He had just reluctantly given a suggestion about the matter in the east, but something happened again in the west. In the hall, Liu Yao looked at Xiao Jing, the deputy envoy of the Lifan Academy, and noticed the troubled expression on his face. He couldn't help but sigh and moved his hand forward.
He stretched out his hand and gestured: "Tell me, what's the trouble?"
Xiao Jing, courtesy name Jingyuan, let's talk about his origins. The youngest son of Xiao Siwen, Marquis of Guiyi (a posthumous title after Liu Wenji ascended the throne, not hereditary), was born to Xiao Siwen, a Han girl after the Xiao family moved south.
In other words, Xiao Jing is the current uncle of the state and the biological uncle of the emperor Liu Wenji. Compared with Xiao Gong, Xiao Hui and other outstanding Xiao talents, Xiao Jing is the head of the Xiao clan in Yunzhou with good roots. (After the Xiao clan moved south,
Traveled to many places in the Central Plains and Hedong, and finally moved northward to Shanyang Yunzhou as their clan territory.)
At the same time, Xiao Jing's official position is not small. The deputy envoy of the Lifan Yuan is a third-rank position. At the same time, the position of the deputy envoy is currently vacant. That is, in the huge Lifan Yuan, except for the direct prime minister of Xuchang Wang Liu Yao,
In addition, Xiao Jing is the person with the most say and actually manages all the affairs of the academy.
Perhaps due to the Xiao family's consistent low-key style, Xiao Jing, as the uncle of the current dynasty, remained modest and prudent, not showing off at all, even if he was in a high and powerful position. He did not dare to show any slights to the direct leader of Xuchang Wang Liu Yao.
Among them, in addition to the constraints of family tradition, there is also the reason for the Empress Dowager Xiao. Liu Wenji's ascension to the throne can be said to be a man's rise to heaven, and the rise of the Xiao family's political status in the court is a matter of course.
However, the Xiao family is so big that it is inevitable that Xiaoxiao will appear. Some people who pretend to be relatives to do evil and abuse power will inevitably appear in the Xiao family. Then, before Liu Wenji could take any action, the Queen Mother Xiao took the initiative to help him
After the trouble was solved, all the Xiao clan members who committed the crime were expelled from their clans, exiled to Nanyang, and never allowed to return to the mainland.
Not to mention Yunzhou, where the clan is located, many people wanted to return to the grassland but were not allowed to do so. Empress Dowager Xiao dealt with dozens of people like this in one breath, including many elite members of the clan. Forcibly and through almost harsh methods
, the restlessness that brought Liu Wenji to the throne to the Xiao family was completely calmed down.
Empress Dowager Xiao also warned and beat her brothers, so that Xiao Jing was so trembling that he did not dare to stab her. He had always been in awe of this sister since he was a child, and he knew very well where the "bottom line" was.
At this time, facing Liu Yao's inquiry, Xiao Jing maintained his usual humility, cupped his hands, smiled, and said: "Back to the king, it's not a big deal, but there is indeed some trouble. It's still a matter of the Khotan Kingdom. The exile
The Khotan king Wei Chijue came to ask for help again."
When he mentioned this person and what happened, Liu Yao's handsome face showed distress. This was indeed a troublesome matter. The court had debated it many times, but they never came up with a clear attitude.
He said everything, but of course he was not concerned about the survival of Khotan.
As a court institution that directly faces these vassals, the Lifan Yuan also needs to have its own attitude on this matter. This is its responsibility and its due meaning. However, for now, this attitude is still somewhat hesitant.
The reason is that we have not yet figured out what the emperor's thoughts are. For the Lifan Yuan, which has certain decision-making power in this regard, the emperor's attitude is crucial.
In the past period of time, after successfully arriving in Beijing, the Khotan monarchs and ministers began to be active in Luoyang City. In addition to seeking to see the emperor, they also frequently visited relevant departments and important ministers of the imperial court. The Lifan Yuan was the most frequent one.
