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

Chapter 227 Destroying the Han
"My esteemed teacher, do you truly believe that His Majesty's restoration can restore the Zhou rites of the State of Lu?"

Faced with Dong Zhongshu's plea, Wuqiu Shouwang's heart was filled with complex emotions.

There's no need to elaborate on His Majesty's promises; whatever they may be, they lack any sincerity.

Even assuming Your Majesty succeeds in restoring the throne, what will become of the Han Dynasty afterward?

What is certain is that His Majesty will kill the Crown Prince. His Majesty is a domineering ruler, while the Supreme Ruler is a sage king. The contradictions are irreconcilable, and this is a struggle over the right to choose sides.

What is family affection but must give way to political lines? A ruler who is a son can allow his emperor to live, but an emperor who is a father cannot allow his ruler to live. The tolerance for power is different.

Of course, this was also because the sovereign was too weak and politically immature. After gaining an absolute advantage, he did not directly force His Majesty to abdicate, but instead gradually eliminated His Majesty's support forces through successive reforms, like boiling a frog in water. In this way, his reputation may have been preserved, but it left His Majesty with an opportunity to counterattack.

Within the Han dynasty court, differing interests and directions led to differing political views, which in turn resulted in differing political paths. Once a problem arose regarding these paths, a complete break was necessary.

As you can see, immediately after the ceremony of establishing the heir, His Majesty suppressed the power of the Crown Prince's palace, stopped the war against Wei Qing, supported Huo Qubing, favored Lady Wang, reprimanded Empress Wei, and scolded the Crown Prince for being close to Gu Liang and not like his father, all in an effort to undermine the authority of the Crown Prince's palace.

Regardless of the outcome, Your Majesty is not incapable of taking action against the Crown Prince's palace without hesitation in order to consolidate your power. If necessary, Your Majesty could follow Emperor Xiaojing's example and depose Liu Rong from his position as Crown Prince.

However, the ruler in the predicament turned the tide and proved his ability. Not to mention the crown princes and princes of ancient and modern times, even the emperor and the princes, in their entire lives, could achieve the same accomplishments as the current ruler.
He can be considered the greatest prince in history.

In His Majesty's mind at the age of forty, the Crown Prince is someone who must be killed. But when His Majesty is fifty, sixty, or even seventy, when His Majesty is old and frail and the empire has to be handed over to the successor, will His Majesty miss the previous emperor? Will he feel regret? Will he let go of the Confucian scholars who are plotting restoration and are the culprits?

The Confucian school has spread rumors about Qin Shi Huang burning books and burying scholars alive. Could it really happen during the Han Dynasty?

"I believe in the wisdom of later Confucian scholars," Dong Zhongshu said expressionlessly.

He no longer trusts His Majesty, nor the Emperor, nor even the Liu family's empire. As for his disciples, he trusts them even less.

There is only one way to restore Confucianism: first destroy the Han dynasty, then return the world to the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, and erase this part of Confucian history through war, suffering, and endless years.

The Qin Dynasty can be a tyrannical Qin, and the Han Dynasty can also be a tyrannical Han!

If they can help His Majesty kill the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince's faction, led by Gongsun Hong, Wei Qing, and Huo Qubing, will retaliate at all costs, and the Han Dynasty will immediately fall into chaos.

It took Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, seven years to unify China, and the Qin Dynasty, ruled by the Ying family, six generations, requiring countless efforts and energy.

But it only took fifteen years to destroy the Ying family's empire. How many years will it take to destroy the Liu family's empire that Your Majesty has restored?
However, these words cannot be spoken to anyone.

Wuqiu Shouwang was somewhat disappointed, thinking that his mentor meant that Confucianism had already reached this point, and no matter what, it was still an upward trend. Later Confucian scholars would have their own blessings. He sighed deeply and said with guilt and determination, "Mentor, if our plan fails in the future, I am willing to leave the country with you and never return to China in this life!" For His Majesty, for his mentor, loyalty and filial piety come first, let's fight one more time.

