Fu Shanhe

Chapter 394: Old and cunning
"Do you have any thoughts on the Prime Minister's proposal?"

Emperor Yongning asked in a daze.

"Following the old example of Yunnan, select a general from among the nobles to guard the border to reduce the financial expenditure of the court."

The Prime Minister did not discuss this proposal with him in advance.

What we discussed yesterday was just to suppress Jiangnan officials and take the money back from the local areas.

If we don't implement it now, it will be difficult to implement it in the future once the governor is replaced.

Without military suppression, the gentry in Jiangnan will not obey obediently.

Only when things are done in a solid way and a system is formed can the follow-up be sustained.

Judging from the results, Wan Junhui is undoubtedly qualified as the Prime Minister.

He used the general trend to suppress the officials of the Jiangnan faction and prevented the emperor from personally leading the charge.

However, Emperor Yongning hesitated about the following proposal.

Setting up a protectorate and enfeoffing nobles to garrison Annan was indeed a cost-saving remedy.

The face and substance were both there, and the Jiaozhi Provincial Administration had been restored procedurally, but the conditions were not ripe and it had not been implemented for the time being.

In history books, it can be clearly recorded that the Yongning Dynasty recovered the Jiaozhi Provincial Administration and established the Annan Protectorate to manage southern Xinjiang.

After a few years, when the local situation stabilized and the local economy had developed to a certain extent, the prefecture-county system was restored and Dayu added another province.

But his intuition told him that things would not be that simple.

Unable to figure out the situation, he simply threw the problem to his ministers to see their reactions.

"Your Majesty, this is inappropriate."

"Giao Chi has been separated from our dynasty for hundreds of years, and the local people have long been barbaric.

The history of Annan lasted for hundreds of years, during which time it experienced the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms and the Song and Yuan Dynasties.

Although there have been changes in royal power during this period, they have always been independent regimes, which is enough to prove that they are not subject to the king.

If you want to govern the area well, it is not enough to simply appoint nobles to guard the area. You must also invest a large amount of military force to suppress dissatisfaction from all sides."

Marquis Wuxiang immediately objected.

The Prime Minister’s proposal was too obvious. There were only a few people among the nobles who were qualified to guard Annan.

No matter which one of them stays in the local area, it will be a big blow to the noble group.

According to past practice, the number of cabinet members is usually kept between three and five, and is only increased or decreased in extreme circumstances.

The return of the four great leaders of the nobility to the court created a perfect balance with them.

I can’t guarantee more, but I can say that we will be able to compete with the civil service group in at least ten to twenty years.

The political resources gained during this period enabled each family to have their fill.

If we are lucky, the next generation of leaders also have good political skills, and then political inertia will be formed.

"My Lord, this is wrong!"

“Establishing a Protectorate and appointing meritorious generals to guard Annan does not mean that the court will not invest military forces.

Mainly because compared to regular provinces, hereditary garrison generals have greater authority and can handle local affairs more flexibly.

For example, now Jiaozhi lacks local officials, and it may take more than a year or two to report to the court and ask the Ministry of Personnel to select people.

If there is enough autonomy, local governments can make direct appointments.

If an incident occurred in a local area, the garrison nobles could make their own decision to send troops instead of reporting to the Ministry of War or the Governor's Office.

learn from past experience.

The Tang Dynasty was dragged down and destroyed after it regained Annan due to long-term entanglements in the local area.

I, Dayu, must not make the same mistake again.

Compared with the Tang Dynasty, we have ready-made cases.

Emperor Taizu of our dynasty was a man of great talent and strategy. When dealing with Yunnan affairs, he took the innovative approach of enfeoffing meritorious officials to garrison the local area.

Decades later, Yunnan was well governed and became another province of Dayu.

Even after more than two hundred years, this place is still the most stable province in Dayu."

Gu Jiaxi responded with a smile.

When it comes to talking, ten nobles are no match for one civil servant.

Unlike the nobles who inherited their titles through bloodline, the civil servants who were able to sit in the court were all those who had fought their way out of thousands of troops.

Especially the cabinet ministers, who are not only masters of sophistry, but also well-versed in history and current affairs.

When arguing with them, I can easily quote all kinds of historical anecdotes.

Even if it makes no sense, one can still talk about it in a fancy way thanks to his profound knowledge.

If you are not careful, you will fall into a pit dug by others without knowing it.

"Mr. Gu, you are too serious!"

“The fall of the Tang Dynasty was caused by many factors. It is a bit far-fetched to put the blame on Annan.

Before the expedition to Annan, the imperial capital of the Tang Dynasty had fallen many times, and the country had long been on the verge of crumbling.

In comparison, my Great Yu Dynasty is different.

Your Majesty is a man of great talent and strategy, and there are many wise and brave ministers and generals in the court. How could you be afraid of a small Annan?

When the war in Shu subsides, the government's finances will turn from deficit to surplus, and we will be fully capable of rebuilding Jiaozhi Provincial Administration!"

The response from Marquis Zhendong immediately set off an uproar in the court.

