Chương 72: Liu Hong Unleashes His Sharp Tongue Mode

Seeing Yang Ci defeated, Chen Dan cursed under his breath, "Useless thing," and stepped forward shakily, leaning on his cane.

He was of high seniority, considered himself a man of integrity, and spoke with greater strategy. Stroking his long, snow-white beard, he adopted a worried, historically-seeking demeanor as he slowly began to speak:

"Your Majesty, this old minister believes that this matter concerns the laws and regulations of our ancestors. The imperial family members are valued for 'maintaining the status quo,' and should enjoy honor and honor while guarding their fiefdoms and serving as a bulwark for the imperial family."

Commanding troops and waging war, governing the people and managing affairs of state are neither his forte nor his proper role.

The root cause of the "Rebellion of the Seven States" was that the royal family members and feudal lords held too much military power, which became too powerful to control and ultimately led to the tragedy of brothers fighting each other and the country being in turmoil.

This serves as a warning, Your Majesty!

He paused, looked at Liu Hong, his eyes heavy:

"Now Liu Ce, as a member of the imperial clan, holds the power of the governor of Youzhou and temporarily leads the military affairs of Jizhou. He has complete control over the military power of both provinces."

Your Majesty, this old minister does not doubt Liu Ce's loyalty, but... but how similar is this power structure to that of the Seven Kingdoms period?

This old minister is truly worried about the safety of the nation, and fears that something unspeakable might happen!

I urge Your Majesty to reconsider. Even if you wish to bestow rewards, please grant them wealth, land, fine wine, and beautiful women. The real power to command troops and govern the people, especially the power of a provincial governor, must not be lightly granted to a member of the imperial clan!

(Liu Hong: Let's go to Inner Mongolia. There we have, grass, you, horses, and the Gobi Desert. That sounds nice, but you guys should just give me the money.) He directly labeled it the "Rebellion of the Seven States," which was undeniably ruthless.

Liu Hong understood perfectly well what Chen Dan meant by quoting classical texts and making alarmist remarks.

Far from being angry, he almost burst out laughing. He knew all too well what these old foxes were up to.

What they feared was not Liu Ce's rebellion, but rather that Liu Ce, one of their own, would take his place and block their path to promotion, wealth, and power!

While they chanted "ancestral laws" and "the Rebellion of the Seven States," all they could think about was "how my son/nephew/disciple should rise to power."

Moreover, after the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Liu Hong himself saw many things more clearly.

Local officials and powerful families, under the guise of suppressing the rebellion, recruited soldiers and expanded their power, sometimes rendering the imperial court's orders ineffective.

The emperor, whose maternal relative He Jin was also pressing hard in the central government, felt like he was sitting on the dragon throne with his body almost hollowed out, and he was very insecure.

He urgently needs someone capable and powerful, but with no connection to the existing wealthy families or powerful relatives, to step forward and help him stabilize the situation and balance the power between the parties.

In his eyes, Liu Ce was the perfect candidate! He was capable (as evidenced by his suppression of the Yellow Turban Rebellion) and loyal (at least outwardly obedient, and a member of the imperial clan).

Most importantly—he had no background! He had no connections in the court, unlike those scions of powerful families who were deeply entrenched in their power.

He felt more at ease using such people, and they were also easier to control (in his opinion).

Appointing Liu Ce as the governor of Youzhou to guard the northern frontier, while simultaneously holding some military power in Jizhou, is like driving a strong nail into the north. This would not only defend against foreign invaders but also deter disobedient powerful clans and restrain He Jin.

This is a brilliant move that achieves multiple benefits!

He was practically a "top-notch henchman" and "balancing pawn" tailor-made for him! How could he possibly cripple his skills just because of a few words of "ancestral laws" nonsense?

With this in mind, Liu Hong felt even more confident.

"What if? What if what?" Liu Hong retorted before Chen Dan could continue, his tone laced with undisguised sarcasm.

"What if Liu Ce rebels like the Seven Kingdoms? Minister Chen, you have quite the imagination."

Why don't you take a good look at yourself in the mirror... oh no, why don't you take a closer look at what kind of person Liu Ce is?

