I rode and slashed unparalleled in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 873: The National Foundation Dispute
"Have you heard? Have you heard? There was a big fight in the court today!"

In the streets of Luoyang, well-informed citizens were discussing the gossip from today's morning court session.

No one expected that just after this day of great joy and revelry, someone in the court took advantage of the general's routine absence from court to launch a violent argument and debate the issue of the eldest prince's surname.

"It is natural for a son to take his father's surname. When the general made the engagement, Your Majesty was still a princess, and the engagement did not mention marrying into the family. In my opinion, the prince should naturally have the surname Su."

An old man was stroking his beard and shaking his head.

"Nonsense!" A young man who looked like a scholar next to him immediately retorted: "Your Majesty is the blood of the previous emperor. The prince of the Liu family must have the surname Liu. Otherwise, wouldn't it be a violation of the ancestral rules? How can the royal family maintain its dignity?"

"Ancestral rules? The world has changed now. The general is extremely powerful and has made outstanding contributions in pacifying the north. Your Majesty obeys his orders. So what's wrong with the prince having the surname Su?" The old man raised his voice, his face full of dissatisfaction.

"Humph, after all, it's because the general commands a large army that you're obsessed with power." The young man said with a red face, "If the prince is really given the surname Su, will the world be ruled by the Liu family or the Su family? Who will the throne be passed on to? Do we need to change the dynasty?"

"So what if the dynasty changed?" Another strong man interrupted, "The general pacified the four directions, his achievements were unparalleled, and he conquered most of the country. He is a well-known man, so do you think he wants his child to take a woman's surname?"

"You, how can you be so ungrateful?!" the scholar was angry.

"What do you mean by ungrateful? We are repaying a favor!" The old man continued, "Don't forget, if the general hadn't driven Dong Zhuo away, countless people in our capital would have died on the road. I absolutely support the general's words!"

"Nonsense! Nonsense!"

"This is really the opposite of Tian Gang!"

The quarrels among the people intensified, just like a microcosm of the debates in the court.

The atmosphere in the imperial palace was no less gentle than that in the streets.

The nobles and ministers argued fiercely in the court over matters concerning the country's foundation.

The young and vigorous group, led by Guanglu Dafu Wei Ming and Zhongshu Shilang Jia Xu, listed the merits of General Su Yao and said that he had not been rewarded for his great achievements and was deprived of his right to take his surname. Wouldn't this chill the hearts of meritorious officials? Moreover, Your Majesty and the general had already been engaged, and it was only natural for the prince to take his father's surname!

However, Taichang Liu Yu, Shizhong Xun Yu, Shangshu Ling Zhu Jun, Yushi Doctor Wang Yun and others argued with reason.

They quoted classics and emphasized the orthodoxy of the Han Dynasty, especially the ancestral temple worship and inheritance, and insisted that the prince must have the surname Liu, otherwise the ancestral laws would be lost and the Han Dynasty's hundreds of years of foundation would be disgraced.

Both sides insisted on their own opinions and refused to give in, causing a heated argument in the court.

"If the prince does not have the surname Liu, how can the ancestral temple sacrifices continue? This move will shake the foundation of the country, and it must not be allowed!"

Liu Yu, the Minister of the Ministry of Rites, had his hair and beard standing up, and he slammed the tablet in his hand heavily on the ground, like a proud fighter.

He gave up everything and came to Luoyang just to protect his ancestral foundation and the Han ancestral temple. If he let Su Yao take over his position, how would he face his ancestors?

Facing Liu Yu's fierce opposition, Wei Ming sneered: "Liu Taichang is wrong! If it weren't for the great general's efforts to turn the tide, the Han Dynasty's ancestral temple would have been burned down by the Dong thief. Now that the great general has made great contributions, why can't the prince take his father's surname?"

Jia Xu also echoed: "What Doctor Wei said is very true. Your Majesty and the general have a deep affection for each other. The prince's surname Su can not only show the royal family's reliance on meritorious officials, but also stabilize the situation in the court. Moreover, even if the prince's surname is Su, he is still your Majesty's biological son. If he inherits the throne in the future, he will also respect the Han Dynasty's ancestral temple. How can it be said that it will shake the foundation of the country?"

Zhu Jun snorted coldly, his eyes were like torches, he looked directly at Wei Ming and Jia Xu: "My two lords, please don't be so flattering. The laws established by our ancestors cannot be abolished. The prince's surname is Liu, which is related to the orthodoxy of the Han Dynasty. This is the common understanding of the subjects of the world. If it is changed rashly, it will inevitably cause chaos in the world. When the people are unstable, how can the princes of the four directions sit idly by and watch?"

