Wei Ni

Is it difficult to draft the content of the new emperor's first edict?
For the six people inside the Taiji Hall, it was actually not difficult at all.

The criticisms leveled against the late Emperor Cao Rui were mainly due to three things: his extravagant construction projects, his extensive collection of beautiful women, and his luxurious lifestyle.

The will stipulated that the young ladies of the harem should return to their homes.

Therefore, in the first edict of the new emperor, he only needed to claim that the late emperor's will also included the cessation of the construction of palaces, which would add some good reputation to Cao Rui's posthumous reputation; and then reiterate that he should follow the simple and frugal style of Emperor Wen of Han (Cao Pi) and reduce the expenditure of the harem, which would establish the image of the new emperor as virtuous.

As for how to demonstrate the new emperor's benevolence...
There are already things that are readily available.

As early as the Qinglong era, officials petitioned the emperor to consider whether government slaves over sixty years of age could be released (pardoned and allowed to become commoners). However, at that time, the late Emperor Cao Rui was engaged in large-scale construction projects and endless labor, so the matter was never resolved. Now that the previous palace construction projects have been halted, there is an opportunity to release government slaves.

They take such a serious approach to content that could be easily drafted, not just to go through the motions.

Instead, they saw this incident as an opportunity for the three regents to work together with the head of the court.

More accurately, it was a trial balloon being cast on Xiahou Hui by the crowd—in the future, no matter what was to be done in the imperial court, without the approval of this great general.

Of course, this does not mean that Xiahou Hui has already taken control of everything and is like a monarch.

Instead, he took the lead and stood out from the crowd.

People used this incident to see if he was stubborn and headstrong, and thus decided whether to confront him in the future or resolve everything through compromise. After all, if Cao Shuang and Sima Yi joined forces, with the support of the officials, they could also prevent Xiahou Hui from acting unilaterally.

Therefore, after the matter of releasing the government slaves was settled, the people did not leave.

Instead, they fell silent, waiting for Minister Pei Qian or Grand Commandant Sima Yi to discuss whether the system of releasing free people could also be applied to scholar families, in order to see Xiahou Hui's decision.

Or, to put it another way, if even government slaves who had been deported for their crimes could be released, then the families of scholars who were formerly displaced people could certainly be released as well.

But that's not important.

Importantly, many government slaves were incorporated into the gentry system, which inevitably involved the gentry system.

Coincidentally, the previous campaign to eliminate the long-standing abuses of the scholar-official class was a matter of state affairs that Xiahou Hui had mentioned and implemented with the approval of the late Emperor Cao Rui. It was also the only thing he accomplished after moving from the military to the court.

However, the Shi family has a wide range of influence.

The agricultural departments across the country all had some shady dealings to varying degrees.

If the same applies to the innocent, some people will inevitably speculate about Xiahou Hui's intentions and, out of a desire to curry favor, criticize the abuses of the military farms and report the officials in charge of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Therefore, Xiahou Hui's decision on whether or not to release Liang Shi's family can also reveal whether he would become too powerful when he took charge in the future.

However, Grand Commandant Sima Yi remained silent for a long time, as if he were in deep meditation, ignoring the earnest gazes of the crowd, as if he had forgotten that the affairs of the Shi family belonged to the Grand Commandant's office.

This made Minister Pei Qian sigh inwardly, and he then consciously asked Xiahou Hui for his opinion on the matter.

There was no other way; all matters, big and small, in the imperial court had to go through the Secretariat.

As soon as the question was raised, Xiahou Hui knew it was a rhetorical question, so he remained noncommittal and asked directly, "What do you gentlemen think of this matter?"

ok~
He directly took the initiative and became the host.

He turned someone else's probing questions into a legitimate way of testing them.

As the chief regent, the Grand General sought the opinions of high-ranking officials on matters of state. Wasn't this a manifestation of humility and open-mindedness? What was wrong with that?
Everyone was speechless.

But the one who felt most speechless and frustrated was Grand Commandant Sima Yi.

Because everyone's attention was once again focused on him, and he could no longer ignore it.

The affairs of the Shi family fall under the jurisdiction of the Grand Commandant's office!

As the first person to speak, it was his duty as the Grand Commandant to do so.
"General, I believe that His Majesty has just ascended the throne, and his decrees should be few rather than many. Whether to release elderly scholars is a matter that needs to be carefully considered."

This is how he responded, subtly denying it.

Once someone took the lead, others naturally followed suit.

Whether or not good people are released is just a pretext for them; the actual outcome is not important.

Xiahou Hui nodded expressionlessly, "If that's the case, then as you gentlemen have said, let's discuss this matter at length."

This seemingly agreeable answer actually made everyone's pupils shrink and their hearts skip a beat.

Because Xiahou Hui, as they wished, showed that he was willing to accept others' suggestions, but also subtly warned them—anything can be discussed together, don't try to play tricks! Otherwise, if they answered like this today, he could later use "as you gentlemen have said" as a pretext to announce to the court and the public that they advocated for another campaign to clean up the long-standing abuses of the scholar-official class!

Therefore, everyone's expressions were different when they left.

Situ Weizhen remained calm and composed.

He also comforted Cui Lin, the Minister of Works, and Pei Qian, the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, who were returning with him, telling them not to misunderstand the new General-in-Chief as being arrogant and domineering, or worried about the stability of the state. Having had many interactions with Xiahou Hui, he had long anticipated this outcome.

Grand Commandant Sima Yi was somewhat irritated. Being forced to speak first made him feel that his future situation would become increasingly difficult.

