Three Kingdoms: I am not Liu Bian

Chapter 347 After you become an official, we are still expected to abide by the law? Then what the hell is the point of being an official?

"How dare you flatterers ramble on here!"

However, as soon as Xuan Fan finished speaking, it aroused strong opposition from Shen Pei, who even launched a personal attack on Xuan Fan and angrily refuted him.

The air inside the hall seemed to freeze instantly.

After his angry rebuke, Shen Pei seemed to realize his breach of etiquette before the emperor. His chest was still heaving slightly from anger, but he immediately turned to the throne, barely suppressing his rage. He bowed solemnly to Liu Bian and explained in a deeper voice, "The country is currently at war. If we were to carry out a large-scale purge in Chenliu County, it would likely incite a rebellion by powerful clans, which would be very detrimental to the war effort."

Xuan Fan, who was accused of being a "sycophant," did not get angry at all. He just narrowed his eyes slightly, his face calm to the point of indifference, and silently watched Shen Pei, as if trying to see something from his face.

For him, it was common for Legalist scholars to be rejected by Confucianists. Even though his ancestors were marquises who founded the Han Dynasty, he could only do so to avoid disgracing his ancestors.

He was already used to even harsher insults, so Shen Pei's rebuke was nothing to him.

Moreover, did Shen Pei really think that he was only opposing him, the Chief Clerk of the Court of Justice?
These criminals deserve to die for their crimes, and the emperor also wants to kill them. Only then will this official, the Chief Justice, cooperate with the emperor and take the initiative to act as the emperor's executioner, solving these crimes for the emperor.

Liu Bian didn't pay much attention to the confrontation between the two. He just looked at Shen Pei with a slightly lowered gaze and a thoughtful expression, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly.

He then realized that Shen Pei seemed to have changed somewhat recently.

This time, the emperor personally led the expedition, and not many cabinet ministers accompanied him.

Attendant-in-Ordinary Zhu Jun, Gentleman-in-Waiting Xun You and Shen Pei, Attendant-in-Ordinary Lu Cui and Ruan Yu, Secretary Hu Zhao and Secretary Du Xi accompanied the emperor.

Although Zhu Jun was nominally the highest-ranking and most senior cabinet minister, he had a criminal record, and Liu Bian did not fully trust him. Therefore, he entrusted Shen Pei with all the authority to handle military affairs of the Left Guard Battalion.

Unlike those who guarded the imperial palace, the Left Guard Battalion accompanied the emperor on his travels, which involved much more complex military affairs.

Although the emperor's temporary residence was located outside Chenliu County, the city's defenses had long been taken over by Xun Fei, the Flying Cavalry Commandant, to prevent any unforeseen events.

The deployment and encampment of the other camps, as well as the receipt of provisions from the Chenliu County government treasury to support the army, were not matters that the individual camp commanders could decide on their own. Although Dian Wei was brave, he was not able to handle them properly.

Of the cabinet ministers accompanying the emperor, apart from Zhu Jun, only Xun You and Shen Pei were knowledgeable in military affairs. However, Xun You was taciturn and not suitable for military command, while Shen Pei was courageous and willing to take on responsibilities. Therefore, Shen Pei was entrusted with making decisions on behalf of Dian Wei.

As for the other investigations into the illegal and disorderly conduct of officials and powerful families in Chenliu County, Shen Pei was also appointed as an inspector by Liu Bian because of his uprightness.

With each increase in power, Shen Pei's authority has grown increasingly stronger, and he seems poised to surpass the other officials accompanying the emperor.

Liu Bian suddenly recalled Xun Yu's four-character evaluation of Shen Pei in history.

Focused but lacking in strategy!
"Lack of strategy" does not necessarily mean stupidity. Considering that Shen Pei, as the garrison commander of Ye City, arrested Xu You's wife and children, the core strategist, during the height of the battle, because Xu You's family had committed a crime, Liu Bian believed that Shen Pei lacked a sense of the big picture.

As for the word "专" (zhuān), it means monopolistic power.

Shen Pei is obsessed with power and acts arbitrarily. Recently, he has gained a lot of power, and it is likely that power has nourished his mind and made him arrogant.

When Shen Pei criticized Lü Bu's behavior earlier, Liu Bian didn't think much of it. But now that he saw Shen Pei reprimand Xuan Fan and even insult Xuan Fan in front of the emperor, Liu Bian couldn't help but feel suspicious and wondered about Shen Pei's intentions.

