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

Chapter 99: Xiao Wang is imprisoned and the eunuchs rise to power
Xu Ning's plan ultimately failed, and he did not win the opportunity for Chen Yi to be reinstated, which means that he was still demoted to Jizhou.

Although he is still a provincial governor, the Legalists have their roots in the local area. This situation is not a bad thing. His Majesty, who currently dislikes the Legalists, thinks it is wise for him to temporarily avoid the limelight in order to make a comeback.

However, this is not good for the Xu family and the needs of the Han Dynasty. Now the relatives and Confucian officials are in collusion, and the power of the heir is all-powerful. If there is no one to check and balance, then the imperial power will inevitably be hollowed out! It is very unfavorable for the Liu family.

In order to maintain the royal authority, Xu had no choice but to end his life on his own, and this undoubtedly made him a sitting duck. Xu Ning did not want the emperor to show weakness or Confucianism to become more powerful, and he did not want his family to become the target of public criticism.

Now that the leader of the Legalist Party has been sent away, the entire Legalist faction will begin to be marginalized. They will either be sent to prison or demoted to other places, and the central government will become dominated by Confucian officials!
Therefore, Xu Ning could only launch Plan B, which was to support another group to compete with the Confucian officials and relatives of the emperor, so that it would be impossible for him to give up his transcendent status and become a knife.

The only ones who were qualified and capable of replacing the Fa Party were the eunuchs! As the Minister of the Central Secretariat, Hong Gong controlled the inner court and the power of imperial edicts.

Although they have no real power, they have the advantage of frequent contact with the emperor, which is roughly equivalent to a secretary, but the direction of management is broader. In theory, they can directly control the issuance of imperial edicts and thus control the government! However, the premise is the absolute trust of the emperor.

At present, the potential is huge, although there was no premise of eunuchs interfering in politics in the past.

In fact, Xu Ning did not hope so. The dispute between Confucianism and Legalism was an internal conflict, and the dispute between officials was just a fight to the death, which would definitely lead to a decline in people's livelihood.

But he had no choice, no option but to support the eunuchs.

If eunuchs are not used, the only option is to go in person, and this will undoubtedly be digging one's own grave. The reputation that the Xu family has relied on for survival for many years may gradually disappear, and by then the entire clan will be wiped out!

"Hong Gong...and that Shi Xian, I hope you won't let this general down. I will help you establish your authority this time." Xu Ning muttered to himself, with a fierce light in his eyes.

General Shi Gao was not a member of the Confucian Party, but a staunch supporter of the Legalists. He was now the only influential member of the Legalists in the capital.

He had been ostracized by Confucian officials headed by the Wang family. They sneered at Xiao Wangzhi's benevolent reforms and accused him of "privately shaking the ancestral system and plotting evil". However, he had no choice because of the emperor's trust in him.

This time, Xu Ning planned to help him to build a connection with the eunuchs. With the cooperation of both parties, Xiao Wangzhi could be eliminated, and then Wang Si would be able to lose an arm!
Of course, the more important thing is to use this to alert the emperor that Wang Si will definitely use his power to rescue him.

When the emperor sees this, he will be shocked. A minister has such a huge power that he can disobey the imperial edict. He will start to be alert and think of using eunuchs.

Xu Ning's goal was achieved, which was to create an information gap. Wang Si was an old fox and would definitely not think that the emperor wanted to kill Xiao Wangzhi, but what if Hong Gong planned to kill first and report later?
He had never dealt with this Minister of the Central Secretariat, he only knew that the two had a grudge against each other.

"Xiao Wangzhi, ah Xiao Wangzhi, you are also a wise minister, the descendant of Prime Minister Xiao, and we should be old friends with the Xu family. It's a pity that you are in the wrong position."

"For the sake of imperial power and my Xu family, I have no choice but to ask you to die..."

.........

As time went by, Wang Si, without the restraint of Chen Yi, expanded his power crazily, and had achieved a situation where all high-ranking officials in Chang'an respected Confucianism!
Even within the power of General Xu Ning, there were quite a few who respected Confucianism, and legal officials such as Shi Gao and Xu Zhang were severely marginalized.

He was extremely disgusted with the upright Xiao Wangzhi, and later, at the suggestion of Xu Ning, he got to know the eunuch forces such as Shi Xian and Hong Gong.

The two hit it off and planned to find an opportunity to counter the Confucian officials.

It was also with the support of the general that he gradually propped up the backbone of the Legal Party. Unfortunately, compared with Wang Si, he was still as bright as the moon and as bright as a firefly. So they set their first target on Xiao Wangzhi to weaken the disciples of this great scholar.

Originally, the doctors of the Imperial College would not take up official positions. Xu Gong believed that these people were only good at talking and it was not appropriate for them to start from the grassroots level as they would not be able to gain sufficient experience. They would also have no experience to be directly recruited to high positions, so he simply did not use them and let them concentrate on teaching and cultivating talents.

