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

Chapter 270 Jinyiwei

I got everything I wanted.

The Qilin Pavilion, the title of Marquis of Bao, promotions, fame, fortune, power... Beyond the position of Prime Minister, he received everything a subject should and shouldn't have.

Why are you unhappy?

The doors of Xuanshi Hall were wide open.

As Zhang Tang stepped out of the threshold, his body gradually hunched over, and he almost fell down the steps as he took a step down.

Jiang Bo helped the man up and then helped two people carry the palanquin. The two tall and strong eunuchs walked steadily towards the palace gate.

With the sun shining and the snow melting, the chill of the world and the warmth inside the main hall felt like two completely different worlds. Zhang Tang couldn't help but curl up in a corner, feeling utterly devoid of any warmth.

As the palanquin gradually moved further and further away until it disappeared from sight, Liu Ju and his minister Gongsun Hong slowly withdrew their gazes, their hearts filled with extremely complex emotions.

Since the Crown Prince took power, Zhang Tang had been promoted to the position of Imperial Censor, one of the Three Dukes. However, his desire for power not only did not diminish, but continued to expand.

In addition, Gongsun Hong was nearing the end of his life, and there was no suitable successor to the position of Chancellor of the Han Dynasty. Zhang Tang mistakenly thought this was a good opportunity for him to take the position.

As the Imperial Censor, he held the power of both the Imperial Archives and the Embroidered Robe Envoy in the inner court. From princes and kings to commoners, no one dared to be monitored or investigated. His power was immense.

After Chen Ping, the Marquis of Quni, Chen Mo displayed his abilities. When Gongsun Hong intended to have him take over the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Zhang Tang strongly opposed it and was anxious.

The reason for this was that Zhang Tang had tasted the benefits. Compared to the Imperial Censor Lantai, who was responsible to the entire court, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who was only responsible to the emperor of the Han Dynasty, could arrest anyone, including imperial relatives, and conduct closed interrogations. The Imperial Prison even had independent judicial power.

Throughout history, there has never been a position more effective at eliminating dissidents than the Embroidered Robe Envoy. Zhang Tang always regarded it as his own private territory and as the ultimate weapon for further conquest.

Even after becoming the Chancellor of the Han Dynasty, Zhang Tang had no intention of relinquishing control over the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Therefore, Zhang Tang turned a blind eye to the fact that he recruited, won over, and protected countless cruel and legal officials. These subordinates were "naturally flawed" and were completely under his control. Even if someone took over as the Embroidered Uniform Guard, they still had to obey his orders.

In addition, Zhang Tang would selectively try those who had spies on the private lives and misdeeds of the high-ranking officials, nobles, and members of the imperial family of the Han Dynasty through the Embroidered Uniform Guard. He would use this information to persuade and win over the princes and ministers of both the Han and foreign dynasties, promising them official positions and paving the way for his own rise to power.

Cliques and factionalism, abuse of power for personal gain... Zhang Tang can be said to have used any means necessary to achieve the ultimate leap in power.

Chen Mo's appearance affected Zhang Tang's power and even made it possible to expose many of his plans or conspiracies.

After eliminating two major imperial factions, Princess Dou and Princess Pingyang, Zhang Tang sensed danger and rushed to Weiyang Palace, ostensibly to report back, but in reality to claim credit.

He wanted to take this opportunity to establish his status as the successor to Gongsun Hong as the Chancellor of the Great Han Dynasty. If he could get the Crown Prince's promise, or even announce it to the world, that would be even better.

However, Weiyang Palace is still Weiyang Palace. It is not a place of fortune for Han officials, but rather a place of disaster for them. Han Xin, the Marquis of Huaiyin, once fell here, and Zhang Tang also fell here today.

"Your Majesty, you've been merciful again," Gongsun Hong sighed.

Regardless of Zhang Tang's misconduct during His Majesty's reign, his actions as Imperial Censor and in charge of the Embroidered Robe Envoy alone make him guilty of "plotting to seize power." He used underhanded tactics to eliminate a group of people so that he could "rule the mountain" in the court.

