Chapter 1634: Lu Duoxun: Zhao Pu Ought to Fall Too

The lingering tipsiness that clung to him dissipated swiftly after Lu Duoxun's revelation, and stirred by the summer breeze, Wang Yinwu was thoroughly sober now.

Once sober, he fell into contemplation, and after only a moment, Wang Yinwu asked in puzzlement: "From what I know, since Zhao Kuangyi returned to court and became chancellor, he has been wholly devoted to official business, working in perfect harmony with Zhao Pu, never a single dispute between them. How could he... unless there is some grudge between them that I have failed to notice?"

"Grudge?" Hearing this, Lu Duoxun shook his head and chuckled lightly: "Brother Wang, within the court, you must not take the word 'grudge' too seriously!"

Seeing his incomprehension, Lu Duoxun said leisurely: "Take me and Zhao Pu for example—the so-called contradiction between us is no personal grudge. Its root cause is quite simple: the struggle for official advancement.

Though there are many chancellors at court, there is only one at the head of the Hall of State Affairs, the one who holds the seal—and how many covet that position? Other chancellors come and go, replaced in endless succession, yet Zhao Pu alone has occupied that seat all along. Who can truly accept that in their heart?

Though I detest Zhao Pu and refuse to yield to him, setting aside these struggles, I still hold some admiration for him. This man Zhao Pu—born of humble origins, shallow in learning—yet he rose step by step to become chancellor of the Great Han. If it were merely His Majesty's trust and promotion, that would be far from sufficient; at the very least, it could not have kept him in the chancellorship for so long!"

Pausing for a moment, Lu Duoxun continued: "As for Zhao Kuangyi, have you not seen that this too is an ambitious man? I can sense that he also covets the chancellorship.

As you said, in the years since he entered court, the two Zhaos have never clashed, not even a major argument—and seeing it that way, this in itself is unusual.

Think back to those days: men like Song Qi and Wang Qiwu, gentlemen praised by all, could hardly avoid contending with Zhao Pu over governance. How could Zhao Kuangyi, a man of forceful ability and accomplishment, possibly defer to Zhao Pu in every matter?

In my view, he is merely biding his time, sheathing his blade within. In this respect, I am inferior to him—the depth of this man's cunning is hard to fathom.

Had I realized this earlier, perhaps..."

Lu Duoxun's explanation gave Wang Yinwu a sense of sudden clarity. For the first time, he realized that though he was at court, his understanding of the games played among the truly high-ranking powerful had been far too shallow.

After thinking it over, Wang Yinwu asked: "If that is so, Zhao Kuangyi ought to be even more cautious—why would he rashly involve himself in this matter?"

Lu Duoxun smiled: "This man is shrewd and cunning; in speech he always lands on solid ground. He merely intends to ride the momentum—and that momentum needs me to stir it up. On this point, we understand each other without words!"

"Do you know how old Zhao Kuangyi is now?"

"Forty-four, I believe!" said Wang Yinwu.

Lu Duoxun: "When Zhao Pu was that age, he had already been formally appointed chancellor!"

Perhaps to steady Wang Yinwu's resolve, Lu Duoxun continued: "I understand Brother Wang's concern—you think that having been chancellor for nearly twenty years, he is deeply entrenched, his power vast, and not easy to deal with.

That is a fact, yet in my view, it is also his greatest weakness. Brother Wang, have you ever considered: during the Qianyou years, the chancellors of the Great Han changed one after another like a revolving lantern—why, after entering the Kaibao era, was Zhao Pu alone able to hold the reins of chancellorial power for twenty years?

Is Zhao Pu's governing talent so unmatched in the age that none but he could do it? Were those worthy ministers and wise chancellors who sat high in the Hall of State Affairs during the Qianyou period all inferior to Zhao Pu?"

"Why is this so? Please enlighten me!" Wang Yinwu's interest was fully aroused, and he clasped his hands in salute.

At this moment, what Lu Duoxun saw in his eyes seemed not to be the river view, but the thirty years of political change in the Great Han. Taking a drink of wine, he said unhurriedly: "What of Duke Yu? He was His Majesty's good teacher and worthy friend, called by His Majesty the foremost wise chancellor of the Qianyou era—and what became of him? After Kaibao began, he was relieved of his post and stripped of power, left idle for over a decade, and passed away quietly.

