"It is true that Yan Fan is the biggest threat to the imperial court."
"But we can't not consider the possibility of that happening."
"Therefore, in my opinion, Yan Fan's wings should be cut off first."
"Once it comes, it can scare the other kings from helping Yan Fan."
"Secondly, it can also show Yan Fan, if he wants to go against the imperial court, does he have the strength?"
"Perhaps His Majesty will only need an imperial edict, and Yan Fan will be able to arrest him without any hesitation."
When Huang Zicheng said these words, his face was filled with confidence.
This look is extremely bewitching.
Zhu Yunwen looked at Huang Zicheng, his eyes shining.
As expected of Mr. Huang, whom he relied on so much.
After all, Huang Zicheng had surrendered to him a long time ago.
Over the years, I have made suggestions for myself.
In Zhu Yunwen's heart, Huang Zicheng is his confidant.
Qi Tai on the side looked at Zhu Yunwen's expression and knew that he was tempted by Huang Zicheng's proposal.
So he quickly said:
"Your Majesty, it is precisely because Yan Fan is so powerful that we should weaken Yan Fan first!"
"Only by cutting off the Yan vassal first, the other vassal princes will be intimidated by the power of the imperial court and will not dare to resist."
"Only in this way can the subsequent reduction of vassalage be smoother."
"Your Majesty, please think twice!"
Huang Zicheng's words moved Zhu Yunwen's heart, but Qi Tai's words were also reasonable.
Zhu Yunwen was a little confused for a moment.
"Master Qi, you keep saying that you should cut down Yan Fan first."
"It is said that Yan Fan is powerful."
"But how many troops does Yan Fan have?"
"How can the imperial court's millions of troops be afraid of a small Yan vassal?"
"We just want to tell Yan Fan that the imperial court wants to cut down the feudal vassal."
"If we don't surrender and capture him, the other vassal kings will end up like the Yan vassal."
Huang Zicheng retorted to Qitai.
"Master Huang, this is Miao Yan."
"Cutting down other vassal kings first will only arouse Yan Fan's resistance."
"Your Majesty, I still say what I said, to cut down the feudal vassal, you must first cut down the empire."
With that said, Qitai bowed to Zhu Yunwen.
All he had to do was let Zhu Yunwen express his stance directly.
"Your Majesty..." Huang Zicheng retorted again.
The two started to quarrel.
For a moment, the scene was filled with saliva.
Seeing that it was about to take action, Zhu Yunwen finally couldn't help it and roared:
"Shut up, everyone!"
His face was very ugly.
"You two are both ministers whom I rely on. How can you be so noisy?"
"Everyone, please go down. I want to think about it carefully."
Zhu Yunwen waved his sleeves.
Seeing this, Qi Tai and Huang Zicheng looked at each other and left together.
However, after the two separated outside, Huang Zicheng played a trick.
He quietly took a detour and went back to find Zhu Yunwen.
When he left the palace again, excitement flashed in his eyes.
…
For the next month or so, everything in the court was peaceful.
Zhu Yunwen did not talk about cutting down the vassal vassal, but instead focused on state affairs.
Everyone thought that Zhu Yunwen would not cut down the feudal vassal.
But in September, Zhu Yunwen suddenly issued an order to depose Zhou Wang Zhu Ji to a commoner.
This was something that no one expected, even Yang Xuan.
Of course, these people do not include two people.
Zhu Yunwen, Huang Zicheng.
Because they had planned it early.
Moreover, the decision to depose King Zhu Ju of Zhou as a commoner was only made after he was captured.
It is worth mentioning that the person who went to capture Zhou Wang Zhu Ju was none other than Cao Guogong Li Jinglong.
Qianqing Palace.
Yang Xuan is confronting Zhu Yunwen.
"Your Majesty, it is such an important matter to cut down the feudal vassal, why don't you tell me about it?"
"Uncle, I understand your worries."
"But you can see now that cutting down the feudal clan is not as troublesome as you said."
Zhu Yunwen smiled.
The success of cutting off Zhou Fan gave him confidence and confidence.
In his opinion, Yang Xuan has lost the vigor he had when he was young during these years in the capital.
"But why do you want to depose the King of Zhou to a commoner?"
"To reduce the vassal state, all we need to do is remove their military and political power."
Yang Xuan asked with a frown.
"Uncle, you think too simply."
"It is no longer enough to simply reduce their military and political power."
"They have been the vassal kings for so many years, and now they suddenly want to take away their power."
"How can they be willing to do so?"
"In addition, they have been operating in the fiefdom for so many years, so they have money and food in their hands."
"When the time comes to incite the people to rebel, what should the court do?"
"What's more, I didn't wrong my fifth uncle."
"The fifth uncle's second son, Zhu Youhuang, reported to the court that the fifth uncle was plotting evil intentions."
"This can't be fake, right?"
"Those who plan evil will be beheaded according to law."
"I thought that he was my biological uncle, so I just deposed him as a commoner."
"That's enough."
Zhu Yunwen said slowly, very satisfied with his handling, and did not notice that Yang Xuan's face was getting darker and darker.
Yang Xuan didn't believe that Zhu Ru was plotting evil, and at most he just vented some of his dissatisfaction.
But this was enough for Zhu Yunwen.
There is a reason to cut down Zhou Fan.
What's more, it was Zhu Xi's biological son who reported it. How could this be false?
The most important thing is that Zhu Di is Zhu Di's half-brother.
In Zhu Yunwen's view, he is Zhu Di's right-hand man and must be eliminated in advance.
Seeing the confidence on Zhu Yunwen's face, Yang Xuan resisted the urge to beat him.
Taking a deep breath, he persuaded: "Your Majesty, deposing the King of Zhou to a commoner will definitely make the other kings uneasy."
"The most important thing now is to appease them."
"To prevent trouble."
"I suggest that you find a scapegoat in the court and kill him as a reason to sow royal family ties."
"Then restore the title of King Zhou."
"Place it in the capital."
Hearing this, Zhu Yunwen frowned, a little reluctant.
He had planned for so long to depose the King of Zhou, and now if he was asked to restore Zhu Ju's title, wouldn't it be in vain?
Impossible, absolutely impossible!
"Uncle, I haven't been on the battlefield for so many years. Why do I feel that you no longer have the same bloody spirit as before?" Zhu Yunwen looked at Yang Xuan with a questioning tone.
"You said the kings would cause chaos."
"Wouldn't that be just right? It would save me the trouble of looking for excuses." Zhu Yunwen turned around and said calmly.
Seeing this, Yang Xuan was stunned for a moment.
There must have been too many changes before and after Zhu Yunwen ascended the throne.
He asked unwillingly: "Your Majesty, do you still remember how you promised the late emperor?"
"Of course I remember this..." Zhu Yunwen paused and replied.
When he was still the grandson of the emperor, Lao Zhu asked him how he would deal with the problem of vassal kings in the future. His original answer was: "Embrace them with virtue and control them with etiquette. If they don't succeed, they will cut down their territory, and if they don't, they will change their situation." If they are serious enough, they will raise an army to attack them."
To put it simply, you first use virtue to win their hearts, and then use etiquette to restrain their behavior. If that doesn't work, reduce their fiefdoms. The next step is to change the fiefdoms. If there is really no other way, then you have to draw your sword and fight.
"But now, see if you can do it?"
…
