Fu Shanhe

Chapter 461 Crown Prince's Succession
The Marquis of Hanshui's Residence.

Since receiving the devastating news from the north, the Marquis's residence has been under heavy fire.

In just a few months, two elders and a group of colleagues and former subordinates passed away one after another. Even though Li Mu had witnessed life and death, he couldn't help but feel sad.

"Madam, your health is of utmost importance!"
Father-in-law, if you're watching from heaven, you wouldn't want to see you so heartbroken.

Seeing Jing Yaqing, who was eight months pregnant but still insisted on keeping vigil, Li Mu hurriedly stepped forward to persuade her.

Even though this is his third pregnancy and the risks of childbirth have been greatly reduced, he still dares not let his guard down.

"Don't worry, my husband, I will be careful."

Just thinking about the situation in the capital makes me restless.

Jing Yaqing said in a low voice.

According to custom, children should return to Beijing to observe mourning for their deceased parents.

However, their status was special; as dukes and marquises granted fiefdoms outside the capital, they were not allowed to return to the capital without an imperial edict.

No matter how much imperial power declines, the rules still must be followed.

Moreover, the capital city is currently a complete mess.

If one wanted to become a powerful minister, it would be easy to seize power by leading troops back to the capital as Li Mu.

However, this is a road of no return.

After a series of upheavals, the foundation of the Great Yu Dynasty's rule was severely damaged, and whoever took over could only barely maintain it.

With the heavy losses suffered by the nobility, the imperial court is now powerless to suppress local forces.

As major tax-paying provinces, the southern provinces will inevitably see various forms of tax resistance in the future.

The anti-Yu forces, which had previously been quiet, will also take the opportunity to stir up trouble.

In this context, the more the imperial court fussed over things, the faster it would perish.

Many people can see this point, but most are too caught up in the situation to think about the worst.

The officials who remained loyal to the Great Yu still harbored illusions about the imperial court.

Overthrowing Emperor Yongning from the throne was one of the measures taken by everyone to save the Great Yu Dynasty.

It will definitely have an effect, but it's too late.

If this had been done a few years earlier, the situation would never have deteriorated to this point.

"I will send someone to keep an eye on things in the capital."

Although my father-in-law and uncle have passed away, our strength remains considerable.

No matter how the situation in the capital changes, no one dares to ask the Jing and Li families for help.

Li Mu said firmly.

His decision to remain inactive was not out of fear, but because once he stepped out of the game, there was no need to intervene further in the situation in the capital.

If someone really messes with him, his knife can kill.

His public image was that of a martial artist, so naturally he would use martial arts methods to solve problems.

Personal safety is not an issue, but a power reshuffle and elimination have become inevitable.

The Great Yu Dynasty governed the country with filial piety in mind. Even Li Mu submitted a memorial to the court to observe the mourning period, and no one else was exempt.

All descendants within the five degrees of kinship must observe the mourning period.

One cannot hold office in the court during the period of mourning.

Giving up an official position is easy, but getting it back is difficult.

By the time the mourning period ended, the power structure in the court had already been reshuffled.

The Jing and Li families, who once dominated the court, have inevitably seen their power greatly diminished, if not reduced to mere nobody.

Relatively speaking, the Li family is in a better situation.

Few soldiers died on the northern frontier battlefield; as long as people lived, there was hope.

The most dire situation facing the Jing family is not being driven out of the center of power, but the fact that the family members have suffered too many losses.

With their military roots gone, the Jing family's greatest reliance is now the network of connections left by their ancestors.

"My lord, the situation in the capital has changed drastically, and I'm afraid we will also be affected."

Of the four former governors-general from the noble aristocracy, you are now the only one left. I'm afraid someone will be tempted to make a move.

If you submit your memorial regarding your period of mourning, they might just take advantage of the situation and use it as an opportunity to remove you from your position as Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi.

Jing Yaqing said with a worried expression.

The position of Protector-General of Annam is hereditary and cannot be revoked. No matter how long the mourning period lasts, no one will be allowed to take it.

In the eyes of many officials in the court, Annam was a poor and remote place that would not attract much attention.

The Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi was different; this was a non-permanent position, established only because it was necessary to quell the rebellion.

Now that the war is long over, it is perfectly reasonable to cancel this position.

Although she wasn't very involved in politics, she knew the significance of Guangdong and Guangxi to the Annam Protectorate.

The annual contribution of ten million taels of silver supported the rapid development of the Annam Protectorate.

Without this tax revenue, the Protectorate General would have to stop all foreign wars if it relied solely on its own resources.

All the taxes that were exempted must also be added back in order to maintain a balance between revenue and expenditure.

"Don't worry, I've already made arrangements for this."

Even though the imperial court abolished the position of Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, the Guangdong and Guangxi regions remained under our control.

The mess up up north hasn't been cleaned up yet. Those guys in Beijing won't be looking for us anytime soon.

Although he spoke lightly, Li Mu was secretly worried.

If the name is not correct, the words will not be correct.

Without the position of Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, forcibly taking control of the two regions would inevitably lead to many setbacks.

