HLnovel Chapter 287 Internal Conflict of the Yingchuan Party
Chapter 287 Internal Conflict of the Yingchuan Party
Chapter 287 Internal Conflict of the Yingchuan Party
Liu Yu was somewhat dissatisfied with Zhong Yao's words.
The ambitious people in the south have begun to take action. Can the court remain indifferent?
But he did not interrupt, but carefully observed Liu Bian's attitude.
He had not returned to Beijing for many years, and the Majesty in front of him seemed a little unfamiliar. Compared with a few years ago, he was more cunning and his actions were not as direct. The emperor's mentality was already deeply rooted in his heart.
After listening to Xun Yu and Zhong Yao's words, Liu Bian had a deeper understanding of the complexity of the situation in the south.
No one is easy to deal with. Yuan Shao's sudden action may hide a more sinister intention.
Liu Bian pondered for a while, looked up at Liu Yu, and said: "The Grand Marshal's Office should immediately come up with a response plan. I want to see it tonight. In addition, the Shangshutai and the Grand Marshal's Office respectively ordered the generals, governors, and county governors in the south to prepare and wait for the order!"
Liu Yu's expression brightened, and he raised his hand and said, "I accept your order!"
Xun Yu and Zhong Yao looked at Liu Bian, then looked at each other after a moment. They saw uneasiness and a certain determination in each other's eyes.
Xun Yu took a deep breath, and his somewhat mature face gradually became firm. He raised his hand and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, we have already discussed and decided to add more national policies on land in the 'New Deal'. I will submit a letter to your Majesty soon and ask for your approval!"
Liu Bian's eyes glowed brightly, and he sat up straight abruptly, saying, "Pan Yin, issue an order immediately to promote Xun Yu to the position of prime minister, Xun You to the position of left servant, Sima Jun to the position of assistant minister, and to lead all the departments!"
Xun Yu was startled when he heard this. He had not expected that there would be a sentence of "combining leadership of various departments". He immediately raised his hand and said, "I accept your order."
"No gift."
Liu Bian said calmly.
He breathed a sigh of relief. If Xun Yu and others insisted on not expressing their opinions, he would have no choice but to replace the prime minister, which would undoubtedly be a huge disruption to his long-term plans!
Fortunately, Xun Yu, Zhong Yao and others knew the big picture and finally compromised.
Xun Yu stood up, feeling inexplicably relieved.
The Majesty before me is too stubborn, stubborn and dangerous.
Liu Yu remained calm, but became increasingly curious and alert about the mystery between the emperor and his three ministers.
It was not until this moment that he deeply understood how complicated the political situation was.
Liu Bian gave a few more instructions, and Xun Yu, Zhong Yao and Liu Yu left at the same time.
Looking at the backs of the three people, Liu Bian narrowed his eyes.
Xun Yu was promoted to the position of Shangshutai because of his ability, but also because he had no qualifications.
In the past, he needed Yang Biao's prestige to stabilize the hearts of the gentry and the court so that he could gradually take back power.
Now that he holds great power, his goal is to implement the "New Deal", so he needs a prime minister who is capable but lacks prestige. Only in this way can his will be implemented!
Compared to many important figures in the court and the country, the qualifications of Xun Yu, Zhong Yao, Xun You and other members of the "Yingchuan Party" were too shallow.
After pondering for a while, Liu Bian's gaze fell on Liu Yu again.
This Taiwei, who was one of the Three Dukes when Liu Bian ascended the throne, was one of the Three Dukes along with Ding Gong and Liu Hong.
But the "Three Dukes" had long been in name only. Above them was General He Jin, who was in charge of the Secretariat, and there was also a eunuch party in the palace. It can be said that they were only in name only.
After Liu Bian succeeded to the throne, in a series of struggles with He Jin and the Yuan family, the positions of these three people tended to be "neutral", and their relationship with the Yuan family was even more unpredictable.
In the end, Liu Yu was sent back to Youzhou by Liu Bian, while Ding Gong and Liu Hong retired together under pressure.
Liu Yu was the only survivor of the three of them.
However, after being recalled to the capital after having lived in Youzhou for many years, his attitude was very different from before and he seemed quite warlike.
Although he was once Zhong Yao's old boss, he was not close to Zhong Yao. Instead, they were somewhat hostile to each other.
"It seems that we need to wait and see..."
Liu Bian was thoughtful.
I want to see Liu Yu's true attitude and what he will do in the Grand Marshal's Mansion.
Xun Yu, Zhong Yao and Liu Yu left the Chongde Hall. Xun Yu and Zhong Yao kept talking, while Liu Yu was an outsider and listened calmly.
"Prime Minister, Zhong Pushe, please take care." In front of the Jiade Hall, Liu Yu suddenly raised his hand and said to the two of them.
Xun Yu and Zhong Yao dared not be so arrogant, and quickly returned the greeting, saying, "Goodbye, Mr. Liu."
The three of them saluted each other in front of the Jiade Hall, which was rare, and showed great respect for each other.
