That is to say, Cao Chong didn't even ask for the diminishing title.
Just when the ministers were still in the reaction stage and thinking about how to refute, Zhe Lanying and Huang Yueying took a step forward at the same time. In the end, Zhe Lanying walked out first.
"Your Majesty, Zhe Lanying thinks that his younger brother is right. The title is hereditary, which seriously violates the New Deal. Zhe Lanying is willing to give up the title of King of Beihai and join his brother Chong in remonstrating."
The reason why Zhe Lanying came out first and gave up her title was because Cao Chong was her younger brother. Zhe Lanying felt a little bit resentful towards Liu Zhang for asking her brother to stand up to him. Cao Chong couldn't resist it. She, her sister, could only stand first.
Out.
The civil and military officials were shocked again. Zhe Lanying was now a giant in the Sichuan Army. Before Huang Yueying was granted the title of King of Yan, Zhe Lanying held the highest title in the Sichuan Army.
And the current King of Beihai is a prince that radiates over the entire grassland. If he can establish a government and govern the country, he may become the largest vassal state.
The civil and military officials originally felt that Cao Chong was soft-spoken and the content of his remonstrance was ridiculous, and that Liu Zhang would not accept it. But now that Zhe Lanying was about to give up the throne and agree to the remonstrance, all the civil and military officials could not hold back their surprise.
Liu Zhang frowned slightly and looked at Zhe Lanying. Although Zhe Lanying would be the concubine and the title was of no use to herself, it would be useful to her future heirs.
Liu Zhang has made it clear that he will not directly confer the title of prince, and will have to fight for everything by himself. However, if Zhe Lanying is the King of Beihai, her future heirs can directly confer the title of duke, which is still good for her children.
But Liu Zhang already knew that no matter whether Cao Chong was bewitched by someone or not, the title turmoil had already begun. The first priority at this time was to promote the implementation of the reduction of titles.
"Your Majesty, Yueying does not want to give up her title. She wishes to receive a decreasing title without running a government or running a country."
Huang Yueying did not give up the title, and she could not give up. If the people who remonstrated were so selfless, the influence of the remonstrance would become smaller. They did not want to eradicate hereditary titles, but just wanted a diminishing system.
Huang Yueying knows that setting this system is the first priority. If all the titles are given up, it will change the taste.
"Your Majesty, the last general is willing to accept the title of descending title. If you don't open a palace, you won't be able to govern the country." Zhang Ren stood up.
"My subordinates are willing to receive decreasing titles, and they will not be able to govern the country without running a government office." Fazheng also stepped forward.
All the civil and military officials were shocked and confused. At this moment, some generals stepped forward. Huang Zhong, Gao Pei, Fan Lixiang and others, seeing this situation, hesitated for a moment and then stepped forward.
"My subordinates are willing to receive diminishing titles. If I don't open a palace, I won't be able to govern the country."
One after another, some civil and military officials came forward, but compared to those who did not come forward, they were still very few. Most of them had blue faces and were obviously unwilling to give up their fixed titles.
Xu Jing looked around and saw that there were so many people. The emperor couldn't just register and arouse public outrage. He took a step forward and said loudly: "Your Majesty clearly knows that although Xu Jing does not know what title he will be awarded, no matter what title, no matter what title he will be awarded,
Whether it is a reduction in title or no title, Xu Jing will never complain.
But Xu Jing has a few words that he has to say. Please allow your Majesty's permission, and also ask General Zhelan, Military Advisor Huang Yueying, and Lord Cao Chong not to blame."
"Just tell me what you have to say." Seeing that most of the civil and military officials were standing still, Liu Zhang had expected this.
Although most of the aristocratic clans were wiped out, the ideals of the aristocratic clans were deeply ingrained, and it was really difficult to make people in the Han Dynasty give up the opportunity to honor their ancestors.
"Your Majesty." Xu Jing bowed and said: "Since ancient times, all civil and military achievements have been greedy for fame and fortune. Now there are such selfless people as Cao Chong, General Zhelan, Huang Military Advisor in the court. It is unprecedented. There is only such a saint as the Lord.
Only when you are in court do you have such wise ministers.
But I believe you have all heard the story of the saint Confucius.
Once upon a time, Zilu, a disciple of Confucius, rescued a child. The child's father gave him a cow, which Zilu accepted. Some people said that Zilu should be repaid for his good deeds and was not a gentleman. But Confucius praised him and said that more people would do the same in the future.
Good thing.
Confucius also had a disciple named Zigong. There was a law in the State of Lu in the Spring and Autumn Period. If people of the State of Lu saw their compatriots encounter misfortunes in foreign countries and became slaves, as long as they could redeem these people, they could get compensation from the state.
Zigong redeemed Lu people from foreign countries, but did not receive compensation from Lu.
