"The Qing Dynasty can be saved, Huguang can be saved, and the people can be saved! Heaven will give a great responsibility to the prince!"

Lao Chen was deeply moved by Prince Rui's sincerity. He was very moved and felt very lucky at the same time.

It was originally a road that led to darkness, but now there is an extra fork in the road that allows him to go back to the right path, allowing him to become a loyal minister and good official of the Qing Dynasty again, so that he does not have to bear the infamy of being an unfaithful traitor. It is really such a bad fate.

It was so ups and downs, with twists and turns, but he couldn't give it up, making him love and hate it at the same time.

It is certain that as long as Prince Rui's sincerity is not compromised and fully realized, Chen Huizu will become a strange person in Chinese history.

What's so strange about it?

Before surrendering to the rebels, he was the governor of Huguang. After the surrender, he was still the governor of Huguang. Now that he has repented and returned to the Qing Dynasty, he is still the governor of Huguang.

Who else in history is as bizarre as Lao Chen?

The ups and downs are not so exciting.

When he was excited, he immediately expressed his position: "Thank you to the court, thank you to Prince Rui, thank you, eh?"

Suddenly I felt something was wrong. When I thought about it carefully, didn't the Qing government transfer the governor of Sichuan, Bo Qing'e, to be the governor of Huguang? Then what happened to him as the governor of Huguang?

Could it be that Prince Rui was deceiving him, and after he succeeded, he turned his back and refused to recognize anyone else, and then killed the donkey?

I couldn't help but feel a "thump" in my heart, wondering how such a good thing could happen to him so easily.

It’s true that officials who were demoted to thieves throughout the dynasties were not always there, but no officials were reinstated. There had to be a process of demotion.

Especially important ministers at the level of governor.

Even Emperor Qin, Emperor Wu of Han, and Emperor Tang and Song could not be so generous as to allow an unruly governor to remain in office.

Prince Ruorui promised him that Lao Chen would not be killed anyway, or that he would be demoted a few levels, which was true, but still reinstating him as governor-general seemed a bit uneasy.

A bit empty.

Thinking of this, the letter of appointment in my hand suddenly lost its flavor, and I felt that this was Prince Rui's conspiracy.

It's better to be careful and don't let Prince Rui fool you.

"Bo Zhitai is just here to make a transition. After the chaos is settled, he will definitely be promoted to Beijing. The position of governor then must belong to you. After all, you are familiar with the situation in Huguang. Many things will be difficult to handle without you.

"

The envoy seemed to have known that Sir Chen would have this doubt, and quickly took out Prince Rui's personal letter to the Governor from the sole of his other shoe.

"Oh, Prince Rui's personal letter?"

Lao Chen quickly took it and opened it, and what he saw was a line of big characters - "Can I ask the importance of the tripod? If so, may the governor be willing to help?"

This line of big characters first shocked Lao Chen, his face changed rapidly, and then he smiled as if he had taken reassurance, and a few of the wrinkles on his forehead were missing.

"It turns out that Prince Rui is not a good bird either. I don't think that the prince has lofty ambitions and has great ambitions. It is really a blessing for the Qing Dynasty, a blessing for the people, and a blessing for me."

Lao Chen was really happy. He originally thought that only people like him would become traitors, but he never expected that Prince He Shuorui, with his thick eyebrows, big eyes, and good looks, was even worse than him, a traitor, and he actually had the intention of plotting to usurp the throne.

, which is really gratifying.

This is settled!

A traitor, a king of thieves, a bastard versus a mung bean.

It is true that there is no wise prince in heaven, and eternity is like a long night.

In an instant, Chen Huizu lost all his miscellaneous thoughts, and had only one firm thought in his mind - to follow Prince Rui wholeheartedly, and he would never make a mistake!

Anyway, he has no backbone to speak of.

"Thanks to the prince for not giving up, I, Chen Huizu, am willing to die for the prince, even if I die!"

Feeling awe-inspiring, Lao Chen carefully collected the letter and carried it in his arms. It seemed that the letter was more valuable than a death-free ticket.

"It's such an honor for me to laugh to death for the prince!"

After putting the secret letter in his arms, Lao Chen's expression became much more relaxed. Not only was his heart filled with warmth, but he also felt extremely at ease. He warmly invited him to sit down for tea and politely asked his name.

The ceremony was very respectful and there was no airs about the Governor.

After all, compared to Wang Ang, the chief minister who wanted to overthrow the Tartars and restore China, Chen Huizu surrendered that day just for a way of survival. Later, for this way of survival, he had to make suggestions for the Xinghan regime, but he was still unwilling to do so in his heart.

Firstly, I felt that the Xinghan Army was unlikely to overthrow the Qing Dynasty. Secondly, I also felt that even if the Xinghan Army conquered the world, Chen Huizu would probably end up as a traitor in the future.

