I will be the master of Xuande

Chapter 62 The Unusual Emperor
In the West Garden, Emperor Liu Hong was bathing in the Liuxiang Canal, and the canal water with the scent of rouge and rhinoceros was hitting him, which made Liu Hong feel very comfortable.

Liu Hong, who is indulging in beauty and extravagant enjoyment, is extremely relaxed at the moment, and his tense heart can only find peace here.

Doesn't Liu Hong know that the construction of the West Garden will consume national resources and build a swimming pool?Won't it be a waste of national power?Doesn't Liu Hong know that Xiyuan sells an official? He will be scolded by the world and accused of being stupid by the world?
Liu Hong is not a dull person, he understands everything, everything is clear.

But he can't help it, there are some things he has to do.

Xiyuan sells an official, the money will not be in the hands of the emperor, and will only be taken by his aristocratic family in the end. In short, it is either given to the emperor, or to the court officials and elders. It cannot be saved.

In Liu Hong's heart, this is not a search, but another tenacious confrontation between him and the Han family.
He thought that he, the emperor, had a difficult life. After ten years of hard work, he was exhausted physically and mentally, but in the end he was still powerless.

Even if the Three Mutual Laws and the Party's ban came together to trap the hands and feet of the scholars and greatly reduce the power of the powerful and powerful ministers in the court, Liu Hong knew in his heart that his radical behavior could not last long after all.

Moreover, this is a style of play that injures the enemy by a thousand and injures oneself by eight hundred, so it won't last until the end.

As long as there are nobles and gentry in this world, the party will be broken sooner or later, and the three mutual laws will be weakened with time.

He can't kill all the scholars in the world, let alone destroy the aristocratic families who stand above the scholars, because the Han Dynasty is actually the foundation of them, without them, this empire will not be able to function after all.

It's ridiculous, these people are the ones who threaten the imperial power the most... But without them, where would the imperial power come from in this world?
Liu Hong couldn't destroy the nobles and nobles, even if he could, he couldn't, because the birth of imperial power was closely related to these people.There are no scholars in the country, where does the royal family come from?

Liu Hong, who was harassed by the imperial power, scholars, officials, and eunuchs, hardly had a day of peace.

Since ancient times, if the imperial power wants to expand and extend, it generally needs the help of eunuchs, because eunuchs are the closest people to every emperor, which contains a family relationship and a dependence.

The same is true for Liu Hong. He ascended the throne at the age of 12, and he has no one to rely on. He knows in his heart that eunuchs, like ministers and relatives, are using him for their own personal gain. accepted.

Cao Jie, Wang Fu, and Zhang Rang are hateful and have a bad reputation among the people. Liu Hong knows a little bit about it, but Liu Hong doesn't hate them.

Because at most they can only harm the common people, not the imperial power.

What's the use of being popular among the people and being loved by people who control state officials and scholars who control public opinion?They influence my actions all the time, trying to seize my power to govern the country!

It is impossible to prevent.

Liu Hong is tired. Only in this extravagant West Garden can he feel relaxed and forget the anguish in his heart. The depression of more than ten years almost drives him crazy. Only under the influence of the beauty and beauty of the West Garden can he Barely forget those 'things in the world' that made him miserable!
Liu Hong was lying in the incense canal, thinking about these things over and over again, letting the naked girl next to him rub his back and wash his body...

Suddenly, an eunuch hurriedly came behind him.

The eunuch was not young anymore, he knelt down a zhang behind Liu Hong, prostrated himself on the ground before Liu Hong, and shouted: "This old servant sees Your Majesty!"

Just now, Liu Hong was still closing his eyes and meditating, and frowned for a moment, with a little troubled look on his face.

To be honest, Liu Hong likes eunuchs, especially Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong, who he calls father and mother.

Since he entered the palace at the age of 12, the eunuchs have looked up to him, not to mention eunuchs, even if he was raised by a dog since he was a child, he probably has true feelings for the dog.

But the eunuch who is kneeling behind him at this moment is an exception.

This official is called Lu Qiang, and like Zhang Rang and others, he is also a regular servant.

To be honest, Lu Qiang is a special case among the eunuchs, he would sometimes be greedy for a little money and seek a little selfishness, but he was different from Zhang Rang, Cao Jie, Wang Fu and others, but he always kept a kind of love in his heart. Loyalty to the imperial court.

