Chapter 79: Xiao Zhens scheming, Cao Shuang becomes Prime Minister!
At this moment, the moon in the sky was slowly setting, and the stars in the sky were no longer as bright as at midnight. Cao Shuang looked at the three city gates approaching the entrance and said with a smile, "Haha, it's better to come early than to come by chance. My mansion." Being close to the palace has its advantages.
It’s been a long time since I went to court with you all, and during these two months of fighting in the land of Jingyang, I still really miss the days when I went to court with you all!”
Cao Shuang walked in front of the civil and military personnel, and He Yan followed closely behind him, saying: "General, my servants also miss the days when I went to court with you!"
Cao Shuang said, "You and others are willing to go to court with me, but I guess some people don't think so.
Some people wish that I would be defeated and die in this expedition, but I refuse to let them do so and will continue to stand in front of them in disgust!"
Zhen Wen caught up with Cao Shuang and smiled apologetically, "The general is joking. How could there be anyone in the Wei Dynasty who doesn't want the general to come back victorious? We have been praying in our hearts these days, hoping that the general can come back victorious and praise me." The power of the Wei Dynasty!"
Cao Shuang just smiled faintly and said nothing more. He continued to walk in front, stepping up the ninety-nine steps in front of the Tai Chi Hall step by step. All the civil and military ministers in Luoyang followed closely according to their official positions.
Everyone wants to enter the Tai Chi Hall quickly. After all, the sun is almost coming out at this moment, and the weather has slowly begun to have a hint of summer daytime heat...
The Tai Chi Hall is built on a tall two-story platform with a width of 12 rooms. There are two steps on the front to ascend the hall. There are 4 gold and copper pillars in the hall. It is the largest and most luxurious hall in the Wei Palace. There are two pillars on both sides. East Hall and West Hall.
There are East Hall and West Hall on both sides. The main hall, Taiji Hall, is juxtaposed with the East and West Hall. Taiji Hall was the main hall where Emperor Cao Wei held important ceremonial activities such as court meetings. The East Hall was where the emperor handled court affairs on a daily basis, summoned ministers, and gave lectures. Place,
The West Hall is the daily living place of the emperor, but Cao Fang did not rest in the West Hall last night. Instead, she enjoyed a spring night in the Little Zhen Palace. Early the next morning, she washed up and put on the emperor's court clothes under the service of the palace maids.
When I walked out of the palace, my steps were still a little vain. Little Zhen was secretly happy. I squeezed you dry last night. Let’s see how you will find other women tonight. After all, women living in the harem have no desire. Those who compete for favor, even if they don’t want to compete,
In the situation we are in, the emperor's favor will push a person forward to fight for it. The most basic thing is to at least fight for a son, so that after a hundred years of being an emperor, he can still have someone to rely on, right?
Xiao Zhen followed Cao Fang out of the palace, arranged some imperial uniforms for Cao Fang, and sent Cao Fang to the carriage of the emperor's ceremonial guard. She was very like a contemporary housewife who sends her husband off to work during the working day, but there are differences.
After all, Cao Fang is the boss of Cao, and nominally holds the power of life and death in Cao Wei, a large company, and Xiao Zhen is also half of the boss of this company. At this moment, the position of the main palace is temporarily vacant, so the Queen's residence, Zhaoyang Palace, is temporarily vacant. It is a land of no one,
And Xiao Zhen is the most popular candidate to compete for the position of queen. She is deeply favored by Cao Fang. Cao Fang also plans to help Xiao Zhen take the seat of the main palace as soon as possible.
Xiao Zhen said softly, "Your Majesty, during today's court meeting, if the general does something rude, your Majesty must also be patient. Don't ruin your majesty's important events just because of some trivial things!"
Cao Fang's emperor's guard of honor gradually disappeared in Xiao Zhen's bright eyes. Xiao Zhen turned her gaze to Zhaoyang Hall, the queen's residence not far away, with a hint of passion and desire flashing in her eyes...
To the north of the Taiji Hall is the Shiqian Hall, which is the main hall of the emperor. To the north of the Shiqian Hall is the Zhaoyang Hall, which is the main hall of the queen. In the front courtyard of the hall, there are two-four-foot-high bronze dragons and bronze phoenixes cast during the Ming Dynasty, which are very majestic.
