstruct the path of the virtuous; secondly, I will lose my vigor; and thirdly... I fear I will fail to live up to Your Majesty's original intention in entrusting me with this position."

"Your Majesty, I am willing to serve you for another year, assisting the new prime minister in becoming familiar with government affairs. At that time, I will request to retire and return to my hometown, where I can plant bamboo, write books, and teach my children and grandchildren to read and write. That would be enough for the rest of my life."

Chen Shao said, “You are all my trusted ministers, and we have been together for a long time. How can I bear to leave you? Even if you resign from your posts in the future, you should stay in the capital so that we can meet from time to time. That way, our relationship as ruler and subject will not have been in vain.”

"Besides, I know what I'm doing. You still have three to five years to deal with the position of prime minister. It's not too late to talk about it then. I really don't want to change prime ministers now and ruin the great situation that we've worked so hard to build."

Chen Shao really didn't want him to retire. Li Tangchen had another advantage, which was extremely rare.

He was not power-hungry.
Such people are sometimes even harder to find than those with exceptional abilities. Li Linfu during the Tang Dynasty was capable enough, one could even say his abilities were excessively outstanding.

However, his lust for power was too great, ultimately sowing countless hidden dangers for the Tang Dynasty. Since Chen Shao already had such a person in his grasp, he didn't want to look for another, because you might think this person is quite good.

However, if you put him in the position of prime minister, he may not be able to maintain his integrity in the face of such power.

Using the power of a prime minister to test a cadre is simply too cruel.
A surge of emotion welled up in Li Tangchen's heart, a mixture of feelings of gratitude and immense honor and pride.

Seeing that it was getting late, Li Tangchen had no choice but to get up and bid farewell to Chen Shao.

Looking at the lush Zhongshan Mountain not far away, he perked up again.

He recalled His Majesty's earlier attempt to persuade him to stay, and it didn't seem like mere politeness but a genuine plea. This brought tears to his eyes.

As His Majesty himself said, this prosperous era was created by the joint efforts of the emperor and his ministers. I, a minister of the Li Tang dynasty, should be no less accomplished, right?

He himself didn't have much confidence, because he knew his own limitations too well. He had read so many books that he knew all the wise ministers throughout history were exceptionally talented, and he was far from being one of them. But this prosperous era far surpasses even the Han and Tang dynasties.

As for my time as prime minister, let history and posterity judge me—my merits and demerits—and leave that to future generations to decide!
After seeing Li Tangchen off, Chen Shao was also filled with many thoughts.

The world needs all kinds of talents, and sometimes it's not entirely about talent when it comes to appointing people.

Moreover, there is no right answer when it comes to personnel management.

It all depends on the emperor's true intentions.

When I was in school, I always thought that so-and-so was so capable, and the emperor didn't know how to use them, he was such a foolish ruler.

It's as if the emperor could use him, give him unlimited power and influence, and then the world would be at peace and a prosperous era would be within his grasp.

Looking back now, I realize I was too young then, and my knowledge was very limited.

Fortunately, I now have a shortcut: to align everything with the Industrial Revolution, which is always a safe bet.

Even if mistakes are made occasionally, as long as the overall strategy remains unchanged, and we persist in building ships and opening up the seas, swallowing up precious metals from overseas, we can still cover our losses in the long run.

Once we've developed productivity and ensured people have enough to eat, we can start considering grander narratives.

Stepping out of the hall, the midday sun was bright, but a chilly wind was blowing.

Li Yumei sent someone early in the morning to invite him to have a meal, and Chen Shao agreed.

Upon arriving at the palace garden, although the weather was cold, thick curtains were drawn all around.

Instead of setting up a ground heating system in the garden, countless charcoal stoves were lit. Beside each stove, a young palace maid was carefully tending to it.

Charcoal cannot suppress the fire, nor can it produce too much smoke that would bother people. This is a skill that requires long-term practice to master.

