Chapter 850 - 67: Crossing the Highest Mountain, Pressing On Despite a Thousand Obstacles!

He deeply understood that directly abolishing imperial rule at this time would be nothing more than a fool’s dream, and would immediately place the Gu Clan in a position to be attacked by all.

His wisdom lay in "inheriting the ancient and initiating the new, embedding change within the constant."

He cleverly drew nourishment from existing systems such as the "Chamber of State Affairs deliberations" and the "Three Departments and Six Ministries," transforming and elevating them, eventually sketching an unprecedented blueprint for "cabinet co-governance."

Indeed, it was the cabinet system.

Under Gu Hui’s conception, the Emperor remained the symbol of the state and the representative of the highest ceremonies, but the actual power to govern the country was handed over to a permanent "cabinet" composed of multiple prominent ministers to wield.

The Chief Minister of the cabinet was effectively the head of administration, responsible for national affairs.

Still bound to the Emperor.

But as long as he allied with the entire cabinet, he could constrict imperial power.

Furthermore, below the cabinet, imitating Gu Yu’s conception, relatively independent core departments like the Finance Department, Military Affairs Office, and Censorate were established.

The highest officials of these departments could be cabinet members, but their operations had independent regulations; the appointment and removal of department heads required certain procedures, neither the Chief Minister nor the Emperor could decide unilaterally, forming an internal balance.

This is also just the foundation.

It also included expanding the scope of "deliberating politics," not limited to high-ranking court officials, but also absorbing renowned scholars, retired virtuous ministers from various places, and even some representatives elected by local areas, forming an institution like a "Consultative Council."

Although this institution didn’t have final decision-making power, it had the authority to scrutinize major policies, propose bills, and supervise cabinet governance, ensuring that decision-making could hear voices from broader segments.

This is multilateral checks and balances.

Ensuring that no one entity dominates forever, whether imperial power or the cabinet, both need to be constrained by various people.

"This is not treason, it is solidifying the foundation!"

"Making the power of the world not rest on the wisdom or folly of one person, but entrusted to the wisdom and constant system of many people."

"The Zhao family can still enjoy ancestral temple worship, and all the people under heaven can also achieve lasting peace."

"Cabinet co-governance is not to seize Zhao’s world, but to ensure Zhao’s world does not perish quickly, and moreover to protect the world’s common people from suffering the pains of cyclical tumult!"

In the study, Gu Hui muttered to himself incessantly while pouring out everything that spontaneously sprang from his mind.

At this moment, he was like a potential dragon trapped in thorns, glimpsing the firmament above the clouds in a flash!

Days of deep contemplation, countless times of overturning and starting afresh, the subtle truths in the books of former sages, and the world-shocking insights in the manuscripts before him finally collided and merged in his mind.

"Yes! Yes!" he muttered, his voice trembling slightly with excitement, "The world is not the world of one person, but the world of all people!"

"From the Three Dynasties onwards, the reason for the cycle of order and chaos lies in attaching the weight of the world to the rise and fall of one family and surname, entrusted to the mind and strategy of one person, this is attempting eternal peace by chance, how can it last?"

"To break this situation, not by replacing violence with violence, but by establishing rules unchanging for eternity, implementing the reality of collective deliberations and balances!"

"The monarch still maintains his position as the symbol of the state and the cornerstone to stabilize people’s hearts."

"Yet the power of governance should mimic the co-governance of wise ministers of antiquity, establish a cabinet to command key affairs, its members filled by those with virtue and talent, collectively deliberating on national matters, with the Chief Minister bearing overall responsibility, in major matters jointly deliberating to decide, so that power does not fall exclusively into the hands of one person!"

His gaze became increasingly sharp, as if already seeing the outlines of the new system unfolding clearly before him: "Then establish Finance, Military, and Censorate departments, each specializing in its duties, mutually maintaining."

"Finance handles the income and expenditure of the country, unless by statutory budget, even the Emperor cannot arbitrarily take;"

"Military manages expeditions and defenses, power to deploy troops also requires joint deliberation, preventing the calamity of rampant militarism;"

"Censorate is independent, hears and submits matters, from the monarch to clerks, all are subject to inspection, to serve as a warning!"

"Furthermore, open the path for speech, establish a Consultative Council, and admit wise men from all directions, and representatives from counties to participate in consultations."

"So that the heights of the temple can hear the distance of the rivers and lakes;"

"So that the popular will of scholars, farmers, workers, and merchants has a pathway to resonate with the heavens!"

"This way, collective thoughts can be gathered, loyalty and benefit can be expanded, deficiencies and omissions supplemented, preventing orders from being absurd and perverse!"

"The implementation of this law is not an usurpation, truly it is mending the world!"

"Using the wisdom of the many to replace the unilateral decisions of one; using constant regulations to replace transient orders."

"So that Zhao Song’s nation can escape the cycle disaster of rise and fall; so that Kyushu’s million people can enjoy the blessing of long-term peace and stability!"

He seemed madly possessed, expressing his thoughts.

And that entirely new system, in these endless days and nights, leapt onto paper.

Gu Yi had been silently watching all of this, unable to control the tension in his heart, no matter what, he could not calm down.

This could certainly be called a system that transcends the era.

Even though it appeared only on paper.

Everything Gu Hui has done this time is essentially bringing the historical struggle between imperial power and ministerial power to the surface, giving it a more detailed legitimacy.

But precisely because of this, this move can be called epoch-transcending.

— To know, the appearance of the Gu Clan has already brought too many, many changes.

The position of Grand Tutor due to the presence of the Gu Clan.

It has already surpassed Chancellor.

This made much of the historical struggle between imperial power and ministerial power fade away invisibly.

This is both a good thing and can be called a bad thing.

The good is that it spared Kyushu many times of upheaval, allowing an era to become more splendid, and reducing the tumult generated within it.

The bad is that this move invisibly intensified the conceptual foundation of familial rule.