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

Chapter 340 Establishing a Cabinet, with Multiple Ministers Governing Together

"Since Your Majesty has asked the question, I naturally cannot refuse to answer."

"Please ask her, Your Majesty!"

Ah……

Yuan Ying turned her head, her phoenix eyes filled with inquiry.

"With your talent, your strategic planning is no less than Zhang Liang's, your governance is no less than Xiao He's, and your military command is comparable to that of Han Xin."

"Why would you willingly serve as a subordinate to His Majesty?"

Li Yi chuckled upon hearing this.

No wonder Yuan Ying said that this question was not easy to answer.

After all, this issue is too sensitive.

Although Liu Bei had asked him the same question before, that was a private conversation between the two of them.

Moreover, the person asking the question was Liu Bei.

This question becomes incredibly sensitive whenever a third person asks it.

"Sister..."

Yuan Ying sensed the sensitivity of the topic and gently nudged her sister.

It seemed to be a reminder to her not to make things difficult for Li Yi.

Li Yi gestured to Yuan Ying, as if it was alright to continue.

"To be honest, Your Majesty asked me the same question a month ago."

"How did the Prime Minister answer? I am quite curious."

Yuan Ying slightly opened her phoenix eyes and stared at Li Yi.

As the saying goes, speak the truth to people and lies to ghosts.

Li Yi gave different answers to the same question to different people.

He didn't rush to answer, but simply stroked his beard and asked with a light laugh:

"Has Your Majesty ever heard of the discussion on military strategy between Emperor Gaozu and Han Xin?"

Emperor Gaozu once asked Han Xin how many soldiers he could command.

Han Xin replied, "Your Majesty can only command 100,000 soldiers, while I can command as many as possible."

Emperor Gaozu then asked, 'Since your military command far surpasses mine, why will you serve me?'

Han Xin replied, "Your Majesty may not be good at commanding troops, but you are good at commanding generals."

"Although Han Xin was capable of commanding troops, his skill in managing people was not as good as that of Emperor Gaozu, so he served him."

Yuan Ying raised an eyebrow and interjected:

"Is the Prime Minister comparing himself to Han Xin?"

"But Han Xin was ultimately not good at the art of 'generalship' and ended up in the disaster of Weiyang Palace."

"You are not only good at commanding troops, but also good at leading generals."

As she spoke, she pointed to the outline of the workshop that was faintly visible outside the car window.

“The craftsmen in the paper mill each perform their duties and obey orders without question. Isn’t this the skill of a good general?”

The candlelight flickered inside the carriage, casting a half-light, half-shadow on Li Yi's face.

He suddenly countered with a question:
"Does Your Majesty believe that being the emperor is necessarily good, while being a subject is necessarily bad?"

"nature."

Without hesitation, Yuan Ying replied, "Who doesn't yearn for the supreme position of the emperor? Even if the prime minister holds the highest office, in the end..."

She seemed to realize she had gone too far, and fell silent.

"Will it ultimately be a case of 'the bow is put away after the birds are all gone, and the hunting dog is cooked after the rabbit is dead'?"

Li Yi took over the conversation, but showed no sign of annoyance.

"Emperor Jing suffered resentment from the Prince of Liang, and Emperor Wu was embroiled in the witchcraft scandal in his later years, not to mention the young emperor and Emperor Zhi..."

"As a subject, I should not speak too much about the affairs of the imperial family."

"I only wish to do my duty well."

Yuan Ying's slender fingers suddenly tightened around her skirt:

"The prime minister's example is ultimately an isolated case, but the powerful ministers who do not have a good end are even worse!"

"Huo Guang's entire clan was executed, and Wang Mang was dismembered."

"If we follow the Prime Minister's suggestion, wouldn't it be best not to become emperor and not to enter officialdom?"

"...Hehe, if I don't do this, I'm afraid I'll be deceived by those people and won't have a good end either."

Yuan Ying was taken aback. After hearing what Li Yi said, she suddenly felt how difficult life could be.

Having already reached the positions of emperor and prime minister, do they still have so many troubles?
She thought to herself, "In that case, isn't being an ordinary citizen the best thing?"

