Chapter 911 - 93: Creating Heaven and Earth, Kyushu Turns a New Page

"Even though the Ministry of Communication can convey the sentiments of the people upwards, the final decision-making still lies in the hands of the cabinet ministers."

"I am not questioning, but rather concerned that the noble intention of ’co-governance’ may be distorted by personal interests."

"Does the Grand Tutor have any preventive measures?"

A voice sounded repeatedly.

These people certainly did not dare to directly reject Gu Hui’s proposal.

Not to mention, the new ruler’s position is not yet decided, even without this issue, they absolutely do not dare to offend the current Gu Hui.

There’s no help for it, who allows Gu Hui to still hold military power in his hands?

Currently, Yue Fei is leading elite troops to suppress bandits everywhere, and all the soldiers in Jiangnan, and even the entire world, are now under Gu Hui’s control.

Such a person has the power to upheave the heavens.

They certainly did not dare to openly protest.

Listening to these repeated questions, Gu Hui understood their thoughts, but did not say much about plots or schemes, instead he responded directly:

"The concerns of the various gentlemen are all reasonable."

"The new policy is like a master craftsman constructing a house, it cannot be achieved in one stroke, clarity is truly needed for the detailed regulations and procedures."

His voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable penetration that suppressed all the subtle noise in the hall.

He first looked at Li Gang: "What Li Gong asked, regarding the order of cabinet selection, is it through the push of the court, the advice of the imperial censors, or imperial selection?"

"This is not a fixed sequence, but a form of checks and balances."

"The court push gathers public opinion, the advice of the imperial censors inspects private shortcomings, and the final imperial selection weighs both, considering talent, balance, and current needs."

"If the court push is fair and the advice of the imperial censors finds no faults, public opinion takes priority;"

"If the imperial censors find conclusive faults, even public opinion should be overridden;"

"If both sides reach a stalemate or the situation requires special talent, then the imperial selection makes a provisional decision."

"Its original intention is to gather wisdom, prevent obstruction, and select talent, not to create disputes over a rigid sequence."

"Specific disputes can be discussed by the Imperial Censorate, Ministry of Personnel, and Ministry of Rites, drafting regulations to be filed and archived, striving for procedural fairness and transparency."

Next, he turned to the official who raised the question about the division of duties between the Six Ministries and the cabinet: "Vice Envoy Chen’s question hits the nail on the head."

"The cabinet does not replace the Six Ministries, but coordinates and decides on major strategic directions and cross-departmental affairs."

"For example, the overall planning of Cao Sea transport and trade, national tax budgets, major wars and peace discussions, principles of important personnel appointments, these matters concerning the overall situation are to be deliberated by the cabinet to form directives or draft ordinances."

"Specific execution—how to allocate funds and resources, how to manufacture and distribute military supplies, how to segment and dredge river channels—remains the responsibility of the Six Ministries."

"If any officials from the Six Ministries have objections to the cabinet’s framework decisions, they can speak openly during cabinet meetings, or submit a special memorial, to be directly presented to the Emperor through the Ministry of Communication and copied for cabinet reconsideration."

"The authority of the cabinet lies not in deciding every matter, but in ensuring the strategies align with the big picture and withstand debate;"

"The powers and responsibilities of the Six Ministries are not mere facades, but in their expertise in their duties and efficient implementation."

"The two should complement rather than hinder each other."

"The specific list of powers and responsibilities can be initially established by the cabinet, then jointly drafted in detail with the Ministers of the Six Ministries, and transparently promulgated nationwide."

Compared to the people present, Gu Hui naturally knew this system thoroughly.

Likewise,

In order to fully implement this system, he needed to explain all these issues to everyone present.

He indeed had talent.

But when it comes to the governance of a nation, it’s not something that one person’s ability can directly resolve.

And most importantly—

Everything he is doing now is completely different from past practices.

In other words, this is pioneering work.

Much like when the First Emperor ascended the throne back then.

Laying down the rules for the future of Kyushu.

The turmoil and various issues that accompany such matters need to be resolved little by little over time.

Using both soft measures and hard measures.

This is also the fundamental reason why Gu Hui holds military power and has not decided on the new emperor’s position yet.

Inside Chuigong Hall.

Only Gu Hui’s clear voice continually resounded.

Looking at Gu Hui’s serious expression and listening to his explanations one after another, the expressions of the assembled ministers became even more complicated.

Each minister looked at one another, including some of the Zhao Song elders among them.

