Chapter 273 The Second Persuasion Failed

On this day, on the south side of Bowang Garden, two young men were laughing and talking loudly.

One has reached the end of the ‘teenager’ age group, and the other has just entered the ‘teenager’ stage.

Speaking of this, there was an interesting conversation under the warm sun.

“A young man should behave like a young man. Being mature, reserved, thoughtful, and worried all day long is not good for longevity.”

“Oh? Brother, what kind of demeanor do you think a young man should have?”

“Dressed in fine clothes and riding a horse, admiring flowers and tasting wine, full of vigor and vigor, and making bold decisions!”

“…Does the doctor say that too?”

“No, this is my own summary.”

“Hehe, hehe.”

It was almost dusk when two figures parted ways. They both left Bowang Garden and entered Chang’an City. They took the same route, but they were not traveling along the same path.

After getting on the carriage, Jin Midi approached and asked, “Your Highness, do you still want to see the King of Yan?”

“No need.”

Liu Ju’s deep voice came from behind the curtain, “Go back to the palace directly.”

“Yes.”

Some people can turn hostility into friendship and even help each other, but some people are destined to have an irreconcilable feud – even brothers.

With Li Ji in the middle, it’s hard for the Crown Prince’s Palace and the King of Yan to get along…

The first month of the year, the full moon day.

Weiyang Palace, Xuanshi Palace.

At the beginning of the morning court session, the Imperial Clan Minister Han said, “Your Majesty, the Chief Historian of the King of Qi has come to ask for permission to stay in Chang’an for a while longer.”

The emperor on the dragon bed frowned slightly, and without thinking for long, he said in a deep voice: “No.”

“A few days ago, we made an exception to allow the princes to stay in Chang’an for nearly half a month. We cannot make another special exception for him.”

“The court etiquette cannot be violated.”

The phrase ‘rituals and etiquette cannot be violated’ may sound appropriate when spoken by an old scholar or a stubborn old man, but it sounds awkward when spoken by today’s emperor.

but.

After all, this is the emperor’s family affair, and his ministers have no objection if he wants to deal with it coldly.

Zongzheng Han said, bowing, and was about to return to his seat, but then he heard the host add another sentence: “The medical skills of Bowang Garden are effective, let the doctor go to Qi State.”

Han Shuo stopped when he heard the sound.

Then he turned around to look at the person beside the imperial steps. The prince said at the right time: “After the court is dismissed, I will go and tell the doctor to ask Lord Yi to go with my second brother.”

“Ah.”

The emperor nodded, “Prince, take good care of your brothers, let’s discuss the next matter.”

The matter was thus lightly resolved. Han Shuo bowed his hands, which was considered as a conclusion. After he sat back in his original seat, another minister stood up.

The Grand Minister of Agriculture Sang Hongyang looked worried and bowed, “Your Majesty, after the war in the summer of the first year of Yuanfeng, the Ministry of Agriculture counted the treasuries of various places and found that basically only one in ten was left.”

“The national treasury is even emptier, and the salaries of officials have already been in arrears. I beg you to increase the source of income.”

Open source.

We can only increase revenue because we can’t cut costs.

Sang Hongyang raised a heavy topic, and all the officials in the hall and the emperor became solemn.

“If you have a plan to increase revenue, tell me,” said the emperor.

“I would like to follow the example of the Salt and Iron Industry and include alcoholic beverages in the official sales. The government will control the production and circulation of alcoholic beverages and prohibit private brewing by the people.”

As soon as Sang Hongyang said this, there was an inevitable buzz of discussion in the hall. Without listening carefully, one could tell that everyone was basically talking about the same thing:
“Isn’t that too much money?”

“Is it too harsh?”

The discussion in the hall had not yet subsided when the emperor’s loud voice came over, “I think the Minister of Agriculture’s plan is feasible.”

“Note this, and I will issue an imperial decree to ban it later.”

The latter sentence was spoken by the emperor to the officials beside the palace, but when the officials heard this, they were a little stunned, and then looked at each other in confusion.

Your Majesty is very decisive.

It would have been fine if he hadn’t asked them, but he didn’t even ask for the opinions of the ministers.

There was an obvious sign of hesitation on Prime Minister Shi Qing’s old face, and the ministers such as Taichang and Tingwei also showed the same expression.

After just looking at Sang Hongyang’s back, everyone refrained from standing up to question him. As fellow ministers, they also knew that the Sinong Temple was not easy, so let’s just leave it at that.

however.

What they never expected was that the previous national policy regarding finance was understandable, but the next one, which was proposed by the emperor himself, completely caused an uproar in the palace.

“I have decided to raise an army of 80,000 in the spring to attack the Southwestern Yi!”

The voice just fell.

The hall suddenly became noisy. The general who had never asked about anything suddenly looked up. The old prime minister, who had just calmed down, was startled. When everyone was surprised, a voice suddenly rang out –

“His Majesty!?”

Sang Hongyang opened his mouth slightly, his face full of pain, thinking to himself, “I earn fast, I take fast, but how can I compare to how fast you spend!”

