Chapter 347: The Chancellors of the Council of State

After his mission to the Southern Tang, Wang Qiwu, rewarded for his diplomatic service and his earlier counsel on river works, was appointed Academician of Chongzheng Hall and Supervising Secretary, attending at the imperial side, offering counsel and memorials, and ready to respond to questions.

Though in practice there was little difference from his previous position beside Liu Chengyou, he now at last held a formal office, shedding his status as an "observing jinshi" and passing the assessment. Moreover, in the rear hall of Chongzheng, he was granted a small desk for his work.

As for Tao Gu, he was elevated to Senior Academician of Chongzheng Hall, still remaining Secretariat Drafter and Imperial Edict Drafter, with additional gifts of coin and silk—still a close minister of the Son of Heaven. Although Tao Gu had behaved improperly during his mission to the Southern Tang, Liu Chengyou did not take it too much to heart.

At least his mission had been accomplished admirably. Whatever personal flaws Tao Gu might have, Liu Chengyou had always found him handy to use. He did not expect deep loyalty from him—so long as he was useful and could create value, that was enough.

Indeed, Liu Chengyou was genuinely considering whether to elevate Tao Gu to chancellor, though he hesitated—not for any other reason, but because he was unsure whom to replace.

Since Liu Chengyou had ascended the throne, through his unobtrusive adjustments, the Great Han court had formed a configuration of seven chancellors standing in parallel, each overseeing the Six Ministries and the various bureaus, directorates, and offices. Though their powers differed in scope, their statuses in rank, and their closeness to the throne, after two years of mutual adjustment, this had become a tacit political structure, gradually solidifying into established practice.

In dividing military power and controlling the army, Liu Chengyou had proceeded with the utmost care, like pulling silk from a cocoon. Over two years of effort—suppressing rebellions to establish imperial authority, dispensing favors to win hearts—he had achieved modest results. But in dividing the chancellors' power, he had not expended much thought. Initially he only wanted to curtail Yang Bin's authority, yet in the end, through checks and balances, he had stumbled onto the right path.

The seven chancellors of the Hall of State Affairs today—Yang Bin, Wang Zhang, Su Yugui, Feng Dao, Li Tao, Zhao Ying, and Fan Zhi—had been assembled through Liu Chengyou's continuous adjustments according to the times and circumstances.

At first, the founding ministers held heavy power, wielding state affairs, with all policy issuing from their hands, and Liu Chengyou deeply feared them. He first divided Yang Bin's authority, then removed the willful and arbitrary Su Fengji, brought in the former dynasty's chancellor Zhao Ying, and used men like Feng Dao to counterbalance Yang, Wang, and Su.

Later he discovered signs that Dou Zhengu, Li Tao, and Zhao Ying were coalescing into a faction. This year, when resolving the matter of his uncle Liu Xin at Xuzhou, he left them there to handle the aftermath, and once it was done, took the opportunity to appoint them to oversee Xuzhou. He then elevated Fan Zhi, a man of his inner circle, to the chancellorship.

In this way, the power structure of the Hall of State Affairs, originally a clear "two factions," became more blurred. Among the old ministers, the old fox 【Feng Dao】 held high prestige and had a calming effect on people's hearts, but he always thought of himself first. Though handy to use, for the aggressively enterprising Liu Chengyou, he always fell somewhat short—yet the court could not do without such "lubricant."

Li Tao had fairly rich administrative experience and real ability to get things done, with a certain breadth of knowledge. But his vision was limited, his mind narrow, and his selfishness somewhat pronounced—still, barely usable.

Zhao Ying, this chancellor of the former dynasty, was excellent in both talent and virtue, mature and steady, never revealing his feelings. But serving the Han, he appeared rather reserved in daily life. He had not gained Liu Chengyou's trust, and seemed more like a mascot displayed for the former dynasty's officials to see. After all, the inheritance received from the Later Jin was quite substantial—no shortage of talent—and needed careful management.

Among the founding ministers who had followed the dragon in establishing the dynasty, Su Yugui—though a man of letters—had limited ability and insufficient moral character. He occupied the chancellorship only because he had backed the right man, a stroke of luck. But this man's cleverness lay in knowing which way the wind blew, and he seemed to possess a certain instinct for avoiding harm and seeking advantage. His role in the Great Han court today—well, in truth he had no great function. Essentially, he merely led the scholars Liu Chengyou maintained in the two Hanlin academies, the three repositories, and the various halls, compiling books, writing histories, and pursuing scholarship.

