Chapter 219: The Proposal to Move the Garrison

Liu Chengyou's question had barely fallen when Chief Minister Li Tao immediately stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, your servant believes that such severe punishment would harm the harmony of heaven, contravene the virtue of a sovereign, and risk losing the people's esteem. Extreme punishment applied even to commoners appears brutal, let alone to high ministers of state. I beg Your Majesty to mete out a lighter sentence."

Watching Li Tao, a flicker of contemplation passed through Liu Chengyou's eyes. Before he could speak, Yang Bin had already rebuked sharply: "The state has just been established; it is precisely the time to use strict laws and harsh punishments to awe the lawless and pacify the realm! Su Fengji, as a high minister of the court, occupying a lofty position in the halls of power, failing to uphold the law and set an example for others is bad enough—instead he violated regulations, committed outrages, and cruelly oppressed the people. For such an evil minister, if we do not deal with him sternly to protect the state's laws and uphold its authority, how can the court win the people's trust?"

As Yang Bin's words fell, Liu Chengyou could clearly see that the faces of the chief ministers present had changed to varying degrees. Yang Bin—this was a man determined to put Su Fengji to death.

The scene fell silent for a moment, yet Liu Chengyou appeared even more composed, his gaze drifting briefly.

"Your Majesty, Su Fengji is of course guilty of heinous crimes and should be dealt with according to state law. However, he is after all a founding minister of the state, having served the late emperor for many years, and he rendered meritorious service in the establishment of the Great Han. Considering his former contributions, Your Majesty might slightly reduce his punishment, spare his life—without absolving his crimes, yet displaying Your Majesty's benevolence and virtue..." This time, it was Su Yugui who stepped forward.

First Li Tao, then Su Yugui—both were now pleading for leniency in Su Fengji's case. One should know that on ordinary days, the relationship between these two ministers and Su Fengji was hardly good, especially Su Yugui, who had clashed with him frequently during the early days when Liu Zhiyuan entered the Central Plains and they jointly managed state affairs.

His gaze swept over the others, asking their opinions.

"Your servant concurs." As a result, a chorus of agreement sounded.

"Are you all trying to turn a blind eye to a criminal and bend the law for private interests?!" At this moment, Yang Bin was like a lone minister, venting his fury in the court.

Su Yugui revealed his usual good-natured smile and replied deferentially: "Chancellor Yang, punishing him at all upholds the state law; it is merely a question of the severity of the sentence. How can that be called bending the law for private interests? What we ministers are discussing is simply a desire to display Your Majesty's mercy and magnanimity..."

"You are engaging in sophistry!" Yang Bin stared at him coldly.

"Enough! Honored Chancellors, no need to argue!" Liu Chengyou finally spoke, feigning a moment of deliberation before indifferently decreeing: "Considering his former contributions, I shall reduce his punishment accordingly: strip Su Fengji of all titles and ranks, demote him to commoner status, and exile him to Jingyuan to tend horses. All the money, grain, and goods he has amassed shall be confiscated into the state treasury. His sons and descendants shall all be stripped of office and exiled as well, and for three generations, none shall ever be appointed again!"

As Liu Chengyou's words fell, the chief ministers in the hall felt a chill in their hearts—this disposition was crueler than simply executing Su Fengji. Especially the last point, which nearly severed the path of advancement for the Su family's descendants.

"Your Majesty is wise!" The first to voice support was Yang Bin.

Following him, the others added no further words, after all, Liu Chengyou had already granted their request. In fact, Liu Chengyou had basically already discerned why these men were so eager to plead for Su Fengji in the final disposition. As fellow chief ministers, if Su Fengji were to receive the extreme punishment, it would set a bad precedent for them.

One should know, the esteemed gentlemen present—were their own seats so clean? Especially Su Yugui, who, though he had long since restrained himself and "reformed," had still committed several of the same offenses as Su Fengji. If the Son of Heaven ever decided to settle accounts after the harvest, that would be most unfortunate.

