Dimension Paradise, I am a summoning apostle

Chapter 485 Extra: Three Words Decide to Reduce the Power of the Feudal Lords

"Yawn~" Yang Qianyuan yawned, lying lazily on the huge Ruyi sedan chair, while Fei Di lay beside him.

The oppressive aura emanating from him prevented the three kneeling officials from making any rash moves.

"Tell me, how are my uncles doing?" Yang Qianyuan said casually.

"Your Majesty, the rebellion has now ended," Zhang Bingyong, the leader, hurriedly replied.

After he merged with and took control of the seed for rank advancement, he unlocked the faction panel.

He held the reins of power over the entire country, and thus his control over both the imperial court and local areas far exceeded everyone's imagination.

“Eight or nine out of ten have already left and are no longer a threat,” Zhang Bingyong continued. “All the rebellious princes have been escorted to the capital.”

"However, the princes are of royal blood."

Yang Qianyuan raised his hand, and Zhang Bingyong immediately stopped.

"I already know about these things, and these imperial uncles keep clamoring to see me, don't they?" Yang Qianyuan said rather listlessly.

Rebellion was no big deal to him.

However, the root cause of the rebellion lies in the damage to the emperor's aura and the approach of his predetermined fate.

The former has already been made up for with the resources sent by Chu Danqing for the development of various forces.

The latter is more troublesome; he needs to figure out when to come.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Zhang Bingyong hurriedly replied, showing utter fear of Yang Qianyuan.

On the day of his ascension to the throne, he launched a major case and resolved all the troubles by force.

He then used imperial tactics to put collars around the necks of everyone he had promoted.

The imperial guards, eunuchs, and court officials maintained a balance among themselves.

What's even more deadly is that since Yang Qianyuan ascended the throne, he has never attended court, yet he still manages to hold onto power.

In the past, this would have been a cause for great joy for the powerful families.

The problem was that instead of great joy for the aristocratic families, it brought them great sorrow.

In Yang Qianyuan's case, aristocratic families were incredibly useful.

If they're short of money, they'll be beaten up and spit out gold coins.

If you're short of people, a good beating will unleash a wealth of talent.

More importantly, Yang Qianyuan was also a master at manipulating public opinion, fame, and fortune.

If powerful families resist, it will result in bloody suppression; if they try to manipulate public opinion, they will only bring shame upon themselves.

The rules were all set by Yang Qianyuan, so how do you play?
From beginning to end, Yang Qianyuan never took the aristocratic families seriously.

He didn't even realize he was learning from a group of big shots like the Divine King and the Immortal of Ten Thousand Spirits.

They possess exceptional talent, receive guidance from renowned teachers, and benefit from the inherent informational advantages of the Tianji system.

If we can't easily deal with these powerful families, how can we talk about fighting against the geniuses of all realms in the future?

"My uncles wanted to see each other before they died. If I didn't see them, wouldn't it be a waste of their efforts?" Yang Qianyuan chuckled and said, "Bring them up."

Zhang Bingyong was a clever man. Even if he couldn't fully fathom Yang Qianyuan's thoughts, he had made multiple preparations and had already arranged for the princes to meet the emperor.

After Yang Qianyuan finished speaking, guards escorted the princes into the hall.

They all immediately kowtowed and begged for mercy, claiming they had been blinded by greed, misled by treacherous officials, or manipulated by their subordinates.

In short, they meant one thing: they didn't intend to rebel.

“Your Majesty, we are all of imperial blood and protected by ancestral precepts. Why force us?” one of the vassal kings hurriedly said.

Yang Qianyuan's smile remained unchanged.

“My elder brother once said,” Yang Qianyuan paused, “Beans are boiled with beanstalks as fuel, the beans weep in the pot. We are born of the same root, why must we be so cruel to each other?”

Upon hearing this, the kings were overjoyed.

Yang Qianyuan still considered the ancestral precepts, believing that he and his companions would not die.

