Fu Shanhe

Chapter 430 Burdened by Reputation

The capital city, the Lü residence.

"Brother Lü, what brings you here?"

Le Xiangsong asked with a smile.

There are no tigers in the mountains, and the monkeys are kings.

With the top echelons of the civil service group wiped out, those second-tier civil servants became the biggest beneficiaries.

With the Northern barbarians withdrawing their troops, the focus of the Great Yu Dynasty will shift from military to politics.

For the imperial court to function properly, vacant positions always need to be filled.

Previously little presence in the public eye, they have now become candidates for cabinet ministers and ministers of the six ministries.

"Brother Yue, why ask a question you already know the answer to!"

"News has spread through the palace that His Majesty intends to select talented individuals to fill vacant positions in the court at the next grand court assembly."

Those who are qualified to compete now, besides us vice ministers, are the governors and viceroys serving in various places.

The three governors-general are all military officers and will not compete with us.

The other governors, while some had achievements, did not have a clear advantage.

Especially the governors in the south, who also have to restrain the three governors-general, are even less likely to be mobilized.

The debate over who should join the cabinet mainly took place in the capital.

With our qualifications, even if we don't make it into the cabinet, we can certainly scout out for important positions like Minister of the Six Ministries or Left Censor-in-Chief.

Lu Lingfeng admitted.

In officialdom, if you don't fight for it yourself, don't expect something to fall from the sky.

Those who have reached high positions have earned their positions through fierce competition with their colleagues.

To rise to the top and enter the inner circle in one fell swoop is naturally the best choice.

As a second-best option, taking a step forward to become the head of another government office is also a good choice.

"Brother Lü, I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you."

His Majesty's intention is clearly to allow meritorious nobles and relatives of the empress to participate in the competition.

The power of the nobility has grown too rapidly. If they are allowed to continue serving in local positions, it will easily lead to regional separatism.

Apart from the Marquis of Hanshui who was stationed in Annam, the Duke of Cheng and the Marquis of Zhenyuan would mostly remain in the capital.

The positions of Left and Right Governors-General are clearly not suitable for placing the two of them.

There will most likely be two cabinet positions reserved for these two.

They were all regents left behind by the late emperor, and once they entered the cabinet, no one in the court or the country could rival them.

The positions of Grand Secretary and Second Grand Secretary have been almost certainly secured.

Among other key positions, it is highly likely that some more vacancies will be made available for nobles and relatives of the empress.

Le Xiangsong shook his head and said.

The struggle between civil and military officials is far too dangerous.

Just a few months ago, the civil service group held the advantage, but in the blink of an eye, it was completely suppressed.

While the emperor may have shown some political bias towards them, he also had to consider the actual circumstances.

The nobles and relatives of the emperor became the real winners; they had put in so much effort, they certainly couldn't let it go to waste.

In order to prevent the nobles and relatives of the emperor from becoming disloyal, the court had to offer them tangible benefits to appease them.

There's only so much rice in the pot; if some people want to eat more, then naturally some people will want to eat less.

The civil service group that lost in the political struggle is the victim of this round of interest distribution.

They'll definitely make a scene, but nobody knows how effective it will be.

When a knife is held to one's neck, the power of classical texts is limited.

The Southern gentry group, which used to be the main force of the civil service group, has now had its weakness exploited by the noble group.

What can't be resolved through verbal arguments, they can eliminate through physical means.

For the gentry in the south, the most important task was to get rid of these living ancestors as soon as possible.

The northern gentry were not threatened by the nobles, but they encountered the northern barbarians, who were even more unreasonable.

The nobles collected taxes while adhering to the laws of the court, but the northern barbarians openly robbed them.

They not only plundered, but also killed people indiscriminately, and even carried out massacres of entire cities at the drop of a hat.

The idea of ​​transferring southern troops northward to resist the invasion of northern barbarians became a tacit consensus.

Emperor Yongning's actions, seemingly a flash of inspiration, actually align with the interests of the gentry class.

Those who truly suffered were the civil officials in the imperial court, whose power was substantially impacted.

"If we can shift the center of gravity of the noble faction from the south to the northern frontier, it will be worth paying some price."

Fighting within the rules is always better than overturning the table.

Those military men have limited political awareness; they act without restraint and are prone to causing trouble in local areas.

Fei Xinyuan said in a heavy tone.

It's clear that while he verbally expressed his support, deep down he was still unwilling to accept it.

