The knight in the big world of American TV series

Chapter 2258

Chapter 2259

Heimdall did not continue speaking after hearing what Gehr said.

Seeing Heimdall hesitate, Gerd's face remained expressionless, but deep down his heart sank... Sif had guessed correctly after all!

Sif told him.

Her brother Heimdall was an indomitable and stubborn man; he would never admit defeat or compromise. If Heimdall hesitated so easily… well, sorry, it wasn't that he wavered, but rather that he was plotting something else!

To put it simply, Heimdall's adherence to principles sometimes gave even Odin a headache!

Although Heimdall greatly respects Odin and regards him as his eternal sovereign, it does not mean that Heimdall will unconditionally obey orders; he has his own set of principles.

For example, sometimes Odin would issue commands due to his emotions... or rather, radical commands. These commands were undoubtedly chaotic, and no one else would dare to face Odin's rage. But Heimdall was different; he would stand up without hesitation and tell Odin that he would not obey Odin's commands!

In his view, Odin is completely irrational right now, and so are the orders he's giving. He'll wait for Odin to calm down and give the right orders!

This shows the difference between a true loyal minister and a treacherous minister.

Why do most emperors dislike loyal ministers and instead favor treacherous ones? Don't they know that loyal ministers are good for the country? Don't they know that treacherous ministers are not necessarily evil? Of course not. In fact, many incompetent rulers in history were not stupid. In fact, it could be said that those who were truly mentally unstable were a minority. Most of the time, incompetent rulers were not only not stupid, but quite intelligent.

It's just that loyal ministers really enjoy going against them!

First, the emperor certainly knew who the loyal ministers were, because even a fool could understand that. On July 24th, 304 AD, Emperor Hui of Jin fought against the rebel army and suffered a crushing defeat. He was wounded in the face and struck by three arrows. Officials and guards fled in disarray, but only the guard Ji Shao bravely boarded Sima Zhong's carriage to protect the emperor. When the rebel army arrived, they killed Ji Shao without hesitation, his blood splattering onto Sima Zhong's clothes. Afterwards, when servants wanted to wash the imperial robes, Emperor Hui immediately stopped them, saying, "These clothes are covered in Ji Shao's blood; do not wash them away." Emperor Hui was known to be a fool, but even he knew who the loyal ministers were and who truly cared for him. Even a fool knows who the loyal ministers are; how much more so should a shrewd emperor?

Zhou Yafu was the son of Grand Commandant Zhou Bo and held military power.

One day, Emperor Wen of Han inspected various military camps. When he arrived at Zhou Yafu's camp at Xiliu, the guards refused him entry, saying that the general had ordered that only the general's orders were obeyed, not the emperor's. Emperor Wen sent a messenger to Zhou Yafu, explaining that the emperor wished to inspect the army. Only then did Zhou Yafu come out to greet him. Dressed in full armor, Zhou Yafu only bowed to the emperor, explaining that he could not kneel due to his armor. The atmosphere in Zhou Yafu's army was solemn, and the soldiers' morale was high, which made Emperor Wen also solemn, and he solemnly inspected the troops. After leaving the camp, everyone felt a sense of relief. Emperor Wen was very satisfied with Zhou Yafu's inspection and praised him repeatedly. However, Emperor Wen secretly wondered: With the army so obedient to Zhou Yafu, what if something unexpected happened? Later, the Rebellion of the Seven States broke out, and the heavy responsibility of suppressing the rebellion naturally fell on Zhou Yafu's shoulders. Zhou Yafu's battle strategy was simple: let the King of Liang wear down the enemy while he cut off the rebels' supply lines. The King of Liang was fighting fiercely, constantly urging Zhou Yafu to send reinforcements, but Zhou Yafu ignored them all. This King of Liang was Emperor Jing's younger brother and Empress Dowager Dou's most beloved youngest son. But Zhou Yafu didn't care; Emperor Jing ordered an immediate rescue of the King of Liang, but Zhou Yafu refused, continuing with his planned strategy.

Just three months later, Zhou Yafu quelled the Rebellion of the Seven States.

In this battle, Zhou Yafu offended the King of Liang, and Emperor Jing of Han was also somewhat displeased, as a disobedient general was always a potential threat. Emperor Jing soon stripped Zhou Yafu of his military power and appointed him Chancellor. Emperor Jing wanted to depose Crown Prince Liu Rong, but Zhou Yafu disagreed; when the Empress Dowager wanted to ennoble the Empress's brother, Zhou Yafu said that Emperor Gaozu had said that no one could be ennobled without merit; and so on, the list goes on. Unable to continue as Chancellor, Zhou Yafu submitted his resignation, which Emperor Jing readily granted. Later, someone accused Zhou Yafu of treason, the evidence being that Zhou Yafu's son had purchased five hundred suits of armor. The emperor sent someone to inquire about this, but Zhou Yafu refused to answer, clearly angered that the emperor did not trust him. Upon learning this, the emperor berated him and imprisoned him.

