The Child Emperor

The Chinese New Year is coming, Han Ruzi is not in a hurry to return to the House of Marquis, and stays in the palace to handle government affairs. The palace chief Zhao Ruosu arrives early and leaves late. Every time he sees the emperor, he must first report the situation in the mansion to show that he has not forgotten. identity.

Yang Feng left and took Luan Kai to Yunmengze. Han Ruzi needed a consultant by his side, especially today. He just came back from the Qinzheng Palace, sat in Lingyun Pavilion, and read a strange memorial.

The trick of Zhongshu Province's arrangement of memorials has been dismantled. Recently, it has been relatively honest. All the memorials are stacked in chronological order. This memorial is placed on the upper side, indicating that it came earlier. It was not taken seriously, or the ministers deliberately avoided suspicion.

Without saying a word, Han Ruzi pushed the memorial on the table, Zhao Ruosu immediately came over, held the memorial in both hands, glanced at it quickly, looked up at the emperor, lowered his head and read it again, this time he read it more carefully, then put it down Memorial, take a few steps back.

The ten princes interceded for the king. Zhao Ruosu simply concluded.

Han Ruzi asked suspiciously, I didn't ask Dai Wang for guilt. What kind of love did they ask for? Why are they nervous?

Han Chou has been sentenced to death, and he will be executed after the first month, but he is an old man of the clan. As a rule, the emperor will finally cancel the public execution and give him death in prison instead. The emperor did not intend to implicate others, but there were still many people who were apprehensive about it, and the Daiwang family felt more fearful than others.

Han Chou had previously recommended Dai Wang as the crown prince, and the Prime Minister Shen Mingzhi made a clear investigation: the Dai Wang's concubine brother wanted to inherit the throne, so he colluded with Han Chou, hoping to make his heir-born younger brother the crown prince. The throne of the king will be inherited by the elder brother. Han Chou sees that the Wang family in the middle generation is easy to control, so they hit it off.

The prince's concubine brother has been deprived of his nationality and sent back to the country to be supervised by the local government, and he will never be allowed to enter the capital.

The emperor's handling of the Daiwang family has so far, he did not implicate others, and he never expressed dissatisfaction with Daiwang. In the emperor's eyes, he was just a child of a few years old, who didn't understand anything, and was only used by a traitor. .

However, the ten princes jointly pleaded for the king, making Han Ruzi laugh and cry, and even more puzzled.

Is Your Majesty going to take away the land and power of the feudal lords? Zhao Ruosu asked.

Han Ruzi pondered for a moment, I just have this idea, and there is no specific plan - how could the princes and kings know what I think?

Your Majesty's reduction of the state of Qi and the change to the state of Linzi and several counties is a sign.

Qi country has rebelled twice, shouldn't it be reduced?

Yes, but what the princes see is a threat.

Han Ruzi didn't say anything. He really wanted to threaten the princes from all over the country. King Qi rebelled, the king was incompetent, and the prince of Luoyang assassinated... The clan was worse than the court, and he had to scrape his bones to heal his wounds.

Zhao Ruosu continued: Then His Majesty took back Luoyang and appointed Henan Yin. The princes in various places couldn't help but be even more nervous. They may not care about other things, except to cut off Fans. Even if there is only a little sign, they can smell it. This memorial On the surface, it is to intercede for the king, but it is actually testing His Majesty's mind: if His Majesty is not angry, and even publicly declares the king's innocence and lets him return to the kingdom, the princes will be at ease; if His Majesty is furious, they will plead guilty, anyway. It's not a big crime, and then they'll find other ways to keep their position.

What else can they do? Can't they rebel like King Qi?

Zhao Ruosu cupped his hands and said: Rebellion is an extraordinary method, Wei Chen dare not predict, Wei Chen only said the normal method: they should start with the people around your majesty, who your majesty trusts the most and who has the greatest influence on your majesty, they will try their best to make this happen. People pulled to their side.

It's the same as Han Chou's method. Han Ruzi said softly.

Han Chou had been courting the Queen Mother Ci Ning a long time ago, and the effect was remarkable. The Queen Mother who lived in the palace was in need of the help of foreign ministers and was easily confused.

Naturally, Zhao Ruosu would not say his name, so he surrendered again.

Are there any conventions about cutting off Fans?

Don't you think it's too early, Your Majesty?

Han Ruzi shook his head, Since Da Chu is the Han family's country, the clan should lead by example. If the clan is not upright, how can the court be upright? How can the world be upright?

Zhao Ruosu thought for a while, Yes, as far as Weichen knows, there are three conventions.

Han Ruzi was very satisfied, Let's hear it all.

One is that the princes and kings committed serious crimes, and they cut off the Tibetans or seized the country according to the law.

Well, King Qi has already used it, and it can't be used on other princes.

The second is to persuade the princes to voluntarily cut off the Tibetans, starting with the closest relatives.

I didn't... Han Ruzi suddenly remembered the King of the East Sea, who was his younger brother, Yu Qin, who was closest to him, and then shook his head with a smile, I can't use this trick either.

The third is to give favor, allowing princes to divide their country among many descendants, and a big country becomes a small country, which is also a kind of deprivation.

I know that this practice has been in use since the time of Emperor Lie, and it has continued to this day, and the number of feudal lords has increased from six or seven to twenty, but there are still some feudal lords who refuse to obey, such as Qi, which has always been a single pass. If you refuse to give grace to more descendants, the court has no choice but to watch the rebellion happen. It's too slow, and it's not under the control of the court. Is that all?

