Chu and Han contend for the throne

Chapter 557 Two years later (finale)

In the 74th year of the emperor (146 BC), Taishang Huang Xiangzhuang ushered in its [-]th birthday.

In this year, the population of the empire exceeded [-] million for the first time, and the population of Luojing exceeded one million for the first time. The imperial army also crossed Congling for the first time, built the first immigrant city west of Congling, and began to effectively rule the barbarians west of Congling. In addition to sending troops to garrison, officials must also be sent to educate and make it Huaxia.

Xiang Zhuang held a banquet for the thousand-year-old at the Longevity Palace, and invited veterans, generals, and officials of the same age as him to celebrate his birthday. In the end, more than [-] people attended, led by Bai Lixian, the Duke of Chu.

The third emperor Xiang Chu also came to celebrate his birthday in person, but Xiang Zhuang sent people to block him outside the palace.

The second emperor, Xiang Zheng, reigned for 30 years and died of illness in two months. Crown Prince Xiang Chu succeeded to the throne smoothly.

However, it was not easy for Xiang Chu to win the throne, and it could even be said to be very bloody. The first crown prince was promoted by the court 30 years ago, and the court was still peaceful. And more than 36 barons held a public election. As a result, Xiang Yong, the sixth son of the emperor, became the crown prince.

It is said that after the result came out, everyone was surprised.

Because the first emperor Xiang Zhuang obviously loved the fourth son's Xiangshu the most, and the second emperor Xiang Zheng entrusted the emperor's third son with the right to Xiangshu, but the more than 700 noble generals in the Wuyuan did not buy it at all, and insisted on choosing their favorite. The most ideal crown prince in the world, because compared with Xiang Shu and Xiang Quan's weak literature, Xiang Yong is skilled in bow and horse, and has both civil and military skills.

Twenty years ago, as usual, it was time to push the crown prince again.

This time the court push was also very calm, and the crown prince Xiang Yong was re-elected without any suspense, because according to the rules set by the first emperor, all children of the royal family who were between the ages of 30 and 28 were eligible to participate in the election. Ten years later, he was only [-] years old, still within the age range for running.

But ten years ago, the crown prince's court push finally caused a huge disturbance.

Ten years ago, Xiang Chu, the direct son of the second emperor Xiang Zheng, had grown up. The second emperor could finally rely on his huge influence as an emperor to lay the foundation for the successor he really wanted. Being the crown prince has attracted a group of military generals, and his foundation in the martial arts academy can be said to be deep, so the contradictions inevitably intensified.

Xiang Chu has the full support of the second emperor, and behind him stand the two minions of Xuanyiwei and Yulin Army, and the army of the whole country as his wings, which can be said to be full of confidence, and Xiang Chu himself is also outstanding. Tall and handsome, capable of writing and martial arts, he even personally led the army to conquer Hexi, and a large number of noble generals supported him.

However, Xiang Yong is not without his strength. The more than 4000 noble generals in the Wuyuan (20 years later, a large number of soldiers were promoted to nobles due to their meritorious service) are his biggest backing, because in the past 20 years, Xiang Yong has conquered the Xiongnu and Dongping Jizi in the north. North Korea and South Yelang, can be described as illustrious martial arts, and even attracted a large number of noble generals.

The date of the official court push was not yet approaching, and the competition between the two sides began in secret.

Coupled with the fact that the other princes and grandsons were trying to make a profit, hiding in the dark and fueling the flames, the situation became even more complicated. From half a year before the court push, Luo Jing had been bleeding continuously. It wasn't that Xuan Yiwei stole the house of some noble general today, All kinds of evidence of the rebellion were found in his mansion, that is, a general who was close to the prince Xiang Chu was assassinated tomorrow...

There was bleeding and death every day, causing panic throughout Luojing.

In the end, even the second emperor was almost assassinated, but fortunately Xuan Yiwei resolved the crisis.

After the assassination, the second emperor, Long Yan, was furious, and urgently dispatched the Imperial Forest Army to cooperate with the Xuanyi Guards to revive the imperial prison. Crown Prince Xiang Yong did not catch him without a fight. Using his influence in the Wuyuan, he urgently called the two imperial guards, Tiger Ben and Sirius, to help Luo Jing.

Although the three major forbidden armies belong directly to the emperor, and the senior generals in the army are also the elders of the royal family directly appointed by the emperor, but the middle and low-level generals in the forbidden army are all from the martial arts academy. Without the support of the middle and low-level generals, the emperor cannot control the forbidden army at all. Crown Prince Xiang Yong received the support of middle and low-ranking generals.

The two sides fighting for reserves are at war, and the civil war is imminent.

More than 100 censors in Beijing hurriedly knocked on the Longevity Palace, and it is said that there were more than a dozen passionate officials who crashed to death directly on the steps, only asking the old emperor Xiangzhuang to come out to "save" the empire, but the Longevity Palace has always been It was because the gates of the palace were closed tightly, and no matter how much more than 100 censors were tossed about, the old emperor did not see the old emperor come out to suppress the situation.