But obviously this kind of running around is basically ineffective because the holy will is uncertain.
They encountered soft nails in the Lifan Yuan more than once or twice, but the Khotan monarchs and ministers still persevered and even stalked them. After all, other than that, they really had no other options. There were other options.
.
Seeing Xiao Jing's expression, you can see how troubled he is. Liu Yao asked: "Where is Yuchi Jue?"
"As usual, we will receive guests at the reception desk!" Xiao Jing replied.
Hearing this, Liu Yao pondered for a long time, and gradually relaxed his frown. He looked at Xiao Jing and said: "I will not meet him today. You can answer a question for me and ask him to calm down. The court is in charge."
When discussing the affairs of Khotan, I will give him an explanation!"
Hearing what Liu Yao said, Xiao Jing couldn't help but be surprised. He raised his eyes and looked at Liu Yao and said, "Is this how you reply to Yuchi Jue?"
Liu Yao also understood where Xiao Jing's surprise came from. His reply today was the most positive and positive reply from the imperial court to Khotan in this period of time.
Facing Xiao Jing's unexpected gaze, Liu Yao sighed softly: "Always putting it off is not the answer. The affairs of Khotan and the Three Kingdoms in the Western Regions must always be resolved. Since the matter has already happened, avoiding it is not the best option.
Good choice!"
"What the king said makes sense!" After hearing this, Xiao Jing thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.
"Brother Thirteen, Brother Thirteen, why don't you clean things up when you are doing things? You even let someone file a complaint to the central government." Liu Yao couldn't help but murmur to himself in a moment of worry.
Taking a deep breath and taking another sip of hot milk wine, Liu Yao tried his best to keep his mind calm and clear. But when he noticed Xiao Jing, his thoughts involuntarily went sideways. The deputy envoy of the Lifan Academy in front of him took office later than him.
Some, but have a reputation for being "stupid".
On weekdays, he is very respectful to himself and always has a humble attitude. He does not show any strong points. Even at this time, he did not show any opinion at all.
However, such a "mediocre" deputy manages affairs and makes the Lifan Academy stable and orderly. Is this situation in itself unusual? Could it be that this person is also hiding his clumsiness?
Such thoughts flashed through Liu Yao's mind, and the figure of Emperor Liu Wenji quickly emerged. In terms of humility and clumsiness, who can compare to today's emperor?
With some messy thoughts, Liu Yao made some preparations and went to the Chongzheng Hall to meet the Holy Spirit. He carried two documents with him, one was the proposal on Wanyan Jurchen and Anton's affairs, and the other was
It is about the Khotan Kingdom, and also includes a detailed introduction to the situation in the Three Kingdoms of Anxi and Central and Western Asia in the past twenty years.
In the palace, which was renamed "Chongzheng", Emperor Liu Wenji was lying on a recliner. The chair was shaking slightly, and his calm eyes were staring at the huge map hanging high in the palace.
On the imperial map that marks where the light of the Han Dynasty reaches, the central empire is like a rising sun, always standing in the sky, and the surrounding feudal states are like surrounding stars. No matter how shining they are, they are all covered by the empire.
shrouded in intense light.
As the supreme ruler of the empire, Liu Wenji felt both proud and full of pressure. After all, if you want to be the sun, you must first have the heat and luminosity to shine on the world. It was quiet in the palace, and only King Liu Yao of Xuchang accompanied him beside the imperial chariot.
However, he remained silent and did not sit down. He just stood aside and waited for the emperor to finish his thoughts.
For a long time, Liu Wenji, whose eyes had been wandering around the east and west rooms, stopped, his eyes fell on the distant position of the Three Kingdoms of Anxi, and asked softly: "How do you think the matter in Khotan should be handled?"
After hearing the question, Liu Yao first thought about it, pondered the emperor's tone, and then responded: "Kang Ju raised troops for no reason to attack and destroy the vassal vassal without asking for instructions. This trend must not rise. Otherwise, don't talk about reforming the sect-vassal relationship.
