late at night.

The Qinhuai Lantern Festival ended, and the pleasure boats were still brightly lit, and the lively crowds on the streets and riverside finally gradually dissipated.

Chu Tianxiu and Princess Li Yu, Di'er with a resentful face, and drunk Zuer took a car together and returned to the Pingwang Mansion.

The carriage passes by Hongmen Inn on Changle Street.

Chu Tianxiu accidentally saw hundreds of Confucian scholars in Hongmen Inn, Jia Sheng, were making passionate remarks among the Confucian scholars, as if he was denying something.

These Confucian scholars were heartbroken and said that "The Story of Stone" is so painful...

"I got the news not long ago that Yanyu Huaboo actually performed such a small yellow drama in public! It was staged a dream of Jia Baoyu meeting the twelve golden hairpins of Jinling... Oh my God, this is to make the entire Jinling City polluted by "The Story of Stone"!"

"This is the bank of the Qinhuai River, and the little Hunhou's desolate sound sounded!"

"This is to ruin the atmosphere of our Great Chu. If this continues, the country will not be a country."

"Block!"

"Yes, the "Stone" should be severely banned!"

"We Jinling Confucian scholars must unite and submit a letter of protest to the public car mansion and ban this little yellow text."

"Yes, we will go to the bus mansion to write a letter tomorrow!"

Chu Tianxiu heard this and was puzzled.

The Confucian scholars in Jinling City have also read "The Story of the Stone"?

This little marquis didn't let you read it. Where did you secretly get the manuscript? Uh... it was not Jia Sheng who secretly took it out from the Pingwang Mansion!

How did he remember that the one who loved to read "The Story of Stone" the most in later generations was these Confucian scholars!

Forget it, no matter how bad the Confucian scholars are.

Tonight I was in Yanyu Huafang and drank a little too much wine. I went back to sleep before talking about it.

Let’s talk about tomorrow.

...

Jinling Imperial City.

Cining Palace.

Emperor Xiang Yanran and Empress Cui returned to the bedroom.

His face was gloomy and he did not go to bed, but was worried.

This Lantern Festival is a good day for the whole country to celebrate and share the joy with the people, but the emperor, he, was very unhappy.

Whether it was the arrogant and domineering princes such as King Wu, King Huainan in Jinling City, or the arrogant Xiongnu envoy Yi Zhi, he was like a thorn in his throat.

Can't spit it out, can't swallow it!

It's so uncomfortable that I'm dying.

Especially the words of the prince of the King of Wu, Xiang Xian, were very ugly.

but.

Although this is unpleasant, it reveals a fact that he doesn't want to face.

During his reign, he had "no military achievements outside and no merits inside". One sentence made him feel heartbroken and made him unable to sleep!

The emperor endured humiliation for ten years, and used Huang-Lao's technique to rest with the people. At the foot of Yanzhi Mountain, he tames war horses, hoarded cavalry, and prepared for war.

Xiang Yanran knew that the things he was doing now were all accumulating strength for the Great Chu and preparing to sanction the Huns in the future.

But everyone in the world doesn’t know!

The princes would never admit that he, the emperor, had any great achievements.

On the contrary, the princes all felt that they were better at being a fiefdom than the emperor. If they became emperors, they would be ten times better than Xiang Yanran.

If the emperor is dead now, then Xiang Yanran will probably leave the word "mediocre" in the history books of the Great Chu, and he has been described in his life.

Emperor Xiang Yanran felt a sense of aggrievance in his heart, and it became stronger and stronger.

He had long been in the spirit of reform.

However, it is of great importance, with many obstacles, hesitation and has not made a decision for a long time.

On the Lantern Festival tonight, he saw all the princes and the Xiongnu envoy Yi Zhi in the Yanyu Huafang. His arrogant attitude of "disrespecting the emperor and despising the Great Chu" finally made him make up his mind.

The princes disrespect the emperor!

The Huns despise the Great Chu!

Sooner or later this will cause a disaster.

This Jinling City is decorated with lights and robe and flute everywhere. It seems that the world is peaceful and a prosperous scene, but there is a fire underneath it.