Each of these halls has a huge official courtyard surrounded by four gates and corridors and tigers. In front of the Taiji Hall is the main street leading to the south gate of the official city, forming a main axis from south to north.
Cao Shuang felt a sense of pride in his heart as he looked at Taiji Hall and other temples getting closer and closer. He wanted to keep these magnificent temples and didn't want them to be completely destroyed by foreign invasion!
Cao Shuang and the ministers took off their clothes and entered the palace. Cao Fang had not arrived yet. After the ministers waited for a cup of tea, Cao Fang slowly walked into the hall. Zhang Dang had already stood in front of the emperor's throne.
Waiting for the arrival of the emperor, when the emperor knelt on the throne, the ministers, led by Cao Shuang, began to kneel down and salute and shout in unison,
"Your Majesty, long live, long live, long live...!"
"My lords, please rise. Today's meeting is mainly to announce the rewards for the meritorious generals of this southern expedition, so that all your lords and I can witness the glorious moment of the meritorious ministers of the Wei Dynasty!"
Cao Fang said expressionlessly again, "Zhang Dang, please pass on the edict!"
Zhang Dang picked up the edict on the bamboo slips that he had prepared, opened it, and said in a high-pitched voice: "General Shuang, this time we march south to Jingyang, we first led our soldiers to retreat from the Wu army in Hefei Xincheng, and leveled the Wu area in the north of Jiangjiang, and then in Jingzhou Defeat Soochow's plan to surrender,
After destroying the 200,000-strong Dongwu army, he was granted the title of Prime Minister of the Wei Dynasty, and continued to be the commander-in-chief of the Chinese and foreign armies of the Wei Dynasty. Wang Sikong was granted the title of Taiwei of the Jin Dynasty, and he continued to be the military commander-in-chief of Yangzhou. Zhuge's birthday..."
All the generals who went on expeditions were rewarded, and all the soldiers under their command were promoted, and were awarded gold and silver salaries according to their official positions and military merits. From today on, the Wei Dynasty ushered in its first prime minister since the founding of the country. After all, since the founding of the Wei Dynasty, Emperor Wu, Although Emperor Wen once served as prime minister, he was also the prime minister of the Han Dynasty.
In the twenty-nine years before Cao Shuang, no one had ever ascended to this high position in Wei State, which was below one person and above ten thousand people.
In June of the 13th year of Jian'an (208 years), after completely wiping out Yuan Shao's power, Cao Cao deposed the Three Dukes, restored him to the position of prime minister, and appointed himself prime minister of the Han Dynasty.
Therefore, for Cao Cao, although he was named Prime Minister, he served as the Prime Minister of the Eastern Han Dynasty, not Cao Wei.
In the first month of the first year of Yankang (220), Cao Cao died in Luoyang. Cao Pi went from Yecheng to Luoyang to succeed him as prime minister and king of Wei. For Cao Pi, the prime minister he served also belonged to the Eastern Han Dynasty.
In October of this year, Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty Liu Xie abdicated, Cao Pi proclaimed himself emperor, and formally established Cao Wei. Since then, there has never been a prime minister, mainly because the position of prime minister has too much power and often poses a threat to the emperor's power.
Therefore, after Emperor Wen of Wei Cao Pi came to the throne, the post of prime minister was not established in Cao Wei. In other words, Cao Cao and Cao Pi could sit on the position of prime minister of the Han Dynasty.
Or because Han Xian Emperor Liu Xie was already a puppet. If Han Xian Emperor Liu Xie had real power, he would naturally not let Cao Cao, Cao Pi and his son easily sit on the throne of prime minister.
Based on this, after Cao Pi, Wei Ming Emperor Cao Rui, and in the early days of Cao Fang's accession to the throne, they did not grant ministers the official position of prime minister. But today, Cao Fang has to take up this long-awaited position for Cao Shuang. To reward Cao Shuang for his military exploits,
Cao Fang also knew that the position of prime minister should not be granted lightly, but if he did not take it out now, even if Cao Shuang did not ask for it personally, Cao Shuang's cronies would come to ask for it and snatch it away.
He would even ask for a throne for Cao Shuang, in which case he would really become Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty, become Emperor Wu and be granted the title of Queen, and the courtiers would only know about the King of Wei and not the Emperor of the Han Dynasty!