The Minister of Justice asked Zhou Yafu: "Why does Your Excellency intend to rebel?"

Zhou Yafu replied: "My son bought burial items, how can that be considered treason?"

The Court of Justice said: "Even if you don't rebel on earth, you'll probably rebel underground!"

Zhou Yafu was beaten to death in prison. Was Zhou Yafu a loyal minister? Of course, he was. His actions were always guided by the highest standard of the nation's interests, which led to his strict military discipline and the creation of an elite army. In battle, he prioritized the overall situation, disregarding the perilous situation of the King of Liang. Such a person is naturally invaluable in times of national crisis, but in times of peace, he would certainly be disliked by the emperor. This is because his loyalty was to the national interest, not to the emperor himself. Therefore, he would not flatter or fawn over the emperor. We must acknowledge that although the Han Dynasty belonged to the monarch, the interests of the Han Dynasty and the emperor were not entirely aligned. Zhou Yafu was loyal to the Han Dynasty, to the Han family's rule, while the emperor demanded unconditional loyalty from him first, and then to the Han Dynasty.

Having discussed Zhou Yafu, let's now look at an example that is the exact opposite of him.

It's well-known that Emperor Qianlong loved to travel to the south of the Yangtze River, but this also presented a problem: each trip was a grand affair, costing enormous sums of money. The source of this funding was a question. The first four southern tours each cost over 400,000 taels of silver. When preparations were underway for the fifth tour, some officials began to object, arguing that the national treasury was empty. The ministers' arguments were valid, and Qianlong couldn't easily object. At this point, Heshen stepped forward, expressing his firm support for the emperor's southern tours, stating that the expenses were not a problem and that he himself would cover them. Of course, Heshen wouldn't personally foot the bill; he had already arranged for the funds to be primarily provided by Yangzhou salt merchants, along with tributes from local officials. A portion of this money went to the emperor's enjoyment, while a large portion went into his own pocket. Even before Qianlong's entourage set off, Heshen had already issued orders to the governors, river defense officials, salt commissioners, and salt merchants of all provinces, instructing them to expedite the dredging of roads, the clearing of waterways, the renovation of the imperial palaces, and the construction of dragon boats. Soon, preparations were complete across the land. The imperial palaces and gardens were renovated, and thousands of newly-built dragon boats filled the waterways, connecting all prefectures and cities by land and water. Emperor Qianlong thoroughly enjoyed himself. Heshen, without spending a single penny, had everything arranged flawlessly. Did the money spent by the salt merchants and officials go to waste? Of course not. With government permission, the salt merchants could recoup even more money, and while the officials contributed some, they could extort even more from the common people. As for Heshen himself, he naturally profited the most, becoming one of history's most notorious corrupt officials. Did Emperor Qianlong know Heshen was corrupt? Of course he did. In the Gansu famine relief embezzlement case, based solely on some clues, Qianlong followed the trail and uncovered a host of corrupt officials, demonstrating his shrewdness. The reason Qianlong didn't punish Heshen was because Heshen made him comfortable.

Although the emperor is called the Son of Heaven, he is also a human being, a person with the same emotions and desires as the general public. He has fears and vanity, so naturally, there are people who try to satisfy him in various ways.

During the Northern Song Dynasty, the Liao and Song armies were constantly at war. In 1004, the Liao army launched a major invasion southward, plunging the Song Dynasty into crisis. At this critical moment, Chancellor Kou Zhun strongly urged Emperor Zhenzong to personally lead the campaign. Emperor Zhenzong was terrified but reluctantly agreed. The Liao and Song armies clashed at Chanzhou, a city divided into a southern and northern section by the Yellow River. Emperor Zhenzong, upon reaching the southern section, dared not cross the river. Kou Zhun practically forced Emperor Zhenzong to cross. Emperor Zhenzong's arrival boosted morale, and the Song army ultimately won, signing a treaty with the Liao. But how much goodwill did Emperor Zhenzong have towards Kou Zhun? Perhaps in the moment of military success and the enjoyment of glory, Emperor Zhenzong was grateful to Kou Zhun. But afterward, no goodwill remained; after all, a minister who risked his life was better off without.

What did Wang Qinruo do?

After the Treaty of Chanyuan, Wang Qinruo seized the opportunity to suggest to Emperor Zhenzong the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai. Emperor Zhenzong was somewhat tempted, but still felt his own achievements were somewhat lacking. Wang Qinruo then persuaded Chancellor Wang Dan and devised a "heavenly book" to demonstrate that the Fengshan ceremony was the will of Heaven. Subsequently, led by Wang Dan, more than 24,300 people, including civil and military officials, foreign monks and Taoist priests, and elderly people, submitted five joint petitions requesting Emperor Zhenzong to perform the Fengshan ceremony. Emperor Zhenzong ultimately "followed the will of the people" and conducted the grand Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai. So, do you think Emperor Zhenzong preferred Kou Zhun, who pushed him to the front lines of military affairs, or Wang Qinruo, who put him on the front lines of the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai?