The prince Xiang Tiange is fourteen years old and is still too young. He has experienced too few storms. He is as angry as a stupid goose, reckless and impulsive as he is, and he will kill Prince Wu if he disagrees. The prince will only mature and become steady after at least five to ten years.

Most of the emperors of the Great Chu Dynasty had very short lives.

Often they either die of illness or die of accidents... The princes rebelled, the palace coups, the brothers and feet were killed, and they were assassinated, and there were some.

Xiang Yanran didn't know how long he could live on the throne.

He could not wait ten years later to hand over all the internal and external troubles of the Great Chu to the crown prince to wipe out.

He was even sure that if he died accidentally, the prince Xiang Tiange would be young and weak, and the princes such as the King of Wu would be even more unscrupulous. He would immediately attack and usurp the throne.

The northern Huns have been dormant for ten years since the battle, and have recovered their vitality. They sharpened their knives and waited for the opportunity.

If you are not careful, it will be a disaster for the Great Chu.

Can't hesitate any more.

He wants to implement reforms with his own hands to solve these two major problems inside and outside.

However, in order to promote reform and eradicate these two major problems, he must have a large number of available talents under his command to implement his will.

"It's dark, it's time to go to bed!"

Queen Cui pinched Xiang Yanran's shoulder and said softly: "Master, why are you worried about this?"

Xiang Yanran remained silent.

"What can you and my husband have to say if you and my husband are united? I can share a lot of sorrow."

Queen Cui comforted her softly.

Xiang Yanran said coldly: "In this year's annual election, I have issued an order to rule the princes, the three dukes, and the county magistrates to recommend a group of talented people to be sent by the court.

Who are your Cui family recommending? What are Cui?

It seems that I got a mediocre palace examination, but I gave you the queen's face and then got a mediocre one.

I can't even remember his name, which shows how mediocre it is.

Humph, it’s not just your Cui family, but your top ten clans in Jinling, one by one, one by one, and one by one, and one by one, in the court, and support each other.

There is even a saying that it is difficult for a high-ranking official in the court if it is not a top ten family and their disciples.

You recommend each other to their own children. If you have the ability, I will turn a blind eye, and that's all. But what you have raised are a group of mediocre people. How many of them are useful?

This year's Sui Ju, none of the top four top-ranked ones are from your top ten clans! Every year is getting worse and worse, and it is becoming less and less useful."

There are also top ten clans in Jinling.

Like the chief minister Xie Hu Yong, the deputy prime minister Wang Su, and the doctor order Cui Haoran... they are all skilled and proficient in the government affairs, and are the pillars of the top ten clans.

If these ministers try to compete with the princes, they can also defeat the princes from all sides.

However, they are all old bones in their sixties and seventies. How many years can they survive on sick leave every few days?

The descendants of the top ten clans in Jinling are all a large group of playboys who eat, drink and have fun. No one can compare to their squandering, but their serious abilities are useless.

It is not an exaggeration to say that it is not suitable for the young and yellow.

"Your Majesty, this [Yanyu Hongchen Novel      www.yyhc.info] is recommended every year...everything is based on the old practice!"

Queen Cui felt bitter.

Every year, the top ten clans in Jinling must first elect the eldest sons and grandchildren of each family. They will arrange them first before they can join other descendants.

As for talent and ability, of course, it is not a priority for recommendations.

In the Jinling Cui family, except for the head, Jiuqing, the doctor, Cui Haoran, and her, Empress Cui Rou, there is indeed no decent talent among their descendants.

But if you don’t recommend your own legitimate son and grandson to come out, how can you maintain the prosperity and wealth of the Cui family?!

"I know this is a routine, and I'm too lazy to say more."

Xiang Yanran said coldly: "But, if Tiange becomes the emperor after the rest of the world, he will rely on the group of mediocre people from the top ten clans to govern the world. Can he defend the throne?

You didn't see that those lords and uncles like tigers and wolves were so arrogant and domineering that they were above the sky.

If I am gone, they will not swallow the prince alive!

As the emperor, I still have to find some available people for the prince. We cannot put these mediocre juniors in the court for the glory and wealth of your top ten families."
To be continued...