Rise of a Lonely City: From Exiled Prince to Ruler of the Nine Provinces

The aftershocks of Han Yu's downfall were like a depth charge, shaking the entire Great Xia court.

The three judicial departments conducted a seven-day trial, implicating more than 130 officials of varying ranks. The Qian family of Jiangnan had their property confiscated and were exiled three thousand li away.

The court was cleaned up, but a huge power vacuum was left behind.

However, Xiao Chen was not in a hurry to fill the gap.

He knew that although the external threats had subsided, the internal troubles were far from over.

The biggest hidden danger at present is not the remaining civil service group, but the group of royal family members who are idle but hold special privileges.

On this day, after the morning court bell rang, Xiao Chen did not immediately unleash his thunderous methods as usual, but instead looked down calmly.

"I recently came across an interesting story while going through old archives."

Xiao Chen spoke, his voice neither hurried nor slow, "When the founding emperor enfeoffed the princes, his intention was to protect the imperial family and safeguard the capital. However, more than two hundred years have passed, and the imperial family of our Great Xia has grown to more than ten thousand people."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the princes standing at the end of the military officer ranks, dressed in python robes and jade belts.

"I am very curious, what are these ten thousand-plus members of the imperial clan doing now?"

The hall was deathly silent.

The powerful princes remained expressionless, but the muscles at the corners of their eyes twitched slightly.

They knew that the emperor was going to settle old scores.

"Prince Jing, you speak," Xiao Chen called on him.

Prince Jing, Xiao Yue, was the late emperor's cousin, holding a very high seniority. Although he had no real power, he was highly respected.

He stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, the members of the imperial family are well-versed in poetry and literature, and diligently practice riding and archery, so that they may serve Your Majesty."

"Oh?"

Xiao Chen raised an eyebrow slightly. "Then let me ask you, is it true that the steward of the Prince of Qin's residence forcibly seized farmland and beat farmers last month?"

Prince Jing's face stiffened.

Before he could answer, Xiao Chen continued, "Also, is it true that the Prince of Jin's heir opened a gambling den in the capital, lending money at exorbitant interest rates and driving people to their deaths?"

"Your Majesty! That's filth!"

A young prince couldn't help but step forward to defend himself, "We members of the imperial family strictly adhere to etiquette and law; there is absolutely no such thing!"

"Adhering to etiquette and rules?"

Xiao Chen sneered and tossed a stack of petitions from his sleeve. "These are the lawsuits the Censorate has received in the past six months concerning the imperial family's encroachment on land, monopolizing lawsuits, and oppressing the people! A total of 374! If I don't investigate, will I wait until the people of this Great Xia are devoured to the bone by you 'dragon sons and grandsons'?!"

The entire court was silent, as if trembling with fear. The faces of the imperial relatives turned red and then white.

Xiao Chen stood up, walked down the steps, his eyes blazing: "Today, I will not condemn you, nor will I kill you. I want to show my uncles and brothers a clear path."

"deliver an imperial order."

At Xiao Chen's command, the Imperial Reader immediately unfolded the prepared imperial edict.

"Firstly, establish the 'Imperial Family Support Allowance'."

When the imperial edict was read aloud, the entire hall erupted in uproar.

The Enyangyin, as the name suggests, is a system where the state pays to support these members of the royal family.

However, the detailed rules were extremely strict: any member of the imperial family who was willing to accept the imperial favor silver had to move out of the palace and live in a designated "Muqinfang" in the capital. They were not allowed to leave the capital without permission, interfere in court affairs, associate with officials, or engage in business or acquire property.

They received a fixed amount of silver every month and lived a life of wealth and comfort until their death.

"Secondly, the 'Merit Evaluation Method for Imperial Clan Members' was implemented."

This last point is even more devastating, as it undermines morale.

Members of the royal family who do not wish to accept the imperial stipend but wish to retain their title, royal residence, and fiefdom are permitted. However, they must participate in the "merit assessment."

