ebookland Chapter 254 The undercurrent is surging
Chapter 254 The undercurrent is surging
Chapter 254 Undercurrent
Zhong Yao listened to the tone of Xun You's words and vaguely realized something, so he pretended to be in deep thought and remained silent.
Xun You stared at him and said, "In the Six Departments, the Minister of Justice Sima Shangshu has also made some slanderous remarks, and the Minister of the Nine Temples Bian Taichang and others are also dissatisfied. I also heard that the Censorate has already started a secret investigation into Cao Cao."
Zhong Yao's expression changed slightly, and he asked, "You did it?"
Xun You said seriously, "No, it's because Cao Cao's actions were too outrageous and caused unrest in the court."
Others didn't know, but Zhong Yao was a little panicked now. He glanced outside the door, leaned over and whispered, "Cao Cao is the first person your majesty has trained since he ascended the throne, and he is obviously going to take over as the Grand Marshal. If you do this, you will attract the wrath of thunder!"
Xun You saw Zhong Yao's obvious opposition and sighed, "I know that. However, Cao Cao and I are both subordinates in the General's Office. I saw many years ago that this man is definitely not an ordinary person. If we don't restrain him, who can predict whether he will be Huo Guang or Wang Mang in the current situation?"
The most famous thing about Huo Guang is not that he is the younger brother of Marquis Huo Qubing, but that as an important minister entrusted by Emperor Wu of Han, he not only controlled the government but also deposed the emperor and established another one!
This was the biggest "stain" in Huo Guang's life, challenging the "imperial order" that a minister could not touch!
Wang Mang was even more ferocious. At that time, the Wang family was the most prominent family in the Western Han Dynasty. Nine of their members were granted the title of marquis and five of them were appointed as Grand Marshals. Their power was unmatched throughout the world.
Before Emperor Chengdi died, Wang Mang was already the Grand Marshal and had inherited the great power of the Wang family, so he naturally became an important minister entrusted with the care of the emperor. Wang Mang had an unparalleled reputation, and many people even publicly advised him to "take the throne".
Wang Mang really came to power.
He usurped the throne and carried out huge and complicated reforms, but ultimately failed and died, and was classified as the "No. 1 traitor" in the history books of the time!
It can be said that Huo Guang and Wang Mang are both negative examples of ministers. They should not be learned from or even emulated!
Now, in the eyes of Xun You and many others, Cao Cao is similar to these two people!
Zhong Yao remained silent.
Judging from Cao Cao's deeds, he was indeed an unruly person, but he felt it was a bit arbitrary to judge that Cao Cao would be like Huo Guang or Wang Mang.
But at the same time, he was also wary of Cao Cao, believing that he should be controlled and not allowed to act recklessly.
"Your Majesty is going to change the Prime Minister."
Suddenly, Xun Yu came in from outside, looked at the two of them and said indifferently.
Zhong Yao and Xun You both looked at him, with surprise and relief in their eyes.
There has long been a consensus in the government and the public regarding Yang Biao that this "incompetent prime minister" would be "dismissed" sooner or later, and the rumors were most prevalent last year.
Xun Yu sat down next to Xun You, his normally calm face now showing a hint of solemnity as he said, "Let's not deal with Cao Cao for now, and focus on the 'New Deal'."
Xun You looked at his expression and had a bad feeling in his heart, and asked, "Your Majesty, did you put pressure on me?"
Xun Yu took the teacup handed over by Zhong Yao and shook his head, saying, "Your Majesty didn't say much, but I can feel that Your Majesty is brewing something."
Zhong Yao and Xun You looked at each other with a frown, and asked, "What's the matter?"
Xun Yu took a sip of tea and said thoughtfully, "I don't know. But it should have nothing to do with Cao Cao, Dong Zhuo, and the things in the south. It should be in the court."
Xun You and Zhong Yao began to think about it.
It is not surprising that something big happened in the court.
One is the "incompetent prime minister" Yang Biao, and the other is the empty national treasury; if anything happens to either of these two, it will be enough to shock the government and the country!
Zhong Yao could see that Xun Yu was hiding something, most likely something he couldn't say. He glanced at Xun You and said thoughtfully, "Let's go and see."
What he meant was very simple, don't do anything else, just follow the steps and wait for things to happen.
Xun You understood and felt unwilling. The two people in front of him did not support him, and he was powerless to do anything, so he could only nod silently.
"correct,"
Xun You just nodded and suddenly said, "Uncle, I just discussed with Yuan Chang and asked Zhang Wen to go to Pei State to persuade Dong Zhuo."
Xun Yu paused, then thought it was okay, and said, "Report it to the palace first."
Zhong Yao looked at him and asked, "Does the palace have any other preparations?"
Xun Yu was worried, and it was written all over his face. After a long while, he let out a breath and said, "The storm is coming, so be careful."
