Chapter 363: Minister of Rites (Twenty-one)
The essence of representative democracy is responsible politics. The greater the power, the greater the responsibility. This is also the characteristic of New China. The pressure on a group with almost unlimited liability can be imagined, and similarly, the power such a group possesses can also be imagined.
Although 50,000 troops were fighting in Hebei, Huo Chong still ordered the Ministry of Rites to start the election. When this order came out, there was a fierce shock inside the military academy. All the students tried their best to see Qian Qing, hoping to get the latest news from the eldest sister.
Qian Qing was a member of the Ministry of Rites. Seeing that the guys who came to see him finally tried to become members of the Ministry of Rites, he felt a little relieved. Before, when these big men faced the Ministry of Rites, they would raise their chins higher than their foreheads. They really didn't want to take the Ministry of Rites seriously.
However, Qian Qing could only pretend to be submissive. This was no longer the time to recruit new personnel. He had to let the current members of the Ministry of Rites implement the Ministry's system first.
Yu Qian received the notice and immediately began to carry out the order of the Ministry of Rites. When the members of the Ministry of Rites in the army heard about this, they all came to Yu Qian and asked him what he thought.
Yu Qian felt embarrassed when asked this question. In the past, Yu Qian always followed Huo Chong's lead. Although he had been learning knowledge from senior sister Qian Qing, Qian Qing was Huo Chong's spokesperson, so following Qian Qing was equivalent to following Huo Chong.
At this time, the Ministry of Rites gave Yu Qian the same feeling. Since Huo Chong was also a member of the Ministry of Rites, following the Ministry of Rites meant following Huo Chong.
But Yu Qian was somewhat surprised by the opinions of the various people in the army. Yu Qian could not judge the right or wrong of what these people said, but he could feel that they probably wanted to guess the court's judgment criteria first, and then make their own judgments based on these judgments.
Yu Qian endured it at first, but later he couldn't stand it anymore and directly called a meeting, saying straight to the point: "Your Majesty has given orders, and we will naturally obey. What's more, His Majesty's orders are just for us to tell the truth. Maybe everyone wants to make His Majesty happy, so they want to make a decision that will please His Majesty . But if everyone does this, won't His Majesty be in trouble?"
Many people were speechless after being scolded by Yu Qian. However, some people still expressed different opinions, "Chief Yu, if our suggestion is rejected by His Majesty, it means His Majesty is magnanimous and does not care. What about our face? Didn't Chief Yu think of leaving some face for us?"
Yu Qian disagreed. "Why should we save face in front of His Majesty? At most, we are wrong. So what? His Majesty has long said that the so-called right and wrong judgment is not really right or wrong, but a determination of attitude."
The opponents here immediately continued to object, "You are just quibbling when you say that."
Yu Qian was about to argue with him, but someone asked, "Chief Yu, His Majesty said that judging right and wrong is just an attitude. What do you mean by this?"
Upon hearing this, the opponents immediately expressed the hope that Yu Qian would first explain to everyone what this view was about.
Yu Qian never opposed learning. He picked up a pen and tapped the back of his hand. "If a needle pierces the back of your hand, you will feel pain. Do you think this is right or wrong?"
"Of course it is."
After hearing that everyone had a common basis, Yu Qian asked, "Is it right or wrong to feel pain?"
This question immediately divided the crowd. Most people thought this was wrong, but a few felt that Yu Qian had more to say and did not dare to immediately agree that feeling pain was wrong. They could only remain silent .
After all, no one has ever discussed or debated such issues before.
Yu Qianjian saw that everyone's understanding was still at the same level as his own several years ago, so he told everyone the question Qian Qing raised several years ago, "We can correctly feel pain because our body system is normal. Is this correct?"
Everyone in the army was forced to learn biology, and at least they learned a lot of physiological knowledge. After thinking for a while, everyone was forced to agree with this very materialistic view even if they disagreed.