I don't know what Lu Qiang is thinking, he seems to be very eager to become the clear stream among eunuchs.

Just when Cao Jie, Zhang Rang and others persuaded Liu Hong to confer titles on the eunuchs, Lu Qiang was forcibly resigning from the position of marquis, thinking that virtue was not worthy of him.

In Cao Jie, Zhang Rang, Wang Fu and others wantonly recruited beautiful women to enter the palace for Liu Hong from the people for Liu Hong's enjoyment, but Lu Qiang told Liu Hong that the food and clothing in the harem was huge, and the people were unable to cultivate them. Tian, ​​households are hungry, it is better to be more restrained.

And even when Liu Hong launched the party prison, and wantonly detained the party members and the officials and nobles, Lu Qiang also came to remonstrate, saying that the party members were imprisoned, the number of corrupt officials among the people was increasing, and the counties were full of rebellions, so they should be pardoned gradually The party members, in order to ease the contradictions, first focus on calming the chaos in the counties of the world.

In short, this Lu Qiang is a weird guy among the eunuchs, and at the same time, a clean stream in the evil wind.

But it is a pity that he is Liu Hong's most annoying eunuch, not one of them.

He is not as discerning as Cao Jie, Zhao Zhong, Zhang Rang and others.Liu Hong didn't like to listen to what he said, even if Liu Hong knew that what he said was good.

In short, Liu Hong felt that Lu Qiang's nagging was annoying, if he was not an old man beside him, Liu Hong would have been kicked out of the palace by Lu Qiang long ago.

"You're here? What's the matter?" Liu Hong rolled his eyes slightly and asked impatiently.

Lu Qiang's face showed a little helplessness: "Your Majesty doesn't want the old slave to come? Are you annoying the old slave?"

Liu Hong sighed, and stood up from the water naked. Seeing this, the colorful girl next to him quickly dried Liu Hong's body and put on his clothes.

He turned around slowly and said to Lu Qiang: "Are you saying that you are not annoying? Huh? This court servant, who doesn't know that I don't like to be disturbed when I take a bath, but you, why do you rush every time?" Come here at this juncture to report this and that to me! Tell me, did you do it on purpose? Ah? I’ll just ask you, did you?”

Lu Qiang cautiously raised his head, looked at Liu Hong and said aggrievedly, "It's not that this old slave intentionally annoyed His Majesty, it's just, it's just that this old slave really has something important to report!"

"Okay, every time you have something important to do, why don't Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong have as many things as you? Tell me, what's the matter!"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Cao Poshi, Captain of the Yueqi School, intercepted Xiaolian in Zhuo County at Zuozhonglang's office. There was a quarrel between the two sides. Cao Poshi was ashamed and angry, and fought with Xiaolian. Now it is urgent!"

Liu Hong was wearing his coat unsteadily at the moment, and he couldn't help being stunned when he heard this.

After a while, Fang saw Liu Hong slowly turning his head to look at Lu Qiang, his face seemed a little embarrassed.

"What did you say? Cao Poshi went to the gate of Zuo Zhonglang's office to stop Xiaolian, and he still did it?"

"Yes!"

Liu Hong took a deep breath, as if trying to suppress the anger in his heart.

"Can't you save me some time? He is a captain of Yueqi, and he went to stop Xiao Lianlang from entering the capital. Isn't this hitting those people? Does he think his neck is too stiff?"

After more than ten years in power, although Liu Hong is an ordinary emperor, his skill of balancing power is not inferior to that of Yuan Kai, Yang Ci and other patriarchs.

Just hearing this, Liu Hong felt something strange, and he also felt that the Cao family might be in danger.

Not long after Cao Jie died, the Cao family should keep a low profile at this time, so that Liu Hong can keep them.

But none of them live up to expectations!

Thinking of this, Liu Hong took a deep breath, then turned around suddenly, and kicked over a copper bowl next to him.

All the colorful girls around were so frightened that their faces turned pale, and they all hurriedly knelt down on the ground.

"Cao Qing died just a few days ago, and the people he left behind started to cause trouble for me... Hurry up and go to Zhang Rang and ask him to call Cao Poshi to me. In addition, the news must be blocked. This is absolutely impossible. Fall into the hands of those people, go!"

Unexpectedly, Lu Qiang did not move.

Liu Hong frowned: "Why?"