He began to ponder how to lie low and avoid the limelight in the future, ensuring his own safety before considering assisting the new ruler and saving the country.

Cao Shuang's idea was the opposite of his.

After experiencing Xiahou Hui's power to decide all matters for the first time, he felt that he was no match for his authority, so he thought about how to make Grand Commandant Sima Yi like-minded and work together with him.

Xiahou Hui, the instigator, was filled with regret.

To be honest, he didn't want to be so assertive on the day of the transition between the old and the new, but considering that "those who are weak will be overpowered by those below," he had no choice but to be forceful.

He's now in a high position in the government.
Only after baring teeth and showing off muscles can one become gentle and refined!
Three days later.

Cao Fang issued an edict proclaiming himself emperor in the Nine Dragons Hall.

In addition to the matters concluded by Xiahou Hui and others, the edict also included his own humility, honoring Empress Guo as Empress Dowager (Yongning Palace), posthumously conferring the title of Marquis on the Empress Dowager's father, and encouraging the officials and ministers.

Naturally, the ministers entrusted with the care of the young emperor were also rewarded.

This is also customary.

For example, when Emperor Wu of the Cao family was enfeoffing kings, many generals and officers had merits that were enough to be enfeoffed as marquises of villages or even counties, but Cao Cao kept holding back and did not request such enfeoffment, leaving the opportunity to bestow favors to Emperor Wen of the Cao family, Cao Pi.

The same applies to the late Emperor Cao Rui.

He only determined the choice of the regent and the division of responsibilities, leaving the task of winning people's hearts and bestowing favors and rewards to Emperor Cao Fang.

Moreover, Cao Rui had already planned out the rewards and honors.

For example, Xiahou Hui was enfeoffed as Marquis of Wuping (the county was in Chenjun, Yuzhou), with a fief of 10,000 households, and was granted the privilege of wearing a sword and shoes in the palace, not having to bow when entering the court, and not having to use his name when being praised; Cao Shuang was enfeoffed as Marquis of Wu'an, with a fief of 8,000 households; Grand Commandant Sima Yi, who was already a county marquis with a fief of more than 10,000 households, was not enfeoffed, but only had his fief increased by 4,000 households; the enfeoffment and rewards of other officials varied.

After this edict of accession was issued, the State of Wei entered the era in which Xiahou Hui held the reins of power.

However, he still has a long way to go before he can truly control the court.

The first step was to assemble a full complement of officials and staff for the establishment of the government.

The Grand General's staff included one Chief Clerk, one Military Advisor, two Attendant Gentlemen who served as advisors, twenty-nine clerks, and thirty-one clerks and attendants.

The vast majority of these duties belong to minor clerks and officials, who can be selected from various departments in the court.

But the remaining dozen or so vacancies are enough to make it difficult for him, who already has few connections, to fill them all.
After all, for important positions, not only talent and ability should be considered, but loyalty should also be ensured!
In terms of selecting subordinates, he was even inferior to Cao Shuang, let alone Grand Commandant Sima Yi, who had been in power for over a decade. After all, Cao Shuang only needed to select from his father Cao Zhen's former subordinates, and he had many officials with salaries of 1,000 or 2,000 shi available for recruitment.

And what about him?
Ding Mi was still imprisoned, and he could not set an example by recruiting someone while the late emperor's body was still warm.

His trusted confidants, such as Fu Gu and Yu Song, were too young and inexperienced, and at most could only serve as Attendant Gentlemen; his close friends, such as Chen Tai and Chen Qian, were older, but they were still in mourning.

The only thing that made him happy was that the choice of the chief secretary had been made.

It was Sun Li, the prefect of Lujiang.

He entered officialdom as a military advisor to Cao Cao, and served as a minister during the Taihe era. His honest and upright character and his loyalty in fighting tigers were highly praised by the late Emperor Cao Rui. In his will, Cao Rui appointed him as the chief secretary of the general and added the title of Gentleman Attendant to assist Xiahou Hui in managing the government.

But he is still in Huainan.

Judging by the time, he must have just received the imperial edict.

What troubled Xiahou Hui the most was the selection of the Grand General Sima.

Although this position yields no more than a thousand bushels of grain, it is in charge of military affairs, and the four garrison battalions of the five divisions of the Grand General's camp are all under his command.

To some extent, the choice of Sima was crucial to Xiahou Hui's fate.

Therefore, after careful consideration, Xiahou Hui felt that there was really no suitable candidate, so he asked the commander of the Crane Wing Camp, General Yue Liang, if he was willing to take the position. In any case, he had previously served as the commander of the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry and had temporarily taken command of the four battalions, so he could easily command the four battalions that had been reorganized into five divisions.

However, Le Liang declined.

"I am not well-educated and have no strategic skills. I am just a military man who follows orders. As the Grand General's Chief of Staff, I am unlikely to benefit the Grand General and will only invite ridicule."

He refused in such a resolute manner that Xiahou Hui had no choice but to give up.

Late January.

They buried Emperor Ming, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, at Gaoping Mausoleum.

Emperor Cao Fang was young and could not withstand the wind and snow, so General Xiahou Hui naturally had to take his place, leading Cao Shuang, Sima Yi, and other officials and members of the imperial family who had come from Ye City to attend the funeral. The Gaoping Mausoleum was located at Dashishan, south of the Luo River, ninety li from Luoyang. Given the slow pace required for the coffin to be transported by cart, it would take approximately five or six days.

So he finally had time to talk to some people.

For example, King Cao Yu of Yan, and Qin Lang. (End of this chapter)