Chương 743: In the voting for Chapter 743

"Then what do you think would be a suitable name for the Grand Secretariat?" Liu Ce pressed.

Zhuge Liang nodded slightly, his tone calm yet each word forceful:

"In my opinion, Zhaoji Pavilion is a suitable candidate."

The founding of this dynasty, and the shared prosperity of the nation, perfectly correspond to the founding heroes and veteran generals who followed the emperor into the new era. Our dynasty's foundation arose from humble beginnings and emerged during a time of chaos, all thanks to your personal efforts.

The words "foundation" not only refer to achievements but also to the foundation. Future generations, upon seeing this pavilion, will understand that the empire was hard-won and how its foundation began.

As soon as he finished speaking, Xun Yu stepped forward to add to the list, his expression solemn:

"I agree with Kongming's words."

In addition, the Wen Pavilion can be called Xiping Pavilion, which means a prosperous and peaceful world, corresponding to the merits of civil officials in governing the world; The Martial Pavilion can be called the Radiant Might Pavilion, corresponding to the achievement of displaying military might in all directions and dominating the world.

The Grand Secretariat emphasizes fundamental principles, the Civil Secretariat emphasizes governance, and the Military Secretariat emphasizes prestige. Only when these three are in harmony can our dynasty demonstrate its balanced civil and military strength and usher in a prosperous era.

Liu Ce nodded repeatedly, increasingly satisfied as he listened, and casually waved to the eunuch beside him:

"Quickly, memorize these names: Zhaoji Pavilion, Xiping Pavilion, Yaowei Pavilion. Mark them carefully. Don't forget any."

The eunuch quickly agreed, wrote it down neatly, and even drew a circle around it.

Seeing that everyone had almost finished speaking and had collected nearly twenty names, Liu Ce smiled and raised his hand to quiet them down, and the hall instantly fell silent again.

"The names everyone suggested today are all good, each with its own rationale, and I have taken note of them all."

He glanced at the people below the steps, his tone slightly teasing:

"After you go back, you should all think about it again, whether it's the name or the charter. If you have any good ideas, write them down and submit them tomorrow."

Once the name is decided, the Ministry of Works will immediately begin construction, selecting the best craftsmen and using the finest materials to build a beautiful, sturdy, and durable structure that can last for a thousand or eight hundred years.

He paused, then added with a smile:

"As for who can enter this pavilion, don't rush to think about the rankings in private. Work hard and make good contributions. As long as you have enough merit, not only will your portrait be put in the pavilion, but you might even have a statue erected for you in the future."

"Keep up the good work, or you'll be embarrassed in front of the younger generation if you haven't made it into the building by then."

The assembled officials burst into laughter, then cupped their hands and shouted, "Your Majesty is wise! We will certainly do our utmost!"

Each of them had a smile on their face and their eyes were full of hope.

After the court session ended, the officials walked out in twos and threes, still talking about the name of the pavilion as they went.

The generals gathered together and argued about which name was more imposing. Zhang Fei shouted, "Dingding Pavilion is better!" while Yuchi Gong said, "Zhenhuang Pavilion is more majestic." The two argued until their faces turned red.

The civil officials were still arguing about which name was more in line with etiquette and had a more classical feel, while Tian Feng and Ju Shou were still debating whether "Maoxun" or "Yiyun" was better.

Even the most laid-back senior officials couldn't help but mutter a few words to those around them, analyzing the situation back and forth.

No one noticed that many people were walking with a lighter pace than usual.

After all, who doesn't dream of "going down in history"?

I used to think that was something from history books, something far away. But now it's different. Once the pavilion is built and the portrait is hung, it's there in the real world, and future generations can see it.

Just thinking about it gives me a surge of energy.

Liu Ce sat on the dragon throne, looking at the noisy crowd below as they walked out, and shook his head with a smile.

It doesn't matter if people argue about the name.

Most importantly, the hall full of meritorious officials and the newly conquered empire finally have something to remember them by future generations.

..................

A few days later, there was another court assembly at the Liangyi Hall.

Anyone with eyes can see that... no one's mind is on the memorials at all.