While Shen Pei is praised by later generations for his loyalty and righteousness, he was by no means a purely honest minister.

The attack on Xu You was merely an extension of the factional struggle among Yuan Shao's sons.

After the fall of Ye City, Shen Pei's family fortune reached tens of thousands, and many of his family members and clansmen were found to have embezzled land and concealed household registrations. If Shen Pei were truly so upright, how could he have tolerated his relatives to such an extent? (Note 1)

Regardless of whether Shen Pei's statements before and after were motivated by public interest or autocracy, when Liu Bian began to question Shen Pei's intentions, his true purpose became irrelevant.

What concerned Liu Bian even more was that he gradually realized that several factions had quietly emerged among the former officials of the Prince's residence.

First, there was the factional division regarding civil and military duties. This was not the era at the end of the Han Dynasty, where even scholars had to lead troops. Therefore, apart from a few loyalists like Cao Cao, the division between military generals and civil officials was mostly clear.

Next, they were divided into factions based on their birth into the imperial family, aristocratic families, and commoners. Then, they were divided into factions based on their place of origin. Finally, they were divided into factions formed by Confucianism and Legalism.

Although the former officials from the Prince's residence banded together for mutual support, no conflict arose between the factions, and they continued to serve him, the emperor, so Liu Bian never paid much attention to them.

Factions are an inevitable part of political groups, and people naturally develop feelings for each other when working together on a daily basis, not to mention those from the same hometown.

But this incident undoubtedly served as a wake-up call for him.

Liu Bian glanced at Shen Pei without changing his expression, then his gaze swept over the assembled officials in the hall. He spoke in a deep voice, breaking the brief silence, and asked, "What do you all think we should do?"

As the Chamberlain, Zhu Jun was the eldest, most senior, and highest-ranking official, so he was the first to speak, saying, "I am not familiar with many general affairs, but I am good at military matters and only know about military affairs."

“From a military perspective, if I were a soldier on the front lines, upon learning that the enemy's armor and weapons were actually funded by powerful clans in the rear, I would surely be filled with righteous indignation! If their heads were displayed to the army, morale would be greatly boosted, and the soldiers would all be grateful for the Emperor's wisdom, fighting even harder.” He paused slightly, secretly glancing at the Emperor's expression, before continuing, “Even if there are one or two treacherous villains causing trouble in the rear, they are nothing more than a mantis trying to stop a chariot, not worth a second glance.”

Liu Bian nodded slightly. Zhu Jun was much more obedient than before. Although what he said was reasonable, he spoke more after trying to understand his superior's intentions. Therefore, Liu Bian looked at Xun You and asked, "Where is Gongda?"

Xun You was by nature quiet and reserved, but his mind was extremely sharp.

Although he did not know the emperor's specific thoughts, he understood that the emperor's will was more inclined towards Xuan Fan.

However, he disliked fighting and, being a fellow minister with Shen Pei, was someone he would inevitably run into, so he was unwilling to get involved in this matter.

But now that the Emperor has inquired, Xun You hesitated slightly before cautiously speaking: “I believe that exterminating three clans is too harsh. Not every aristocratic family is involved in a marriage alliance, and there are not necessarily so many rebels under the Emperor’s rule. For example, the Ruan and Lu families of Chenliu behind Yuan Yu (Ruan Yu) and Wen Wei (Lu Cui) were both known for their integrity and had a reputation for benevolence in Chenliu County. They were deeply loved by the people and could not help but be implicated without cause.”

“However, if such a serious crime of aiding the enemy is only punished lightly as a warning, it will be difficult to demonstrate the majesty of the Emperor, let alone win the hearts of the people. Therefore, I believe that the entire clan should be executed.”

Unlike Zhu Jun, Xun You did not explicitly take sides, but instead took a different path, which surprised Liu Bian.

"Yuan Yu and Wen Wei, I will not ask further, for I know you two are in a difficult position."

"Thank you for your understanding, country."

Liu Bian breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Ruan Yu and Lu Cui looking somewhat nervous and conflicted; he could understand their concerns.

Liu Bian looked at Ruan Yu and Lu Cui, whose faces showed tension and confusion, and softened his tone, showing understanding.

The two men, both from aristocratic families in Chenliu County, accompanied the group because they were familiar with the local situation in Chenliu County.