At least they only worry about one thing each day: having enough to eat.

The emperor and prime minister, on the other hand, had far too many worries.

No wonder most emperors throughout history had short lifespans.

"Prime Minister, you have said so much to me."

"But he has not yet answered my question directly."

"I really want an answer."

The candlelight flickered in Li Yi's eyes, and he asked again:

"Then I shall dare to ask Your Majesty another question."

"Your Majesty is the Emperor of the Great Han Dynasty, and that's why we obey his orders."

"Is it because we obeyed his orders that His Majesty became the Son of Heaven of the Han Dynasty?"

This……

Yuan Ying was taken aback. "Naturally, it's because His Majesty is the Emperor of the Han Dynasty."

"When Your Majesty was the King of Qi, you only governed the people of Qi."

"Now that I am the Emperor of the Han Dynasty, I am the ruler of all people and can govern all the people under heaven."

"...If that's the case, why don't the people of Wei and Wu obey the imperial edict?"

"Aren't they subjects of the Han Dynasty?"

"When Your Majesty was the Prince of Qi, did we ever show even a fraction of our loyalty?"

The carriage curtain was suddenly lifted by the night wind, and a few fallen leaves were swept into the carriage.

Yuan Ying watched as one of the withered leaves spun around on the table, her lips parted slightly but she remained silent.

Li Yi gently picked up the fallen leaf and placed it in his palm:

"The shoe seller of Zhuojun in the past is now the emperor of the Han Dynasty sitting in Weiyang Palace."

"The difference between them..."

He blew the leaves into the air, saying, "It's just for a shared goal, and we're willing to die for it."

Yuan Ying looked up abruptly, only to see that Li Yi had already resumed his respectful demeanor, as if his sharp words from before were all an illusion.

She wanted to press on and ask, "So, Li Yi, what is your ambition in risking your life like this?"

But after hesitating for a moment, he couldn't bring himself to ask.

She knew there was no need to ask any further questions.

Because someone like him will do it sooner or later, and he definitely will.

All we need to do is wait and see.

"It seems Your Majesty understands my intentions."

He cupped his hands and smiled, "The palace gate is just ahead, so I will say no more."

When the carriage stopped in front of the steps, Yuan Ying suddenly grabbed Li Yi's hand as he was about to lift the curtain.

"What I said today..."

"It is merely that Your Majesty and I are discussing historical records."

Li Yi lowered his head and stuffed a neatly folded piece of snow paper into her hand.

"This is the latest white paper produced by the paper mill, which is more suitable for writing than silk."

"If Your Majesty has any insights, you may record them."

Yuan Ying took the paper, looked at it, and then solemnly said:

"I will remember the Prime Minister's kind words today."

……

A cool night breeze blew, but the lights in the Prime Minister's residence remained on.

Yuan Ying watched Yuan Ying's carriage disappear in the direction of the palace gate, then turned around and frowned, saying:

"My lord, what you just said was really dangerous."

"Even if she is my sister, I shouldn't say anything."

"You should know that you are now the prime minister, and there are millions of eyes watching you."

"It may just be a thoughtless remark, but if someone with ulterior motives uses it, it can be made into a big deal."

"My husband is always cautious, so why say so much today?"

Li Yi smiled upon hearing this and pulled her to sit on his lap.

"Ying'er seems to have grown up; she actually has such awareness."

"only……"

Changing the subject, Li Yi looked at Li Zhi with a deep gaze.

"Some truths are better understood sooner rather than later."

At this moment, Li Zhi, who had been standing under the eaves, walked over, looked up, and asked:
Is the father testing his child?

Li Yi reached out and stroked the top of his head, her eyes filled with expectation:

"You were there just now, did you understand anything?"

Li Yi also wanted to test Li Zhi's progress.

Three years have passed since that youthful folly when he rescued a wanted criminal and defied me.

During these three years, Li Zhi always accompanied Li Yi in the government office to listen to government affairs.

We didn't need him to do anything; we just let him watch and listen from the side.

Look at how Li Yi interacts with his subordinates, how he instructs them, assigns them tasks, and how he rewards and punishes them.

It's been three years...

