At noon on July 4, Xiang Xiaoqiang took a car to the palace and had lunch with Zhu Yourong.
Lunch was served in the cool waterside pavilion in the imperial garden. Except for Wei Zijin who was waiting on the porch, the other maids were standing in the distance. Bamboo curtains were put down on all sides of the waterside pavilion, and only the shadowy figures of the two people could be seen from the shore.
But what they said could not be heard.
Now the relationship between the two is a semi-open secret. Before, none of them would have dared to have lunch together in such an ambiguous way - just the two of them alone in the same room, and the atmosphere was so romantic.
Zhu Yourong ate very elegantly, one bite at a time, while looking at Xiang Xiaoqiang almost obsessively, looking at the way he was eating, as if he couldn't get enough of it. This was the first time that Zhu Yourong had done this since Xiang Xiaoqiang came back from the northwest.
Gaze at your sweetheart calmly and contentedly.
Xiang Xiaoqiang said vaguely while peeling the shrimps with his hands, dipping them in condiments and eating them:
"...So, are you really determined? Are you really ready...to hand over your power?"
Zhu Yourong held his chin with one hand and stroked carelessly on the table with the other hand. He stared at Xiang Xiaoqiang, nodded slightly, and showed a charming smile.
Xiang Xiaoqiang lowered his head to peel the shrimp, but when he didn't hear the answer, he raised his head:
"Huh? Really?"
Zhu Yourong smiled softly and nodded.
Xiang Xiaoqiang chewed the shrimp and asked again:
"Hmm...don't you regret it?"
Zhu Yourong nodded and smiled:
"It's enough for me to have you."
He threw down the shrimp shells to Xiaoqiang, took the towel to wipe his hands, and said:
"Well, it's okay, I have to get to this point anyway. To be honest, this is consistent with my thoughts. I also want to leave the vortex of power and take a few confidants to enjoy happiness, such as traveling around the world and opening mines.
Speculating in stocks, speculating in houses, etc..."
Zhu Yourong's eyes flashed with surprise, and then he smiled crookedly and said with a chuckle:
"Really?... Come on, you're not trying to make me happy, are you?"
Xiang Xiaoqiang smiled and said:
"Why should I make you happy? If I want to make you happy, I should object to you giving up power. I should say that Ming Dynasty cannot survive without you. Only then will you be happy. And you know, as long as the power is in hand, all
Everyone will want to make you happy. But once the power is gone, no one will be interested in making you happy. Haha, at that time, I will be the only one who can make you happy all day long."
Zhu Yourong lowered his head and smiled, but his smile was even sweeter.
Xiang Xiaoqiang smiled again and said:
"Of course, whether you hand over power or I hand over power, there must be prerequisites: first, nationalization of the military, and second, regular cabinet elections to ensure that Mussolini cannot be replaced. Otherwise, we will hand over power once
, if the power of the country does not fall entirely into the hands of politicians, then it is better to let the emperor be in power securely."
Zhu Yourong raised his head, showing surprise and admiration, and said:
"It's true, we have the same thoughts... I knew it would be the right thing to discuss this matter with you."
…
What he said to Xiaoqiang was really from the bottom of his heart. He knew that he would leave by the end of 1940, which would only be three and a half years. If he was just by himself, he could spend the remaining three and a half years.
He used it all to seize power, enjoying the pleasure of all his strength until the last minute. He could even make full use of his close relationship with the Queen to become a powerful minister with one hand, and turn the power in his hands into one that is not subject to supervision.
And that kind of power is the most irresistible.
But as these beauties marry one after another, and as Qiu Huhu, Shang Xiaojun, and Ye Ziyu become his relatives one by one, Xiang Xiaoqiang gradually feels that he can no longer just think about himself. He must now consider himself What to do with these lovers and relatives after leaving. He thought about it and felt that the most foolproof way was to use the remaining three and a half years to do two things: first, to fight all possible battles. ; The second is to fully assist Zhu Yourong in establishing the democratic system of the Ming Dynasty.
The word "democracy" looks good and sounds good, but it is not mysterious at all, let alone sacred. To put it bluntly, the first is to prevent public power from being too concentrated; the second is to not allow public power to be too concentrated For anyone's private use.
By doing these two things, after leaving Xiang Xiaoqiang, they can be sure that their family will be safe. And with the wealth they left behind, they can still live a life like gods.