Dong Zhongshu breathed a sigh of relief.

Wuqiu Shouwang looked at him and asked, "Master, what is your plan?"

"Zi Gan, do you still remember the 'Shuo Fu' chapter of the Liezi? Bai Gong asked Confucius about it."

"Bai Gong asked Confucius, 'Can one speak with a person on a profound topic?' Confucius did not answer. Bai Gong then asked, 'What if you throw a stone into water?' Confucius replied, 'A skilled diver from Wu can retrieve it.' Bai Gong asked, 'What if you throw water into water?' Confucius replied, 'Yi Ya knew the meaning of the combination of the Zi and Mian rivers by tasting it.' Bai Gong said, 'Is it true that one cannot speak with a person on a profound topic?' Confucius replied, 'Why not? Only those who truly understand words! Those who truly understand words do not speak with words. Those who fight for fish get wet, those who chase beasts run away, not for pleasure. Therefore, the most profound words transcend words, the most profound actions are without action. What those with shallow understanding contend for is trivial.'" Wu Qiu Shou Wang blurted out.

Dong Zhongshu was always very satisfied with his students' learning, so he nodded and asked, "Does Zigan know why Bai Gong sought guidance from Confucius?"

“A conspiracy…coup?” King Wuqiu Shou suddenly realized.

Bai Gong wanted to rebel, so he consulted Confucius for advice on methods of plotting. When he asked directly, Confucius refused to answer by remaining silent. Then Bai Gong asked indirectly, and Confucius reluctantly replied, "Affairs are accomplished by secrecy, and ruined by leaks." But as long as there was any action, the plot to rebel might be exposed. Afterwards, Bai Gong asked Confucius what method of rebellion was foolproof. Confucius's answer was, "Those who fight for fish get wet, and those who chase beasts run away. It is not for pleasure." One must learn to use the situation and its benefits rather than using words to instigate.

This is Confucius's ultimate strategy.

By mobilizing everyone to rebel with him and aligning everyone's interests with his own, when those interests are harmed, everyone will rebel with him due to their instinct to seek advantage and avoid harm, and the power will naturally be gathered and completed.

However, Bai Gong ultimately could not suppress his eagerness and hastily launched a rebellion, eventually dying in the bathroom.

Seeing his disciple's sudden realization, Dong Zhongshu slowly said, "The Emperor is indeed wise, but the people of the world are not fools. The relocation order did not take the lives of the wealthy and powerful, but it did take their wealth. The Han Dynasty has marquises with fiefdoms, families that have served as officials for generations, wealthy merchants with countless gold and silver, chivalrous heroes who keep retainers, and even bandits who gather in the mountains..."

When Dong Zhongshu saw that the relocation order included bandits, he was amazed.

When the money reaches one million, no matter who it is, even a thief, they will have to migrate. In other words, the ruler has robbed the thief. So who is the real robber?

“The families of marquises and officials have private armies, wealthy merchants have money and provisions, and wandering knights and thieves have people. Warfare is nothing more than five things: soldiers, money, provisions, people, and reputation. The first four are secretly linked, and we are currently working on the fifth one,” Dong Zhongshu said, looking up.

It was a moonless night in early winter, the sky was clear and the stars were shining brightly. In the eyes of Dong Zhongshu and Wuqiu Shouwang, the stars were just scattered and flickering, and they could not figure out any mystery.

At this moment, the Minister of Ceremonies, Gao Xuan, who was standing solemnly below the high platform, announced: "Midnight has arrived. Please invite Scholar Gao..."

The thick curtains of the star chamber were lifted, and two astrologers with flowing white hair, dressed in long black robes embroidered with the constellations, emerged. They knelt before the western altar and prayed: "Heaven above, your disciples Luo Shu and Tang Ping humbly beseech the Heavenly Emperor to reveal the secrets of Heaven, so that the people may be encouraged to strive and save them from suffering..."

(End of this chapter)