gnovel Chapter 7: The Power Struggle and Emperor Wu of Han's Frustration!
Chapter 7: The Power Struggle and Emperor Wu of Han's Frustration!
"It's just that I've grown a bit."
"Father, you may have forgotten that I first learned the Gongyang School of divination, and then the Guliang School."
"If we talk about Confucianism, there are few in the world who can compare to me."
"His Majesty is the same!"
Liu Ju stood tall and spoke boldly without any hesitation.
"call!!!"
Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, was rendered speechless by his words, since it was all his doing.
This Han emperor ascended the throne at the age of sixteen and did not have his first son until he was 29, whom he named Liu Ju.
He devoted almost all his energy to his eldest son, Liu Ju. At the age of seven, Liu Ju was made crown prince and heir apparent. He invited the best scholars of the time to teach Liu Ju, first the Gongyang School, then the Guliang School, and he also studied the works of various schools of thought. Liu Ju was proficient in martial arts, riding and archery.
In other words, compared to Liu Ju, the 18-year-old Liu Che had no other merits besides being bold.
What do you want?
Liu Che forcibly suppressed his anger and tried to talk to Liu Juping and others.
He knew that Liu Ju now held too much power, so much that even he, the Emperor of Han, couldn't do anything to his own son.
"During the court assembly, I can support my father's trip to Mount Tai for the Fengshan ceremony."
"In exchange, Huo Shan will be raised by the Crown Prince's Palace from this day forward, and no one is allowed to interfere."
Liu Ju frankly stated his conditions.
Even if he did not support Emperor Wu of Han's Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai, it would not have changed the outcome of Emperor Wu's Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai.
The most regrettable aspect of this Fengshan ceremony was the death of Huo Shan, the only son of Huo Qubing, the Marquis of Jingheng.
Huo Shan was not only Huo Qubing's only bloodline, but also the hope in the hearts of those generals who had followed Huo Qubing in pursuit of his enemies.
His sudden death not only made these people doubt Emperor Liu Che of the Han Dynasty, but also deprived them of their object of loyalty, their ideals and future to strive for. This force dissipated and could no longer expand the territory and defend the borders for the Han Empire.
With Huo Shan in his hands, Liu Ju essentially gained the support of Huo Qubing's former subordinates, and Huo Shan was the next champion he was grooming.
Of course, as Wei Qing's nephew, his primary supporter should be Wei Qing's former subordinates.
However, Wei Qing had not led troops for many years, and his old subordinates had long been discontented. Ren An, the later Northern Army Envoy and Protector of the Army, was just one of them. Han Shuo, the Marquis of Andao who was then the Grand Master of Ceremonies, was also a former subordinate of Wei Qing, but he spared no effort in killing Liu Ju.
The Wei family and the Crown Prince share both glory and ruin; their loyalty is beyond question, but this does not mean that Wei Qing's former subordinates are loyal to the Crown Prince.
Therefore, Liu Ju could only choose to use Huo Shan as a medium to win over Huo Qubing's former troops in the army.
"it is good."
Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, stared at the unfamiliar crown prince and squeezed out a single word through gritted teeth.
The reason he kept Huo Shan in the palace was not only to protect Huo Qubing's only bloodline, but also to appease Huo Qubing's old troops, a crucial force in the Han army.
General Fubo Lu Bode, General Xionghe Zhao Ponu, and Xiongnu generals Zhao Xin, Changtuluo, Dong Tuwu, Diao Yannian, and others were all former subordinates of Huo Qubing and had the deepest influence in the army.
He knew what the Crown Prince wanted: to control Huo Qubing's old subordinates through Huo Shan, but he didn't care.
As long as he was still alive, these subordinates of Huo Qubing would never betray the emperor and choose the crown prince instead; this was Emperor Wu of Han's confidence.
In contrast, with Crown Prince Liu Ju on his side, there would be no obstacles to the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai, which was what Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, cared about most at the moment.
"Your subject has one more request."
"Liu Ju, don't be so presumptuous!"
Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, narrowed his eyes and shouted angrily.
"Father is joking."
