Chapter 732: The Problem of the Governor of Kaifeng

"We've deliberated for so long; you must all be weary. Minister Li, stay a moment—the rest of you may return to your offices!" The sky beyond the hall had grown colder and dimmer, and Liu Chengyou's face showed traces of fatigue as he glanced around and gave the order.

"Your servants take their leave!"

Li Tao did not move. Only after the others had filed out of the hall did he clasp his hands toward Liu Chengyou and ask in puzzlement, "May I ask what Your Majesty commands?"

"After Jing Fan returned to his hometown for mourning, the Kaifeng post fell vacant, and no one has been managing its affairs. Left to the lower clerks, there is bound to be slackness. You oversee the Ministry of Personnel, Minister Li—do you have anyone in mind?" Liu Chengyou asked after a moment's deliberation.

Since the start of this year, Governor of Kaifeng Jing Fan's health had been failing. By his own account, illness had taken hold of him, yet he still devoted himself diligently to his duties, restraining his own desires and serving the public good. In light of this, Liu Chengyou had sent physicians and medicines, and granted him additional leave, but he could never fully recover.

Jing Fan had always enforced the law with rigor and severity. In Luoyang he had already offended many people; after arriving in Kaifeng, he continued to apply the law strictly, offending yet another circle of powerful elites. Because his illness lingered beyond cure, it even stirred up a commotion—some clerks in the offices openly made sport of it, mocking Jing Fan as one who had incurred heaven's wrath and the people's resentment, lacking in virtue, stricken by illness beyond remedy, so that even the Son of Heaven's grace could not wash away the baleful aura clinging to him. They even wagered with others over when Jing Fan would sicken and die in his yamen.

When such talk reached Liu Chengyou's ears, he was naturally incensed. He immediately ordered that the bold offender be stripped of his post and thrown into the Kaifeng prison, while all who had joined the wager were to be given twenty strokes of the cane. Among them were no few sons of the powerful and noble, and no plea on their behalf availed—one son of the late Duke of Yan, Feng Dao, was among them as well.

What angered Liu Chengyou even more was that some censor even submitted a memorial advising him not to punish men for their words. The result was that Liu Chengyou gave him a thorough tongue-lashing. Such remarks amounted to making sport of the government offices, slandering a great minister, and holding the Emperor in contempt—even a death sentence would not have been excessive.

Liu Chengyou immediately demoted that censor to the northwest and ordered him to copy out the *Han Xing Tong* ten times. At the same time, he summoned the Left Chief Censor, Zhao Li, and gave him a dressing-down, demanding to know how he had chosen his subordinates. In this matter, Liu Chengyou had vented his anger on Jing Fan's behalf, and it also brought the rumors and criticism directed at him in the court to an abrupt halt. It made everyone understand how highly the Son of Heaven regarded Jing Fan.

Also under the influence of his illness and the rumors, after summer began, Jing Fan submitted a memorial requesting to resign as Governor of Kaifeng. Liu Chengyou refused outright, telling him to take leave and rest at home, but forbidding him from resigning his Kaifeng post, and instructing him to recuperate well. But Jing Fan was the sort who, being in office, attended to its governance—even with his body unwell and his energy flagging, he never neglected government affairs.

Later, on the grounds that his elderly father had fallen ill, Jing Fan again requested leave to return home and attend to his father's medicine. At this, Liu Chengyou hesitated somewhat but still did not agree. Instead, he sent orders to the local authorities to draw on medical resources to treat his father.

It was not until August that word came that Jing Fan's father had passed away. This time, Liu Chengyou could no longer keep him. He allowed him to resign his post and leave the court temporarily, returning home to handle his father's funeral arrangements.

After that, the Kaifeng post remained vacant.

Of course, with so many talents at court, choosing a Governor of Kaifeng was not difficult—what was difficult was finding one equal to the task, one Liu Chengyou could trust. His earlier reluctance to let Jing Fan go was also because, apart from the trouble of finding a more suitable replacement, Jing Fan's illness had not seemed very serious at the time.

Now, hearing the Emperor ask about the Kaifeng problem, Li Tao's face showed a look of sudden realization, and he replied, "To be honest with Your Majesty, your servant has also been giving this matter some thought lately!"

"Tell me who you have in mind!" Liu Chengyou said, gesturing without even a flicker of his gaze.

"Shen Wenbing of the Secretariat Drafters has served in various ministries and is well-versed in worldly affairs. What does Your Majesty think?" Li Tao said.

Hearing this, Liu Chengyou replied almost without consideration, "Shen Wenbing's temperament is too slow and easygoing—I fear he would not be suitable!"

Seeing Liu Chengyou so decisive, Li Tao deliberated a moment and then said, "Vice Minister of Justice Wang Min is prudent and cautious, and handles affairs with strict propriety—how about him?"

"Wang Min has other duties I intend to assign him!" Liu Chengyou said directly again.

At this, Li Tao caught on. He looked up and glanced at Liu Chengyou, understanding in his heart that the Emperor likely already had someone in mind. Without further hesitation, he tactfully asked, "Your Majesty's discernment of men and wisdom in employing them have always been admired by your ministers. Dare I ask whom Your Majesty favors?"

