Chapter 361: Important Officials

Chapter 361: Important Officials

Chapter 361: Important Officials

Just as the General Zhenjun's shogunate was rushing to Fan County, Shao Xun's memorial had already been submitted to the emperor.

After reading it, the emperor and his ministers were speechless for a moment.

As for the emperor, he was angry, but after the anger he was more filled with fear.

Xun Fan sighed. How could someone still not learn from his mistakes? Could the emperor's words be taken seriously? If the plan failed, the emperor would never admit his mistakes.

When Sima Yue was sent to Yanzhou for the first time, the former governor of Xuzhou and King of Jingling, Meng, proposed to attack and kill He Lun, and the emperor agreed.

This matter is actually just like what happened when King Sima Yi of Changsha gathered more than a hundred followers to raid King Jiong of Qi. It was an unexpected attack and could be considered a larger-scale assassination attempt.

The plan ultimately failed. The emperor pushed all the blame onto King Jingling and cleared himself of all charges.

Gou Xi is already old, but he still falls for this kind of trick. It can only be said that greed has blinded his mind.

Wang Yan also came and sat aside without saying anything.

The emperor looked at him for a few seconds and asked, "Why didn't the commander say anything?"

"I am worried about state affairs and don't know where to start," Wang Yan replied.

Sima Chi looked unhappy, and said stiffly: "The Grand Commandant is experienced in planning for the state, and he must have something to teach you."

Wang Yan pondered for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, Lord Chen has said a lot in this memorial. After reading it, I have only one question for Your Majesty: what would happen if Lord Chen surrendered to the Xiongnu?"

Sima Chi's face turned pale.

Xun Fan, Xun Zu, Liu Tun, Zheng Yu and others also frowned.

Wang Yan continued expressionlessly, "The Xiongnu have always treated surrendered people well. In the past, Liu Yuanhai valued Lord Chen very much and gave him a good bow, which was praised as a good story. Now Lord Chen has fought in the east and west, in the south and the north, and has a great reputation. Shi Le, Wang Mi, Shi Chao and others were all defeated by him. If Lord Chen surrenders with all his people, Liu Cong will be overjoyed. He may make him a prince, entrust him with power, and let him supervise the military affairs of several states in Henan. Your Majesty, think about it, if the situation comes to this point, how can we get out of this predicament?"

"Not all the generals under Shao Xun are crazy and mad." Sima Chi argued.

"Indeed." Wang Yan nodded, and then said, "But the most combative Silver Spear Army and Yicong Army are all his subordinates. They will follow whoever their master supports. Luonan also has the so-called Fubing, with a number of several thousand. Their farmland, houses, armor, and equipment were all given by Shao Xun. How many of them are loyal to the court? Shao Xun has controlled the Yamen Army for many years. He is good at soothing the soldiers. He works tirelessly every New Year's Day, and constantly rewards and comforts them. How many of these people still remember the court?"

"Let's talk about the imperial guards." Wang Yan continued, "Shao Xun has defended Luoyang many times and has a very high prestige in the army. If he raises his arm and calls for action, rebellion will break out. Your Majesty, why don't you think about this crisis and see if it is possible to resolve it?"

Sima Chi turned pale after hearing what he said.

As the emperor, there is no way out.

The domineering ministers jumped to the side of the Huns and continued to enjoy high positions and generous salaries.

You can't do anything to him. He has Liu Han as a retreat. Once he surrenders to him, Shi Le and others might come under his command.

By that time, let alone anything else, the imperial court would most likely be gone, and everyone would become prisoners.

"Your Majesty, I heard that Lord Chen has a secret decree in his hand?" Liu Tun suddenly said.

Sima Chi had just been frightened by Wang Yan, and when he heard the word "secret decree", he habitually denied it: "The rumor is wrong."

"So that means Gou Xi forged the imperial edict?" Liu Tun asked.

Sima Chi was speechless.

"Since it is a forged imperial edict, then the crime is unforgivable." Liu Tun said, "Perhaps we can issue an order to all corners of the country and send people to arrest him."

Sima Chi looked at Liu Tun hatefully but did not refute.

Gou Xi's army has been destroyed, it is no longer of value, so let him die.

Anyway, this is not the first time I have done this.

Liu Tun and Wang Yan looked at each other and then looked away.

It's not that everyone is unwilling to help the emperor, the problem is that you have to weigh what can be done and what cannot be done.

If you mess up the situation and everyone's interests suffer, and someone is still willing to play with you at this time, he is a true loyal minister. It's a pity that there are not many loyal ministers left.

Even Gou Xi may not be a loyal minister.

"Shao Xun..." After a moment of silence, the emperor asked, "Will he come to Beijing?"

"No." Xun Fan shook his head and said.

"Maybe." Wang Yan said.

Xun Fan glanced at Wang Yan. Why was he trying to scare the emperor at this time?

Sima Yue could go to Beijing to clean up the court, but Shao Xun could not do it.