Yang Bin and Wang Zhang needed no further elaboration.

Yang Bin had always harbored wariness toward Liu Chengyou, and Liu Chengyou likewise toward him, often entertaining ill intentions—though he restrained himself. In governing affairs, keeping the court in check, combating crime, and rooting out corrupt officials and wicked clerks, Yang Bin was quite useful. But no matter how great one's utility, failing to serve one's sovereign with full devotion was always a path to disaster. Liu Chengyou's patience was considerable, but how long could he endure him?

Wang Zhang had been mentioned many times before. His ability was not top-tier—merely of prefectural caliber—but he was decisive in action, tough in style, firm in will, and possessed a sense of public duty. In this critical period of transforming the realm from chaos to order, having such a man control the Great Han's finances, and doing it rather well, was valuable.

Though some of his methods were overly harsh, he labored diligently, and the results were highly effective.

Given the Great Han's straitened fiscal condition, keeping it running was no easy feat. It was precisely because Liu Chengyou saw this, and put himself in Wang Zhang's shoes, that he gradually set aside his suspicions of him.

At least in the early period, because Wang Zhang shared a hometown connection with Yang Bin and associated closely with him, Liu Chengyou had lumped them together as one faction and been especially vigilant. Later, however, due to shifts in the court situation and Liu Chengyou's own actions, the relationship between Wang Zhang and Yang Bin gradually cooled, and their political views diverged further and further. Thus at present, though Yang Bin remained the chief chancellor, in Liu Chengyou's heart, Wang Zhang's role was the most important.

The last one was Fan Zhi. His learning needed no mention—he had the age, the experience, and the merit. Most importantly, he was the true "imperial partisan" in the Hall of State Affairs, discovered and brought up single-handedly by the Son of Heaven, Liu Chengyou.

As for the various chancellors in the Hall of State Affairs, Liu Chengyou was clearly still not fully satisfied. Not to mention anything else—at least one more imperial partisan needed to be brought in before the hall could be considered "normal."

Hence Liu Chengyou thought of Tao Gu. Personal conduct was not truly a fatal flaw in politics; though it could serve as a pretext for political enemies to attack, the attack had to be effective to matter. Regarding the situation in the Hall of State Affairs, Liu Chengyou had recently been mulling it over from time to time. Seven names written on paper, crossing out and trimming—no matter how he cut, only three names remained: Su Yugui, Zhao Ying, and Yang Bin!

Snatching a moment of leisure from his busy schedule, Liu Chengyou turned his attention to the situation in the south. A memorial from Ma Xiguang, the Chu King of Hunan, reported that on the eighteenth of last month, he had defeated the rebel army of his elder brother Ma Xi'e at Langzhou.

After reading it through with confidence, Liu Chengyou remarked in the clear-eyed tone of an outsider: "These two Ma fighting over the trough—really, it never ends!"

Wang Qiwu, attending below, heard the remark and gently corrected him: "Your Majesty, at present it should be three Ma fighting over the trough. If you count Ma Xisheng and Ma Xifan, then it's five Ma!"

"Oh? Qi Wu, you know something of the Hunan situation as well?" Liu Chengyou grew interested, looking at Wang Qiwu.

"The Chu King Ma Xiguang's envoy—I spoke with him, and combined with various anecdotes, I gained some understanding!" Wang Qiwu replied.

Liu Chengyou gave an "Mm," settled more comfortably into his seat, his gaze drifting toward him.

The meaning implicit in Liu Chengyou's look was obvious—he was signaling Wang Qiwu to elaborate on his views.

Wang Qiwu did not stand on ceremony. Offering a slight bow, he began calmly: "The Chu King Ma Yin had over thirty sons in total. In his later years, his second son Ma Xisheng held power, while the eldest son was timid. Fearing that after his death, brothers would turn on each other, slaughtering one another over the throne, he left a final decree: the succession of power in Ma Chu would pass from brother to brother—when the elder died, the younger would succeed..."