Compared with previous enthronement ceremonies, this court ceremony on the first day of the first lunar month of the first year of Zhenguan was more like a serious enthronement ceremony for Liu Bei.
The scene was grand. There were more people attending the ceremony than before, orders of magnitude greater, and greater weight. Many of the leading generals and border officials who had been arranged by Liu Bei came back to wish Liu Bei a happy New Year and all the best.
For Liu Bei, all this is secondary. Compared with the process of this congratulatory ceremony, Liu Bei is more concerned about the changes in certain contents of this ceremony.
He still remembers the life-threatening New Year celebration on the first day of the first lunar month of the fourth year of his life. He still remembers the bowl of [New Year's Special Summer Ice Drink] that made him stiff from soul to limb. of magic damage.
Of course, he still clearly remembers the physical blow those cold snacks gave him.
So he naturally remembered that he had sworn that one day when he could take charge of everything, he would definitely change this ungrateful rule and provide everyone, even a humble official, with hot winter drinks.
So he did it.
After all, he was not the kind of evil person who would tear up other people's umbrellas if he got caught in the rain...at least not completely.
Of course, only high-ranking officials and generals could enjoy the meal with him in the Chongde Hall during the banquet ceremony.
Although most of the officials were still shivering in the cold wind in the large square outside Chongde Hall, the supply of a bowl of warm old hen soup indeed moved many junior officials to the point of tears.
They drank the fragrant and delicious hot chicken soup one mouthful at a time, feeling their cold hearts being warmed bit by bit.
The subsequent banquets were basically hot food, and the waiters who brought the food "kindly" told them to eat it as soon as possible and eat it while it was hot, as it would not taste good when it was cold.
This situation made many officials transitioning from the Second Reich to the Third Reich feel very emotional.
At this time during the Second Empire, they could only take a sip of the summer ice drink, praying that the ceremony would be over soon so they could go back and drink something warm to save their wailing stomachs.
But now, they can eat hot food. Even the humble officials can eat hot food.
It tastes really good.
Many people lamented this and talked privately, saying that the new dynasty and new atmosphere were true. A lot of things could be seen from the warmth of the banquet.
The so-called subtle knowledge makes a difference!
After the New Year celebration ceremony, there is a five-day holiday as usual. For some officials with low status or low power, the five-day holiday can be enjoyed, but for high-ranking officials and generals, a three-day break is considered a holiday. Not bad.
This year Liu Bei also rested for three days. He accompanied his family and went out to enjoy the snow and eat hot pot. He also added the family of his old friends to this routine. A large group of people left Luoyang City in a mighty manner. We had a hot pot and barbecue party and had a lot of fun.
Of course, in these sessions, there is indispensable bragging and competition between their respective children, as well as a decisive battle over the final exam results. The winning parents are elated, while the losing parents are gnashing their teeth and displeased with how their naughty children look.
Ji Jian came back in a hurry on the New Year's Day and missed the big ceremony, but he caught up with the hot pot and barbecue party.
He took his proud son Ji Xiao to participate in this happy team-building activity. At the activity, he made subtle mockery of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, saying how his son was so good and how he was better than his father. of.
How could Guan Yu and Zhang Fei not hear the subtext of Ji Jian?
They were so angry with Ji Jian that they pulled Ji Jian and poured him wine while drinking without any hint of abuse, so Ji Jian was severely punished. In the middle of the party, He was already unconscious.
But Ji Xiao really strived to compete with Guan Ning and Zhang Chi in a barbecue competition. Both of them rolled their eyes, but they still couldn't get enough of Ji Xiao, who was like a slut.
Seeing this scene, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei couldn't help but sigh.
It's true that a person has a destiny. Ji Jian doesn't have the ability to march and fight. He only has some skills in raising horses. He is now fully responsible for raising horses, but his son is a good hand at first glance.
They looked at Ji Jian who had fallen asleep and fell unconscious, feeling a bit envious in their hearts.
Overall, this hot pot and barbecue party was relatively harmonious. There were no disputes among everyone. Even people who were not familiar with each other greeted each other with smiles and greeted each other.
However, under this harmony, Liu Bei also observed some interesting phenomena.
