Three Kingdoms: I am not Liu Bian

Chapter 277 My subject is dead, and I have no intention of arguing about right and wrong!
"They were all loyal ministers, but unfortunately, they lost their lives at the hands of traitors!"

"My loyal ministers are dead, and I have no desire to argue right and wrong!"

"Send troops! I want to send troops!"

Inside the Yuntai Pavilion, the courtiers, seeing the emperor preparing to launch a military campaign in anger, did not offer any objections.

Cui Lie, who considered himself the emperor's most loyal lackey and was one of the three highest officials in the court, naturally had to be the first to stand up and express his support for the emperor. So he shouted in court, "I second that the court must take strong measures to deter these villains!"

The group exchanged bewildered glances, not because they opposed the use of force.

The Han Dynasty may have occasionally lacked morality, but it would never lack martial virtue, especially since this was an internal rebellion.

Previously, the imperial court tacitly allowed the powerful clans in the southern prefectures of Yizhou to form a de facto autonomous government, and recognized their vested interests in the southern prefectures of Yizhou. It also failed to hold them accountable for their repeated collusion with the southwestern barbarians to kill the prefects and magistrates of the southern prefectures of Yizhou.

The imperial court even required them to pay only a small amount of tax, and exempted them from commercial taxes on highly profitable industries such as salt and iron.

Because the imperial court needs stability, and there are too many places where it needs to wage war, it cannot allow the southern prefectures of Yizhou to be nominally separated, otherwise the imperial court would lose all face.

But now that the imperial court has money and resources, this group of people actually went so far as to kill the court's officials!
Previously, the court had tolerated the collusion with the southwestern barbarians, as it had no suitable reason to hold them accountable, and at least it still maintained a semblance of dignity.

But now Yong Kai has personally led his men to kill more than sixty people, including the Prefect of Yizhou, the Registrar of Household Affairs, his assistants, and guards. This is a blatant slap in the face to the imperial court!

I don’t even want to act anymore!
This is a rebellion!
The Han Dynasty court used to think that they should just live year by year, and be grateful if they could just keep the mess under control.

The current Han Dynasty court wants "Han to uphold its prestige and rule over all nations, and all under the sun and moon to be its subjects!"
What does "臣妾" mean?
"Your servant is a slave!"
The ancient text of the Book of Documents states: "Those who serve the lowly, men are called ministers and women are called concubines."

The Book of Rites of Zhou states: "Concubines are terms used to refer to men and women who are poor and of low social status."

What the Han Dynasty wanted was not for all nations to pay tribute and for all barbarians to submit, but only for slaves to kneel on the ground!

Today, someone has stood up on the land of the Han Dynasty and openly murdered Han officials, showing a clear intention to establish a state in several counties in southern Yizhou. This is something the court will never allow!
The pent-up resentment towards the powerful clans in the southern prefectures of Yizhou has been building up for years. Doesn't the imperial court covet the mineral resources of the southern prefectures of Yizhou?

Leaving aside the salt wells and iron mines, there were copper mines that were practically "Wuzhu coin mines," and gold and silver mines that, while not directly circulating in the market as official currency, were extremely valuable.
This is a hen that lays golden eggs. Doesn't the imperial court want to have it in its hands?

Hey, the imperial court has entrusted the mines of the southern prefectures of Yizhou to these powerful families for so many years. The miners, craftsmen, and mining processes have formed a complete system. With the help of these powerful families, the locations of many mineral deposits have been discovered. It's time for the imperial court to reap the rewards!

Therefore, almost all the senior officials agreed to send troops.

However, these high-ranking officials were somewhat puzzled by Cui Lie's attitude, feeling that Cui Lie was being a little too obsequious.
It seems that Cui Lie never raises any objection to the emperor's decisions, and if no one immediately agrees with the emperor's suggestions, he will jump out to speak for the emperor. He is simply... simply like a sycophantic minister who flatters his master.

Of course, this was just a joke. The dignified Cui family of Boling, with its century-old tradition of integrity, and Cui Lie being a leading figure among Hebei scholars and a recognized leader of Hebei intellectuals, how could he possibly be such a sycophant?
Perhaps it was simply that this Minister Cui shared the same political views as the emperor.

"What is your opinion, Lord Gongxi?" Liu Bian glanced at Yuan Pang. Although this Grand Commandant was not as close to him as he was to the late Yang Ci, he was still deeply trusted by Liu Bian. Therefore, Liu Bian did not address him as "Grand Commandant" but rather as "Lord Gongxi".

Although the Grand Commandant did not have actual command authority, he was the nominal military commander of the court. Therefore, Yuan Pang's opinion was particularly important. If Yuan Pang raised any objections, although he could not stop Liu Bian's decision to send troops, it would eventually have some negative impact.

"I have no other thoughts than that every traitorous minister deserves to be punished!" Yuan Pang shook his head slightly, his voice carrying a hint of solemnity.

Before Yuan Pang could finish speaking and before the emperor could even give his approval, Liu Yan hurriedly spoke up, slamming his fist on the table in anger: "This traitor not only harbors rebellious intentions but also openly murders officials. We must send troops to punish him and behead him as a warning to others!"

In court affairs, if two of the three high officials approve, then the matter will not encounter much resistance.

According to past procedures, the emperor should have asked the questions in the order of Grand Commandant, Minister of Works, and Minister of Agriculture. However, Cui Lie broke the order, making his opinion as Minister of Works seem dispensable.

How can this work!

Then take the initiative to speak up!
But that's not enough!
"This old minister is willing to recommend virtuous and capable people for the country. I have many friends from Yizhou. Even if they lack strategic acumen and martial prowess, they can still serve as guides and vanguards for the army!"

Although Liu Yan was from Jiangxia, he had a close friend named Dong Fu, who was eighty-two years old this year. Dong Fu was well-versed in the classics and knowledgeable in apocryphal texts. He also taught the classics at home, and many people from Youzhou even went to Guanghan County in Yizhou to study after hearing about his reputation.

The Three Dukes and the Imperial Secretariat invited him to serve as an official a total of ten times. Emperor Emeritus Liu Hong also sent an imperial carriage to summon him to serve as an official three times, but Dong Fu declined each time, citing illness.

Despite being over eighty years old, Dong Fu had an extensive network of connections in Shu, and Liu Yan got to know many talented people from Yizhou through his introduction.

"Excellent!" Liu Bian nodded, looked around at the ministers and said, "I am very pleased that the Three Dukes are of one mind with me. However, war is a major national affair. Minister of Works, please see if the other ministers have any good ideas first."

Everyone turned to look at the emperor; who could possibly object to such a thing?
If you oppose it, does that mean you're in league with the traitors?

Cao Song, the only one who might oppose it due to financial issues, was practically shouting that he would personally lead a sword into Sichuan.

Those damned scoundrels, daring to occupy the mineral resources that belong to the Great Han Empire!

My son Cao Mengde can be the General Who Pacifies the North, and I, Cao Jugao, am certainly capable of being the General Who Conquers the South. Do you think my sword is not sharp enough?
Although the trade in gold, silver, copper, iron, and salt was under the jurisdiction of the Maritime Trade Office, the profits went into the national treasury under its jurisdiction!
Cao Song has now completely come to terms with it. Heh, he might as well just outsource the government affairs and let the Maritime Trade Office become his beast of burden, making money for him. He doesn't even have to worry about anyone in the Ministry of Agriculture embezzling these huge profits.

Others did the work and took the risks, but he was the one who benefited. Thinking about it this way, Cao Song couldn't have been happier!

(2012 words)
(End of this chapter)