However, the current situation is very unfavorable to the civil service group.

Without a leader, no one could unite the power of the civil service group and politically confront the aristocratic faction.

Or perhaps everyone is hesitant and doesn't dare to be the first to speak out, fearing they will be physically eliminated once again.

Restoring order and the authority of the court as quickly as possible has become the most important task at present.

Without rules to restrain them, they'd risk their lives at the slightest provocation, and they simply couldn't beat those brutes.

"Hey!"

"I have actually considered these issues, but I find them hard to accept."

"A perfectly favorable situation has been ruined by those two traitors, Yin and Zuo!"

Lu Lingfeng angrily cursed.

The decline of the civil service was mainly due to the White Lotus Rebellion, and Yin and Zuo, who instigated the White Lotus Rebellion, naturally became the culprits.

At the beginning of Emperor Yongning's reign, he eliminated the eunuch faction, and a large number of upright officials stepped forward, presenting a prosperous era with a court full of righteous people.

Unfortunately, before everyone could enjoy this glory, the White Lotus Rebellion, which had grown so large, destroyed their foundation.

This forced them to loosen the shackles binding the aristocratic group, and what was even more unexpected was that the aristocratic faction was able to revive so quickly.

One after another, spoiled young men were thrown into the army camp, and surprisingly, a group of outstanding generals were trained.

Although more noble sons were sent home during this process, it still laid the foundation for the revival of the noble lineage.

Having been tempered by war, they formed a powerful aristocratic faction that held military and political power in many southern provinces.

At this point, the civil service group was no longer able to suppress the aristocratic faction.

Unfortunately, not many people realize this, and most people still hold onto their previous ideas and haven't changed their minds.

This led to the tragic incident of civil officials forcing the emperor to abdicate, resulting in the annihilation of the loyalist army and completely igniting the conflict between civil and military officials.

"Brother Lü, now is not the time to be sad."

Having gained a clear understanding of the situation between North Korea and China, we must seize this opportunity and take further steps forward.

The Qingliu Party is now torn apart; if we don't pull ourselves together, we're completely finished!

Fei Xinyuan said slowly.

Within the Qingliu faction, they have never been at the core.

The main reason for joining this group is to covet the faction's political resources.

This is both a disadvantage and a strength.

The Jiangnan region, as the core of the Qingliu faction, produced the most Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations), who occupied a large number of positions in the imperial court.

For the sake of political balance, the emperor would deliberately exclude them when selecting cabinet members.

On the contrary, those who joined from outside the faction were more likely to gain the emperor's approval.

Despite Xu Wenyue's high prestige, he was still unable to command the Qingliu Party, largely because he was not from Jiangnan and lacked the recognition of his fellow townsmen.

Its political foundation was the Chu Party within the Qingliu Party, which sounded impressive, but in reality, its influence in the court was very limited.

The number of officials from Huguang serving in Beijing is roughly the same as the number of officials from Suzhou serving in Beijing.

"Brother Fei is right. At this time, we must join forces."

If the cabinet remains at five members, then it won't be a problem for us, the "pure stream party," to get one of them.

Wanting more is basically impossible.

Each of the northern provinces will send at least one, and possibly two.

The Zhejiang Party is also a problem; due to the need for political balance, they might also secure a spot.

Le Xiangsong said slowly.

The selection of cabinet ministers in the Dayu Dynasty appeared to be a process of recommendation by all officials, with the emperor making the final decision.

In reality, various factors need to be considered comprehensively.

From a purely geographical perspective, Zhejiang produced the most cabinet ministers.

There was no other reason than that the Zhejiang Party often went against the Qingliu Party, and frequently used the Qingliu banner to oppose the Qingliu Party.

The underlying reason is the internal strife and unequal distribution of power within the gentry group, which has led to regional conflicts.

The Zhejiang Party is a political conservative that advocates maintaining the status quo and opposes escalating the conflict between civilians and military officials.

The Qingliu Party was relatively radical; they not only wanted to suppress military generals, but they also wanted to put the emperor's power in a cage.

He advocated weakening the monarch's power, proposed the idea of ​​"dispersing power," and championed "public ownership of the world through elections."

They demanded political reforms to alleviate the crisis of rule.

It sounds good, but in practice, it's a different set of standards.

Reform is too difficult and could easily provoke a backlash from vested interests; it's much easier to just shout slogans.