If he really did it, he would become the public enemy of the world and face attacks from all sides. Most of the governors of Yuzhou and Yanzhou would also most likely oppose him.

However, as Xun Fan thought about it, he began to waver. What if Shao Xun came to Luoyang and killed people indiscriminately without regard for the consequences, and then surrendered to the Huns when he saw that things were hopeless?

Will he surrender to the Xiongnu? Xun Fan thought about it, and finally sighed and said, "Your Majesty may issue an edict to appease Lord Chen."

The emperor's face suddenly turned red.

The words in the secret decree he gave to Gou Xi were not random.

Wasn’t the “stealing of spears and halberds” a fact? The Luoyang arsenal would transfer weapons to Liang County from time to time, and he didn’t even know about some of them.

He also steals my grain every day.

Without me, would he be in this situation today?

"How to appease her?" Sima Chi said through gritted teeth.

Wang Yan pretended not to notice his expression and said, "Wang Kang, the governor of Yuzhou, has submitted a letter of resignation. We are now short of a military commander, so perhaps you can appoint him to this position."

Sima Chi laughed nervously: "Shao Xun is neither a royal family member nor a relative, and he is only 24 years old... Are there any governors or provincial governors under 30 years old in the imperial court?"

Everyone was silent after hearing this.

Age was indeed his biggest flaw. Not to mention 24, he had never even seen a governor or governor at 30. No matter how many merits you had made, your age would be rejected when selecting an official.

Not to mention the hard conditions such as appearance, demeanor, and background.

Insisting on these is actually to maintain the rules. You keep making exceptions, and what you lose is the prestige of the court, although this prestige is already very little.

You can't let Shao Xun marry a princess and then serve as the governor of Xuchang as a son-in-law, right?
Huh? Don't say that! Don't say that!
Wang Yan could not bear it any longer and said directly, "If it was two years ago, I would have thought it was not possible. However, since the fourth year of Yongjia, the country has been in turmoil. Some people have appointed themselves governors; some have attacked without the imperial order; some have separatist regimes and refused to pay taxes. All these situations are vivid in my mind. Mr. Chen supervised the grain transport and defeated stubborn enemies many times. He was extremely respectful. Some rules should be changed."

Sima Chi said nothing, obviously unwilling.

Wang Yan sighed and asked, "Your Majesty, do you know how much grain is stored in the warehouse at Dongyang Gate?"

Sima Chi looked at him blankly. "If there is no grain transport, I'm afraid it will be difficult to support until the end of the year." Wang Yan said.

Xun Fan and Xun Zu stopped talking and could only sigh.

If there is a shortage of food, the imperial guards will lose the will to fight, and a large number of soldiers and civilians in Luoyang will starve to death.

"Langya Wang Rui submitted a memorial, saying that Zhou Zuxuan was arrogant and that he had sent troops to attack him. Shouchun may not have enough grain to bring to the capital." Wang Yan added, "Now only Guangling is left, and that is where Gou Xi robbed the grain."

Sima Chi opened his mouth but said nothing in the end.

Shao Xun, the villain, was the first to file a complaint, saying that Gou Xi robbed the grain, which was complete nonsense.

But Wang Yan's words were obviously intended to prove Gou Xi's guilt.

Not only have they robbed the grain transport, they have also forged the imperial edict. Why should we wait for death?

Sima Chi just felt like this was a slap on his face and pressing his head to make him eat something.

"The imperial court has its own rules for selecting officials..." Sima Chi said weakly.

Wang Yan interrupted directly and said, "Perhaps the two important ministers can make a recommendation, and the court will send someone to investigate and then grant the banner."

There are many ways to become an official in the Qing Dynasty.

Taixue and Guozixue are two different paths - one only has the qualifications to be an official, but not necessarily can become an official. Occasionally there are some commoners, but the vast majority are children of scholars, especially in Guozixue.

There are two ways to select scholars in the state and to select filial and honest officials in the county, namely, elections in the state and county - most of the spoils go to local gentry.

The fifth article is to elect and appoint important officials of the government, most of whom are assistants to the government.

Lower-level officials do not need to report to the court, but higher-level officials need the court's approval to be transferred to other posts, and assistants in the shogunate can also serve as court officials at the same time - Wang Yan once served as Sima Yue's military commander while serving as Si Tu.

The sixth article is the court election (central election). Occasionally, some commoners will be selected, but it is best to have a title. This is prepared for nobles and relatives of the emperor. It is reflected in official documents, usually "conscript", "appoint", "remove" and "grant".

The seventh article is about entering officialdom through family connections, which is not for ordinary people.

Article 8 is what Wang Yan said. It is about "petitions" and "reports" by important officials at the level of the Three Dukes and the Prime Minister. They are rarely used and are mainly prepared for celebrities, hermits, state guests, and descendants of sages. They do not occupy the quota for scholars and filial and honest officials, and are directly awarded to officials without going through the Ministry of Personnel.