After establishing the logical basis, Yu Qian brought the question back to the beginning, "So what's wrong with feeling pain when a needle is inserted into the back of the hand?"
Logic is not a profound subject that is out of touch with the world. Fundamentally speaking, logic is a very down-to-earth subject. Anything analyzed from a logical perspective will become very simple and clear.
The members of the Ministry of Rites obviously did not have the opportunity to receive training in this area since childhood like Yu Qian did. They scratched their heads and discussed the logical chain proposed by Yu Qian for a long time before finally reluctantly admitting that what Yu Qian said made sense.
Even so, everyone was still unhappy. Someone immediately questioned Yu Qian, "No one wants to feel pain, so isn't it wrong to feel pain?"
"There are two foundations of logic. The first is that the logical form must be valid. The second is that the proposition form must be correct." Yu Qian could only start lecturing to the members of the Ministry of Rites first.
It took a lot of effort to explain the two basic principles of logic to everyone. Although many people still don't quite understand them, they are no longer completely unfamiliar with them.
Only then did Yu Qian ask, "Let's not talk about whether pain is right or wrong. I want to ask everyone, is pain a cause or a result?"
The members of the Ministry of Rites had not received systematic education in logic, so they had another heated discussion on this issue. In the end, everyone finally agreed that pain was the result.
"Since pain is the result, the result can only be right or wrong. In other words, it hurts or it doesn't hurt. This does not involve right or wrong. Because when the body is injured, it will feel pain. Pain as a result only proves whether the body is normal. It has nothing to do with right or wrong."
After another round of discussion, at least 30% of the members of the Ministry of Rites had suddenly realized something. The remaining 70% also fell into a trance. Although pain is commonplace for soldiers, they have never really thought about what pain itself is.
After all, we get used to things that we take for granted.
Yu Qian divided the course into three days. The first day was completed. On the second and third days, Yu Qian brought out everything he had learned. After much persuasion, he finally made everyone understand that pain is just a feedback that allows the body to receive information and be reminded. Finally, the experience was accumulated. Next time when encountering the same situation, the physical memory will prevent everyone from having to go through it again.
Conversely, the same is true for so-called mistakes. As long as the Ministry of Rites does not use everyone's mistakes as a tool to hurt everyone, but understands everyone's views on things based on the so-called mistakes, then what does it matter if the so-called wrong views are raised?
Besides, it is human instinct to propose what one thinks is right. Normal people try hard to propose the right proposal, but still feel that they are unable to do so. Isn't it a normal human reaction for everyone to want to understand Huo Chong's judgment and then propose the right proposal?
After going through so much trouble, he only managed to explain a problem that could be solved with just one command from Yu Qian.
Some people think this is a waste of time, while others think they have really learned something. Regardless of which side it is, they all decided to deal with the Ministry of Rites regulations honestly according to their own ideas.
Seeing that this group of people finally calmed down, Yu Qian went back and took a nap.
It was just such a simple thing, but Yu Qian felt happy, yet exhausted as if everything had been drained out of him.
Thinking about how her teacher and senior sister were able to do things effortlessly, Yu Qian was envious for a long time before falling asleep.
Some of the other branches were able to do what Yu Qian did, but some could not. From their performance, Huo Chong could feel whether these people had "told the truth and done practical things" as required by the Ministry of Rites' charter.
It was already April and the weather was getting hot. Seeing that all branches understood the decision of the Ministry of Rites, Huo Chong ordered each branch to elect its own branch representative to attend the higher-level meeting of the Ministry of Rites.
The election results of each branch came out. Qian Qing frowned as he watched, and couldn't help but ask Huo Chong, "Sir, what kind of monsters were elected? Many people have never heard of them."
"Election, that's it." Huo Chong consoled Qian Qing. Although Huo Chong consoled Qian Qing, he was actually quite worried. Although Huo Chong had no intention of manipulating the election, he still hoped to see the people he sent out be elected.
