Chapter 64: East Pavilion and West Pavilion (Seeking follow-up reading)
Cao Rui took advantage of the information gap.
If we look at it from the perspective of people of this era, if the emperor wanted to reduce your power, why would he invite you to the palace and consult you on everything?
They also allowed riding horses in the North Palace? The most that can be found in history books is that they were allowed to ride swords and shoes in the palace, but how could they allow ministers to ride horses in the palace?
But Cao Rui did just that. He reserved two rooms next to the emperor's study, the western one for General Cao Zhen and the eastern one for Recorder of the Secretariat Sima Yi.
How close is this?
But this is not the case from Cao Rui's perspective.
Previously in the East Warehouse of the Luoyang Arsenal, Dong Zhao's discussion on name and reality undoubtedly allowed Cao Rui to master a more advanced analytical tool.
In Cao Rui's opinion, what have been the names and realities of powerful officials over the past 400 years since the Han Dynasty?
The title of "Quan Chen" refers to an official position held under the imperial system. Cao Zhen's position as a general and Sima Yi's title as a secretary-general both have the potential to be upgraded to Quan Chen.
The Later Han Dynasty always had generals assisting in government affairs. Even when Cao Cao was in power, he gave himself the title of general. Of course, he later gave the title of general to Yuan Shao.
The post of Recorder of the Secretariat was actually responsible for the overall administration of government affairs. In other words, it was the post of the Prime Minister.
What about the truth of the powerful official?
The real power of a powerful official is his trusted followers. In the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period, the key to connecting with trusted followers was in the "mansion" of the powerful official.
Historically, the titled generals and the Three Dukes were able to establish their own government offices. In short, they could recruit their own officials and have their own bureaucratic system. In later times, there were things like establishing a government office, establishing a government office with the same status as the Three Officials, and the Tiance General's Office...
Take the great general Cao Zhen at that time, for example, he had a chief historian, a Sima, a secretary, etc. in his mansion. If there was a war, there would be an additional military advisor in the mansion.
The standard military command process of Cao Wei was to pass it on from the emperor to the general, and then by Cao Zhen, the commander-in-chief of all military forces at home and abroad, to convey it to generals in various places in the name of the general.
The Recorder of the Secretariat was similar. Above the six departments of the Secretariat, which oversaw government affairs, Sima Yi, the Recorder of the Secretariat, was in charge. When Chen Qun was stationed in Jingzhou, he issued orders through Chen Qun's Zhenjun General's Mansion.
Cao Rui asked Cao Zhen and Sima Yi to work in the North Palace, physically separating Cao Zhen and Sima Yi from their "mansion".
Although Cao Zhen and Sima Yi still did their original jobs, from then on all military orders and political orders were formally issued from the Beigong!
From Beigong, the order was sent directly to the governor of Jingzhou, and from Beigong, the order was sent directly to a certain Cao Li in the Shangshutai...
It is impossible to directly reduce power. What Emperor Cao Rui can do now is to formally allow some military and political orders to be issued from the palace, and subtly steal some power from the two positions of General and Recorder of the Secretariat.
Wait until there is another opportunity later, and then slowly change the essence.
The struggle between imperial power and prime ministerial power had lasted for nearly a thousand years. Cao Rui was able to take advantage of some information gaps and achieve this point, which was already a victory.
After all, it is difficult for people to gain a vision that transcends the times. Cao Zhen and Sima Yi would never have had the slightest idea about things like the cabinet and the Grand Council, which would only appear a thousand years later.
……
After Cao Rui settled the affairs of Cao Zhen and Sima Yi, and named Cao Zhen's room on the west side "West Pavilion" and Sima Yi's room on the east side "East Pavilion", the Secretary-General Sun Zi came in again.
The Secretariat is in charge of confidential matters and the school system. He came at this time probably because he has something confidential to say.
Cao Rui leaned back on the recliner. It was easier to talk to a minister like Sun Zi whom he saw every day than to talk to Cao Zhen and Sima Yi.