Wang Yan wanted to use this opportunity to make Shao Xun the governor, so as to preserve the last fig leaf of the court. After all, "he is outstanding and can be specially appointed."

If Shao Xun were allowed to take charge of the military governorship himself and then be recognized by the imperial court posthumously, like what happened to Wang Jun, it would be too embarrassing.

If the court takes the initiative, it can save face and pretend to maintain the rules.

"Mr. Wang, you have a plan in mind, what else do you have to say to me!" Sima Chi sneered.

Wang Yan was the Grand Commandant, Xun Fan was the Minister of Works, and Fu Zhi was the Minister of Education.

Sima Chi knew that if things went wrong, these three people would recommend Shao Xun to be the governor of Xuchang. In fact, he would be the governor of more than one state.

The more Sima Chi thought about it, the more annoyed he became.

This time, Gou Xi really lost face. Not only did he fail to seize Yanzhou and Yuzhou, but on the contrary, he was beaten down by Shao Xun.

This person is too decisive.

After analysis, the court officials had pieced together the whole picture: take a detour through Hebei and attack thousands of miles away.

This man used his troops without any tricks, without leaving any traces, and moved as fast as a rabbit and lightning. He was also extremely fierce to the enemy and did not give him any chance.

This - Sima Chi thought of Wang Yan's analysis of the possibility that Shao Xun would defect to the Huns, and his heart was secretly chilled, but he maintained a sneering expression so as not to let others see his inner fear.

But who were those present? They were shrewd people who had been in the political arena for decades, and they had long seen through the emperor's little thoughts.

To be honest, few of those present here think highly of Shao Xun, and there are even many who dislike and hate him.

But people have to face reality and compromise when necessary.

Several people then pretended that the emperor did not exist, and finally, after some discussion, convicted Gou Xi of "treason".

Shao Xun attacked Gou Xi and was meritorious, so the Grand Commandant Wang Yan recommended him as "the envoy with special powers to command the military forces of Yuzhou and garrison in Xuchang."

After reading it, Sima Chi changed it to "Acting General to Supervise the Military Affairs of Yuzhou and Stationed in Xuchang".

Sikong Xunfan and Shangshu Ling Liu Tun looked at each other helplessly and recommended Shao Xun as "holding the imperial power to supervise the military affairs of Yuzhou and stationing him in Xuchang", which was considered a compromise among the nine combinations.

Very childish behavior.

"Xuchang is an important town, and the commander-in-chief must treat it with great ceremony." Wang Yan added.

Sima Chi was dissatisfied again.

Wang Yan looked at the emperor.

It has already been given to the Governor of Xuchang, so it is better to do it quickly, otherwise there will be no gratitude at all.

"Perhaps he can be promoted to the rank of Kaifu Yitong Sansi and appoint his own assistants." Zheng Yu, the Shangshu You Pushe who had been silent, said: "The court will grant him a gold seal, a purple ribbon, five-season court robes, a military cap, and a mountain black jade pendant. In addition, he will be granted six large carriages, twenty tiger guards, and swords..."

"Regarding the promotion..." Liu Tun asked.

Xun Zu said: "General Pingdong will do."

There are conditions for establishing a government, as it is a great honor, and the treatment and etiquette are on par with those of the first rank, just like the three highest officials.

The requirements for royal family members, relatives by marriage, and royal in-laws are slightly lower, but if ordinary officials want to set up their own offices, they must be at least third rank, and generally second rank or above.

Sima Lun once established a government in the name of General Zhengxi (third rank), and Sima Yuanxian established a government at the age of sixteen as Shizhong and Hou Jiangjun.

Xun Xian, who had made many military achievements for the Eastern Jin Dynasty, was appointed General of the North and Governor of Xuzhou at the age of 28. He was the youngest person in history to do so. He was also a royal concubine's son-in-law. He once escaped from marriage, but was later caught and forced to marry the princess.

But this is a privilege of the royal family, relatives by marriage, and in-laws, which others cannot envy.

After Wang Kang ran away, the position of General Pingdong was vacant and he was barely qualified.

"Then promote him to General Pingdong, set up a government office and appoint people to serve the emperor, and grant him the same status as the three officials, and keep his authority as the commander-in-chief as before." Wang Yan made the decision.

Several important ministers spoke one after another, completely ignoring the emperor. But when it was finally confirmed, they still pretended to ask the emperor for instructions.

Sima Chi felt sick after hearing this and accepted it with a pinch of his nose.

"Your Majesty," Wang Yan asked finally, "How did the secret decree get out?"

He issued an edict without going through the Secretariat and the Zhongshujian, which infringed upon their power.

If every emperor did this, then what would be the role of the prime minister?
In this case, wouldn't the emperor have the final say in the world? Then are they slaves or subjects?
How can you be appointed as prime minister if the prime ministers in Taiwan don’t respect you?

(End of this chapter)