Zhang Bingyong understood Yang Qianyuan's meaning and hurriedly said, "The princes disregard the kinship of the imperial family and would rather be the scapegoats who destroy the very foundation of our family. They are truly wicked beyond redemption."

"The princes have rebelled and been stripped of their imperial status. Their families should be confiscated and their members executed to uphold justice."

Upon hearing this, the kings all glared angrily.

Zhang Bingyong, however, paid no attention to these dying men.

Did you really think Yang Qianyuan was expressing familial affection through this poem? If that were the case, Zhang Bingyong would never have become the Grand Secretary.

"Granted," Yang Qianyuan replied with just two words.

Immediately, the guards came up and dragged the princes away.

Death is inevitable, but at least some procedures must be followed.

Yang Qianyuan only cares about the result; he doesn't care about the process at all.

"It's a bit deserted; the pot isn't burning bright enough," Yang Qianyuan said after watching the person being dragged away.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Zhang Bingyong replied immediately.

After responding, Zhang Bingyong summoned all the cabinet members to discuss matters together.

Don't be fooled by the fact that Yang Qianyuan only recited a poem; killing just these few rebellious princes is not enough.

Otherwise, why wouldn't the pot be burning hot enough?

The real meaning was to weaken the power of the princes; otherwise, Yang Qianyuan would have let them leave after dealing with them.

"This time, the princes rebelled and caused chaos in the country, poisoning the people and nearly destroying the nation. Fortunately, thanks to His Majesty's protection, the soldiers' bravery, and the people's loyalty, the country was finally brought under control." After arriving in Qi, Zhang Bingyong immediately stated the nature of the matter.

Then he added, "This chaos is sufficient proof of the abuses caused by the growing power of regional military governors and their reliance on their own armies. They are a serious threat to the court and a source of misery for the people." At this point, everyone in the cabinet glanced discreetly at Yang Qianyuan on the Ruyi Carriage, who appeared to be cultivating and seemed not to have heard them.

But they all understood that His Majesty was preparing to reduce the power of the vassal states.

But he wouldn't do it himself; he'd let them do it.

"Although the rebellion has been quelled, we must learn from the pain and delve into its root causes. The barriers were too strong and the power too heavy, which led to the fact that the enemy had become too powerful to control and harbored rebellious thoughts. This was a failure of the system, not the fault of just one person."

"The lessons of the past should serve as a guide for the future. If we continue to follow the old system, there is a risk that future internal strife will occur, and the country will never have peace."

"To ensure the stability of the country and the well-being of the people, and to prevent such calamities from happening again."

"Your Majesty, I have dared to take advantage of the situation to reform the old system and consolidate the power of the vassal states."

"This move is not intended to weaken the imperial clan, but rather to strengthen the central government and weaken the local branches, consolidate the foundation and cultivate the people, ensure the smooth implementation of the imperial decrees, unify the country, and share in peace."

"It is to lay the foundation for lasting peace and prosperity, and to ensure the safety of ancestral temples and the state," Zhang Bingyong stated his purpose.

Yang Qianyuan was satisfied with Zhang Bingyong's words, so he simply nodded slightly.

With his statement, cabinet ministers immediately began discussing how to resolve the issue.

How to solve the problem is a matter for the ministers; Yang Qianyuan only wants a plan that can reduce the power of the princes.

And this plan must satisfy him; if it doesn't, then don't blame him for being ruthless.

However, when it comes to reducing the power of the princes, it is certainly not so easy, and cabinet ministers dare not make too many suggestions.

The princes were, in the end, still members of the royal family; the princes were merely subjects, and they would likely be scapegoated and purged afterward.

However, their attitude drew the ire of Yang Qianyuan.

Since you don't want to offend anyone, he's going to make you the scapegoat.

Serving under him meant enjoying all the riches and honors that came with it, and Yang Qianyuan wouldn't stand in his way.

But once you've enjoyed all the benefits, if you're too afraid to take action when things get tough, then you're out of luck.