Treacherous officials are adept at reading between the lines, obeying the emperor's wishes, and upholding his authority. In truth, the emperor is well aware that both treacherous and virtuous officials are indispensable in the court, and their rivalry serves as a means of control. If anyone is disloyal, they will expose each other – this is the emperor's method of governance. The reason the emperor favors treacherous officials is that they not only know how to read between the lines but also how to please the emperor. Therefore, the emperor prefers treacherous officials to loyal ones. For example, if the emperor orders the construction of a palace, a loyal official will immediately object, arguing about the waste of resources and manpower. The emperor will immediately lose face; will the construction proceed? However, the treacherous official will seize the opportunity, obeying the emperor's wishes and resolutely upholding his authority. In reality, the emperor doesn't dislike all loyal officials, but rather those who oppose him, especially those who openly defy his will and are inflexible.

Secondly, treacherous officials are the perfect scapegoats for emperors. Throughout history, powerful ministers have always existed. For example, after the death of an old emperor, a young new emperor would be appointed to assist him. However, as these ministers gained more power, they would also develop ambitions. Meanwhile, the emperor, unwilling to be a puppet, would gradually cultivate his own power base, his confidants, until his faction was fully formed. Then, when the time was right, the ministers would be removed, and the emperor would regain the pinnacle of power.

Of course, this does not apply to Odin.

Odin himself possessed immense power and was not the kind of ruler who needed the backing of some so-called divine mandate; after all, he was the strongest being in Asgard.

He didn't need a treacherous minister to help him stabilize the court, nor did he need to worry about anyone trying to sideline him, and he certainly wouldn't worry about his subordinates becoming too powerful to control.

However, such an Odin would inevitably fall into a state of arrogance, because everyone could only look up to him, and no one dared to point out his mistakes directly.

But Heimdall dared!

Keep in mind, Heimdall was facing Odin!

Odin, you could say he's good—he's indeed very enlightened, gentle, and tolerant. But look at his early life; he was a complete tyrant!

Who can guarantee that Odin won't occasionally reveal his true nature?

Therefore, anyone who wants to face Odin needs immense courage!

Especially when Odin is enraged, courage may not be enough; it requires extremely strong mental fortitude.

Heimdall faced an enraged Odin more than once, and he refused Odin's orders without any mercy!

On several occasions, Heimdall was even seriously injured by Odin... Yes, Odin has become better, but that doesn't mean he has really become a nice guy. He has just suppressed his true nature... This old man has been fierce all his life. In his old age, he is just cultivating his character, not really putting out the furnace.

But Heimdall remained unchanged!

Therefore, Odin attached great importance to Heimdall.

Because he knew that Heimdall confronted his wrath not for his own reputation or anything else, but simply for Asgard!

That's enough.

Odin was a tyrant, but also a clever one. (In fact, few tyrants in history were fools; on the contrary, the more brutal the tyrant, the more intelligent he was... There are many examples.)

In fact, most tyrants in history were never overthrown, with Shi Hu being the most typical example!

This name isn't widely known, but in reality, if we were to rank tyrants in history, Shi Hu would be a strong contender for second or even first!

You can find out about this guy's past by looking into it; he's definitely an antisocial lunatic!

There's no one this guy can't kill!

Even his own son was no exception. There have been emperors who killed their sons, quite a few, but none like him. He truly tortured and killed his own son, and even invited all the civil and military officials to watch. His methods can no longer be called cruel, but perverted!

But this guy's rule was very stable; at least while he was alive, no one dared to rebel against him!

He used ruthless methods, specifically targeting the elderly and weak among the Han people, even strictly confiscating horses—a means of transportation and strategic resource—and anyone who dared to hoard them was immediately executed by being cut in half at the waist. Don't underestimate this tactic; it's similar to Qin Shi Huang's control over swords and ironware: without horses, how can you organize a cavalry? Without the means to defend yourself, how can you expect to revolt? Anyone who caused trouble would be wiped out by Shi Hu in a minute, and no one would dare to act recklessly again. On the surface, things were quiet, and "social stability" was restored. Shi Hu was more like a shrewd "community director," treating different ethnic groups and forces differently: for border tribes like the Qiang and Di, he offered them more benefits, higher positions, and promises of stability. If there were truly ruthless figures like Pu Hong and Yao Yizhong who openly advised him, he would give them face, making concessions as necessary, clearly not crossing their bottom line. But the voices of opposition never ceased: the common people cursed him as a tyrant, scholars shook their heads and sighed; even the minority nobles felt that Shi Hu was a master at manipulating people's hearts and minds, not a simple-minded "hot-tempered" man. Without the scales of justice, only bloody calculations remained, and everything was manipulated by power into a "unity of opposites": uniting with the strong, bullying the weak, and ensuring one's own survival.

So there are no fools among the rulers!

Although Odin was a tyrant, he was actually quite good to his country, at most he was a bit too militaristic.