If things escalate, they will be branded as traitors and rebels.

However, some things you have to do even if you get scolded.

The battle in the South China Sea had just begun, and it was precisely at this time that the financial support of Guangdong and Guangxi was needed.

The situation in Dayu is getting worse and worse, and it looks like the world is about to descend into chaos. Li Mu also needs to make preparations in advance.

In the past, he only wanted to avoid trouble in the south, but as the Annam Protectorate grew stronger, it was no longer possible for him to remain unscathed.

Once a new dynasty changes, no new dynasty can tolerate the remnants of the previous dynasty holding a large army and carving up a territory.

Realizing this, Li Mu's only option was to continuously strengthen his own power.

Both Southeast Asia and the Indochina Peninsula are treasure troves. Although they are a bit hot, they are rich in resources.

Having gained control of both locations, they formed a strategic complement to Dayu.

Dayu has an overpopulation, while the other two places are short of people.

The Great Yu region is facing a food crisis, as both areas are undeveloped granaries.

……

Capital.

In the spring of the tenth year of Yongning, the five-year-old Crown Prince, innocent and ignorant, took the throne from Emperor Yongning and became the youngest emperor of the Great Yu Dynasty.

After completing the abdication ceremony, Emperor Yongning looked twenty years older, with his forehead covered in white hair.

He was filled with anger, but had nowhere to vent it.

He returned to the deep palace in a daze and began his secluded life.

One after another, old acquaintances around me have met with accidents.

The forces loyal to Emperor Yongning were wiped out in the shortest possible time.

The vacant cabinet positions have been filled once again.

As expected, Marquis Weiyuan and Marquis Zhendong, who played important roles in the coup, became new cabinet members.

The imperial court once again entered an era of three civil officials and two military officials.

Unlike in the past, this time the aristocratic faction failed to secure the positions of Grand Secretary and Second Grand Secretary, instead filling in the vacancies as is customary.

Jiang Shuhan, who was originally ranked third in the cabinet, took the opportunity to become the chief minister.

Because this coup received the support of the court officials, there was no large-scale bloodshed, and the changes in positions in the court were not significant.

The rewards given to meritorious officials were mostly honorary titles.

Working with their lives on the line, the rewards are severely disproportionate to the effort, leaving many dissatisfied with the outcome.

The political situation appeared to be a smooth transition, but it also sowed the seeds for future political conflicts.

With the assistance of his ministers, the five-year-old new emperor began his reign.

"The Duke of Qian sent ten sets of ivory, thirty catties of top-quality tea, and fifty thousand catties of copper... to congratulate His Majesty on his ascension to the throne."

"The Marquis of Hanshui has sent two boxes of jade, 300,000 catties of charcoal, and ten elephants... to congratulate Your Majesty on your ascension to the throne."

"The Governor of Southern Zhili has sent a hundred bolts of silk and a procession of rare and exotic animals... to congratulate His Majesty on his ascension to the throne."

Without a period of national mourning, all the procedures for succession changed.

Officials from various regions presented congratulatory gifts according to their political rank.

Perhaps because the emperor was young, most of the gifts people gave were local specialties, and there were not many auspicious items to flatter him.

The Great Yu Dynasty lasted for three hundred years, and the new emperor was probably the poorest of them all.

Due to the turmoil caused by the retired emperor during his reign, the national silver reserves fell to a historical low.

The gifts received were sent directly to the imperial treasury, greatly enriching the emperor's personal coffers.

To some extent, this alleviated the emperor's financial crisis.

However, the five-year-old emperor could not perceive any of this.

Being young has its advantages; all rewards for civil and military officials are decided by the five cabinet ministers.

Since the emperor and his ministers were young, all expenses were paid from the national treasury in order to avoid being accused of bullying the young ruler.

The young emperor was also treated with the utmost luxury in terms of material comforts.

Apart from lacking power, their treatment in all other aspects was extremely generous.

"News from the front lines indicates that the Northern barbarians have sent letters to multiple locations, expressing their intention to negotiate with us."

"My lords, what are your thoughts on this matter? Please feel free to speak your minds."

After completing the formalities, when it came time to deal with government affairs, Grand Secretary Jiang Shuhan directly raised the most pressing issue: the war in the northern border region.

Since the outbreak of the war, the Great Yu Dynasty has suffered a total loss of more than 200,000 troops.

The painstakingly built Great Wall defense line was smashed to pieces by the enemy due to collusion between internal and external forces.

The responsibility for the defeat was borne by the retired emperor, but the mess he left behind needs to be cleaned up by everyone else.

"Prime Minister, although we have suffered heavy losses on the northern frontier, the northern barbarians are not having an easy time either."

According to intelligence gathered from various sources, the casualties of the grassland coalition also exceeded 100,000.

If the Northern barbarians agree to peace now, it's highly likely that the war can't continue.

Especially in times like these, we must remain calm and not allow the enemy to gain an advantage easily.

Fei Xinyuan, the Minister of Justice, was the first to state his position.

In this round of power reshuffling, the Qingliu Party members, having joined too late, were unable to reap any benefits.

