With Cao Cao by my side, what do I have to fear from the world?

Liu Xie clenched his fists, his expression full of majesty. "The more this is the case, the more I will take action against the aristocratic families. Tell Cao Cao to go all out and do his thing to crack down on illegal activities. This is a good starting point. We can confiscate their property and seize all their land and houses!"

Jia Xu nodded. "Your Majesty is absolutely right. Returning the land to the people will naturally be met with resistance from powerful families. However, by taking advantage of the rectification, the land can be taken back by the court, and no one will be able to find an excuse to object. After all, they themselves have caused problems and have been caught red-handed."

"I originally gave Cao Cao a year to consider, but I didn't expect him to start taking action so quickly." Liu Xie was truly gratified.

Jia Xu smiled and said, "Because not long after Your Majesty left, Cao Cao returned to his hometown of Qiao County. He did not expect that even his own clan was oppressing the local people and seizing large amounts of land and houses. This pained Cao Cao, which is why he decided to take action. In addition, I think there is another reason."

Liu Xie nodded to him, signaling Jia Xu to continue.

"Over the years, Cao Cao has been aware of his struggles with Your Majesty, and you have always forgiven him. Cao Cao must feel deeply guilty. Now that he has realized his mistakes, he has done his best to help Your Majesty rectify the officialdom and crack down on the powerful families."

Liu Xie nodded, "Not bad!"

No one was more suitable than Cao Cao for this task.

After a while, Jia Xu advised, "Your Majesty would be better off not staying in Luoyang for long, because soon someone will submit a memorial opposing Cao Cao. The reorganization will involve more and more people, and with the emergence of many talented people from powerful families, someone will inevitably notice something."

Liu Xie was somewhat angry. "Reforming officials is reasonable and legal. Do you really think the powerful families will obstruct it?"

Jia Xu said, "If it were just a matter of rectifying a few people and using them as examples to warn others, it would naturally not cause much resistance. However, Cao Cao's sweeping reforms, which are being carried out across all parts of Yanzhou, mean something that is not hard to guess."

This means that Cao Cao didn't even spare his own hometown. After causing such a big commotion in Yanzhou, no one else will be able to escape his clutches in the future.

This rectification will grow larger and larger, and the number of powerful figures involved will inevitably increase.

Liu Xie laughed self-deprecatingly, "Look at me, the emperor, I actually have to hide away."

Jia Xu said confidently, "If Your Majesty does not believe me, someone will take the lead in submitting a memorial at tomorrow's morning court session."

As dawn broke, the vermilion gates of the Eastern Han Dynasty imperial palace slowly opened, sunlight filtering through the clouds and illuminating the magnificent palace. The atmosphere at today's morning court session was exceptionally solemn.

The ministers filed in, their faces showing worry and unease.

Liu Xie arrived early in the morning. Looking at the courtiers in the palace, he pondered what Jia Xu had told him. Would there really be many people who would stand up and oppose him?
Cao Cao's vigorous reform of the officialdom in Yanzhou clearly affected the interests of many powerful families, and the situation in the court became increasingly complicated.

The first to step forward was Kong Rong, the Minister of the Imperial Household. After bowing respectfully to Emperor Xie, he said with a grave expression, “Your Majesty, the Prime Minister has recently been vigorously reforming the officialdom in Yanzhou. Although his aim is to clean up corruption and revitalize the court, his swift and decisive methods have caused widespread anxiety. If this continues, it may lead to unrest. I earnestly request Your Majesty to advise the Prime Minister to stop there and not make too much of a fuss, so as to ensure the stability of the court.”

Liu Xie was somewhat disappointed. He hadn't expected that Kong Rong, who had always been loyal to the Han Dynasty, would be the first to stand up and oppose him.

Unconsciously, Liu Xie's fingers clenched slightly. His expression remained unchanged, but he was very dissatisfied.

He had once heard a saying: What is a noble family? It is a family that comes first, then the country. In the eyes of a noble family, the interests of the family always outweigh everything else.

As soon as Kong Rong finished speaking, Xun You stepped forward to echo him, saying, "Your Majesty, what Minister Kong says is absolutely right. The Prime Minister's efforts to reform the officialdom are a good thing, but acting too hastily is inevitably biased. Many powerful families have served the court for generations and are loyal to the Han Dynasty. The Prime Minister's actions will undoubtedly alienate many of these families. If this leads to dissatisfaction and resistance from these families, the court will surely fall into turmoil. I hope Your Majesty will reconsider and allow the Prime Minister to proceed slowly and methodically!"

Then, Xu Yi stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, “Your Majesty, I believe that although the Prime Minister possesses great talent and ambition, his actions in Yanzhou are perhaps too radical. Currently, the officials are restless and fearful, and have no interest in state affairs. If this continues, the court will surely descend into chaos. I implore Your Majesty to issue an edict ordering the Prime Minister to cease his excessive actions in order to appease the people and stabilize the court.”