Sun Zi bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the Prince of Yongqiu has submitted a memorial. Would Your Majesty like to see it in person?" The Prince of Yongqiu was Cao Zhi. Some time ago, the School Affairs Office and the Regent reported that Cao Zhi wanted to submit a memorial to the court.
Is it written now?
Cao Rui asked casually: "What did Prince Yongqiu write?"
Sun Zi replied, "The Prince of Yongqiu wants Your Majesty to employ him and give him a real job."
Cao Rui frowned slightly and looked at Sun Zi: "I know that Prince Yongqiu is very talented in literature, and everyone in the world also knows that Prince Yongqiu is very talented in literature. But besides literary talent, what else can Prince Yongqiu do?"
Sun Zi hesitated for a moment and said, "When the late emperor was alive, Prince Yongqiu wrote to the emperor many times, but the late emperor did not use him."
"If it was earlier, in the 24th year of Jian'an, when Guan Yu attacked Xiangfan in the north, Emperor Wu appointed King Yongqiu as the General of the Southern Army and the General of the Expedition to the Enemy Army, and wanted to let King Yongqiu lead seven armies to rescue Cao Ren who was trapped in Fancheng. But King Yongqiu was unable to go because he was drunk."
Cao Rui thought for a moment and said, "The Emperor Wu later sent Yu Jin, right?"
Sun Zi nodded: "It is Yu Jin."
Cao Rui sighed softly: "Emperor Wu was not able to use Prince Yongqiu, how can I dare to use him? What real position does Prince Yongqiu want?"
Sun Zi organized his words and read out Cao Zhi's original words: "If Your Majesty issues an unprecedented edict, I will serve you like a sword and awl. If you send me to the west, I will be a general in charge of a school; if you send me to the east, I will be a general in charge of a small army. I will take risks and ride my boat and gallop my horse..."
"Let's stop here." Cao Rui interrupted Sun Zi and said, "Bring it here, I will read it myself."
Sun Zi handed Cao Zhi's petition over with both hands. Cao Rui took it and read it for a long time before putting it on the table.
Cao Rui sighed: "Wang Yongqiu's writing is really good! A petition for a position, written with ups and downs, parallel and scattered sentences, well-balanced and graceful, but what's the use of it?"
"He said that he wanted to lead 500 men under the command of the general and a small army under the command of the general. He also said that he followed Emperor Wu everywhere and learned the art of war from him."
"Warfare is not about writing. Can you defeat the enemy with literary talent?"
While Cao Rui was complaining about Cao Zhi, Sun Zi could only stand aside and listen to the emperor's complaints silently, not daring to join in the conversation.
Cao Rui looked at Sun Zi and said, "Sun Zhongshu, why do you think the Prince of Yongqiu wants military power? Do you think I can really let him lead 500 people to fight Zhuge Liang and Sun Quan?"
"The late emperor did not use him, and neither do I! Tell the schoolmaster and his regent to keep a close eye on Prince Yongqiu. If there is any omission, I will hold him responsible."
Sun Zi bowed and said, "I've made a note of that. By the way, Your Majesty, you said before that you would meet General Cao Hong in person after he returns to Luoyang. Now Cao Hong has returned to Luoyang from Hebei."
Cao Rui asked, "Has General Wei completed the task of selecting soldiers from Hebei for the Central Army?"
Sun Zi replied, "It's done. Half of them were selected from Bingzhou and Youzhou, and half from Jizhou. For the remaining vacancies in the border troops and prefecture and county troops, Wu Zhi, the governor of Hebei, selected some from Jizhou to fill the border counties. Jizhou's prefecture and county troops are not enough now."
Cao Rui nodded and said, "Jizhou is in the heart of Hebei. If there are fewer soldiers, we can slowly replenish them. Call Liu Ye and Chen Jiao for me. I want to go to the Zhonglei camp to meet General Wei in person."
Sun Zi agreed repeatedly.
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(End of this chapter)