The Crown Prince's palace officials included both court and military personnel. It was only under his, Wei Qing's, and Huo Qubing's control that major problems were averted, and chaos was almost caused by Zhang Tang's ambition for power.

In Gongsun Hong's opinion, apart from retaining Zhang Tang as a minister of the Qilin Pavilion, all other official positions and statuses in the court should be stripped and he should be placed under house arrest until his death, so as to show sufficient punishment.

The emperor bestowed upon Zhang Tang extraordinary favors, making him a superior subject and a national hero. Although power revolves around the monarch, the rule that one cannot have an audience without an imperial edict meant that Zhang Tang's power as the Imperial Secretary and Embroidered Robe Envoy would gradually diminish. However, even a gradual loss would take time.

Liu Ju recalled how Zhang Tang had sent a letter to the Northern Army when his father feigned illness to lure him into a trap. In the letter, Zhang Tang had even bestowed a posthumous title upon his father. Zhang Tang's earnest desire for advancement remained unchanged to this day. He shook his head and said, "Old Prime Minister, from the time we joined the Northern Army until now, so many people have died and so much blood has been shed. Wasn't all we did to save this court where the emperor is not a true ruler, the ministers are not true ministers, and the people are not true people?"

“Your Majesty, Zhang Tang’s actions are no different from when he was with Your Majesty. He is only thinking about his own power and personal desires.”

Gongsun Hong let out a long sigh, "It's not just Zhang Tang, there are so many 'desires' in the court and the military, how can the Emperor possibly fill them?"

Zhang Tang was originally a minor official in the Chang'an government. Killing him now would be just the right thing to do. It would serve as a warning to others, letting the people of the world know that the emperor governs the country without favoritism. In doing so, it would also extinguish the lust of those court officials and generals.

When it comes to dealing with them in the future, there will be nothing to say.

The conspiracy was outrageous, yet he was granted a glorious retirement. With the Emperor handling things this way, I fear many civil and military officials will lose… lose their sense of awe.

While the four-horse chariot of the Han dynasty certainly gave them the confidence and courage to solve all problems, the key to stopping the chaos was ensuring that power remained supreme at all times.

Liu Ju remained silent for a long time, then said, "Just this once! Just this once! I really can't bear to face Zhang Tang."

“A heartless man is not necessarily a hero, and a loving father is not necessarily a coward. Your Majesty treats your subjects as your own children. There is no more wise and virtuous ruler than this. I hope Your Majesty will remember that spoiling your son is like killing him. This is a one-time thing.” Gongsun Hong said silently.

Liu Ju nodded.

The palace doors closed again.

"Your Majesty, establishing the Embroidered Uniform Guard is beneficial to the monarch and the court. The Han Dynasty also needs such an office to monitor the country and the country, to hang a sword over the heads of all corrupt officials, and to serve as a vanguard for territorial expansion. The Embroidered Uniform Guard is inherently bad. Your Majesty has left the Embroidered Uniform Guard to Zhang Tang, which I think is perfectly acceptable. However, what should we do now?" Gongsun Hong advised.

In matters such as eliminating domestic poison and fighting on the battlefield in Dai, the Embroidered Uniform Guard performed outstandingly, making significant contributions to the stability of the court and the defense of the Han territory. Gongsun Hong and the Prime Minister's Office did not deny the contributions of Zhang Tang and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and clearly recognized the value of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. However, if the Embroidered Uniform Guard is to be abandoned, what should be done next?
"Form a new one."

Liu Ju looked at Gongsun Hong and said, "The Chen family has a rich history, and I think Chen Mo, the former prime minister's protégé, is also capable. Let him set up a new 'Special Service Office' so that he can prove his ability and win people's respect. I hope that Chen Mo can learn a lesson from Zhang Tang."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Gongsun Hong, acting on behalf of his disciple, added, "Please, Your Majesty, name it."

"Jinyiwei!"

(End of this chapter)