Chapter 51: A Crowd of Clowns

The grand hall fell into a profound silence. Liu Chen leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping rhythmically and unconsciously on the table as the disappointment on his face became impossible to conceal. He had originally thought that upon returning to Chengdu, he would at least be able to unite and rely upon the descendants of those deeply rooted meritorious ministers, but he never expected to find only such a mediocre and incompetent bunch.

"The only usable trait... is sheer loyalty?"

Liu Chen muttered to himself, a trace of a bitter smile playing at the corners of his mouth. While such loyalty was undoubtedly important, how could mere loyalty alone suffice to reform a court administration that had long grown weak and feeble, or how could it counter the aggressively watchful states of Wei and Wu?

Seeing this, Xi Zheng bowed and said, "This minister has said all that can be said. Perhaps there is some bias in my words, offered merely for Your Highness's reference. Yet Your Highness need not worry overly; the court is not entirely devoid of talents. It is simply that... Your Highness must discern them carefully and promote them boldly."

Liu Chen took a deep breath, quickly recovering from his disappointment as his gaze turned firm and sharp once more. He nodded. "Your frank and unreserved words bring great comfort to Our heart. We understand. It appears that the situation in Chengdu is even more... in need of strenuous effort to reform than We imagined while in the army."

"Your Highness is wise."

Xi Zheng instantly breathed a sigh of relief.

Liu Chen quickly returned to his normal composure.

"We have already memorialized the Emperor to establish the Cabinet to handle state affairs. You, Fei Cheng, Jiang Bin, Dong Zhao, and Zhuge Xu shall enter the Cabinet, with you serving as the Chief Councilor."

Although the situation was relatively poor, it was still better than a month ago. These individuals might currently lack exceptional administrative talent, but given sufficient time, careful cultivation could always yield results.

Even if one lacked the ability of a prime minister, one could still serve as a county magistrate; even if unable to stand alone in supreme command, one could still charge bravely into battle.

What they lacked was merely education.

Liu Chen possessed sufficient patience.

He then proceeded to explain the official system comprising the Cabinet and the Eight Ministries.

"This!" Xi Zheng had never expected such an extraordinary stroke of good fortune to fall upon his head.

Hearing this, Xi Zheng trembled all over and abruptly raised his head. He had originally thought that his counsel today would merely earn the Prince's appreciation, but he never imagined he would be entrusted with such a monumental responsibility. Chief Councilor! This was the paramount post that governed the entire state administration.

"Your Highness, this minister is of shallow learning and meager talent, and fears he is unequal to such a heavy responsibility..." Xi Zheng hurriedly dropped to his knees, advising instead, "There are still veteran officials in the court such as Qiao Zhou, Dong Jue, and Fan Jian, all of whom are far more suited to this position than I."

Liu Chen stepped forward and raised Xi Zheng to his feet. With a gaze like torches and a solemn expression, he said, "We have spent many years in the army and deeply understand the art of employing men. Although veteran ministers are experienced, they are mostly bound by convention and outdated rules. Now that the state of the nation is as perilous as piled eggs, there is an urgent need to break the old and establish the new. Today, you dared to voice what others dared not speak; for this alone, you surpass many who merely occupy official positions while eating their emoluments."

He walked over to the window, gazing out at the streets faintly visible beyond the palace walls, and explained, "The establishment of the Cabinet is not meant to preserve the status quo, but to reform. Since you know the flaws of the court, you must also know that nothing less than drastic, sweeping measures can save it. This position of Chief Councilor belongs to none other than you."

Tears welled up in Xi Zheng's eyes as he fell to his knees once more. "This minister is deeply moved by Your Highness's grace of recognition! How dare I not exhaust the strength of my limbs, devote the integrity of my loyalty, and follow it unto death!"

"Good!" Liu Chen clapped his hands and laughed. "Starting from today, let the Cabinet begin its operations. The primary task is to purge the administration. You may first draft a proposal and discuss it with the various ministers three days from now."

"This minister obeys the command." Xi Zheng hurriedly responded.

"The time is nearly right; accompany Us into the palace now!" Liu Chen invited.

"Understood."

Daring not to delay, Xi Zheng promptly accepted the summons.

At that very moment, the study within Qiao Zhou’s residence was brightly lit.

A confidential letter was slammed heavily down upon the sandalwood desk, producing a dull, heavy thud. Qiao Zhou’s face was ashen, his chest heaving slightly. The refined, detached scholarly demeanor he usually wore had vanished entirely, replaced only by the alarm and anger of someone whose fundamental interests had been touched.