This precedent was not broken until the late period of Emperor Xuan's reign, when the great Confucian scholar Wang Si was appointed prime minister and took control of the government. The power of the Imperial Academy officially began to participate in government affairs.

Originally, these doctors indirectly influenced the government through their own efforts. For example, in the dispute between Li Ke and Zhao Zhuang, the two were only competing for the position of Imperial Academy Commander and were not recruited.

His followers were mainly his own disciples and followers. The essence of the party struggle was also a struggle for power between officials of the two parties. The dispute between Confucianism and Legalism was just an excuse.

In the sixth year of Yuanyou, the opportunity to deal with Xiao Wangzhi finally came.

Zheng Peng was originally a famous scholar in Chu. He got the opportunity to be selected as a filial and honest official from the Jianghuai area. However, because he was not from the Imperial Academy, he was excluded by the local mainstream forces and had no promotion for many years.

By chance, when Xiao Wangzhi was in the county, he discovered that this person had talent, so he recommended him to Guanglu Dafu Zhou Kan. After assessment, Zhou Kan felt that this person could be used, so he promoted him to be a censor, responsible for supervising local officials.

However, Zheng Peng was not willing to take things step by step, so he took the risk of offending Shi Gao and revealed his actions in the county to him.

He denounced Shi Gao, Xu Zhang and others as traitors, praised Xiao Wangzhi highly, and gave him a very high evaluation of "the legacy of the Holy Master."

This flattery was spot on. Even Xiao Wangzhi, who had always disliked fame and fortune, felt extremely pleased. As the saying goes, a horse will never wear a hole no matter how many holes it has. He couldn't help but look up to Zheng Peng.

There is no such person as "not happy with things, not sad with himself". It's just that it doesn't touch their heart. Who doesn't like to be flattered?
So he took advantage of the situation and adopted his opinion. Zheng Peng was also eager to cite famous officials such as Xu Gong and Zhou Gong, and denounced Legalist relatives such as Shi Gao.

Zhou Kan also felt that this person had some talent, so he kept him in Chang'an.

However, this kind of person was obviously incompatible with the "pure stream" of Confucianism, and was soon severed from ties by Xiao Wangzhi because of his misconduct.

Later, he was recruited together with Li Gong, but because of his poor personal morality, he was not employed by his old boss Zhou Kan.

Zheng Peng held a grudge and turned to Shi Gao, Xu Zhang and others to make up all kinds of rumors.

He Xuzhang listed "five faults and one major crime."

Hong Gong, Shi Xian and others seized the opportunity and after some operations, the news reached the ears of Emperor Yuan of Han.

"I have heard some rumors recently. Some people say that the teacher has committed a serious crime. Hong Gong, you are more familiar with the outside world. Please tell me about it."

Liu Shi had already begun to feel unhappy with Wang Si's overbearing style, and these rumors hit the mark, so he began to have some concerns.

He had long wanted to suppress Wang Si, but he had no reason. The emperor could not do whatever he wanted, and there were no ministers around him who could confront him.

All of them are Confucian officials! It's not certain who will deal with whom.

Liu Shi regretted more and more that he did not follow Xu Ning's advice. If Chen Yi was still serving as the Imperial Censor and stayed in Chang'an, how could he be so passive?

Now even the emperor's close ministers like the Censor have become Wang Si's men. What's the difference between him and being sidelined?
Now the only person he could trust was General Xu Ning. Because of this, Liu Shi's trust in Shi Gao increased day by day.

As long as they are hostile to the Confucian Party, they can be pulled over and used!

Hong Gong glanced at Shi Xian, who immediately understood and stepped out, saying, "Your Majesty, the former general is upright and incorruptible. He has never been partial to anyone, perverted the law, or accepted bribes. This is probably a lot of slander."

"A considerable part? Do you mean that the rumor is true?" Liu Shi caught the key words. He originally thought that his teacher was his own minister, but now it seems that he is also Wang Si's man.

Hong Gong gave Shi Xian an approving look. This kid has a promising future. When I die, the Minister of the Central Secretariat will be the first to recommend him. The eunuchs need talents like you...

Shi Xian's answer was perfect. It was unrealistic to directly condemn Xiao Wangzhi, as the emperor would certainly not believe it. But it would be different if he pretended to be embarrassed.

Sure enough, Liu Xie began to suspect this teacher.

"Yes, Your Majesty. No one is perfect. After all, the former general is from the Imperial Academy. He must have helped his disciples and grandchildren. Shi Xian is afraid of offending others, but I am not afraid."

"It is true that the former general formed a clique for personal gain and used his power to promote people close to him."

It's time for Hong Gong to show up. If he can overthrow Xiao Wangzhi, he can prove his worth to the general! Then the eunuchs will rise.

Later, Shi Xian's monopoly of power proved that Xu Ning's move was quite correct. After his death, the Xu family survived this "catastrophe".

"Well... this is your personal opinion after all. Can I still punish my teacher without investigating?"

