After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times

He trembled and said, "Your Majesty, you cannot dispatch troops to fight Shi Le."

"Why? He’s already planning a rebellion. Shi Le is brutal and inherently untrustworthy," the Little Emperor said, "Previously, it was due to coercion by the Xiongnu that the Great General temporarily subdued Shi Le. But now that the Xiongnu are subdued, we are entirely capable of killing Shi Le."

Xun Fan choked on his words, unable to speak for a long time.

In his frustration, he asked, "Who told Your Majesty to oppose Ming Yu and Ji Yuan taking the positions of Secretary of the Imperial Secretariat and Minister of the Imperial Secretariat?"

"My third uncle, along with Assistant Minister Meng Yang, and oh yes, also the Great General’s granduncle Zhao Hu," the Little Emperor whispered, "Even that Grandmaster Zhao said that if Ming Yu and Ji Yuan became chief officials, my days would become even harder in the future."

Xun Fan sighed and said, "In the future, Your Majesty should not listen to them."

"Zhao Hu opposes Ji Yuan and Ming Yu because he wants the Great General to favor Zhao Family members," he said, "Ji Yuan might appear smooth on the surface, but his actions are as firm as the Great General’s. Although Zhao Hu is a Zhao Family elder, he never gains any advantage from dealing with Ji Yuan."

"Not to mention Ming Yu. Last month, Ming Yu proposed that the Great General forcibly requisition Zhao Hu’s assets, believing that he amassed wealth through power, and that half of the family estate should be given to the Great General."

Of course, Ming Yu presented a pleasant excuse to Zhao Hanzhang, calling it an investment dividend.

Thinking Zhao Hanzhang lent her influence, Zhao Hu ought to give her a portion of the family estate as a return.

This proposal nearly made Zhao Hu puff with anger. Lately, when he meets Ming Yu, it intensifies into sharp confrontations.

Ming Yu believes Zhao Hu seizes the people’s interests and lacks insight. If other merchants earned so much with Zhao Hanzhang’s influence, they would have already obediently sent gifts to Zhao Hanzhang. Zhao Hu, however, arrogantly believes his earnings are all due to his own ability.

Cough, cough, I’ll interject here, Zhao Hanzhang indeed thinks Zhao Hu’s ability is what allows him to make money.

But Zhao Hu fails to understand Zhao Hanzhang’s inner thoughts. He merely feels that Ming Yu is targeting him due to Zhao Hanzhang’s implicit signals. So recently, Zhao Hu unilaterally severed ties with Zhao Hanzhang.

"As for Meng Yang," Xun Fan paused and continued, "In this world, everyone’s interests differ, especially among the noble families."

He said, "Ancestors Emperor ruled with the noble families side by side, giving rise to the aristocratic clans, while the Great General abolished the Nine-Rank Merit System, creating the Recruitment Exam, irrespective of family background, focusing solely on talent and virtue, inadvertently offending countless people."

"But because she held significant military power and the world was in chaos before, no one opposed," Xun Fan whispered, "Now that the Xiongnu are subdued and the Northern Land stabilizes, court battles will only grow more intense and apparent, with Your Majesty already on thin ice; it truly isn’t wise to partake further."

The Little Emperor shivered, nodding repeatedly, then asked, "And what about my third uncle?"

Xun Fan fell silent, then after a long pause, sighed and said, "Your third uncle still harbors illusions, wishing to connect with ministers and prepare for your future personal rule, but..."

The Little Emperor remained silent.

Xun Fan gazed at him and softly asked, "Does Your Majesty wish to rule personally?" 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Recalling the pile of reports on his desk, the Little Emperor shook his head in terror.

Xun Fan also said, "Since the Empress Jia lost power, even members of the Imperial Family have been treated as disposable. Both Emperor Hui and the previous emperor met unnatural deaths. Among the bloodline of the Imperial Family, only you and Prince Yuzhang remain. From this old minister’s perspective, dynastic changes are a worldly constant. Since Your Majesty lacks ambitions and capacities to reign as emperor, why not step back, avert conflicts for the realm, and preserve both yourself and Prince Yuzhang?"

Xun Fan also once harbored ambitions, for the Little Emperor is legitimate, and currently, Zhao Hanzhang appears to honor him.

But ever since Xun Xiu’s insurrection, observing the Little Emperor’s panic, Xun Fan realized that under the Emperor’s rule, one day the world would fall into chaos again.