Li Zhi's mind is no longer that of a child; Li Yi must see if he has become more mature and composed.

Li Zhi stood upright, his voice clear and resonant:
"I think the conversation between Father and the Empress is nothing more than a sentence from Han Feizi."

"Yao, as a commoner, could not govern three people, while Jie, as the emperor, could bring chaos to the world."

"The two are based on the same principle."

"What Father wanted to argue was the relationship between status and power, right?"

A hint of approval flashed in Li Yi's eyes, but he remained noncommittal.

Seeing this, Li Zhi pressed on and asked:

"What, then, is the essence of power?"

"Father has already reached the highest position in the court, why do you still cling to him so tightly?"

A night breeze swept through the courtyard, swaying the bamboo shadows.

Li Yi was silent for a moment, then said:

"I cannot answer this question for you."

You need to find the answer yourself.

"Where should the child look for the answer?"

"A new paper mill has been built in the southern suburbs of Luoyang."

Li Yi pointed south of the city, "You will go there to work tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Ying's expression changed drastically:
“My husband! Zhi’er is only twelve years old. How can he work alongside those commoners?”

Li Yi looked at his wife, his tone gentle yet authoritative:

“When Zhi’er was nine years old, I took him to the government office to observe government affairs. He learned a lot from what he saw and heard.”

"But what you learn from books is never enough; only personal experience can leave a lasting impression."

He turned to Li Zhi and said solemnly:
"Remember, once we get to the workshop, you must not reveal that you are my son."

Yuan Ying's eyes reddened with anxiety:

"But Zhi'er has been pampered since childhood, how could he endure such hardship?"

Li Zhi, however, held his mother's hand, his eyes sparkling with curiosity and determination:
"Mother, let me try."

Yuan Ying looked at her son's innocent yet resolute face, then at her husband's unyielding expression, and finally sighed deeply.
"Fine... but you have to promise me."

"If you really can't stand it, come back immediately."

Li Yi smiled slightly and patted his son's shoulder:
"Good! This is my son, Li Yi's son."

After saying that, he looked at Yuan Ying again:

"Pack some valuables for Zhi'er. We'll leave first thing tomorrow morning."

After saying that, he prepared to leave.

Seeing this, Mi Zhen quickly chased after her.
"My husband just got back, where are you going again?"

"Enter the palace and meet the Emperor!"

After uttering those four short words, Li Yi left without looking back.

"lady."

Tao Hong walked over, took Mi Zhen's arm, and gently comforted her.

Mi Zhen remained silent, gazing at the eight-treasure porridge simmering on the table before casually setting down the porridge pestle.

"Looks like all that porridge I cooked today was for nothing!"

"Madam, please don't be angry. Let's eat when the Prime Minister returns."

"...Heh, if he were to go to the palace to meet the emperor, they would surely talk until late at night."

As she spoke, Mi Zhen turned her head and instructed Tao Hong:

“Go and call all the sisters over, and we will eat the porridge ourselves.”

“…Here you go.”

Tao Hong nodded in agreement, glanced at the receding figure of the house, and sighed.

"Your Excellency, alas..."

Outside Weiyang Palace, wind and frost swept fallen leaves across the jade steps.

As soon as Li Yi arrived at the palace gate, the eunuch on duty greeted him with a beaming smile:
"The Prime Minister has arrived! His Majesty is inside reviewing memorials; please go in directly."

Li Yi raised an eyebrow and deliberately said:

"If His Majesty does not wish to see anyone at this moment, and I barge in like this, aren't you afraid of being charged with 'unauthorized release' for lax supervision?"

The eunuch's eyes narrowed into slits with laughter:

"Your Excellency is too kind! His Majesty may not see anyone, but he would never refuse to see you!"

"Besides, His Majesty has already instructed me that there is no need to announce the Prime Minister's request to see him."

"Since you are here in person, please feel free to go in."

"It is my good fortune to have the opportunity to speak with you."

Ha ha.

Li Yi shook his head and chuckled. He now understood why the eunuchs around the emperor were favored.

Immediately, he flicked his sleeves and stepped into the hall.

