Chapter 1622: The Great Reshuffle

The sun rose high, and the window screens could not block the spring light. Bright sunlight filtered through the gaps, illuminating Guangzheng Hall. At this moment, the main hall of Guangzheng Hall was once again packed with people. After a two-day recess, civil and military officials had gathered here once more under imperial decree.

However, this time, the previous policy discussions and disputes were not continued. The one presiding over the court assembly had been replaced by Crown Prince Liu Yang, and they were no longer permitted to argue or make a racket.

The atmosphere was somewhat solemn. Liu Yang sat in the main seat with a serious expression, Zhao Pu stood at the head of the ministers with a calm face, and the princes Liu Xu, Liu Xi, and Liu Fang were all present at his side.

The strangeness in the air was palpable to anyone, and it made those regional grandees who had still intended to "put up a struggle" grow cautious, not daring to speak rashly.

This situation was clearly not right. Combined with the rumors that had flowed out of the palace over the past two days, it was an even worse omen. Everyone's hearts could not help but hang heavy, and those of shallow cunning already showed traces of unease on their faces.

"Is everyone present?" Once the hall fell completely silent, Liu Yang spoke, turning his head to ask Murong Defeng, who was attending at his side.

Murong Defeng reported: "To answer Your Highness, all ministers of the central government's various departments and the circuit offices have arrived!"

Liu Yang raised his eyes and swept a glance around, not lingering on anyone for even a moment. He said calmly: "I have summoned you all today because there is an edict to proclaim. Please listen quietly!"

Having said this, without regard for the ministers' reactions, he signaled to Murong Defeng: "Read it out!"

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"Yes!" Murong Defeng bowed in salute, then with a grave expression, reverently lifted a weighty edict from the large table.

Standing at the side of the table, he unrolled the edict and read aloud in a clear voice: "By decree of the Chancellery, the appointments are as follows: Lei Dexiang, Administration Commissioner of Hexi, is transferred to Administration Commissioner of Shannan; Wang Ming, Administration Commissioner of the Western Circuit of the Capital Region, is transferred to Hexi; Wang Renshan, Administration Commissioner of Liangzhe, is transferred to Huaixi; Shi Dechong, Fiscal Commissioner of the Southeast, is transferred to Liangzhe; Han Hui, Fiscal Commissioner of Hebei, is transferred to Fiscal Commissioner of the Southeast;

Yang Kefa, Administration Commissioner of Huaidong, is transferred to the Jinghu Northern Circuit; Shi Xizai, Administration Commissioner of Hedong, is transferred to Hunan; Zhang Yong, Administration Commissioner of Jiannan, is transferred to Hebei; Li Hongwei, Administration Commissioner of Hebei, is transferred to the Capital Region;

Fan Min, Administration Commissioner of Guangxi, is transferred to Hebei; Xuanwei Commissioner Zhong Mo is transferred to Henan; Wang You of the Western Circuit of the Capital Region is transferred to Fujian; Li Fang, Administration Commissioner of the Jinghu Northern Circuit, is transferred to Hedong; Duke Hui of the State, Song Yanwo, is appointed Administration Commissioner of Jiannan; Duke Shou of the State, Li Shaoyou, is transferred to Jiangnan..."

This edict was written very plainly, simple and direct, and even its format was completely different from before. There was none of that clouded, obfuscating parallel prose — it used plain language to point straight at the core issues.

And the content was even more startling — it was a large-scale reshuffling of the principal officials of all circuits of the Great Han. Such reshuffles were not unprecedented, but one of this scale, involving the transfer of more than half of the circuit-level principal officials across the realm, was unprecedented.

Moreover, it came so suddenly, so directly, without giving people much time to react, and was simply announced right there in the hall. It had to be said that such an approach was liable to invite criticism and could easily destabilize the regions.

A circuit's principal governing official was already part of the core ruling stratum in the political system of the Great Han Empire. Every person, every term of office, was of grave importance.

The court ought to have given extraordinary weight to the issuance of such appointments. Under normal circumstances, whether it was a transfer or a new appointment, comprehensive examination and multi-faceted deliberation were required before the decree was issued. And when so many people were involved, it was enough to make the drafters of edicts in the central government and the Hanlin academicians who wrote such documents produce a veritable garden of flowery prose.

But this time, there was no official rhetoric whatsoever. It was almost as if the court was directly telling these regional satraps and pillar ministers: the court has already made its decision, you need only obey.

Such an approach was hard to win people's hearts with, but at the same time, it also revealed the court's resolve and will. The ministers seated here were all veterans of officialdom, and most of them had clear and accurate judgments about such a situation. And the clearer their understanding, the heavier their hearts became.

Murong Defeng spent a full half quarter-hour reading out this series of transfers and appointments. By the time those strings of names and positions had been announced, these ministers had also gone through a complex emotional journey.

From surprise to shock, from shock to silence and numbness, the atmosphere also grew strange. The slow-witted were still immersed in the shock, the clever were already speculating about the deeper meaning behind it, and those who went even further had already fully accepted the fact and begun weighing the pros and cons of that series of personnel arrangements — especially those who were on the transfer list.

