ushernet Chapter 288 Yuan Shu Wants to Become Emperor
Chapter 288 Yuan Shu Wants to Become Emperor
Chapter 288 Yuan Shu Wants to Become Emperor
The court was quite wary of Cao Cao. Now Cao Cao was stationed in Qiao County with 50,000 soldiers, which had already caused a lot of discussion in the court and the country.
When everyone heard the word "Cao Cao", they became sensitive instinctively.
Xun You looked unhappy and asked, "What does your majesty mean?"
Zhong Yao said: "Your Majesty has ordered the Grand Marshal's Office to prepare a response strategy."
Xun You looked serious and asked, "If Lord Liu is going to send troops, what are your plans?"
It was common knowledge among the government and the public that Liu Yu advocated "quelling the rebellion as quickly as possible". Once the matter was handed over to Liu Yu, war would surely be launched!
At that time, all the pressure will fall on the imperial court, or the Shangshutai!
Xun Yu was not panicked and said, "There are still three months before the summer grain harvest. There are too many variables in three months. Let's wait and see."
This was the nth time Xun You had heard the word "and" from Xun Yu. He couldn't help but look annoyed and said, "Don't you have a specific strategy? Are you going to keep waiting like this?"
Seeing Xun You getting angry again, Zhong Yao quickly stood in front of Xun Yu and said, "Gongda, Wen Ruo hasn't taken office yet. Besides, it's still too early to say anything about this now."
Xun You clearly felt that he was isolated.
With a flash of anger in his eyes, Xun You said with a sullen face, "You guys have a plan in mind, right?"
Xun Yu knew that his nephew was holding back his anger, so he nodded and said, "After the summer grain arrives, the total amount will not exceed 100,000 dan. In addition to the expenditures of various places, there are still many deficits to be filled, especially the expenditures of the Imperial Army Camp, which will account for more than half. Without money and food to supply the army to go to war."
Xun Yu's words were very tactful, but his attitude was very clear.
Xun You's expression lightened up a bit, and he said, "I heard that the palace is planning to transfer the profits of Shihou Paper and Money House to the inner treasury?"
As the Minister of Revenue, Xun Yu naturally knew about this and said, "In recent years, the palace has been extremely frugal. Not to mention the Queen Mother and the two ladies, even His Majesty has rarely changed clothes, and he eats even more frugally. His Majesty means that from now on, the expenses of the palace and the royal family will be paid by the inner treasury, and will no longer be borne by the Revenue Department."
Although Xun You was reluctant to give up such a huge profit, he nodded without saying anything, thinking that he would no longer have to support the palace and the royal family, and it was indeed a bit of profit.
Seeing that he had finally convinced Xun You, Zhong Yao changed the subject again and said, "The 'policy outline' must be drawn up as soon as possible and sent to the palace to avoid any more trouble."
The patience of the palace has obviously reached its limit. If they do not make their position clear, Xun Yu's position as prime minister will still be in suspense.
"Okay, we will review it overnight." Xun You agreed. Xun Yu's ascension to the position of prime minister was undoubtedly the most important thing for them.
Not only him, but also their Xun family and the so-called "Yingchuan Party" will benefit greatly!
Their Xun family will leap forward and become the largest family in the world!
With the glory of Yang, Yuan and other three generations of officials, their Xun family will only be stronger than them!
As the Chief Censor, Xi Zhicai did not care too much about these things. When he saw that the uncle and nephew of the Xun family had reconciled their differences, he got up and left.
Zhong Yao also felt that they should be given some space to be alone together, so he said goodbye as well.
There was a subtle rift between the uncle and nephew of the Xun family, but they did not show it on their faces. They talked to each other calmly and expressed their ideas on the "Policy Outline".
That night, the Household Department and the Personnel Department were brightly lit, and many people from the court and the public came and went, offering suggestions and advice on the new prime minister's "policy outline" and checking for omissions and shortcomings.
The next morning, the freshly prepared "Policy Outline" appeared on Liu Bian's desk.
"It seems that we have to put pressure on them."
Liu Bian drank tea while flipping through the thick "Outline of Policy Administration".
There were basically no major changes in the beginning, and Liu Bian was looking for what he wanted.
Sure enough, after the "land survey" and "household registration" in the "new policy", there is a subtle reminder that "the imbalance of land acreage needs to be rectified."
Liu Bian nodded secretly and said, "Promulgate the decree."
Pan Yin, who was not far away, stepped forward and said, "Yes."
Having said that, he turned and walked out.
Liu Bian examined this "policy outline" with a thoughtful look.
The imperial court had basically completed the generational change, except for one thing missing - appointing a crown prince.
Liu Bian was firm in his attitude towards this matter and would not appoint a crown prince too early.
But the "Yingchuan Party" made concessions, and he, as the emperor, had to give something back.
Liu Bian thought for a long time, then suddenly smiled and looked up at Lu Yu who was writing seriously on a small table not far away, and said, "Lu Yu, how about I send Shao'er to your home for foster care?"
Lu Yu was startled, then raised his hand and said, "Your Majesty, I have no elders in my family, and I am afraid I cannot take good care of Your Highness."