The system, even the original structure, is difficult to maintain!”
Liu Yao's words caused Liu Wenji to turn his head and look at him, with a look of listening carefully: "Keep talking!"
Seeing the emperor's reaction, Liu Yao considered it for a moment and then said: "No matter what, what Kangju King Liu Ye did was destroying the established system of the Han Dynasty, and the influence was extremely corrupt. He must be punished to show the court's determination to maintain the patriarchal system to the vassals at home and abroad.
Furthermore, Your Majesty wants to reform the vassal affairs and reorganize the vassal system. The incident in Khotan may be a breakthrough."
After thinking for a moment, Liu Wenji raised his finger and said, "How to punish?"
Liu Yao cupped his hands and said: "A small punishment but a big warning!"
"How can a small punishment be a big warning?" Liu Wenji asked on the spot.
Liu Yao's heart shivered slightly and he reported solemnly: "Kang lives far away, and the Three Kingdoms of Anxi are closely connected. A single move can affect the whole body. Moreover, he is a close relative of the ancestors and is closely related by blood, so we must not ignore it!"
"I understand what you mean!" After hearing what he said, Liu Wenji said: "However, what King Kang violently destroyed was the ancestral system established by Emperor Shizu, which was governed by patriarchal laws. Who can say anything?"
Seeing the emperor's attitude, Liu Yao couldn't help being frightened. At the same time, he secretly sighed in his heart: After all, today's world is no longer the period of Shizu and Taizong.
Of course, Liu Yao did not dare to express such sentiments explicitly. After thinking for a while, Liu Wenji gave instructions: "In the name of the Court of Lifan, write a letter and rush to summon King Kang to the capital!"
The victims have all complained to the court, so what can we do without a defendant? The court cannot just listen to the opinions of the Khotan monarchs and ministers, and let King Kang explain the matter of Khotan's destruction!"
Facing the emperor's decision, Liu Yao's eyes wandered for a while, then slowly brightened. When he saw Liu Wenji's calm face on the recliner, his heart gradually calmed down.
The imperial court was definitely dissatisfied with the destruction of Kangju in Khotan. This also posed a big problem to the imperial court. It must be dealt with, and the difficulty lies in the issue of "degree".
If the treatment is too light, it will not be able to promote great justice, orthodox laws, and clear attitudes, and it will not be able to deter domestic and foreign vassals. The imperial court's attitude towards the vassal states is indeed increasingly relaxing restrictions, but it does not mean indulgence and laissez-faire.
The bottom line issue and the issue of principle cannot be broken at will. This is something set by the ancestors and Emperor Taizong, and no one can destroy it. The reform of the vassal system that Liu Wenji wants to carry out is still essentially based on the previous generation.
, to sort out and improve, is to systematically sort out and stipulate the bottom line and principles.
To be fair, what Kangju King Liu Ye did was to break political principles, and any powerful central empire would not let it go easily. Although Khotan was not a feudal state with the surname Liu, its vassal status was set during the Shizu period
If Liu Ye destroys it, its nature is already destined and its influence will be bad.
To put it another way, in order to expand your power, you Kangju used the strong to bully the weak and destroyed Khotan, who was also a vassal. Then one day, the more powerful Anxi will also change his mind and turn around to destroy you Kangju. Will that happen then?
Is it your turn, Kang Ju, to complain to the court?
If other feudal states at home and abroad follow the same example, wouldn't the entire empire and vassal system be in chaos? The demise of a Khotan state is indeed nothing, but when placed in the "new vassal system" that the empire finally took shape, it is nothing.
It was probably the ant nest where the Thousand Miles of Long Embankment collapsed.
Thinking further, if Kang Ju can destroy the feudal state today, will he rebel against the Central Empire and invade Gaochang Road in the future? Don’t say how unlikely this is, but Liu Ye’s approach of destroying Khotan
, and really let the monarchs and ministers of the Central Empire think about this possibility.
