After discussing with Guo Jia and Mi Heng the affairs of Lu Bu and his daughter and Chen Fu in Guang'an, Wang Zheng once again convened the ministers the next day to discuss the issue of post-war rewards.
Because this matter was too involved, in order to stabilize the Jiangdong clique's intention to demote officials, not only Guo Jia, Mi Heng, Huang Zhong and others, Wang Zheng also asked Lu Ji, Gu Yong, Gan Ning and other newly attached Yangzhou civil and military officials to
Come and participate in the hall.
Looking around at everyone, Wang Zheng nodded and said warmly: "Our army has fought several battles this year. You all have worked hard. Wen used strategizing and military used bravery to resist the enemy. Beihai was able to open up borders and Shouchun was conquered. In fact, it all depends on your efforts. The ancients
It says: 'Punishment is used to punish evil, rewards are used to reward merit'. The reason why I have summoned you here today is to discuss how to reward merit."
After a pause, he continued: "Because Zhang Zhao, Xu Fang, Wu Sheng, Yu Jin, Zang Ba and others have not entered the city yet, so according to my general's wishes, today we will discuss a draft first. For these two battles, most of you will
I have experienced this event myself, and many people have experienced both. What should be the rules for this reward? If you have any suggestions, feel free to speak out."
In terms of official positions, Zhang Zhao is actually the head of the hundred officials under Wang Zheng's command now. Xu Fang, Wu Sheng, and Yu Jin are the generals guarding the four military wings, and Zang Ba not only has a certain status and influence in Xuzhou itself.
Li is the representative figure of the Taishan Army in the Tianjun Department. Logically speaking, they should be involved in major events such as the "year-end summary", and they all have certain rights to make suggestions.
So why didn't Wang Zheng wait until they entered the city before discussing it?
There are two reasons.
On the one hand, it is for balance or even decentralization.
Although Wu Sheng and Xu Fang are close friends of Wang Zheng in terms of close relationship, they are also leaders of the Qingzhou faction in the Heavenly Army, and Zhang Zhao, Zang Ba and even Mi Fang represent Xuzhou respectively.
, the factions on both sides of Taishan, in comparison, the Jiangdong faction joined the latest, has the shallowest foundation, and naturally has the least say.
Secondly, although it is a year-end summary, there has been a reward for the Yangzhou Campaign as early as Shouchun, and it was mainly aimed at the forces in Jiangdong. Therefore, the focus of this year-end summary is actually the previous Battle of Beihai.
Regarding the Qingzhou Army and the Xuzhou Army, since the focus is on them, if Zhang Zhao, Xu Fang and others are allowed to judge their merits and reward them, it will inevitably be biased.
Especially for the generals, military merit is the most important thing in the Han Dynasty. Whether it is Xu Fang, Wu Sheng or Yu Jin, they will definitely highly recommend the generals in their headquarters. If we really wait until then, it will not be good to see them fighting with red faces and thick necks.
.
And these people do have great merits. If they leave the dispute to Wang Zheng for decision, they are now recruiting and employing people. The generals have different factions and have their own mountains. Wang Zheng asks himself that it is really difficult to deal with him. If he is not careful, he will say
They may be regarded as "favoring one over others" by their subordinates.
Of course, in addition to Zang Ba and Chang Xi's Taishan Army, most of the other middle-level generals under his command have also entered the system. Even if Wang Zheng really "favours one and favors others", these people would never dare to complain, let alone complain.
To Wang Zheng.
But the previous conflict between Huang Zhong and Wu Sheng actually served as a warning to Wang Zheng. Even if both parties have entered the system, it only means that they are loyal to their own families, but it does not mean that they have become close friends.
There is no longer any possibility of enmity or division.
In this case, he thought of letting the demoted officials from the Jiangdong faction come and establish the overall framework before the generals entered the city.
Once the framework is established, even if the generals continue to compete for credit, as long as it does not exceed the scope stipulated in the charter, it will not be too fierce, or even beyond the control of the king. To say the least, even if the generals are dissatisfied with the charter, they will not
At most, they are dissatisfied with the Jiangdong ministers who stipulated the regulations, so as to prevent the internal conflicts between them from escalating again.
The triangle is always the most stable. In the final analysis, there were only two major forces in the previous Tianjun, the Qingzhou Army and the Xuzhou Army (the Taishan Army was attached to Xuzhou). For Wang Zheng, the Jiangdong forces should be brought into the situation as soon as possible, so that the conflict between the two parties could become
The three-party conflict is actually more suitable for him to control.
On the other hand, for the Jiangdong ministers who participated in the formulation of the charter, there are not without smart people among them, and they may be able to guess a thing or two about the king's political intentions. But even if they can guess it, what can they do?
For them, being able to participate in this kind of meeting itself represents Wang Zheng's attention, and it also represents that Wang Zheng has given them the opportunity to join the game. It also means that they will show their talents and make great achievements under Wang Zheng in the future.
How can one reject a performance that is not available even if it is desired?
