Han Dynasty Achievements

Chapter 62 It's My Turn

The people in the Jiade Hall didn't have to wait too long, as Cao Cao came in first.

He was shirtless, tied up, and dragged to his knees in the hall.

Cao Cao knocked his head to the ground with a gloomy look on his face.

He smelled alcohol before he came in, and when he knelt in the hall, the whole hall was filled with the smell of alcohol.

Liu Bian stared at him coldly and said, "You did a good thing!"

Cao Cao's face turned livid, and he seemed to be angry. Suddenly, he burped and said hurriedly, "I know my crime."

Liu Bian frowned and saw Yuan Ji, dressed in marquis's clothes, coming in.

Yuan Ji walked in and looked directly at Liu Bian who was sitting in the hall. This was the first time he saw Liu Bian since he ascended the throne.

He glanced at Ding Gong, Liu Hong, Wang Yun and others, and stepped forward to salute without being humble or arrogant, saying, "Your Majesty, I, Yuan Ji, the Marquis of Anguoting, pay my respects to you."

Liu Bian nodded and said, "No need to be polite."

He discovered that Yuan Ji never even looked at Cao Cao from beginning to end.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Yuan Ji withdrew his hand and stood still.

Liu Bian looked at Cao Cao, who was shirtless, and glanced at Yuan Ji, thinking about how to deal with this matter.

The status of concubines at that time was very low, even lower than that of servants. In theory, having sex with a slut was not a big deal, but the key point was that this was a concubine of the Yuan family.

Aristocratic families pay attention to family background and need to be respectable.

Xun You looked at Cao Cao, who was shirtless and wearing only underwear, and guessed what was going on. Seeing that the scene was quiet, he suddenly said, "Your Majesty, the Qiang people are in turmoil and are endangering the three prefectures. I suggest that you send Captain Cao to lead the imperial army to help, to show your Majesty's attention."

Liu Bian glanced at him, knowing what he meant, and said calmly, "What do the Yuan family think?"

Yuan Ji looked calm, raised his hand and said, "Your Majesty, I think it is inappropriate to punish close officials when amnesty is imminent."

Cao Cao knocked his head to the ground, his narrow eyes were full of coldness, and he snorted in his heart.

Xun You felt something was wrong when he heard this, and suddenly realized it. He said quickly, "Your Majesty, I think you should be demoted and fined as a punishment."

Liu Bian was stunned for a moment when he heard this, and looking at Xun You's expression, he suddenly understood what was going on.

Yuan Ji seemed to be pleading for Cao Cao, but he mentioned amnesty, implicitly referring to Yuan Shao!

"Whose trick is this? Is this Yuan Ji's?"

Liu Bian thought to himself and had to admit, this was quite a clever idea. Did he want to exchange Cao Cao for Yuan Shao?

"Mr. Yuan's family?" Liu Bian looked at Yuan Ji.

Yuan Ji said: "I will obey your order."

Pushing it to me again?

Liu Bian frowned and said immediately: "Then let's do it according to the law. Hand him over to the Supreme Court and drag him out."

The imperial guards strode in and dragged Cao Cao out.

From beginning to end, Cao Cao didn't say a word.

After Cao Cao was dragged away, Liu Bian began to change his mind.

The Yuan family's tactics followed one after another without any pause, leaving him no time to carry out his plans.

Slowly, he narrowed his eyes slightly, smiled and said to Yuan Ji: "Mr. Yuan, please sit down. I called you to the palace late at night because I want to talk to you about Dong Zhuo."

Yuan Ji sat down, looking normal, and said, "Your Majesty, the Qiang people have invaded the three prefectures. It is not appropriate to send Dong Zhuo to the capital at this time. We should order him to lead the troops to support us."

Liu Bian said indifferently: "It's just the Qiang people, there's no need to make a fuss. Yuan Qingjia, the Yellow Turban Rebellion in Qingzhou is getting more and more intense. I'm considering your family to go and help Zhu Qingjia recruit soldiers and raise food."

Yuan Ji was very confused about this arrangement. He paused, raised his hand and said, "I accept your order."

Liu Bian nodded and said, "We will set off tomorrow. You should go to bed early."

Yuan Ji was startled, his doubts grew even stronger, and he stood up and said, "I'll take my leave."

Ding Gong, Liu Hong, Wang Yun, Xun You and others were also puzzled when they saw Liu Bian driving away Yuan Ji in this way.

As soon as Yuan Ji left, Liu Bian said, "Pan Yin, tomorrow morning, send an imperial decree ordering Yuan Wei to go to Bingzhou in person to persuade Dong Zhuo to come to the capital."