The hall was brightly lit by candlelight, and Liu Bei was writing furiously at his desk, his brows furrowed into a deep frown.

Hearing footsteps approaching, he shouted without even looking up:

"Didn't I say—"

"You said you wouldn't see anyone?"

Li Yi stood smiling at the foot of the steps.

Liu Bei suddenly looked up, his brush leaving a trail of ink on the memorial.

Upon seeing that it was Li Yi, his tense face immediately relaxed, and he casually tossed the pen aside:
"It's the Prime Minister! Quickly, offer him a seat!"

The servants hurriedly brought over a cushion, but Li Yi was in no hurry to sit down. Instead, he took out an oiled paper package from his sleeve.

"I brought some sesame cakes from an old shop in the south of the city. Your Majesty can have some snacks before approving them."

Liu Bei took the still-warm cake, and suddenly felt an empty stomach. He took a big bite before speaking.

"What important matter brings you here, my dear minister?"

Li Yi sat down cross-legged:

"I have heard...that Your Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress have had some disagreements?"

Liu Bei paused in his chewing motion, crumbs of bread sticking to his beard.

"She was the one who came to see you, wasn't she?"

"Hmph! I'm busy with countless affairs of state, yet she insists I chat with her about mundane family matters..."

He slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups clink.

"I haven't even finished reading the reports on the floods in Jingzhou, and the military reports from Yizhou are already piled up three feet high!"

"You should know that my time is limited, how can I have time to talk about these things?"

Li Yi slowly poured Liu Bei a cup of tea.

"Isn't Your Majesty's idle chatter with me at this moment also a delay in state affairs?"

"How can these be the same!"

Liu Bei swallowed the cake, his voice suddenly rising.

"The Empress's nagging is nothing more than that the crabapple blossoms have just bloomed in the Imperial Garden, and which palace maid is not busy with her work?"

"But Prime Minister, you—"

His eyes suddenly lit up. “You have come to talk to me about state affairs and important matters, not trivial family matters or personal feelings.”

"Even if it's not something serious, it must be something heroic and exhilarating."

"I found it very pleasing to hear; is it not better than chatting with a woman?"

When Liu Bei chatted with Li Yi, he seemed like a different person, full of energy and spirit.

The sound of the night watchman's drum came from outside the palace, and Liu Bei was surprised to realize that it was already Chen Shi (7-9 AM).

Before he knew it, he had spent the entire night reviewing memorials.

He looked at the mountain of bamboo slips on the table, then at Li Yi.

She thought to herself that Li Yi had come to find her very early in the morning.

Or did he also stay up all night, busy with his own things?

After all, if Yuan Ying really went to look for him, it would have to be around three or four in the morning.

Thinking of this, Liu Bei was both amused and exasperated.

"It's strange, but after chatting with you for so long, I feel refreshed and invigorated, and I don't feel tired at all."

Li Yi raised his glass and chuckled:

"So His Majesty is not angry at the words, but at the person who spoke them."

He paused meaningfully, "The Empress lives deep within the palace, and her world is limited to what she sees. Naturally, she can only talk about mundane family matters."

Liu Bei thoughtfully stroked the rim of his cup, then suddenly asked:
"Did the Prime Minister come to the palace today just to say this?"

"Your Majesty, I have come to invite you to breakfast."

Li Yi said in a serious tone.

"The eunuch on duty told me that you've been busy all night."

"Although national affairs are of great importance, you should take good care of your health."

"Otherwise, if His Majesty falls, the Han dynasty will surely collapse." Hahaha...

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei laughed heartily and immediately ordered his attendants to prepare a banquet.

As dawn broke, the emperor and his minister entered a side hall of Weiyang Palace together.

The servants filed in and placed the steaming hot breakfast on the table.

The aroma of millet porridge, pickled cabbage, freshly steamed millet cake, and a plate of freshly baked flatbread from an old shop in the south of the city filled the air.

Liu Bei rubbed his sore wrist and laughed:
"Prime Minister, if you hadn't come, I wouldn't have realized that it was already dawn."

Li Yi took the hot towel handed to him by the servant and wiped his hands.

"His Majesty is so diligent in his duties that he works through the night."