Looking at Li Tao, Liu Chengyou said leisurely, "The Fiscal Commissioner of Hebei, Li Gu—what do you think?"

Hearing the Emperor put forward this candidate, Li Tao's brow immediately furrowed slightly. Though his expression did not change much, he was clearly hesitant. He calculated inwardly: Li Gu was also a famous minister of the age, his talent and ability known to the entire court—and more importantly, he was an old associate of the Emperor.

After the Battle of Luancheng, Li Gu had been recruited into Liu Chengyou's camp, entrusted with miscellaneous affairs and assisting with the aftermath, and he quickly won Liu Chengyou's approval. By the time Liu Chengyou returned to the capital from Hebei, Li Gu had already been adjudicating the governance of the four prefectures of Chengde.

Thereafter, he served successively in Hebei, holding many key posts, and cooperated with the court in curtailing the military governors and centralizing power, until he became the great steward of all Hebei. As a Fiscal Commissioner, because of the tens of thousands of garrison troops in the north, Li Gu controlled the lifeline of their supplies, making his power all the greater.

Of course, Liu Chengyou had no misgivings about this—after all, Li Gu did not command troops, and the Emperor was quite satisfied with his work. In recent years at court, Liu Chengyou had repeatedly praised Li Gu before his ministers, expressing admiration, and saying that Li Gu had the makings of a chancellor, and that keeping him in Hebei for so long was doing him a disservice.

And now, Liu Chengyou was clearly seeking to make amends. Li Tao harbored reservations about this. Li Gu was not like others—returning to the capital to start as Governor of Kaifeng, with the merits he had accumulated over the years and the Emperor's trust, becoming chancellor was only a matter of time. Once the Hall of State Affairs was involved, once the chancellorship was involved, that meant a shift in power, touching on his own interests—he could not help but think it over carefully.

Of course, among all the great officials of the provinces of the Great Han, only Li Gu and Wang Pu could make Li Tao feel wary. Once they were transferred into the capital, it would surely become a struggle for position and power—after all, there was only so much power at the center, and one more person meant one more competitor.

Liu Chengyou watched Li Tao with some curiosity, almost reading the shifting expressions on his face as his thoughts wavered. He gave a light cough, snapping Li Tao back from his weighing of advantages and disadvantages. Liu Chengyou looked at him and asked with a smile, "Does Minister Li have any concerns? Or do you think Li Gu is unequal to the Kaifeng post?"

At the question, Li Tao revealed a modest smile and replied, "Li Weizhen's talent and virtue are known to all. Even if the Kaifeng post is heavy with affairs and great responsibility, he is more than capable of managing it. However, for the past three years, Li Weizhen has not only managed the finances of the two circuits of Hebei but also borne the responsibility of supplying the various armies in the north. If he were suddenly transferred away, I fear matters might be delayed—and if any error occurred, causing instability among the frontier troops..."

Clearly, from the bottom of his heart, Li Tao did not want Li Gu transferred to the capital.

"Surely Hebei's finances and military supplies cannot fail to function without Li Gu? Without Li Gu's coordination, would the various armies in the north rise in revolt?" Liu Chengyou still wore a smile on his face.

But that smile only made Li Tao feel a chill in his heart, and he hurriedly said, "Your Majesty's words are too heavy—your servant did not mean that! Your servant thinks that perhaps a successor could be chosen, and once the handover is properly completed, then Li Weizhen could return to the capital to take up his post. Moreover, since Hebei is now divided into two circuits, the fiscal commission should also be split into two offices!"

Hearing Li Tao say this, the smile on Liu Chengyou's face finally faded, which also put Li Tao somewhat at ease. After considering for a moment, Liu Chengyou said, "Hebei's situation is special—it faces great military pressure. The transport and supply of military necessities should still be coordinated and dispatched as a whole; for now, it will not be split. As for after Li Gu is transferred, Wang Min will succeed him. He is from Hebei and is familiar with logistics and supply affairs from his time in the Ministry of War!"

As he spoke, he glanced at Li Tao—having Wang Min succeed was also meant as a gesture of reassurance toward him. After all, with his successive proposals so mercilessly rejected, Liu Chengyou could sense the slight frustration in his heart.

Indeed, feeling the reassurance conveyed by the Son of Heaven, Li Tao's expression relaxed slightly, and he said respectfully, "Yes!"

"As for the Kaifeng appointment, after you return to your office, you may inform the other ministers and discuss it. If there are no other objections, then issue the edict!" Liu Chengyou said.

"As you command!" Li Tao bowed again.

Inwardly he smiled bitterly. First inform, then discuss—when the Emperor's attitude was already so clear, what was there to discuss? And besides, it would fall to him to carry it out.

Leaning lightly against the imperial desk, Liu Chengyou watched Li Tao's retreating back, his gaze gradually deepening. After a long while, he sighed inwardly. Where was there a pure minister devoted wholly to the public good? Liu Chengyou could clearly sense that Li Tao's lust for power and private motives had grown markedly heavier than a few years ago. Perhaps it was the result of having been Chief Chancellor for too long.