Liu Bian looked at Lu Yu, nodded slightly, and said, "Just saying it casually."
If Lu Zhi were still alive, it would indeed be an option.
Liu Bian looked around the court and there seemed to be no suitable one, so he waved his hand and said, "It's just a casual remark, go ahead and do your thing."
Lu Yu stared at Liu Bian for a while, then retracted his gaze and continued writing.
It was a tradition in the Han Dynasty for princes to be fostered among the common people.
On the surface, it was for "support", but in fact, it was also for the purpose of protecting the prince by allowing him to avoid the palace struggles.
Liu Bian himself was once fostered in the home of a Taoist named Shi, who was known as "Shi Hou".
With Liu Bian in the past, if Liu Shao was fostered outside the palace, it would have a sense of "self-evident".
However, there don't seem to be any good options.
Dong dong dong
Suddenly, hurried footsteps were heard outside the door.
Pan Yin rushed in and said, "Your Majesty, Envoy Zhu is gone."
Liu Bian raised his eyebrows, his expression suddenly became lonely, and he sighed silently.
This was also something that had been expected.
Zhu Jun had resigned repeatedly last year and could not hold on any longer this year, so Liu Bian brought him to Beijing to recuperate. But in fact, everyone who had met him knew that he could not hold on for long.
It is true that none of the 'Three Heroes' are left.
Pan Yin and Lu Yu saw the sadness on Liu Bian's face and dared not say a word.
After a long while, Liu Bian let out a long breath, supported himself on the table and stood up, saying, "Go and see them off. Order... Liu Xie to take Shao'er to the Li Cao to deal with the aftermath of Zhu Qing's family."
"Yes." Pan Yin responded softly.
People in the palace knew about it, and those outside the palace were not slow to catch up either.
Those who wanted to please Liu Bian rushed to the Zhu family to pay their respects; those who did not want to do so secretly felt sorry. Many great figures of the same era felt sad, lamenting the ruthlessness of time.
With the passing of Zhu Jun, many high-ranking officials in the court, who were connected to the political situation, vaguely felt that the Han Dynasty was about to bid farewell to the old and usher in the new.
While preparing for Zhu Jun's funeral, the palace successively issued orders to fill the vacancies for the prime minister, the left and right deputy prime ministers, and the ministers of various departments.
The Shangshu Tai, which had been vacant for more than a month, welcomed a new owner.
Xun Yu was different from Yang Biao. He took the lead in carrying out drastic reforms, opening up direct links between the Secretariat and the Six Ministries. Half of the Six Ministries' secretaries were also concurrently appointed to the Secretariat, which made many government affairs run smoothly and greatly improved efficiency.
June of the fifth year of Yonghan.
Chancery desk.
Liu Bian sat in the main seat, with Xun Yu, Zhong Yao, Xun You and Sima Jun on his left and right.
Xun Yu looked tired and said to Liu Bian: "Your Majesty, regarding this year's cultivated area, the numbers reported by various states vary greatly. According to the supervision of the Censorate, from the county to the prefecture, to the state, and then to the court, the numbers are decreasing layer by layer..."
Liu Bian looked solemn and listened attentively.
Xun Yu said a lot. When he finished, Zhong Yao saw that Liu Bian did not give any instructions, so he continued: "Your Majesty, the summer grain harvest is coming soon. According to the estimates of the Shangshutai and Hucao, it should be similar to last year. However, it is only June and there are heavy rains everywhere. I am worried that it may be another disaster year."
The "disaster year" is a calamity for the common people, and a major threat to the country's destiny for the imperial court!
What is now directly reflected in the Han Dynasty court is that taxes have been sharply reduced, and an unknown amount of money and grain is needed for disaster relief.
Liu Bian looked at Xun You and said, "Don't you know that the Six Caos are at the county level?"
In order to strengthen control over local areas, one of the important contents of the "New Deal" was to set up six corresponding departments in states, counties, and counties, which were under the dual jurisdiction of the local areas and the six departments.
Xun You raised his hand and said, "Your Majesty, we are currently pushing for the county level, but the county level involves too many things, and there are tens of thousands of officials who need to be selected. The Ministry of Personnel is stepping up the process."
There were too many counties in the Han Dynasty. There were more than a hundred counties in Sili alone, and a county had at least thirty officials of all ranks in the six departments. When the numbers were added together, it would be a terrifying number!
What comes with it is a larger salary every month.
Liu Bian pondered for a moment and said, "I have discussed with you before whether we can try to combine the troops of some counties?"
Zhong Yao listened and said, "Your Majesty, the Shangshutai also has a plan for this matter, but it involves the prefectures and counties, so we still need to discuss it carefully with the officials of various places and plan it carefully."
Hebing County concerns the resettlement of many official titles and the people under them. If it is forced through, it will inevitably cause chaos.
Liu Bian hummed and said to Xun Yu: "There are so many things to do. Thank you for your hard work, Prime Minister."
Xun Yu had slept less than two hours a day recently, and was busy day and night. He bowed and said, "I dare not. Your Majesty, I plan to leave the capital next month to inspect the summer grain in Yanzhou and Jizhou, and to check the progress of the land survey."