Lu Qiang shook his head helplessly, and said: "Your Majesty, it's too late. A fight started just now in front of Zuozhong Lang's office, and the news spread quickly. Many Lang officials in the Lang's office went to watch. He directly helped Zhuojun Xiaolian fight Cao Poshi, but he kept making noises about this matter, and now this matter is getting louder and louder, even people in the Imperial Academy, some people have started to go out together!"

Liu Hong's thoughts turned slightly, and soon he felt that something was wrong.

No matter how arrogant and domineering Cao Poshi was, how could a mere fight startle so many officials and students in Beijing?

When he was young, Fang heard Liu Hong speak slowly: "There were more than ten thousand Xiaolians in Beijing in the Han Dynasty. How could this Xiaolian in Zhuo County attract so much attention? The Xiaolian who was beaten by Cao Poshi, What is your name?"

"Return to Your Majesty, his name is Liu Jian."

"Liu Jian..."

Liu Hong stood outside the incense canal, stomping back and forth with his bare feet, as if recalling: "It sounds familiar."

"Return to Your Majesty, the one who cut Helian's head is this person."

"Oh, yes, yes!"

Liu Hong lightly hammered his forehead: "It's him, it's him, Lu Qing's disciple?"

"Yes! Your Majesty, before he came to Beijing, this person once wrote a phrase called "Cold Land People's Song", which was widely praised among the lords in Beijing."

Speaking of this, Lu Qiang smiled helplessly, and said: "It is specially targeted at old servants and other servants of His Majesty."

Liu Hong said lightly: "I have seen that word before."

"What do you think, Your Majesty?"

"Hehe, what, what, it's just a trick used by scholars to increase their reputation by scolding you. Over the years, in Luoyang City, no matter whether it is a scholar or an imperial student, they will scold you at the writing party. Are there still few people? One more person is not many, and one less person is not much.”

Lu Qiang wondered: "This person writes words to insult the old slave and other His Majesty's close servants, Your Majesty is not angry?"

"Joke, he didn't scold me, why should I be angry? There are so many people scolding you in this big man, if I get angry one by one, how can I live till now! You deserve it!"

Speaking of this, Liu Hong narrowed his eyes and looked up at the sky.

"It doesn't matter if you scold me a few words. In this world, if people from Li Shu's family want to stand out, they will have to surprise everyone... But the key is whether they can be used by me. No matter how hard he scolds, there will still be Yang Qiu scolding." Does it hurt?"

Lu Qiang couldn't help but fell silent when he heard the words.

He understood the meaning of Liu Hong's words in his heart.

Eunuchs are an extension of imperial power, but from another perspective, eunuchs are also a shield for imperial power.

Some evil deeds that the emperor can't do in the first place have to be done by eunuchs, and the eunuchs have to bear the infamy later.

For example, that ruthless official, on weekdays, was hostile to eunuchs. He was the most fond of clamoring to kill eunuchs all day long, and he was the most fond of cursing eunuchs for disorderly government. Wang Fu, Cao Jie and others hated him so much, but Liu Is macro serious?

Don't take it seriously at all, and love it!

Because at a critical moment, Yang Qiu can become a knife in Liu Hong's hand, and get rid of those who are annoying for the emperor.

As for the eunuch, it is also the sword in the hands of the emperor, which is used to deal with party members and gentry.

The emperor never worried that the people below scolded and bit each other, let alone the knives colliding with each other!
He only sees whether this person can become a knife in his hand, that is the key.

If you can become the sword in the hands of the emperor, you won't be happy if you don't scold me.

There is a saying in later generations that Lu Qiang doesn't know, but if he knows, he will definitely feel the same way.

Companion is like a tiger.

……

Liu Hong muttered in a low voice: "This Liu Jian has risen to fame very quickly in recent years."

"Yes, from the time when Helian was killed in Beijiang to the time when he entered Beijing, this person can be said to have had a smooth journey."

"I understand, they took advantage of the great meritorious officials from Northern Xinjiang before they entered the capital, and used him as a medicine primer for me. They wanted to put some strong medicine on the Cao family. Hehe, it's still the same way, every year over and over again. I’m using them all, so there’s nothing new?”

"That's why this old servant came here to notify His Majesty, and make preparations quickly, I'm afraid those people will come to see you soon..."

"His Majesty!"

Suddenly, I saw another eunuch hurriedly coming from a distance, and bowed to Liu Hongchang: "Your Majesty, Situ Chen Dan, Shangshu Lu Zhi, Taishi Ling Shanyang, Shesheng Xiaowei Ma Rixun, Zuozhong Lang Han Say, Cao Cao, Tao Qian..."

