klisemfg Chapter 398 Father and Daughter Face Off
Chapter 398 Father and Daughter Face Off
Chapter 398 Father-Daughter Dialogue
Several other appointments were issued to the Ministry of Personnel. The first was to promote Shen Li to the rank of fourth-grade official, and to assist the Minister of Rites in overseeing this year's imperial examinations.
The second appointment was for Lin Wan'er to be one of the examiners for this martial arts examination.
The third imperial edict summoned Xiao Qi, who was stationed in the eastern frontier, back to the capital to take up a post in the Ministry of War. In addition, the old Duke Xiao was reinstated to readjust the border defenses, with particular emphasis on the troop and equipment configurations for the northern border.
These imperial edicts caused a huge uproar in the court. No one expected that after so many years of valuing civil officials over military ones, the Great Zhao Dynasty would suddenly start to pay attention to military generals.
It should be noted that in the past, military officers were not allowed to enter the Ministry of War. Civil officials were always used to remotely command and control the military officers. However, the participation of the Xiao family grandfather and grandson in politics indicates that this status quo has been broken.
The military officers were practically in tears at that moment. They had become accustomed to the status quo over the years and had long since given up hope. They never expected such a pleasant surprise to come so suddenly.
The civil officials felt their positions were insecure and petitioned the cabinet to submit memorials, but Shen Zizai rejected all of them. As the chief minister, he should have stood on the side of the officials, but he was devoted to the public good and the people, and he felt that he should stand on the side of the common people.
The ultimate pursuit of a wise minister is a prosperous and strong nation, but he knew that without a powerful army, all of this could not be defended. The Great Zhao needed to become stronger, and the first thing to become stronger was an army that would no longer suffer any humiliation.
Moreover, the power of the civil service group does indeed need to be curbed. If civil officials become too powerful, factionalism and nepotism will inevitably occur, which will also be a source of national disaster.
Thus, Shen Zizai single-handedly withstood the pressure from the civil officials and submitted a memorial stating that His Majesty's decision was wise.
When he returned home after his shift, he saw his eldest daughter, Shen Li, helping his wife with the accounts in the courtyard. Of course, his wife was doing the accounting while his two daughters watched.
He would occasionally say a few words, but his wife remained as steady as a mountain, her abacus clattering away in her hands.
"Father is back." Shen Li and Shen Yue said almost in unison.
"You're back." Shen Zizai nodded. "Li'er, come to the study with your father."
"Yes." Shen Li shrugged at her sister and whispered, "Wait for me to come back for dinner."
With the study door closed, only the father and daughter remained. Shen Zizai cut to the chase: "That Daoist Wuyou was sent to His Majesty's side by you, so he's one of your people, isn't he?"
He couldn't understand what the purpose of that divination was that day. In his view, the timing and the elusive divination must have been for some purpose.
He seemed to understand when the emperor issued a series of decrees.
Shen Li nodded frankly: "I know he won't agree to let me join the Ministry of Rites. It would take too long for me to slowly climb up the ranks, and the situation of valuing civil officials over military officials should have been changed long ago."
Shen Zizai's question was answered, but he looked at his daughter with a somewhat stunned expression.
"Father?" Shen Li waved her hand in front of him. "What did your daughter do wrong?"
"You've done all good things," Shen Zizai acknowledged, then added, "It's just that I didn't expect that I'm so much less adept than you at manipulating power and understanding people's hearts."
"Father is upright, but daughter is more cunning," Shen Li frankly admitted.
"Has Ke Li'er considered what would have happened if the Grand Secretary were someone else today?" Shen Zizai asked.
He was simply asking a question.
Shen Li shook her head slightly: "No, if the chief minister were someone else, I wouldn't have brought this up."
She knew that only her father, who served the country and its people, could keep those civil officials in check. So even though Lin Wan'er was anxious, she waited until her father became the Grand Secretary before proposing to promote military officers.
Shen Zizai suddenly realized, and he smiled. His daughter's steps, though seemingly bold, were actually steady and methodical. Such mental strength was something he himself lacked.