“Still fighting!?”

At this moment, the ministers all looked at Wei Qing subconsciously.

Whenever a war broke out, the emperor would discuss with the general in advance whether to fight and how to fight. But this time, the court officials did not see the calm general, nor did they expect anyone to dissuade the emperor in advance.

because.

Wei Qing also looked doubtful at this moment.

Wei Qing did not receive any information about this military move, it was entirely the emperor’s arbitrary decision.

Years ago, the troops were sent to Korea, at least under the cover of sending troops to the Xiongnu. But this time, there was no sign at all. The emperor suddenly announced:

I’m going to war!
The emperor’s “sacred will” continued. Although the ministers in the hall were shocked, Liu Che turned a blind eye and ordered the eunuchs to bring a feng shui map.

He did not move, still sitting on the dragon couch, pointing to the map in the hall, “Look, Korea in the east has surrendered, and the Yue in the south have submitted.”

“The Xiongnu in the north are busy taking care of themselves, and Hexi in the west has become Han territory. Only in the southwest corner there is a group of barbarians who have not yet surrendered.”

“The Han Dynasty is now at its peak, how can I allow it to be an eyesore?”

In the southwest of the Han Dynasty, there were a number of small countries and states such as Dian and Yelang, among which there were also separatist areas existing in the form of tribes.

Watch from a distance.

The overall territory of the Han Dynasty was wide at the top and round at the bottom, with protrusions on the left and right at the top. One was the four counties of Hexi, and the other was the newly expanded four counties of Korea. The only thing was a concave gap in the southwest.

From a visual aesthetics perspective, this place is indeed an eyesore.

“I want to incorporate all these small tribes of barbarians into the territory of the Han Dynasty. What do you think?”

The emperor asked.

But the emperor shouldn’t have asked, because he was asking even though he already knew the answer. The ministers’ thoughts were clearly written on their faces!
Sang Hongyang opposed it, and he had sufficient reasons to oppose it, but he did not speak rashly, and ministers who held the same position as Sang Hongyang did not speak.

They are all looking at, who?

Look at those at the front!
As the prime minister, the head of all officials, he has the power to refute the emperor’s edicts and to make remonstrances. He should be the first to stand up at this moment.

However, now there is a Grand Marshal and General who ranks above the Three Dukes, so Wei Qing is more suitable than Shi Qing to take the lead.

When ministers oppose the emperor, there must always be a leader.

Wei Qing’s face was solemn. He could feel the many eyes behind him, but he did not want to avoid them. After a brief thought, he took a deep breath and was about to break the silent meditation again.

However, just before he stood up to take the lead in dissuading them, someone else got there first.

“Father!” Liu Ju, who was standing beside the imperial steps, took a step forward and said in a loud voice, “I have objections to sending troops to the Southwestern Yi.”

Saw this scene.

Everyone in the hall had different expressions. Wei Qing, who was about to step out, frowned. Huo Qubing, who was following behind him, stared deeply at Liu Ju’s back.

All the officials also came here for the sake of reputation. They were shocked, but also secretly relieved. It would be better if the crown prince came forward…

The emperor, who was sitting high on the throne, heard this.

His expression lifted, as if he had seen something new, and as if he was gathering the power of oppression, he leaned forward and asked, “What objection does the prince have?”

“Father, we just had a military operation a few years ago. Can we slow down this time?”

“Can’t slow down!”

The emperor pointed to the many ministers below the stage and said, “During the Yuanding period, all the officials urged me to slow down. I slowed down, but what did I get out of it?”

“After only a few years of not taking action, they all became lazy and indulged themselves in pleasure. The imperial court issued an edict to attack South Vietnam, but after waiting for several months, no general volunteered to take the charge!”

“Humph!”

Liu Che stood up, holding the hilt of his sword, and said in a cold voice: “From then on, I knew that the use of troops must not be delayed!”

“As the art of war says, ‘the first attack is the strongest, the second will be weaker, and the third will be exhausted.’ This is exactly the principle!” As he said this, the emperor pointed to Liu Ju.

“You still have a lot to learn!”

“Yes.” Liu Ju bowed and accepted the instruction, but his feet did not move, his facial expression did not change, and his attitude did not waver at all.

“But the enemy in the north has not been eliminated, and the Xiongnu is still strong. If we act too hastily, problems will inevitably arise. I think we should take our time in planning the deployment of troops to the southwest.”

“So as to avoid being taken advantage of by the Huns.”

The prince’s tone was calm, but there was a firmness in his calmness, and the ministers suddenly felt a little awe-inspiring.

He looked at the prince, then at the emperor on the steps.

Somehow.

Regardless of whether they were anti-war or not, the ministers all shrank their heads at this moment and silently stepped back.

The more worried Wei Qing’s eyes became, the more serious Huo Qubing’s gaze became. However, the emperor, facing Liu Ju’s questioning, narrowed his eyes, with occasional flashes of brilliance.