"I believe the people of the world will be grateful for Your Majesty's diligence."

"Didn't the Prime Minister also arrive weary from his journey?"

Liu Bei picked up a piece of millet cake and said, "Even you, my dear minister, are working tirelessly day and night. How dare I be lax and negligent?"

The two sat facing each other and ate, first chatting about everyday things.

Li Yi recounted the funny incident his youngest son, Li An, had made while reciting the Analects the day before. Liu Bei laughed heartily, and the gloom between his brows gradually disappeared.

But then he thought again, if he remembered correctly, Ang Lee's child was only five years old.
He made him memorize the Analects at the age of five, which shows that Li Yi was very strict about education.

It seems he can't neglect Yong'er and Li'er's studies either!

After breakfast was finished and the servants cleared the table, Li Yi composed himself and returned to the main business:
"Your Majesty has been reviewing memorials all night, working tirelessly for the country and looking haggard. I am truly at ease with this situation."

Liu Bei waved his hand and said:

"It's alright, I'll get used to it sooner or later."

"If things continue like this, then there's still a long way to go."

“If Your Majesty is willing—” Li Yi lightly tapped the table and leaned forward slightly, “I am willing to share your burdens.”

Liu Bei was taken aback and asked:
"The Prime Minister is already at the pinnacle of his position, yet he still has to handle the military and political affairs of the entire country, and he works tirelessly until midnight every day."

"How can you share my burdens again?"

Li Yi smiled slightly:
"Your Majesty, I dare to suggest that you establish a new government office."

"What government office?"

"cabinet."

"cabinet?"

Liu Bei frowned and asked in a deep voice:

What is a cabinet?

“The inner palace refers to the inner palace; the pavilion is where books are stored.”

Li Yi explained to Liu Bei in an orderly manner.

"Establish a cabinet and appoint various prime ministers; in this way, the complex affairs of the state can be managed—"

"The butcher Ding skillfully dissects an ox, moving with effortless ease."

A glint of light flashed in Bei's eyes:
"Isn't this just a variant of the Ministry of Personnel?"

"No," Li Yi shook his head.

"The Secretariat is an outer court institution, while the cabinet is independent of the central court."

Morning light streamed through the window lattice, illuminating Liu Bei's suddenly bright eyes. He asked in a deep voice:
"Prime Minister, please tell me the details."

"The cabinet is composed of multiple prime ministers, with the prime minister as the leader."

"A left prime minister and a right prime minister were appointed to assist in governing."

“Then, below the Left Prime Minister and the Right Prime Minister, nine prime ministers were appointed.”

"They were divided into nine officials: the Minister of Household Affairs, the Minister of Military Affairs, the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Industry, the Minister of Rites, the Minister of Agriculture, the Minister of Commerce, the Minister of Supervision, and the Minister of Education."

hiss……

Liu Bei stroked his chin, carefully considering Li Yi's proposal.

"Judging from what you've said, isn't this similar to the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers?"

"Just a change of name?"

Although Liu Bei was unfamiliar with the emerging concepts of military minister, household minister, and ritual minister mentioned by Li Yi, he had been a ruler for many years.

You can roughly understand the concepts of these phases.

Isn't this just the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers with a different name?

Although the specific scope of functions may vary, they are essentially the same.

If that's the case, why bother creating a cabinet?
Li Yi also knew that Liu Bei couldn't understand; in fact, the cabinet he wanted to establish was something that people of this era couldn't comprehend.

So he patiently explained to Liu Bei in a simple and easy-to-understand way:

"Your Majesty misunderstands. I do not intend to replace the original Three Dukes, Nine Ministers, and Four Generals."

"As I just said, the cabinet is independent of the court and has nothing to do with the other officials."

At this point, Liu Bei also sensed something strange.

Li Yi's cabinet is clearly vying for power with the Nine Ministers. If it were to become independent, how would the specific power be divided?
"My dear minister, please explain it to me in detail."

"For example, the position of the Household Minister is in charge of the national household registration, taxation, money and grain allocation, and auditing government expenditures."

Liu Bei quickly changed the subject:
"If the Minister of Revenue does this, what is the Minister of Agriculture's responsibility?"

