Chapter 681: Chapter 306: Returning to the Country as Monarch and Minister_3

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As for the other benefits gained after the development in the southwest, such as the acquisition of various resources, the opening of trade routes, and so on, it is countless.

In short, as Chu State grows stronger, all the people in the country can benefit from it, except for those defeated losers.

Don’t you see those criminals who were exiled to Qianzhong County? Although they were exiled, once they arrived there, they were given wives and children, fertile land, and houses. In a moment, they had everything they lacked.

Life became perfect in an instant.

Aren’t all these benefits?

“Greetings, Your Majesty.”

Upon seeing Lu Yuan’s carriage arrive, Cui Changqing and the others immediately bowed down to pay their respects.

“Hmm, my loyal subjects, please rise.”

Lu Yuan got out of the carriage and personally helped Cui Changqing up.

Once the latter stood up, he carefully looked at this important minister who had helped him handle various internal affairs during his absence, while also coordinating the supply of food and fodder to the front lines, and couldn’t help but feel moved.

After just a short two years, Cui Changqing, who could be regarded as his own Xiao He, had aged as if he were five or six years older, with white hair all over his head and wrinkles and spots all over his face.

If it weren’t for the other party’s eyes radiating with brightness and vigor, Lu Yuan would have thought of him as an old man like a candle flickering in the wind.

However, even so, he knew clearly that this minister was barely surviving by relying on this vigor alone.

Once this energy was gone, or completely drained, his life would come to an end as well.

When would this time come?

Lu Yuan’s divine sense trembled slightly.

At this rate of consumption now, Cui Changqing might not endure another two years.

“Prime Minister, I’ve been away from the kingdom for two years, and you’ve been through a lot.”

Finally, Lu Yuan didn’t say anything about letting the other party rest, so as to take advantage of the remaining energy and live another two or three years.

It was because, from the other party’s eyes, he saw the determination and expectation.

“Your Majesty led the army on the Western Expedition, conquering many states and expanding the land by thousands of miles. This extraordinary feat commanded the world. As a minister, I only held my duty at home, supported the people’s hearts, and provided food and supplies. I dare not claim the credit.”

Facing Lu Yuan’s words, Cui Changqing remained humble and respectful, and his words were full of joy.

As Lu Yuan achieved victory after victory, this old minister’s identification with and expectation for Chu State grew deeper and stronger.

Especially now that Chu State had expanded its territory to seventeen prefectures and annexed three vassal states, the land area had doubled.

Including vassals, Chu State’s land reached around five counties.

With such a huge territory, it was not far behind the eight counties of Da Yue before the annexation of Jinghai Country.

In the meantime, Chu State had also become the hegemonic power in Yangzhou, standing side by side with Ning Country.

All these achievements made Lu Yuan’s initial aspiration and goal to unify Yangzhou and build a prosperous and peaceful era increasingly realistic and achievable.

Now, with Lu Yuan’s efforts, more than half of this grand goal had been accomplished.

The other half of the goal was also in the process of being achieved rapidly.

As a participant, especially one in such an important position, Cui Changqing felt that his life goals and values had been greatly realized.’

Cultivating Oneself, Managing a Household, Governing a State, and Bringing Peace to the World.

In terms of Cultivating Oneself, he was a respected scholar with profound knowledge, famous throughout the world of Pre-Yue.

In terms of managing a household, his son-in-law was the Right Prime Minister and soon to become an Innate, with his family being prestigious and adhering to strict family discipline, never having a bad reputation spread.

In terms of Governing a State, since he took office as the Left Prime Minister, Chu State had become increasingly prosperous, healing the wounds of war and developing a peaceful and prosperous landscape.

In terms of Bringing Peace to the World, Chu State continued to expand its territory, now holding five counties, and the unification of Yangzhou was just around the corner.

Cui Changqing had reached the pinnacle in achieving the four life goals of a scholar, his accomplishments drawing the attention of the world.

If there was any regret, it would probably be that, due to his old age and limited time, he wouldn’t be able to witness the day when Chu State unified the entire Yangzhou and started a new era of peace and prosperity.

But this slight regret didn’t matter much.

Cui Changqing believed that even after his death, his disciple and son-in-law Sun Siwen would inherit his will and continue to assist King Chu in the unification of Yangzhou, carrying on his unfinished business and making it even more glorious.

With Sun Siwen in the picture, there would be no more regrets.

And what he needed to do was to continue to dedicate his abilities to make Chu State stronger while he was still capable of serving King Chu.

At the very least, he needed to help the king make the seventeen prefectures developed during the Western Expedition prosperous and stable, and establish them as the foundation of Great Chu.

In this way, with these contributions, along with his previous achievements, Cui Changqing would undoubtedly become the top-ranked Prime Minister of Great Chu after his death.’

Cui Changqing thought to himself.

Everyone in life always has their own pursuits.

He was not greedy for wealth or lustful, only wishing to leave behind a good reputation.

Assisting King Chu to dominate the world and becoming the top-ranked Prime Minister of Great Chu was Cui Changqing’s life pursuit.

It was only by making such achievements, to be remembered in history and admired by countless scholars in the future, that his life in this world would be worthwhile.

It was because Lu Yuan knew this that he didn’t say anything about letting the Left Prime Minister rest.’

Besides, in the current situation when Sun Siwen was busy cultivating in seclusion and trying to break through Innate,

Lu Yuan could not find a second person with enough prestige, and whom he could trust, to take over the heavy responsibility of managing the country from Cui Changqing.

Chu State couldn’t do without this old minister at present.

Sighing silently in his heart, Lu Yuan patted Cui Changqing’s shoulder, encouraging with a smile, “Prime Minister, you are too modest. Without you managing the country and coordinating all parties, I would not have been able to focus on confronting the enemy on the front lines and achieve such success.”

“In terms of martial arts, I am the best in Great Chu.

In terms of civil administration, Prime Minister, you are the head of Chu State.

The everlasting feats of our Great Chu cannot be separated from the Prime Minister’s efforts.”

At the city gate, in front of a crowd of officials and people, a harmonious scene between the monarch and his ministers ocurred on stage.