Unexpectedly, half of the selected people were people I had never heard of. Or maybe I had heard of their names but didn't dare to simply fight against those people I had heard of.
However, elections are like this. Huo Chong was very clear about this. He even tried to comfort himself. When the TG held elections, didn't they also elect many very different people? The policies implemented by those people did indeed deal a heavy blow to the revolutionary cause.
After the election stabilizes, Taizu will be elected as the core leadership and will take power.
Huo Chong desperately told himself, perhaps there are many desirable talents among these unknown members of the Ministry of Rites?
In May, the first general branch meeting of the Ministry of Rites was held in Xuzhou. Fifty-seven representatives of the Ministry of Rites, including Yu Qian, came before Huo Chong.
Huo Chongming said: "Comrades, should we study for a few days first, or hurry up and select the Minister of Personnel."
Someone immediately asked, "Why doesn't Your Majesty concurrently serve as the Minister of Personnel?"
"I thought I could certainly hold both positions. But what happens next?" Huo Chong asked.
"What's next?"
"When I die, what will happen to the Minister of Rites? If the emperor is not capable enough and serves as the Minister of Rites, wouldn't it ruin the Ministry of Rites? So the emperor cannot serve as the Minister of Rites at the same time."
After hearing what Huo Chong said, everyone just thought that Huo Chong was right. As for where he was right, no one cared.
Finally, as Huo Chong said, the Minister of Rites was elected. Huo Chong then ordered the 57 representatives elected by the Ministry of Rites to each present their views on the development of the Ministry of Rites.
After all, as the Minister of Rites, one of his duties is to make the Ministry of Rites better, especially to enable the Ministry of Rites to develop effectively and to enable its members to gain more personal liberation after entering the Ministry of Rites.
Many members of the Ministry of Rites came just to attend the meeting and get close to Emperor Huo Chong. They neither thought they could become the Minister of Rites nor wanted to compete for the position of Minister of Rites.
There are only a few people left who are willing to run for the position of Minister of Rites, such as Luo Yiren and Gong Yu.
Yu Qian had no intention of running for election, but Qian Qing found Yu Qian and asked, "Why don't you run for election?"
"With the senior sister here, how could it be my turn?" Yu Qian replied quickly.
"I won't run for the election." Qian Qing sighed. However, after she finished speaking, a blush suddenly appeared on her cheeks. Qian Qing looked radiant. But Yu Qian felt that this senior sister was not the senior sister she was used to. Although she didn't know what to say, she had an indescribable feeling of... estrangement.
Although Senior Sister Qian Qing was strict in the past, she took everyone's affairs to heart. Qian Qing gave Yu Qian the feeling that what Qian Qing was thinking had nothing to do with everyone else.
Since the senior sister had given the order, Yu Qian did not refuse. Since the senior sister had spoken, Yu Qian felt that it was not his turn to refuse. So he started to prepare with several other electors.
Huo Chong set the election process, and Yu Qian followed it step by step. Luo Yiren and Gong Yu made their campaign announcements first.
Gong Yu was very conventional and talked about the expectations that Huo Chong had once expressed to the Ministry of Rites.
Luo Yiren was more straightforward. He started with the current tasks of the Ministry of Rites and talked about how to start with the system and strive to build a mechanism in which everyone in the Ministry of Rites would first transform from a ghost to a human being.
Yu Qian was particularly envious of the other elders' eloquent stories. As for the gap between him and these people, Yu Qian was very clear. These people had been studying since childhood, which was much better than himself. He did not go to school in his childhood until he was bought by teacher Huo Chong and then he began to read and learn to write.
Just as he was thinking about the past, it was Yu Qian's turn. After Yu Qian went on stage, he looked down at the audience and saw that there were only about fifty people. Yu Qian also felt that everyone's attention was not focused.
When he was in the army, Yu Qian had seen many such situations. He began to talk as he usually did, "Excuse me, everyone, do you know what the right to vote and the right to be elected are? Do you know?"
