The next day, all the ministers entered the palace.
From the three gongs and nine ministers headed by the prime minister, the military generals and other forbidden army generals, there are also the thirty-five princes currently on duty in Chang'an City, three princes and kings, and most of the Liu family's princes and kings' envoys , almost all the people in the entire Han court who could influence national policies were present.
Emperor Liu Jin sat in the palace with a pale face, looking at the Gong Gong Dukes in front of him. Almost everyone's face was dark, and even water dripped from their faces.
The Huns were defeated by the Han!
A mere southwestern barbarian caused the Han Dynasty to suffer an unprecedented defeat. This was something that no one could accept.
The failure of foreign wars not only damaged the world and the emperor, they also suffered huge losses, and every defeat hurt their interests.
It’s because of the emperor in front of me!
This incompetent emperor!
This was the thought lingering in everyone's mind. Liu Jin looked at the expressions of the ministers and his face became increasingly pale.
Liu Jin slowly opened his mouth and said: "My dear friends, I have summoned you to the palace today to discuss matters after the defeat of the Southern Kingdom. If you have anything to say, I will consider it."
As soon as the emperor finished speaking, the general immediately said: "Your Majesty, the Yi Di in the southwest are like beasts. They are only afraid of swords. The Han gave them the land to live and built water conservancy and roads for them, but they betrayed the Han. Understand kindness, this is not worthy of forgiveness.
They think that one defeat can make the Han Dynasty retreat. This is simply wishful thinking. The Han Dynasty still has tens of millions of people who can still fight and dare to fight.
I suggest that you immediately send out more troops to conquer the Yi Di in the southwest. You are the emperor. Is there any reason in this world that you can be safe without obeying the emperor?
This kind of atmosphere cannot allow them to exist. Only by using swords and flames to completely wipe out the Yi Di in the southwest can the border be forever peaceful. "
As the biggest hawk in the Han Dynasty, the general's attitude has always been clear, that is, fight!
The emperor sighed after hearing this: "General, what you said makes sense. Do the rest of my dear friends have any ideas?"
Except for the top families, the rest of the princes mainly rely on military merit to survive. Without military merit, once they have done it a few times, they will seize the title and eliminate the country. This is unacceptable.
Since Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty Liu Che began to make great contributions, the princes have returned to the glorious days of the founding of the country. Now they will never allow the court's major political policies to change. Everyone looked at each other and said in unison: "Your Majesty, I second the proposal!"
The prime minister narrowed his eyes slightly, and combined with the emperor's previous attitude towards the memorial to send troops again, he guessed that the emperor was determined not to fight anymore. When he was about to speak, Sang Hongyang stepped forward and said: "Your Majesty, if you want If we want to raise an army, I have a way to raise military expenses."
Emperor Liu Jin was indecisive. Luo Wuji wrote in a letter that the treasury was empty now and that he should not raise troops for the time being. However, Sang Hongyang said that he had a way to raise military expenses. Liu Jin hesitated and said: "Da Si Nong, please explain in detail." one time."
Sang Hongyang smiled slightly and said confidently: "Your Majesty, although the imperial court's treasury is empty now, the same is not true for the big men. There are as many rich people as there are sands on the beach. Their money and food are ten times and a hundred times more than the imperial court's. We can increase the number of people." The strength of the Yantie official operation and the monopoly on alcoholic beverages.
Taxes can be levied on every mouth of the common people to support the border wars. To the common people, this money is like a drop of water in the ocean, but to the court, it is a huge military expenditure that accumulates.
By doing this, the imperial army will be able to fight with sufficient food and money. Can the southwestern barbarians defeat my Han's heavenly army twice? "
Emperor Liu Jin's expression changed when he heard this, he looked at Sang Hongyang deeply, and then said: "Those frivolous taxes are a manifestation of the kindness of the Han Dynasty. They are the grace that allowed the Han Dynasty to distinguish the Qin Dynasty. Can they be destroyed at will?
The increase in oral gifts is to force the old, weak and lonely people to suffer more. It is to frighten and tire the people of the world, instead of treating the people well. That is not what a benevolent emperor should do. How can I bear to do it? What to do? "
Sang Hongyang was stunned when he heard this, glanced at the emperor, and returned to the queue with some disappointment, shaking his head.
