Chu and Han contend for the throne

Chapter 345

What happened in Jiangling soon spread to Ziling.

When the news came back, Xiang Zhuang was discussing Jing Xiang's personnel issues with Xiang Ta and Bai Lixian.

When the Linjiang Kingdom was destroyed two months ago, the Chu army actually only occupied Jiangling City, and the remaining fifty or so county towns in the other four counties were offered by the Jingxiang gentry. Basically, the situation in Xiangxiang has not changed the personnel affairs of these dozens of counties, and even the four county guards are Jingxiang gentry.

This situation is obviously contrary to the basic power structure of Chu State. The basic power structure of Chu State today is a high degree of centralization. What is centralization?It means that the imperial court or the monarch wants to have absolute sovereignty over the military, personnel, and political affairs of the whole country, and your personnel affairs in Jingxiang are not restricted by the imperial court. Is that still called centralization?
Jingxiang in history once formed a huge gentry group in the Han Dynasty. This gentry group was so powerful that even the central government could not control it. During the Three Kingdoms period, no matter whether it was Liu Biao, Liu Bei, or later Sun Quan, they could not be truly effective. How can Xiang Zhuang not pay attention to controlling Jingxiang as a traverser?

Xiang Zhuang just broke up the Jiangdong gentry, how could he watch the Jingxiang gentry take shape and grow?
The strategy used by Xiang Zhuang to suppress the formation of the power of the gentry and to become big is very simple, but it is very effective. It is the mechanism of working in different places advocated by later generations. Officials can only be served by scholars from Jingxiang or Bashu.

Of course, this is only a local official, and Beijing officials have no geographical restrictions.

The two counties of Bashu were taken from the Han army by the Chu army. As the internal support, the Bashu tyrants have no political demands, so the personnel arrangements for each county and county are easy, and the officials appointed by the Lingyin Mansion have already taken office. However, the situation in the more than [-] counties in the four counties of Jingxiang is special, and it takes a lot of twists and turns to change personnel.

However, it is necessary to select a group of officials to prepare first.

Xiang He had just submitted a list to Xiang Zhuang. This group of officials were all Taixue students selected by the national examination, and all of them had work experience in counties and counties. Before Xiang Zhuang had time to review the list, Qu Bucai looked solemn Walking in quickly, seeing Xiang Ta and Bai Lixian present, Qu Bucai hesitated.

Xiang Zhuang frowned and asked, "Old Qu, what's the matter?"

Qu Bucai took out a dense letter from his sleeve and handed it to Xiang Zhuang.

After Xiang Zhuang read the secret letter, he just smiled. Old Liu Bang actually conferred the title of King Jing on Gao Chu?But this thought is doomed to be in vain. As the most trusted general under his command, Xiang Zhuang knows exactly what kind of person Gao Chu is. He alone town?
After reading it, Xiang Zhuang handed over the secret letter to Xiang Ta and Bai Lixian for circulation.

Xiang He frowned after reading it, but Bai Lixian shook his head with a smile and said: "My lord, Zhang Liang might disdain such an insidious trick, it is probably contributed by Chen Ping, but this time, Chen Ping But it was a mistake, or what Shizhi said was right, even though he really has the heart of disobedience, but he has no soldiers or generals in his hands, so what can he call himself king?"

Xiang Zhuang just smiled slightly, and the establishment of the military system was to prevent the generals who commanded the army from supporting themselves.

However, Xiang Zhuang still trusted Gao Chu. Even if there was no military system, he would never betray Chu Zili.

Xiang He was a little worried, and suggested: "Your Majesty, Shizhi's loyalty to you is unquestionable. He killed the Han envoy in public as a clear proof. However, it is hard to guarantee that he has no thoughts in his heart. Besides, this Jingxiang battle, Shi Shi defeated Peng Yue's [-] troops in one fell swoop, indeed he has achieved outstanding military exploits, do you think it is possible to designate him as the false king of Jing?"

"No, absolutely not!" Bai Lixian said anxiously, "Your Majesty, this precedent must never be set, otherwise, tomorrow Liu Bang will make Zi'ang the King of Bashu again, will His Majesty have to follow Zi'ang as the false King of Shu? What if Liu Bang made Tianfang the King of Jiujiang after becoming the false King of Shu? In this way, our Great Chu will fall apart, and the country will be lost.”

Xiang Zhuang nodded, and said, "There is no need to mention the matter of becoming a king."

Xiang He didn't say anything more, and besides, this is really not a good idea.

Seeing that the sky was approaching noon, Xiang Zhuang said to Xiang Ta and Bai Lixian again: "Zi Yi, Zi Liang, it's getting late, you should go back to your residence quickly, leave the list, I will take a closer look in the afternoon."

"Here." Xiang Ta and Baili Xian got up together, took their leave and left.

Xiang Zhuang got up, stretched himself, and went straight to Cao Ji's bedroom. Not long after Xiang Zhuang left, a court lady suddenly appeared on tiptoe from behind the screen in the corner, and then went straight to the harem.

##########
Besides, Bai Lixian, after leaving the palace, went to Bi Shu's mansion and played a game of chess with Bi Shu. When Bai Lixian returned to the mansion, it was already dark, but outside the gate, he saw his second brother Baili Mao.

Bai Lixian jumped off the carriage and asked Bai Limao, "Second Brother, why are you back?"

