I am not Yuan Shu

Chapter 204 Human-Shaped Jade Seal
Yuan Feng and Yuan Shu did not leave the palace, but took a short rest in the side hall of Deyang Palace. Then the father and son discussed a list.

Yuan Shu originally planned to list all of his closest 300 core leaders on the list and arrange positions in central government offices for them.

However, after looking at the current vacancies of officials in the Luoyang court departments, I found that there were not enough positions, and the list of court officials and local officials from the eunuch faction who needed to be dismissed had not yet been determined. All of this would take time.

Therefore, Yuan Shu did not put forward his own list of rewards for the time being, but planned to list it in detail later.

He told Yuan Feng about this idea.

He proposed that he hoped to cast a wide net and arrange a group of capable subordinates to serve as local officials, such as county magistrate, county head, county magistrate, county lieutenant, etc., to let them train at the grassroots level and lay the foundation for further promotion in the future.

"Although they have no experience in being officials, their ability and loyalty are beyond doubt. Over the years, I have taught them agricultural knowledge and the ability to handle civil affairs. They are definitely qualified to take on county positions.

I think it is very appropriate to let them take on these administrative positions, so that they can gain experience and do good things, and at the same time strengthen the Yuan family's control over these powers and consolidate the Yuan family's foundation throughout the world."

Yuan Feng agreed with Yuan Shu's statement.

Not to mention that Yuan Shu was his most valued son, just the fact that Yuan Shu led the Yi Xin Hui group to charge into battle with him and made great contributions, these people must be rewarded.

The Yi Xin Hui Group played a great role in this mutiny, and it can even be said that it played a greater role than the Yuan family armed forces led by Yuan Feng himself. Yuan Feng was very clear that unclear rewards and punishments could lead to disaster.

Yuan Feng also made a list of more than 30 people. He was in the same situation. Many of his subordinates needed to be placed in positions, but there were not enough vacancies.

He also needs time to clean up the remnants of eunuchs and free up positions.

He planned to place these more than 30 people in the central court and some local government offices as the first batch to consolidate the Yuan family's power.

After the first list of people to be rewarded is completed, there will be the first list of people to be dismissed.

Including all the dead eunuchs and Li Xian, Zong Ju and others, there were more than fifty people in total.

Although some people are dead, the recall process still has to go through to show that it is formal.

For some people who are not dead, it is even more necessary to go through the formalities to show that it is formal.

After completing the two lists, Yuan Feng and his son Yuan Shu ignored their fatigue and immediately rushed to Zhangde Hall to meet Liu Li.

The afterglow of the setting sun slanted onto the palace walls, a mixture of gold and red, but it could not conceal the dusk that was about to fall, as if foreshadowing the coming storm.

At this moment, Liu Kui was sitting alone in Zhangde Hall, his heart full of anxiety and worry.

Not being able to participate in the matter of rewarding merits means that he, the emperor, has been marginalized!

The emperor could not participate when court officials discussed state affairs. How could this be justified?
The Yuan father and son were models of loyal ministers yesterday, how come they suddenly changed like this today?
Were all the previous things deceiving me?

Liu Kui found it hard to believe all this, but had to accept the cruel reality. A feeling of powerlessness and resentment entangled his heart like a vine. He kept pacing in the hall, and the sound of his footsteps echoed in the empty hall, adding to his anxiety.

But suddenly, the guard came to report that Yuan Feng and Yuan Shu came to pay a visit.

He was stunned for a moment, a hint of astonishment flashed in his eyes, and then he looked a little embarrassed, not knowing how to face these two ministers who had suddenly visited him.

However, Yuan Feng and Yuan Shu did not give him the chance to think and prepare, nor did they wait for his permission to be summoned, and they went straight into the Zhangde Hall.

"Yuan Taifu... and Yuan Qing, what are you... doing here?"

Liu Kui tried to remain calm, but there was still a hint of uneasiness in his voice.

Yuan Feng was a serious person with a face as solemn as a carved stone statue. After he simply saluted Liu Kui, he handed over the first list of rewards and the first list of demotions in his hand to Liu Kui without hesitation.