Even the slowest-reacting official understood what was going on after all this.

It seemed to be a dispute over the plan to govern Annan, but in fact it was a dispute between civil and military officials.

The Prime Minister took the initiative and prepared to kick one of the nobles out before they returned to the court.

Thinking they had understood the essence of the matter, a group of civil servants followed suit.

In a flash, the court was in chaos with all kinds of spit flying everywhere, and it was almost like a fight was about to break out.

"quiet!"

"Look at what you all look like."

"If you are a street performer, your voice will be louder than the one you shout?"

"We'll stop here today. The Prime Minister will stay, and the rest of you can leave!"

Emperor Yongning exploded immediately.

For an emperor, having harmonious relations among his subordinates is a disaster, but having them fight all day long is also a problem.

The party struggles in the Dayu Dynasty were already fierce. Because of their own interests, factions of all sizes often fought each other in the court.

However, the infighting among the civil servants is just child's play.

The dispute between civil and military officials is the most fatal.

If we are not careful, the foundation of the country will be shaken.

At this moment, he was extremely displeased with the Prime Minister who had provoked the conflict without authorization.

……

"Your Majesty, why did you leave me here last?"

After the ministers left, Wan Junhui asked in a puzzled manner.

"Humph!"

"Prime Minister, are you taking advantage of my ignorance?"

Emperor Yongning asked coldly.

It is easy to start a war, but difficult to quell it.

Once the struggle between civil and military officials begins, no one can predict where the subsequent situation will go.

The civil service group has greater influence and has a broad base of officials at the local level, but the nobles are not pushovers either.

We are no match for them in conventional struggles, as they have weapons at their disposal and can overturn the table if pushed to the limit.

Generally speaking, under such circumstances, the civil service group would win over the generals from the nine frontiers to form a check and balance on the noble group.

However, this kind of checks and balances are mostly deterrent in nature and have no practical significance.

You can't just mobilize the army to fight just to defeat your opponent.

Even if the cabinet dared to give the order to transfer foreign troops to the capital, he, as the emperor, would not allow it.

The nobles were at least loyal to the emperor. Even if they made a fuss, they were fighting for the right to speak with the civil officials, not with the emperor himself.

If it were those guys from Liaodong, who knows if there would be a "Dayu version of Dong Zhuo" among them.

"Your Majesty, you have misunderstood me."

"There is no dispute between civil officials and military officials. This is simply a disagreement over government affairs."

“I am making this suggestion at this time for the sake of our country and our people.

The Duke of Chengguo, the Marquis of Zhenyuan, the Marquis of Wuyang, and the Marquis of Hanshui are all outstanding men of Dayu. They have made great military achievements for the court and their loyalty is beyond doubt.

With their assistance, we will surely be able to wipe out the rebellious forces in all directions. But power needs checks and balances, and the court needs balance.

The most ideal situation is a three-way balance of power among the noble families.

The emergence of Han Shui Hou broke this balance.

The most important thing is that he and Marquis Zhenyuan are uncle and nephew. Having two marquises in the same family makes the Li family the richest family in our dynasty.

If it were just these, it wouldn't be a big deal. There are still Duke Chengguo and Marquis Wuyang to check and balance them.

However, Han Shui Hou is too young. Now someone can suppress him, but his future is uncertain.

The army is full of his students and old friends, and in twenty years, the noble faction will be the dominant force.

If he makes more great achievements, it will be easy for him to become too successful and become a threat to his master.

Your Majesty is a man of great talent and strategy, and can accommodate the Marquis of Hanshui, but the court officials cannot.

Once a villain becomes clever and deliberately creates trouble to sow discord between the ruler and his subjects, a gap between them is inevitable over time.

If something unbearable happens, it may damage your Majesty's reputation!

Leaving the Marquis of Hanshui in Annan at this time can not only stabilize the southern border, but also protect him.

The old example of the Duke of Qian is a perfect example of a good story between a monarch and his subjects.

For the sake of the country and the people, I am willing to be the bad guy.

If the Marquis of Hanshui does not understand, I am willing to come to his house in person and explain it to him."

Wan Junhui explained sincerely.

Although there are a lot of personal opinions, most of them are from the heart.

Based on his understanding of Emperor Yongning, once someone becomes too successful and threatens the ruler, it is only a matter of time before the emperor and his subjects kill each other.

The nobles are now the backbone of Dayu. Once the emperor takes action against them, the collapse of the empire will be imminent.

Since Li Mu himself is willing to give in, it is in line with the interests of the civil service group and is also beneficial to the country.

Naturally, he would do his best to promote a win-win-win situation.

"Am I so intolerant in your eyes?"

Emperor Yongning asked unhappily.

Although deep down in his heart he was also afraid of the noble faction becoming too powerful, he definitely had no intention of killing them.

Neither can we, nor do we dare to.

The imperial power is within ten steps and a thousand miles.

No matter how powerful the emperor is, he needs someone to protect him.

In the Dayu Dynasty, it was the children of noble families who were responsible for protecting the emperor's safety.