As for chancellors Yang, Feng, Li, and Fan—which of them lacked the talent for the chancellorship, and yet which of them could long hold the position? I have carefully studied His Majesty's appointments during the Qianyou period and reached one conclusion: the Qianyou era was an age of expansion, a time of great enterprise and great achievement. His Majesty advanced with keen determination, pressing forward without looking back, and on His Majesty's path forward, all could only obey and submit.

As for those famed chancellors being successively cast down, the fundamental reason was that they ran counter to His Majesty's will. I am not entirely clear on the cases of Yang Bin and Feng Dao, but chancellors Li Tao and Fan Zhi clearly conflicted with His Majesty over statecraft. As for Duke Yu's decline, though somewhat thought-provoking, it does not depart from this principle.

As for Zhao Pu, I can only say he was blessed by fortune! The Kaibao era is one of consolidation and preservation—compared to the active enterprise of the Qianyou period, it is an entirely different situation.

Though in the Kaibao years the Great Han campaigned north and south, opening up vast territories, from top to bottom the emphasis was on consolidation and stability. And His Majesty, too, transformed from a pioneering sovereign into a consolidating one, leaning more toward stability—whether in the court or in the realm.

Zhao Pu was chosen by His Majesty, and being skilled at flattery, he could thus long hold the chancellorship. Without His Majesty's support, he would long ago have been attacked by all and fallen from office in disgrace."

Wang Yinwu listened with furrowed brows to Lu Duoxun's rambling, the confusion in his eyes growing ever deeper.

Noticing his expression, Lu Duoxun continued unhurriedly: "However, twenty years is truly too long. For His Majesty, with his suspicious nature, to tolerate a subject holding the chancellorship for so long—one must say it is truly rare.

And precisely because of this, the longer the time, the more unstable Zhao Pu's chancellorship becomes. You just said Zhao Pu has long enjoyed His Majesty's trust—that itself is an untrue statement. Do you think His Majesty would trust a subject so unreservedly?

No, absolutely not! A sovereign of His Majesty's caliber truly trusts only himself. Whether it's Zhao Pu, or you, or me, or even His Highness the Crown Prince—none can obtain complete trust. This is the art of the emperor's mind, the vigilance of one who rules!

Zhao Pu has held the chancellorship for twenty years. How many partisans has he cultivated, how many confidants has he gathered? Among the officials of the realm, how many obey only Zhao Pu's power while slighting His Majesty's authority?

These circumstances—I, as a bystander, see them clearly. Have these years passed without His Majesty pondering them? And every time he does, it adds another measure of danger for Zhao Pu.

I do not know what Zhao Pu is thinking, but measuring him by myself, I cannot help but tremble!"

"And more!" Lu Duoxun was growing increasingly excited as he spoke, his eyes especially bright, his hands waving involuntarily: "Zhao Pu has indeed obtained a measure of His Majesty's trust, but he has also offended two other powerful forces.

Whether the consort clans or the meritorious nobles—in these years, whether at the center or in the provinces, they have all been suppressed severely by Zhao Pu. How could there be no resentment in their hearts? Especially those founding meritorious nobles—in that affair of reducing ranks and stipends back then, though most knew it was His Majesty's intention, who dared complain about His Majesty? So the target, besides Zhao Pu who concretely drove it, could only be him.

In that storm back then, Zhao Kuangmei was also caught up in it, and to this day he is still serving his punishment in the northwest, unable to return to the capital. Zhao Kuangyi was also sent out to Hunan because of it.

You must understand—what Zhao Kuangyi represents is the meritorious nobles of the Great Han. Had I not seen this point, how could I have rashly made my decision..."

Wang Yinwu fell silent again. He too prided himself on being shrewd, yet he had never imagined there were so many twists and turns behind the toppling of Zhao.

After a long while, Wang Yinwu asked: "By Brother Lu's words, Zhao Pu's loss of power is the trend of the times, already inevitable?"

Lu Duoxun did not answer directly, but said softly: "Zhao Pu is indeed a great tree, with luxuriant branches and leaves. What we need to do is merely take up the shears and trim his branches and leaves. Once there is a beginning, naturally others will raise their axes and come forward one after another to hack at his trunk!

In these twenty years, his chancellorship has not always been secure. Do you remember the great flood in the Central Plains back then? Where did all those rumors and slanders come from?

Do you remember how, after returning from the Fengshan sacrifices at Mount Tai, His Majesty personally took up governance? His Majesty's thoughts wavered, His Majesty's trust weakened—that was the shaking of his very foundation..."