Now, it's my turn to take action!

Ding Gong, Liu Hong and others were stunned. Should they send Yuan Wei to persuade Dong Zhuo?

Liu Bian did not give these people time to think wildly. He sat up straight and said in a deep voice: "There are a few things that you need to do next."

Seeing Liu Bian's serious expression, everyone bowed and pretended to listen attentively to the emperor's teachings.

"First, fill the six ministers, He Yong and Zheng Tai to fill the vacancies." Liu Bian said.

No one had any objection.

The Secretariat was under the jurisdiction of the Shaofu. The Secretariat had Shangshu Ling, Pushe, and then Shangshu. Therefore, the official rank of Shangshu was very low, with a salary of 600 shi.

"second,"

Liu Bian looked at them and said, "Promote the six ministers to a salary of 2,200 dan. Dismiss the Shangshu Ling, Pushe, and others."

Ding Gong, Liu Hong, and Wang Yun listened with a look of slight surprise.

You know, the salary of the Nine Ministers is only 2,100 dan per year, and the salary of the six ministers exceeds that of the Nine Ministers!

This position is really too high!

Liu Bian took in their expressions and said, "Third, comprehensively sort out the powers and responsibilities of each temple, government, and government in the court, with the Shangshutai leading the national government affairs, and the nine ministers assisting."

Ding Gong, Liu Hong and Wang Yun were no longer just slightly shocked, they were extremely shocked!

In legal terms, the Nine Ministers were the most important departments of the court and held actual power. Although the Secretariat was a central agency, it only had decision-making power. By doing this, did the emperor want to completely deprive the Nine Ministers of their power and concentrate it in the Secretariat?

Xun You was calmer, because Liu Bian had talked to him about this before, and it was just preliminary, and even the dismissal of the three officials had not been mentioned.

At the same time, Xun You also understood another intention of Liu Bian's doing so.

The disciples and former officials of the Yuan family occupied most of the court. By doing this, the Yuan family could be sidelined!

"No wonder Your Majesty wants to send Yuan Wei and Yuan Ji away." Xun You suddenly understood and looked at Liu Bian with a glance, secretly admiring him.

"fourth,"

Liu Bian looked dignified and said, "All the palace officials will be dismissed. The existing officials will be arranged by you nobles. All official documents and imperial edicts in the palace will be delivered by the eunuchs."

Ding Gong, Liu Hong, Wang Yun and Xun You had no objection to this. In the past, the Twelve Eunuchs and other officials controlled the imperial palace and formed the "Outer Palace", which competed with the Shangshu Palace and had been engaged in factional struggles for many years.

"fifth,"

Liu Bian looked at them and said, "Abolish the Shaofu and set up the Nei Shi Sheng. All the affairs of the Shaofu will be divided among the Shangshu Tai, the Nine Ministers, and the Nei Shi Sheng."

Ding Gong, Liu Hong and others listened silently and agreed with this.

The duties of the Shaofu are mainly within the palace, and some of them overlap with those of the Da Si Nong, the Three Dukes' Office, etc. As for the Shangshu Tai to which it belongs, its actual status far exceeds that of the Shaofu.

Liu Bian thought for a moment and said, "Sixth, dismiss the Southern Army, Northern Army, Qimen, etc. The capital will be guarded by the Yulin Army, and the Imperial Palace will be guarded by the Imperial Guards."

No one spoke. Before Huangfu Song led his troops into the capital, the Northern Army, the Southern Army, etc. had already become non-existent, and only the Yulin Army still barely existed.

"seventh,"

Liu Bian's expression became more serious, and he said, "The Huangmen Beisi Prison is located outside the palace, and is responsible for arresting criminals. It is not under the jurisdiction of the court, nor is it under the control of the Three Dukes, the Shangshutai, or the Nine Ministers."

Ding Gong's face panicked, he looked up at Liu Bian and said, "Your Majesty, the Yellow Gate North Temple Prison..."

When the eunuchs' party was fighting with the relatives' party, the Huangmen Beisi Prison played a role. Some court officials were arrested and taken to the palace, never to come out again.

Liu Bian waved his hand to stop him from speaking, saying: "I have made up my mind, and you all must act in accordance with my order and be cautious."

Although the four of them had some doubts in their hearts, they looked at each other and raised their hands and said, "We obey your order."

After Liu Bian finished speaking, he stood up and left.

When I went out of the side door, I saw Cao Cao kneeling on the ground under a lantern not far away.

Liu Bian walked over and looked at his very fair and tender back. He couldn't help but smile and said, "Were you tricked?"

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