But Confucius said, "Zigong, you are wrong to do this. From now on, no one in Lu will redeem his compatriots in distress."
I believe everyone understands what the holy teacher Confucius meant. There are too few high-minded and upright people in the world like General Zhelan, Military Advisor Huang, and Master Cao.
Most people advocate paid labor, but Confucius's disciples worked for free. So if people work and want to be paid, it means that they have low moral character. If they don't want to be paid, they don't want to do it.
As a result, fewer and fewer people will do good deeds, so Confucius criticized his disciples for their nobility.
Even the sages of Confucius advocated paid labor, let alone those of us in later generations. The emperor issued titles to those who had made meritorious service to the Han Dynasty.
If they are all like General Zhelan, Military Advisor Huang, and Lord Cao, I’m afraid not many people will be willing to make contributions to the Han Dynasty in the future, right?"
"Yes, yes." Xu Jing said in an orderly manner and used the example of Sage Kong. As soon as he finished speaking, he immediately aroused the agreement of the ministers. Many generals who did not read the books of sages also agreed even though they did not understand much.
.
"Decreasing titles are not free. Each title comes with a lot of high-level treatment and privileges. Isn't this a reward?"
"What is the difference between a sudden reduction in returns and no returns? If this continues, the court's credibility will be lost, and the country will be ruined."
The court was divided into two groups and quarreled, but it was obvious that the majority were defending their inherent titles. Liu Zhang looked at this scene and realized that both sides had reasons, and it was for their own rights, and he knew that there would be no results from the discussion at all.
After noon, Liu Zhang announced his resignation and would discuss it another day.
"Your Majesty, this matter cannot be delayed." Huang Yueying said to Liu Zhang after leaving the palace.
"I know that I will immediately build momentum among the people and ask them to petition for the reduction of the title. Not only the people, but also the retired soldiers and generals will all mobilize.
Send letters to Wei Wen of Tianjin, Wei Yan of Jiangdong, Du Wei of Pangtong of the Western Regions, Yue Cao Zhang of Goguryeo, and Zhu Liang of Jiaozhou and Cai Ming to jointly remonstrate. Please wait for the remonstrance to be implemented."
"yes."
Liu Zhang had already expected such a scene. Who wouldn't defend his own interests? In order to take care of the interests of upper-level officials, rulers in the past dynasties abandoned many good policies and turned them into policies that did not harm the upper-level officials. These so-called political compromises were common
This is the beginning of **.
The only way is to force him to submit.
Liu Zhang believed that absolutely no common people would like the upper class civil and military officials to have fixed titles. Regardless of their selfishness or public motives, the common people would oppose fixed titles.
Those retired soldiers themselves have reduced titles. They will definitely support the reduction of titles.
Coupled with the strong recommendation of civil and military officials from outside, the so-called majority in the court could immediately become a minority, and Liu Zhang couldn't believe it and couldn't push it forward.
…
"Master Huang, you heard it. The people on the streets of Beijing are saying everywhere that they support the reduction of titles. Bah, they are a group of untouchables. They have no titles, so they hate us meritorious ministers. Without us, they would still be in the quagmire of war.
I can’t help myself.”
Xu Jing came to Huang Quan's house and expressed his dissatisfaction right away. Huang Quan frowned: "What are Mr. Xu's plans?" On the day of the court meeting, Huang Quan did not make any statement.
It's not that Huang Quan doesn't want the title. It's not that he wants the title that much. In fact, he has a sister who is the queen and a nephew who is the prince. Is the title that important to him?
What Huang Quan is worried about now is not his title. But if Liu Xun ascends the throne, will his siblings kill each other? What will happen to the Huang family if siblings kill each other?
The Huang family now has a queen and a prince, and the Huang family is such a large family. Huang Quan does not think that Liu Xun will let the Huang family go. Even if Liu Xun does, in order to stabilize Liu Xun's Huang Quan, Zhou Buyi, Cao Chong and others will not
Will let it go.
"Let's strike first. These people have obviously been incited. It would be difficult to coerce public opinion and force us to give up our titles.
Mr. Huang, the emperor did not announce the results at that time, which shows that he was also afraid of public anger. We have a large number of people here. If the winner is eliminated, the emperor will have no choice but to change his mind."
"Deal with Cao Chong?"
"That's right, a little kid dares to stand out. Starting from the emperor's reverse scale, Cao Chong will die without a burial place. Mr. Huang, what do you think?"
"Ni Lin?" Huang Quan said and waved his hand: "Whatever you want to do, you do it yourself, it has nothing to do with me." If it were Huang Quan in the past, he would definitely persuade Xu Jing, but now, Huang Quan doesn't do it either.
I don't know why, but I kind of hope that Xu Jing and the others will cause trouble.
"But Mr. Huang needs to take the lead in this matter... Okay."