Zhong Yu and Xun You were stunned. How come they heard a sense of crisis from Xun Yu's words?
At this time, at the headquarters of the Three Law Departments, the Criminal Department.
Sima Lang was busy with his work and only dared to enter his grandfather Sima Jun's duty room when he had some free time.
Sima Jun is over eighty years old and has been in poor health recently, coughing constantly, but he is in good spirits and insists on working without ever asking for leave.
Sima Lang walked in cautiously and whispered, "Grandfather, something seems to have happened in the Six Caos."
Sima Jun coughed, dealt with the things in his hands, picked up the teacup, took a sip of strong tea, suppressed his itchy throat, and said: "Because of Cao Cao?"
Sima Lang then dared to step forward, stood next to Sima Jun, and said, "Yes. I heard that those ministers were driven out by His Majesty?"
Sima Jun looked up at him, his cloudy eyes moved slightly, and asked, "Driven out?"
Sima Lang said quickly: "This is the news from the palace."
Sima Jun had a blank expression on his face. After a moment of silence, he said, "It seems that Your Majesty still wants to protect Cao Cao."
Sima Lang was puzzled and said, "Cao Cao used the army without authorization, which is a serious crime that cannot be pardoned. Your Majesty still wants to protect him?"
Sima Jun suppressed his cough, looked outside the door, and said, "It seems that Xun Wenruo and others have had a conflict with Your Majesty."
Sima Lang glanced outside the door and leaned in to whisper, "Grandfather, I also heard that Envoy Liu of Youzhou and Envoy Zhu of Qingzhou will report to the capital next month."
Sima Jun took another sip of strong tea and said, "You mean, His Majesty is going to change the Prime Minister?"
Sima Lang became extra cautious and said, "Yes, my uncles and aunts also guessed so."
The strong tea did not suppress Sima Jun's coughing. It took him a while to calm down. He picked up a handkerchief and wiped his mouth. He said, "Let them all be quiet. His Majesty will not change them for the time being."
Sima Lang was startled and asked, "Why? Your Majesty has long been dissatisfied with the Prime Minister. With so many things happening, the Shangshutai should be replaced."
Sima Jun's eyes were cloudy and deep as the abyss. He said, "If you see it this way, I'm sure those people outside the palace will see it this way too. I wonder if Erxun will be confused."
Sima Lang became inexplicably excited when he heard this.
If the two Xuns angered the palace and Yang Biao wanted to "retire", in terms of prestige and status, would his uncle be the one to take over the Secretariat?
Sima Jun seemed to have anticipated what Sima Lang was thinking, and he sighed with disappointment, saying, "Don't count on me, that position will never belong to me."
Sima Lang quickly restrained his expression and said carefully, "Grandfather, is that one of Liu Yu or Zhu Jun?"
Sima Jun was silent, but he finally shook his head and said, "It shouldn't be. If the two of them could have ascended to the throne, they would have returned to the capital two years ago."
Sima Lang was puzzled, bowed and asked, "Uncle, then, who could it be?"
There were actually quite a few important figures in the Han Dynasty. Most of the civil and military officials who rose to prominence in wars such as suppressing the rebellions of the Qiang people and the Yellow Turban Rebellion are still alive and have sufficient qualifications and reputation.
But in a series of struggles after Liu Bian ascended the throne, the vast majority of these people stood on the wrong side and were marginalized and disappeared.
In fact, there are only a handful of people who are qualified to enter the Shangshu Tai and become prime minister.
In the imperial court, the two Xuns, Zhong Yao and others all had too little experience. Xun You, once a clerk in the General's Office, entered the officialdom as the Yellow Gate Minister, and had been in office for only five or six years at most.
Zhong Yao is similar.
Xun Yu's official career lasted just over three years, when he was ranked as the Minister of Revenue. This was because the Secretariat had just emerged and was not very noticeable at the time.
With the qualifications and prestige of these three people, it is simply unimaginable for them to become prime ministers!
Sima Jun picked up the teacup again and drank from it in big gulps. After a while, he calmed down and said, "Let's wait and see."
He wasn't sure either.
Sima Lang felt a little uneasy, but he didn't dare to ask.
The current political situation seems calm, but in fact there are undercurrents. Once the prime minister changes, the new prime minister will not be Yang Biao's "inaction", and the political situation and power structure will certainly be reshuffled.
For the rising Sima family, having an unfamiliar prime minister is too dangerous!
When Sima Lang was in a panic, Sima Jun suddenly turned around, looked at him, and asked, "Is there anyone in your family who has contact with Dong Zhuo and Yuan Shu?"
Sima Lang was startled and shuddered all over. He quickly looked outside the door and saw no one. He shook his head and said, "No, no, grandfather, absolutely not!"