As soon as Wang Zheng finished speaking, Mi Heng looked around at the crowd and proudly stepped out of the train.
He is already arrogant and can be regarded as the first "Conglong minister" among civil servants. In most meetings of this kind, he is the first to speak without hesitation: "Since the Lord raised his army, what has our heavenly army experienced?"
There are no less than a hundred wars, big or small, but in terms of frequency, scale, and even the extent of the wars, there is nothing like this year!"
"First there was the Battle of Beihai, and then there was the Battle of Fenggao, and then they vigorously resisted the Xiahou, pacified Sun Ce, and swept away Yuan Shu. They hardly stopped for a moment. Xu, Wu, Yu and other generals either defended the enemy outside the city or held firm.
At important passes, they may rush to attack from the north and south of the Bohai Sea, or rush to the east and west of the Yangtze River for reinforcements, and they may also make plans and strategies like the humble ministers and Zhang Guoxiang. They can be said to be loyal men and brave generals."
Hearing this, Wang Zheng couldn't help but glance at His Highness Guo Jia. The two looked at each other and smiled slightly at the same time.
Only a person of Mi Heng's temperament can say such a thing as "making suggestions like a humble minister". It's hard for him to be willing to add Zhang Zhao, but Guo Jia was completely ignored.
"Not only did the civil and military forces work together, but the officers and men of the three armies also gave their all in this battle!"
Mi Heng went on to say: "General Huang's sentry cavalry Zhao Mou sent information to two places many times when Sun thieves intercepted him. He braved the wind and rain and traveled hundreds of miles in three days. He reached the outside of Shu County and watched.
Surrounded by tens of thousands of thieves, Sun's thieves act as if there is no one around. They ride in and out lightly, and their expressions are calm and unchanging. This is commendable for their bravery! It is expected that there must be many such brave warriors among the other armies."
"Don't ignore your merits because of your low position, don't ignore your faults because of your high rank. Even if your merits are small, you must be rewarded, and although your mistakes are small, you must be blamed. This is what the Ming Dynasty did. In several battles, the total number of casualties
There are no statistics yet, but the five divisions of the Heavenly Army alone have suffered nearly 10,000 casualties, so it can be seen that the total casualties must not be small."
"Therefore, I believe that if the lord wants to be truly rewarded for his merits, the principles of the charter can be as high as three."
"First of all, the reward must be heavy. If it is not heavy, it will not be able to compensate for the brutality of this battle. Secondly, the reward must be equal. If it is not equal, it will not be able to show the loyalty of the civil and military forces. Thirdly, the reward must be broad. If it is not broad, it will not be able to unite the soldiers.
military spirit."
"If these three things can be done, then even though our generals are exhausted from long battles and suffer heavy casualties, our lord's reputation for being wise and promising and for giving appropriate rewards and punishments will be spread throughout the world. With a little push, we will be able to achieve this goal."
And he will win the hearts of the warriors from all over the world and the admiration of the wise men in the world. This is the meaning of the saying 'lost in the east and gained in mulberry trees'."
In terms of essay thinking and eloquence, Mi Heng is indeed the best among people. Unlike yesterday when Guo Jia completely stole the limelight during the private discussion, today he was well prepared and every word was on target.
Not only did he follow Wang Zheng's words to summarize the three principles of the charter, but he also went a step further to clarify the importance of this reward and expand its political significance.
Previously, whether Wang Zheng conquered Mount Tai or invaded Beihai, in the final analysis, he was still tossing around Xuzhou. Moreover, Xuzhou was not only a place of the Four Wars, but also not a terrain like Yizhou that could be defended. Although the achievements were brilliant, the prestige was not
It is shocking, but in fact it is still not favored by most knowledgeable people.
Now it is completely different. Although we only have Lujiang and Jiujiang counties, these two places are the essence of the entire Jiangdong. After being connected with Guangling, they have control over the Jianghuai waterway. The situation will immediately change. Once the next year
The capture of Wujun and Danyang truly changed from "difficult to defend" to "advancing and attacking, retreating and defending".
Not to mention that after defeating Sun Ce and Yuan Shu, Wang Zheng's reputation has reached a higher level. At this time, he is actually the same as Yuan Shao of Jizhou and has become one of the most favorable candidates to compete in the Central Plains. He is so favored by others that he is even slightly better.
Cao Cao, who has a great reputation, is one step ahead.
Of course, martial arts alone is not enough. Wang Zheng now needs to show more of the "Ming Lord" style in front of the Jiangdong nobles and even the people of the world. As for how to show it, the next move to reward merit is a perfect one.
Chance.
"The words of Zhengping are exactly what I want."
Wang Zheng nodded, looked around Lu Ji and others and asked: "What do you think?" Everyone bowed and replied: "Your commander is far-sighted and has profound discussions, as it should be."
"Zhengping, you said that there should be three principles of reward: be heavy, be fair, be broad, be heavy and be broad. This general can understand it, but how to be fair?"
