For ordinary people, survival and living with difficulty are their beliefs in struggle.
For many senior officials in the central court, simple survival goals can no longer satisfy their desires.
Everyone has their own demands. Even the upright Yang Biao, Huang Wan, and Liu Yu faction also hope to gain power and continue to fight for political clarity in their minds.
The same is true for party members.
As for people like Yuan Wei, it's even simpler. Behind him is a huge family interest group, and gaining power means taking it.
The aristocratic family and the bureaucratic scholar-bureaucrat system are actually the same group. Only by being an official can one become an aristocratic family. However, those wealthy powerful people are actually nothing in the face of power.
Therefore, they are seeking their own interests, so that their descendants can become officials, so that the court will no longer impose heavy taxes on them, so that they can pass on wealth from generation to generation.
You can say that they are parasites of every dynasty, or you can say that they only care about their own interests but ignore the interests of the country.
But it is undeniable that everyone has selfish motives.
Looking at them from the perspective of common people, of course they are vampires. But looking at them from their own perspective, who doesn’t want their family to be prosperous and prosperous, and who doesn’t want their descendants to be promoted and rich?
If everyone is criticizing the aristocratic family interest group, but if you are a member of the aristocratic family interest group, as a vested interest, will you give up your glory and wealth and fall into the arms of the common people?
Even if you think about it, you know it's impossible. No matter whether it's from modern people's thinking or ancient people's thinking, no one will refuse such benefits.
So from this point of view, if Chen Mu wants to make society progress, he must sacrifice the interests of this group of people.
However, these people control a lot of energy, so when they carry out reforms in the future, they will inevitably encounter great resistance.
Therefore, we will work together with Liu Bei, who was born as a commoner, and create a dynasty in the future. When we carry out reforms in this area, at least we don't have to worry about ending up like Chao Cuo.
But those are all things in the future. At least for now, Yuan Wei, the representative of these family interest groups, is already within reach of the highest power. It seems that overnight, the victory of the family interest groups is right in front of them.
Therefore, in the central court, the voices supporting Yuan Wei's rise to power have become louder. Almost half of the court is standing behind him, hoping that he can continue to safeguard the interests of the family bureaucrats after taking control of power.
Although the upright faction and party members have intentions, their power is too small.
Yuan Kui was the minister of affairs and controlled the government affairs of the world. Dong Cheng was the general and held military power.
Therefore, the final struggle for power is ultimately just one of the two of them.
One is a representative of the bureaucratic scholar-bureaucrat group, and the other is a representative of the imperial power. If these two people have the same ideas, it may be a good thing for the current court.
Because the bureaucrats and powerful men could continue to maintain their own interests, they abandoned the tax collection policy of Emperor Xiaokang of the Han Dynasty and replaced it with the original poll tax, passing the tax to the people, only for the people to suffer.
If these unscrupulous people don't rebel, and some of them starve to death, it will be nothing to the interest groups that eat steamed buns with human blood.
How can the life of an untouchable be worth as much as the rich and powerful?
So when Yuan Wei, a representative figure of the bureaucratic class, stepped onto the political stage, everyone would have to look at Dong Cheng's statement. Will he join in with them, or will he set off another power struggle?
At least for Dong Cheng, it really makes him very hesitant at the moment.
It wasn't that he was hesitating whether to cooperate with Yuan Wei, but that he didn't clearly understand the interests behind it, and he didn't understand the significance of his position at all.
So his hesitation was because he was at a loss.
The sudden death of his biological aunt was an accident, and his inexplicable appointment as a general was also an accident.
He was only in his twenties, too young, and he had no abilities. He suddenly came to the top of power, and he didn't know what to do in a short period of time.
Therefore, in the few days after the death of Empress Dowager Dong, Dong Cheng only did one thing except arranging his aunt's funeral - that is, doing nothing.
While the civil and military officials of the court were waiting for him to express his position, Dong Cheng actually stayed in the palace every day and continued to be on duty as before.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the court became a little strange. No one knew whether this was Dong Cheng's plan or other reasons.
This situation was not broken until Zhou Ao, Wu Qiong and several others abandoned Dong Zhuo and switched to Dong Cheng.
When Zhou Ao Wu Qiong was instructed by Yuan Wei to join Dong Zhuo, it was because Dong Zhuo was indeed a rising political star at that time.
But now, with the suppression of Empress Dowager Dong, his power has been greatly weakened, especially after he was promoted openly and secretly, and after becoming a Taiwei, his military power was also much less.
Therefore, Yuan Wei no longer regarded Dong Zhuo as his opponent. He now only had one opponent, and that was Dong Cheng, who controlled most of the military power in Luoyang.
Therefore, it was naturally meaningless for Zhou Ao and Wu Qiong to continue to stay in Dong Zhuo's mansion, so he hurriedly went to join Dong Cheng and became Dong Cheng's staff.
And when they learned that the reason for Dong Cheng's silence during this period of time was not that he was plotting something behind his back at all.
It was an afterthought, and they never imagined what kind of power vacuum would be created after the death of Empress Dowager Dong and Empress Dowager He. Zhou Ao and Wu Qiong were naturally overjoyed and clamored for Dong Cheng to hand over power to Yuan Wei.
Dong Cheng was still too young and was quickly deceived to the point where he could not find his way, so he ordered him to go down and hold a court meeting the next day. At the court meeting, he took the initiative to ask the Taifu to take charge of all government affairs.
