Fu Shanhe

Chapter 538 Hidden Dangers Emerge
Time flies, and as news of the new emperor's selection spread far and wide, the governors and viceroys in various regions showed considerable indifference.

Factionalism and suppression of dissent were the main tactics employed in the Great Yu court, and the Six Ministries of Nanjing were inherently losers in political struggles.

Suddenly becoming the master and seizing the highest power in the empire naturally aroused dissatisfaction among many people.

Especially at the local level, the Nanjing court lacked broad support.

The reason why everyone sent troops to support the emperor was because the Shi family challenged the bottom line of all parties. In order to gain political prestige, they symbolically sent troops to join.

With the changing situation and the common enemy gone, internal struggles once again became the main force.

Lacking the support of local powers, all the ministers of the six ministries in Nanjing were incorporated into the cabinet, reaping the greatest political benefits.

The local governors and viceroys, who held real power, contributed money and effort to the war to defend the emperor, but only received verbal commendations.

Unequal distribution of political spoils sowed the seeds of major problems for the political situation at court.

Nanjing City.

"Gentlemen, the situation is not good!"

“Apart from the Jiangnan region, the congratulatory messages from the governors and viceroys of other provinces have been delayed, which is clearly a show of force to the new emperor!”

After Bai Jinwen finished speaking, everyone's expressions turned extremely ugly.

It was said to be a show of force to the new emperor, but in reality, it was aimed at their cabinet.

The six-year-old emperor couldn't even recognize all the characters in the congratulatory letter he received; what was the point of all this fuss?

Essentially, it was still a matter of supporting a new emperor. The cabinet made the decision directly without consulting the local governors.

On this issue, everyone has their own unspoken difficulties.

Each minister has their own supporters, and even the cabinet cannot reach a consensus. If local officials are brought in, it will take a year to reach a conclusion.

If things really escalate to that point, the last vestiges of the Great Yu Dynasty's prestige will be completely exhausted.

Throughout Chinese history, the decision to install a new emperor has always been made unilaterally by the emperor.

The more people involved, the more likely things are to go wrong.

"These guys dare to act recklessly because they think His Majesty is young."

However, the congratulatory message from the Marquis of Hanshui has already been sent, and they should be following suit soon.

He Zhengze said coldly.

The fact that local governors and viceroys did not respect the imperial court essentially stemmed from the central government's lack of sufficient deterrent power over the local areas.

The core reason is that only their six-member cabinet participated in the enthronement of the new emperor, while the most powerful Grand Secretary, Li Mu, did not express his opinion at all.

The fact that the congratulatory message has been sent means that this military leader supports the new emperor.

Upon receiving this political signal, even if the governors and viceroys in various regions were dissatisfied, they had no choice but to accept the issue of supporting a new emperor.

However, this was only a temporary compromise, and the conflict between local governors and the central government remained unresolved.

A series of troubles await them in their subsequent governance.

"The new emperor will ascend the throne next month. Even if we send the news to various places immediately, it will probably be too late."

Without the support of local governors and viceroys, the legitimacy of the new emperor may be questioned.

Bai Jinwen said with a frown.

In the face of national decline, the court must pay close attention to details, especially the legitimacy of the emperor, which cannot be taken lightly.

Even the slightest hidden danger can cause big trouble in the future.

"Don't worry, Lord Bai, those governors and viceroys are very bold."

No congratulatory letter was sent, but representatives from various regions carried plenty of blank forms to fill in with their congratulations on the new emperor's ascension to the throne.

Wan Huaijin said with a mocking expression.

The main reason for bringing blank documents to Beijing was to deal with the Ministry of Revenue's audit of money and grain.

In the early years of the People's Republic of China, the infamous blank printing case broke out, which shocked the entire country.

The imperial court punished a large number of people, but the problem of carrying blank documents still occurred from time to time.

It wasn't that the local officials wanted to do anything; the main problem was that the capital was far from the local areas, making it inconvenient to transmit information.

Some things need to be dealt with promptly.

Relying on couriers to run back and forth is futile; by then, the opportunity will have passed.

During the height of the dynasty's power, people still held it in awe and only dared to do things secretly.

As long as it's not excessive, the emperor will turn a blind eye.

The situation changed during the Yongning reign. Due to the rebellion, communication between the local authorities and the imperial court became increasingly difficult.

To solve this problem, the practice of using blank seals once again became popular in official circles.

Especially after the fall of the capital, the imperial power further declined, and the previously hidden issue of empty seals was brought to the forefront by these people without any restraint.

"Never mind, we can discuss these issues after His Majesty ascends the throne."

It's a pity the Marquis of Hanshui couldn't come to preside over the enthronement ceremony, otherwise so much trouble wouldn't have happened!

An Jingzhi couldn't help but complain.

Politics is a mess; officials' political stances change entirely with the changing situation.