Among the four giants of the noble family, except for Marquis Wuyang who has not much foundation, the Jing and Li families were inherited from the early years of the founding of the country.

The power on the bright side is astonishing, but no one knows how many tricks there are in the dark.

Once he raises the butcher knife, he must eradicate all these forces, otherwise he, the emperor, will never be able to sleep peacefully again.

Unfortunately, the nobles have been intermarrying for countless generations, and if this one cut is made, most of the noble group will be destroyed.

The world belongs to the emperor, and also to the nobles.

Without this understanding, the noble group would not have been so active in suppressing the rebellion, and would not have carried out tax reforms in the eight southeastern provinces despite the pressure.

The prerequisite for everything is that the consensus between the two parties cannot be broken, otherwise no one knows how the situation will develop.

Although Emperor Yongning's political tactics were immature, he was definitely not stupid.

"It's hard for you, my dear!"

After hesitating for a while, Emperor Yongning spoke slowly.

Deep down, he is conflicted.

On the one hand, he was dissatisfied with Wan Junhui's unauthorized actions, but on the other hand, he recognized Wan Junhui's loyalty.

Compared with the nobles, the biggest shortcoming of civil servants is that the power in their hands is difficult to pass on from generation to generation.

In all the years of the Dayu Dynasty, there has never been a father and son who both served as prime ministers.

The emperor would deliberately suppress it, and other officials would not allow this to happen.

The top second-generation civil servants usually have smooth career development in the early stages, but when they finally reach the top, they will encounter bottlenecks.

In this context, Wan Junhui would undoubtedly take risks if he stepped out to be the bad guy and offended the noble group.

It would be fine if the other person is broad-minded, but if he holds a grudge and is narrow-minded, it will bring disaster to his descendants.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty, the Marquis of Hanshui is not a petty person.

As long as you talk things out, he will understand.

Duke Chengguo, Marquis Zhenyuan, and Marquis Wuyang are all people who take the overall situation into consideration. As long as I can control the civil officials, this dispute between the civil and military officials will not break out.

If any trouble really arises, I will take full responsibility and will never let your Majesty's reputation be damaged!"

Wan Junhui performed with great righteousness.

It's a rare opportunity to win the emperor's favor, so of course I have to seize it.

It is certain that after this incident, his prestige in the government and the country will increase greatly.

He not only gained the trust of the emperor, but also won the support of the civil officials and did Li Mu a big favor.

Compared with the agreement between the two parties, the plan he proposed further expanded his power.

"Thank you for your hard work, my dear!"

“That’s how it’s done.

We still need to appease the Marquis of Hanshui.

He is too young and may not be able to understand your kindness.

How to deal with it specifically, my dear, please decide!"

Someone took the initiative to take the blame, solved the Annan issue and the issue of meritorious officials, and dispelled Emperor Yongning's last concerns.

The original dissatisfaction with Wan Junhui disappeared without a trace in an instant.

At this moment, even the thought of replacing the Prime Minister was washed away.

……

Shu land.

Looking at the letters sent by the rebels, Li Yuan was at a loss whether to laugh or cry for a moment.

He never expected that the rebels would actually offer him bribes.

The bargaining chips used for negotiation are also very strange.

It was not a threat of a fight to the death, but a threat to burn property and hide gold and silver.

Although the method is a bit strange, the effect is really good.

If you don’t accept the money that comes to your door, it will be a waste.

Even if the rebels publicized the deal, no one would believe it.

If the rebels wanted to enter Guanzhong, or enter Yunnan, Guizhou, Huguang, he would definitely refuse without hesitation.

But the enemy actually wanted to go to U-Tsang Dusi and Dogandusi.

These two damn places are deserted.

Let alone growing and becoming stronger, we would be lucky if we didn't starve to death.

The rebels were seeking death, so he naturally couldn't stop them.

Based on his understanding of the two places, the rebels would suffer a large number of non-combat casualties during their evacuation.

When they arrived at the local area, the local chieftains were not easy to bully and allowed these outsiders to rob their property and slaves.

He didn't have to do anything, just watch the rebels and chieftains fighting each other and at the same time eliminate two hidden dangers for the court. He could not find any reason to refuse.

“Tell the people who come here to prepare supplies for ten days.

Anything that you cannot take away must be kept by me, and you are not allowed to destroy it.

As long as they follow the agreed route and receive the goods, the government troops will not pursue them in the next ten days."

Li Yuan said calmly.

The smile on his lips couldn't be concealed.

It is much more satisfying to send soldiers to rob the rebels than to have the enemies come to your door.

Theoretically, if all the rebels are wiped out, all the treasures in their hands can be taken away.

But those who have fought in wars know that the spoils of war on the battlefield are only a small part.

The enemy cannot protect your property, but you can destroy it.

Other things don’t matter. What I’m most afraid of is that the enemy will collect the food from the people and burn it.

By that time, there will be starving people all over Shu, and millions of people will ask him, the governor, for food. That would be really crazy.

(End of this chapter)