To put it bluntly, Liu Shi just didn't want to bear that infamy. He wanted to kill Xiao Wangzhi more than anyone else, but killing one's teacher didn't have a good reputation.

Even if they want to kill him, they have to pretend that they don't know and they have to do enough superficial work. The details will only be decided by Hong Gong and Shi Xian themselves.

In fact, without Liu Shi's help, Hong Gong would not have dared to kill a prime minister privately even if he had ten times the courage. In essence, he was just going with the flow. Including Shi Xian's dictatorship in the later period, which was also a liquidation of Confucian forces.

The struggle between eunuchs and relatives of the emperor's wife is about to begin, and the dispute between Confucianism and Legalism will move from the stage to behind the scenes, and the eunuchs are the ones who are truly responsible for checks and balances!
"Your Majesty, I, besides you, can first ask the envoy to summon the Supreme Court. It will not be too late to make a decision after everything is clear." Shi Xian put forward an idea.

Invite the court officer...

Liu Shi seemed to be thinking about something. It seemed that this guy was under his command. His order was to interrogate him, but the specific steps to be taken depended on Shi Xian.

By then, no one will be able to bear the blame.

Well... this guy is pretty good and has a bright future. It turns out that the best person to deal with the Confucian officials is right next to me!

Liu Shi's mind was quite active. He was thinking about whether he could use eunuchs to purge Confucian officials. Although it would cause certain losses to the country, it was better than having the imperial power hollowed out.

And most importantly, you don’t have to bear the blame!
Shi Xian didn't know that he would become a powerful eunuch in the future, and that Wang Si, a great scholar who even Xu Ning could not do anything about, would be defeated by him.

.........

Xiao Wangzhi was thrown into prison on the charge of "abusing power for personal gain and perverting the law", causing turmoil in the government and the country. This man is your Majesty's teacher and a core figure of the Confucian Party!

What does it mean that he was imprisoned by His Majesty? Is he going to take action against the Confucian officials?

People have a lot to think about. No monarch would allow the Confucianists to be autocratic in recent years, so it is normal to start the reckoning. After all, when Emperor Xuan ascended the throne, the first thing he did was to destroy Xu's crutch.

It is not uncommon for emperors to kill the donkey after it has done its job.

Wang Si, who has always been as steady as an old dog, also fell into deep thought.

An emperor with great means would never take action himself. Emperor Xuan of that year took action only when the internal struggle had become intense.

But the problem is that his majesty is not an emperor who is well versed in political tactics. It is not impossible that he would kill Xiao Wangzhi in a fit of rage.

"Your Majesty, what are you trying to do? I, an old minister, can't quite figure it out." Wang Si's eyes were a little cloudy.

"Could it be you, General Xu?"

At the court meeting, Confucian officials collectively requested a thorough re-investigation, and Liu Shi also saw the horror of Wang Si's group.

Almost as soon as he said this, everyone followed him, except for a few people like Xu Ning and Shi Gao who remained silent. Liu Shi's fear of him reached its peak.

But there was nothing he could do. There wasn't even a single minister in the court who could speak for him. No wonder my father said he wanted to maintain a balance in the court.

For example, in the current situation, there is no chance to operate, because there are no other ministers in the court!
Liu Shi considered it carefully. He originally wanted to take the opportunity to express that he was ignorant of the matter, but if he did so, the imperial power would be meaningless!
So he said in a deep voice: "Former General Xiao Wangzhi formed a clique for personal gain. I have already investigated it thoroughly. It is reasonable and legal to put him in jail. Are you trying to challenge the laws of the Han Dynasty?"

I didn't expect that he, a person who hates Legalist laws the most, would use this to maintain his authority.

Wang Si continued, "Your Majesty, this is slander. The former general has always been upright and honest in his official duties. He is also loyal to the Han Dynasty! If this is the case, it will surely chill the hearts of all the heroes in the world!"

"Prime Minister Wang is wrong. We need evidence for everything. As far as I know, Zheng Peng was promoted by the former general, but his personal morality is very problematic."

Xu Ning, who had remained silent all this time, spoke up. At the critical moment, his position was more resolute than anyone else's.

The Grand Marshal and the Grand General are actually the most powerful officials in the dynasty. The words of such a person cannot be refuted by others.

Wang Si's expression was calm. "Zheng Peng is a man of talent and moral integrity. Later, the former general severed his relationship with him. What the general said is too one-sided."

"Haha... Really?" Xu Ning took out a bamboo slip from his sleeve and threw it in front of the other party: "Take a look, this is the confession of Zheng Peng and others."

"Can a flatterer have high moral standards? Besides, his faults are too numerous to count."

Wang Si picked it up and flipped through it, his face suddenly turning dark.

I didn't expect that Zheng Peng actually used the Saint Master Xu Gong to flatter him, and he was also a hypocritical person in private and did some immoral things.

This is bad, Xu Ning, ah Xu Ning, is this a trap you set?

(End of this chapter)