"There are three levels of peace: one is the balance of civil and military affairs, and the other is the balance of offense and defense."
You stood proudly in the court and talked eloquently: "In the several long battles this year, there were both civil and military achievements. We should not only focus on military achievements. As the saying goes, before the troops and horses are moved, food and grass go first, whether it is the battle of Beihai, or the pacification of Jiangdong, Xuzhou
The officials are working very hard to raise food and supplies and provide logistics, and their efforts are considerable, so the lord must not ignore them."
"In addition, if you are uneasy at home, how can you defend against the enemy from outside? Compared with the expansion of territory by generals, generals like General Chang defended the city of Fenggao to resist the war. There are many people who defend the enemy and outside the gate. Such achievements should also be
Receive attention."
"It's true."
Wang Zheng showed a look of deep approval and said happily: "In the past, after Emperor Gao of the Han Dynasty established the country, he rewarded merits and Xiao He was the first. This is the reason. But what does the third level mean?"
"When my lord first became the shepherd of Xuzhou, he rewarded his ministers with meritorious services by giving them more official positions. At that time, Xuzhou was experiencing wars and was in dire straits. There were many vacant official positions, so it was indeed appropriate to reward them as officials.
I thought it was an exaggeration, but at this time, it can no longer be the case.”
Mi Heng said: "In the land east of the Yangtze River, there are very few military disasters. Although there was Sun Ce's rebellion, it did not last long and did not cause much harm. Most of the county and county official positions with real power have been awarded, and the civil and military personnel who have performed meritorious services this time have been awarded.
Most of them have already been in high positions. For example, General Xu's contribution to defeating Yuan Shu in Pingyu is naturally great. However, he is now General Jianwu and controls eight cities in Pengcheng. If he continues to follow the previous practice, he will not be able to be sealed.
"
"I think it's time for the Lord's custom of rewarding meritorious officials to change."
This is true. Wang Zheng's current official position is to lead Xuzhou Mu and also be the general to conquer the east. He is the second-grade middle-ranking general after the three generals (i.e., the Hussars General, the Chariot General and the Guard General).
General Jianwu is inferior to the generals who conquered Anping and the third rank. The standing generals of the fourth rank are the fourth rank generals. Naturally, there is still room for improvement.
But the key point is that the room for improvement is actually not that big. If we don't leave some room, there will naturally be a real "no rewards, no seals" in the future, unless Wang Zheng's own level continues to rise.
Running around can solve this problem.
Wang Zheng nodded: "How to change it?"
You Heng said loudly: "When repaying merit this time, we should pay attention to the balance of officials and titles. These are the three balances."
As Mi Heng said, Xu Fang's current official rank is indeed not suitable for promotion in the short term. This is not only true for Xu Fang, but also for the other three generals that Wang Zheng granted after he occupied Xuzhou. Except for one who is about to be promoted.
In addition to General Zhenwu Pan Zhang who subdued the law, General Jianwei Wu Sheng and General Zhenwei Yu Jin were temporarily unable to be promoted.
In fact, let alone promotion, with the continuous expansion of the royal government's territory, some official positions, especially prominent positions, even if they can be promoted, according to Mi Heng, it is best not to be promoted.
Why?
As the saying goes, "Without talent, things will be in vain, and power will be difficult to control." Wang Zheng, who has a system, may not have such doubts, but as ministers, Mi Heng and others will definitely nip problems in the bud.
For a new and prosperous regime in troubled times, hereditary titles are actually more cost-effective than some prominent positions, because after all, it only has practical benefits and no real power. Wang Zheng can naturally understand this.
"What Zhengping said is quite reasonable, but..."
After pondering for a long time, Wang Zheng looked around at everyone and said slowly: "It's just that I don't have the right to be crowned a knight. How should I deal with it?"
This is true. If you want to have equal status among officials and nobles, then the royal government must first have the right to grant titles.
In the Han Dynasty, and even in the feudal dynasties of all dynasties, only two classes had this right, one was the emperor and the other was the king!
Looking at the people in the palace, Wang Zheng suddenly patted the table again and said with a sudden smile: "Haha, yes, let's discuss a list of rewards first, and then I will report it to Xu Du and ask the court to make a decision.
That’s it, that’s all.”
Unexpectedly, Mi Heng's face showed consternation when he heard this, and he said loudly: "My lord, what you said is wrong."
"The minister's proposal to reward the meritorious officials is to ask the lord to reward the meritorious officials, but not to invite Cao Cao of Xudu to reward the meritorious officials!"
"If this is the case, should our ministers be grateful to the lord in the future, or should we worship Cao Mengde?"
As soon as these words came out, everyone in the hall changed their expressions, and the hall immediately became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop!
Wang Zheng still looked calm. While watching the changes in everyone's expressions, he said calmly: "Why did Zhengping say this?"
"Xu Du is your Majesty's residence, the center of the imperial court, and promotion of promotion and promotion should come from here. How come General Cao is involved, I am really puzzled."