Chapter 100, Chapter Eleven: Laying Out Plans and Determining Strategies
When news arrived that the Emperor was coming to Luoyang, Liu Jun was not surprised. After all, Sima Ye always had an inexplicable obsession with leading troops into battle. Wen Qiao, on the other hand, seemed to be on high alert, which puzzled Liu Jun.
“My brother-in-law has always served His Majesty, acting as both a teacher and a friend. He understands His Majesty very well and should know that His Majesty most desires to achieve great deeds and cleanse the land. Why then is he so worried?”
Wen Qiao glanced at him helplessly, "Hasn't Yanshi heard of the saying 'When the cunning rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked'?"
"Oh?" Liu Jun never expected such an answer and chuckled, "Does my brother-in-law mean that His Majesty and I are both hypocritical, and that he will kill his wife before assuming power?"
"That's not what I meant. It's just that Yan Shi's achievements have overshadowed the emperor's, to the point that everyone knows Liu Sikong but not the emperor himself. Even if Your Majesty considers our past relationship, it's hard to guarantee that there aren't treacherous people around him stirring up trouble, or even coercing Your Majesty to purge the court of corrupt officials..."
"Could my brother-in-law be referring to the likes of Du Dan and Wei Hong?" Liu Jun sneered. "Do you think His Majesty would comply if they forced him to kill me?"
Wen Qiao was startled by his blunt words, and then heard Liu Jun leisurely laugh: "Besides, even if His Majesty sincerely wanted to kill me, this traitor, would I obediently offer my neck for execution? Even Sima Zhao was not that stupid, let alone me?"
“You…” Wen Qiao was so shocked that he was speechless. He subconsciously looked around and only felt relieved when he realized that there were only the two of them. “Such treasonous words need not be uttered again in the future. A gentleman is cautious even when alone. I think you should be more careful with your words!”
Liu Jun smiled, clearly having a firm grasp on the situation within the shogunate, and suddenly asked, "What is the relationship between Wei Hong and Wei Xiao?"
“They are both from the Wei clan of Jingzhao. This Wei Xiao was previously with Liu Yao, and later he joined Shi Le, and it seems he even got a title like Marquis of Jingzhao.” Wen Qiao’s words were quite disdainful.
Liu Jun pondered for a moment and said, "Both 'Fu Lin' and 'Dian Lin' were written by him?"
“Indeed, this man is learned and talented, and enjoys offering honest advice and suggestions. However, he is frivolous and unethical, and likes to boast about his own achievements, which has drawn criticism from others.” Seeing his curiosity, Wen Qiao couldn’t help but say a few more words.
Liu Jun nodded, "To be honest, Taizhen, many scholars serving under the Xiongnu and Jie are now restless, worried that I will purge them because they are traitors. I think we should follow the example of Marquis Liu's strategy of presenting Yong Chi to the Xiongnu, and start with Wei Xiao. We can even sow discord within the Wei clan."
Liu Jun, who came from the imperial family of the previous dynasty and made his name through military achievements, was naturally at odds with the Hedong gentry who had inherited their status since the end of the Han dynasty and established themselves through land ownership and retainers. At present, with the world still unsettled, the gentry still controlled a considerable number of people, land, soldiers, and fortified villages. Liu Jun did not break off relations with them, but if Liu Jun really gained the world, he would very likely find a way to deal with them.
“Actually, Qiao does have a plan,” Wen Qiao said, seemingly having made up his mind, “to use someone else to do the dirty work.”
Liu Jun immediately understood, “Using a borrowed knife to kill someone? You mean to use the Hu people? But from Liu Han to Shi Zhao, they have all treated these aristocratic families with great courtesy. It is not easy to incite them to fight. I’m afraid that if this plan fails, it will backfire.”
Wen Qiao shook his head. "We employ scholars for three reasons. First, most literate people today come from high-ranking families, so it's extremely difficult to find talented people from humble backgrounds. Second, since the Hu people are newcomers, we need to show our eagerness to recruit talent. Third, we are wary of the power of these local gentry. I don't believe that these people have any respect for the likes of Wei Du and Yang Pei."