In the past, because there were powerful enemies such as the Modern Classics School, the Ancient Classics School, foreign relatives, and the eunuch group, the people under Liu Bei's command would stick together and form a group to resist various challenges and threats.
There is no distinction between everyone, there is only one highest status - a member of Liu Bei's faction.
After all the major hostile forces were completely eliminated by Liu Bei, his subordinates gradually occupied many power niches that were not occupied before. From this, many small factions under Liu Bei's faction were naturally divided.
If divided according to the number of people, Liu Bei's subordinates are mainly divided into three factions: Liangzhou Faction, Disciples and Students Faction, and Guli Faction.
The Liangzhou system is a relatively large concept. It can not only include Gai Xun, Yan Zhong, Yan Wen and other senior subordinates who have followed Liu Bei for a long time, but also graduates from Liangzhou who have just graduated from Liangzhou University. Incorporate it.
It can be said that from the time Liu Bei served as Liangzhou Shepherd to the current stage, all Liangzhou people who have served Liu Bei can be regarded as a member of the Liangzhou Gang.
And Liangzhou is indeed one of the places where Liu Bei contributed the most and sent out the most people after he gained power. Therefore, in terms of number of people and political influence, the Liangzhou Clique is second to none within the Third Reich. There is no one better than Liangzhou. The state faction has become a larger faction.
The lineage of disciples and disciples is not divided according to the concept of region. It includes people from many places in the south and north, including people from Liangzhou, Sili, Yuzhou and Yanzhou.
They often became Liu Bei's disciples when Liu Bei still had the inheritance of "Zuo's Spring and Autumn Annals", studied with Liu Bei in Liangzhou Academy, and had the title of Liu Bei's disciples.
Disciples are the elites among the disciples, or elites from related households. The number is relatively small, but any one of them is considered to be very promising, such as Cao Cao's eldest son Cao Ang, who is serving as the county magistrate, and so on.
They are generally younger and more educated. They are Liu Bei's main force to replace the old bureaucracy. Most of them come from poor families and are common people. They do not have strong political influence, but they have strong future development potential.
Therefore, the official system was mainly built by Liu Bei by recruiting heroes from all over the world and winning over the hearts of the people.
Strictly speaking, this faction also overlaps with the previous two factions. For example, after his disciples graduate and enter his mansion to work because of their excellence, they will have the status of both disciples and former officials at the same time.
However, because the political concept of official officials is relatively broad, everyone from Guan Yu and Zhang Fei to the last young graduate who entered the general's palace can be regarded as Liu Bei's official officials, not to mention Zhao Yun and Shi Huan who were excluded by him. Recruit outstanding talents into the general's palace.
They also come from all over the world and do not fall into the geographical divisions, and their age is of no reference, because even people like Jia Xu and Cheng Yu can be classified into this faction.
Therefore, these three broad concepts are actually not very marketable within the Third Reich. If the concepts are too big, people's sense of belonging will be weakened. Without a strong political leader, it would be difficult to convert so many People come together.
Therefore, compared to these three large-scale concepts, people are generally willing to accept smaller-scale concepts.
For example, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Jian Yong, Qian Zhao, Ji Jian and others formed the Yuan Cong faction who first followed Liu Bei.
They were the first to follow Liu Bei, and the first to get along and become brothers. They have deep feelings for each other, and they mainly lead troops outside. They have high status, great power, and strong military exploits. They are not something ordinary people can get involved in. In a sense, they have strong exclusivity. .
Then there is the foreign relatives faction composed of Han Rong, Cao Cao, Gai Xun, Xiahou Dun and others.
They followed Liu Bei not too early, but not too late. Basically, they all had some family influence, and all of them had family women in Liu Bei's inner palace. They were related to him and were important partners of Liu Bei in his early days. .
Although they no longer have the status of partners, and their relatives lack a reasonable ecological niche in the political structure of the Third Reich, they still hold important positions of power and are the most powerful political faction at this stage by mainstream default.
The next interesting faction is Liu Bei's "Dream-Ying Xianchen" faction, which are mainly subordinate officials recruited by Liu Bei through dreams when he was the general's palace.
Strictly speaking, they can also be regarded as members of the Guli family, but in real terms, this Ying Meng Xianchen faction can be regarded as the elite of the Guli family, belonging to the most promising and dynamic Mesozoic group at present.