What will they test? They'll test on the Four Books and Five Classics, archery and horsemanship, military strategy, and civil and criminal law! They'll test every three years; those who fail will be demoted!

Two consecutive failures will result in the demotion of the rank of nobility!

Moreover, the officials under the Prince's Palace were appointed by the imperial court and were no longer private officials of the royal family.

The imperial court takes 60% of the taxes levied on fiefdoms!

"My actions are not intended to mistreat the royal family."

Xiao Chen's voice echoed in the hall, "It is to bring the imperial clan back to the right path. Either they can live peacefully as wealthy idlers, enjoying my imperial favor and a life of tranquility; or they can rely on their true abilities, pass the imperial examinations, serve the court, and earn their titles and stipends!"

"If one is unwilling to accept either option, yet still intends to rely on ancestral privilege to commit evil deeds and oppress the local people..."

Xiao Chen's gaze was like two ice blades, scraping across the faces of every member of the royal family.

"Then don't blame me for showing no mercy to family ties!"

"Your Majesty! You mustn't!"

Several veteran princes could no longer remain seated; they all stepped forward and knelt on the ground.

"According to ancestral laws, princes are granted fiefdoms upon assuming their posts; how can this be taken away?"

"Your Majesty, the method of evaluating merit treats the imperial family members like scholars taking the imperial examinations—this is a great disgrace!"

"Your Majesty, please rescind your decree! Otherwise, this old minister... this old minister will have no choice but to remonstrate with his life!"

Looking at the group of old princes who were wailing and making a scene, their acting skills superb, Xiao Chen's lips curled into a cold smile.

"What do you mean by this, my uncles?"

He looked at the Privy Councilor Gao Su, "Could it be that you intend to emulate the 'Jingnan Campaign' of yesteryear and force the emperor to abdicate?"

Gao Su immediately stepped forward, his voice booming like thunder: "Your Majesty is wise! The imperial clan's rebellion is an unforgivable crime! I request that the Imperial Guards of the capital be dispatched to protect Your Majesty!"

Beside him, the newly appointed Minister of War, Wei Xiao, also sternly declared, "I request that the troublemaking member of the imperial clan be arrested and punished!"

Upon hearing the word "treason," the members of the imperial clan were terrified and dared not resist.

Those old princes who had been clamoring to remonstrate to the death didn't even dare to raise their heads at this moment.

Xiao Chen looked at them as if they were a group of cats whose claws and teeth had been pulled out.

"My decree has been issued. Registration will begin in three days at the Imperial Clan Court. Those willing to accept the imperial pension will be granted a magnificent 'retirement home.' Those willing to undergo a merit-based examination will be given the opportunity. Those unwilling…"

He paused, his tone calm yet deadly.

"Then go to the ancestral temple and explain to our ancestors why the royal family of Great Xia has become a parasite on the country."

"Court adjourned!"

This time, no one dared to stop them.

After the court session ended, Xiao Chen did not return to the palace, but instead went up to the highest observation deck in the palace.

Mo Qi appeared silently behind him: "Your Majesty, the imperial clan is starting to split. Several young princes are privately inquiring about what the performance evaluations are for. As for the older princes, I heard they're smashing cups and cursing at home, but none of them dare to lead a disturbance."

Xiao Chen stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the rows of rooftops of the capital city in the distance.

"The silver that nurtures you is a cage. The test of your skills is a ladder."

Xiao Chen said calmly, "I'll give you food, but not a knife. If you want to climb the ranks, you have to follow my rules."

"As for those stubborn ones..."

A cold glint flashed in his eyes.

"Once they have no soldiers, no money, and no fiefdoms, I have plenty of ways to make them die peacefully of old age."

A gentle approach to weakening the barriers, like boiling a frog in lukewarm water.

This was far less turbulent than directly weakening the power of regional princes, but the effect was just as devastating.

From this day forward, the royal family of Great Xia was officially bound by shackles called "favor and support" and "performance evaluation".

This is just another step in Xiao Chen's reshaping of the imperial power structure.

His gaze has now turned to a broader landscape and deeper changes.