Xu Jing sighed and left sadly. Huang Quan was the highest civil servant, and the senior generals on the military side were basically from the other faction. Without Huang Quan, nothing could be accomplished.
Watching Xu Jing leave, Huang Quan, who frowned, suddenly opened his eyes wide, and suddenly an idea that even scared him emerged.
"Sir Xu, my master invites you to go back and talk." Xu Jing just arrived at the door and was about to leave in despair, when suddenly a servant of the Huang family chased him out.
…
"Brother Huang's political philosophy is indeed much better than mine."
Liu Kang held a piece of paper and said enviously, Liu Xun and Liu Kang were studying together as usual, but Liu Kang suddenly said that the two brothers should write down their own political ideas together, and Liu Xun wrote it after thinking about it.
In comparison, Liu Kang's looks very sharp, but too simple, and it is obvious that many of them have not been well thought out. After all, Liu Kang is only eight years old, so it is normal for him not to think so comprehensively.
But after so many years of influence from Zhou Buyi, what Liu Xun wrote was much more comprehensive. Putting it all together, the advantages and disadvantages are self-evident, and even Liu Kang had to praise it.
Liu Xun said with some sadness: "Although Kangdi's seems simple, that's just because you are still young and don't have enough knowledge, but the basic direction is correct. It is similar to my father's ideas. In time, you will definitely make my father happy.
As for me."
Liu Xun sighed: "No matter how comprehensive the writing is, it still goes against my father's wishes. It would be fine if my father didn't scold me."
Liu Xun looked gloomy. Liu Kang, who was only eight years old, comforted him a few more words, which made Liu Xun feel better. At this moment, a soldier came in to report.
"Your Highnesses, a commoner came from outside the palace. He said he was a small contractor for the southern section of the Hebei Canal Project and was coming to give a gift to Lord Cao Chong."
"Cao Chong went to the government office..." After Cao Chong came to Hebei, like Zhou Buyi, he did not have his own mansion and still lived in Liu Xun's palace.
After going to the military aircraft office, they can no longer live in the palace. The two of them are still looking for a place to buy a house.
"Brother Emperor." Liu Xungang said, Liu Kang said: "There is a contractor in this section of the river, and Cao Chong is promoted to the general manager of Hebei. He comes to give gifts but is offering bribes. He must not accept them. If he accepts them, he will harm Cao Chong."
Liu Xun nodded and was about to refuse when the soldier said again: "The man said that the name of the gift must be reported to the two highnesses. It is ice wisteria flower."
"Ice Wisteria?" Liu Xun pondered: "Is it expensive?"
"Although wisteria with white petals has fewer purple petals, it is just an ordinary flower, and its market price is probably a few hundred cents."
"Have someone send it in."
"Brother Emperor." Liu Kang looked at Liu Xun with some confusion, and Liu Xun said: "Brother Kang, you don't know that General Zhelan and Military Advisor Huang are going to the palace as concubines.
General Zhelan missed his former hometown of Di people. There were many wisteria flowers there, most of which were ice wisteria with white petals, so he wanted to keep some in the palace, but most of them in Hebei had purple petals.
Cao Chong is the younger brother of General Zhelan, and he has been paying attention to it. Maybe the contractor knows about it.
Wisteria is not an expensive flower at all. Even ice wisteria is not expensive. It only costs a few hundred pennies. It cannot be considered a bribe. Moreover, I will add the money to the foreman according to the market price later and report it to the company. It should be fine.
.”
"Oh." Liu Kang nodded, but frowned.
After a while, a pot of ice wisteria was carried into the palace. It was really not a precious flower. In fact, it was found in the countryside of Beijing. But even so, Liu Xun still gave the foreman money, and then reported it to Yousi and received a flower.
Potted wisteria.
At this time, another soldier came and said that Huang Quan was looking for Liu Kang, so Liu Kang said goodbye to Liu Xun and went out.
Liu Xun took his political letter and read it over. It was obvious that he was quite satisfied with himself, but he sighed again, knowing that Liu Zhang would not appreciate it, so he hid it in the cabinet.
…
"According to the advice of officials from the Ministry of Letters and Calls, the public opinion in Hebei has been turbulent recently, and it is all about the title. I wonder what the ministers think?" After going to court, Liu Zhang took a booklet and the eunuch took a plate and asked the ministers.
"Your Majesty, before discussing the title, I have an important matter to report." Before other ministers could accept Liu Zhang's words, Xu Jing took a step forward and looked at Cao Chong aside: "Master Cao is using his power for personal gain and accepting bribes for projects. Please tell me, Your Majesty."
The Yushitai will conduct a thorough investigation."
As soon as Xu Jing finished speaking, the ministers made an uproar and looked at Cao Chong one after another. However, Cao Chong was confused as to whether he had accepted a bribe. When did he receive a bribe?