Bailimao was in charge of training the soldiers of Danyang County. He was usually stationed in Danyang and rarely returned to Ziling.

But Bailimao pulled Bailixian to the corner of the gatehouse, and said in a low voice, "Brother, I heard that Gao Chu is going to be King Jing?"

Bai Lixian frowned for a moment, and asked in a deep voice: "Second brother, who did you listen to? Why don't I know, big brother?"

Bailimao looked around and saw that there was no one around, and said in a low voice: "My younger brother just entered the palace to see my younger sister, it was my younger sister who told me about it."

"What, what did my little sister say?" Bai Lixian frowned even more when he heard the words, he only found out about this in the morning, how did my little sister know?Could it be that the king told her?But it's not right, the king has always disliked the harem's meddling in politics, so how could he tell my little sister this?Is someone going to make a fuss about this?

##########
Almost at the same time, several visitors also came to Xiang Tuo's general's mansion, among them was Xiang Tuo's confidant alpaca, but since Xiang Tuo became general, alpaca and a large number of Xiang Tuo's confidants The generals were basically left idle, and they couldn't even get the job of training the soldiers of the various counties.

If the treatment is unfair, these confidantes will inevitably complain.

Speaking of which, the current factions in the court of Chu State are quite complicated. In terms of the big ones, there are the old Chu faction, the old Qin faction, the old Wei faction, and the old Qi faction. Among them, the old Chu faction is the most powerful, but It is divided into many factions, such as Xiang Ta, Xiang Tuo, aristocratic families, meritorious relatives, etc., which are extremely complicated.

But generally speaking, these major factions are under Xiang Zhuang's effective control.

After drinking a few cups of white wine, the words of the confidant gradually increased, and the words of the alpaca were especially explicit: "General, Gao Chu, this kid has already become king, you should think about yourself."

"Alpaca, shut up!" Xiang Tuo frowned, "When did Gao Chu become king?"

The alpaca curled its lips and said, "General, the news has spread throughout Ziling."

"That's a rumor." Xiang Tuo said decisively, "I have asked Ling Yin, the king has no intention of dividing the title at all."

"The king has no intentions?" the alpaca said, "But he has a heart in his high school, and he said it very blatantly. What do you mean, I really have a self-reliant heart, but I have no soldiers or generals, how can I be king? Listen, The implication is that if he has soldiers and generals under his command, he will really establish himself as the king, and he is clearly a threat, can the king not be scrupled?"

"You know what a fart." Xiang Tuo said angrily, "Gao Chu is showing his loyalty to the king!"

"Show loyalty?" The alpaca and several generals looked at each other in blank dismay, they had never heard of such a show of loyalty.

Xiang Tuo sighed, and said a little lonely: "You don't know Gao Chu, let alone Your Majesty. Your Majesty is wise and wise. If you want to deceive him, it's wishful thinking. It is precisely because Gao Chu knows this that he has nothing to say. , His Majesty will feel more at ease when he speaks out, and if he refuses to speak out, His Majesty will become suspicious."

##########
The next morning, King Chu went to the study room.

Xiang Zhuang looked gloomy, and asked Qu Bucai, "Old Qu, what's going on? Where did the rumors that Gao Chu was granted King Jing come from?"

Originally, only Xiang Zhuang, Xiang Ta, and Bai Lixian knew about the matter of Gao Chu becoming king, but they never imagined that it would spread throughout Ziling overnight, almost causing storms all over the city!Xiang Zhuang's political sensitivity is not low, and he immediately realized that someone had deliberately spread the news, which was to create momentum.

What are they up to?Is it to build momentum to push Gao Chu to the throne?Or do you want to beat the high school?

Obviously, this matter must have involved several factional struggles. In all honesty, Xiang Zhuang is still happy to see the success of factional struggles. As long as it does not exceed his control and does not consume national strength, factional struggles The more intense it is, the more the superior can control the situation, and firmly control the overall situation through mediation.

Therefore, Xiang Zhuang knew that several major factions had formed in the court, and he did not interfere.

However, this matter is a bit out of line now. Spreading rumors like this is tantamount to coercing the palace. Whether it is trying to build momentum to push Gao Chu to the throne, or taking the opportunity to kill Gao Chu, this is challenging his royal power. Xiang Zhuang absolutely can't tolerate it. Whether he should be crowned king is something Xiang Zhuang should consider, so how can he allow others to talk about it?
Qu Bucai cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, the rumors are spreading from the palace."

"Scattered from the palace?" Xiang Zhuang said in a deep voice, "Shiman Palace? Yishui Palace? Or other palaces?"

At this moment, Xiang Zhuang was really a little surprised. He didn't expect that the factional disputes in Chu State had already infiltrated the harem?This is not a good thing. Throughout the dynasties, it has always been a taboo for the harem to meddle in politics. However, all British lords have always strictly prohibited the harem from meddling in politics. It is not without reason, because the harem meddling in politics is really too harmful.

"This, the villain really doesn't know." Qu Bucai is really in a dilemma. If the inner palace is not involved, Qu Bucai has a hundred ways to quickly find out the source of the rumor, but once the inner palace is involved, he has nothing to do. Wumuya can't arrest the queen, concubine or a dozen wives, and torture them to serve them?

(End of this chapter)