A son who doesn't resemble his father? Love you, old man, see you at Xuanwu Gate!

Chapter 145: Cutting down the feudal vassal
"In the second year of Yuanshou, in the third month of spring, Sirius moved and the constellation Arc Arrow was in its proper position, indicating that the decisive battle between Han and Xiongnu was imminent."

The Grand Historian Sima Tan put down his pen.

The plan to seize the land.

After a detailed discussion by generals Wei Qing, Cheng Bushi, and Gongsun Ao, the plan was presented to Weiyang Palace, and the generals withdrew from the hall.

Zhang Tang, the Imperial Censor and one of the Three Dukes, had exceptionally sharp eyes. Through General Cheng's request, he learned of the existence of the Lingyan Pavilion.

In the Qilin Pavilion of the Supreme Ruler, besides the generals, there was another high-ranking official, namely the Prime Minister Gongsun Hong.

Are there any high-ranking officials in Lingyan Pavilion?
Even if only one person could be chosen, Zhang Tang believed that no one else could be selected.

The gate opened and closed again, a gentle breeze entered the hall, and the lamplight flickered. Gongsun Hong noticed Zhang Tang's subtle expression and could easily guess what he was thinking. He sighed softly.

Entering the Lingyan Pavilion is no easy feat; I hope my former students can achieve their goals.

With the military generals gone, only Liu Ju, Gongsun Hong, and Zhang Tang remained in the hall, and it was time to reach a conclusion on the issue of the imperial clan.

Gongsun Hong slowly rose from the embroidered stool and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, I believe that the imperial clan system of our Great Han Dynasty has reached a point where it must be changed."

Zhang Tang's shoulders immediately hunched, indicating that he was ready to "fight".

"What are your thoughts?" Liu Ju asked with a smile, looking at Gongsun Hong and Zhang Tang.

The King of Zhao's sudden move gave the Han Dynasty a chance to deliver a fatal blow to the Xiongnu, but this does not mean that the actions of the vassal kings can be forgiven. It is time to reform the system.

Gongsun Hong remained silent.

Since the matter involves imperial relatives, no matter how much advice is given, it will only sow discord between the emperor and the imperial family. The emperor can guess what the emperor is thinking to some extent. Only someone like Zhu Fu Yan, who is willing to be cooked in a five-cauldron pot if he is not going to eat in a five-cauldron pot, can do such an inhumane thing.

As it happened, there was one in the main hall. Gongsun Hong glanced at Zhang Tang, then at Sima Tan on the side of the hall, and silently "disappeared".

Zhang Tang sat on an embroidered stool, sweat beading on his forehead, clearly deep in thought.

China has a long history, but before the Han Dynasty, there were only two true imperial clan systems: the Zhou system and the Qin system.

During the Western Zhou Dynasty, the royal family played a central role in the political order. After the overthrow of the Shang Dynasty, Zhou transformed from a small state in the Wei River Valley into a vast empire. In order to govern this empire, the Zhou court invented the first royal family system, the "garrison system".

He enfeoffed a large number of princes, relatives, and allies outside the royal family as kings and rulers, allowing them to govern the lower Yellow River valley.

The Zhou kings directly ruled only the western capital region of the empire. Through systems such as the succession ceremony of enfeoffment by sons after the death of their fathers and launching wars to suppress rebellious monarchs, the Zhou dynasty successfully maintained its rule for a considerable period of time.

This political structure, which relied on a hierarchical system of bestowal and enfeoffment, persisted throughout the Western Zhou period. Even as the authority of the Zhou court faded and the feudal lords fought amongst themselves, this structure remained.

The simplest explanation of the Zhou Dynasty's royal family system is that land was enfeoffed to sons, nephews, and brothers to settle the royal family. The most important feature is that the eldest son of each generation forms the main lineage and the main body of political authority, while the other sons establish their own branches and create new secondary authorities. The further away from the main lineage, the weaker their political authority.

After the chaos of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods ended, the unified Qin court established an imperial clan system and abolished the enfeoffment system, but did not completely abandon the essence of the patriarchal clan system.

In managing the royal clan, the Qin court retained some principles of the Zhou dynasty's patriarchal system, such as the order of rank and the distinction between elders and juniors, while making modifications to meet the needs of centralized power.