The relationships between powerful and wealthy families are intricate and complex, especially among those living in the same county. Almost every household is related by marriage, and even those families that have become enemies still have unbreakable kinship ties, which makes their situation quite awkward.

But Lu Cui had no psychological burden. He reported whichever family he wanted to report, and even reported many lawbreakers in his own clan.

Even before the emperor ascended the throne in the first year of the Han Dynasty, he had sternly warned his clansmen to abide by the law and not to break the law again.

Afterwards, Lu Cui took the lead in paying all the taxes that his family had not paid in the past, and all the land that had not been reported was registered in the county government. All the hidden households were also registered in the tenant households' household register and were responsible for the tenant households' tax exemption.

However, many clansmen could not understand this. They believed that Lu Cui's actions were merely a way to make his career smoother, without considering the clan's interests.

Now that you've become an official and hold the position of Attendant-in-Ordinary with the power to handle the affairs of the Imperial Secretariat, shouldn't you give back to your clan?

Before you become an official, we must abide by the law!

Even after you become an official, we must still abide by the law!
Then wasn't he just a useless official?

Lu Cui didn't bother to argue. It's hard to persuade a damned ghost with kind words. He was the direct descendant of the Lu family of Chenliu, and the collateral relatives depended on the direct descendant for survival.

The clan originally relied on the direct line to prosper. In other words, he was the Lu family of Chenliu, and it was their direct line that supported the development of the clan. Even without these collateral branches, he would still be able to obtain everything he has now and owe the so-called clan nothing.

Since the collateral relatives are so ignorant of the times, then don't blame him for using these people as a means to advance his career, to gain a reputation for "sacrificing family for the greater good," and to win the emperor's favor!

However, Ruan Yu was not as heartless as Lu Cui. Since returning to Chenliu County, not only the elders and younger members of his clan, but also many powerful families that had married into the Ruan clan of Chenliu sent him invitations or visiting cards, hoping to get some information from him. As a result, Ruan Yu dared not leave the emperor's temporary residence to go out again.

Although Ruan Yu found it difficult to be ruthless, he, like Lu Cui, tried to avoid participating in discussions on matters involving the prominent families of Chenliu County, except for filing reports, in order to avoid suspicion.

"Zheng Nan," Liu Bian spoke again, his gaze returning to Shen Pei, a gentle smile playing on his lips. His tone was calm as he said, "As a subject, one who receives the emperor's favor should share his burdens. I do not oppose subjects pursuing personal gain, but they must not violate the law and the established order, much less engage in rebellious acts. Therefore, those who receive the emperor's favor but do not think of repaying it, I believe should be executed along with their entire families as a warning to the world. What do you think?"

Although the emperor's words contained no hint of reprimand, Shen Pei's body trembled violently, and cold sweat instantly broke out on his back.

He realized that the emperor was dissatisfied with him; this wasn't a comment on the powerful and wealthy families, but a warning to him.

If he did not want to be the one whose entire clan was exterminated, he naturally had to understand the emperor's will and must never go against the emperor's wishes.

Shen Pei was not stupid. Sensing the emperor's displeasure, he naturally sought to make amends. He immediately bowed deeply and said, "Your subject is foolish and dull, and failed to understand Your Majesty's heart. I beg to oversee the execution of these people for the sake of the country!"

Liu Bian nodded slightly, his smile deepening, and offered a helping hand, saying, "Good."

(3278 words)
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Note 1: From the Records of the Three Kingdoms, Volume 11, Book of Wei, Chapter 11, Biographies of Yuan, Zhang, Liang, Tian, ​​Wang, Bing, and Guan, Biography of Wang Xiu: The Yuan family's administration was lenient, and those in positions of power often amassed wealth. When Cao Cao conquered Ye, he confiscated the property of Shen Pei and others, amounting to tens of thousands of taels of silver.

The Records of the Three Kingdoms, Volume 1, Book of Wei, Biography of Emperor Wu, quotes the Book of Wei, Cao Cao's edict: "During the rule of the Yuan family, the powerful and wealthy were allowed to act arbitrarily, and relatives and friends annexed land; the poor and weak people paid taxes and rents on behalf of the emperor, and even sold their family wealth, but it was not enough to meet their demands; the Yuan family members were investigated and matched, and even criminals were hidden away, and fugitives were taken hostage."

(End of this chapter)