This allows them to gain the support of scholars and common people without having to bear any real responsibility.

"The Zhejiang faction will definitely get a position. His Majesty hopes to ease the conflicts in the court and needs them to step in and mediate. On the contrary, we are in more danger. After the death of Grand Secretary Xu was investigated, it is a foregone conclusion that the Chu faction and the Qingliu faction will part ways."

Without the pressure of the eunuch faction, they don't need the banner of the "pure stream party" to act as a shield.

If nothing unexpected happens, the Chu faction will gravitate towards the Zhejiang faction.

Add to that the Qi faction, who don't like us, and who knows, a "Qi-Chu-Zhe faction" alliance might emerge at any time.

If the situation develops in this way, we might not even have a place in the cabinet!

Lu Lingfeng said in a deep voice.

The civil service group failed to confront the powerful nobles and imperial relatives not only because of its lack of strength, but also because of the intensification of internal conflicts.

Xu Wenyue was ambushed, and despite his efforts to conceal it, he was still discovered.

During the first trial by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, all those responsible for the attack confessed, and the mastermind behind it all was none other than the Left Censor-in-Chief, a core member of the Qingliu faction.

Although the Left Censor-in-Chief died and the investigation could not continue, the Chu faction officials still blamed the Qingliu faction.

The political alliance, already fraught with contradictions, came to an abrupt end.

After this incident, divisions quickly emerged within the civil service.

Many officials suspected their political enemies of the death of their boss.

After all, the noble faction is a real enemy that can't be dealt with; continuing to cause trouble will only result in losses for ourselves.

If we shout "warlords rule the country" again, we'll anger the noble faction, and they'll take it seriously. We won't even have time to cry then.

Against this backdrop, whether genuinely confused or feigning ignorance, many officials chose to believe that their faction leader had been killed by political enemies.

Since their boss's political enemies were also dead, they didn't need to worry about revenge.

With this fig leaf in place, everyone can stay in the mansion and observe the situation with a clear conscience.

It was definitely not out of fear of the nobility's military might that they chose to back down.

"Brother Lü's speculation is not without reason. If the Qi, Chu and Zhe factions are allied, then they will truly become a major threat."

With external threats still unresolved and internal troubles arising, the situation is on the verge of spiraling out of control.

Now that things have come to this point, there's no need to hold back anymore. Let's seize the opportunity while we still have time!

Le Xiangsong said with a solemn expression.

Besides external competition, there was also internal competition, but the three of them tacitly avoided mentioning it.

Given the chance to join the cabinet and become the boss, nobody wants to be a subordinate.

The current alliance is merely a means to seize support within the Qingliu Party and eliminate other competitors.

At the final moment, a struggle inevitably ensued among the three as they vied for a seat in the cabinet.

……

Almost simultaneously, various factions within the court began to take action.

Emperor Yongning successfully mobilized all parties by offering bait to recruit others and form alliances.

Tongzhou Camp.

After the northern barbarians withdrew, the emperor did not issue an edict for the reinforcements to enter the capital, and Jing and Li also chose to turn a blind eye.

Ever since Dong Zhuo set a bad precedent, rulers of all dynasties have been wary of transferring troops from outside the capital.

If the emperor does not summon them, those below will not bring it up on their own initiative, so as not to cause unnecessary misunderstandings.

"Brother Jing, it seems His Majesty is not planning to let us leave."

Li Yuan said with a gloomy expression.

To rise to the rank of general or prime minister is the ultimate dream of countless men.

At a different time, with such an opportunity, firecrackers would be set off to celebrate.

At this critical juncture, he really can't be happy.

The mess that Dayu is in is not easy to clean up.

Entering the cabinet at this time would be like being roasted on a fire.

"As expected."

Who in the court, besides you and me, can clean up the mess in the northern frontier?

The northern barbarians have invaded twice already. If no measures are taken soon, a third and fourth invasion will occur.

Once it became a habit, they would raid southwards every year.

In just a few years, the land of Hebei will be destroyed.

Who knows, one day even the capital might fall into the hands of the northern barbarians.

None of the civil officials dared to take responsibility, and His Majesty was at a loss. If he didn't turn to us, who else could he turn to?
When you encounter such an unlucky time, it can only be attributed to bad luck.

The Jing and Li families had received imperial favor for generations and were thus bound together with the Great Yu.

This mess, once it's in our hands, we have no choice but to take it!