Even Xu Yi, who had previously been loyal to Cao Cao, stood up to oppose it.

Minister Xun Yu stood aside, his expression complex. On the one hand, he agreed with Cao Cao's original intention to reform the officialdom, but on the other hand, he was worried about the consequences of this move.

After a moment's hesitation, he stepped forward. "Your Majesty," he said, "I know that the Prime Minister is wholeheartedly devoted to the court, and his efforts to reform the bureaucracy are aimed at eliminating long-standing abuses and restoring the glory of the Han Dynasty. However, the current situation is complex, and the power of aristocratic families is deeply entrenched. If we simply suppress them, it may backfire. I suggest that the Prime Minister communicate and negotiate more with the aristocratic families during the reform process to find a balanced approach that can both reform the bureaucracy and appease the aristocratic families, thus maintaining the stability of the court."

Xun Yu's feelings were complicated, and Liu Xie looked at him, his feelings were also complicated.

Unexpectedly, even Xun Yu stepped forward.

Soon, Geng Ji also stepped forward, saying loudly, "Your Majesty, the Prime Minister's actions are indeed tantamount to usurping power. I believe that the Prime Minister should be restrained and not allowed to act recklessly, otherwise the country will be unstable and the nation will be in danger!"

Xi Lu glanced at everyone, cleared his throat, and said, “Your Majesty, I believe that what Geng Ji said is somewhat biased. The Prime Minister has made outstanding contributions to the court by quelling rebellions and suppressing bandits, and his reforms of the officialdom are also for the long-term stability of the Han Dynasty. However, there may indeed be some improprieties in the implementation process. I suggest that Your Majesty send an envoy to Yanzhou to understand the facts before making a decision. You must not blindly believe one-sided accounts and wrong the Prime Minister.”

Wang Lang also stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, the Prime Minister’s actions in Yanzhou have caused much controversy. However, it is imperative to rectify the officialdom. But we need to be more cautious in our methods. I suggest that we summon the Prime Minister and relevant officials to court to discuss and jointly formulate a more reasonable rectification plan that can achieve the purpose of rectification while avoiding unnecessary conflicts and contradictions.”

Wei Huang frowned slightly and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that stability is of utmost importance in the current situation. If the Prime Minister's reorganization is not controlled, it may trigger a conflict between the powerful families and the court. The powerful families have great influence in the local areas, and if they unite to resist the court, the consequences will be unimaginable. The best course of action now is to prioritize peace, to make the Prime Minister slow down, and to make peace with the powerful families in order to protect the country and the nation."

Liu Ai continued, “Your Majesty, the Prime Minister’s actions in Yanzhou have caused many powerful families to have doubts about the court. If this is not addressed in time, it may affect the court’s prestige and rule. I implore Your Majesty to issue an edict ordering the Prime Minister to stop suppressing the powerful families and restore order to the officialdom in order to reassure the people.”

As the ministers presented their reports one after another, the atmosphere in the court grew increasingly tense. Liu Xie listened quietly to the ministers' discussions, his heart growing colder and colder.

Cao Cao's reforms have only just begun, yet so many people have already sensed the danger and openly opposed them. It is conceivable that the pressure will be even greater in the future.

After a long silence, Liu Xie spoke: "I understand what you, my beloved ministers, have said. The Prime Minister's matter of reforming the officialdom is indeed a matter of great importance concerning the safety of the court. I will carefully consider your suggestions and make a decision after careful consideration."

Liu Xie used a feigned retreat to advance, deliberately giving everyone hope, which temporarily suppressed the opposition.

However, after the court session ended, Liu Xie immediately wrote a letter to Cao Cao, telling him not to have any concerns and to punish anyone severely as long as the evidence was conclusive!
If even the rectification of criminal activities cannot be fully implemented, then controlling powerful families is out of the question. No matter how difficult this step is, Liu Xie must take it resolutely.

Liu Xie then summoned Fa Zheng and Sima Yi to ask for their opinions. During the morning court session, they wisely remained silent.

"Xiaozhi, what are your thoughts on the matter of reforming the officialdom?"

Fa Zheng smiled and said, "I'm afraid Your Majesty has already made up your mind, and I naturally agree."

"But as you saw at the morning court session, many people stood up to oppose it. They were worried that if the commotion was too great, more and more people would be implicated, which would destabilize the country."

Fa Zheng shook his head. "The world is almost at peace, so how could the state be unstable? I believe that's just their rhetoric. Their purpose is to stop the Prime Minister from going any further and prevent the situation from escalating. If the Prime Minister is allowed to continue, many people in the court will likely be implicated. Even if they all remain clean-cut, who can guarantee that their own clansmen will be unharmed?"

"Zhongda, what about you?" Liu Xie turned to look at Sima Yi.

Sima Yi replied, "I have just sent a letter back to my hometown, advising the head of the family to strictly discipline the clansmen. Anyone who violates the rules will be brought to the government office to confess their crimes."

