Rebirth of Wu Ba Spring and Autumn

Chapter 992

"Prime Minister You's words are wrong."

Zeng glanced at Deng Xi, and retorted: "Your Majesty enshrines the princes and meritorious officials as kings, and when you go to remote places to establish a state, you are Zhifu!"

"Like a towering tree, if it is made by the prefecture or county, it will have a strong trunk and weak branches. Although the trunk is strong, the branches and leaves are weak and withered. How can this tree live long?"

"With the system of enfeoffment, the branches and trunks are integrated and complement each other. The trunk is thick and the branches are luxuriant. This tree may not decay for thousands or ten thousand years!"

The metaphor Zeng pointed out is still very vivid.

The system of prefectures and counties is really a policy of strong stems and weak branches.

Relying on the system of prefectures and counties, the state of Wu has indeed greatly strengthened the centralization of power, but the internal collapse, who will save the state of Wu?
Who will help the building when it is about to fall, and turn the tide from the collapse?
As a time traveler, Qingji knows how the Qin Dynasty collapsed in history.

The Qin Dynasty, which flourished for a while, died in the second generation!

When the remnants of the Six Kingdoms revived and rebellions broke out in various places, the Qin Dynasty was actually unable to suppress it.

Where did Qin's million-strong army go when it destroyed the Six Kingdoms?

This is a question worth pondering.

People with foreign surnames are unreliable, only your brothers and relatives may be reliable.

If it was Qingji's descendants who won the country through the "Jingnan" method, Qingji still felt that it was not a big problem. After all, they were his descendants and his own flesh and blood...

Throughout the past dynasties, dynasties with enfeoffment systems generally have a longer life.

Such as the Han Dynasty, Jin Dynasty, and Ming Dynasty, the short-lived ones are the Qin Dynasty, Sui Dynasty, Cao Wei...

After weighing the pros and cons, Qingji felt that the parallel system of prefectures and states was more suitable for the Wu Dynasty, after all, people's minds changed.

One generation is a relative, the second is a representative, and the third and fourth generations will be pulled down.

If Qingji entrusts the princes, it may not guarantee that the princes and kings will not rebel in the future.

As the blood relationship becomes more and more distant, who still remembers the relatives who live in poverty?

Faced with Zeng Dian's statement, Deng Xi was so angry that he blew his beard and stared, and argued with reason: "Zeng Dian, have you forgotten how difficult it is for me, the great Wu, to wipe out all the countries and rule the world?"

"Great unification is not easy to come by. Now, what is your intention to encourage Your Majesty to entrust your sons and meritorious officials to establish a state?"

"Are you worthy of those soldiers who died?"

"you!"

Zeng Dian wanted to reply to Deng Xi, but Qing Ji had already waved his hand and interrupted the conversation.

"This matter will be discussed in the future! Tonight's banquet, regardless of state affairs!"

"promise!"

……

After that night banquet in the palace, undercurrents surged between the ruling and opposition parties in Jinling.

If given the opportunity, who wouldn't want to seal the borders and become a vassal?
Night falls.

At this time, in the residence of Prime Minister Zuo Kongqiu, there was a lot of traffic and it was very lively.

All the ministers and officials in the court were invited by Confucius to celebrate his birthday.

As the patriarch of the state of Wu, as well as the originator of Confucianism, a generation of sages, Kong Qiu's reputation is unquestionable, and the ministers and scholars of the ruling and opposition parties basically give him three points of respect.

"There are high-ranking ministers in the court, who is not present?"

"Teacher, Mr. Wu An, Mr. Wu Xin, and Doctor Yushi all excused themselves not to come, but sent someone to send congratulatory gifts."

Hearing Zeng's words, Kong Qiu couldn't help frowning.

Sun Wu, Wu Zixu, and Fan Li were all smart people, with high positions and weights, and they were ministers of Qing Ji's shoulders, and they were deeply favored and trusted elders.