Before the atmosphere in the hall gradually became tense, the emperor spoke in a solemn voice.

“The prince is short-sighted. He wants to take advantage of the fact that the north is too busy to deal with other places as soon as possible, and then concentrate on fighting the Huns in the north!”

Hear the words.

Liu Ju bowed his hands, as if accepting the emperor’s instruction, but the emperor’s words did not convince him to back off, so Liu Ju continued:
“In recent years, the imperial treasury has been depleted greatly, and the actual population loss is even greater, especially the good families in various places – the source of the Han elite army.”

“The replenishment of troops is far less than the consumption of troops. If the fighting is too intense, there may be serious consequences!”

In recent decades, good families from all over the country have been repeatedly conscripted to participate in wars. Although there have been many victories, there will always be casualties in a large-scale battle involving hundreds of thousands of people.

After many times.

More than half of the people have been lost.

The “number of people” here refers to both good family children and ordinary people. Whenever there is a major war, civilians who are several times the number of soldiers must be recruited.

Recruit civilians to perform corvée labor.

Do you think no one will die from performing corvée labor?

But it was useless to say these things, even to the emperor, so Liu Ju did not say anything. He only said that the number of soldiers was decreasing and there might be a serious disaster.

Logically speaking, at this moment, when the prince mentioned the treasury and household registration, Sang Hongyang, as the Minister of Agriculture, should have stepped forward to agree with Liu Ju.

But he didn’t.

It’s not that he is cowardly, but when gods fight, mortals should not interfere.

From the second time the prince dissuaded the emperor, the situation had clearly turned into a “father-son situation”, and at this moment the Xuanshi Hall was the stage for the father and son.

Sang Hongyang saw through this matter, and Wei Qing, Huo Qubing, Shi Qing and others, as well as those who were part of the prince’s party and those who were not, all noticed it.

They kept their mouths shut in tacit agreement.

The first conflict between the prince and the emperor occurred so abruptly and naturally.

Judging from the battle, the emperor seemed to be at a disadvantage, because the emperor said at this time: “Then I will not mobilize the troops from the three auxiliary provinces, nor the elite troops from Chang’an. I will mobilize the troops from Bashu County to attack some barbarian tribes. My elite troops will not be needed.”

“that’s all!”

“What else does the prince have to say?”

The word “just like that” comes at the beginning, with a strong tone, and the question comes at the end, with a somewhat aggressive tone. So, as the crown prince, what else can Liu Ju say?
the answer is……

I didn’t give him a chance to speak.

The emperor sat back on the throne and directly ordered Shang Shu Pushe Huo Guang to draft an edict. After the spring, he would send 80,000 soldiers and prisoners from Bashu County to conquer the Southwestern Yi!
Yes.

The emperor used his actions to once again teach the prince a vivid lesson – if you can’t win the argument, use brute force!

So be it!

After the court meeting that day, outsiders did not know how the general and the general of cavalry found the prince and how they explained the matter.

On the same day, when the princes left the capital, King Liu Pengzu of Zhao said something meaningful when he said goodbye to his relatives outside the city of Chang’an:
“Hey.”

“Our emperor is becoming more wise and powerful.”

If this sentence is translated, it is not difficult to hear that King Zhao is satirizing the emperor’s paranoia, harsh words, and love of pomp and glory.

Do not misunderstand.

The King of Zhao definitely had no intention of speaking for Liu Ju. Even if he did, it was with the intention of sowing discord…

Shortly after the kings left the capital, two other major events that had been discussed on the same day were announced in imperial edicts and published in the court bulletins at the same time.

One.

The imperial court decided to send soldiers from Bashu to pacify the Southwestern Yi.

two.

At first, the sale of liquor was strictly controlled and civilians were prohibited from making liquor, which was monopolized by the government.

Compared with the first one, the second one, which clearly touches on people’s livelihood, seems insignificant.

After the imperial edict was issued, two main generals for the attack on the Southwestern Yi were determined.

That’s right.

Again, two main generals led the troops together.

“When you lead the troops to attack this time, you must not rush ahead and rush ahead, and you must not underestimate the enemy by thinking that they are barbarians.”

In the public quarters of the Grand Marshal’s Mansion, Wei Qing was admonishing a burly general, “Remember, you must be steady!”

“Discuss more with the other commander. If there are any differences, you can talk them out. Don’t fight among yourself or even resort to violence. Things like the Korean War must never happen again!”

“Here!”

The sturdy general responded solemnly.

His surname is Guo and his given name is Chang. Guo Chang is currently the General of the Central Army. He is from Yunzhong and once fought in wars with Wei Qing as a colonel.

Yes, the general leading the troops is related to Wei Qing!
In fact.

Among the ten middle and upper-level military generals in the Han Dynasty today, at least seven are related to Wei Qing and consider themselves to be his former subordinates.

This is because they were able to rise and become high-level generals because of their military achievements in frequent wars in previous years.

Very sorry.

Those battles were basically led by Wei Qing…

(End of this chapter)