Chapter 116 What is a True Prime Minister? (4k)
"Teacher, maybe I can help."
Su Ze put down the teacup. Li Daoyuan in the Mingtang remained calm, but Su Chao beside him looked at him in surprise.
Can Su Ze also influence the selection of the general for the northern expedition?
But Su Cho knew that this senior brother never boasted. If he said so, he would really do it.
Su Ze silently opened the system, only to see that the mission area, which was originally in the foggy zone, had been marked with "General's Mansion", and the exclamation mark that was originally waiting to accept the mission had turned into a question mark that indicated that the mission had already been accepted.
[I have accepted the mission, the commission from General Li Chong! ]
[Commission from General Li Chong: Li Chong hopes to lead the army to the north, and hopes you can help make this happen.]
I didn't expect that I could accept tasks through other people's entrustment. Su Ze's understanding of the system has deepened.
This means that as long as someone brings the letter, even if I leave Luoyang in the future, I can still take on the mission in Luoyang?
Is it possible to remotely delegate the followers who remain in Luoyang to complete the task?
After coming out of the Henan government office, Su Ze opened the map and walked towards a neighborhood in the east of the city.
The layout of the capital cities is similar, with the rich in the east and the rich in the west. The powerful and wealthy basically live in several neighborhoods in the east of Luoyang City. The most powerful and wealthy are in the neighborhoods closest to the Nan Ya Palace wall, which are closest to the court and have the most information.
Su Ze looked up at the gate of Prince Guangyang's Palace, and then at the residence of Prince Gaoyang Yuanyong next door. As expected, the princes of the Northern Wei Dynasty were also divided into different levels.
Yuan Shen worked so hard to embezzle money, but he still couldn't compare with old-time princes like Yuan Yong, Prince of Gaoyang.
Yuan Yong's mansion covers a huge area. Standing outside the door, one can smell the fragrance of cosmetics and hear the moving sounds of stringed instruments. The slaves and servants entering and leaving the mansion are also dressed extravagantly.
In comparison, Yuan Shen looks shabby.
But he was still more shabby than ordinary ministers. Prince Guangyang Yuanshen had just been appointed as Palace Attendant, and was considered a member of the prime minister's team. Officials came to pay him a visit one after another.
In contrast, the residence of Gaoyang Prince Yuan Yong was deserted. The history books gave a very low evaluation to this senior but incompetent prince. "Yong was short-sighted and had no academic achievements. Although he was the head of the court, he was not supported by the times. Since he was a relative and a prime minister, the government has been degraded since Xiping. He was unable to govern and guide the government, and only obeyed orders."
"The King of Yes-Yes" is also how people evaluate King Gaoyang, because no matter what the Queen Mother asked him, he would just reply with "Yes-Yes". Over time, the Queen Mother Hu no longer consulted his opinion.
Prince Guangyang Yuan Shen is different. Since he was transferred back to Luoyang, Yuan Shen has done a lot of things. During the Yulin Rebellion, he also "pacified" the Yulin of the Southern Court. His contribution is second only to Prince Jiangyang Yuan Yi. He was included in the prime minister's team and can be said to be a rising star in Luoyang.
There was a long queue of people waiting at the door to give gifts to Yuan Shen. When these people saw that Su Ze was dressed in ordinary clothes and had empty hands, they all looked at him with contempt.
At this time, the gate of the mansion opened, and only Yuan Buddha, the prince of Guangyang, was seen standing outside the door and said, "Write the purpose of your visit to your father on a bamboo slip, and then wait here!"
This also reflects the lack of foundation of the Guangyang Palace. This kind of thing is usually done by trusted stewards, but there are too few trusted stewards who can be used in the palace, so it needs to be done by Prince Yuan Buddha himself.
Su Ze was also quite surprised by the Northern Wei princes' behavior of accepting gifts so blatantly. There was even a queuing system for receiving gifts.
Yuan Buddha raised his head and saw Su Ze empty-handed in the crowd, and immediately walked over with a smile.
"Brother Su!"
"Sir."
Yuan Buddha took Su Ze and walked into the mansion, saying as he walked: "Grandpa has been waiting for you!"
Those queuing at the door looked at each other in confusion, wondering who this Su Ze was.
After the Yulin Rebellion, the court also gave court officials a holiday. Yuan Shen worked at home during these days. Yuan Fotu directly pulled Su Ze to the study where his father worked, and Yuan Shen soon met with Su Ze.
"Captain Su!"
Yuan Shen was very close to Su Ze. He and Su Ze had cooperated for a long time. By reorganizing the Tunqiying, Yuan Shen quickly established prestige in the Duguancao.
It was also due to Su Ze that he was later promoted to the position of Palace Attendant.
However, Su Ze will not be arrogant because of his favor. An old fox like Yuan Shen will not release the eagle until he sees the rabbit. He will only increase the investment when he sees the benefits. He can only add icing on the cake, not provide timely help.
But Su Ze came to see him today, which was icing on the cake for him.