The Grand Minister of Agriculture actually does the same job as the Minister of Revenue.

According to Li Yi's meaning, if the Grand Minister of Revenue controls the finances, then what is the purpose of the Grand Minister of Agriculture?
If the position of Minister of Agriculture is to be filled by the Minister of Household Affairs, then why keep this nominal position as a mere decoration?
Isn't this a complete waste of political resources?
The two positions clearly have conflicting functions.

Li Yi immediately began to explain:
"Local taxes will still be collected by the Grand Minister of Agriculture."

"The Cabinet Minister is only responsible for setting tax rates and auditing expenditures."

"Once the regulations are finalized, the Grand Minister of Agriculture will be responsible for their implementation."

Liu Bei nodded. In this way, the functions of the Grand Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of Revenue would indeed not conflict.

But I still feel that something is wrong.

Liu Bei couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong.

Because what Li Yi just proposed was the separation of powers.

The Minister of Revenue held legislative and judicial power, while the Minister of Agriculture only possessed administrative power.

Although the three powers have different functions, the legislative power is the fundamental basis.

Both administrative and judicial powers must operate within the framework of the law.

In other words, Li Yi's proposal gave the cabinet the most important legislative power.

There was no clear concept of the separation of powers in ancient times, so it's normal that Liu Bei couldn't understand the intricacies of it.

However, as the supreme ruler of the country.

He also noticed a major problem with Li Yi's proposal.

That is the cabinet system, which secretly harbors the hidden arrow of weakening imperial power!
Normally, tax rates are set by the emperor himself.

Alternatively, the emperor could authorize central agencies to issue and implement such decrees.

However, Li Yi's proposal just now seemed to make no mention of Liu Bei at all.

This was tantamount to indirectly depriving the emperor of his legislative power.

of course,

Liu Bei didn't specifically understand concepts like legislation and the judiciary, but he knew that the cabinet would take away his power.

According to Li Yi's logic, if the tax rate is determined by the household registration system...

Does that mean all the rules and regulations of other departments are decided by the cabinet?

In this way, wouldn't the cabinet be above the imperial power?
"As you have said, the Grand Minister of Agriculture is responsible for collecting taxes, and the Minister of Revenue is responsible for setting tax rates."

"What did I do during that time?"

Liu Bei frowned and asked the most crucial question.

Li Yi's proposal seemed to be undermining the emperor's authority.

Liu Bei had to get to the bottom of this.

"Your Majesty, I know what you are worried about."

"But please rest assured, Your Majesty, what I have done is by no means for my own selfish desires."

"It was for the sake of the Han dynasty and its people."

"The cabinet must not only protect the people of the Han Dynasty, but also be loyal to the Liu family emperors for generations."

How does one show loyalty?

Liu Bei asked in a deep voice, "I trust your character, but how can the Prime Minister guarantee his loyalty to the royal family in the future?"

"How did the Prime Minister later establish such a close and trusting relationship with my descendants?"

This is the special emotional bond between Liu Bei and Li Yi.

Even though the conflict between the two had escalated to a clash between imperial power and the power of the prime minister.

But Liu Bei was still willing to be patient and give Li Yi a chance to explain.

"As long as emperors throughout history have been able to control the cabinet, they have held the reins of power in the country."

"In this way, the cabinet can serve the Liu family and the Han dynasty for generations to come."

To ensure that the cabinet serves both the royal family and the people, Li Yi has truly done his utmost.

His design of a "cabinet system" is essentially a dual-track system.

The cabinet was responsible for actual administrative decisions, while traditional court officials retained nominal authority.

This resulted in a situation where "the cabinet handled practical matters, while court officials maintained a nominal position."

At this point, it's not hard to see that Li Yi's system was not the cabinet system of the Ming Dynasty in history.

Whether it was the Grand Secretariat of the Ming Dynasty or the Grand Council of the Qing Dynasty, they were essentially the emperor's private secretariat.

Both arose from the continuous expansion of monarchical power and the struggle for power between the monarch and the prime minister.

Beginning in the Han Dynasty, emperors continuously strengthened their own power.

