Chapter 324 Checks and Balances
The next day, Wang Quan was ordered to formally read out the
imperial edict of Li Jie's resignation as Shangshu Zuo Pushe in the morning court. "The Emperor of the Great Tang ordered that Li Jie, the Duke of Ying, submitted a petition to resign from the post of Shangshu Zuo Pushe. The Duke of Ying has diligently assisted the late emperor and me. Although I am reluctant to let him go, I am grateful for his old age and his sincere resignation. I have granted him special permission to resign from the post of Zuo Pushe.
" "But he will still serve as the Kaifu Yitong Sansi and the Zhongshu Menxia Sanpin, and continue to assist me in handling state affairs. The imperial edict is as on the right. It will be carried out on October 3, the first year of Yonghui." Wang Quan read out the imperial edict to everyone in front of all the civil and military officials in the court.
"Your servant Li Jie obeys the imperial edict!" Li Jie knelt down to thank the grace and accepted the edict, then stood up and returned to his seat.
Although Li Ji resigned from the post of Shangshu Zuo Pushe, he can still manage government affairs with the duties of Kaifu Yitong Sansi and Tongzhongshu Menxia Sanpin.
"Duke Ying has resigned from the post of Shangshu Zuo Pushe. I want to select another talented person to serve as Shangshu Zuo Pushe to better assist me." Li Chengqian said.
"I wonder who your majesty plans to replace Duke Ying as Shangshu Zuo Pushe?" Changsun Wuji asked.
"I do have a candidate in mind. With his talent, there is no problem for him to serve as Shangshu Zuo Pushe. The commander asked this question. Could it be that you have some candidates you want to recommend?" Li Chengqian said.
"I do have a few suitable candidates here. Here is a list. Your Majesty, please take a look at it." Changsun Wuji took out a list from his sleeve and said.
At Li Chengqian's signal, Wang Quan stepped forward to take the list, returned to Li Chengqian, and handed the list to him.
Li Chengqian took the list, opened it and took a casual look. It was full of old ministers who had a good relationship with Changsun Wuji and had frequent contacts with him.
After reading it, Li Chengqian felt uneasy. He had just announced Li Ji's resignation, but Changsun Wuji had already prepared a list. I'm afraid he had a big plan.
"I have already taken a look at the list presented by the Taiwei, but I already have a suitable candidate in my mind. The people on this list will not join the competition for Shangshu Zuo Pushe!" Li Chengqian said.
"I wonder which wise man has caught the eye of your majesty." Changsun Wuji said.
These people he picked for the emperor, in addition to having some relationship with him and often visiting him, are all qualified for the position of Shangshu Zuo Pushe in terms of ability and qualifications.
"From now on, I appoint Wu Wang Li Ke as Shangshu Zuo Pushe to assist me in handling state affairs." Li Chengqian announced in public.
In order to maintain the balance of power in the court, Li Chengqian could only pull Li Ke out and push him to the position of Shangshu Zuo Pushe to check and balance the power of Changsun Wuji and others.
This is the so-called art of the emperor - checks and balances.
Only by balancing the power among the ministers in the court can he better control these ministers.
"Your Majesty, I, Li Ke, thank you for your grace!" Li Ke hurriedly stood up, walked to the center of the hall, saluted and thanked you.
He didn't expect that his elder brother, the emperor, trusted him so much that he actually made him Shangshu Zuo Pushe. He knew in his heart that this was more of the emperor pushing him out to create hatred in order to balance the power among the ministers.
But Li Ke was still full of joy, because his elder brother, the emperor, still trusted him, and the position of prime minister was not for anyone who wanted to sit.
"Your Majesty! How can this be!" Zhangsun Wuji was shocked. He didn't expect Li Chengqian to actually push Li Ke out.
"Why not! When the late emperor was alive, he often praised Li Ke's ability and said that Li Ke's talent was similar to his."
"The late emperor often told me that Li Ke and Li Tai were the most virtuous people. The general was so opposed. Was he questioning me? Or was he questioning the late emperor?" Li Chengqian said, daring to question him, even dragging out the dead late emperor, let's see what you can do.
"I am not questioning your majesty, nor the late emperor. It's just that Wu Wang Li Ke's qualifications are still insignificant, and I'm afraid it's difficult for him to take on the position of Zuo Pushe." Changsun Wuji said.
"Your majesty! The position
of Shangshu Zuo Pushe is a high position with great power. If there is any mistake, it will endanger the safety of our Tang Dynasty." "To sit in such an important position, both ability and qualifications are indispensable. Although Wu Wang Li Ke's ability is good, he is young and inexperienced after all. I'm afraid it's difficult for him to take on such an important task as Zuo Pushe." Chu Suiliang stood up and said.
Chu Suiliang and Changsun Wuji were comrades on the same front, so naturally they didn't want Li Ke to take the position like this. They were worried that Li Ke would threaten their interests.
"Although Wu Wang Li Ke has little experience, we still have Yingguo Li Zhen and you guys here, right? As long as you work together to help Li Ke, everything will be solved."
"We can't deny Li Ke's ability just because he is young and inexperienced. Any experience must be accumulated step by step."
"I hope that all of you can work together and not ignore the interests of the Tang Dynasty for your own selfish power." Li Chengqian said.
No matter what, he would go against the public opinion today and push Wu Wang Li Ke to the position of prime minister, let him compete with Changsun Wuji and others, and attract firepower at the same time.
"Your Majesty! When Wu Wang Li Ke was appointed as the governor of Anzhou, he was impeached by the historian
Liu Fan for excessive hunting and damaging the people's crops less than a year after he took office." "The late emperor was furious and dismissed Wu Wang from his post as the governor. Later, Wu Wang Li Ke indulged himself in gambling with his wet nurse's son, and the late emperor reduced Wu Wang's fiefdom by 300 households."
"Your Majesty! Wu Wang Li Ke has a long history of bad deeds and is unable to take on important tasks. How can Your Majesty appoint him as Shangshu Zuo Pushe?" An official stepped out and said.
Li Chengqian could tell at a glance that this person was Zhangsun Wuji's man.
Do you really think that you are the only one who has people, and I have no one under my command? Li Chengqian thought in his heart, but his eyes hinted at Xu Jingzong and others to act.
After receiving the signal from the emperor, Xu Jingzong was the first to stand up and say, "Your Majesty! I, Xu Jingzong, have something to say."
"Xu Qing, feel free to say whatever you want to say." Li Chengqian agreed.
"I think Wu Wang Li Ke is still qualified to be the Shangshu Zuo Pushe. Although he had some bad deeds in the past, the late emperor had already warned Wu Wang."
"Later, Wu Wang also learned his lesson, listened to the late emperor's warning, changed his previous bad habits, and was also conscientious in his position."
"The local government is well-organized, and the people can live and work in peace and contentment. These are all the credit of Wu Wang Li Ke."
"I think Wu Wang Li Ke has the ability to be the Shangshu Zuo Pushe." Xu Jingzong said.
"I think what Minister Xu said makes sense, and Wu Wang Li Ke is capable of the important task." Li Jingxuan stood up and said.
"I second the proposal!" All of Li Chengqian's men stood up and strongly supported Wu Wang Li Ke to serve as Shangshu Zuo Pushe.
In the court, two forces were in a stalemate.
The attitudes of Xu Jingzong and others were enough to prove how determined the emperor was to let Prince Wu Li Ke take the position of Shangshu Zuo Pushe.