In this round of changes, it was not just transfers of positions. There were appointments and removals alike, and some people were required to be dismissed from office and retire, such as Duke Ji of the State, Xue Juzheng; Duke Geng of the State, Wu Xingde; and Song Xiong, Administration Commissioner of Liaodong. Of course, most of them were because of advanced age, but for those who refused to admit they were old, it was somewhat aggrieving and hard to accept...

Liu Yang knew very well in his heart how great the impact of such a decision was, and he could understand the feelings of these ministers. But there was nothing to be done — Emperor Liu was pressing down on them from above, and he and Zhao Pu could only obey.

For a time, there was nothing but silence in Guangzheng Hall, yet the emotional turbulence was intense. After the assembled ministers had taken a moment to compose themselves, Liu Yang finally spoke, asking softly: "Do any of you have objections to the edict?"

No one answered. Some raised their eyes toward the Crown Prince, seeming to want to speak but holding back; others simply hung their heads in stillness, saying nothing. The atmosphere was somewhat awkward.

"Your Highness, this... is this not a bit hasty? There was no preparation beforehand, and with so many important posts and key positions involved in transfers, if things are rushed, I fear it will cause chaos, destabilize the regions, and unsettle the people's hearts!" After a moment, Lu Duoxun could not help but speak, rising and cupping his hands toward Liu Yang.

Among all these ministers, Lu Duoxun's feelings were especially complicated, and somewhat depressed as well. His own position had not changed — he was still a chancellor of the Hall of State Affairs, a grand elder of the central government — but for him, that was not the crux of the problem.

The crux was that the court was about to carry out such drastic and major personnel changes, and yet beforehand he had only been able to glean scraps of information through other means.

He was in charge of the supervisory department of the court. Although he had no authority over personnel and organization, with so many regional satraps and high-ranking officials involved in changes, he had been completely shut out of the process. What did that indicate? It indicated that he had been excluded from the court's core power circle. That was something Lu Duoxun, who had long felt quite good about himself, found hard to accept.

To be fair, at this moment Lu Duoxun's psychology was somewhat unbalanced. Therefore, in this great public assembly, he became the first to raise a question.

As for Lu Duoxun's reaction, Liu Yang was not particularly surprised. He nodded very calmly and asked the others: "Do any other ministers have objections?"

No one responded. Or perhaps some wanted to speak but did not dare. In such a situation, following the crowd was the best choice. To stick one's head out rashly was to become an easy target for suppression.

Take Wang Renshan, for example. He already had some stains on his record. Whether during the pacification of Shu back then, or later when he was stationed in Yunnan, he had engaged in some excessive and overreaching behavior. Emperor Liu had not dealt with him severely and had continued to employ him heavily, never stinting on regional appointments.

This time, being transferred from Liangzhe to Huaixi — naturally he was a hundred times unwilling in his heart. Compared to Liangzhe, the land of fish and rice, Huaixi could only be described as a poor and remote backwater. There was simply no comparison.

But no matter what, it was still a circuit's principal post, holding the leading position of a region. He had spent so many years in Yunnan, and at least Huaixi was still in the Central Plains. At the very least, at just over sixty years old, he had not been directly "retired." Thinking of it that way, it seemed not so hard to accept after all.

What was truly hard to accept was perhaps only the disparity in wealth, the difference in power, and the fact that the interest structures and factional relationships he had built up in the past would be impacted or even broken apart.

Among the civil and military ministers in the hall, not all, but certainly a great many, shared Wang Renshan's psychology. Naturally, they would not rashly speak up either.

Seeing that no one spoke, Liu Yang turned his gaze back to Lu Duoxun, who was already somewhat embarrassed, and said calmly: "Since Chancellor Lu has opinions, that means this edict and this system have objections! Very well, please be seated for a moment, honored ministers. I will first go to Chongzheng Hall to request instructions, and then we will discuss further!"

Having said this, Liu Yang abruptly rose, without any hesitation, and strode with swift determination toward the exit of the hall. Regardless of how others reacted, Lu Duoxun began to panic. He hurriedly stepped out of his seat, his steps rushed and stumbling, and called out anxiously: "Your Highness, wait!"

Liu Yang stopped, slowly turned around, and looked at Lu Duoxun, whose forehead was beaded with sweat, saying softly: "Chancellor Lu, do you have anything else you need me to convey on your behalf?"

"Your Highness misunderstands!" Lu Duoxun changed his tune very pragmatically, his attitude making a complete reversal, and with righteous indignation he cupped his hands and said: "I have absolutely no objection to the central government's decisions. I shall lead all the subordinates of the Censorate in full support and cooperation in implementing the edict!"

At Lu Duoxun's clownish flip-flopping, Liu Yang did not feel like laughing. He sighed inwardly, turned back and sat down, pondered for a moment, then confirmed once more: "Do any of you have objections?"

This time, Zhao Kuangyi was the first to rise and express his agreement. And those implicated — Song Yanwo, Li Hongwei, and Li Ye — also quickly rose to express their obedience. Compared to the other ministers, they, as imperial relatives, needed to sit straighter.

Zhao Pu never spoke the entire time, keeping a very low profile. It was only when Lu Duoxun was performing that his eyelids lifted slightly, with a faint hint of disdain. If not for Emperor Liu shielding the man, how could he ever have contended with him...