The emperor stayed in Luoyang for several months. When the New Year was approaching, he still refused to take up his way back to Beijing. Instead, he was keen on issuing imperial edicts. One by one, he appointed a large number of new officials. At the same time, he kept summoning important officials who stayed in the capital. He saw only one person at a time. Except for the prime minister, almost all the powerful ministers above the third rank were called.

The emperor's response has thus become clear.

Summoning ministers one by one is to divide the court. This trick is indeed effective. When they were in the capital, the ministers were very united. Once they were divided into two cities, separated by Hangu Pass, they would inevitably suspect each other. Anyone who had been seen by the emperor must "prove their innocence" from their colleagues.

But the ministers gradually became different. Jiang Juying, the former Minister of War, was transferred to the General's Office as the chief seal officer, and was dedicated to investigating the case of military slaves. As soon as someone expressed his affection, he would take out a copy of the military order to show the other party, "The official's wealth and life are all on this. Do you think, how should I help you?"

Another move by the emperor made the ministers even more trouble.

The new officials were all talents personally selected by the emperor, and their ranks were not high, but they were placed in important departments. These people were supported by the emperor, and they were all very arrogant. They regarded themselves as future ministers and ministers. As soon as they took office, they rolled up their sleeves and wanted to do something big, which made the boss extremely dissatisfied and nervous.

Most of the ministers in the capital have submitted resignation memorials, but the emperor refused to let go. It turned out that it was just a delaying plan. Just wait for the trustees to mature, they had to replace all the ministers!

Few people really wanted to resign. The emperor just asked to release his private slaves and did not confiscate his land and houses. If the official position is lost, the losses will be huge.

The ministers began to "counterattack", in the practice of being in his position without planning his own affairs, hinting that his senior officials could slacken off. Since the emperor sent new officials, he would let them work.

The court gradually fell into chaos, and the influence was so great that the emperor far away in Luoyang could feel it.

The memorials are no longer served on time. It has become the norm for two or three days late. The order is reversed, regardless of priorities, and occasionally they will be lost. They either fall on the post station or are left in the ministry. When it is pursued, they are all recommended. Whoever does the work will be responsible, and the new official appointed by the emperor has to apologize.

The emperor still refused to surrender, and the memorials were chaotic, so he simply refused to make a reply. After having an idea, he issued an imperial edict directly. The post station was unreliable, so he sent the guards and even the eunuchs around him to send the imperial edict to the prime minister's mansion in the capital and stared at the prime minister's place.

Zhuo Ruhe finally fulfilled his loyalty. He did not stand on the side of the ministers. Although he kept writing letters to resign and sincerely asked the emperor to put the world first and take a step back, he did not slacken like other ministers. As long as it was an imperial edict, he would do it correctly.

In the snowy season, the emperor and the ministers fought fiercely, and the "battlefield" gradually expanded, and the first to join was a group of scholars.

Scholars also became divided. One faction supported the emperor and the other faction supported the ministers, either debated in public or exchanged letters, and each held his own opinions, and some even broke off diplomatic relations.

Qu Zixi was once one of the leaders of scholars, but now he can't suppress his admirers. He is still in the East China Kingdom, and letters are endless everywhere. His mansion is often stuffed into anonymous letters, mostly accusing and cursing, claiming that he has lost his integrity, which has disappointed scholars all over the world.

Qu Zixi only replied to a few friends, but did not reply to any other letters. He wrote four big characters in his own handwriting and posted them on the front door and the public door was selfless. The handwriting was splashed ink, so he arranged for the craftsman to carve a wooden plaque.

As the right censor, Qu Zixi was unable to participate in the struggle between scholars. The emperor's "general" was Kang Zijiao. He was not sent back to the capital to be an official, but he still stayed with the emperor as an advisor. He argued with the visiting scholars on the spot during the day, and wrote quickly at night to continue defending himself.

Kang Zijiao was very smart and did not use power to suppress others. He was good at using the way of others to cure others. When the other party said that the emperor had surpassed the rules, he asked the ministers where the rules were? When the other party said that the emperor was tired of the people and hurt his money, he asked who was tired of the people and who was hurt his money? When the other party said that the world was in trouble, the emperor had to bear the greatest responsibility, he said that the emperor was responsible, so he had to issue imperial edicts frequently...