"You said that General Li Chong of the Cavalry wants to lead the Northern Expedition?"
Yuan Shen began to think.
Yuan Buddha stood next to his father. He felt that his father and Su Ze were like a Buddhist debate. He couldn't understand what the two were talking about at all.
General Li was about to go to war, so why did he ask Su Ze to pass a message to his father?
You should know that Li Chong and his father have never had any contact with each other.
Su Ze said: "The General of the Cavalry has a high reputation in the army and is well versed in northern warfare. He is the best candidate to lead the army to the north."
Yuan Shen was still thinking.
Su Ze added: "The general is preparing to dispatch 10,000 elite imperial guards to the north to help the court."
Hearing this, Yuan Shen nodded and said, "If that's the case, then I will support General Li in leading the Northern Expedition in front of the Queen Mother!"
Su Ze couldn't help but sigh that communicating with smart people was smooth. He only put forward two conditions and Yuan Shen agreed.
The next step is to return the mission to Li Chong.
After Yuan Buddha sent Su Ze out of the house, he returned to his father's study and saw that his father was still in deep thought.
"Grandpa, Brother Su has left."
Yuan Shen looked at his son's confused eyes and couldn't help but sigh. This talent was the most bizarre thing.
Su Ze obviously came from a poor family and his father died early, but he was able to use political tactics so skillfully. This silly son of his was brought by his side every day, but he did not inherit any talent for political tactics. He was so dull that it would be difficult for him to survive in a court full of jackals.
Thinking that his son had not yet been promoted, Yuan Shen patiently explained:
"What do you think a prime minister is?"
Yuan Buddha replied politely: "The one who manages yin and yang and assists the Supreme in discussing politics is the prime minister. In our dynasty, the chief minister is the real prime minister."
"Wrong, that's what you read in the book. If you only get an official position, it's just a name without substance. The King of Gaoyang next door is an example. Only those with both name and substance are the real prime ministers."
"What is real?"
"You can accomplish some things for the people below you, you can help the people above you do some things, you have people who do their best to help you do what you want to do, and you have people who do everything they can to help you stop what you don't want to do. This is real." "Of the above four things, I can only do the first two at present. To become a true prime minister, you must also do the last two."
"The gifts Su Zelai brought are the last two."
Yuan Buddha was completely confused.
Seeing his son's useless appearance, Yuan Shen sighed and said:
"The affairs of the court and the Ministry of Personnel have their own division of labor. My father has just been promoted to Palace Attendant. If I want to be effective, I must also have a matter to get involved in."
"What is the most important thing for the court now?"
Seeing that his son still didn't know the answer, Yuan Shen could only ask himself, "Military politics, or the problem of the imperial guards."
"Whoever can solve the problem of the imperial guards at this time can relieve the Queen Mother's worries and become a true prime minister."
Seeing that his son was still confused, Yuan Shen gave up preaching and said directly:
"Li Chong, the general of the cavalry, is very prestigious among the imperial guards. He can suppress the imperial guards by coming forward. The plan he proposed is to transfer 10,000 imperial guards to the north. If the imperial guards that pose a threat are transferred to the north, the imperial guards will be stabilized."
"If these people die in the North, everything will be settled once and for all. If they are promoted for meritorious service, they will no longer resent the court. This is the first gift Su Ze has given to your father."
"If my father supports Li Chong, Li Chong will also return the favor, and my father will have a foundation in the army. Su Ze is here to act as a matchmaker, and this is the second great gift."
"With these two gifts, your father will have a say in military affairs, and the Queen Mother will also consult your father on military and political matters, so that you can become a true prime minister."
Yuan Buddha was completely dumbfounded. He didn't expect that the brief conversation between his father and Su Ze contained so many mysteries.
Seeing his son like this, Yuan Shen said, "Su Ze probably wants to go on the expedition with Li Chong. Remember to give him a gift when the time comes. When he returns to Luoyang, you should also get closer to him."
Yuan Buddha quickly said, "Son, I understand!"
Suddenly, Yuan Buddha said, "By the way, Grandpa, King Qinghe sent a gift, take a look?"
Yuan Shen's expression immediately turned cold: "Go back."
"Why? Prince Qinghe is still in charge of the affairs of the sect and is your immediate superior. Will returning his gift offend him?"
Yuan Shen said: "A true prime minister is one who has both name and substance. What does the King of Qinghe have now?"
"During the Golden Lotus Assassination and the Imperial Guards Rebellion, Prince Qinghe was at a loss as to what to do, and both were related to the Imperial Guards, which has aroused the Queen Mother's suspicion."
"During the Yulin Rebellion, Prince Qinghe was the highest commander of the Imperial Guards. He kept thousands of white-clad scholars in his palace, but he did not leave the palace to rescue the emperor and quell the rebellion. He just closed the gates of his palace and guarded it."
"Do you know how much eye drops King Qinghe and his men have given to the Queen Mother during this period?"