His movements were clean and neat, without any hesitation, as if this was the most natural thing to do. "Your Majesty, these are the lists of rewards and demotions that we have decided after careful discussion and consideration. This is only the first list, and it is the list that should be rewarded and deposed immediately. Once this part of the decision is made and announced, it will be considered as a preliminary stabilization of people's hearts, and your Majesty's position as the Son of Heaven will be initially recognized by the court officials."

Liu Kui took the two lists and glanced at Yuan Shu who was standing beside him. Seeing that Yuan Shu's expression was equally serious and there was a determined light in his eyes, Liu Kui's heart suddenly trembled and he immediately unfolded the list and began to read it.

Liu Kui did not recognize most of the names on the reward list. He had no idea of these people's abilities, appearances, or affiliations. He only knew some of their positions and their importance.

He had heard of Guanglu Xun Yuan Zhen, a member of the Yuan family.

Han Fu, the military officer of the imperial guards; Lu Zhi, the commander of the city gates; Dong Xuan, the general of the imperial guards; Wang Chong, the general of the imperial guards...

Why do all these military management positions in Luoyang City seem to be related to the Yuan family?
Even the commanding officers of the Huben Army and Yulin Army, who were directly responsible for his life safety, seemed to be Yuan's men.

Liu Kui couldn't help feeling uneasy. He felt as if he was enveloped by an invisible net, and the weaver of this net was Yuan Feng and his Yuan family.

The positions of those on the removal list are equally astonishingly sensitive.

The dead eunuchs were not very important, as it was Liu Kui's wish that they all died.

What’s important is that Taiwei Li Xian and Sikong Zong were both among them.

The former Guanglu Xun, Chengmen Xiaowei, etc. were also dismissed. There were obviously major changes in the personnel of the entire court. The reasons for these changes were also very obvious, of course, to consolidate the interests of the Yuan family.

Liu Kui was unaware of these changes and did not participate in any of them. Then the two lists appeared directly in front of him, asking him to stamp his seal and declare his approval.

A strong feeling of resistance surged in Liu Qi's heart. He felt that Yuan Feng was simply treating him as a puppet, a human seal, and had no respect for him at all. The respect he had shown him before seemed like an illusion and now it had disappeared.

He gripped the list tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force, his heart filled with anger and resentment at being looked down upon.

But just as he was about to refuse, he suddenly realized that he really had no real power and was just a human-shaped jade seal.

He looked around and saw that besides Yuan Feng and Yuan Shu, there were only a few armed soldiers around him.

Although they were respectful and obeyed orders, doing whatever they were told to do, as if they were soldiers loyal to the emperor, Liu Kui just could not feel safe.

A deep sense of loneliness and powerlessness emerged in his heart.

At this moment, Liu Kui suddenly realized why Liu He had swaggered into the palace with more than a thousand people after being chosen as emperor by Huo Guang, and why he had to replace all the people in the palace.

All his efforts might be to allow himself to have a good night's sleep.

What kind of life is this when there is not even a familiar and trusted person around me?
Is this emperor doing his job conscientiously?

Is the throne of the Son of Heaven secure enough?
Can you sleep at night?
At this moment, Yuan's father and son were looking at him with ambiguous eyes, which made him dazed. He felt as if he might be pulled down from the throne by these two people at any time and turned into the prince that no one cared about.

I can be the emperor today, but can Yuan Feng replace him with someone else to be the emperor tomorrow?
This kind of thing seems to have no operational difficulty.

Liu Kui was uneasy, but he did not dare to reject Yuan Feng blatantly, so he could only cautiously test him: "Many people were rewarded, and many were dismissed. This is a matter concerning the whole country. I need to think more about it. I wonder if there are any real talents among them, or if someone has been misunderstood, so..."

Yuan Feng interrupted Liu Kui before he finished speaking.

“Those who can be included in these two lists are either talented or traitors. Your Majesty, only the country’s talented people will take up their swords at this time to eliminate the eunuchs. Only the country’s talented people will risk their lives to fight for your Majesty’s throne.

These people have risked their lives for Your Majesty. If Your Majesty does not reward them, they will be worried, fearful, and shaken, and they will doubt whether charging into the battle for Your Majesty is the right decision.

When these people's doubts waver, then your Majesty's throne will be in danger of being shaken. Is this what your Majesty wants to see? Your Majesty has finally become the Son of Heaven, are you going to give up like this?"

(End of this chapter)