Liu Ju smiled faintly and said, "The Jianzhang Palace, Weiyang Palace, Changle Palace, and Ganquan Palace will all have guards appointed."
"As the Crown Prince, my palace is like a sieve; anyone can come and go as they please."
Where is the dignity of the Crown Prince of the Han Dynasty?
Are you accusing me?
Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, was furious, and he certainly understood the hidden meaning in Crown Prince Liu Ju's words.
Today's events were an accident, but the audacity of Jiang Chong, the Imperial Censor, once challenged the Crown Prince's authority.
Liu Ju had enough of this to stir up a storm and make the world condemn him as emperor.
"Your subject would certainly not dare."
Liu Ju said calmly, "Just in case, the Marquis of Champion will be moving into Bowang Garden soon."
"I suppose His Majesty won't allow anything to happen to him."
"The appointment of a Commandant of the Guards to the Crown Prince's palace is against protocol!"
Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, glanced at him and said coldly.
"The four palaces are the residence of Father Emperor and Mother Empress, and your son dares not offend them."
"The Crown Prince's palace was staffed with Left and Right Guards, each with a rank of 800 shi (a unit of grain), a bronze seal and a black ribbon, and commanding 800 guards."
Liu Ju bowed and made his request.
"Can!!!"
Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, agreed to the matter.
Within the Han Dynasty court, a salary of 800 shi was usually reserved for the magistrate of a large county with more than 10,000 households, or for the Crown Prince's Household Steward, the Chancellor's Chief Secretary/Supervisor, the General of the Guards' Chief Secretary, the Central Crossbowman, the Commandery Crossbowman, the Central Minister of Works, the Light Chariots, etc. The Weiwei's salary was 2,000 shi, and the Wei Shuai's salary was 800 shi, so it was not considered excessive.
Moreover, in Chang'an, the Northern Army still has 20,000 troops, and the Southern Army has nearly 10,000. The Crown Prince's palace has only 800 guards. Whatever the Crown Prince wants to do is just wishful thinking.
"Squeak! Squeak!"
The main hall of Ganquan Palace opened its tightly closed doors from both sides, and Crown Prince Liu Ju swaggered out.
The expressions of the Ganquan Guard Commandant, Huangmen Attendant Su Wen, and others waiting on the side changed slightly, each with their own thoughts.
"Yellow Gate Attendant".
Liu Ju immediately spotted the figure in the crowd wearing a crimson court robe and a military cap.
The Yellow Gate Attendant was a man of 600 shi (a unit of grain), under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Household Department, in charge of serving and conveying messages. He was an absolute confidant of the emperor.
"Your Highness."
Su Wen bowed and stepped forward, looking extremely respectful.
"hehe!"
Looking at the short, pale-faced, beardless eunuch in front of him, Liu Ju chuckled.
Su Wen, a palace attendant, was a rat hiding in the shadows. He repeatedly slandered and defamed Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, to the point that Empress Wei Zifu hated him so much that she gritted her teeth. He even played an important role in the witchcraft incident.
It's ridiculous that such a nobody, whom he had never looked down upon, ended up killing him.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Su Wen noticed Liu Ju's gaze and heard the disdain in the Crown Prince's laughter, which reminded him of his unbearable past. Resentment and frustration kept growing in his heart, but he could only suppress it and force a fawning smile to face the person in front of him.
The Crown Prince is the heir apparent of the Han Dynasty, second only to the emperor. Even Jiang Chong, the Imperial Censor, died at Liu Ju's hands. Killing him, a mere Yellow Gate Attendant, would be easier for Liu Ju than crushing an ant.
"Eunuchs are nothing but lowly scoundrels!"
"Hahaha!"
Liu Ju burst into laughter, his unrestrained demeanor drawing everyone's attention.
The guards of Ganquan Palace looked at Su Wen, the Yellow Gate Attendant, with disdain, thinking he was nothing more than a eunuch.
"Giggle!"
Huangmen Shilang Su Wen was so angry that he gritted his teeth until they bled. These words were undoubtedly the greatest insult and contempt he could feel.
PS: The Yellow Gate Attendant was mainly responsible for attending to the emperor, conveying imperial edicts, and facilitating communication between the inside and outside of China.