If Li Mu were to truly enter the capital to take charge of the overall situation, they would be the first to object.

Now that Li Mu has made it clear that he won't get involved, those who most want Li Mu to come and clean up the mess are still the people like them.

His greed for power was real, but his loyalty to the Great Yu court and his desire to save the country were also real.

"Stop dreaming!"

"The Annam Protectorate has sent an official document stating that the Kingdom of Burma, in collusion with the Western barbarians, has amassed an army of hundreds of thousands to invade the Protectorate."

From Southeast Asia to the Indochina Peninsula, everything is about to be engulfed in war.

"I reckon it won't be long before the Marquis of Hanshui goes back to put out the fire!"

Shi Qingchen said expressionlessly.

Whether Li Mu's return to the Annam Protectorate was good or bad for the current situation was something he couldn't really judge.

With Li Mu, the nominal chief minister, in power, the Nanjing court was able to exert pressure on all sides and seize supreme power in the Great Yu.

It was precisely because of Li Mu's prestige that they were uneasy.

They feared that one day Li Mu might succumb to the temptation of power, seize absolute power, or even usurp the throne.

Since Emperor Xuan of Han set a bad precedent, powerful ministers have had no way out.

If Li Mu were to enter the court, his power would far surpass that of Huo Guang in his time.

The Shi family has dealt with all those guys from the noble faction, and the younger generation are all following them.

There's no need to deliberately plant people; everyone inside and outside the capital is one of our own, and there's no one to check or balance us.

"How dare a mere kingdom like Burma collude with the Western barbarians to invade our Great Yu?"

Bai Jinwen asked incredulously.

Despite the internal chaos of the Great Yu Empire, it remains a behemoth to its surrounding neighbors.

Especially after the Marquis of Hanshui recovered Jiaozhi and established the Annam Protectorate, he once again pushed the empire's prestige to its peak.

In the past ten years or so, the number of states destroyed by the Marquis of Hanshui has been at least eighty or one hundred.

Small countries like Myanmar can be wiped off the map with just one imperial edict from the Marquis of Hanshui.

The reason why the Burmese king has been able to survive until now is mainly because he is pragmatic.

After witnessing the might of the Marquis of Hanshui's army, he turned into a well-behaved child.

Regardless of the internal turmoil in the Dayu Dynasty, they insisted on sending lavish gifts to pay tribute every year.

Since the foreign tribes were so law-abiding, the Protectorate had no excuse to send troops out for the time being. In addition, they were busy developing Southeast Asia and forgot about them.

Against this backdrop, going to invade the Annam Protectorate was clearly suicidal.

Even with the Westerners included, no one took it seriously. "Really? Is it real or fake? Does it matter?"

"If the Marquis of Hanshui wants to leave, can we stop him?"

Shi Qingchen put down his teacup and asked in return.

From the perspective of the nation's well-being, Li Mu's departure now is undoubtedly the best choice.

If he were to hold power for a few years, the entire court would be filled with his cronies, and it would be hard to say who would inherit the throne.

Even if Li Mu himself did not want to usurp the throne, he could not stop his subordinates from pushing him to the top.

If it really comes to that, these former officials of the previous dynasty will be in an awkward position.

Whether one chooses to die for a good reputation or to become a "traitor" for wealth and honor is a true test of human nature.

……

"His Majesty's enthronement ceremony should begin soon, shouldn't it?"

Standing on the deck, gazing at the rising sun in the distance, Li Mu asked a question.

"My lord, according to the usual procedure, the coronation ceremony will last for seven days."

This mainly includes the funeral arrangements for the late emperor, the officials' encouragement of the emperor to ascend the throne, the sacrifices to Heaven and Earth and the ancestral temples, and the formal enthronement ceremony.

Since the new ruler is young, the procedures will likely be simplified considerably, with a grand ceremony to be held when he comes of age and assumes full power.

Lan Linjie answered immediately.

To highlight the sanctity of imperial power, each dynasty established a complete set of ritual procedures for the enthronement ceremony of a new emperor.

The most important parts were all presided over by the emperor himself.

The new ruler is a child; no one can trust him to preside over sacrificial ceremonies.

If the etiquette is mishandled at any point and a embarrassing situation arises, no one can afford to take the blame.

Under these circumstances, the only option was to have court officials take charge on behalf of the emperor, and then start over once the new emperor came of age and assumed full power.

If Li Mu were in Nanjing, these would all be his tasks.

It was glorious, but it was also incredibly tiring.

His decision not to go to Nanjing was partly due to a gradual severing of ties with Dayu, but also because he genuinely didn't want to work.

The new emperor is different from Emperor Yongning. No matter how outrageous Emperor Yongning was, his title of Marquis of Hanshui was bestowed upon him by someone else.

Even though they were wary later on, they ultimately didn't go too far.

In the eyes of the people, the title of Marquis of Hanshui was politically closely tied to Emperor Yongning.

Those who receive the emperor's salary must be loyal to him.

The Shi family forced Emperor Yongning to his death, and he immediately sent troops to quell the rebellion, which was his way of giving an account to the people.

The effect was remarkable; this campaign to quell the rebellion propelled his reputation to its peak.

His retirement now, having achieved his goals, is his final act as a meritorious official of the Great Yu Dynasty, a tribute to the empire.

With his achievements overshadowing the emperor, his voluntary withdrawal from the court was the best option for all parties involved.

Subsequently, due to the long distances and difficulties in information transmission, contact with the imperial court was gradually reduced.

"Ok!"

"Tell our people in Nanjing that after His Majesty's enthronement ceremony is completed, they will submit my resignation."

In addition, another memorial was drafted, emphasizing the education of the new emperor and requesting the cabinet to invite several renowned teachers to enlighten His Majesty.

Incidentally, I should mention the situation in the northern frontier so that the court can be more vigilant and guard against the northern barbarians taking advantage of the chaos.

The armies sent to defend the emperor in various regions were immediately disbanded and returned to their respective provinces to take up their posts.

"Send someone to urge the Ministry of Personnel to complete all official appointment documents before the army that came to the aid of the emperor returns."

Li Mu said earnestly.

He had no hope for the Nanjing cabinet.

Without exceptional political skills, the mess that the Great Yu Dynasty was in was impossible to clean up.

A group of political losers who can't even handle the infighting in the court, how can they possibly govern the world?

If it were the regents left by the late emperor, they would at least have gained the support of local governors and viceroys in the past few months and completed the integration of the court.

They occupy the righteous position, and if someone disobeys, they can simply be replaced.

Riding on the momentum of the loyalist army's great victory over the rebels, local governors and viceroys, no matter how much dissatisfaction they harbored, could only choose to suppress it.

Before his resignation was approved by the court, Li Mu was the legitimate chief minister of the Great Yu Dynasty.

The personnel changes made in the name of the cabinet also represent his will.

Once the imperial edict is issued, even if local governors disobey, the returning loyalist army will carry out the order on their behalf.

The tiger skin was right in front of them, but none of them knew how to use it.

At this moment, Li Mu has already led his troops on their way back. Without him, the powerful chief minister, to keep them in check, the local governors and viceroys will only become less and less respectful of the imperial court.

If internal integration cannot be completed in a timely manner, even normal tax collection will be problematic.

In the Great Yu Dynasty, it wasn't just the gentry in Jiangnan who dared to resist taxes; the moral integrity of gentry in other regions wasn't much higher either.

The fact that they didn't take the lead in resisting taxes shows that they are self-aware and very clear that they don't have enough political weight.

Once they take the lead in doing such things, the imperial court will not be polite to them at all.

The gentry of Jiangnan had enough political influence, but they were too important to the financial system of Da Yu, and the court simply could not compromise.

He usually takes more than his share in official duties, but when it comes to fulfilling his responsibilities, he makes excuses and shirks them, which has aroused dissatisfaction from all sides.

The noble faction took the lead in starting the conflict, and various factions in the court took advantage of their misfortune, making them the target of everyone's criticism and ultimately leading to their annihilation.

The situation has now changed. With Li Mu leaving with his troops, the central government of the Great Yu Dynasty has entered a period of weakness.

Control over local areas will inevitably decline.

"My lord, the rewards for the capital garrison and the border troops have not yet been determined!"
"You are now not only the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, but also the Grand Secretary of the court; you have complete authority to make decisions on personnel appointments."

Lan Linjie spoke up to remind him.

Although these two troops were not Li Mu's direct subordinates, they were politically on his side.

Since he's my own little brother, I definitely have to take care of him.

Since we're leaving anyway, we might as well do them a favor and help them get promoted.

As long as the imperial court does not approve his resignation, Li Mu will remain the chief minister of the Great Yu Dynasty.

When the emperor is unable to hold power, the power held by the chief minister can be amplified to an unlimited extent.

"Too much of a good thing is bad!"

"The new emperor has just ascended the throne, so we must give him an opportunity to win people's hearts."

"If we finish everything, what will happen to the imperial court?"

Li Mu decisively refused.

Promoting your own people seems simple, but the problem is that it involves personnel adjustments, and someone has to fill the gaps first.

In the current border regions, transferring anyone there would be a disaster.

If a suitable successor cannot be found, transferring a large number of former subordinates to positions in the south would be tantamount to effectively abandoning the north.

Such a huge political burden was something no one in the government or the public could bear, and Li Mu didn't want to try it either.

If the border problems are not resolved, and trouble ensues, the leader will be held responsible.

He didn't want to be forced into the war in the northern border region because his underling had caused trouble.

Deep down, he had already made up his mind to launch a southern expedition as soon as he returned.

As long as the command post is far enough away from the capital, matters of the imperial court will not reach him.

(End of this chapter)