Jing Guoliang said with a helpless expression.

Burdened by their family's reputation, they had no choice but to clean up the messes, a thankless task they couldn't avoid.

Once you become the prime minister, it's expected that you'll do a good job, but if you don't, it becomes a sin.

If one is not careful, one will be branded as a powerful minister.

Unfortunately, the current emperor is easily swayed and his political stance is readily influenced by others.

If you're not careful, you'll make a mess of things.

"If you dare to take the position of Grand Secretary, I am willing to risk my life to accompany you."

His Majesty has just put us on the throne, and I dare to replace all the generals on the Great Wall defense line with sons of noble families.

In any case, the two invasions by the northern barbarians severely damaged the local military families, leaving them powerless to stop our people from settling in!

Li Yuan then changed the subject.

Compared to other noble families, the Li family has already bought a ticket to leave.

Annam was far from the political center, so the political turmoil of the court could not reach it.

Li Mu's ability to manage the local area was far more impressive than he had anticipated.

In terms of overall strength, it is even stronger than Liaodong Town.

With the influx of a large number of immigrants, the Annam region has undergone rapid development.

As long as they can survive the first few years, and with the Marquis of Hanshui's mansion to support them, even if they lose in the political struggle at court, the emperor will still treat them with caution.

The most serious consequence would be nothing more than being removed from the center of power and remaining silent for a few years.

"This mess in the northern frontier is too big for ordinary people to handle; we must send our best troops over there."

If we do that, our advantage in the south will inevitably be weakened.

The best option is to continue expanding the army, but unfortunately, there are limited capable sons of nobles; otherwise, we wouldn't be facing a shortage of manpower.

Jing Guoliang nodded and said.

Insufficient reserve forces are the biggest weakness of the noble faction.

Even after so many years of development, most noble families still have a number of branches, with hundreds to tens of thousands of members.

Among them, there are still very few capable generals.

Influenced by the idea that civil officials valued civil officials more than military ones, some noble families that had been led astray had long neglected their military preparedness.

They want to promote their own people, but they don't have that many talented people.

"If there aren't enough sons of nobles, then promote commoner generals."

Although these people were limited by their family wealth and could not afford to support their own servants and core members, they could still be trained to become generals.

Mu'er has a wealth of experience.

The generals of the Annam Protectorate were mostly commoners, yet they still managed to maintain the army's fighting capacity.

Li Yuan said in a deep voice.

Making this decision will undoubtedly come with pressure.

In the past, only his own people were promoted. No matter which family's son rose to prominence, the benefits remained within the family.

If civilian generals are promoted extensively, there will inevitably be a group of people within the nobility group who will be dissatisfied.

In political struggles, internal pressure is often more destructive than external enemies.

"Nobody wants to go to that godforsaken place, Annam. No matter what you do to it, nobody will object."

The North is different; it's too close to the capital.

Military power must be in the hands of our own people for us to remain invincible.

If there is a shortage of personnel, they can be drawn from various towns. The key positions should be secured first, and it is acceptable to give the positions of generals below the rank of commander to commoners.

If there are not enough generals, priority will be given to drawing them from the six garrisons of Guangdong and Guangxi.

Anyway, with Mu'er watching over there, even if all the noble generals are transferred out, they will not lose control of the troops.

The younger generation sent there afterward, having undergone so much training, should have matured by now.

Jing Guoliang thought for a moment and then said.

The six garrisons of Guangdong and Guangxi were essentially training schools for generals of the nobility; when the army was expanded, most of the generals came from there.

For the sake of their own sons' development, the noble families would actively send their sons to Li Mu's side, hoping they could learn some military leadership skills from him.

In this regard, Li Mu accepted all comers.

No matter how many people come, or what their background is, they are all thrown into the military camp for training.

After enduring the first few months of training, they will be gradually developed based on their performance.

Most of the pampered sons of noble families couldn't withstand the initial training and their military careers ended prematurely before they even began. Those who remained were the ones with perseverance.

"It is acceptable to prioritize drawing generals from the six garrisons of Guangdong and Guangxi, but these talents are just starting out and have not yet been tempered by the brutal fires of war."

First, send these people to Henan to quell the rebellion and accumulate some combat experience, and then send them to the northern border defense line.

Considering the current situation, troops from four garrisons in Fujian, Zhejiang, and Hubei/Hunan were first drawn to reinforce the Great Wall defense line.

……

(End of this chapter)