"Do you know what the most despised thing about Prince Qinghe during this Yulin Rebellion is?"
Yuan Buddha shook his head in confusion.
Yuan Shen said helplessly: "The imperial guards rebelled and went to the Shangshutai and the Sikong Zhang Mansion, but did not demonstrate at the Qinghe Palace."
"Even the imperial guards he led didn't think of the Qinghe King as their superior. This shows that although the Qinghe King is a general, he has no reputation in the army. He has neither direct subordinates who can interfere in the army nor loyal soldiers who work for him."
"For a Qinghe King like him, the best ending will be like the Gaoyang King next door. It's hard to say whether he can keep his wealth and honor."
"From now on, you are not to have any contact with the people from the Qinghe Palace anymore. Return all the gifts and send gifts to the Jiangyang Palace instead."
"I understand, Grandpa."
Su Ze rushed to the residence of General Li Chong, and was immediately warmly received by Li Chong. Li Chong also asked all the sons and daughters of his family to come out to meet Su Ze and set up a banquet to entertain Su Ze.
During the dinner, Li Chong promised that if the court appointed him as the commander-in-chief of the northern expedition, he would definitely bring Su Ze to the north to give himself the opportunity to make achievements.
Li Chong and Su Ze each got the promises they wanted, so naturally both the host and the guests were in great joy. The banquet did not end until the evening. Li Chong then ordered his servants to send Su Ze back home in his own carriage.
One day later, Yuan Shen sent his son Yuan Fotu to Su Ze's house to deliver the news that Empress Dowager Hu had decided to use military force in the north. She appointed General Li Chong of the Cavalry as the envoy with special powers, the chief minister, and the commander-in-chief of the northern expedition, and selected 10,000 men from the Luoyang imperial guards to go to the Six Garrisons to fight against the Rouran people.
Soon after, Li Chong also sent his sons to Su Ze's house. Li Chong had already set up a government office and established the Northern Expedition Office. He recruited Su Ze as the assistant general of the office and dispatched the Cavalry Camp to go on the Northern Expedition.
[《Commission of General Li Chong of the Cavalry》 Completed! Level +1, Rewards: Li Chong's Favorability +10, Yuan Shen's Favorability +10, Court Reputation +10, and obtained the position of Assistant General of the Executive Office. ]
The system is starting to take credit again!
Su Ze shut down the system, and after receiving double happiness, he also received bad news.
At the military meeting in front of the emperor, Prince Yuan Yi of Jiangyang wrote to Empress Dowager Hu, explaining in detail the reasons for the Rouran invasion.
Ever since the Rouran King Anagui fled to Luoyang, the Rouran royal court on the grasslands has been divided. The Gaoche people, who were once a vassal tribe of the Rouran, rebelled, and the grasslands became a mess.
Some tribes close to the Six Towns united and began to plunder the northern border continuously.
At this time, the consequences of the Northern Wei Dynasty's long-term neglect of the six northern towns became apparent. The six towns could only defend themselves and had no ability to repel the invading Rouran Gaoche tribes. Some Rouran Gaoche cavalry even crossed the six towns and robbed the old capital of the Northern Wei Dynasty, Pingcheng.
Jiangyang King Yuanyi believed that the current chaos in the northern border was due to the fact that the grassland had no master and there was no Rouran royal court that was inclined towards the Wei Dynasty to restrain it, which led to the constant invasion of the northern border by the tribes below.
Therefore, King Jiangyang suggested that the court release the Rouran King Anagui, and have General Li Chong escort Anagui back to Rouran to re-establish the Rouran royal court, and agree to restrain the tribe and not continue to harass the northern border.
Finally, King Jiangyang brought up the issue of royal daughters marrying off, and asked Li Chong to escort Anagui back to the grassland to get married, so that the royal daughter of the Wei Dynasty could become the Khan of the Rouran. In the future, the Khan could also be used to contain the Rouran people.
Su Ze couldn't help but sigh. Compared with the Qinghe King who wrote "Xian Zhong Lu" every day, following Jiangyang King Yuan Yi is more promising! After all, he really does things for money!
I received money from the King of the Rurou and now I am doing your business!
Empress Dowager Hu actually thought this was such a stupid suggestion and it made sense.
Empress Dowager Hu conferred the title of Princess Shouyang on Yuan Juli, the daughter of Prince of Pengcheng Yuan Xie, and ordered Li Chong to escort the Rouran King Anagui back to the Rouran royal court to become Khan again after the northern expedition, and then preside over the wedding of Anagui and Princess Shouyang at the Rouran royal court.
Should we kill the King of the Creatures on the way north?
Let's wait until we are on the road, Su Ze couldn't help but sigh. This broken ship of the Northern Wei Dynasty is destined to sink under the guidance of people like Empress Dowager Hu, even if there are many repairmen.
I have completed the task today, and tomorrow is the day when the system will be refreshed. I hope to be able to refresh a group of useful followers before going to the Six Towns.
8k completed, please give me a monthly ticket
(End of this chapter)