Chapter nine hundred and ninety first court battle
In the blink of an eye, in January of the following year, a heavy snowfall fell again, covering the entire northern part of the Tang Dynasty with white snow. At the beginning of the new year, changes were taking place everywhere. The Empress Dowager of the Tang Dynasty issued an edict at the New Year's Day, officially changing the year.
The name was Yuanhe, and the regents Guo Song Jiuxi and Huang Luogai were given, and the emperor's sword was given to them to exercise the emperor's power on his behalf.
At the same time, the Queen Mother summoned Li Si, the military governor of Lingnan Province, Han Huang, the military governor of Liangzhe and Zhejiang provinces, Liu Qia, the military governor of Jiangnan East Road, and Ma Sui, the military governor of Jiangnan West Road, to come to Beijing to report on their duties.
At the same time, great changes also occurred in Luoyang. Zhu Si officially changed the name of his country to Han and called himself the Zhu Han Dynasty. He granted amnesty to the whole country, promoted all officials to one level, and ordered 30,000 shi of grain to be given to the poor and weak to celebrate with the people.
Zhu Si also issued an order to order Huainan County Prince Gao You, Guangling County Prince Xue Lun, Pengcheng County Prince Wu Zhen, and Xiangyang County Prince Dong Xizhi to come to Luoyang to congratulate him.
After returning to Luoyang from the defeat in Hebei, Zhu Si was in a depressed mood. He became even more obsessed with the harem, especially his favorite concubine Liu Meifeng. Liu Guifei's family became the most powerful people in the court. Liu Guifei's brother Liu Feng was granted the title of Shangshu Ling by Zhu Si.
He was also the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and had the power of the Ministry of Personnel and the jurisdiction of the six ministries. The eunuch Wang Xianzhong was granted the title of internal envoy to correct Zhu Si's memorials. He was so powerful that he was called Xian Gong by all officials in the court.
This Wang Xiangong claimed to be fair and upright in his dealings, and even assured Zhu Si that he would never participate in the factional struggles in the court. In fact, this Wang Xiangong only recognized money and not people. He would work for whoever gave him more money.
It is precisely because of his insatiable greed that he is called greedy behind his back.
Due to the strong rise of Liu Feng and Wang Xianzhong, a group of old dignitaries were demoted one after another. First, General Zhang Guangsheng resigned. With Zhu Si's approval, he was removed from his official position, named Liang Guogong, and ordered to live in the capital forever.
Return home and be prepared to listen to edicts and inquire at any time.
Zhang Guangsheng was originally a high-ranking official with fame but no power. His resignation did not cause any turmoil in the court, and no one took him seriously.
However, the life of Right Prime Minister Yuan Xiu and Left Prime Minister Yao Lingyan was not easy. The relationship between the two was originally at odds. However, after the upstart Liu Feng entered the situation, he directly challenged the power of the Prime Minister and showed signs of evading Yuan Xiu. This made Yuan Xiu and Yao Lingyan give up.
They work together to fight against Liu Feng's invasion.
Liu Feng was about forty years old. He was originally a pig butcher in Luoyang. He was dark and strong, fluent in writing, and his family was quite wealthy. In order to advance in the business, he had the idea of two younger sisters. First, his eldest sister Liu Caifeng married him.
General Xiang Fei became his concubine.
Two years ago, Xiang Fei held his 50th birthday, and Zhu Si also attended. Liu Feng lost no time in spending a lot of money to buy a housekeeper in the mansion, and asked his elder sister Liu Caifeng to arrange for his younger sister Liu Meifeng to serve Zhu Si during his lunch break. Zhu Si was fascinated.
That night, Liu Meifeng was brought back to the palace and named a talented person.
Liu Meifeng's charm skills were also very good, which made Zhu Si obsessed with her. In just two years, she was promoted from a talented person to a noble concubine. Zhu Si did not have a queen, so Liu Meifeng was actually the Lord of the Sixth Palace.
In order to gain support from her relatives, Liu Meifeng, under the indoctrination of her pillow, her elder brother Liu Feng was granted the title Duke of Song and Shangshu Ling, his sister Liu Caifeng was granted the title of Lady of Zhao, and her brother-in-law Xiang Fei was granted the title of Duke Cai, General Youwei, and served as the Nine Gates
The governor commanded 30,000 Luoyang city defense troops. Zhang Jiuqu, her brother Liu Feng's brother-in-law, was also named Qianniu Guards Hu Benlang General and became one of the Qianniu Guards Four Generals, commanding 3,000 imperial guards.
In addition, her uncles, brothers and clansmen also obtained beautiful houses and fertile land in Luoyang. It can be said that one person has achieved enlightenment, and chickens and dogs can ascend to heaven.
Liu Feng's political opponent is mainly Right Prime Minister Yuan Xiu, Yuan Xiu is the founding father of the country. He has senior qualifications and is quite powerful. He has many connections in the court. Although Liu Feng is not worried that Yuan Xiu will kill him, he wants to bring down Yuan Xiu.
It's not easy either.
Although Liu Feng was good at maneuvering, he was really no match for Yuan Xiu in terms of political tactics. Yuan Xiu had the power to control edicts. As long as he could win over Wang Xianzhong financially, he could directly issue edicts. Liu Feng's several attacks were all in vain.
Yuan Xiu used an edict to resolve it.
Three months ago, Xiang Fei recommended a staff member to Liu Feng, named Yang Mi, who was from Songcheng County, Songzhou. He was originally an assistant teacher at Songzhou Prefectural School. He was about fifty years old and was thin and small, but he was extremely cunning.