Therefore, the negative impact of the Khotan incident was far more serious than its demise itself. For the imperial center, this was a political incident of a serious nature and must be treated seriously and dealt with seriously.
But on the other hand, if the real punishment is serious, it is equally inappropriate. Although there is a long way to go, the court definitely does not lack the means. Military sanctions are far from that point, and whether it is political punishment or economic sanctions, other measures must also be considered.
The impact of feudalism.
Although the Anxi Three Kingdoms have gone their separate ways for more than ten years, they are still wearing the same pants when facing the Central Empire. What's more, after all, Kang Juguo's surname is Liu. He has broken bones and connected tendons, and has a foreign surname. Even if "patriarchal"
"No matter how high the tune is, as long as it goes too far, it will affect the relationship between the royal bloodline and destroy the trust between the royal family and the imperial center.
This is really a troublesome matter that is responsible for the internal background, and it is difficult to really explain it clearly. How to achieve the deterrent effect desired by the court while controlling the impact to a level acceptable to both the sect and the vassal, this is
It is a test of political wisdom and skill. In fact, the outcome of the Khotan incident is no longer that important. The focus is on the various games in the process of arriving at the outcome.
The emperor's decision to summon Kang Wang Liu Ye to Beijing to tell his own story reminded Liu Yao of many things. First of all, before the collapse of the former Ministry of Personnel and Prime Minister Liu Jichang, he was reported for impeachment. At that time, the emperor held a court meeting and asked him to "self-certify".
But in the end, Liu Jichang stepped down and left Anton. When thinking of Anton, Liu Yao, who didn't know much about the "Liu Jichang Incident", couldn't help but wonder, could it be related to Anton's country?
Summoning King Kang to the capital was probably just the first step. As Liu Yao was thinking about what the emperor's plan was next, he became more and more curious. He even couldn't help but said to Liu Wenji: "I have the courage to forgive you. If King Kang listens,
When the imperial edict comes to Beijing, what will your Majesty plan?"
Liu Wenji glanced at Liu Yao and said calmly: "If you explain it well, you will be punished lightly. If you explain it poorly, then let's change it to King Kang Ju!"
After saying this, Liu Yang felt awe-inspiring in his heart. He suppressed the shock in his heart, Liu Yao cupped his fists and saluted, not daring to accept these words rashly.
Tapping his fingers on his legs a few times, Liu Wenji added, "Do you have any plans on how to deal with the aftermath of the exiled ministers of Khotan?"
In this regard, Liu Yao asked: "There is no conclusion yet on what happened in Khotan. Is it too early to talk about the aftermath?"
"Whether the conclusion is final or not is one thing! Making preparations is another thing!" Liu Wenji waved his hand and said in a low voice: "Is it possible to restore the country?"
From the emperor's words, we can know what the future of Khotan will be like. Obviously, the court is still mentally prepared to accept the established fact caused by Liu Ye, but it has to pay a corresponding price for this established fact.
Hearing what the emperor said, Liu Yao couldn't help but understand. After thinking for a while, he made a suggestion: "How about giving him a title and salary, and choosing a place in the country to settle down temporarily?"
"The territory outside the Nine Provinces is so vast, and there are so many feudal states. Are you afraid that you won't be able to find a place to settle down the Khotan ministers?" Liu Wenji was obviously not very satisfied with this answer, and did not let him continue, but directly gave instructions:
"Didn't Anxi occupy a lot of land to the west? Send an envoy to Anxi to allocate a piece of land and a city from the King of Wei to Yuchi Jue..."
If it weren't for the fear of disgrace in front of the emperor, Liu Yao would have let out a sigh of relief. He must have realized that the emperor was already planning a grand chess game.
"I wonder if King Anxi can accept it?" Liu Yao pointed out.
In response to this, Liu Wenji said indifferently: "Is Anxi not Han territory? Doesn't the Emperor of the Han Dynasty have the right to dispose of Han territory?
During the Imperial Examination, I once again divided the meritorious officials among the various feudal states, but I can't do it if it's rare?"