Just this one question surprised many people. Yu Qian thought everyone knew it, but judging from the looks of many people, they actually didn't know.
Yu Qian had no choice but to flip through his notebook and found the entry, "On the second day of February this year, the Ministry of Rites issued Document No. 00205, which specifically talks about the right to vote and the right to be elected. If you have studied it... you will know it after studying it."
The reason for the pause was that Yu Qian was somewhat surprised to find that many people really didn't know. But they didn't know about the right to vote and the right to be elected, but they came to participate in the election. This was also a bit funny.
Unable to help it, Yu Qian briefly told everyone about this part.
In the Ministry of Rites, the right to vote and the right to be elected are one of the basic political rights of its members.
Who has the right to vote and who does not is determined by the rules of the Ministry of Rites. Basically, all members of the Ministry of Rites who are over 18 years old have the right to vote, regardless of their ethnicity, race, gender, occupation, family background, religious beliefs, education level, property status, or length of residence.
However, members of the Ministry of Rites who are under the age of 18 only have the right to vote but not the right to be elected.
The right to be elected in the legal sense refers to the right of the people to be elected as a member of the state power organ. It is also one of the basic political rights of citizens. Except for those who have been deprived of political rights according to law, everyone has the right to be elected. For the Ministry of Rites, it is not the national law, but the regulations of the Ministry of Rites. As long as you meet the three basic conditions of the Ministry of Rites and fulfill the corresponding procedures of the Ministry of Rites, you can enjoy the right to vote and the right to be elected.
At this point, Yu Qian suddenly realized that something was wrong. So this was linked to the country. At first, Yu Qian just memorized it by rote and took notes. Now when he read it again, he found that the meaning inside was much more profound than when he first studied it. The internal information content was also really scary.
For example, recording the content in a notebook in a very perfunctory manner.
All people with Huaxia nationality are citizens of Huaxia. Citizens of Huaxia are equal before the law. The state respects and protects human rights. All citizens enjoy the rights stipulated by the Constitution and laws, and must also fulfill the obligations stipulated by the Constitution and laws.
Citizens of the Chinese Dynasty who are 18 years of age or older, regardless of their nationality, race, gender, occupation, family background, religious beliefs, education level, property status, or length of residence, have the right to vote and to be elected, except for those who have been deprived of their political rights in accordance with the law.
Yu Qian was really scared. But this was not the time to carefully study the content of the right to vote and the right to be elected. Yu Qian picked up what he could do.
If Yu Qian is elected, what he has to do is to strengthen learning and help everyone learn the content they are supposed to learn first.
For example, Yu Qian used the example of a discussion with the military leadership about whether pain was correct. After some discussion, many comrades changed their views.
In the past, those comrades would shout "endure the pain", "suppress the pain", "don't think about the pain". Now at least some comrades have begun to treat pain correctly. From a scientific perspective, pain is regarded as feedback from the body, and many military techniques and tactics, including training, are adjusted based on the feedback. Some people even discuss battlefield psychology.
Although Yu Qian thinks that these studies are very rudimentary and may even come up with all kinds of nonsense opinions and conclusions in the early stages, he believes that this is the right direction.
Therefore, Yu Qian believed that if he became the Minister of Rites, the most important thing would be to organize more effective learning so that everyone could become more professional as quickly as possible and acquire stronger abilities and cognitive levels.
Unlike Yu Qianxiang, the applause from the comrades was very enthusiastic, no less than that of the previous speakers. After the presentation, it was time for questions.
Yu Qian soon discovered that Luo Yiren had cleverly added logic training to his answer. Previously, Luo Yiren had emphasized the need to put the systematic exploitation of farmers by the social system in the forefront, but now he began to talk about how to use the tools of logic to make more people understand the internal relationship here.
Yu Qian didn't care if his work was borrowed by others, because he never thought that he might be selected.
