diskusbooks Chapter 296: Traveling in Western Shu
Chapter 296: Traveling in Western Shu
After the mourning period was over, King Zhao Yuanzuo of Chu and King Zhao Heng of Xiang wrote a letter to the emperor, begging him to approve the two brothers to travel around the world together, with a return date of half a year.
Regent Zhao Defang approved it without hesitation, which made all the ministers dissatisfied and they wrote letters to impeach the emperor. The mourning period is three years, but the King of Chu and the King of Xiang did not observe the full three-year mourning period and wanted to travel around the world. This was extremely unfilial. Please ask the emperor to punish them for their unfilial behavior.
The regent used the phrase "filial piety in one's heart is filial piety" to suppress the opposition voices in the court. The young emperor Zhao Wuji still followed his uncle's words and helped him scold several ministers who were indignant.
In the Prince of Chu's mansion, three princes of distinguished status were sitting around the wine table.
Regent Zhao Defang raised his glass and said, "Today I am giving you two a farewell party. I wish you a safe journey and a happy trip."
The King of Chu and the King of Xiang thanked their brother for his kind words and drank together.
"My brother, I never thought that Yuan Zuo would be able to realize his wish of leaving the capital and traveling around the world one day. I have to thank the emperor and my brother for being open-minded and tolerant. You have no suspicion of us and approved this matter despite the pressure from the ministers."
Regent Zhao Defang smiled calmly: "You two are both smart and wise people, and you know what is the right and wise choice, so the emperor and I will also be sincere to you.
Yuanzuo, Brother Heng, I suggest you go to a place and have a look. It will definitely be worth the trip."
"Brother King, where is it?" King Xiang Zhao Heng asked anxiously.
Zhao Defang looked at him with a smile, "Shu, the land of abundance where the road is harder than ascending to the sky."
"Haha! ... Wonderful!" King Xiang clapped his hands and laughed happily, "To be honest with you, my brother, the first destination we two brothers chose was also the land of Western Shu.
When I was a child, I often looked at the map and wondered what the difficult Shu Road looked like. Why was that place surrounded by layers of mountains actually a "land of abundance" with abundant resources? One day, I must go and see it with my own eyes. This time, I finally got my wish. "
The King of Chu smiled gently, "It's rare that you care so much about us brothers and have chosen a place for us to visit first. I want to carefully appreciate the beautiful scenery of Shu and its different customs and practices."
Zhao Defang said meaningfully, "The current land of Western Shu will definitely not disappoint you two brothers."...
A new dynasty brings a new atmosphere. When an emperor ascends the throne, he will change the power structure of the court officials, dismiss a group of people he dislikes, and promote a group of trusted confidants. He will launch some new policies and measures, and try his hand at the three tricks.
The two ministers, who dared not ask the Regent Zhao Defang to follow the imperial decree to marry a concubine, ignored their daughter's crying and were filled with sorrow and grief. They worked diligently in the yamen every day and spoke cautiously in the court, for fear of being caught by the Regent.
What you fear will come true. The Imperial City Department, which was taken over by Shadow Guards and Mo Yunqi, found out the corruption of Luo Zhongxu, the Minister of Revenue, and Li Jieke, the Minister of Works. The two were greedy and timid, and they embezzled and accepted bribes in huge amounts, and the affairs of the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works under their charge were completely corrupt.
The evidence was irrefutable and could not be denied. The law was strict and there was no loophole. The two powerful ministers had no power to resist the powerful force of Regent Zhao Defang. They could only plead guilty and be punished. They were dismissed from their posts and imprisoned, and their property was confiscated.
The young emperor Zhao Wuji flipped through the two account books that showed the confiscated property of the Luo and Li families, and he jumped for joy!
"Mu Xiu, these two big borers are really fat! More than six million taels of silver, if they were put into the warehouse, wouldn't it pile up into a small mountain?
