Chapter 554 What good does the throne have on me?
The palace welcomed a new hostess, Zhao Feiyan, a former actress and dancer who transformed herself into the queen of the Han Dynasty.
It was quite legendary and people all over the world were talking about it. In that era when the concept of family background was not particularly strong, Zhao Feiyan's success served as an example.
The emperor indulged in sensual pleasures and exhausted his body early on. He then met a peerless beauty like Zhao Feiyan, and took elixirs like crazy. After a common cold, he took the alchemist's magic medicine, but ended up falling ill and dying on his sickbed.
The ministers were relatively indifferent to the emperor's death, and the common people could only howl a little due to the limitations of etiquette.
Among the generally short-lived emperors of the Han Dynasty, Liu Chi's reign was considered quite long.
For an emperor like Liu Chi, the contribution his death made to the world was greater than his achievements in his lifetime.
The ministers followed the procedure and gave Liu Chi a mediocre posthumous title of Xi, which meant he had no achievements and no faults.
The process of Liu Chi's burial in the imperial mausoleum began step by step, but the court's attention was no longer on this, but on the future emperor.
Zhao Feiyan had no son, but Emperor Xi did have an heir.
However, they were all relatively young. Zhao Feiyan, who was promoted to empress dowager at a young age, selected one of the princes who was only two years old and whose mother died during childbirth, and brought him to the throne in her capacity as empress dowager.
This will be her son from now on.
The Empress Dowager did not say anything, because Wang Mang finally reached the pinnacle of power among the ministers during the succession of the throne. He was given the titles of Grand Marshal and General, and was given the title of Regent, and he controlled the military and political power of the Han Dynasty.
After Huo Guang, the Han Dynasty welcomed another foreign relative who ruled the world, and he was even more powerful than Huo Guang.
But the radical scholars wanted more than that. Huo Guang inherited the prosperous era of Emperor Xiaoxuan, while Wang Mang faced a weak situation. Countless people shouted, "Heaven has given us a great mission. To keep the people safe, we should advance to be public officials."
Promoting the title of Duke was Wang Mang's final test on the opposition.
If someone who is not from the Liu clan claims to be king, all the princes in the world will unite to attack him.
The Duke is not on this list, but it is still a very special position and would be considered an usurpation by some people, because currently the Han Dynasty has a duchy which is highly autonomous and has its own official system. The only thing related to the Han Dynasty is that every time a new monarch needs to be conferred an honor by the emperor. If Wang Mang conferred the title of duke, would he also have to establish a semi-independent duchy?
Wang Mang then had the power to promote and appoint officials, and to reward and confer titles, without even having to go through the court. Moreover, there were no regulations on the size of the duchy, which were all hidden dangers.
What exactly did Wang Mang want to do?
Luo Qi couldn't sit still anymore, so she went straight to Wang Mang's house and asked, "Lord Jujun, what do you want to do? Do you want to be called a duke?"
Wang Mang looked worried and asked, "Wenqi, what should I do to make sure there is no criticism in the world?
The cause of reform is always caught up in the complexity of human relationships. When will it be able to make great progress?
There is a constant stream of opposition, and the punishment cannot stop it. Their reputation is their life, and they will always fight for it. "
As long as Wang Mang has no intention of usurping the throne, Luo Qi secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said, "In the classics of the various schools of thought during the Spring and Autumn Period, the world cannot forget the frequent regicides and usurpations of the throne. King Luo Wen and Marquis Bowang Wulie made the world's customs normal.
But every minister close to the throne will still be suspected. This is the fate of powerful ministers. Just do as Qi says. "
Wang Mang quickly said, "Please ask Wenqi for instructions."
So Luo Qi told Wang Mang what he had been thinking about for a long time, and then stared closely at the subtle changes in Wang Mang's expression. Wang Mang was first a little stunned, then entangled and struggled, and finally relieved.
"Just as you said."
The voice of the Duke of Advancement seemed to be overwhelming, and finally someone could not help but come out in the court under tremendous pressure.
In the court, Zhao Feiyan held the child emperor in her arms and ruled the country from behind the curtain. Wang Mang stood in the first seat. Then an official with a dark complexion walked out and said respectfully but loudly, "Is there anyone among the officials of the Han Dynasty who can compare to King Luo Wen?
Despite King Luo Wen's contributions to the Han Dynasty, he was only the Marquis of Dong'a during his lifetime.
Although the Marquis of Dong'a had 100,000 households, he was still a marquis after all.
Now, the Great General Sima is indeed a man of virtue, but he is still far inferior to King Luo Wen. The Great General Sima does have some merits, but compared with King Luo Wen, he is like a firefly competing with the bright moon.
Not to mention compared with King Luo Wen, even if compared with Marquis Wulie of Bowang, could the Grand Marshal and General be able to defeat him?