When he quelled the Yellow Turban Rebellion, wasn't he always at the forefront? The marks of swords and arrows on his armor couldn't be faked!

Look at your son, Chen Lin, right? He's quite talented, spending his days writing articles in teahouses and taverns in Luoyang, denouncing the Yellow Turbans with such fervor and passion, his spittle flying everywhere.

But you want him to actually take a knife to the battlefield and try? I reckon at the sound of war drums, he'd run faster than a rabbit on the grasslands! Aren't you worried that your son might 'stir up trouble' the literary style of the court?"

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty..." (You... you...) Chen Dan was so choked by the merciless and outspoken mockery that he almost couldn't catch his breath. Pointing at Liu Hong, his white beard twitched with anger, and he trembled all over. He couldn't utter a complete sentence for a long time and almost fainted on the spot. He was quickly supported by the people next to him.

Seeing that his two heavyweight teammates were utterly defeated by the emperor's few words, Yuan Wei was both anxious and angry.

He knew he couldn't beat around the bush anymore; he had to directly point out the core "harm".

He steeled himself and stepped forward again, his tone "earnest":

"Your Majesty! We are not questioning Liu Ce's achievements, nor are we questioning his loyalty! It's just that rewards and punishments must be measured and must conform to the court's system and the people's expectations!"

Marquis of Champion, with a fief of ten thousand households! General of Chariots and Cavalry, holding the highest rank among ministers! Governor of Youzhou, with his own government and absolute power over life and death!

This reward... is far too generous! It might set a precedent for extravagant rewards, encouraging others to covet it, and also causing resentment among the ordinary soldiers who are truly fighting on the front lines! Your Majesty, please reconsider!

Looking at Yuan Wei's "I'm doing all this for the good of the court" face, Liu Hong suddenly laughed, a laugh that was both amused and insightful.

Instead of directly refuting him, he posed three questions:

"Minister Yuan, I have a question for you. First, Liu Ce charged into battle with unparalleled bravery, beheading the enemy chieftain in succession. The title of 'Champion' is truly well-deserved. Is there any problem with bestowing upon him the title of Marquis of Champion?"

Yuan Wei paused for a moment: "This... his bravery is indeed..."

Liu Hong didn't give him time to think and continued to ask:

"Secondly, Youzhou borders the grasslands to the north and has suffered from the burning, killing and looting of the Xianbei and Wuhuan peoples from the south for many years. The border people have suffered greatly, and the court has repeatedly sent troops to suppress them, but with little effect."

Now, besides Liu Ce, who has just achieved great military exploits and is skilled in warfare, who else in the entire court can volunteer, confidently guaranteeing that they can defend the northern border for me and hold back the barbarian cavalry? Do you have anyone in mind? Or does your Yuan family have someone willing to go?

Sweat beaded on Yuan Wei's forehead: "Your Majesty... Youzhou is bitterly cold, and the Xianbei are fierce..."

"Third," Liu Hong emphasized.

"Although the main force of the Yellow Turbans in Ji Province has been quelled, a large number of remnants have scattered in the mountains and forests, and they often appear to harass and plunder the prefectures and counties, causing panic among the people of Ji Province and making recovery difficult."

These mountain bandits and outlaws were impossible to eradicate completely. Therefore, Liu Ce, who had just experienced a major battle, was familiar with Yellow Turban tactics, and carried the momentum of a great victory, was temporarily put in charge of leading the troops of Ji Province to suppress and pacify them.

Who else can stabilize the situation in Ji Province more quickly and effectively, allowing the imperial court to refocus its attention sooner? Tell me, who is it?

Liu Hong's three questions were like three sharp arrows, each hitting the nail on the head.

The principle of granting titles based on military merit, the need for capable generals to defend the borders, and the need to seize the momentum of victory to quell rebellions is logically almost impeccable.

In particular, when the question of "who can go to Youzhou to resist the Hu people" was raised, the hall fell silent.

Which pampered patriarch would willingly send himself or his nephews to such a harsh, war-torn place? They'd be running for their lives!