Good at intrigues and intrigues, He Tianxu's military advisor Xu Shize was a match for him.
At first, Liu Feng didn't pay much attention to this staff member Yang Mi. He collected a lot of evidence of Yuan Xiu's corruption and thought he could use Yushitai to bring down Yuan Xiu. Yang Mi told him that this conventional method could not bring him down.
Liu Feng didn't believe Yuan Xiu. When he handed the imperial censor's impeachment letter to Zhu Si, Zhu Si returned it intact. There were only four words on it, 'I already know it!'
Yuan Xiu was fine, which really made Liu Feng depressed. When he asked Yang Mi why he couldn't defeat Yuan Xiu?
Yang Mi told him that Guo Song had annexed the Southern Tang Dynasty. On the surface, the emperor didn't care, but in fact he was extremely vigilant. At this time, the emperor was not afraid that the officials would be greedy for money, but was afraid that the officials would not be greedy for money and collude with Guo Song. Liu Feng then
Only then did he realize that Yang Mi was the talent he needed, so he immediately doubled Yang Mi's salary, changed his accommodation to a private courtyard, and arranged for two maids to serve him.
That afternoon, Yang Mi returned home to worship his ancestors and was immediately called to the study by Liu Feng.
Liu Feng's study was luxuriously furnished. Although he was proficient in writing, he never read. There was not a single book in the study, but it was filled with all kinds of famous porcelain and jade. Liu Guojiu was also addicted to jade, and he had only been in power for a year.
So I collected 3,000 yuan of various kinds of beautiful jade and filled the study room.
Liu Feng sat at the table and said: "Yesterday, the imperial concubine sent someone to deliver a message, saying that Dong Xizhi, the king of Xiangyang County, refused to come to Luoyang for an audience. The emperor was furious and scolded Yuan Xiu together. I don't know why. The imperial concubine said that the emperor rarely does this.
angry."
Yang Mi rolled his eyes, "Mr. Liu, is this Dong Xizhi closely related to Yuan Xiu?"
"This is really unclear."
Yang Mi thought for a while and then asked: "I have a suggestion before the New Year. How has Mr. Liu considered it?"
"You mean to form an alliance with Yao Lingyan?"
Yang Mi nodded, and Liu Feng frowned, "I heard that they are joining forces to deal with me, and they are afraid that Yao Lingyan will not form an alliance with me."
Yang Mi smiled slightly, "The world is bustling, people come for profit, and the world is bustling, people leave for profit. As long as Liu Gong gives Yao Lingyan enough benefits, I am afraid that he will not form an alliance. As far as I know, before Liu Gong came to power,
Yao Lingyan and Yuan Xiu had been fighting for power for many years. Because Liu Gong came to power, Yao Lingyan was afraid of losing his position, so he joined forces with Yuan Xiu. As long as Liu Gong guaranteed his position as the left prime minister and promised to give him the power to appoint and remove officials below the sixth rank.
I believe he will definitely fall into Liu Gong’s arms.”
"Then what?"
"Then Liu Gong and Yao Lingyan join forces, are you still afraid that they won't be able to defeat Yuan Xiu?"
Liu Feng nodded happily, gave a thumbs up and said: "Brilliant! However, the appointment of officials is very generous. Giving him six grades is a bit too much. At most, give him below eight grades."
Yang Mi chuckled, "A promise is a promise, as long as Yuan Xiu is overthrown, it is not Liu Gong who has the final say whether he will be appointed or dismissed as an official!"
"Okay! I'll write to Yao Lingyan right now."
...........
Yao Lingyan was sitting in the study, staring at a letter in front of him in a daze. Just now, Liu Feng's housekeeper sent him a letter, saying it was an autographed letter from their master.
This is indeed Liu Feng's handwritten letter. Yao Lingyan recognized his handwriting. It is thick and angular, like a piece of granite that has not been polished.
Such a person can be regarded as a newcomer in the court. However, this market butcher rose to the top because of his sister's favor. He became the minister and took control of the official department. It is really annoying and worrying. This Liu Feng is like
If a bison breaks into a porcelain shop, will it shatter all the rules of the imperial court?
But at this time, a letter from Liu Feng made Yao Lingyan calm down and he began to become rational. He began to realize that this Liu Feng was not stupid. Liu Feng actually knew how to form an alliance with him to deal with Yuan Xiu. In addition, his sister was
The emperor loved him so much that this seemingly stupid Liu Feng was most likely to be in charge of the government.
But what made Yao Lingyan even more tempted was that Liu Feng agreed to continue serving as the left prime minister, and promised that he would appoint officials below the sixth rank, that is, his own people would serve as ministers of the Ministry of Civil Affairs. Yao Lingyan could not refuse this condition.
Yao Lingyan paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his hands. He was weighing the pros and cons. What would he lose by overthrowing Yuan Xiu?
In fact, he will lose nothing, but will get a share of Yuanxiu's downfall. Isn't this what he has dreamed of for many years?
Yao Lingyan conjectured that after Yuan Xiu's fall, would Liu Feng continue to deal with him?
The answer is definitely not. Liu Feng is not as proficient in government affairs as Yuan Xiu. He is just a butcher in the market. He knows nothing and knows nothing. He definitely needs someone who is proficient in government affairs to share his worries. Besides himself, he also has
Who can I find?
Yao Lingyan suddenly realized that the benefits he would gain from cooperating with Liu Feng were far greater than those from cooperating with Yuan Xiu.
Yao Lingyan wished he could slap himself in the face. He was really dizzy. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was right in front of him, but he didn't even see it!