However, despite their crushing defeat in the north, they became the second biggest beneficiaries.

The power of the nobility was greatly diminished, and they lost control of the Jiangnan region. Their stronghold was finally safe.

With no sword of Damocles hanging over their heads, the Qingliu Party members were essentially unsealed and became very active.

Aside from the officials who colluded with Shanxi merchants, they were the biggest beneficiaries.

From the perspective of the Qingliu faction, they naturally hope that this war will continue.

The longer the war lasts, the more the noble faction will be weakened, and the more difficult it will be for them to return to Jiangnan.

"Minister Fei is right, the Northern barbarians are the most cunning."

The more the enemy wants peace talks, the less we should negotiate!

Minister of Personnel Zhu Hongxuan then stated his position.

The Qingliu Party wanted to expel the noble faction, and the Chu Party was no exception.

On this issue, the gentry in the southern provinces all held the same position.

For the sake of the group's interests, the noble troops transferred elsewhere must also be left on the northern frontier.

After this began, officials from the southern provinces stepped forward, demanding that the imperial court fight the northern barbarians to the death.

"My lords, please calm down."

The northern barbarians could not sustain the war for long, and our situation was not much better.

With the Grand Canal blocked, supplies from outside could not be transported in.

The pressure of supporting this war solely on the northern provinces is simply too great.

Just look at the grain prices in the capital to know that the prices had already doubled before the outbreak of the Great War.

The further north you go, the higher the local grain prices become.

The people have long been suffering terribly; if this continues, it could lead to major chaos!

Minister of Rites Yuan Tianyu spoke up in opposition.

The war was far away, and no matter how it turned out, the gentry in the southern provinces did not feel any pressure.

The gentry in the north were different; the northern barbarians' swords never stopped.

Today they plunder here, tomorrow they massacre cities there, causing widespread panic in the north.

With each day the war continues, the risks we face increase.

If the government troops have the ability to retaliate, they can grit their teeth and hold on; it's not unbearable.

Ironically, the noble generals who suffered heavy losses also learned to preserve their strength for the sake of their families' interests.

If we encounter the Northern Barbarian army, we will avoid fighting if possible.

Against this backdrop, the people of the various provinces in northern Xinjiang suffered greatly.

Not only did they have to bear the high costs of war, but they also had to suffer massacres by steppe cavalry.

"Minister Yuan's words demonstrate his mature and insightful approach to governing the country."

As the war has progressed, the north has suffered widespread economic devastation.

If the war cannot be ended soon, the economy of the North will likely collapse before long.

My lords, if you care about the people's livelihood, go outside the city and take a look.

Refugees from all over the country are pouring into the capital.

If this is not dealt with promptly, the consequences will be unimaginable!

As soon as Marquis Weiyuan finished speaking, the court was divided into two factions.

On one side were officials from the southern provinces who advocated war, and on the other side were officials and nobles from the north who advocated peace.

Judging from their lineups, the two sides are evenly matched.

At this rate of arguing, the court will probably still be unable to make a decision by this time next year.

"I understand what everyone means."

The situation in the north is indeed unsuitable for sustaining a prolonged war.

However, the Northern barbarians have always had a big appetite, and if the court wants to end the war, it will have to make significant concessions.

This is not a good matter!

Jiang Shuhan said earnestly.

From a partisan perspective, he should support the Southern faction, but as the Grand Secretary, he must consider the overall situation.

The decline of all industries in the north is a real problem, and if this drags on any longer, the army's food and supplies will face serious problems.

If the northern frontier suffers another major defeat, then the capital will be in danger.

The Northern barbarians did not dare to launch a full-scale attack because the right wing army had fought desperately to buy the Great Yu a chance to survive.

"Since the canal is blocked, we should switch to sea transport."

The risk is a bit high, but we have no other choice now.

The refugee problem may seem thorny, but that applies to the capital.

The Marquis of Hanshui is short of manpower, so when the grain transport fleet returns, taking these refugees with them will kill two birds with one stone.

With one increase and one decrease, the pressure on Beijing will definitely be greatly reduced.

The Minister of Personnel, Zhu Hongxuan, said calmly.

As a core figure in the nobility faction, strengthening Li Mu's power was, to some extent, aiding the enemy.

At any other time, he certainly wouldn't have aided the enemy.

The situation is special now, and they need to use political pressure to force the noble faction to compromise on the issue of stationing troops in the south.

The proposal to send immigrants to Annam was both to alleviate the pressure on the imperial court and to curry favor with Li Mu.

The fact that other generals couldn't defeat the Northern Barbarians doesn't mean that the top general of the Great Yu Dynasty is incapable.

If Li Mu is dissatisfied with the situation in the court and marches north under the pretext of serving the emperor, then there will be big trouble.

The old men of the nobility had far less prestige in the army than Li Mu.

The frontline troops were mostly Li Mu's old subordinates, who could easily take over command.

When the time comes, with hundreds of thousands of troops at our command, we will drive the northern barbarians out of the Great Wall and enter the capital with the might of a great victory. No one will be able to stop us.

(End of this chapter)