Xun Yu and Zhong Yao walked towards the Secretariat. The imperial edict would be issued soon, so they could make some preparations.
The Shangshu Tai used to be very lively, but due to a series of changes, it is now empty, with only low-level officials busy at work.
With the arrival of the two, everyone knew that what had been planned long ago was about to happen, so they all greeted them and did not dare to be negligent in the slightest.
Xun Yu talked a few words with Zhong Yao and then sat down in a side room.
Zhong Yao thought about the things in the palace, sighed softly, and said, "Have you thought about what to say when you return?"
The reason why Xun Yu could be on equal footing with Xun You was mostly because he had the advantage of seniority. In terms of age, qualifications, and even ability, in the eyes of the "Yingchuan Party", he was no match for Xun You.
Zhong Yao had been in the Supreme Court before, running around, and was not good at forming cliques. Therefore, the real leader of the "Yingchuan Party" was actually Xun You.
Now that Xun Yu has made it clear in the palace that he wants to add the goal of "dividing the land" to the "New Deal", he must convince Xun You, who has always been opposed.
Xun Yu was not too worried about Xun You. He looked at Zhong Yao and said, "The Secretariat, the Grand Marshal's Office, the Six Departments, and Qingzhou have basically been completed. And for the south, all arrangements have also been quietly completed. Yuan Shu, Dong Zhuo, and Lu Bu are basically surrounded."
Zhong Yao responded to Xun Yu's gaze, his heart trembled slightly, and he suddenly sat up straight, almost losing his voice and said: "You mean, Your Majesty, are you ready to quell the rebellion?"
Xun Yu remained calm and said, "I have talked with Huangfu Jianshou. The soldiers of the Imperial Guards have been rotated to various places in recent years. Except for Youzhou, the best soldiers are basically in the Imperial Guards. Moreover, they will be transferred to Yanzhou and Xuzhou this year. Cao Cao still has 50,000 troops. All in all, the army that Your Majesty can fully control is more than 100,000!"
Zhong Yao's face was serious, and he said in a deep voice: "Stop Your Majesty!"
Xun Yu shook his head and looked at Zhong Yao in silence.
Zhong Yao was very clear-headed and said in shock, "You mean, Your Majesty wants to use the war in the south to force the 'division of land'?"
Xun Yu spoke up this time, saying, "It may not be rolled out, but some preliminary preparations can open up a gap without causing major changes. Under the cover of the war in the south, the government and the public may not be able to react in time."
Zhong Yao's eyes flickered continuously as he thought of various possibilities.
Xun Yu’s guess was very consistent with the temperament of the people in the palace.
But it's a huge adventure!
Firstly, the imperial court had no money and food and could not afford a war. Secondly, "dividing the land" would arouse the anger of the nobles and might cause a major change. Thirdly, those ambitious people in the south would get the opportunity to become more powerful!
Each of these is extremely detrimental to the imperial court and the Han Dynasty!
Zhong Yao was terrified, and for a moment he could not think of a solution, so he could only ask: "Since you have seen it, what do you think?"
Xun Yu remained calm and said, "The key lies with Lord Liu."
Liu Yu, the new Grand Marshal.
Zhong Yao immediately understood what Xun Yu meant. After thinking for a while, he said, "Okay, I'll go visit Lord Liu tonight."
After saying this, Xun Yu stood up and said, "Let's go. Gongda, I'm afraid Zhicai must be getting impatient."
Zhong Yao suppressed his thoughts and nodded.
The two of them exchanged a few words at the Shangshutai before hurriedly leaving the palace.
When they arrived at the Household Department, Xi Zhicai and Xun You were already waiting. When they saw the two of them coming in, Xi Zhicai said solemnly, "Not long ago, the Prince of Chenliu told me that His Majesty would not be short of Licao and Hucao. He came to see me on purpose. The palace may really be thinking of changing the prime minister!"
Xun Yu and Zhong Yao didn't expect this to happen, but they didn't show any expression.
The two men sat down one after another, and Zhong Yao said, "It's nothing serious. The palace will issue an order soon, and you can still lead the various departments."
Xun You noticed the expressions of the two people and asked, "What happened?"
Zhong Yao was very conscious of being a subordinate, and spoke before Xun Yu: "Nothing happened. It's mainly because Yuan Shao in the south has made some unusual moves. In addition, Wen Ruo and I promised Your Majesty that we would promote the issue of 'dividing the land' in the 'new policy'."
Xun You's worried expression gradually turned into a blank expression, and his tone was filled with anger as he said, "Don't you know the consequences?"
Zhong Yao pretended to sigh and said, "It's just to show an attitude, but the matter remains the same. There is no change from what we agreed on before."
They believed that the 'New Deal' had not been fully implemented, that they had insufficient control over the localities, and that 'dividing the land' was just empty talk.
Therefore, he adopted the strategy of "delaying" and delayed making any statement on the palace's request.
Xun You would never believe it. He ignored Zhong Yao and stared at him, saying, "Uncle, you should be the Prime Minister now. Do you know that if this news gets out, it will be enough to destroy you, me, and the Xun family, right?"
