Chapter 167 Court
Chapter 167 Court
The main hall of the imperial palace.
As the words fell, it was as if a cold wind swept through the hall. Some people pursed their lips, some lowered their eyes, and all the officials in the court remained absolutely silent. However, as if thunder sounded in their ears, everyone perked up.
"The eagle watches the wolf."
The emperor repeated in silence.
Old Man Yue could almost hear his own heart pounding.
In the past, Sima swore an oath pointing to the Jianjiang River in Yizhou, but later broke his promise. He relied on his longevity to outlive three generations of powerful rulers, and finally stole the national treasure, leaving a bad reputation for eternity.
Historical books describe him as having the eyes of an eagle and the back of a wolf, describing him as greedy, cruel, and ruthless, and he will definitely be a disaster for his country in the long run.
All the ministers were thinking secretly. Prime Minister Yan fits the image of the ancient Sima family very well. He had the same longevity and the same tremendous power.
If time goes back half a year ago, this "praise" might not have caused such a stir.
However, the Taoist leader is fighting with the Lord of the Great Snow Mountain in the Far North, and the outcome is unknown. The ancestor of the Imperial Palace's Chief Seal is about to pass away, and his whereabouts are kept secret.
When problems arose between the two great masters who were the pillars of the country, it had an immediate and direct impact on the imperial power.
If everything was fine, even if the auspicious beast Qilin died, the emperor would not need to hold a grand court meeting to show his attitude.
Just like a meteorite falling from the sky or a solar eclipse, when faced with unpredictable astronomical phenomena, someone must stand up and take responsibility. In the most serious cases, even the emperor needs to publicly admit his mistakes and issue an edict of repentance.
The auspicious Qilin beast that had long accompanied the founding emperor died today. This was like a symbolic event, sounding a wake-up call.
Barbarians invaded the border, Jiangnan was in rebellion, and the evil cult was rampant.
At this moment, similar thoughts emerged in the minds of all the ministers.
——National destiny.
Before the demise of a dynasty, it was difficult for people in the vortex to notice the coming of major changes.
At the front row of all officials, the old and frail Prime Minister Yan said nothing.
"I would like to report that Hangzhou County fell half a month ago. Three rebels occupied the city and gathered tens of thousands of people. The local county lieutenant was killed in the battle."
"I would like to report that the Annan Governorate led its troops out of the country, and the King of Annan was arrogant and disrespectful, and his crime should be punished."
"I would like to ask the Ministry of Revenue to allocate funds to provide disaster relief as millions of refugees have crossed the Yangtze River and are heading north. The capital is overcrowded.
……
The ministers submitted their reports one by one.
In the corner of the main hall, Chu Fuqiang had a serious expression on his face, as if he saw the surging waves.
Judging from the content of the memorial, Daqian was at the end of its dynasty.
The emperor was devoted to practicing Taoism and required a stable environment. Therefore, Yan Shoufu, who advocated stability, became powerful in the court.
But as rebellions arose and local governments continued to suppress them, military groups continued to grow and demanded a higher political status.
At the same time, internal divisions arose among the aristocratic family groups that were closely united under Prime Minister Yan.
Half of the representatives of the Jiangnan families in the court submitted petitions requesting imperial decrees. Faced with an increasingly chaotic situation, they hoped to receive sufficient military support to resist the rebels and protect their property and land.
As the former Minister of War and spokesperson for the pro-war faction, Yue represented the interests of a collective, which is why he was able to rise quickly after losing power and become a giant in the court again.
Chu Fuqiang lowered his head and kept silent.
At the moment, it seems that it is just a collective attack on Prime Minister Yan by court officials, but in fact it is a change in the general direction of the court. Without the strong support of the two grand masters for the imperial power, the long-standing dissatisfaction of the localities with the central government has backfired, and the military group is eager to obtain power that is consistent with the chaotic situation.
Behind this major event, there were at least several governors and powerful military heroes. They were the direct victims of the eunuch in charge of the seal who acted on behalf of the emperor to assassinate the world.