However, the two sides still did not fight in the end.

At the last critical moment, the two sides reached a compromise, and on the day the compromise was reached, a grand court event was held in the Luojing Grand Arena. A total of more than 600 noble generals participated in the voting. In the end, the prince Xiang Chu voted against with more than 400 votes. In 2000, he won by a slight advantage of more than two hundred votes, and became the crown prince with a narrow margin.

After the court push, a grand gladiatorial performance was held.

Tens of thousands of gladiators from hundreds of gladiatorial arenas in dozens of counties of the empire acted as the imperial army and the barbarian army respectively, and once again interpreted the ex-crown prince's conquest of the Xiongnu in the north, Jizi Korea in the east, Yelang in the south, and the current crown prince's conquest of Hexi. The glorious deed of beheading the head of King Yuezhi and the performance of blood splashing on the battlefield, all the people cheered.

At the banquet in the center of the Huagai Hall of the Longevity Palace, Xiang Zhuang and Baili Xian were drinking together according to the table.

"Old Baili, how are you doing recently?" Xiang Zhuang asked with a smile, raising his glass to respect Bailixian from afar.

"The emperor, it's not very good. The old minister's last tooth fell out two days ago. I guess he is not far from death, alas."

Xiang Zhuang smiled, and then said: "Old Baili, remember that you are nine years older than me, and next year will be your [-]th birthday, right? You must remember to hold a banquet at that time, and I will also go to celebrate your birthday. There are not many left, and this kind of gathering is also one less, alas, old friends are withering day by day."

As he spoke, Xiang Zhuang became a little sad.

Bai Lixian was afraid that Xiang Zhuang's old man would feel sad, so he changed the subject and said: "The Supreme Emperor, the crown prince will be promoted again next month."

Xiang Zhuang wiped away the muddy tears overflowing from the corner of his eyes with his sleeve, and said with a smile, "Really, the crown prince will be promoted again next month? I don't know how many princes and grandchildren will participate in the election this time?"

Xiang Zhuang has completely let go of the government since his abdication, and he doesn't care much about his children and grandchildren. In the first 20 years after his abdication, when he was still in good health, he took dozens of concubines to travel all over the mountains and rivers of China, enjoying the mountains and rivers. Shui Zhile even went to Nanyang with the navy and brought back several blond-haired and blue-eyed female slaves from the Middle East.

Therefore, Xiang Zhuang really doesn't know how many royal children there are now.

Xiang Zhuang estimates that there should be three or four hundred royal descendants now. If the Huaxia Dynasty can last for 300 years, the number of royal descendants should not be less than that of the Ming Dynasty's sons and grandsons. It is estimated that 15 will exceed, but This is nothing to a huge empire. What is it to raise 10,000+ idlers in such a huge empire?
After all, the princes and grandsons of the Huaxia Empire don’t have kings and grandchildren, and the treatment is not generous. Every child of the royal family also receives some money and rations from the clan mansion, and their life is only better than that of ordinary nobles, let alone 10,000+ princes. Sun, later generations of the Manchu Qing raised more than 500 million bannermen, and the expenses required only accounted for a very small part of the national treasury's annual revenue?
Baili Xiandao: "Supreme Emperor, there are 69 princes participating in the election this time."

"69, so many?" Xiang Zhuang frowned, and said, "Old Baili, let your boy take the lead and give the emperor a piece of paper. It is not enough not to be re-elected, but the number of princes who can be elected must be stipulated, the audition first, and the number of princes who can finally be elected should not exceed five."

Bai Lixian nodded, and said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, there won't be any troubles this time, right?"

Xiang Zhuang said: "Old Baili, let me ask you, do you think there will be such a powerful emperor in politics in the future?"

Bai Lixian recalled the various performances of the Second Emperor Xiang Zheng when he was alive, shook his head and said, "I'm afraid it won't happen."

"That's right." Xiang Zhuang said with a smile, "Even an emperor as powerful as Zheng'er is helpless against the noble generals of the Martial Academy, and the future emperor will be even less successful. Don't worry, there won't be any big troubles."

Indeed, today's Martial Academy has indeed formed a climate. There are more than 600 noble generals, including almost all the elites of the empire. It is absolutely impossible for the emperor to act recklessly without the Martial Academy!Even an emperor with such outstanding reputation, ability, and skill as Xiang Zheng couldn't do anything to the Martial Academy, who else in future generations could?
Moreover, with the passage of time and the continuous expansion of the empire's territory, military generals will continue to be promoted to nobles due to their achievements, and the size of the martial arts academy will become larger and larger. Over time, the emperor will have nothing to do with the martial arts academy.