"Yes." Xun Yu also said, "We are not unaware of the great general's achievements, but the foundation of the country cannot be easily touched. If the royal family can change its surname just because of its great achievements, it may cause countless ambitious people in the future to follow suit, and the country will no longer be a country."

"You are right."

Imperial Censor Wang Yun also stood up and expressed his attitude:

"Yuan Shu's rebellion has not yet been quelled, and the world is still in turmoil. Changing the prince's surname at this time may make the princes think that the Han Dynasty is unstable and covet it. Once the various forces are ready to move, the war will be reignited, and the people will be in dire straits again. Is this what you want?"

The debate in the court became increasingly fierce, the two sides were at a stalemate, and the entire hall seemed to be shrouded in an invisible atmosphere of tension.

The Ten Thousand Years Empress sat on the dragon throne, her fingers unconsciously twisted around her sleeves, her eyes frequently looking out of the palace door.

She couldn't understand why everything was fine before, but suddenly there was a big commotion? Was this the general's intention?

"Has the general arrived? What did he say?"

While the quarrel was going on below, Wannian quietly asked the female official beside him.

"The internal official has already left. I think the general will be here soon."

Mention Su Yao and Su Yao will appear.

Just as the court was tense, a burst of orderly footsteps suddenly came from outside the palace. The guards sang loudly: "The general has arrived--"

Instantly, all the officials in the court were silent. Su Yao was still in his military uniform, and the sword on his waist tapped against his armor with every step, making a crisp metallic sound. He walked into the hall with the gait of a dragon and a tiger, and his eyes swept over the officials like lightning. Finally, he stopped at the steps and saluted with his fists: "Your Majesty, I, Su Yao, pay my respects to you."

The Wannian Empress straightened her back unconsciously, and said anxiously, "General, please don't be polite. We will hold a court meeting today."

"I already know."

Su Yao stood up, turned around and faced the ministers, his voice gradually became colder:

"Let me see who is making trouble out of nothing today, using the prince's surname to make a fuss? Don't you have anything else to do?"

Su Yao's voice was not loud, but it was like ice piercing into the bone marrow, freezing the air in the hall. The ministers who had just argued fiercely now lowered their heads and dared not look at him.

"Today, I want to ask you a question." Su Yao slowly walked towards the Imperial Censor who started the fight. "Imperial Censor Zhang, have you prepared the list of officials who will oversee the newly established counties in Jizhou? Have you submitted the progress report on the military farming in Bingzhou?"

The Imperial Censor immediately broke out in a sweat and knelt on the ground, "Your subordinate, your subordinate."

"And the Shangshu Ling." Su Yao turned his gaze to Zhu Jun, "Before I left for the war, I asked you to be responsible for implementing the reform of the grain transport system. How is the progress now? Show it to me."

Zhu Jun was speechless for a moment. He turned to look at his subordinate. The official suddenly turned pale, knelt down on the ground, kowtowed repeatedly, and whispered that he had forgotten to bring it.

Su Yao ignored them and just sneered to himself. He suddenly raised his voice and said, "You guys are not doing your job, but you have the time to meddle in the private affairs of the royal family? You are so bold!"

Su Yao's voice became louder and louder, and the last sentence was almost like a thunderclap. Several elderly ministers felt their ears buzzing and almost lost their balance.

Seeing this, the Wannian Empress coughed lightly and said, "General, calm down. My dear ministers, you are also considering the country's foundation."

"Your Majesty, you are wise."

Su Yao turned around and bowed, his tone slightly slower:
"I am not interfering in the court affairs, but the north has just been settled and there is a lot of work to be done. In the south, there are still rebellions such as Yuan Shu and Liu Biao that have not been quelled. These ministers do not think about sharing the country's worries, but instead entangle themselves in such trivial matters. It really makes me feel cold."

He paused, and glanced at the silent ministers: "As for the prince's surname - I think this matter does not need to be discussed at all."

"what?!"

"What does the general mean???"

After a burst of exclamations, one could hear a pin drop in the hall, and everyone held their breath.

Especially those royalists who had just been suppressed, they clenched their fists and their bodies trembled slightly.

Su Yao glanced at Wannian, then raised the corner of his mouth slightly, looked around, and said with a smile:

"I, the general, have been fighting against all the turmoil in the world, and I am dedicated to bringing peace to the world. Why would I care about the family name dispute and use the child's family name to show off my achievements? You guys are looking down on me too much."

"The prince should have the same surname as the emperor. This is a matter of course and there is no need to discuss it further. If anyone dares to use this to sow discord among the royal family, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

(End of this chapter)