The premeditated auspicious beast case set the stage, with the attack on Prime Minister Yan as the fuse, and then relying on the military victory of the gun to control Longcheng as support. "A new noble is about to be born."
As a veteran who had been writing reports for many years, Chu Fuqiang had already figured out that this huge military group had two representatives, one was the Minister of War, and the other was the Earl of Suppression of Rebellion. The two had the same interests and were natural political allies.
From the very beginning, when the emperor appeared, he tried to shirk the responsibility for the death of the auspicious beast Qilin in an attempt to make a big deal out of a small matter. It seemed that Prime Minister Yan had a prosperous royal family and his favor remained unabated because he was the tentacle of the imperial will. The emperor could not easily admit his mistakes, so as a glove, Prime Minister Yan had to bear the consequences.
The imperial power is supreme.
This is based on the fact that the emperor represents the interests of all groups.
The situation is turbulent and the beams and pillars are shaking.
The emperor had to redistribute the internal layout.
In short, it's about adjustment and concession.
Above the main hall.
The last senior official submitted a petition:
"Your Majesty, the country is in turmoil, and martial artists are breaking the law by relying on their strength. I ask Your Majesty to show mercy and establish martial arts academies in various places, modeled after academies, to select the best and recruit the best, to cultivate elites to suppress rebellion and bring peace to the world."
A brief moment of silence.
From beginning to end, the emperor only raised his eyebrows slightly when he heard the word "peace".
"Approved. Let the cabinet handle it."
Faced with the temptation, the emperor chose to agree.
Everyone was vaguely aware of one thing: Prime Minister Yan, who had held sway over the government for thirty years, was about to fall.
What defeated him was not politics, but the sudden change in the world situation.
Just as all officials were digesting this omen.
The emperor suddenly said, "The Grand Secretary of the Imperial Palace, Lu Guanwen, will go directly to the Cabinet. Yue Qing, you and Master Lu are both pillars of the country, but Master Lu is older and more prudent, so the power of drafting should be handed over to him."
Old Man Yue was stunned at first, then his face turned pale.
He committed a big taboo. This time, he attacked Prime Minister Yan, and all the officials reported to the emperor. Although the effect was remarkable, the voices were so loud that he could not avoid the suspicion of forming a clique for personal gain.
Three years of waiting made him neglect defense when he was planning an attack. In comparison, Prime Minister Yan, who remained silent throughout, had a chance to escape unscathed.
At this moment, many ministers looked a little confused, and it took them a while to realize that Lu Guanwen, the Grand Secretary of the Taoist Palace, was the name of the leader of the Wudou Dao.
As a grand master who has lived to the age of thirty, Lu Daoshou is certainly qualified to hold the power of drafting bills and become the prime minister in the true sense.
The most crucial thing is that the Taoist leader is now only in a decisive battle with the Lord of the Great Snow Mountain. His life or death is unknown, but he has not died.
In this situation, if the military group wanted to go further, it would be tantamount to challenging the imperial power and the majesty of the grand master at the same time.
In the corner of the main hall, Chu Fuqiang stole a glance at the emperor. The emperor had clearly expressed his dissatisfaction and casually performed a Tai Chi move, almost eliminating the fierce attack. Judging from the current situation, the opponent did not seem like he would fall into the water or be strangled by a palace maid. As a spear-bearing soldier of the imperial guards, he had a bright future.
The boiling main hall cooled down.
Yan Shoufu stepped out slowly, leaned forward and said, "I, an old minister, beg for mercy. I hope Your Majesty will have mercy on me."
Begging for the remains means asking for resignation and requesting that the remains be buried in his hometown. Faced with the general situation of the world, the fact that the auspicious beast had died and the reputation of having the eyes of an eagle and the watch of a wolf, Prime Minister Yan decisively withdrew from the position.
The emperor pondered for a moment and said, "Approved. Lord Yan is loyal to the country. Do you have any talented people to recommend?"
The other party chose to be decent, and the emperor did not mind giving Yan a hand to preserve the decades-long friendship between the monarch and his subject.
(End of this chapter)