That's roughly what the practice of slashing is.

Han Ruzi thought for a while, then smiled and said, What about other than the usual practice? Are there other means?

Zhao Ruosu once again surrendered, In addition to cutting the Tibetans, Your Majesty can also choose to cut power.

How to cut power?

The princes are hereditary, but the officials of the princes are appointed and removed by the court. If the court can control these officials, the princes have no power, and they are no different from the county.

Han Ruzi frowned, It is said that the officials of the princes are appointed and removed by the imperial court, but it is actually similar to hereditary. Like the Yan family of the East China Sea, doesn't they always control the state? Han Ruzi thought for a while, The officials of the princes have always been dispatched by the imperial court. Appointment, why are most princes still in power, such as King Qi, who can even create rebellions?

Countries are far away from the capital, and the officials sent by the imperial court are fighting alone, unable to fight against the feudal lords, or there may be disputes. Because the imperial family is involved, the emperor usually chooses to stay calm. If things go on like this, the officials do not want to cause trouble. increase.

Han Ruzi didn't say a word, and when he treated Han Chou, the method he adopted was similar to calming things down.

Zhao Ruosu just bowed his hands and did not answer.

Han Ruzi remembered that Yang Feng had said a long time ago that the power of the emperor is only ten steps away, within a thousand miles, and within ten steps, the emperor is no match for a single man. To what extent, the emperor could not see, and as far as the distance, the imperial power encountered only hostility, not obedience.

In any case, Zhao Ruosu did propose a solution, which is still within the scope of practice. Beyond this, Zhao Ruosu cannot and is unwilling to make suggestions.

Zhao Ruosu resigned, and Han Ruzi reviewed the memorial alone, still thinking about the slaughter of the Tibetans.

Change the prime minister first, cut down the feudal lords next, and then correct the general rule of the dynasty. This is the order set by Han Ruzi. Then he can enrich the people and strengthen the army and fight against the Xiongnu. As for the more distant Western enemies, he has no detailed ideas.

Deng Cui and Zhang Yin sent back some news from the Western Regions, indicating that Da Chanyu did not lie. There was indeed a large-scale war in the west of the Western Regions, and the number of merchants decreased sharply. Without affecting the Western Regions, the God and Ghost Da Chanyu has been expanding westward and southward, and it seems that he has no intention of going east.

Once and for all, the foundation of the eternal life... Han Ruzi said to himself, and he began to doubt whether there was such a possibility.

Your Majesty wants to do it once and for all, I have a way. A voice actually responded to the emperor.

Han Ruzi was taken aback. He thought there were no outsiders in the room, so he looked up and saw that Cui Teng had come and was looking at him with a smile.

Since he was able to get up, Cui Teng has come to report to the palace every day. Unlike many noble servants, he has the privilege to enter Lingyun Pavilion directly without notification.

Do you have a solution? Han Ruzi asked with a smile, taking the chat with Cui Teng as a kind of rest.

It's not easy. Find a few trusted ministers and entrust the government to them, and your Majesty will be able to relax once and for all.

Han Ruzi laughed, Cui Teng's suggestion can only be taken as a joke.

Do you have something to do? Han Ruzi confessed that although Cui Teng can enter Lingyun Pavilion, he must have something to do, and he can't come just casually.

Cui Teng nodded, Tomorrow Lao Jun will be in mourning. I thank the Cui family for your kindness.

Laojun is the queen's grandmother, so the emperor naturally wants to give courtesy and generous gifts, all of which are arranged by the Shaofu and the Ministry of Rites. Han Ruzi approved it, Well, it's a pity that I can't go to the funeral in person tomorrow.

Cui Teng waved his hand hurriedly, That's enough. Tomorrow I will go to the funeral and keep the cottage, and it will take seven days before I can return to the city. This time when I come back to see Your Majesty, I will also say goodbye. Please take care of Your Majesty. After a few days of rest, His Majesty should reunite with his family more.

Han Ruzi looked at Cui Teng in surprise, Where did you learn these words?

Cui Teng blushed, Your Majesty, the conscience of heaven and earth, this is really what I came up with word by word, and I didn't let anyone else write it.

Han Ruzi smiled and said: I believe in you, I will accept your advice, you should rest a lot, and don't indulge in alcoholism.

Yes, Your Majesty. Cui Teng looked at the Emperor, Looking at His Majesty's face, it seems that he has not fully recovered.

It's not a big problem. Han Ruzi had talked enough, then lowered his head and continued to read the memorial, which is also the meaning of expelling guests.

But Cui Teng was ignorant. He stepped forward and said, I have a feeling that since your Majesty returned to Beijing, your spirit and energy have deteriorated. When will your majesty go out for a walk? The world is so big, and there are still many places to visit. hunting.

Han Ruzi gave a perfunctory hum, it was not easy for him to think about leaving the capital now.

After a long time, Han Ruzi raised his head, Cui Teng had already left, and there were no outsiders in the room. Han Ruzi thought thoughtfully, It is also customary to go hunting...

Hunting patrols are often labor-intensive and cost a lot. Han Ruzi accepted the minister's suggestion and had no plans to patrol hunting, but after talking with Zhao Ruosu today, he had a new idea.

(One update today, QQ chat is scheduled for next Sunday, please know.)