Establishing a thousand-year family from the nobles of the Western Han Dynasty

Chapter 98: Legalists lose, tit-for-tat

When the new emperor ascended the throne, power shifted extremely quickly. Because the emperor disliked the Legalists, the first thing he did after ascending the throne was to vigorously support Confucian officials, whom he considered to be "his own people."

The Legalists were marginalized, but they had no way to stop it. After Liu Xun's attack, the imperial power had been strengthened to a terrifying level.

At least it is not something that can be shaken by one or two generations. If one wants to erode Liu's authority, one can only rely on time and slowly, like boiling a frog in warm water. What's more, the Legalists have no idea of ​​opposing the emperor.

They had to accept everything that came their way. In their view, the current humiliation was only temporary, and only by holding on and rebelling could they make a comeback. At least they still had considerable influence in the local area, and they had not lost their position as the Imperial Censor in the central government.

The power of supervision is their core power at the central level!
As long as we slowly accumulate strength to deal with the dispute between Confucianism and Legalism, we will win if we survive Liu Shi! The Xu family also experienced a catastrophe in the past, but didn’t Liu Xun’s later period also turn out to be really good?

Xu Bo was appointed prime minister, Xu Ning was promoted to general and grand marshal, and they had great power in the court and were no match for Wang Si.

But as time went on, a change came that no magician, including Xu, dared to imagine.

The most prestigious sage of the Legalists, Imperial Censor Chen Yi, was demoted!
Wang Si and other Confucian officials continued to slander Chen Yi to the emperor, saying that Chen Yi abused his power and was up to evil! He was trying to kill Chen Yi first and then frame him.

Liu Shi believed it to be true, and immediately ordered Chen Yi to be demoted to the position of Governor of Jizhou and Prefect of Weijun, and sent him out of the capital, completely away from the center of power.

This was undoubtedly a fatal blow to the already weakened Legalists! Confucian official Zhao Yuan was appointed as the new Imperial Censor, and the supervision system had gradually moved away from the control of the Legalists and towards the control of the Confucian officials.

This is the power they rely on for survival! Without this, the Legalists would exist in name only, and the Confucians, whose power has greatly increased, would no longer need to be feared, and could simply be purged.

Although the country is still governed by law at the grassroots level, the local governments cannot control the central government!
In order to maintain checks and balances, Liu Xun only gave the central supervisory power to the Legalists. The rest of the important official positions were actually mainly in the hands of Confucian officials, with the addition of a neutral Xu family, forming a three-party check and balance.

But the situation is now unbalanced. In order to maintain the balance of the scale, the still powerful Xu family can only take up the responsibility.

Being a pawn is obviously not a good job. The best choice is to remain relatively neutral and maintain the balance between Confucianism and Legalism! It can guarantee the safety and interests of the family to the greatest extent.

Although he could not dominate the government, he had the advantage of stability. Even if another Emperor Xuan appeared, it would not damage his foundation. As long as his reputation remained, he would be able to make a comeback sooner or later.

However, if he died personally, it would be another matter. Legalism would never die out, because it was not a group of people, but an ideology, which could be revived by countless people. If Xu died completely, it would be gone.

The national policy of the Han Dynasty was to govern the country with Confucianism and Legalism. The Imperial Academy was the foundation. It might decline but would not disappear. It was most appropriate for it to fight against Confucian officials.

But my own family can’t do that!

Xu Ning was very worried about this. Although he had great power in the court and was about to become Huo Guang of the new dynasty, he absolutely could not have a head-on confrontation with the Confucian officials!

No, at least we have to support another force to compete with the Confucian officials and attract firepower. I can't do it myself.

He made up his mind and told the servant beside him, "Prepare the sedan chair and go to Weiyang Palace."

.........

Before his death, Liu Xun appointed six ministers to take care of his son. In addition to Xu Ning Wang Si Xu Bo and others, there were also former general Xiao Wangzhi, Grand Marshal and General of Chariots and Cavalry, Leling Hou Shi Gao, and Guanglu Dafu Zhou Kan.

Because Xu Ning and Wang Si had too much power, these three people had little presence. Only Shi Gao, who was a relative by marriage, could be a little active, but he was still suppressed by Xu Bo and had little military power left.

Xiao Wangzhi was Wang Si's favorite disciple, and his reform ideas were deeply favored by him. It was also his idea to frame Chen Yi this time.

Moreover, Xiao Wangzhi and Zhou Kan were the emperor's teachers and were deeply favored by him.

Xu Ning walked past the guards and came to a place not far from the Weiyang Palace. He dismounted his horse and saw a man dressed as a eunuch.

"Who are you?"

The eunuch bowed and said, "I am Shi Xian, the Minister of State."

"Shi Xian? Hong Gong asked you to come." Xu Ning thought about it and seemed to have some impression of it.

He was acquainted with the eunuch Zhongshu Ling Hong Gong, and was interested in supporting the eunuchs to fight against the Confucian officials and relatives of the emperor, and the two of them hit it off immediately.