“But if we only try to weaken the powerful clans and aristocratic families, it will only make the barbarians stronger. Wouldn’t that make our own people suffer and our enemies rejoice?” Liu Jun frowned. “Making an example of someone is fine, but exterminating them is going too far.”
Some of these powerful clans, like the Langya Wang clan, threatened imperial power; some controlled the scholarly community through lecturing and philosophical discussions; and some manipulated the court through the recommendation system of filial piety and integrity. Others served the Hu people to protect their lives and clans. However, to say that they were all utterly immoral and immoral would be a gross oversimplification.
More importantly, Liu Jun and Shi Le shared similar ideas. The North and the South were different. The Jiangdong gentry were severely weakened by Sun Quan's actions and were later bullied to the point of near death by the Central Plains gentry who had migrated south. The Northern gentry, taking advantage of the royal family's misfortune, seized the opportunity to take in refugees and occupy wasteland. They were all well-equipped and powerful, and ordinary prefects could not afford to offend them.
Putting aside other things, although Emperor Taizu always touted that he should appoint people based on their talents, almost all of the people he used in his early years, such as the Xun family of Yingchuan, and later Hua Xin and Wang Lang, came from prominent families. In contrast, the people used by Emperor Zhaolie of Han, apart from Ma Chao, were either exiled scholars or scholars from humble backgrounds. Sun Quan, on the other hand, spent his entire life trying to control these powerful families in Jiangdong.
For Liu Jun at this time, if he were to completely uproot the aristocratic families, the aristocratic families north of the Yangtze River would likely all rebel. These powerful families had a long tradition of scholarship and produced many talented individuals like Zu Ti and Xi Jian. In a direct confrontation, Liu Jun was not confident of victory. Even the fortified villages and the tenant farmers who farmed and fought might not be much less capable than the Jin army.
More importantly, the Sima family was originally a powerful clan from Hejian. If they acted rashly, Sima Ye might take advantage of the situation. Even if they could conquer the world by force, the powerful clans would still control the various states and counties. If they insisted on supporting the Sima family, they would not be able to hold onto the country even if they were to be wiped out.
But that approach was neither benevolent nor wise. The pen of history is like a knife; how will people talk about him a thousand years from now?
He rarely fell into deep thought; his tightly furrowed brows formed a deep furrow on his forehead, as if a thousand troops could pass through, or as if it were an insurmountable chasm.
He looked up at Wen Qiao, "I wonder what kind of knife Tai Zhen intends to borrow, and who he plans to kill?"
Wen Qiao said casually, "First, sow discord between Shi Le and the gentry, then sow discord between the gentry and Sima Rui."
Liu Jun's brow twitched, then immediately relaxed, and he smiled, "So it's Sima Rui? Are the aristocratic families you mentioned the Gu, Lu, Zhu, and Zhang families, or the Wang, Xie, Yuan, and Xiao families?"
"Oh?" Wen Qiao understood and spoke the vicious words on Liu Jun's behalf, "If it were the gentry of the Central Plains and Jiangdong, there would be no question of sowing discord. With a little provocation, they could probably fight to the death."
Liu Jun said coldly, "Besides, Wang Dun is stubborn, arrogant, and will surely cause trouble. Now, Jiangdong has Wang Dao in civil affairs and Wang Dun in military affairs. How can Sima Rui rest easy?"
"Now that the plan is made, when will we make our move?" Wen Qiao asked, bowing respectfully.
“I already have Guanzhong and Hanzhong. If I can also obtain Bashu, the great cause will be settled.” Liu Jun stood with his hand on his sword. “Jingzhou is the gateway to Bashu. I am not at ease whether it is in the hands of Sima Rui or Wang Dun. Before attacking Li Xiong, Jiangdong cannot be peaceful. It must be in chaos.”
He gazed intently at the jade-like hilt of the sword given to him by Liu Kun, "Father's death anniversary is approaching again."
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