Some of them are administrative officials and some lead soldiers in wars. Their status is not the highest, but they can be regarded as a group of middle and high-level people. Compared with other ordinary officials, their situation is different and they have a bright future.
Then there is the gentry family.
They are a group of first-rate or second-rate or third-rate scholar families who chose to join Liu Bei during his development. They followed Liu Bei for different periods of time, but they also occupied their own ecological niche under Liu Bei.
And because of their excellent knowledge and abilities, they can often hold more important backbone positions at local and central levels.
For example, Xun You and Xun Yu, as well as Zhong Yao, Yang Xiu, Guo Jia, Chen Qun, Zhang Zhao, Zhang Hong and others.
Then there is the veteran official system.
Led by Zheng Xuan, Lu Zhi, Ma Rixi, Cai Yong, Fu Qian and others, they were both important high-ranking officials in the Second Empire and had a close relationship with Liu Bei. They were considered the last remaining members of the Ancient Literature School.
These people generally have higher qualifications and older ages. The relationship with Liu Bei used to be a serious relationship between elders and juniors. Although most of them dare not say this now, the relationship still exists. of.
Such a series of divisions can basically cover the current situation of small groups under Liu Bei.
When he looked around, it was basically the same scene.
Of course Guan Yu plays better and is closer to Zhang Fei and the others.
Cao Cao and Yan Wen drank and sang to each other, showing a posture similar to the geometry of life.
Zheng Xuan, who was invited by Liu Bei, sat around with Lu Zhi and Ma Rixi, warming themselves by the fire, drinking wine, and chatting, seemingly very happy.
Everyone has their own small group, small circle, and there is no competitive relationship between them yet. However, Liu Bei also knows very well that this is temporary and this situation will change as time goes by.
However, he must at least maintain it for the moment. The longer he maintains it, the more he can concentrate on what he wants to do.
Dutian is imperative, and comprehensive reforms are imperative. If he doesn't do some things, he will never succeed.
So Liu Bei had a sense of urgency.
And this sense of urgency was also well transmitted to his subordinates.
After the New Year, more and more people in the inner circle have become aware of Liu Bei's previous intentions and know what Liu Bei meant when he told them this. Therefore, more and more people have expressed that they will follow Liu Bei's actions as a family.
Whatever task Liu Bei asked them to complete, they would complete it without any hesitation.
Therefore, Liu Bei did not need to doubt their loyalty.
And Xun Yu saw more and more people coming forward to tell Liu Bei that they could solve family affairs without him having to worry about it. How could he not know where the political risks were this time?
But at first he felt that he still had some time, because the two old and difficult problems of the Cao family and the Xiahou family had not yet been resolved, and he, the Xun family, should still have time.
As a result, just when Xun Yu felt that he could slowly discuss the matter with his family, a shocking news suddenly came.
The Cao family has been dealt with.
Cao Cao sent a letter to Liu Bei, saying that internal negotiations within the family had been completed, and the entire Cao family was willing to accept the land transfer from the imperial court and pay land taxes to the imperial court in accordance with the provisions of Han law.
Of course, because the Cao family has too much land and property and the taxes are too heavy, the Cao family hopes to sell part of the land to the government, hoping that the government can purchase it at market price.
In general, Cao will fully implement the requirements of Liu Bei's land transfer bill, resolutely follow Liu Bei's correct line, eliminate all interference from current voices, and serve as a Han minister wholeheartedly.
This news did not spread on a large scale. It was only spread on a small scale within the core group at first. However, after learning the news, everyone in the inner circle was shocked.
In their opinion, even if the results are announced, it should be the Xiahou family who will produce the results first, or the Zhen family who should produce the results first.
The amount of property of the Xiahou family is relatively small among the super powerful, while the Zhen family has always been quite obedient to Liu Bei due to the existence of Zhen Yan, and has not done anything against it.
Therefore, they believe that these two families will react faster than other families and make decisions.
In the end, they all guessed wrong. The first family to make a decision was actually the Cao family, the most powerful family in the world.
From the time Liu Bei stated his request to Cao's affirmative reply, it took a total of seventeen days, which was just over half a month.
(End of chapter)
