Uncle Shazhu, a simple-minded man in a courtyard house, persuades people with reason.

In the rare early spring of 1973, the Dragon Raises Its Head on the second day of the second lunar month, and spring was already in full bloom. At Beijing Railway Station, He Ping'an greeted Minister Luo, who had been working in Nanjing for seven years, with a cheerful and talkative demeanor.

The storm has passed, and things have been set right. Former Minister Luo looks back and everything seems the same, the only difference being the shift from public security to national defense. All of this, naturally, was the work of He Ping'an.

"Li Shiji is talented and intelligent, but you have no favor to him, so he may not be loyal to you. I am now dismissing him. If he leaves immediately, after my death you may appoint him as your servant and personally entrust him with important responsibilities; if he hesitates or looks back, then you shall kill him."

The *Zizhi Tongjian* contains political advice given by the elderly Emperor Taizong (Li Shimin) to his son, Emperor Gaozong (Li Zhi). The gist of it is...

The art of political maneuvering lies in the combination of kindness and severity. My demotion of him today is his final test. If he takes up his post immediately, it demonstrates his loyalty to the court, and he will be grateful to you if you promote him in the future.

If he hesitates and observes, it indicates that he harbors dissatisfaction, and keeping him around will only cause future trouble.

After receiving the imperial edict, Li Shiji had no complaints. He did not return home, nor did he settle his family. He passed by his home without entering and left the capital directly to take up his post.

Li Shimin received a satisfactory answer, saying, "This man is of great use." He instructed Li Zhi to immediately recall Li Shiji after his death and promote him to prime minister, so that Li Shiji would be grateful for the new emperor's favor.

A beautiful story of a harmonious relationship between ruler and subject!

On the surface, it was a combination of favor and punishment, one demotion and the other promotion. Li Shimin, relying on his years of prestige, demoted Li Shiji, while Li Zhi, the new emperor, promoted him and bestowed favors upon him. In reality, however, it was nothing more than a tacit test between the emperor and his minister.

Li Shimin knew that Li Shiji could understand his thoughts, so he tested him. Li Shiji was equally aware that Li Shimin was testing him, so he passed by his home without entering and gladly accepted the post to express his loyalty.

In essence, it was simply that Li Shimin used his absolute power to force Li Shiji to submit and forcibly bind Li Shiji to Li Zhi's chariot.

In ancient times, especially during periods of peace and order, reputation was paramount. For officials, the most important virtues were loyalty, filial piety, and integrity.

As long as Li Shiji bows his head and goes to take up his post, and then accepts Li Zhi's arrangements, Li Shiji will in fact owe Li Zhi a debt of gratitude, and will also be subject to the natural restraint of Heaven, Earth, Ruler, Parents, and Teacher.

Li Shiji's disobedience was tantamount to disloyalty and injustice. No one liked such a person, and even if he rebelled, no one would follow him.

An emperor may have a minister who has shown him great favor, but if that minister gains power and rebels, he will be despised and rejected by the world. Even if the rebellion succeeds, his reign will not last long.

The one who started this will surely have no descendants. If you dare to do this, your generals will too. Just like the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, there was no sense of propriety, righteousness, or shame. Rebellion and betrayal were commonplace!

If it were applied to He Ping'an and Minister Luo...

In 1966, when Minister Luo suffered a tragedy, everyone stood by indifferently, turning a blind eye. Only He Ping'an shouldered an immense responsibility and rushed to his aid from afar. An immeasurable act of kindness!

In 1973, even after being cleared of suspicion, those who had suffered in the past still found it difficult to return to work. It was like trying to climb a radish and finding a hole; getting up was hard, getting down was even harder, and getting back up was as difficult as ascending to heaven.

The allure of power has vanished. Those who have benefited from the system, having made no mistakes, are naturally unwilling to relinquish their positions. It was He Ping'an who orchestrated and lobbied tirelessly, securing a massive promotion from public security to national defense.

Without He Ping'an, even if he had worked diligently for seven years, let alone wasted seven, he wouldn't have reached this position. Another great favor!

For political beings within the system, the two most important things are: physical life and political life!

If the protection of 66 was a sign of life, then the recall in 73 was a political one. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that He Ping'an was a lifesaver for Minister Luo.

Compared to Li Zhi's relationship with Li Shiji, He Ping'an's kindness to Minister Luo was even greater. He Ping'an, who conquered the country, had a more stable power structure than Li Zhi, who inherited it.

Minister Luo, however, did not hold the same status or position as Li Shiji.

In short, whether it was old friendship or a political deal, He Ping'an's smile was genuine, and Minister Luo's emotion was also genuine.

To paraphrase a common saying, everyone got what they wanted and both host and guest were happy!

Autumn of 1974, harvest season. A fiery era, a planned economy, concentrating resources on major undertakings. Three years later, everything had changed dramatically.

Amidst laughter amidst green tiles and red walls, He Ping'an, having struggled his entire life, didn't want anyone to leave with regrets. Through repeated encouragement, he embarked on his third southern tour.

A group of seasoned veterans followed along, chatting and laughing. A pleasant tour, too, is... the end of life.

Rows of high-rise buildings, cement roads connecting every village, orchards stretching as far as the eye can see, and the people wearing clean clothes and with eyes full of hope.

Shock was inevitable, followed by exclamations and praise! Some were so emotional that they even pointed to the scene outside, saying that this was the communism they had dreamed of.

Even those who are wholeheartedly devoted and carefree can only bow their heads and offer their congratulations when they see the changes three years later.

"What you learn from books is never enough; you must put it into practice to truly understand! Looking at data on paper may show you that the country is improving day by day, but it's nowhere near as impactful as seeing it for yourself!"

The system is sick, very sick, and needs support. But this time, it remains steadfast in its commitment, its attitude unwavering. No one can dissuade it!

"Comrade He Ping'an, you've kept your promise from back then. Thank you!"

At He Ping'an's level, there's no longer any room for moral judgments like humility or caution. He simply smiled and nodded, accepting the credit without any politeness.

From aimless to leisurely inspections, a group of veterans traversed every inch of the land where they had once fought. Finally, in late autumn, they returned to Beijing.

"The Jade Disc that Supports the Sky... Its merits benefit the nation, and its name will be remembered for generations to come!"

The year-end meeting made the final decision! All the ups and downs are now settled!

For 75 years, He Ping'an has continued to move forward steadily, in terms of the administrative system, industry, agriculture, economy, and even the resources that once belonged to the whole nation.

The new policies continue to be implemented, and taking advantage of the opportunity to inspect various regions, a group of capable and energetic individuals in their forties and fifties have been promoted. Always ready!

He Ping'an fulfilled his promise from years ago, personally adding beans to his father-in-law's bowl twenty years later. Minister Luo proceeded steadily, and his in-laws, the Zhou family, also made great strides forward.

January 1976 was the winter of 1975. A winter without crabapple blossoms. The coldest days of winter were bitterly cold, so people's hearts must not grow cold... He Ping'an casually dismissed the woman who had stormed in with such a fuss.

The woman's identity was special, but his was even more special. That's all!

After a long day, He Ping'an returned home chilly, and Bai Ling casually handed him a letter. He glanced at it briefly; the mailing address... 200 kilometers from a human tragedy.

Human nature and the human heart! Serving the people—some see it as a faith, while others use it as a pretext for progress. It's unclear, unfathomable!

Fortunately, the tide rises and falls, and when the tide recedes, everything becomes clear!