They were actually the ones most resistant to the new policy.

No help for it, this limits imperial power.

After this matter, no one dares to deeply contemplate whether this world still belongs to the Zhao family.

Yet how could they say much?

To put it bluntly, they have no right.

If it weren’t for Gu Hui, their Zhao Song empire might have long perished by now.

This is the fundamental reason, what more can they say?

As for the ministers, it was even more so.

Knowing they couldn’t possibly resist Gu Hui, even though they had many objections in their hearts, they could only suppress them, and after a moment of silence, could only nod in agreement.

They had no way to refuse!

—Thus, the big picture was set in such circumstances.

Of course, even as it is said,

Implementing it is naturally not this simple.

Especially with the current speed of information dissemination, all of this is even more of a hassle.

But this does not prevent the reform initiated from the central hub.

Of course, it is not meant to directly appoint a cabinet.

Although Gu Hui currently holds such prestige, since rules have already been established, a certain procedural justice must be ensured!

This is to prevent any opportunities for future exploitation!

Of course, before that, the undecided Emperor’s position must be determined!

And the development of matters did not go beyond Gu Yi’s expectations.

Gu Hui already had a specific candidate in mind.

This person is Zhao Kuangyin’s second son, the seventh-generation grandson of Prince Yan Yi Zhao Dezhao, Zhao Bocong.

In regard to this choice, Gu Yi was both somewhat surprised and unsurprised.

Because Zhao Bocong came from Julu Academy.

This is fundamentally different from the original history.

In the original history, after Taizong ascended the throne, the situation of Zhao Dezhao’s lineage became very delicate, ultimately he committed suicide in fear after being harshly rebuked by Taizong for a failed northern expedition, leaving heavy suspicion in official records and folklore concerning his death.

But the current development is completely different because Zhao Guangyi was suppressed by the Gu Clan.

Of course, Gu Hui’s choice of this person is not solely because of the Gu Clan.

Primarily, it is because his identity involves fewer interest groups, and he is generally a decent person.

His father Zhao Zicheng inherited the title of Prince Xiu’an Xi.

Although he belongs to the imperial clan.

Yet due to the gradual dilution of the bloodline, he gradually lost power.

This also determined Zhao Bocong’s character and situation.

This is what Gu Hui was most concerned about.

What is called decent talent is not that he has exceptional literature or military strategy, but that under his unique background and experience, he developed a sense of ’clear-headed mediocrity’ or ’pragmatic dutifulness.’

For the current Great Song, this is already sufficient!

And regarding Gu Hui’s decision, various forces each had their opinions.

But what could they do?

Revolt?

Let’s not mention anything else, given the current situation, even if Gu Hui placed the knife in their hands, they wouldn’t have the courage!

And with this matter officially settled,

ancestral worship was completed, the new ruler ascended the throne, and the era changed.

The entire Kyushu also welcomed a completely new Chapter once again!.....

——————

"In the later period of Song Shaoxing, the ’Cabinet-Cao Sea-Investigation’ new political system advocated by Gu Hui was a fundamental and systematic institutional reconstruction and social integration attempt in the late period of China’s ancient feudal society.

By establishing the ’cabinet’ to divide and institutionalize imperial power, creating the ’Cao Sea General Control Department’ to control the lifeblood of the national economy, and establishing the ’Investigation Envoy’ and ’Ministry of Communication’ to break the grassroots information monopoly and oppression chain, a new governance framework aiming at achieving power balance, economic integration, and information accessibility was constructed.

This top-down regime change not only reshaped the operation mode of central power but also profoundly touched the millennia-old symbiotic structure of ’imperial power-bureaucracy-local powerful clans.’

For the first time on the national level, it partially shifted the decision-making mechanism from reliance on the monarch’s personal will and the maneuvering of powerful ministers to fixed procedures, multiparty consultation, and institutional checks and balances;

It stripped the most crucial financial revenue channels from the exploitation of local interest groups, regathering them under central consolidation and explicitly allocating them for public construction and national defense;

It also attempted to establish a direct oversight and information channel bypassing traditional bureaucratic levels, directly challenging the governance dilemma of ’the emperor is far removed.’

The implementation of the new policy objectively accelerated the potential shift in social consciousness from ’loyalty to one family and dynasty’ to ’identification with the system and public responsibility.’

For Kyushu—

This move was akin to creating a groundbreaking achievement."

——"People’s Education Edition History Textbook · 9th Grade First Semester (Unit on Late Imperial Society Transformations)"