Zhang Bingyong listened to the words of the cabinet ministers, his expression unchanged, but he was extremely anxious inside.

These bastards have ruined themselves.

Knowing this, I knew that only my fellow Daoist would die, not me.

Just as he was about to speak, a sudden storm broke out outside.

Yang Qianyuan then spoke up: "Good wind and good rain, the emperor's rain and dew nourish the branches and leaves, regardless of their length."

Zhang Bingyong, who was about to speak, paused, carefully considering Yang Qianyuan's meaning, and then his pupils shrank.

He understood what Yang Qianyuan meant.

He couldn't help but swallow, and when he glanced at Yang Qianyuan, he met his cold eyes.

He sighed inwardly, "Oh no!"

This time, I can't escape it.

Therefore, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "Your Majesty, I have three strategies to quell the turmoil."

"Speak." Yang Qianyuan closed his eyes, looking as if he were resting.

Zhang Bingyong immediately spoke up.

"Firstly: Granting imperial favor and expanding the emperor's grace. The princes are permitted to divide their fiefdoms among all their sons and grandsons, and the court will bestow titles, land, and residences upon them. All members of the imperial clan will receive the emperor's grace!"

“It is truly unfair that the eldest son of the legitimate wife inherits the title of king while the other sons are relegated to idle members of the royal family.”

"Your Majesty's benevolent decrees have been implemented, and the imperial family has multiplied, with titles and ranks increasing daily. However, the titles and ranks of the state are fixed, and the treasury's funds and provisions are limited."

"To ensure the perpetuation of the imperial family's titles and stipends and to maintain the hierarchy of the lineage, the hereditary system can be downgraded, and each son can rely on his own talent to revive the family."

"Secondly: centralize power and direct it to govern. The administrative, judicial, and tax collection powers within the fiefdoms of each vassal state shall be directly under the jurisdiction of the imperial court. The court shall dispatch officials to govern these vassal states, and the vassal kings shall receive salaries but not govern the people."

“The princes are of noble birth and should be enjoying their old age and wealth. Why should they personally handle worldly affairs and worry about money and criminal matters? Moreover, local governance is a complex and specialized field that cannot be fully mastered by the officials under the prince’s government.”

"It would be better to transfer all administrative, judicial, and taxation powers to the relevant government officials, and have Your Majesty select virtuous and capable officials to assume these positions."

"In this way, the local areas will be governed by good officials, the people will receive the grace of equality, and the princes will be relieved of their duties and enjoy honor and wealth. It is truly a win-win situation."

"Thirdly: Reduce and suppress guards to consolidate the foundation. The number of guards and personal soldiers in the princely palaces that exceeds the regulations shall be reduced or brought under the unified command of the imperial court."

"I believe that the number of guards in the princes' palaces should be strictly reviewed, and the ancestral system must be strictly adhered to, and the limit must not be exceeded."

"The elite troops that exceed the quota can be selected and incorporated into the imperial guards or border troops to serve the country and be rewarded according to their merits."

"The princes should retain only the ceremonial guards that conform to etiquette, which is sufficient to show their honor."

"His Majesty sits in the central government, with a million-strong army guarding the capital. The princes are His Majesty's close relatives, residing in fertile inland areas. The court has its own large army to protect them. Why should they keep more private troops, which would only arouse suspicion?"

After hearing this, the cabinet ministers all fell silent.

The latter two points were standard procedures for weakening the power of regional lords, but the first one really frightened them.

By doing this, the titles of the vassal kings could be stripped away in just a few generations.

Furthermore, those second sons and illegitimate sons who cannot inherit the title will become powerful supporters.

Who wouldn't want a title and a fiefdom?

As for these titles and fiefdoms being separated from their fathers? They don't care.

Having something you didn't have before is a win-win situation.

Once the first rule can be implemented, the latter two will face no obstacles.

"Alright." Only Yang Qianyuan's voice echoed in the silent palace.

The cabinet ministers felt cold sweat pouring down their backs.

(End of this chapter)