One side of the curtain opened, revealing a pond in the garden. Because it was located in a hot spring area, the water vapor was abundant, resembling a fairyland.

The skilled craftsmen left behind by Emperor Huizong (Zhao Ji) meticulously decorated the garden. Every pavilion and terrace was uniquely designed. Although the weather was cold, the water was frozen, and the garden was covered in snow and frost, it still presented a unique and beautiful scene.

Dining in such a place is enough to make one feel relaxed and happy.

Since the curtain was open, there was bound to be some wind. Fortunately, there were two pretty young Goryeo palace maids who held up feather canopies to shield them from the wind.

If the wind direction changes even slightly, they will obediently turn the feather canopy in their hands at a different angle, without needing anyone to remind them.

The canopy was quite heavy, and the two delicate girls held it up the whole time, always with a charming and gentle smile on their faces.

Such maids are clearly the result of careful training by a noble family.

Chen Shao's harem originally did not have any; they were either brought from the homes of several concubines or presented as gifts from Goryeo.

These maids alone would make any nouveau riche feel utterly humiliated just standing among them. The grandeur of an aristocratic family truly takes generations to cultivate!
Not to mention the pomp and circumstance of an emperor, after Chen Shao arrived, Li Yumei personally got up and brought him warm water to wash his hands and rinse his mouth.

"Your father just arrived."

Li Yumei was slightly surprised when she heard this, because her father had not come to see her.

In the past, he would at least have said a few words to himself.

Chen Shao laughed and said, "Didn't they come looking for you?"

Li Yumei nodded.

It seems Old Li is also preoccupied with many thoughts, and he doesn't even have time to see his daughter.

Li Yumei quickly stopped thinking about these things and focused on serving Chen Shao, skillfully pouring wine and serving dishes.

Seeing Chen Shao stare at a palace maid, Li Yumei didn't feel jealous. Instead, she smiled and said, "These Goryeo palace maids are really good. No wonder nobles in the Tang Dynasty were chasing after Silla maids."

“You like me to have them offer more.”

The powerful clans of Goryeo had been wealthy and influential for three to five hundred years, and they had always been at the top of the power structure in Goryeo. The maids they trained must have been quite excellent.

During the Tang Dynasty, they were known as Silla maids, and now they are also referred to as "Goryeo maids" or "Haedong maids," and they are very popular in Dajing.

She is known for her beautiful appearance, gentle temperament, talent, and good upbringing.

These "Haidong maids" mostly live between mountains and sea, eat light meals with little oil and spice, and have skin as smooth and radiant as porcelain.

With delicate features and a slender figure, she is neither as plump as the women of the Western Regions nor as rugged as the women of the northern deserts, but conforms to the Central Plains' aesthetic of "willow waist, peach face, and delicate physique".

She was dignified and quiet, never making a fuss or getting agitated. She had been taught etiquette since childhood and behaved with propriety. Without the support of her maternal family, she rarely competed for favor or caused trouble.

Because Dajing recovered Liaodong and stationed troops there, it essentially controlled the fate of Goryeo.

Therefore, many powerful families in Goryeo actively sought to befriend the nobles of Daegeung, and when they presented gifts, they usually brought several Goryeo maids with them.

Chen Shao said he wanted a few for Li Yumei, which sounded like he was persecuting Goryeo, but in reality, Goryeo couldn't ask for more.

After listening, Li Yumei smiled and said, "Your Majesty is so good to me."

She truly believed that Chen Shao had asked for them for her, because everyone in the harem knew that Chen Shao had never favored these palace maids who were tributes from foreign tribes.

Moreover, he never stayed by his side to serve him personally. To this day, in Chen Shao's palace, apart from some women from the Li family, there are only maids like Cui Die who are used to serving him.

It wasn't that he didn't want to, but Chen Shao was extremely cautious; the words 'personal maid' carried immense weight.

The emperors of the Ming Dynasty wielded immense power, yet many of them died mysteriously.

Some things must be guarded against. (End of Chapter)