"OK OK."

Liu Hong waved his hands impatiently, and said, "It's really fast, tell me, how many people are here?"

"28 people."

"Hehe, what a grand occasion, this is a reminder that I can't see you."

Lu Qiang hesitated and said, "Your Majesty?"

But Liu Hong waved his hand and said, "Change clothes! I'm going to meet the ministers of these big men."

……

When he was young, Liu Hong went out of the swimming pool and came to the Zhaoshi Hall in Xiyuan, where he brought a group of ministers to see him.

A group of courtiers entered the hall and paid homage to Liu Hong with big gifts.

Afterwards, Situ Chen Dan said: "Your Majesty, Cao Poshi, the captain of the Yueqi school, stabbed Xiao Lian, who has just entered the capital, in front of the Lang's office. The matter is of great importance. I don't dare to delay, so hurry up and report to Your Majesty! "

Liu Hong looked at him with a half-smile: "Straight stabbing? Isn't it beating?"

"Your Majesty knows about this?"

Liu Hong nodded and sighed: "This matter was at most half an hour ago. Zhuqing can learn about this matter in such a short time and gather here. How can I be trusted so quickly? After Qing? To make all Qings more beautiful than before me?"

A group of people heard the words and looked at each other. Some sighed, while others frowned slightly.

In this battle, including Liu Hong, everyone is a thousand-year-old fox, and everyone has a rough idea of ​​who's tricks.

It's not once or twice to see each other's tricks, and they are very familiar with each other's routines.

"Returning to Your Majesty, it was not a beating, but an assassination. It is said that Cao Poshi had drawn his sword in front of the Lang's office. All the hundreds of Langs present can testify to this, and there is absolutely no mistake!"

Liu Hong grinned and sighed: "Baiyu Langguan testified? Sigh, it reminded me of the grievance lawsuit after Chunyue. Think about it carefully, how similar the situation is to today, isn't it, Chen Qing ?”

Chen Dan hurriedly said, "I don't know what your Majesty said."

Liu Hong's face suddenly sank.

In the first month of this year, the Han army defeated Xianbei in northern Xinjiang, beheaded Helian and captured the body of Tanshihuai. It was because Liu Hong tried his best to overcome all opinions beforehand and adopted the strategy of the governors of Bingzhou and Youzhou to attack Xianbei in the north, resulting in this great victory.

For a time, Liu Hong's imperial prestige soared unprecedentedly.

Liu Hong strikes while the iron is hot, and is a little eager for quick success.

He ordered the ministers to act as governors and county guards who corrupted and harmed the people. To put it bluntly, he wanted to find an excuse to replace a group of disciples and county guards from aristocratic families in the local area, and then find a way to install a group of his own people.

Of course, the emperor gave orders, and he could not directly participate in who was to be removed or replaced.

Therefore, this matter must still be entrusted to the eunuch.

Liu Hong instructed Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong and others to instruct Taiwei Xu Yu and Sikong Zhang Ji to remove a number of local aristocratic confidants and re-arrange in the local area.

As for why the eunuch should instruct these two people, it is very simple, because these two people are also the emperor's people.

Sikong Zhang Ji was Liu Hong's teacher who taught Confucianism in the palace after he ascended the throne. He was a proper teacher of the emperor. Without the emperor's instruction, how could the eunuch order him?

Therefore, the eunuchs joined forces with the emperor's teacher to report 26 corrupt officials, governors and county guards, and wanted to take them all down.

The problem is that these people are all confidantes of officials and ministers in the imperial family, how can you let your emperor instruct eunuchs to change them at will?
Afterwards, a very strange scene appeared in Luoyang City.

People from all counties complained about their grievances, and came to the capital to appeal, claiming that the investigation by the imperial court was not true, and wanted to bring justice to those 26 officials.

At the same time, Sikong Chen Dan, Yilang Cao Cao Shangshu, impeachment Taiwei Xu Yu, Sikong Zhang Ji and others all acted out of party selfishness, which was "release the owl and imprison the phoenix".

But just imagine, in today's great Han world, where are the officials not corrupt?Where are the officials not violent?Where in the world is there a clean place?

Not to mention these 26 people, all the county guards and governors of the entire Han Dynasty are listed together, and none of them are clean.