Minister of Revenue Shen Wansan stood in the hall, holding the account book and reading aloud this year's summer grain harvest. He read until his mouth was dry and his saliva was almost gone.

"... total summer grain output increased compared to last year..."

Grain prices are stable, and grain reserves are sufficient...

He read it very seriously, but the people below all had wandering eyes and seemed distracted.

He would occasionally glance at the two young eunuchs standing in the corner of the hall, and at the pile of bamboo sticks and copper bowls they were holding.

His eyes were like those of a cat that hadn't eaten for three days and was staring intently at a fish.

Even the censors, who usually love to nitpick the Ministry of Revenue's accounts, were unusually quiet today.

They all had their heads down, their fingers unconsciously rubbing together inside the sleeves of their court robes, their lips moving slightly as if muttering something, clearly their minds were preoccupied with something else.

—Let's vote on the name of the Hall of Meritorious Officials!

Who cares about how much summer grain was harvested?

Summer grain is available every year, but the naming of the Hall of Meritorious Officials is a once-in-a-lifetime event!

Looking at the distracted state of the people below, Liu Ce, sitting on the dragon throne, couldn't help but chuckle to himself.

After Shen Wansan finished reading and bowed to retreat, Liu Ce raised his hand and tapped the armrest of the dragon throne, getting straight to the point without beating around the bush:

"Alright, I see no one is really interested in the accounts of money and provisions. Everyone knows we have important business to attend to today: the voting for the naming of the Hall of Meritorious Officials."

"I won't beat around the bush; let's get straight to the point. The sooner we submit them, the better, so you won't be distracted and end up making mistakes when approving the memorials."

Upon hearing this, the entire hall instantly became lively.

As if they had been called on by the teacher for daydreaming in class, everyone straightened their backs, stretched their necks out halfway, and stared at the copper bowls and bamboo sticks in the corner of the hall.

That excitement was like receiving lucky money during Chinese New Year.

Two young eunuchs stepped forward swiftly.

A long white silk scroll was unfurled and hung on a pillar in the hall with a "whoosh".

The names of the seventeen candidate pavilions were neatly written on the paper, with a line of small print explaining each name below it. The print was large, as if to make sure that the officers with poor eyesight could not read or understand it.

They are: Maoxun Pavilion, Yiyun Pavilion, Qianqiu Pavilion, Dingding Pavilion, Zhenhuang Pavilion, Zhaoji Pavilion, Taijie Pavilion, Baize Pavilion, Xinghan Pavilion, Lingxiao Pavilion, Hunyi Pavilion, Chenji Pavilion, Tuoyu Pavilion, Wanshi Pavilion, Longen Pavilion, Linfeng Pavilion, and Jinglin Pavilion.

A densely packed row, it looks lively.

"There are seventeen names in total. They were all suggested by you a few days ago and selected from the best of the best."

Liu Ce pointed to the long scroll and said with a smile, "The rules are simple: each person gets a bamboo stick, and whichever name they like, they put it into the copper bowl corresponding to that name."

Come forward one by one, and no whispering allowed... Of course, if you're really unsure, it's okay to ask the person next to you, just don't make a fuss.

We're all old buddies, it's all about playing fairly.

As soon as he finished speaking, a murmur of discussion arose from below.

In the ranks of military officers, Yuchi Gong nudged Qin Qiong with his elbow and shouted in a low voice, though it was still quite loud:

"Uncle Bao, which one do you think is better? I think Dingding Pavilion is awesome, it sounds like the spirit of us conquering the world! Zhenhuang Pavilion is also good, it's domineering enough!"

Hey, which one are you going to vote for? Give me some feedback.

Qin Qiong didn't reply, but glanced at the seventeen names, nodded slightly, and already knew what was going on.

Unlike Yuchi Gong, he valued the word "foundation" more and actually preferred the Zhaoji Pavilion.

But he didn't say anything, and just watched as Yuchi Gong scratched his head in frustration.

Guan Yu, sitting in the front row, stroked his long beard, his phoenix eyes slightly narrowed. His gaze lingered on the three characters "Zhaoji Pavilion" for a moment, then he remained silent.

But those who know him well know that Guan Yu's expression means he approves.