For example, replacing the prime minister with the Three Dukes would divide his power.

Liu Bei reinstated Li Yi as prime minister essentially to compensate him for his many years of hard work and meritorious service.

However, after Li Yi's death, Liu Bei did not believe that anyone else would have the opportunity to become prime minister.

At the very least, the prime minister's power will be greatly reduced.

In his view, it would be difficult for later monarchs to trust their subordinates as much as he did.

Liu Bei knew this, and so did Li Yi.

Therefore, Li Yi had to take advantage of his current position, his high prestige, and the fact that Liu Bei, as his ruler, had sufficient trust in him.

Get the cabinet in place.

Li Yi did not oppose strengthening centralized power, but he opposed strengthening imperial power.

The biggest drawback of feudal dynasties was that the operation of the state depended too much on the wisdom of the monarch.

It's good to encounter a wise ruler, but what if you encounter a foolish ruler, a tyrant, or even a monarch who loves to cause trouble?

He makes decisions on a whim, without thinking.

Ultimately, it is the common people and the descendants of the dynasty who suffer.

Because the affairs of the state all depend on a single word from the monarch.

People like Sima Zhong could utter phrases like, "Why don't they eat meat porridge?"

What should be done if civil and military officials and ordinary people were to be dealt with by such a monarch?
Therefore, Li Yi had to take advantage of his good health to establish a cabinet.

He knew that no one but himself had the opportunity to form a cabinet.

Li Yi's cabinet system was indeed somewhat Westernized, but not entirely Westernized.

The British cabinet system is based on parliamentary supremacy, completely sidelining the emperor.

The Ming Dynasty's cabinet, on the other hand, was a tool to strengthen imperial power, with the emperor as the supreme authority.

Li Yi's cabinet was certainly not aimed at strengthening imperial power; it would be shooting himself in the foot.

But he won't completely create a British-style cabinet.

First of all, the foundation of the times was incompatible.

Besides,

Even someone as prestigious and capable as Li Yi could not completely usurp imperial power in his time.

He can only try to combine the two.

While weakening imperial power, the power of the prime minister was strengthened.

This would bring about a balance of power between the emperor and the prime minister, ensuring that neither could eliminate the other.

In this way, the cabinet can make up for the monarch's lack of ability.

However, the cabinet also has the weakness of being countered by the monarch, thus protecting the privileges of the royal family.

To maintain the balance between the two sides, Li Yi had been preparing for this for countless days and nights.

Of course, you might ask whether Li Yi's actions were fair to Liu Bei.

That's definitely unfair.

After all, this is an era of "rule by family" and the "palace system" is in effect.

To put it bluntly, all the power in the world is the emperor's private wealth.

Li Yi's current approach is to have the emperor allocate a portion of his wealth to provide relief to the people.

But Li Yi did not think that he had done anything wrong.

He was not only loyal to the emperor himself, but also to the entire Han Dynasty.

He needs to broaden his horizons further.

The strengthening of monarchical centralization will only further suppress social vitality.

Li Yi will never find a better opportunity than this.

The expansion of imperial power and the suppression of the power of the prime minister were inevitable trends in historical development.

To sideline the emperor would be a betrayal of Liu Bei, and Li Yi did not have the ability to completely usurp imperial power.

Next, he introduced it to Liu Bei in a way that went from simple to complex.

How should the emperor counter the cabinet?

That is, the emperor himself held the most important and final arbitration power.

If court officials question the cabinet's decisions, they can submit a memorial to the emperor.

However, the emperor could only choose to support or reject, and could not make any changes.

This was to prevent the imperial power from directly interfering in administration.

If the emperor has the power to amend, then the cabinet will be no different from the cabinets in history.

Secondly, the emperor retained the power to appoint and dismiss the prime minister and the chief minister.

The prime minister has the greatest power, so the emperor retains the privileges to limit the prime minister.

But why is there still a supervisor?

Because the chief eunuch was mainly responsible for overseeing the Censorate, monitoring corruption among officials, and most importantly, impeaching cabinet members.

By retaining the emperor's power to appoint these two individuals, the emperor greatly strengthened his control over the cabinet.