The position of Zongzheng, one of the Nine Ministers, originated from this. He was specifically responsible for the affairs of the imperial clan, including the household registration, marriage, inheritance of titles, and code of conduct of the members of the imperial clan, to ensure that the behavior of the members of the imperial clan conformed to the rites and did not overstep the bounds.

The Qin Dynasty implemented a strict system of nobility, in which members of the royal family were granted different ranks of nobility based on their blood relation to the emperor and the magnitude of their merits.

These titles were not only about honor, but also closely linked to actual political status and economic interests.

However, unlike the enfeoffment system of the pre-Qin period, the Qin Dynasty did not grant members of the royal family independent fiefdoms and administrative powers. Instead, it placed them under the direct jurisdiction of the central government to prevent them from forming local separatist forces and threatening the central government's authority.

The Qin Dynasty was well aware of the importance of educating and training members of the royal family for maintaining its rule.

Therefore, special educational institutions for members of the imperial clan were established, such as the Imperial Clan Class in the Imperial Academy, to provide systematic education in Confucian classics, legal knowledge, and military skills to the children of the imperial clan.

Through education, the imperial clan members were cultivated to have loyalty to the emperor and patriotism, the ability to govern the country, and military talent, so that they would become the emperor's capable assistants in governing the country, rather than potential threats.

The Qin Dynasty also strictly regulated the marriages of members of the royal family. Marriages of members of the royal family were not only personal matters, but also major issues concerning the political stability of the country.

The Qin Dynasty encouraged members of the royal family to marry meritorious officials and nobles to consolidate its rule, while prohibiting members of the royal family from marrying members of other ethnic groups to prevent the infiltration of foreign forces.

In addition, marriages of members of the imperial family required the emperor's approval and were recorded to ensure the absolute control of imperial power.

After the establishment of the Han Dynasty, Emperor Gaozu took an important step by reforming the prefecture-county system, establishing kingdoms and marquisates, and enfeoffing members of the imperial family and meritorious officials as kings and marquises. Undoubtedly, this was a variation of the Zhou system.

However, times have changed, and people's hearts have changed as well. Chen Sheng and Wu Guang's saying, "Are kings and nobles born with a special destiny?" and Emperor Gaozu's rise from a minor official to become the emperor of the Han Dynasty made the world fully realize the true nature of "imperial lineage".

There's no such thing as being born this way; I can do it too.

Making it to Chang'an is easier than making it into Chang'an.

If ordinary people are like this, how much more so the princes and kings of the Han Dynasty who were born of the "dragon race".

From the reign of Emperor Gaozu, the emperors of the Han Dynasty have been constantly suppressing the rebellions of the vassal kings. Emperor Gaozu quelled the rebellions of kings of different surnames, Emperor Wen quelled the rebellions of Liu Xingju, King of Jibei, and Liu Chang, King of Huainan, Emperor Jing quelled the Rebellion of the Seven States, and Your Majesty's current rebellion of the three kings of Jiangdu, Huainan, and Hengshan has been constantly proving that the enfeoffment system did not belong to the imperial era.

Zhang Tang was a legal official.

It is very clear that although the Qin system was harsh and even somewhat inhumane, many of its systems were the most suitable for the empire.

However, the Han Dynasty could not simply copy the Qin system; it could draw the bones, but not the skin.

Liu Ju did not urge them, giving Gongsun Hong and Zhang Tang a long time to think. The hall was so quiet that the occasional popping of candlelight could be heard.

Zhang Tang let out a long breath, stood up from the embroidered stool, walked to the center of the hall, faced the throne, and respectfully said, "Your Majesty, I have a suggestion."

"explain."

"When Emperor Gao first established the system of enfeoffment, he fulfilled his promise of 'sharing the world.' The princes who were not of the same surname had fiefdoms, and the meritorious marquises had fiefdoms. In order to check and balance them, he established members of the imperial clan as kings."