It was just that the result after their pleas was hardly as they wished. Bringing calamity upon one's descendants was even more despairing.

The matter of Su Fengji thus came to a close in this strange atmosphere. Liu Chengyou took the opportunity to raise: "Since Su Fengji has been dismissed, we should promote one person from among the officials of the various offices to fill the vacancy in the Hall of State Affairs. Do any of you have candidates?"

Regarding personnel matters, especially appointments and removals involving positions of real power, Liu Chengyou had always consulted the chief ministers, putting on the appearance of ruling through non-interference. This time was no different. However, as before, no candidate could be agreed upon in a short time.

If it were up to Yang Bin and the others, the fewer chief ministers the better. With Su Fengji gone, they would naturally not be enthusiastic about proposing someone else to share power.

Soon, the topic drifted away, shifting from filling the chief minister vacancy to the matter of transferring military governors.

"Your Majesty, Suiyang has reported that Shi Hongzhao, the Defender of the Western Capital, has his retainers and subordinate officers Yang Yi and others causing trouble in Song Prefecture, relying on their power—gathering in groups, extorting and oppressing in every conceivable way, such that within the entire region, people bow to the wind in fear yet hate them like enemies. The common people suffer greatly but dare not voice their anger! Song Prefecture is a prefecture near the capital; if the court does not rectify this, it will surely lose the people's hearts." Yang Bin memorialized: "Your servant believes we should promptly send a senior minister to garrison Song Prefecture, purge these petty villains, and restore peace and order."

This, again, was another calamity left by Shi Hongzhao. Previously, Shi Hongzhao had concurrently served as Military Governor of the Guide Army, sending his retainer Yang Yi to the prefecture to supervise local affairs on his behalf. But birds of a feather flock together—Shi Hongzhao's retainers were equally greedy, cruel, and violent, wreaking havoc across the region. Even if Yang Bin had not raised it, Liu Chengyou already had the intention to rectify this.

A bunch of petty villains and corrupt minor officials were not of great concern to Liu Chengyou, but his expression was grave, as if contemplating some momentous decision. He raised his eyes to the several chief ministers: "The military governors across the various regions should also undergo another round of adjustments."

Transferring governors was the basic operation by which the central court suppressed the regional military governors. Of course, this was a method that treated the symptoms rather than the root cause. The root problem of the regional governors lay in the excessive power held locally.

However, given that the system could not be overhauled overnight to subdue the regions institutionally, having the various governors transferred and rotated to prevent them from sinking deep roots into local power was still a passable approach. Since the Three Dynasties, every dynasty and every year had done exactly this.

Last year, when the Great Han was first established, Liu Zhiyuan had already conducted one round of transfers among the military governors of the Central Plains, Hebei, and the regions west of the Pass.

Liu Chengyou had clearly been entertaining the same idea this time. But to his surprise, he met with opposition from the assembled ministers. And this time, even Guo Wei counseled Liu Chengyou against it. Though there were many reasons given, the core was only one: with the Great Han still in a difficult position, the regions must not be recklessly disturbed.

Consulting Wei Renpu, the minister Liu Chengyou now trusted most, Wei Renpu simply and clearly advised him: wait until the rebellion of Li Shouzhen in Hezhong is resolved and the court's authority is established, then adjust the regional governors—it would not be too late.

It was rare to see the assembled ministers reach a unified consensus, so Liu Chengyou humbly accepted the admonition and did not insist on going his own way.

For the appointment of Military Governor of the Guide Army, Liu Chengyou ultimately selected Zhang Yun, the Minister of Personnel—the same minister who had earned Liu Chengyou's favor earlier with his "Refutation of the Amnesty Discourse." Having this gentleman garrison Song Prefecture could be said to have set a precedent in the Great Han of a civil official governing a region as military governor.

Surveying all the military governors across the Great Han, their abilities and virtues naturally varied, but they were uniformly all military officers. Even in this late period of the "Five Dynasties," this situation persisted—truly, when one thinks about it, it was malformed.