History of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms

Chapter 693: Wang Jun, the Heroic Assistant
Later, Wang Jun used an equally superficial trick to protest to Guo Wei: resignation. Wang Jun submitted his resignation several times, saying that he was in poor health and could not perform his duties, and requested to retire and return home.

Guo Wei sent envoys to comfort and console, saying, "The people cannot do without you, the court cannot do without you, and I cannot do without you. Please continue to work hard and serve the people."

To beat a dog, look at its owner. Wang Jun treated Guo Wei's special envoy extremely badly, using foul language and foul language. At the same time, he privately contacted the princes of various vassal states, asking them to submit petitions to retain Guo Wei, and told Guo Wei in their own tone that Comrade Wang Jun was fully capable of handling more, bigger and more arduous work.

Mobilizing the masses and following the mass line is equivalent to forcing the emperor to abdicate.

Memorials from vassal states of all sizes across the country flew into the court like snowflakes, which really shocked Guo Wei. He never thought that Wang Jun had such a high reputation and so many fans!
If you don't commit suicide, you won't die. Wang Jun seemed to be demonstrating to the emperor, but in fact he was digging his own grave. Your achievements are so great that they threaten the emperor. Does the emperor dare to keep you?
Guo Wei sent another envoy to comfort him, saying that if he didn't come again, he would go to his house to invite him personally.

Wang Jun still refused, "No!"

Guo Wei found Chen Guan and asked him to persuade him.

Chen Guan was Wang Jun's old friend and the prime minister that Wang Jun wanted to promote. Chen Guan knew Wang Jun very well and knew that this guy liked to use sugar as vinegar, and would only eat hard things and not soft things. In the words of the common people, he would not eat good food. Unlike other envoys, he was not polite, but issued a solemn warning to Wang Jun: "The emperor will come to pick you up in person soon. You are so arrogant! What do you want to do? How many heads do you have!"

After being scolded, Wang Jun suddenly came to his senses, so he went to the palace to pay homage and said that his illness was cured.

Guo Wei ordered him to resume his work.

First cry, then make a fuss, then hang yourself, this is Wang Jun's ability.

After Wang Jun's incident, Prime Minister Li Gu was frightened. He knew the dangers of the political arena and did not want to be involved in political struggles. Coincidentally, one day at work, Li Gu accidentally fell and injured his right arm, so he took a month's sick leave.

Guo Wei repeatedly sent people to urge him, saying that the court had many official duties and asked Comrade Li Gu to work despite his injury. How serious could a broken arm be?
Li Gu replied that although the injury did not affect his work too much, it also made it impossible for him to kneel and kowtow. How could it be disrespectful in front of the emperor? I will go to work when I can kneel and kowtow.

Guo Wei ordered: Comrade Li Gu does not have to come to the Golden Palace to pay homage to the emperor, he just needs to work in his own office.

After the one-month sick leave expired, Li Gu still refused to return to work, and simply skipped work, was late and left early... After all, he was not drawing a salary for nothing. It takes a hundred days to heal a broken bone, and Li Gu kept delaying for three months, during which time he submitted his resignation three times, saying that his injuries had not healed yet and he could not perform his duties, so he retired.

Guo Wei sent an envoy to comfort him, saying that the work he was responsible for was very important and could not be replaced by others. Could it be that he should not be the prime minister just because he could not kowtow? At the same time, he ordered Li Gu to meet Guo Wei in the side hall (he had to kowtow in the Golden Hall, but he could not kowtow in the side hall) and explain the reason for his resignation in person.

Li Gu came to see Guo Wei very reluctantly, saying that he was old and weak, and had a serious fall injury, so he couldn't kneel...

Guo Wei said that from now on you don’t have to kneel down and you must come to work!

Li Gu also said that he couldn't write, so he couldn't work...

Guo Wei said you are allowed to use a seal instead of a signature.

Unable to come up with any excuse, Li Gu returned to work.

Among all the people who were regarded as direct descendants by Guo Wei and were cultivated, the one who was targeted by Wang Jun was Chai Rong, because Chai Rong was almost the designated heir to the throne.

When Guo Wei had almost finished dealing with the affairs of Bianzhou, Chai Rong requested to go to the capital to pay homage to the emperor. However, Wang Jun was worried that his power would be divided by Chai Rong, so he tried his best to obstruct him. Chai Rong thus stayed in Chanzhou, facing Bianzhou across the river, but the two were speechless.

When Murong Yanchao of Yanzhou rebelled, Chai Rong volunteered.

Guo Wei praised Chai Rong highly and wanted him to lead the army to fight, gain military merits, improve his qualifications, and train him to be a qualified successor to the empire. However, Wang Jun interfered and praised Chai Rong to death, saying that the threat from the Khitan in the north was far greater than the small Yanzhou, and that Comrade Chai Rong should continue to stay in Chanzhou. At the same time, Wang Jun also volunteered to lead the army.

In the end, Guo Wei sent Cao Wei and others to take charge.

Cao Wei marched east to Yanzhou but failed for several months, so Guo Wei said he wanted to lead the army himself. Prime Minister Feng Dao and others tried to dissuade him, saying that it was midsummer and it would be better for His Majesty not to travel far.

Guo Wei then took advantage of the situation and said that what you said makes sense, but the bandits must be eliminated. Since Cao Wei and others have limited abilities, we should send another brave and resourceful general, such as Comrade Chai Rong, to help.

Wang Jun continued to obstruct and once again volunteered, saying that whether from the perspective of actual combat experience or the reputation of commanding the army, I crush Chai Rong. If Your Majesty wants to send additional strong reinforcements, then I will definitely take the lead and let me go.

"Well... My dear minister, you must be tired from fighting all over the place..."

"Serve the people, not afraid of hardship or fatigue."

"Then..." Guo Wei decided to lead the army in person. Wang Jun also followed the army.

On the Yanzhou battlefield, Wang Jun's troops were the first to capture the South Gate and made the first contribution, which made Wang Jun even more arrogant.

Guo Wei personally led the expedition to Yanzhou, and he was already very worried about his authority. Wang Jun's influence and the energy he possessed were enough to make Guo Wei uneasy.

In the twelfth month of that year, the Yellow River broke its banks again between Zhengzhou and Huazhou. Guo Wei was deeply worried, so Wang Jun volunteered to go and inspect the disaster, and Guo Wei readily agreed.

Just when Wang Jun went to the local area to improve his reputation, he received a piece of news: Chai Rong requested to go to Beijing to report on his work and pay homage, and Guo Wei approved it.

Wang Jun slapped his forehead and said, "I've been fooled!" So he hurried back to Beijing. After returning to Beijing, Wang Jun proposed to serve as the governor of Qingzhou concurrently, and Guo Wei had to meet his request.

Later, Wang Jun wanted to borrow money from the national treasury, ten thousand pieces of silk.

Guo Wei still agreed.

As Wang Jun became more and more arrogant, the relationship between the emperor and his subject became increasingly tense.

Wang Jun built an office building in the Privy Council, which was tall, imposing and extravagant. When it was completed, he invited Guo Wei to visit. After seeing it, Guo Wei was very unhappy, but he still praised him on the surface and gave him a generous reward.

A few days later, Guo Wei also built a small palace on the open space of the imperial palace. However, its area and decoration were far inferior to Wang Jun's building.

Wang Jun didn't know that this was a trap set by Guo Wei. He put on the face of an upright censor and criticized Guo Wei, saying, "There are already so many houses in the palace, why build this?"

Guo Wei said slowly, "There are already many houses in the Privy Council. Why do you want to build another one?"

Wang Jun was speechless.

(End of this chapter)