The news spread throughout Luoyang overnight like a virus, and the bureaucratic class was rejoicing, and everyone celebrated as if it was the New Year.
No matter in any era, the essence of contradiction is actually class contradiction.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Great men see this very clearly.
If bureaucrats want to be the ruling class and the controllers of power, they will be afraid that someone will stand up and speak out for the ruled.
Since Dong Cheng is unwilling to stand up now and is willing to stand on their side and be an exploiter like them, then there is nothing better than this.
The central power of the Han Dynasty could be smoothly transferred to their hands without bloodshed, which is also a matter worthy of happiness and joy.
So on the next day, the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty went to court in an orderly manner. This time the court meeting did not even include the emperor.
Because in their eyes, at least within the next ten years, they will not need the emperor.
Old God Yuan Wei is kneeling on the ground and sitting at the head of the table. On the right side of the stage is the empty Emperor's seat.
There was an empty mat directly opposite him. According to custom, it was for the general.
On Yuan Wei's left hand side, about ten feet away from him, there are three similar mats placed compactly.
That is the position of Sangong.
The seats where Sangong, Jiuqing and Sandu sit are relatively far away from where Yuan Wei and Dong Cheng sit.
This means that only Yuan Wei and Dong Cheng are eligible to occupy a mat exclusively, while others have to squeeze in.
As for the officials other than the Sangong and Jiuqing, they were not even qualified to sit. They could only line up in a neat square formation and stand bent at the entrance of the palace.
But even so, the court officials near the entrance of the palace were still very excited and talking about it.
"Brother Ziqiao, what do you think will happen during today's court meeting?"
"Didn't you say that the general wants to ask the Taifu to take power? The Taifu is divine, civilized, holy and martial, and I, the great man, will surely prosper forever."
"I just don't know if the general will hand over his military power."
"Of course, the general is still young after all. What can he do with so many troops? And even if he doesn't hand over his military power, his military strength will have to be greatly reduced."
"That's true. The Southern Army plus the Imperial Guards have to deliver supplies to the Northern Army and Bingzhou. I'm afraid the money in the treasury will be insufficient for a long time."
Some officials were discussing in low voices.
At present, the military strength of the Han Dynasty is not weak. Huangfu Song controls the Northern Army in Chang'an to deal with Han Sui, Ma Teng and other Xiliang rebels. Zhu Jun uses Jizhou County soldiers to resist Xianbei in the central part. Together with the Southern Army, the total strength is ten
Thousands of people.
These soldiers and horses cost a lot of money every day. Although Emperor Xiaokang of Han Dynasty collected a wave of taxes forcibly before his death, leaving nearly 10 billion in money and food, which could maintain the war situation.
But Yuan Wei is not stupid. He now controls government affairs. If he deals with Dong Cheng, he will naturally use this aspect to make a fuss.
A single decree can completely cut off the Southern Army's logistical supplies and all expenses.
The Da Sinong Treasury, which is in charge of money and food, will not send a dime to the Confederate Army, nor will a grain of grain be transported to the Confederate Army camp.
The excuse was simple. The imperial court was currently fighting wars and spending money everywhere, and there really was no extra money to support the Confederate army.
If an old fox like Yuan Wei wants to play political tricks, he has many ways to deal with a young man like Dong Cheng.
By then, the Southern Army would not be able to receive supplies, wages and food, and would not be able to survive at all. Unless Dong Cheng dared to risk the disapproval of the world and rebel, it would be impossible to defeat Yuan Wei.
As for whether Dong Cheng would launch a mutiny?
Yuan Wei felt that he did not dare.
The advantage of young people is that they are aggressive and courageous, but the problem is that Dong Cheng has no idea what the meaning of his rebellion is.
To seize power?
He is already a general, who is he aiming at when launching a mutiny?
An old man without military power?
Or the emperor?
Yuan Wei believed that Dong Cheng didn't think that far ahead and didn't have the courage to do it.
And even if he dared, Yuan Wei had prepared a backup plan.
Dong Cheng nominally leads the Southern Army, but the actual controllers of the Southern Army are those captains...
Therefore, Yuan Wei felt that he had devoured Dong Cheng to death and was not worried at all that his power would be equally divided.
The rest, of course, is to wait for the day when power is completely handed over to him.
For example today...
Crunch!
The door of Deyang Palace suddenly opened slowly.
The harsh sound echoed in the empty hall.
Everyone turned their heads and looked in the direction of the door.
Has the general finally arrived?
After the door opened, the dazzling winter sun shone down, making everyone slightly dazed for a short time.
People vaguely saw a huge figure standing at the gate in the sun.
He is very fat and very tall.
He was holding something in his hand.
Unfortunately, due to the backlight, they could only see a blurry black shadow.
After a while, maybe a few seconds, the temporary blindness caused by direct sunlight returns.
The vision gradually becomes clearer.
Everyone's eyes widened.
Because they saw that since it was backlit, the tall body was still clearly visible.
The person who came was not Dong Cheng at all, but someone else.
——Dong Zhuo!
The fat man smiled slightly, showing his big white teeth, and said only one sentence.
But this sentence is like a bomb dropped in the crowd.
"Dong Cheng has plotted to kill Queen Mother He and has been executed!"