Now the Grand Marshal and the General want to bypass King Luo Wen and even advance to the rank of Duke. Isn't this a betrayal to King Luo Wen?
The general has not made any achievements, but he has already reached the highest position in the country. Yet he is still not satisfied and wants to be promoted to the rank of duke. I would like to know when the general will be satisfied?
After being conferred the title of Duke, will one be conferred the title of King?
After being crowned king, do you have to become a fake emperor?
Or is it as the common people say, that the Mandate of the Han Dynasty is coming to an end, and you are a saint sent down from heaven, and the throne must be abdicated to you, so that the world can be at peace?"
!!!
The ministers did not think there was anything wrong with the first part of the speech, but the second part made their hair stand on end. These rumors were not a big deal if spread among the people or even talked about in private, but if they were brought directly to the court, they would be recorded by the historians and would be destined to be recorded in history books.
There are indeed many people who are dissatisfied with the court, but at least it is still maintaining a superficial prosperity. There are many people who want the emperor to abdicate directly, but no one in the court mentions it because this matter is too big and no one can predict the future direction.
Zhao Feiyan's gaze fell on Wang Mang. She could cooperate with Wang Mang to take over the government, but she absolutely could not usurp the throne. Then she looked at Luo Qi and felt a little relieved.
Now that she and Luo Qi are already quite familiar with each other, she thinks she understands Luo Qi's character quite well. Although he is not as gentlemanly as the legendary Luo Shizi, he is also a trustworthy person.
Wang Mang's eyes also fell on Luo Qi. Seeing that Luo Qi didn't say a word, he said faintly: "There are always people who want to do things in this world. There are thousands of difficulties and countless complicated troubles surrounding me.
well.
Today, in this Changle Palace, I will express my ambition to the people of the world.
Princes and dukes, that is not what I want, and what use are they to me?
It will only add to the criticism from people all over the world!
What I want to do is to be the fake emperor. This is the honor of King Luo Wen.
But is abdication and usurpation of the throne what I am pursuing?
I was originally the son of a nobleman, and I have come this far because of the trust of the people of the world. If I did not have the light in my heart, I would have left the palace at this moment.
Using conspiracy and trickery, cunning and political tactics to snatch things that do not belong to you, the ultimate outcome is to be despised by the people of the world.
I once heard that during the Zhou Dynasty, some princes traveled thousands of miles to the State of Luo to request the monarch of Luo to become the emperor of Zhou. Even the emperor of Zhou hoped to entrust the throne to the monarch of Luo.
Until now, such voices have always existed.
There are voices calling for me to be promoted to the rank of Duke, but there are still ministers who come forward to dissuade me. This shows that my prestige and achievements are not yet enough to qualify me as a Duke.
I am not even qualified to be called a duke, so why do you slander me for usurping the throne?
Only people like you would consider fame and status more important than the rest of the world.
This is probably what it means that a sparrow cannot understand the ambition of a swan!
If the country is in a state of exhaustion, civil unrest is raging, the people are starving and struggling to survive, I will have no choice but to take off my hat and accept the whipping of the people of the world.
I disdain the position of emperor and the power that people pursue!
I want peace and prosperity, I want the world to be united and prosperous, I want all the people in the world to give me the crown, and then I will refuse it.
At that time, I will just say, 'This is not my achievement, I am just respectfully carrying out the decree of God.'
That’s all I have to say. I will take my leave now.”
After saying this, he actually walked straight out of the hall, completely ignoring the court meeting that was still going on. All the ministers in the hall were shocked by Wang Mang's remarks, and then they were filled with admiration.
His footsteps never stopped, and the sound of every step seemed to step on everyone's heart. His figure alone seemed to be taller than the roof of the temple!
After the court meeting, Luo Qi received a summons from the Queen Mother.
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It is difficult to distinguish between loyalty and treachery. This is probably the biggest mystery that Wang Mang left behind in history. Even though there are abundant historical materials, Wang Mang's image is so fragmented. He constantly wavers between being a treacherous minister who deceives the emperor and disrupts the country and a loyal minister who pleads for the people. Through these complicated information, the author looks at his true heart. He is just a person who always wants to pacify the world. For this goal, he can sacrifice everything, including the Han emperor he should have been loyal to. - "Biography of Wang Mang"
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Mang took over the government and acted arbitrarily. He secretly sent scholars to give advice and praised him for his virtue. Then a minister said proudly: "What achievements has Mang made? Today he promotes you to Duke, tomorrow he promotes you to King. Where is the country?"
Mang said: "I am the descendant of a noble family. I only want to stabilize the country. What can the throne of the emperor do for me?
Only by submitting to Heaven and respecting God can one achieve success! "
People at that time said: "Mang was humble, that's why he didn't usurp the throne!"
Some people sometimes say: "Wang Mang is not King Wen, but is quite similar to Yi Yin." - "Book of Han: Biography of Wang Mang"
(End of this chapter)
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