The local tyrants are busy annexing the land, and the life of the annexed Li Shu is hard and precarious... Whose people and the tyrants went to the capital with a cramp in their heads to complain for these 26 people?
Yi Que complained about injustice... When did the people of the Han Dynasty become so fond of officials, and why did they love these 26 people?
It must be how many forces are operating behind the scenes, so that so many people go to Luoyang to petition, and there is such a festive effect.

This is not the common people crying for grievances, it is clearly slapping the emperor's ears.

Fortunately, when Chen Dan impeached Xu Qu and Zhang Ji, he saved Liu Hong's face and only said that they had colluded with the eunuch.

But anyone with a discerning eye knows what the eunuch did?Pooh!

Hehe, could the eunuch collude with Liu Hong's teacher to give Liu Hong eye drops?

In the end, the "crying for grievances and attacking" by the court scholars once again forced Liu Hong to back down.

Just like he had given up Yang Qiu back then, he once again compromised, gave up Xu Yu and Zhang Ji, and worshiped all those who were wronged and wronged as Yi Lang.

What is the position of Yilang of Liubaishi? That is the reserve post for important officials of the imperial court.

People in this position will be filled at any time.

It's like this time after Tao Qian's governor of Youzhou took office, he will be Ren Yilang after he arrives in Beijing, and he will go to take office when the next fat vacancy becomes available.

In addition, Liu Hong's teacher Zhang Ji and his confidant Xu Wei were honorably laid off because of this incident.

The position of Taiwei was given to Yang Ci, and the position of Situ was given to Chen Dan, the head of a family of ministers, and the first admonishment hero in this incident.

As for the 26 positions that were vacated, Liu Hong did not reach out again, but was re-appointed by the Shangshutai, filling in the former officials of the ministers and disciples.

Of course, Liu Hong's hard work was not in vain, at least he changed officials for one round, and he received the money.

After half a year, Liu Hong's humiliation over that incident hadn't passed, and these people were ready to attack again.

Their target this time is the Cao family.

Cao Jie is dead, and the court ministers hate him very much. For the direct line of the Cao family who has lost the backing of Cao Jie, the family ministers and the scholars of the Manchu Dynasty will definitely not let it go!

When it comes to beating a dog in the water, they have never missed a chance.

In fact, with Liu Hong's current emperor's disposition, he naturally knows that Cao Jie is dead, and it is meaningless to preserve his remaining descendants. Give them up and find new sharp swords. People such as Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong can still continue. use!

But thinking about it carefully, the person who welcomed him into the palace at the beginning was Cao Jie. Liu Hong felt a little bit unbearable to attack his relatives when he died less than a year ago.

Still the same sentence, these eunuchs are like relatives in his heart, much closer than these unsightly officials.

The emperor wanted to work hard to preserve Cao Jie's family.

"Young gentlemen, from my point of view, this matter is not about a direct stabbing. After all, it is just a trivial matter of a market brawl, and a little punishment is enough. Why bother you to put aside state affairs and come here to see me together?"

Suddenly, a voice said: "Your Majesty, it is not a trivial matter that the officials of the imperial court prevented Xiaolian from entering the capital and beat him in the street. You must investigate this matter, I think that Cao Poshi should be captured immediately and handed over to the Ting Wei for careful interrogation, maybe there is someone behind this scene!"

Liu Hong turned his head and saw that it was Yilang Cao Cao.

He took a deep breath, and it was him again!

This one is willing to be a pawn for the second generation of the Yuan family!
Liu Hong closed his eyes, thought for a long time, and then said, "Where is the offender?"

Zuo Zhonglang Han said: "Reporting to Your Majesty, I have ordered people to send them to the court lieutenant for interrogation, but after obtaining the records, I will wait for justice."

"Hehe, all my lovers are standing in front of me, so what's the point of discussing? Pass the decree, let Tingwei's mansion release people, and send them here. I'll see how Cao Poshi hurt Xiaolian to death. What's going on! It's exhausting for all the father-in-laws to investigate the Cao family to the end!"

　In fact, I have been in poor health recently, and I also have a fever and headache. Although I have not tested it, it is probably positive. I thought that I would be fine if I took good care of my lover. Yes, just stick to it. Today is [-] words. It’s the new year. It’s such a meaning. I wish you all good health in the new year. Don’t have a yang, and let the yang pass the yang as soon as possible.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)