Because His Majesty also has the idea of ​​using eunuchs. Although he is indecisive, he is not without ambition. He also wants to truly control the government and make some achievements.

He is worthy of his father's cultivation, but unfortunately his ambitions are too high but his skills are too low, which is doomed to fruition. What Liu Shi should do most is to do nothing and delegate power to Xu Ning and others, then nothing will be a problem.

The eunuch Shi Xian smiled and said, "That's right. The Minister of the Central Secretariat knows the purpose of the general's visit. Your Majesty is in Ganlu Hall to discuss matters with General Xiao. You can move to Ganlu Hall."

"Well, the general understands." Xu Ning was not surprised. Hong Gong was a man with good political ability, but he was almost no match for that old man Wang Si.

How can we deal with a prime minister who holds great power and has many students and former officials all over the world?

Although the power of the prime minister is divided by the inner and outer court system, it is also divided among people. Xu Bo's power as prime minister is not very great, but Wang Si can make arbitrary decisions on government affairs!
Alas... there is also a lack of talented people among the eunuchs.

Xu Ning followed the eunuch named Shi Xian to the study in Ganlu Palace.

When I walked into the room, I saw Liu Shi sitting at the top, and next to him was indeed the former general and the core figure of the current Confucian Party, Xiao Wangzhi!

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you." He remained calm and paid his respects as usual.

Liu Shi's face suddenly lit up with a smile, and he stood up to greet him: "Teacher, I am sorry for not welcoming you in person."

He actually saw it very clearly. It was true that the Xu family needed the Liu family, but the Liu family also needed the Xu family! A large group of loyal talents!

If Qin had the assistance of the Xu family, it would not have perished in the second generation.

Xu Ning's expression did not change: "Your Majesty, there is no need to do this."

At the same time, his eyes turned to Xiao Wangzhi beside him.

The former general trembled, then quickly stood up and packed his luggage: "Greetings, General."

Xu Ning looked at Liu Shi and said, "Your Majesty, I have something to ask General Xiao. I apologize for your inconvenience."

"It doesn't matter."

After getting his permission, he looked at Xiao Wangzhi with sharp eyes and asked in a questioning tone: "General Xiao, what crime should you be charged with?"

"May I ask, what crime have I committed?" Xiao Wangzhi straightened his body immediately. He believed that what he did was right. The Han Dynasty needed benevolent governance. The Legalists were harming the country and should be killed!

Therefore, he did not feel guilty at all and faced the opponent head on.

"Humph, you framed the three ministers of the current dynasty! Isn't this a serious crime? Do you know what you are doing? Confucianism and the rule of law are the national policies set by Emperor Xiaowu and my grandfather, and they must not be violated!"

"Isn't this considered treason? Why are you Confucian officials so keen on seizing power? Are you planning a rebellion?"

Xu Ning put a big hat on himself. Why should he be afraid? His family background of five generations of officials and his position as a general are his confidence!
Even if Wang Si was here, he would still dare to point his nose and scold him, because his family's influence in the Imperial College was equally formidable, and he would not send this Imperial College Order. In fact, most of the Imperial College doctors preferred Xu Bo to be the Imperial College Order, not because of any empty things like knowledge and official positions.

The reason is very simple. Xu Bo's surname is Xu, and his ancestor is the Saint Master Xu Gong! His elder is the most prestigious Imperial College Master Xu Zhou, and this is the basis.

As long as this is brought up, the Xu family will be invincible.

Are you kidding? We built the servers, why are you still fighting with the founder?
Xiao Wangzhi smiled and refuted: "General, you are going too far. My family of Confucianism has been blessed by the emperor for generations and we eat the emperor's salary. How could we have such a rebellious idea of ​​rebellion?"

"Chen Yi abused his power, and everyone in the world knows it. It's just that Prime Minister Wang said it more bluntly. Your Majesty is also taking precautions. I believe it won't be long before he returns to the capital."

"General, please be patient."

Xu Ning frowned and couldn't help but look up to this guy. This reply was quite perfect.

Not only did he put aside himself, he also showed his loyalty. Of course, the most important thing was that he put the blame on Emperor Liu Shi! This directly blocked the opportunity to continue to tangle.

As expected of him, he is the favorite disciple of the old fox Wang Si. He really has his own way.

"Ahem...you two don't need to argue like that. Transferring Doctor Chen is a normal personnel transfer. There's no need to think too much about it."

Liu Shi acted as a peacemaker. He felt that these two were his own people and capable ministers who could get things done, so why should they quarrel with each other?

Your Majesty has not yet clearly understood what the factional struggles in the court are all about, and still thinks it is a dispute between Confucianism and Legalism.

The transfer of Chen Yi meant that the Legalists had lost the dispute between Confucianism and Legalism. The Confucians won a great victory and took control of the central power. Among the Nine Ministers, there was only one Legalist left, and his position was shaky.