Isn't Hong Chengchou the best example?

People want face when they live, and reputation when people die.

He is alive, but his face is gone.

You can't die and have to bear the curse of being criticized by thousands of people.

Now that God is favoring him, a great opportunity will come to him, and he can seize it.

The messenger is the representative of the prince, so respecting him means respecting the prince.

He, Lao Chen, had a very good handle on the matter of right and wrong.

The envoy called himself Ding Jiuzhen and had been working under Prince Rui. Now he came to Wuchang to serve as a special commissioner on the prince's order.

Special correspondent means special correspondent.

Don't underestimate this special commissioner. According to the special commissioner system, Special Commissioner Ding is directly responsible to Prince Rui and is not supervised by any other unit or controlled by any official.

Like the imperial censor, it has a small weight.

As a bridge between Prince Rui and Governor Chen, if Commissioner Ding spoke ill of Governor Chen to Prince Rui, it would be very serious. He might kill Governor Chen's chance of a new life.

among.

Lao Chen has been in the officialdom for many years and doesn't know this truth.

After politely pouring a bowl of tea to Commissioner Ding, Lao Chen proactively asked: "So, what do you want me to do?"

The enthusiasm is very high, and it seems that the reassuring pill is taking effect.

"If the prince wants me to change things immediately,"

Lao Chen said that he was absolutely willing, but he needed to be given some time to win over the old troops. It would be best to bring more people and territory to join him. This would be regarded as a crime and meritorious service, and secondly, it could help the prince weaken the power of the Xinghan Army.

However, he did not say that he could mobilize men to attack Marshal Gu in Wuchang City. There is no need to explain the reason.

Weng and son-in-law are quarreling, and he, an outsider, had better not get involved in death, otherwise Prince Rui's daughter Gu Shuai will blow the wind on her pillow, and she will be as good as Chen Huizu.

Commissioner Ding hurriedly explained what the prince meant.

I just hope that Mr. Chen can continue to serve here and use his status as governor to penetrate downwards in an all-round and three-dimensional manner to catch all the officials serving the rebel army.

"Catch them all in one sweep" means to draw all demoted officials into the Mutual Aid Association, thus basically emptying the Xinghan regime and turning it into a rootless power, laying a solid foundation for the complete elimination of the Xinghan Army.

Commissioner Ding further explained: "Your Excellency may also know the relationship between the prince and this place, so the prince cannot bear to kill each other, so he proposed the concept of new peaceful thinking, that is, to eliminate the Han Dynasty army without harming the local vitality.

Thus achieving the final peace of Huguang.”

In principle, officials at or above the county level must become mutual aid members, while officials at or below the county level will do so on a case-by-case basis.

This is also the new policy adopted by Prince Rui when he took office as the president of the Mutual Aid Association, which is to adjust the previous high-level approach to a comprehensive approach.

Through the large network of mutual aid associations, all officials at all levels in the provinces, prefectures and counties are woven into the network, and then the officials who join through these networks will make the mutual aid associations bigger and stronger.

"Just so that my cooperation can become a force that can assist the prince in his quest for the throne?"

This sentence was said by Lao Chen.

Obviously, the pseudo-Governor of Huguang sensed political power from the prince's new policy.

Commissioner Ding nodded slightly: "Your Majesty hopes to gain the support of all officials of the Qing Dynasty in the future."

Old Chen's face was shaken and he said resolutely: "Please send the special commissioner to reply to the prince. I, Chen Huizu, am willing to lead all the officials in Huguang to carry the prince into the Forbidden City!"

"However, the prince has given other instructions,"

What instructions?

Even if Lao Chen goes offline, there are no conditions.

"Yes, of course there must be conditions, otherwise cats and dogs will sneak in."

Lao Chen thought that this should be the case and quickly asked what the conditions were.

Commissioner Ding gave a detailed introduction to the Governor-General about the relevant franchise concepts he had learned.

"Pay money to join the association in exchange for the prince's license?"

"That's what it means."

Commissioner Ding hoped that Mr. Chen could vigorously promote this franchise fee among those who were demoted in Huguang, so as to raise funds for the prince's military quelling the chaos and post-disaster reconstruction.

Lao Chen murmured in his mind about the license fee. Isn't it just redemption money?

But I can't help feeling that Prince Rui is indeed a great hero and a great person, with strategic vision and political wisdom that ordinary people cannot match.

In the face of the Qing Dynasty still having an absolute advantage, what did the demoted officials who surrendered to the Xinghan Army fear most?

Isn't it that the Xinghan army is finished and his own head is on the ground?

Now, Prince Rui thought what they wanted, and in the name of a special charter, he pardoned their crime of subduing thieves, and gave them the opportunity to make meritorious deeds. Such a good policy would definitely win the unanimous approval of demoted officials without him, the governor, working hard to promote it.
To be continued...