Unless the empire expands to the limit and there is no more military exploits to maintain the promotion of generals, the size of the Imperial Martial Academy will stagnate or shrink. However, based on the two expansion directions Xiang Zhuang designed for the empire, it will be at least within 300 years. The empire will never reach the limit of expansion. As for what happens after 300 years, Xiang Zhuang can't control it.

And 300 years later, if the empire really expands to the limit and there is no more military exploits to guarantee the promotion of generals, there is actually a solution, that is to change the noble lifelong system to the noble hereditary system, because at that time, The empire must have reached its peak, and then inevitably declined, even if the class solidified.

What Bai Lixian was worried about was not the loss of imperial power. He shook his head and smiled wryly, and said: "The Supreme Emperor, this old minister is not worried about this. The old minister feels that the Martial Academy has already formed a great hold on the imperial power. It is very likely that the tail will be too big to lose, if there is another powerful minister like Lu Buwei and Li Si..."

"Old Baili, you don't worry too much." Xiang Zhuang waved his hand and said with a smile, "There are more than [-] people in the Martial Academy, from the Duke to the captain, and there will be more people in the future. With so many people, and all of them are heroes who can lead troops and fight in battle, who will really be convinced by whom? Who can really control others?"

Xiang Zhuang's words are not in vain, everything in the world, only benefits are eternal.

With the structure and influence of the Martial Academy, coupled with the empire's national policy of favoring martial arts, the expansion of its powers is inevitable. Now the Martial Academy only has the power to push the crown prince, but it is likely to cover all major policies in the future, but It is absolutely a fantasy to say that there will be a unified voice in the Martial Academy to replace the imperial power.

First of all, the titles of the noble generals in the martial arts academy vary from high to low, but their status is equal. No one can use their power to subdue others, but can only rely on profit to win others over.

Therefore, even if there is an ambitious person, he can only win over some people through benefits or a three-inch tongue, because the martial arts academy is also divided into hundreds of factions. If you win over this faction, it is inevitable Offending several other factions, unless there is an external threat such as provocation of the imperial power, it will be difficult for the various factions of the Military Academy to unify.

Secondly, except for the commanding officers who are nominated by the crown prince and directly appointed by the emperor, the right to appoint and remove the other leading generals and the evaluation of military merits are all in the hands of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Rites. The Ministry of War and the Ministry of Etiquette have the final say. In other words, there is no interest relationship between the more than 600 nobles in the Academy of Martial Arts that you can restrain me and I can restrict you. Possibility of a leading figure.

Thirdly, the official hats of the officials of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Rites are in the hands of the cabinet scholars, and the cabinet scholars are the emperor's secretarial team. The emperor can let his trustworthy scholars enter the cabinet with a special note.

Under Xiang Zhuang's design, the empire's power structure formed a fragile balance. The imperial power was restricted by the Military Academy, the Military Academy was restricted by the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Rites were restricted by the cabinet and the imperial power. In a chain of events, everyone is supervised, everyone is restrained, and no one can act recklessly.

But generally speaking, the Martial Academy is still in a clear advantage, because the empire at this time is in a period of expansion, and the warriors have far surpassed the status of literati, businessmen, and farmers, so as the years go by, the influence of the Martial Academy The power will definitely become bigger and bigger, and the final formation of a dual system of power between the emperor and the military academy is estimated to be inevitable.

But Xiang Zhuang can't think so much anymore, he can't take that far away, his children and grandchildren have their own blessings, and future generations will have to figure out how to deal with it. He has done everything he can, and he has a clear conscience.

"That's right, those young people in the Martial Academy are really arrogant now, they dare to point at the old officials' noses and scold their mothers, but these young people are also really capable, just say that the barbarian riot just suppressed in Congling Town has a total of 10,000+ barbarians , As a result, the general army of Congling only used [-] cavalry, and they were beaten to pieces in a night attack, even if Lao Bi was like this back then." Bai Lixian suddenly thought of Bi Shu, and asked Xiang Zhuang, " Taishanghuang, why didn't Lao Bi come this time?"

Xiang Zhuang sighed, and said, "Old Baili, Lao Bi has already taken a step ahead."

As he spoke, Xiang Zhuang's eyelids slowly drooped, and he knelt and sat motionless.

"Ah?" Bailixian sighed sadly when he heard the words, "Old friends are dying one by one, but that's good, there is nothing worth cherishing in this world, it would be good to go down to accompany these old brothers earlier After that, Bailixian raised his wine glass to respect Xiang Zhuang again, "Come on, Your Majesty, have another glass of wine."

Xiang Zhuang didn't respond, and Bai Lixian called again, but there was still no response.

It was only then that Bai Lixian realized that something was wrong, and quickly knelt up tremblingly, and reached out to Xiang Zhuang to check, but the Supreme Emperor, who was talking and laughing just now, was already out of breath.

(End of this chapter)