If I dismiss dozens more ministers and confiscate their property, my treasury will have to be expanded several times to accommodate all that money, and my uncle will not be short of money for his Northern Expedition!"
Mu Xiu was steadily flipping through an account book and said without looking up, "His Royal Highness the Regent said that if the water is too clear, there will be no fish, and if the person is too careful, there will be no followers. There are tens of millions of corrupt worms, and we can only pick out the fat, black-hearted, incompetent, and unworthy worms to cut first. Otherwise, the big and small worms will band together to resist and cause unrest in the government."
Zhao Wuji was still excited, with his hands behind his back, pacing back and forth in the imperial study with his short legs, "Mu Xiu, I must be a wise ruler and a good emperor. The aunt said that a good emperor should not only expand the territory, but also stop the war with war and bring peace to the world.
He also needs to ensure that all the people under his rule have enough food to eat, and that many children from poor families can read and write, so that they can have their own opinions and distinguish right from wrong after their minds are enlightened. He also needs to…” Wu Ji couldn’t remember what else he needed to do in order to be considered a good emperor.
Zhao Wuji paused, his eyes sparkling, "In short, I will do what the imperial aunt said and be a good emperor!"
Yuli yawned, stretched, stood up from the wall she was leaning against, rubbed her eyes, and said, "Wuji, I'm so sleepy, I'm going back to sleep.
I will leave the palace and go home tomorrow. This palace is so boring."
The young emperor Zhao Wuji quickly took steps to catch up with her, and coaxed her with a flattering smile, "Sister Yuli, tomorrow I will order the eunuchs to make some new and interesting toys for you to play with happily. Can you stay with me in the palace for a few more days?
To be honest, without Sister Yuli to supervise us, Mu Xiu and I might get distracted and make mistakes. "
The two young eunuchs serving in the hall secretly raised the corners of their lips. The little emperor at this moment looked more fawning and flattering than us eunuchs.
Yuli knows her own importance, she has a strong sense of value and is extremely proud!
He said to the lackey-like Xiao Wuji, "Okay! Then Sister Yuli will have to work hard for a few more days, live in the palace, and be responsible for disciplining you two."
Mu Xiu looked up at the little emperor who was fawning on Yu Li, pursed his lips, and secretly complained in his heart: [Chushi! He is so cheap. As an emperor, he feels itchy and uncomfortable if he is not disciplined and spanked by sister Yu Li every day. ]
A number of officials implicated in the corruption case of Luo and Li were arrested and punished. The Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works were the two most lucrative government offices, and the vacant positions were fought over by civil and military officials.
Regent Zhao Defang was not a weak and easy-going person, nor was he someone who could be moved by money. No one dared to approach the Regent's Palace to get in touch with officials, so they could only secretly build relationships with each other and get more people to say a few good words for their own forces in the court.
As it turned out, all efforts were in vain. The regent acted arbitrarily and made the final decision on the appointment and dismissal of important officials in these two ministries.
Zuo Dading, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Works, was promoted to the position of Minister of Works, and Qi Sijun, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, was promoted to the position of Minister of Revenue. The most surprising thing was that Kou Zhun, a newly-appointed Jinshi at the age of 19, was promoted to the position of the left assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue like a cloud.
This decision, which stunned all the officials, naturally caused a lot of opposition, but the regent relied on his domineering strength to force it through. The little emperor sitting on the dragon throne still had a stern face and helped his uncle to scold the protesting courtiers.
Shen Xi, the Shaoqing of Dali Temple, was promoted to the Zhengqing of Dali Temple. Lord Luo Jiluo, who was rescued from prison in Shu, was promoted to the position of Canjing Zhengshi of the Cabinet.
No one among the civil and military officials spoke up to object to these two appointments. Shen Xi was the regent's confidant, and Luo Ji was the regent's father-in-law. Both of them had sufficient qualifications and abilities. The regent, who held great power in the world, would be a fool if he did not appoint a few important officials based on personal connections.