The "Land Survey" was implemented for nearly three years amidst the turmoil, but every time the figures were reported, no one believed them, not only Liu Bian, but even the Six Ministries.
Liu Bian seemed to be thinking deeply, and said: "Prime Minister, should we set up a special agency and have special people supervise this matter, instead of the court pushing it in general?"
Xun Yu's expression slightly changed, and he asked, "Your Majesty, do you want to send an imperial envoy?"
Liu Bian blinked. His original intention was to set up a special group in the court to handle this matter.
But Xun Yu's words reminded him.
The difficulty of "measuring land" lies not in the court but in the local areas.
If local officials and aristocratic families do not cooperate, no matter how hard the court tries, it will be in vain.
If an imperial envoy is sent, it will not only suppress the local county magistrates and prefects, but also intimidate those aristocratic families.
Liu Bian glanced at Zhong Yao, Xun You, and Sima Jun, and asked, "What do you think?"
Xun You paused and said, "Your Majesty, if it is under the Secretariat, I am afraid I am not qualified. If it is the Censorate, it will involve political affairs. I request that an official from the Censorate be appointed as a deputy to assist."
Liu Bian agreed with Xun You's words and said, "Your words make sense. Not only the Censorate, but also the six ministries should send people to follow and make careful plans. For those who resist the new policy, no matter how big or small the official is, they will be dismissed first and then punished!"
"We obey your orders!" Xun Yu, Zhong Yao, Xun You and Sima Jun all raised their hands in response.
Liu Bian felt relieved. Without the obstruction of old man Yang Biao, he could speak and act more efficiently.
"What does Sima Qing's family think?" Liu Bian took the teacup from Pan Yin and looked at Sima Jun with a smile.
This person has not been in good health recently and coughs from time to time, but he is not in poor health. He works diligently and never slacks off.
Sima Jun was a rather special figure in the imperial court.
Sima Jun was in his eighties and was the eldest of the Yingchuan family. Zhong Yao, Xun You and others could barely be considered his sons, and Xun Yu, the prime minister in his early thirties, could definitely be considered his grandson.
Of course, it’s just age.
Therefore, the court and the public all politely addressed Sima Jun as "Sima Gong".
Sima Jun himself was very indifferent to power, fame and wealth. He did not fight for them and seldom spoke in court meetings.
Therefore, even though he was born in Yingchuan, no one classified him as a member of the "Yingchuan Party".
Seeing Liu Bian calling on him to ask questions, Sima Jun's face was as calm as a pine tree, and he said without any emotion, "Your Majesty, I think the court's current priorities are to govern the officials and to quell the rebellion. There must be a certain order of importance, otherwise we will be caught off guard and fail at everything."
Liu Bian looked at him and smiled, "What do you think of priorities?"
Sima Jun remained unmoved and said, "I think we should put down the rebellion."
As soon as these words came out, Xun Yu, Xun You, and Zhong Yao all looked at him.
"Quelling the rebellion first" was Liu Yu's idea, and he was not the only one who had this idea. He had the support of many generals, governors, and county magistrates, and he had formed a force of his own.
Xun Yu and the other two were a little surprised. Could it be that Sima Jun had sided with Liu Yu?
Liu Bian disagreed and said, "Sima Qing, tell me in detail..."
Before Liu Bian could finish his words, Lu Yu suddenly opened the door, ran in hurriedly, his face extremely solemn, and handed a letter to Liu Bian.
"Your Majesty, a secret letter from Danyang." Lu Yu came close to Liu Bian, bowed, looking uneasy and with panic in his eyes.
Liu Bian was a little curious. Lu Yu's temperament was like his father's. He was always calm. What happened to make him so flustered that he barged in without knocking?
Xun Yu, Xun You, Zhong Yao, Sima Jun and others all stared at the letter that Liu Bian received, feeling suspicious.
Liu Bian opened the letter, raised his eyebrows after just a glance, and then kept raising his eyebrows.
This letter was sent by the Imperial Palace's spy in Yuan Shu's court, summarizing the intelligence during this period.
The first was that Yuan Shao did not send troops, but Sun Jian and Liu Biao joined forces to capture Danyang and besieged Yuan Shu in Kuaiji County.
The second is that Lu Bu worshipped Dong Zhuo as his adoptive father and sent troops to Langya County. Sun Jian withdrew his troops to defend and defeated Lu Bu.
Third, Yuan Shu personally led the army and defeated Liu Biao, almost annihilating his entire army. Liu Biao retreated to Yuzhang and refused to leave.
Fourth, as Sun Jian withdrew to defend Guangling County, Liu Biao retreated, and Shi Xie of Jiaozhi knew that it was impossible to do anything, so he retreated to Nanhai County. Yuan Shu effortlessly expanded his territory again, almost exactly the same as last time!
The fifth one is the most interesting. Someone found a stone from the Yangtze River with the natural word "holy" on it and presented it to Yuan Shu. Yuan Shu was so excited that he even thought of becoming emperor!