Xun Yu was silent for a while, and said, "This matter is impossible for at least ten years. As long as we keep our mouths shut, it won't be as terrible as expected, as long as His Majesty has not made it public."
Xun You sneered and said, "Even if the four of us keep our mouths shut, can Your Majesty wait for ten years? Taxes are decreasing every year, while expenditures are increasing. If civil unrest breaks out in Qing and Yan again, do you think Your Majesty will continue to be patient?"
Seeing Xun You's intense reaction, Zhong Yao glanced at Xi Zhicai and said, "Zhicai, did the Prince of Chenliu only tell you this?"
Xi Zhicai was also against the 'dividing the land', but not as direct as Xun You. He pondered and said, "The Prince of Chenliu seems to be trying to point something at us, but I can't figure it out."
"Humph,"
Xun You snorted, ignoring Zhong Yao's attempt to change the subject, and said to Xun Yu: "Prime Minister, what we need to do now is to use the 'New Deal' as an excuse to eliminate bad policies and revitalize the court. Instead of causing more trouble, I object to your inclusion of the 'division of land' content. I will go to the palace tomorrow and clarify this with His Majesty in person!"
Seeing that his 'uncle' had become the 'prime minister', Zhong Yao could not help but worry, and reminded him with a serious face: "Gongda, you know the emperor's attitude very well. The message from the Prince of Chenliu may be directed at you. Wen Ruo can be replaced as prime minister, but your position as minister of civil affairs can be replaced!"
Xun You remained calm, and instead became more determined, saying, "Do I care about power and position? 'Dividing the land' will inevitably cause chaos in the world, and it is absolutely not feasible! Not to mention the Minister of Personnel, even if you chop off my head, I will not agree!"
Seeing that the situation was about to get out of control, Xi Zhicai hurriedly interrupted and said, "Gongda, calm down. This matter is not enough for us to have such a conflict. In my opinion, we might as well wait and see. For now, there is no possibility of 'dividing the land', so we still have to steadily promote the 'new policy' and eliminate bad policies. As long as bad policies are eliminated and the administration is clarified, the situation in the court and the country will surely be better. By then, perhaps Your Majesty will not act according to his temper."
Xun You was very angry, but he did not lose his mind. He said with a sullen face, "How can I start this matter if I cannot speak of it? I will not agree to it, and the Ministry of Personnel will not accept it at all!"
Seeing how determined Xun You was, Xi Zhicai couldn't help but look at Xun Yu and Zhong Yao with a headache.
Xun You served as the Minister of Personnel for many years, and he appointed not only officials of all ranks in Luoyang City, but also people from all over the northern states.
If he insisted on opposing it, the court would face a lot of resistance if it wanted to implement it.
Xun Yu and Zhong Yao also understood Xun You, and given their relationship, they never thought that they would break up because of state affairs.
Xun Yu's expression was calm. He said, "Gongda, five years. How about you become the prime minister after five years?"
Zhong Yao and Xi Zhicai were shocked when they heard this. They never expected that Xun Yu would make such a promise!
Even Xun You was stunned and stared at Xun Yu with wide eyes.
The position of prime minister is second only to the emperor and above everyone else. Who wouldn’t want to sit there for life?
Xun Yu remained calm in the face of the surprised gaze and said, "As long as you keep quiet, I will make you the prime minister in five years."
Xun You and Xun Yu looked at each other, opened their mouths, but no sound came out.
It's not that he coveted the position of Prime Minister, but Xun Yu showed such great "sincerity" that he couldn't continue to speak.
Xun Yu was his cousin and also the prime minister. He would not be ruthless or even break off relations with him unless it was absolutely necessary.
In the small duty room, it is so quiet that you can hear a pin drop.
After waiting for a long time, Zhong Yao saw that Xun You didn't say anything, so he quickly said, "Gongda, I will protect you too."
Xi Zhicai was worried that if Xun You continued to insist, this uncle and nephew, the two most prominent people in the world, would go their separate ways, so he said, "Gongda, things haven't come to that point yet. You've seen Wen Ruo's difficulties. For now, let's just obey His Majesty and see how it goes along the way."
When Xun You saw both of them saying this, he frowned and looked at Xun Yu again.
Xun Yu looked calm and his eyes were clear.
Xun You felt very uncomfortable, but he sighed and said, "Forget it. It's really not a matter of urgency. Let's talk about the situation in the south."
When Zhong Yao and Xi Zhicai saw Xun You let go, they looked at each other, and the tense stone in their hearts suddenly fell to the ground.
Xun Yu recalled the feeling in the palace again, shook his head secretly, and somewhat understood the situation that Yang Biao had been in.
This time, before Zhong Yao could speak, Xun Yu said, "I suspect there is another reason for Yuan Shao's sudden dispatch of troops. I heard that Cao Cao wrote many letters to various shogunate offices in the south, ostensibly to keep in touch with old comrades. I suspect that Cao Cao may have used a strategy of sowing discord."