"Have a look, all of you!" His voice sounded somewhat hoarse from suppressed rage. "The Prince of Beidi, what a fine Prince of Beidi! Scarcely back in the capital, yet he pulls off such a startling stunt. A Cabinet? Chief Councilor Xi Zheng? Fei Cheng, Jiang Bin... Hmph, they are all nothing more than green youths or pedantic scholars! He has cast aside us veteran ministers entirely!"

The several ministers present were mostly on good terms with Qiao Zhou, belonging to the "Yizhou local faction" or advocating for peace and the recuperation of the populace. Passing around the confidential letter that revealed the list of Cabinet members, their faces all showed shock, bewilderment, and then turned into resentment.

Wu Xiu stroked his beard, his brows tightly knitted. "Lord Qiao, is this matter true? His Majesty... could His Majesty actually have agreed to this? The power of this Cabinet is practically identical to that of the Chancellor, and perhaps even surpasses it! If Xi Zheng and his cohorts are truly allowed to hold real power, where will the likes of us find a foothold in the court hereafter?"

A single Xi Zheng was of little consequence, but the others belonged either to the founding veterans' faction or the Jingzhou faction, having no ties whatsoever to the people of Shu. Some of them had even been secretly marginalized by Qiao Zhou and his peers; if these people were allowed to hold power, what place would remain for the literati of Shu?

"It is far more than having no foothold!" Assistant Minister of Personnel Wang You chimed in, "Judging from this name list, every single one of them, like the Prince of Qin, holds wishful thinking and intends to contend aggressively against Wei and Wu. If they dominate state policy, they will surely cast aside the policies of halting military actions and nurturing the people that we have striven for over the years, and rashly stir up wars! When that happens, the state treasury will be exhausted, the people plunged into misery, and our Shu-Han's meager foundation will likely be destroyed in a single stroke!"

Naturally, he was not worried about the foundation of the Han dynasty; what he feared for were the interests of the aristocratic and influential families in Sichuan.

Minister Xu You also said with deep anxiety, "From what I see, the establishment of the so-called 'Eight Ministries' is clearly intended to uproot the existing official system and thoroughly purge the court administration! Having spent so much time in the army, does the Prince of Qin actually wish to manage the imperial court as if it were a military camp?"

Although the name list of officials for the Eight Ministries had not yet been released, Xu You did not believe he would be appointed as one of the ministers, and the power of the court was clearly being concentrated in the hands of the Cabinet.

As the grandson of Xu Jing, Xu You also cared about his pride and face. Liu Chen undoubtedly had no desire to employ him.

"We must absolutely not allow this matter to succeed!" Qiao Zhou suddenly stood up, his gaze sweeping over everyone present as he spoke with decisive finality. "This is not merely about our official posts and emoluments; it is truly a matter concerning the survival of the state! The Prince of Qin is young, impetuous, and ignorant of the hardships of governing a state, relying solely on reckless valor. If he is allowed to act as he pleases, chaos will surely erupt in the country."

He lowered his voice, but his tone grew even more chilling. "At tomorrow's court assembly, the Prince of Qin will surely formally propose this measure. We must unite to resist it! We must make His Majesty and the ministers of the court understand how absurd and dangerous this proposal is!"

"Lord Qiao's words are entirely correct!" The others echoed in unison.

"However, how should we proceed?" Xu You asked. "The Prince of Qin has newly established military merits, his prestige is soaring, and His Majesty also appears to rely heavily upon him."

A gleam of calculated cunning flashed through Qiao Zhou's eyes as he said with smug confidence, "First, we must immediately contact more colleagues, especially those who have likewise been omitted from this 'Cabinet' and harbor resentment. These people are the targets we must win over. Second, we must emphasize that ancestral institutions must not be altered lightly; how can the official systems established by the late Emperor and the Chancellor be casually changed on the whim of a single individual? This is an act that shakes the very foundation of the state!"

He paused slightly, then continued, "Lastly, and most importantly, we must firmly seize upon the two words: 'national strength.' We must let everyone know that contending against Wei and Wu is no different from throwing an egg against a stone. The Prince of Beidi's actions, though seemingly striving for vigorous governance, will actually drag the nation into an abyss of eternal damnation. Our opposition is not for personal selfish gain, but genuinely to protect the state altars and pacify the common people!"

He looked at the assembly, his tone heavy and resolute. "Gentlemen, success or failure hangs on this single effort. If the Cabinet is established and they hold supreme power, we shall all become fish and meat upon the chopping block, and the people of Sichuan will lose all possibility of survival. If we can jointly obstruct it, the court situation will remain stable, and state policies can maintain their prudence. I hope you will all work together with one heart!"

"We are willing to follow Lord Qiao's lead in all things!"

Inside the study, consensus was reached among the group, and a storm directed against Liu Chen's reform plan began to brew quietly in the dark of night.