Liu Xie was somewhat surprised. "Zhongda, this is only a reorganization in Yanzhou, yet you are cooperating so well. Everyone else is opposing me."

Sima Yi replied earnestly, "Your Majesty, I know that no matter who tries to dissuade you, they cannot stop you from doing this."

"why?"

Sima Yi glanced at Liu Xie and said, "Because once Your Majesty decides to do something, you will definitely do it, and you will definitely succeed. I know that the Prime Minister's actions this time were all at Your Majesty's behest. Therefore, this time, the Sima family of Hedong will firmly stand on Your Majesty's side."

Liu Xie joked, "Aren't you afraid of harming the family's interests?"

Even if we suffer some losses, it's nothing!

Sima Yi knew very well that the emperor before him was not so simple.

Therefore, he had to decisively side with the emperor. Even if his family's interests were harmed, it was much better than being treated as an enemy and eliminated.

Unfortunately, many people did not realize this problem during the morning court session today.

In their eyes, family interests come first.

But in Sima Yi's view, going against the emperor was like throwing an egg against a rock.

Despite the immense power of the aristocratic families, Sima Yi was unwilling to step forward.

Unless all the powerful families unite, the emperor cannot be persuaded to give in, but that day is still far away.

"Your Majesty, why don't you find a reason to leave Luoyang temporarily?"

Unexpectedly, Fa Zheng shared the same idea as Jia Xu.

Sure enough, if he stayed in Luoyang, the ministers would come over from time to time to offer advice and persuasion, each of them acting as if they were thinking of the country and the Han dynasty, which made Liu Xie somewhat annoyed.

On this day, Liu Xie lay on the bed with Empress Fu, their passion subsiding. He pondered quietly, when suddenly his eyes lit up and he thought of a plan.

The next morning at court, Emperor Liu Xie was filled with worry. “I just received a report that Zhang Lu’s troops from Hanzhong have attacked Jiameng Pass. He is really audacious. I originally wanted to send someone to persuade him to surrender, but I did not want to use force. I did not expect that before I could even go and cause him any trouble, he took the initiative to provoke me. I have made up my mind. I will send troops to attack Zhang Lu immediately.”

"This?" Liu Xie's decision caught many people off guard.

Jia Xu squinted at the emperor and quickly understood that His Majesty was using the pretext of attacking Zhang Lu to temporarily leave Luoyang, so that he could have some peace and quiet.

"Your Majesty, even if Zhang Lu harbors ambitions and is unwilling to submit, Your Majesty need not personally lead the expedition."

Xun Yu was the first to step forward and said earnestly, “Your Majesty, it is absolutely unacceptable to personally lead the expedition. The battlefield is dangerous, and swords have no eyes. Your Majesty is of noble birth and bears the weight of the nation on your shoulders. How can you easily take such a risk? Zhang Lu is merely a local rebel. Sending a capable general to quell the rebellion is sufficient. Why should Your Majesty go in person? I beg Your Majesty to rescind your order to ensure the stability of the nation.”

Kong Rong stepped forward immediately, his eyes filled with worry: "Your Majesty, throughout history, personal campaigns have only been undertaken as a last resort. Now, the court is full of talented people and numerous generals; sending a general to lead the expedition will surely lead to victory. Your Majesty should remain in the palace to oversee the overall situation; that would be the best course of action. Moreover, there are many affairs in the palace, and the country also needs Your Majesty's leadership. You must not act impulsively and disregard the fate of the nation."

"His Majesty!"

Another minister stepped forward, Yang Biao, saying, “Zhang Lu holds considerable military power and occupies a region with a strategic location and complex local conditions. This campaign will be a long and arduous journey, and the supply of military provisions will be extremely difficult. If Your Majesty leads the campaign personally and anything goes wrong, our Great Han Dynasty will be in grave danger. I urge Your Majesty to reconsider.”

Chen Qun also clasped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, military affairs are dangerous and full of variables. On the battlefield, things can change in an instant, and even experienced generals dare not say that victory is certain. Your Majesty has never personally led a battle and lacks combat experience, so this trip is truly worrying. For the long-term peace and stability of the Han Dynasty, I implore Your Majesty to abandon the idea of ​​personally leading the expedition."

Faced with the ministers' repeated attempts to dissuade him, Liu Xie suddenly stood up, his posture upright and his gaze firm.

He looked at the assembled ministers and said loudly, "My beloved ministers, I am well aware of your concerns. Back then, Emperor Wu was a man of great talent and strategy, personally leading a large army to resist the Xiongnu, ensuring the peace of our Han borders and upholding the prestige of our nation. Although I am not so capable, I also wish to emulate Emperor Wu by personally leading an expedition to quell the rebellion, to rectify the court, and to bring peace to my people. Besides, since arriving in Xuchang, I have frequently accompanied the army on campaigns. I must be an emperor not only in the imperial court but also on horseback!" (End of Chapter)