However, Li Yi added a point to the regulations: the emperor had no right to directly remove the other eight prime ministers.

The replacement of the other eight ministers can only be proposed by the prime minister.

Of course, Li Yi only gave Liu Bei a general description of the balance between the power of the prime minister and the power of the emperor.

Then a specific example was given.

For example, if the Cabinet Minister proposes to build a canal, it needs to be approved by the Prime Minister first.

If at this time, a traditional court official, such as the Grand Master of Works who was then one of the Nine Ministers, stood up to object, claiming that this was an act that wasted the people's money and resources.

Then the cabinet will make the decision.

If the ruling is adopted and enforced, then the Ministry of Works can enforce it.

If the chief craftsman still refuses to carry out the work, then the supervising minister will impeach him.

They claimed he was "disobeying orders" and then froze all his authority.

At this point, the emperor himself would be responsible for arbitration.

If the emperor supports the cabinet, then the Grand Master of Works will be dismissed and replaced.

If the emperor supports this official, then the project will be shelved.

Through this example, Li Yi roughly described to Liu Bei the roles that the cabinet system played in relation to the emperor after its implementation.

"His Majesty!"

Li Yi stood up and solemnly bowed to Liu Bei.

"The ability to govern a country cannot be achieved by the wisdom of one person alone, nor can it be achieved by the strength of a single individual alone."

"Your Majesty is wise and insightful, yet you are busy with countless affairs of state, and still fear that even the most meticulous plans may have a slight oversight."

"The establishment of the cabinet is not to divide Your Majesty's power, but to gather wisdom from all quarters."

"So that the policies of the court must be thoroughly discussed and refined by the public, like sharpening an arrow or honing a blade, before they can be implemented."

"The cabinet ministers' decisions must be submitted to His Majesty's approval."

"Your Majesty holds absolute power and can abolish it with a single word."

"He still wields the Tai'a sword, and has never relinquished its handle to another!"

"Moreover, if the descendants succeed to the throne and inherit this good system, it is like having oars to row a boat or reins to ride a horse, thus avoiding the disaster of powerful ministers deceiving young rulers."

"The cabinet and the monarchy are like two wheels of a cart."

"Your Majesty governs by doing nothing, while the cabinet does its best to devise strategies."

"Then the government's policies will be effective, and the people will benefit from them!"

Li Yi spoke vehemently, trying his best to explain to Liu Bei that his cabinet system did not undermine the imperial power.

Although to some extent, it did indeed contain a hidden arrow aimed at weakening imperial power.

But it won't replace it.

On the contrary, it can, to some extent, prevent the emergence of powerful ministers.

It should be noted that there were numerous cases in the history of the Han Dynasty where young emperors were bullied by powerful ministers.
After the cabinet was established, the most powerful minister was the prime minister.

The prime minister's power is immense, but it is also largely limited.

Furthermore, there was another rule that Li Yi did not tell Liu Bei.

This regulation also has a significant impact.

Li Yi didn't want to pour everything out to Liu Bei all at once, fearing that Liu Bei wouldn't be able to accept it all at once.

Liu Bei stroked his chin, lost in thought.

Li Yi continued speaking:
"Your Majesty, please examine this matter. If it is possible to implement the cabinet system..."

"If a ruler like Jie or Zhou were to rule, the cabinet could mitigate his tyranny."

"When a ruler like Yao or Shun is in power, the cabinet will be able to glorify his virtue."

"This is a good method that can bring peace to the ancestral temples and benefit the common people."

"I humbly request Your Majesty to heed this wise advice and implement this system."

"Then the foundation of the Han dynasty should be as solid as the Southern Mountain."

"The name of a wise ruler will surely shine through the ages."

Liu Bei's eyes flickered slightly; Li Yi's final point was indeed a tangible benefit.

At least for the Han Dynasty and its people, it was a great benefit.

"Prime Minister, you are truly a born political monster."

"...Hehe, then I will take this as Your Majesty's encouragement to me."

"Putting the cabinet matters aside for now, I do have something I would like to ask the Prime Minister to take a look at."

"what?"

Li Yi asked, his eyes wide open.

(End of this chapter)