None of them came to attend Kong Qiu's birthday banquet. Could it be that they did not show face?
No.

Confucius guessed that Sun Wu and the others might have guessed what they were going to do, so they didn't intend to get involved.

After a birthday banquet came to an end, Confucius sent people to invite Zuo Sima Tian Rangju, Dazai Wenzhong, left general Wu Ming, and right general Sun Di to the spacious study.

Confucius accompanied Zeng Dian, his master and his disciples, and made tea for himself and them.

All the people present here are all ministers of the Wu Kingdom, or veterans on the battlefield.

Why did you gather together?
"Everyone, in recent days, His Majesty has sent to Jinling all the princes who were originally stationed in Hebei, Western Regions, Longxi, Shangjun, Yuyang County, Daijun, etc., and asked them to return to Beijing to report on their duties. , what does it actually mean, can you understand?"

After Kong Qiu took a sip of tea, he said meaningfully.

It is indeed not easy for Qingji to let the young masters such as Gong Zixi, Gong Zifan, Gong Zizhang, and Gong Zihong to return to Beijing to report on their duties.

Because these sons of his hold military power and have extremely high prestige in the local area.

For the Yuji ceremony, the sheriffs of other counties are busy with government affairs, so they don't necessarily have to be present to participate.

Why did Qingji ask his sons to return to Beijing to report on their duties?

"Prime Minister Zuo, do you mean... Your Majesty intends to implement the enfeoffment system?"

Sun Die asked hesitantly.

"Exactly."

Kong Qiu smiled slightly, and said: "General Sun, at the night banquet in Funing Hall that day, His Majesty was noncommittal about the enfeoffment system, which is evident."

"It's not that your Majesty is unwilling to entrust the princes and establish a country with heroes, but it's not convenient to express his position immediately."

"The feudal state and the founding of the country are a major event of our Great Wu, and there is no room for carelessness. People like Deng Xi advocate the system of prefectures and counties, and oppose the enfeoffment of princes and meritorious officials. This is really going against the general trend and disobeying Shangyi!"

Sun Di frowned and asked, "Prime Minister Zuo, are you serious?"

"Is this old man still able to deceive two or three sons?"

Kong Qiu said slowly: "Your Majesty is a hero of a generation, an emperor through the ages."

"At present, the world is initially settled, but people everywhere are impetuous. Countries such as Qi, Yan, Lu, Song, etc. have surrendered with rites and retained the most basic vitality. Over time, they will change."

"The current situation is like the time when King Wu defeated Zhou and divided up the feudal lords."

"If the remnants of the evils of the nations are not dead, and they try to make a comeback and turn against us, Wu, what should we do?"

"Only by letting capable heroes and princes sit on one side and establish a state, His Majesty will be able to rule."

"Your Majesty must have considered this as well."

"This……"

Sun Di nodded suspiciously.

At this time, Wen Zhong narrowed his eyes, and said thoughtfully: "Prime Minister Zuo, with all due respect, it is up to Your Majesty whether or not my Great Wu implements the enfeoffment system or completely abolishes the enfeoffment system, not my subjects." things that can be controlled.”

"Second and third sons just wait for His Majesty's orders."

"Dazai's words are wrong."

Kong Qiu retorted: "Your Majesty is wise, and often follows the good, rather than being self-willed. Now, Deng is analyzing those people and urging His Majesty to abolish the enfeoffment system, so that the princes and meritorious officials will not be able to establish a state. How can it be possible?"

"What I am waiting to do is to encourage all the ministers to write a letter to His Majesty together, and let the scholars comment and ask His Majesty for orders. I request His Majesty to restore the enfeoffment system, and entrust all the princes and heroes to various places, as the branches of the Great Wu."

Wen Zhong swallowed unconsciously, and said, "Isn't that the same as forcing the palace?"

This is forcing the palace!

In fact, Confucius also knew that what he did was unethical, but he had to do it.

(End of this chapter)