An emperor limited to personal morality, an emperor burdened by fame, was not the British master he expected. If Emperor Wu was alive, Sang Hongyang believed that he would be reused.
Now everyone came to their senses, and the general suddenly said urgently: "Your Majesty, do you really want to succumb to the mere southwestern barbarians?
Even powerful enemies like the Xiongnu could not defeat the Han.
Those southwestern barbarians are like monkeys in the mountains. They don't even have human clothes and speak in completely incomprehensible bird language. Can the great world of Zhuxia coexist with them?
200,000 soldiers slaughtered the Southern Kingdom. How can we not avenge them?
Is that in line with the principles of sages?
Is that what the emperor of Zhuxia should do?
Emperor Su Wang once said that the Xia and the barbarians cannot coexist, and the royal way cannot be swayed and not enforced by the world. Do you want to violate the will of Emperor Su Wang?
That's what only a single man would do!
I am worried about you. "
As soon as the general said these words, the atmosphere in the palace instantly became solemn, and the prime minister also shut his mouth. This was a topic that could not be touched.
Liu Jin's heart trembled. This was what he was worried about. Seeing that the princes wanted to speak, he raised his hand and stopped everyone. Then he said slowly: "My dear friends,
I do not want to violate the will of Emperor Suwang, nor do I want to coexist with those barbarians and Di. I hereby make an oath to you all to wash away the shame of this defeat.
But I have something to say.
The late emperor defeated the Xiongnu, and the treasury was as empty as it is now. The general Chang Ping Wu Liehou assisted me, and within a few years we were able to recover to the point where we could fight, so there was no need to levy excess taxes from the people, and the court Got money and food for the war.
The Southern Kingdom was defeated.
I ordered the county guards in the southwest to provide food for the army, but some thin soldiers still starved to death on the road because the mountain roads in the southwest were too difficult to walk and the food could not be reached.
The Yi Di in the southwest also placed a curse on the forests and water sources in the mountains. This may be God's instructions, but I was not wise enough, so I ignored these. The soldiers were infected with the disease in the southwest, and the army was weakened and destroyed. This is It's my fault.
You can't do this again.
I am determined to use ten years to restore the country's strength, train soldiers who are good at mountainous areas in the southwest, spy on the intelligence of the Yi and Di, and dispatch virtuous generals. In this way, there is no doubt that we will be victorious.
Prime Minister, what I have said today, I also ask you to formulate an edict. After I seal it, I will send it to every county, county, and country in the world, so that the ministers, princes, and court officials with two thousand stones will know.
Now the imperial court wants to change the continuous war, resume farming, and make Guanzhong prosperous again.
Instead of recruiting hundreds of thousands of troops, let the people who are doing corvee and military service return home and enrich their assets, leaving only a standing army. "
What Liu Jin said made even the general speechless. Naturally, the court discussions here were free to speak out, but the emperor actually wanted to send his words to the world. This is a bit outrageous. Is this really necessary? Since Emperor Wu, the Han Dynasty has continued to expand outwards.
The most important thing is that Liu Jin has been learning from Emperor Wu in everything since he became emperor, but now he wants to completely deny his former thoughts on governing the country and turn to the path of Emperor Wen.
This is equivalent to admitting to the world that what you did was wrong.
The emperor of this time and space does not have the sacred feeling that he cannot make mistakes, but who is willing to admit his mistakes?
Admitting a mistake is a very difficult thing. Even for an ordinary person who is stubborn and unwilling to admit his mistake, let alone an emperor at the peak of his power, this requires great courage.
For this reason, it is necessary to give the emperor a chance to correct his mistakes. The prime minister bowed and said: "Your Majesty, I obey your decree."
The emperor said a little tiredly: "My dear friends, please come back. I am tired."
"I'll take my leave."
After the ministers bowed and bowed, they left the meeting hall one after another. Liu Jin was left alone, looking at the lonely hall, laughing twice, and the depression in his heart became more and more serious.
————
The "Southern Kingdom Sinner's Edict" is the first time in history that an emperor himself has issued a sinner's edict. It has extremely far-reaching significance. From an official level, it means that the emperor has the concept of responsibility, rather than unlimited power.
Although the author is very reluctant to admit that this is actually the product of the Han Dynasty's transition from prosperity to decline, the fact is that it cannot be argued! ——"The Rise and Fall of the Han Dynasty"
(End of chapter)