To achieve the above two things, we must ensure two things: checks and balances—preventing public power from being too concentrated; competition—preventing public power from being given to anyone for private use.
…
At present, Xiang Xiaoqiang is most worried about Shen Rongxuan. If he leaves in three and a half years, and Shen Rongxuan takes the People's Guard into his hands, he may even override Zhu Yourong. Then he will launch a coup. , arrest all the army leaders and replace them with his own people... then he will become the actual ruler of the Ming Dynasty.
But thinking about it on the other hand, Shen Rongxuan is constantly against himself and often makes himself feel constrained. Doesn't he also have the same worries as himself?
There is no doubt that Shen Rongxuan is also worried about Xiang Xiaoqiang using the People's Guard to "carry out another coup and become the de facto ruler of the Ming Dynasty." Xiang Xiaoqiang's current power, relationship with the Queen, and relationship with the military, I think If you move towards dictatorship, it will be more convenient than Shen Rongxuan.
Xiang Xiaoqiang's current plan is: I will leave in three and a half years. But before I leave, I must first divide the highest power. The first is to nationalize the army. The army and navy are originally nationalized. This mainly refers to the People's Guard. Yes, the People's Guard is basically my private army at present, but I will leave in more than three years and this army cannot be taken away, so let's "nationalize" it Now, let it be no one's private army.
The second cabinet is re-elected regularly, so Shen Rongxuan should stop worrying about "one person is less than ten thousand people" and just run for office with the opposition party. My Rong Rong can still sit there and watch from a high position. Although My wives have no rights and seem to be weak, but as long as you have the slightest intention of persecuting them, the opposition party and the parliament will seize the opportunity and justifiably remove you from power. - Of course, if the new government wants to deal with Rong, If Rong and my wives are not in a good position, then you, Shen Rongxuan, can seize the opportunity and pull them out of office. Under this mechanism, weak people who have no power will feel very safe. And as long as they have votes , and will also become the target of various governments competing to please.
So no matter how ambitious you Shen Rongxuan is and how narrow-minded you are, I'm afraid there's nothing you can do except "serve the people wholeheartedly."
…
Of course, Zhu Yourong didn't know Xiang Xiaoqiang's plan now. She thought that Xiang Xiaoqiang was really as "noble" as herself and was willing to give up power at a young age for the sake of the country.
How could Xiang Xiaoqiang not see that Zhu Yourong was moved now? He thought that he should seize the opportunity and pursue the victory.
He reached out, gently grabbed Zhu Yourong's hand across the table, and looked at her affectionately.
Zhu Yourong was very nervous and tried to withdraw her hand, but failed to break free. She glanced left and right, slowly lowered her head, and a blush appeared on her neck and cheeks.
Xiang Xiaoqiang stared at her and said affectionately:
"Rongrong, like you, I deeply love this country and the people on this land. But... people will change. We are all young and simple now, and it is easy to do something for something.
Ideals, giving up one's own real interests for some noble ideas. But what about when we get old? When we get older,
Will we become self-willed and greedy for pleasure? When we get used to the huge power in our hands and the flattery and flattery of people around us, will we feel that all this is natural? Is it possible?
Do you feel that the entire country owes us? Do you feel that it is we who feed the people of the whole country, not the other way around?
"Yeah...Rongrong, I think the same thing as you. Even if we don't do this, even if we never change, we will be the same as we are today when we grow old. How can we guarantee that our children will be the same as us? How can we guarantee that our children will be the same as we are today?"
Relatives, are our seven aunts and eight aunts the same as us? You know, because we have unlimited power, the people we love will also become the objects of everyone's efforts to please.
...and they may not love this country as much as we do...They will become an unfettered privileged class, like the powerful people of the Northern Qing Dynasty...In a few decades, this class will slowly carve up the people.
Wealth will divide up the existing opportunities in Ming society, and divide up fairness and justice...Our Ming Dynasty will also become the second Northern Qing Dynasty, and the results of decades of constitutional reform will be wiped out."
Zhu Yourong's hand had turned around and was holding Xiang Xiaoqiang's hand tightly. She stared at Xiang Xiaoqiang, tears streaming down her face, but the smile on her face was very happy. She nodded and said with choked sobs:
"Come on...I really saw the right person...my lover is indeed...a person with the same goals as me..."
Xiang Xiaoqiang also stared at her, took a deep breath, and said softly and affectionately: