The Three Kingdoms: Zhaolie, the strategist, and the rise of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 337: Setting a precedent in the Han Dynasty, the legitimate Han Chancellor holds supreme power.
Meanwhile, Li Yi was granted the title of Duke of Protector of the State.

He became the first duke in the true sense of the word, officially recognized by the Han Dynasty.

The previous Duke of Anhan was Wang Mang, who has been officially defined as a traitor.

Now Liu Bei hopes that Li Yi can become one of the two extremes with Wang Mang.

He rebelled against the Han Dynasty, and you protected the Han Dynasty.

Protect the Han Dynasty empire we fought together to conquer.

"Li Yi, receive your appointment!"

After Li Yi became the first legitimate non-royal duke of the Shu Han, he would also become the first person to accept a Han official position.

After all, the official positions he previously held all belonged to the Qi state.

"Chen is here!"

Li Yi stepped forward in response.

"I hereby appoint you as Prime Minister and put you in charge of the affairs of the Secretariat."

"Grant him the privilege of establishing his own government, limited to two hundred people."

As expected, Li Yi became the Chancellor of the Han Dynasty.

He was the prime minister of Qi before, and now he is the prime minister of Han.

The one who oversees the government can make decisions on major national policies, supervise officials, and even issue military mobilization orders.

This reward was exactly what everyone expected.

If Li Yi doesn't become the Chancellor of Han, then who will?

However, this prime minister is much more prestigious than the former prime minister of Qi.

At least nominally, the Qi Chancellor only governed one vassal state.

The second-in-command of a vassal state.

Once outside the State of Qi, upon meeting Liu Xie, one must nominally bow one's head.

The Chancellor of Han was truly the second most powerful person in the land.

In the truest sense, he was second only to the emperor and above all others.

Congratulations, Prime Minister!

Chen Deng took the lead in bowing and sincerely congratulated his good brother on receiving the position of prime minister.

As soon as he spoke, the other court officials realized what was going on.

They all bowed and congratulated Li Yi.
"Congratulations, Prime Minister!!"

The Prime Minister is in charge of supervising all officials, so everyone should seize the opportunity to make an appearance and try to leave a good impression on Li Yi.

Even with so many people, Li Yi might not remember them all.

But if anyone fails to offer their congratulations, Li Yi will surely remember it.

After Li Yi accepted the position of Prime Minister, it was logical that Guan Yu should be the next to be granted an official title.

Suddenly, the master of ceremonies announced:

"Prime Minister, please wait!"

"His Majesty's bestowal of rewards is not yet complete."

Oh?
Upon hearing this, not only the civil and military officials, but even Li Yi himself was surprised.

He accepted both the title and the position.

Various privileges were also added.

What else did Liu Bei need to bestow upon himself in public, in front of all the civil and military officials?

But soon, the official in charge of ceremonies revealed the answer.

"Li Yi is hereby appointed Grand Marshal and General!"

Well!
As soon as this statement came out, everyone in the court was shocked.

His Majesty has actually reinstated the position of Grand Marshal and General-in-Chief from the time of Emperor Wu!
As mentioned before, this position was originally created by Emperor Wu when he had no other titles to offer Wei Qing, so he added the title of Grand Marshal before Grand General.

If we take the position of Grand Marshal and General-in-Chief out of context, its scope of authority is even greater than that of the Chancellor.

Because he was not only the supreme military commander of the country, but also the emperor's chief regent, he had the right to participate in major national decisions.

This is tantamount to indirectly taking away some of the prime minister's power.

The problem is that Li Yi is already the prime minister.

If he were to be given the position of Grand Marshal and General-in-Chief, it would be tantamount to putting him in charge of all national political and military affairs.

In a true sense, he controlled both military and political affairs.

Of course, this started as early as when he started his business in Xuzhou, and continued until Liu Bei became the King of Qi.

Li Yi was doing the work of handling both military and political affairs.

After he went to Hebei, Li Yi's authority was basically limited to the north.

He rarely interfered in Southern affairs.

But now, Liu Bei has granted Li Yi two official positions.

This effectively established Li Yi's political position of having control over both military and political affairs.

"His Majesty!"

Li Yi hurriedly stepped forward to resign:

"I am of meager virtue and limited wisdom, and even I, as Prime Minister, feel inadequate in my abilities."

"How can one be qualified for the position of Grand Marshal and General-in-Chief, and take charge of the nation's military affairs?"

After saying that, he pointed to the group of generals behind him who had made great contributions in battle.

"Guan Yu, Zhang Yide, Chen Yuanlong, Ma Mengqi, and Lü Bu were all men of great merit and fame."

"Your talent surpasses mine tenfold; you deserve this position."

Li Yi maintained his consistent attitude towards life.

The wood is beautiful in the forest, and the wind will destroy it.

Faced with a reward that was almost like a death wish, Li Yi decisively declined.

Several key generals were specifically selected.

These generals are all seasoned veterans with numerous military achievements.

More importantly, they all had a good relationship with Li Yi in private.

Therefore, even though Li Yi himself was in the wrong, he was happy to do a favor by going along with the flow.

Liu Bei stood up, a slight smile playing on his lips:
"Prime Minister, please don't be so modest."

“You have been by my side since you were in Xuzhou.”

"I am well aware of your abilities."

"If we're talking about strategizing and making decisive moves on the battlefield, no one can beat you."

"Of all the officials in the court, you are the most suitable."

"As for the ministers recommended by you, I will bestow upon them other rewards."

Liu Bei's words were also perfectly watertight.

First, acknowledge Li Yi's abilities, then explain the reasons.

Finally, give Guan Yu and the others a way out.

It's not that we won't give it to you, but that you will receive other rewards.

In fact, granting Li Yi both military and political positions was a decision made after careful consideration by Liu Bei.

Long before the Central Plains War began, Liu Bei had been planning this.

Regarding the reinstatement of the position of Grand Marshal and General-in-Chief, Liu Bei did not even privately communicate with Li Yi.

They caught the entire court of officials completely off guard during the investiture ceremony.

There are three main reasons for doing this.

First, Liu Bei always felt indebted to Li Yi, who had followed him in starting his business for eighteen years.

Although he held a high position, he toiled tirelessly every day for the sake of the country.

So I've always wanted to find an opportunity to make it up to him.

Of course,
He was given the position of supreme military commander, which was an unparalleled honor, but it also increased the burden on Li Yi.

He will only become busier from now on.

This leads to the second point.

There is no doubt that Li Yi will be appointed as the prime minister.

However, after much consideration, Liu Bei still felt that Li Yi should be appointed as the supreme military commander.

As Li Yi himself often says, "With great power comes great responsibility."

Liu Bei looked at all his generals and could not find anyone who could replace Li Yi.

Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Lü Bu, Chen Deng, and Ma Chao were all competent in military affairs.

However, the selection of officials is not based solely on professional competence.

Especially for top leaders, if you only have professional skills, you absolutely cannot do this position well.

All five of them have personality flaws.

Guan Yu was bad at managing his relationship with the scholar-officials, and Zhang Fei was bad at managing his relationship with the soldiers.

Lu Bu is fond of wine and women, and is lazy; he will certainly not be able to do his best in his work.

In other words, none of these people are professional workers.

If you're not a working professional, you won't be able to coordinate relationships between different departments effectively.

This can easily trigger a series of conflicts and disputes over interests.

Liu Bei did have quite a few people working in the workplace under his command.

For example, Zhang He, Zhang Liao, and Xu Huang were all typical office workers.

He is very good at handling things and his military skills are absolutely up to standard.

However, they were, after all, former generals who had surrendered.

There's no reason why they should be able to suppress Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and other founding generals.

For one thing, these two guys definitely wouldn't do it.

Historically, when Liu Bei appointed Huang Zhong as a general of the four directions, Guan Yu would throw a tantrum and even directly refuse Liu Bei's appointment.

Besides, they were shorter than several surrendered generals.

This also reflects the fact that Guan Yu and Zhang Fei should not be given such important positions in state institutions.

Therefore, after much deliberation.

Liu Bei eventually set his sights on Li Yi.

First of all, Li Yi's abilities, prestige, and military achievements are absolutely sufficient.

Their undefeated record speaks for itself.

Secondly, Li Yi is well-liked and knows how to handle things.

I get along well with my colleagues.

This is actually very important, even more so than your professional skills.

No matter how capable you are, if your colleagues don't cooperate with you, you won't be able to improve your work efficiency.

The third point, which is also the most important, is...

That is Liu Bei's feeling that he would live for the rest of his life, or even for the next five hundred years.

It would be very difficult to find someone like Li Yi who is both a scholar and a warrior, capable in all six regions, extremely adept at handling affairs, and loyal and pure in heart.

Liu Bei would not have trusted anyone else, but Li Yi was an exception.

"This dual position is one that only you can accept; please accept it, my dear minister!"

Liu Bei spoke up again to persuade him, his tone almost brooking no refusal.

His unspoken message was, "I know what you're worried about, Ziyu."

Entrusting the highest administrative, supervisory, and military powers of the state to one person could lead to problems in the future.

but……

We'll talk about the future when it comes.

Right now, I only trust you.

Only you are qualified to have both military and political power.

The implication is that if Li Yi were to retire someday...

Even without Li Yi saying anything, Liu Bei would have taken back the power of prime minister and military command on his own initiative.

After all, even Liu Bei himself didn't believe that anyone was capable of receiving this honor again.

Its conditions are too demanding.

Not only must one be proficient in both academics and martial arts, possessing exceptional abilities, but one must also manage relationships with colleagues and subordinates effectively.

Furthermore, one must gain the absolute trust of the monarch; this alone is enough to eliminate countless people.

And it was precisely these stringent conditions that Li Yi possessed.

"The road ahead will be difficult, and I cannot do without Ziyu by my side."

Liu Bei gently placed his hand on Li Yi's body and met his gaze.

"Do not fail me!"

Li Yi looked at Liu Bei's eyes and then calmed himself down.

"I accept your order!"

The reply, consisting of only three words, was profoundly impactful.

This is a sense of responsibility, a sense of historical responsibility.

Even though Li Yi had said long ago that he would retire after pacifying the world.

But a sense of historical responsibility wouldn't allow him to back down so quickly.

"Good! Good! Good!"

Liu Bei's tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed, and a proud smile appeared on his face.

"...Ziyu, I have always respected you as my teacher."

"But you are much younger than me, and today, I am truly proud of you."

Liu Bei patted Li Yi on the shoulder.

He returned to the dragon throne and gave the master of ceremonies a look.

The master of ceremonies understood and loudly proclaimed:

"Guan Yu, step forward to receive your investiture!"

Guan Yu stepped forward in response.

The officials now understood that Liu Bei would only stand up separately when bestowing honors upon Li Yi.

This can be considered an extra honor bestowed upon Li Yi.

"Guan Yu is hereby appointed as Grand General, Duke of Hanshou, with a fief of ten thousand households!"

As expected, Guan Yu was also granted the title of Duke, becoming the second person in the Shu Han dynasty to hold a fief of ten thousand households.

However, the scope of his authority as a general was naturally reduced considerably.

After all, Li Yi had already been appointed Grand Marshal and General, making him the highest military commander in the country.

Guan Yu's position as Grand General was equivalent to the highest-ranking official in the defense sector.

He could command troops in wartime and also oversee the imperial guards in the capital and the governors of the four directions in peacetime.

Li Yi, on the other hand, was the Grand Marshal and General, the highest-ranking officer in the Military Commission.

The two are incomparable.

"Your subject Guan Yu thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness!"

Guan Yu knelt down and bowed.

"Yun Chang, please rise!"

Liu Bei smiled and gestured for Guan Yu to stand up.

All the court officials bowed and offered their congratulations.
Congratulations, Guan Yu!

The rewards and honors for meritorious officials were arranged according to the order of the Lingyan Pavilion.

Next up is Chen Deng.

"Chen Deng was appointed Governor-General of Huainan, Duke of Guangling, with a fief of nine thousand households."

The Governor-General of Huainan was a newly created position.

Liu Bei merged Guangling Commandery, Shouchun Commandery, and Jiujiang Commandery into Huainan Commandery.

The position of Governor-General of Huainan also included overseeing Jingzhou and Yangzhou.

In other words, Liu Bei officially recognized Chen Deng's status as a military leader in Jiangnan.

Of course, this is also an inevitable trend.

After all, the previous plan to support Zhuge Liang and Jingzhou had failed, so it was widely expected that Chen Deng would become the number one military meritorious person in Jiangnan.

"Congratulations, Yuanlong."

Li Yi was the first to walk up to Chen Deng and congratulate him.

"Now you have finally achieved your ambition."

Chen Deng harbored the ambition to conquer the Jiangnan region, making it his lifelong goal.

At the beginning of his career, Li Yi helped Liu Bei win over this powerful family from Xuzhou by proposing a plan to send him to Guangling.

Chen Deng was grateful to Li Yi for saving his life and obeyed.

Now, eighteen years later, Chen Deng has finally fulfilled his dream!

“Ziyu, I, Chen Deng, have rarely admired anyone in my life.”

"The current emperor is one, and you are another."

"I am truly grateful to you. If it weren't for your advice back then, I would never have achieved what I have today."

Ha ha……

Li Yi smiled slightly:
"Now you have returned to Jiangnan and are enjoying fish dishes from all over the world."

"But don't forget the way Yi taught you to eat it."

"Remember to eat more sea fish and less river fish."

"Haha, that's natural."

"I have spent half my life to get to where I am today. I should cherish my life and enjoy fish dishes with you for two more years."

"Brother, you're now the prime minister, you're quite a busy man. If you have a spare moment..."

"You must come to Jiangnan to find me. I will treat you to fish dishes from all over the world."

"It's a deal?"

"A word is settled!"

The two exchanged a knowing smile.

"Alright, go and thank His Majesty for his favor."

"Ah."

Chen Deng came before Liu Bei and bowed deeply.

"Chen Deng thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness!"

"Yuanlong, rise quickly!"

Liu Bei looked at Chen Deng with a pleased expression.

"Yuanlong is a man of great talent and ambition, with a spirit that soars to the clouds."

"Now that you have become the Governor-General of Huainan and the Governor-General of Jiangnan, you must not be lax or negligent."

"Your Majesty, rest assured, I, Deng, am willing to stake my head on this."

"As long as Deng has a breath left, Jiangnan will be safe."

Liu Bei's newly appointed Governor-General of Huainan deliberately emphasized one privilege: the overall control of Jiangnan.

Strictly speaking, Yangzhou also belongs to the Jiangnan region.

Liu Bei's purpose in setting this up was naturally to hope that Chen Deng would suppress Eastern Wu, or even annihilate the Wu people. After all, given the current size of the Han Dynasty, there was no need for a nationwide mobilization that would be exhausting for the people and resources.

All that's needed is the highest-ranking military officer in a region to send troops, with permission from the central government.

"I understand!"

Chen Deng expresses his gratitude.

“Good! Yuanlong has been staying in Luoyang for some time now.”

"After everything is settled, return to Shouchun."

Chen Deng expressed his gratitude and bid farewell to each of the court officials.

"Take care, Ziyu."

"Take care, Yuanlong. The journey to Jiangnan is long and arduous, so please take good care of yourself."

The two said goodbye again, and Chen Dengcai left reluctantly.

Because he knew that he was now the Governor-General of Huainan, while Li Yi was the Chancellor of the Han Dynasty.

The disparity in their social status has grown increasingly vast, and the opportunities for them to meet have become fewer and fewer.

I just hope this meeting won't be the last.

(Later generations admired the friendship between Li Yi and Chen Deng, which began with fish sashimi, thus giving rise to the new idiom "a friendship forged over fish sashimi.")
"Yide, it's your turn!"

Zhang Fei rubbed his hands together excitedly, having already received warm greetings from his colleagues long before it was his turn.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Zhang Fei will be the last Duke of Qi and Han.

"Zhang Fei was appointed Grand Marshal, enfeoffed as Duke of Zhuo, and granted a fief of eight thousand households."

"Xu Kaifu is in charge of affairs."

As expected, Zhang Fei also received the title of Duke.

The position of Grand Marshal is also different from the original Grand Marshal. After all, the official positions have been reorganized, and he is more of an advisor.

They were in charge of matters such as military officer assessment, military equipment allocation, and border defense and land reclamation.

This, to some extent, reduced Zhang Fei's scope of authority.

This was a decision made by Liu Bei after careful consideration.

Zhang Fei was indeed full of ingenious strategies on the battlefield, but he was not smooth enough off the battlefield.

Make the best use of everything and make the best use of people.

Therefore, becoming the Chief of the General Staff is the most suitable position for Zhang Fei.

"Hehe, thank you! Thank you all, my colleagues."

"I, Old Zhang, will be the Grand Marshal of our Great Han Dynasty from now on. Please give me your guidance!"

Zhang Fei was actually quite fond of fame and fortune, and liked to show off.

Therefore, he is the most excited among those who have been conferred titles.

Next up were Lu Su and Xun You.

"Lu Su was appointed Commandant of the Guards and enfeoffed as Marquis of Dongcheng, with a fief of seven thousand households."

The Imperial Guard was responsible for the security of the imperial palace and the capital.

He could command the Imperial Guards and the Tiger Guards, and was responsible for the personal safety of the emperor and his officials.

Because the civil and military officials in the Han Dynasty were not divided into such detailed categories.

Therefore, although Lu Su appeared to be a civil official, he could actually hold a military officer position.

Just like how Jia Xu served as General of the Cavalry and Zhuge Jin served as Grand General in history, it's the same principle.

Previously, Lu Su was the Grand Tutor, ranking among the Three Dukes.

Now he's become the Commandant of the Guards, which seems like a demotion, but that's not actually the case.

The Grand Tutor was actually one of the Three Dukes of the Eastern Han Dynasty, but the Eastern Han Dynasty had already ceased to exist in name only.

Lu Su's power was not actually that great.

Furthermore, since Liu Bei was reinstated as prime minister, the Three Dukes position would naturally be abolished.

Because it conflicts with the powers of the prime minister.

The position of Weiwei was essentially responsible for the royal guards; it was about overall command, not personal protection.

Great power.

He absolutely deserves the title of the fifth meritorious official in the Lingyan Pavilion, as Lu Su was.

"Xun You was appointed Minister of the Imperial Secretariat and was permitted to participate in the administration of state affairs."

He was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Yingyin, with a fief of seven thousand households.

The Minister of State Affairs was the central executive officer of administration.

Responsible for drafting government decrees and coordinating the affairs of the prime minister and the emperor.

Equivalent to the Secretary-General of the State, somewhat like the Prime Minister's deputy.

Therefore, their power is also considerable.

"Your Majesty, we thank you for your great kindness!"

Lu Su and Xun You both thanked them.

"Zhao Yun was appointed Commander of the Central Protectorate Army and put in charge of the Imperial Guards."

"He was enfeoffed as Marquis of Changshan, with a fief of seven thousand households."

The Central Guard Commander was the commander of the elite Imperial Guards.

His sole duty was to protect the emperor, commanding special forces such as the White Feather Army and the Tiger Guard.
There are accusations of overseeing the security of the royal family.

"His Majesty!"

Zhao Yun did not express his gratitude like the previous predecessors.

Instead, he stepped forward and offered his advice:
Huo Qubing once said: "With the Xiongnu not yet destroyed, what use is there for a home?"

"The traitors to our nation are not only the Xiongnu; we cannot seek peace now."

"It is only appropriate when the world is at peace, and everyone returns to their hometowns to cultivate their land."

"The people of the Han Dynasty suffered from repeated wars and ravages of war."

"I have made a meager contribution and dare not accept this fief of seven thousand."

"I beg that all the fields and houses be returned to the people so that they can live in peace and resume their livelihoods."

"We humbly beseech Your Majesty's judgment!"

As soon as this statement came out, everyone in the court was shocked.

Has Zhao Yun gone mad?

Why should we refuse the fiefdom of seven thousand households and instead return the fields and houses to the people?

As the saying goes, it's like wearing fine clothes at night if you don't return to your hometown when you're rich and powerful.

As a true Marquis of Changshan, what an honor this was in front of the elders and folks of Zhao Yun.
As a result, this fellow actually refused His Majesty's goodwill in front of the entire court and wanted to give up the land and houses bestowed upon him.

Is this guy some kind of attention-grabbing stunner?
It's no wonder that people were dissatisfied with Zhao Yun.

Everyone risked their lives and fought bravely, hoping to receive their reward at the investiture ceremony.

So that they may bring good fortune to their descendants and enjoy their later years in peace.

Then Zhao Yun suddenly appeared and set a precedent by voluntarily giving up his fief.

What about the people who are supposed to receive the decree later?
You, Zhao Yun, have become a saint.

Then I'm being morally blackmailed!
“…Zilong, since His Majesty's intentions are good, you should accept them.”

Li Yi rebuked Zhao Yun and advised him to accept the fief.

Zhao Yun replied:

"Yun not only follows His Majesty, but also follows the path of benevolence and righteousness."

"I only hope that one day the world will be at peace and the people will live in peace and contentment, then I will be completely satisfied."

"With the world still unsettled, I dare not indulge in pleasure now."

hum~~
Upon hearing this, many people in the court showed disdain.

Yes, you're amazing, you're so aloof!

If you don't enjoy it, then we've all become pleasure-seekers.

Grandma!
We've fought wars our whole lives, can't we even enjoy a little bit of peace and quiet?

"Zilong is truly a hero!"

Liu Bei couldn't help but admire Zhao Yun's noble character.

"How about this, Zilong, you should accept the seven thousand households of fiefdom."

"Then you, in your own name, return the land and houses you have received to the people, so that they may live in peace and prosperity."

"Then he paid household tax by serving in the military."

"This way, we can both respect my will and reassure the people."

"What do you think, Zilong?"

Zhao Yun then expressed his gratitude and bowed:
"I thank you Lord for your kindness!"

After that, the last three of the top ten from Lingyan Pavilion were selected.

"Ma Chao was appointed General of the Cavalry and Commander-in-Chief of the military affairs of Liangzhou and Yongzhou, and was responsible for defending against the Qiang and Hu tribes."

"He is granted the title of Marquis of Fufeng, with a fief of six thousand households."

Ma Chao had previously gained seniority in Bingzhou, but he made outstanding contributions in the Battle of Guanzhong.

Therefore, he was promoted to military commander of the western region.

They were not only responsible for defending against ethnic minorities such as the Qiang and Hu, but also for reclaiming "Liangzhou" for the country.

“Mi Zhu was appointed Grand Minister of Agriculture and put in charge of the salt and iron monopolies.”

"He is granted the title of Marquis of Donghai, with a fief of six thousand households."

The Grand Minister of Agriculture was in charge of the national finances.

It was responsible for collecting land taxes, managing the salt and iron monopolies, disaster relief reserves, and overseeing the imperial treasury.

This can be considered as making good use of Mi Zhu's talents.

"Lü Bu was appointed General Who Conquers the North, responsible for defending against the Xiongnu, Wuhuan, Goguryeo, and Xianbei people."

"The fiefdom of the Marquis of Wen will be increased by two thousand!"

After guarding Liaodong for many years, Lü Bu finally proved his "loyalty".

He eventually rose to become the highest-ranking military commander in the north.

However, his authority was still limited to defending against the nomadic tribes.

On the one hand, he had experience dealing with the barbarian Lü Bu, so he was suited for this job.

On the one hand, the north had long been unified and was relatively stable, so the only military measure that could be used was to prevent nomadic incursions.

"Your subject Lü Bu thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness!"

"Long live my emperor, long live my emperor!"

Lu Bu repeatedly bowed his head and kowtowed to express his gratitude.

After a life of wandering, he has finally become a true Han official.

He is now nearly sixty years old.

Even if they wanted to make a fuss, they couldn't.

His last wish is to land safely.

After all, he has more than thirty wives who he needs to support.

The rewards are still continuing.

"Liu Ye was appointed Grand Master of Ceremonies and put in charge of advising and responding to matters."

"He was granted the title of Marquis of Chengxiang, with a fief of 5,500 households."

The Grand Master of Ceremonies was the emperor's advisor and ceremonial officer.

Their main duties included presiding over court ceremonies and selecting officials, who were essentially reserve cadres.

They can also participate in confidential decision-making.

"Huang Zhong was transferred to the position of General of the Garrison Army and granted the title of Marquis of Nanyang Township, with a fief of 5,500 households."

Huang Zhong was not in Luoyang at the moment, but he still greeted them as usual.

When the official in charge of rites mentioned "transfer to a post," it actually meant demotion.

Because Huang Zhong was originally the General of the Rear, being demoted from the General of the Four Directions to a General of a Higher Title was a demotion.

It was mainly affected by the Ma Su incident.

Officials in Jingzhou faced numerous impeachments from ministers in the imperial court and local factions.

This led to a political upheaval.

This was mainly because Liu Bei, in order to promote the people of Jingzhou, ruthlessly suppressed local factions.

Not only did they promote Huang Zhong, a veteran, beyond his rank.

They even sent the highest-ranking official from Hebei to assist the people of Jingzhou.

This was a great humiliation for the generals of Hebei.

Now that Jingzhou is in trouble, everyone will certainly not let go of this opportunity to "kick someone when they're down".

Liu Bei, knowing how to appease his ministers, had no choice but to suppress Jingzhou to stabilize the situation.

However, Huang Zhong's demotion was only nominal.

According to Liu Bei's original plan, Huang Zhong should have partnered with Zhuge Liang to lead the Jiangnan region.

Now that Chen Deng has become the leader of Jiangnan, Huang Zhong, the reassigned General of the Garrison, is essentially Chen Deng's deputy.

His main responsibilities included assisting Chen Deng in managing Huainan and Jingzhou, and overseeing the training of the navy.

"Chen Dao was appointed as the Tiger-like General and commanded the White Feather Army."

He was granted the title of Marquis of Runan, with a fief of 5,100 households.

Chen Dao was mainly responsible for carrying out secret missions such as decapitation, reconnaissance, and counter-assassination.

Equivalent to a special forces commander.

"Zang Ba was appointed General Who Guards the East, and Commander-in-Chief of the military affairs of Qingzhou and Xuzhou, to guard against Eastern Wu."

"He is granted the title of Marquis of Langya, with a fief of 5,100 households."

With Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei transferred from Qingzhou and Xuzhou to Luoyang, military power in the Eastern Military Region naturally fell into the hands of this leader of the Taishan Gang.

"Your subject Zang Ba thanks Your Majesty for your great favor. May Your Majesty live ten thousand years!"

Zang Ba was deeply grateful and thanked him repeatedly.

"Tian Yu was transferred to the position of Protector of the Wuhuan, responsible for pacifying the Wuhuan and Xianbei."

"Manage border trade and organize local troops."

He was granted the title of Marquis of Yuyang, with a fief of five thousand households.

Tian Yu's official position remained almost unchanged, as he was always busy with official duties at the border.

However, we know that Yuyang has been developed into a special economic zone by Li Yi.

It goes without saying how rich that place is.

Liu Bei never mistreated his old brothers.

"He was appointed Protector of the Qiang and granted the title of Marquis of Yanmen, with a fief of five thousand households."

The official positions in Liu Bei's camp were originally quite chaotic.

We can even see the coexistence of the positions of the Three Dukes and the Prime Minister.

This was mainly because at that time, some of Liu Bei's subordinates were officials from Qi, and some were officials from Han.

Now that the Han dynasty is being restored three times, it is natural to unify the official titles of the Han dynasty.

Now that Tian Yu has become the Minister of Ethnic Affairs, Qian Zhao will naturally have to step down.

He was transferred to the west and became the commander-in-chief for maintaining stability on the western border.

Its main functions were to control the Qiang tribes, handle affairs of ethnic minorities, and reopen the Silk Road.

"Xu Huang, appointed Left General, was granted the title of Marquis of Yangting, with a fief of 4,500 households."

"Zhang He, General of the Right, was granted the title of Marquis of Hejian, with a fief of 4,500 households."

"Gao Lan was appointed General of the Rear and granted the title of Marquis of Bohai, with a fief of 4,500 households."

"Zhang Liao, General of the Vanguard, was granted the title of Marquis of Mayi, with a fief of 4,500 households."

Since Huang Zhong was transferred to the position of one of the Four Generals, this position naturally needs to be redefined.

Xu Huang's Left General was mainly responsible for garrisoning Ji Province, supporting the four war zones, and protecting the capital.

Zhang He's role was to assist Xu Huang, specializing in mountain warfare and city defense.

He was essentially the deputy commander of the Central Theater Command.

As for Gao Lan and Zhang Liao, they were officers in charge of the strategic reserve and support departments.

All four were generals from Hebei and close associates of Li Yi.

It's not hard to see this from this personnel arrangement.

Liu Bei formally established Hebei's strategic military position in the country.

"Chen Qun was appointed Imperial Censor, in charge of supervision, and was granted the title of Marquis of Yingchuan, with a fief of four thousand households."

The Imperial Censor was responsible for impeaching officials, inspecting local areas, and revising laws, and had the power of supervision and anti-corruption.

"Xu Shu, holding the title of Grand Master of the Palace, can participate in the formulation of national policies and provide strategic advice."

He was granted the title of Marquis of Changshe, with a fief of four thousand households.

"Pang Tong was appointed as the Attendant-in-Ordinary, participated in the decision-making of confidential matters, and was granted the title of Marquis of Xiangyang, with a fief of four thousand households."

The Attendant-in-Ordinary was the emperor's confidential secretary, responsible for reviewing memorials and drafting imperial edicts.

They can even overturn the prime minister's decisions, wielding considerable power.

It was during the Battle of Hanzhong that Liu Bei finally recognized Pang Tong's talent.

That's why he was promoted to a position in the central government, or even made his secretary.

This is much more prestigious than the previous titles of Biejia, Congshi, and Gongcao.

Although they are all secretaries, this is the emperor's secretary.

"Yuan Yin was appointed Grand Master of the Imperial Stud, in charge of carriages and horses, and was granted the title of Marquis of Ruyang, with a fief of four thousand households."

Yuan Yin's prosperity can be attributed to his family.

He secured a position as Minister of Transport by virtue of his special status.

Its main responsibilities included managing the national post stations, the allocation of warhorses, and the emperor's carriage, among other things.

"Zhang Xiu was appointed General Who Destroys the Enemy, and was granted the title of Marquis of Wuwei, with a fief of 3,500 households."

"Jia Xu was appointed Grand Master of Ceremonies, in charge of rites and education, and was granted the title of Marquis of Guzang, with a fief of 3,500 households."

Ironically, Jia Xu was once famous throughout the land for his "Wenhe Chaowu" strategy.

Now he has become the Minister of Culture of the Han Dynasty, in charge of sacrifices and educating the people.

“Jian Yong was appointed Minister of State Ceremonies and granted the title of Marquis of Zhuojun, with a fief of three thousand households.”

The Minister of State Affairs was primarily responsible for diplomacy and ethnic minority receptions.

He was responsible for receiving foreign envoys, managing the merchants from the Western Regions, and handling relations with the various vassal states.

This can be considered in line with the characteristics of Jian Yong.

finally--

"Liu Yan was appointed as the head of the Imperial Clan Court, in charge of the affairs of the imperial clan, and was granted the title of Marquis of Luting, with a fief of three thousand households."

Liu Yan received the most criticism.

He earned the title of Lingyan by virtue of his dual identity as a member of the imperial clan and a descendant of the emperor.

But Liu Bei needed a member of the imperial clan to help him record the imperial genealogy.

To mediate conflicts among members of the royal family and to supervise the work of the regional princes.

After all, Liu Bei is no longer a feudal lord, but the true ruler of the world and the sovereign of all people.

With this, all twenty-eight meritorious officials of Lingyan Pavilion have been rewarded.

……

(End of this chapter)