If Xu Ning had not protected him, he would probably have been transferred to a local area to be a prefect.

It seems that Confucianism focuses on central power and pays little attention to local affairs.

Therefore, the current party struggles are mainly between the Confucian Party and the Xu family. The two parties are not fighting each other, but the open and covert struggles continue. Wang Si has only one obstacle left if he wants to control the greatest power.

This is also the reason why I can't wait to hold a knife.

Xu Ning did not intend to continue arguing with Xiao Wangzhi, but stated the purpose of this trip: "Your Majesty, please pardon Chen Yi. He cannot leave Chang'an, otherwise the court will lead to the Confucian family becoming powerful!"

"This will never be a good thing for governing the country or the world. Your Majesty, please think twice."

Liu Shi thought for a moment, then said, "General, what you said makes sense, and it is indeed a bit too much."

Just then, the eunuch came in with an old man in Confucian robes.

When Xiao Wangzhi saw the man, he immediately trotted over and bowed: "Student greets teacher."

That's right, the person who came was none other than Wang Si, the left prime minister who had received the news and also the Imperial Academy Master! He was the leader of the Confucian Party, the only one who could compete with the Xu family, with great power in the court and the country.

This person's life was quite legendary. He had accumulated a lot of experience and had been working hard in the Imperial College in his early years. He had no chance to enter the officialdom, but by chance, he was favored by Liu Shi.

He became the prime minister of the dynasty overnight, and with the accumulation of years of experience, he immediately gained extremely high power, with actual power comparable to that of the general.

The Wang family, which was originally a marginal family, has become quite famous both among the people and in the court. It has also taken the opportunity to rise and will have a pivotal position in the future.

The famous Xin Dynasty Emperor Wang Mang was born in this family. However, he was not even a tadpole at that time, let alone the peak period when others would force the emperor to abdicate and replace the Liu family.

Wang Si nodded slightly, walked up to Xu Ning, and stood side by side with him without any hesitation.

"Prince Wang is here? It seems like everyone here has something to ask me today."

Liu Shi also sensed something was wrong. Did the two of you start a fight? You want to decide the winner here.

"What brings you here, Prime Minister Wang?" Xu Ning's tone was calm.

"Hahaha...of course we have important matters to discuss, isn't it the same for the general?" Wang Si smiled very kindly, but his voice carried an inexplicable sense of oppression that made people breathless.

This was an epic confrontation, a confrontation between the two most powerful ministers of the Han Dynasty, which was extremely rare at any time.

This was the first time that Xu had met a worthy rival. In the early years, she had crushed him. It was not until the reign of Emperor Kang that her status was threatened when General Guanjun Hou Huo Qubing rose to power.

Fortunately, Huo Qubing had no ambitions, which resulted in Xu still having the final say in the court.

This is the first time I have been provoked like this.

Of course Xu Ning felt aggrieved, as this represented the decline of his family in his hands. But there was nothing he could do. If it were his uncle's time, this guy would never dare to be so arrogant!
He had already knelt on the ground and sang "Conquered". After all, Imperial College was still Xu Ye's world.

Xu Ning ignored him and repeated his words in front of the Confucian leader: "I beg Your Majesty to pardon Chen Yi, restore the ancestral system, and employ some Legalist officials, so that Confucian officials will not be too powerful."

Seeing that the other party was so disrespectful, Wang Si did not hesitate to say, "Your Majesty, the purpose of my visit is to promote the new policy. I, who am a virtuous ruler, will be the future of the Han Dynasty!"

"The Qin Dynasty fell because of the law, which is enough to prove the drawbacks of the law. What our Han Dynasty needs is Confucianism."

They were diametrically opposed. One advocated supporting the Legalists and suppressing Confucianism, while the other simply abolished the Legalists and respected Confucianism alone!

Liu Shi, who had originally applauded the new policy, also fell silent. He was indecisive by nature, and now that the two important ministers had completely different ideas, he was even more unable to make a decision.

He thought Wang Si was right and that the Han Dynasty should practice virtuous governance, but the problem was that this was the ancestral system! It had been used for so many years, and it would be wrong if it suddenly changed.

You will be condemned by your ancestors.

In addition, since Xu Ning said so, it is even more inappropriate. It is very likely that Xu’s son will not harm Liu, so just listen to him without worry.

"These two have really given me a difficult problem." Liu Shi didn't know what to do.

"Forget it, please go back, we will discuss this another day."

Liu Shi finally made the right choice, which was to simply not talk about it, because both of these were actually impossible.

Let alone the idea of ​​Confucianism as the only doctrine, it would definitely not work. Although Xu Ning's proposal was correct, it would not work if Wang Si came here in person.

Wang Si was not referring to this matter when he said this. Any emperor with a bit of brains would not listen to him. He said this to take advantage of Xu Ning's indecisive character to force him to retreat.

Just ensure current interests and exclude the Legalists.

(End of this chapter)