Even if Zhao Hanzhang didn’t stir turmoil, Jiangdong’s King Langya would disrupt the nation, and by then, with the Little Emperor’s weakness, he certainly couldn’t hold the country intact.

It was at that moment Xun Fan changed his mind.

The Jin Dynasty is important, but stability of the kingdom is more vital.

The previous catastrophic chaos in the world must not be repeated. Thus, first stabilize the realm, and at an appropriate future moment, the kingdom should be handed over to Zhao Hanzhang.

The Little Emperor originally did not wish to be emperor, though at times recently he entertained thoughts, dreaming at night of splendors and becoming a legendary wise ruler. Yet upon waking, he immediately buried those thoughts, because... it was really too difficult, too exhausting...

The Little Emperor was feeling tremendous pressure at the moment. With Xun Fan’s assistance, he stayed up until three in the morning, finally reviewing all the reports, managing to respond to only five to six-tenths of them. The rest were matters far too significant for him or even Xun Fan to easily decide.

For instance, in the report accusing Shi Le of rebellion, Xun Fan insisted that they must absolutely not hold Shi Le accountable, nor send troops to Youzhou, but rather placate Shi Le to prevent rebellion.

The Little Emperor... couldn’t compose a letter of appeasement, so could only set it aside.

As he groggily followed Xun Fan’s advice, inscribing a suggestion on the final report, he almost couldn’t keep his eyelids open.

Just as Xun Fan took the report for a check, the Little Emperor’s head slumped forward, and he collapsed motionless on the desk.

Xun Fan jumped in fright, sighed at the sight, set down the report, then carried the young man to the bed, covering him with a quilt. Seeing the Little Emperor restless even in his sleep, he couldn’t help but let out a heavy sigh.

Jin’s emperor and Wei Kingdom’s emperor came at two extremes. Back then, if Sima Zhao had the magnanimity of Zhao Hanzhang today, Emperor Wei Cao Mao wouldn’t have died;

And if the Little Emperor had Cao Mao’s temperament and wisdom, perhaps he really could solidify Jin Dynasty’s sovereignty, and achieve a brilliant example of ruler-minister relations with Zhao Hanzhang.

Xun Fan let out a long sigh, turned to tidy up the reports, then lay down at the foot of the Little Emperor’s bed.

Almost shortly after settling down, the rooster crowed for the second time, and as Xun Fan was old and a light sleeper, he woke almost immediately.

Eunuch Dong entered cautiously from outside. Upon seeing him, he bowed and said, "Grand Tutor, it’s time for Your Majesty to rise."

Due to having a heart-to-heart conversation with the Little Emperor the day before, Xun Fan felt tender today and wanted to let the Little Emperor sleep a bit longer, so he said, "My schedule is not tight today, so let His Majesty sleep a little longer."

Eunuch Dong looked conflicted and said, "But the Crown Prince’s tutor has sent a message, stating that His Majesty must memorize the official system before going to Luoyang. He will come today to teach and check, and there’s not much time until dawn."

The Crown Prince’s tutor was Xun Zu.

Zhao Hanzhang was quite generous towards the Little Emperor’s two uncles, never hindering their meetings. Xun Fan served as Grand Tutor, Xun Zu as the tutor, the two teaching the Little Emperor together.

It was also one of the reasons Jin ministers changed their impression of Zhao Hanzhang. She sent the emperor’s implanted confidants to be by his side. What a loyal subject!

Thinking of Xun Zu’s rigor and intent, Xun Fan couldn’t help but frown, but nonetheless agreed.

Thus, the Little Emperor, who had barely fallen asleep, was roused from the bed by Eunuch Dong, carried by eunuchs to wash. Even after getting dressed, his eyes remained shut.

When he was taken outside, the cold wind finally forced him to open his eyes with effort, then glanced at the booklet placed in his hands, tears fell immediately, and he cried, "I’m so tired, I want to sleep. I don’t want to be emperor anymore! I don’t want to be emperor anymore..."

Why does he have to learn the official system? Zhao Hanzhang can change the six boards into six departments with a single edict, so what’s the use of memorizing it? What if she alters the system again tomorrow; does he have to memorize it anew?

His third uncle is unreliable, and he still prefers his second uncle.

Wuwuwu, he doesn’t want to study anymore, nor wants to review reports, someone please save him...