Time has passed, things have changed, and people are no longer the same. When Emperor Gaozu was about to pass away, he quelled the rebellion of various kings and successively eliminated King Han Xin of Chu, King Peng Yue of Liang, King Ying Bu of Huainan, and King Zang Cha of Yan. King Han Xin and King Lu Wan of Yan rebelled and fled. King Zhang Er's son Zhang Ao of Zhao was demoted to a marquis for his crimes. King Wu Rui of Changsha had no sons for five generations and his kingdom was abolished. During the reign of Emperor Xiaowen, all the kings of different surnames in our great Han Dynasty were eliminated.

When the founding marquises were still powerful, the princes of the imperial clan had ample opportunity to exert their influence. However, now that the marquises have fallen from grace, the princes have no place to use their talents, and within their fiefdoms, they commit all sorts of evil deeds. I believe that even the blessings of heaven and earth eventually run out.”

Zhang Tang finally uttered those words that defied all conventions.

Zong Ze, it should be done.

"Zhang Tang".

"The minister is here."

"Do you know what you are talking about?"

Liu Ju seemed to be furious, slamming his fist on the table and saying, "The princes and kings of the Great Han are all my uncles and brothers. You, a lowly rat, dare to speak of reducing the power of the princes and sowing discord among my Liu clan members. I wish I could kill you on the spot!"

Zhang Tang knelt down and kowtowed, the sound echoing throughout the golden palace. Blood seeped from his forehead as he wept and said, "My words are treasonous and deserve death. I have no defense, but I beg Your Majesty to consider them. My words are for the sake of the Han Dynasty and the future of the Liu family."

"Traitorous officials and villains, spouting nonsense! How could you, such lowly men, possibly care about the fate of our Han Dynasty and the long-lasting prosperity of the Liu family?"

"The sage said: 'At birth, human nature is inherently evil.' Although our Great Han Dynasty has ancestral rules to admonish the princes to abandon evil and do good, the emperor and the Minister of the Imperial Clan are in Chang'an, while the princes are in the provinces. The emperor is far away, and the teachings of virtue are inevitably incomplete, leading to the proliferation of all kinds of evils. All the princes have committed unforgivable crimes, the people are alienated, and the imperial family's reputation is completely ruined. It is not that Emperor Gao was short-sighted, but that the system was flawed. If the ancestors did not make up for it, it would be unfilial!"

"This……"

"Your Majesty, my intention is not to reduce the power of the princes, but to save the princes and their descendants. Their virtue and education are lacking, which is why they are so unruly in remote areas. Chang'an, on the other hand, is full of virtuous and good people. If we can invite the princes and their descendants to Chang'an, the court can set up ten royal residences and a hundred princely residences, and have the Minister of the Imperial Clan and other great sages educate them every day. Surely, this will make all the princes and their descendants of the Han Dynasty have the hearts of children, kind and benevolent. If this continues, wouldn't it be a blessing for the country and the Liu clan?" Zhang Tang said passionately.

Gongsun Hong's eyes widened.

By stripping the vassal kings of their fiefdoms, isn't this a form of weakening their power?

Was the royal residence and the royal courtyard in Chang'an a paradise for princes and nobles, or a prison for members of the imperial clan?
The Minister of the Imperial Clan and other great sages taught him; this was a "private school" that a prince and his grandson had found.
What's even more insidious is that this happens every single day.

Although Gongsun Hong came from an unorthodox background and had not attended a private school for many days, he had seen the clear eyes of the students who attended private schools every day and listened to the teachers use classical Chinese phrases.

That scene sent chills down his spine and remained unforgettable for the rest of his life.

If all the princes and nobles of the Han Dynasty became scholars of the Imperial Clan Court and great sages, it would be easy to understand their childlike innocence and kindness. They would spend their days in private schools, ignorant of worldly affairs, so how could they not be easily deceived?
Gongsun Hong wanted to move the embroidered stool away from Zhang Tang, fearing that a thunderbolt from the sky might affect him.

Sima Tan wrote swiftly in his historical pen: "On the same night, the King of Zhao was found guilty. The Imperial Censor Zhang Tang advised the reduction of the power of the princes. The Emperor was furious and denounced him as a rat-like villain and a traitor. However, Zhang Tang did not change his mind and instead proposed that a royal residence and a princely abode be established in Chang'an. The Minister of the Imperial Clan and other great scholars were instructed to impart the most profound principles."

(End of this chapter)