This is a battle without winning or losing, and no one can convince anyone, but more and more people are beginning to believe that the emperor will not change his mind, no matter whether he is right or wrong.

Han Ruzi wanted this effect. Next, he had to wait for the minister to come up with a new move.

There is still half a month before the New Year. Shortly after noon this day, Tokai Neptune asked for a meeting.

King Donghai has always been careful to stay out of the matter and refuses to see outsiders. He rarely writes letters. He only gives some painless suggestions when asked by the emperor.

Han Ruzi had just had lunch and was standing next to the table, with the official documents on the table in a mess.

After coming in, King Donghai smiled and said, "It's outrageous. Even the people around His Majesty have been lazy. The table is so messy, and it's not easy to clean up."

Han Ruzi turned around and said, "Why do you have to? This is the real situation, no need to be whitewashed."

King Donghai smiled again, but did not answer, and said, "I received a letter this morning. Your Majesty must not guess who wrote it."

"Since you said I couldn't guess, then this letter was probably from the palace, the queen or the queen?"

"It's the Empress Dowager." King Donghai bowed and said. The emperor was like a master who was about to enter the competition. He was showing his momentum and was ready to fight back at any time. King Donghai could only accept the disadvantage. "Mrs. Cining asked me to ask me to persuade Your Majesty to return to Beijing. Just celebrate the New Year, and you can go anywhere after the New Year."

Han Ruzi pondered for a moment, "This is the minister's new trick."

"Well... it may not be possible. Si Zi is eager. Empress Dowager Cining should really hope that Your Majesty will return to Beijing."

"The Empress Dowager is sincere, but true heart will be used by false intentions." Han Ruzi pointed to the memorial on the table, "Do you think it's messy? This is the most punctual time in two months, and the number is the largest. Before you came, I was thinking, why is the minister surrendering this time?"

King Donghai was unwilling to argue directly with the emperor and smiled bitterly: "So, even I was taken advantage of."

Han Ruzi smiled, "Since you are here, let's talk about it. How do you persuade me to return to Beijing?"

"I know myself, Your Majesty will definitely not agree, so why should I talk too much?"

"Your statement today may be what the ministers say in the future. Even if I don't accept it, I can take some precautions in advance."

King Donghai scratched his head, "Actually, I really don't have a good statement. I thought so before I came. The Empress Dowager's face cannot be rejected. I come to ask for your Majesty and say a few words, even if I give the Empress Dowager an explanation."

"Your ability is more than that. Don't be humble and say 'just'."

King Donghai bowed his hand, looked thoughtful, walked three steps sideways, turned to face the emperor, and said, "Your Majesty allows me to say 'whatever', I will be brave once: Your Majesty thinks it is difficult to be an emperor, have you ever thought that it is also difficult to empress dowager?"

King Donghai hit the nail on the head, Han Ruzi was silent for a moment and said, "What is the difficulty of the Empress Dowager?"

"Your Majesty finds it difficult for the ministers to deal with, so he stays away from the capital. The Queen Mother is in the capital, deep in the palace, and is influenced by the ministers all the time. Everything you see and hear is a bad thing for Your Majesty. The so-called three people become tigers, and the Queen Mother must think that Your Majesty is in danger and is worried about the heart of a kind mother. This is a difficult thing."

Han Ruzi was speechless. He sent Zhang Youcai back to the capital to deliver letters to his mother many times. It was trustworthy after all, it was not himself and could not offset the influence of the ministers. He could imagine that in his mother's eyes, the emperor must have been in a turmoil outside.

Donghai King continued: "What is 'higher status'? It's useless to be respectful, and it will always be revealed in front of others. Therefore, the lower-ranking real power officials have a higher status than the first-rank official. The empress dowager's mother is in the world, and the empress dowager has the highest status among the women in the world, but there is no noble but not obvious, and it becomes a virtual title. This is a two-difficulty."

"I left my uncle's family in the capital." Han Ruzi defended that Empress Dowager Cining had apologized to the emperor and wanted to send all the Wang family back to her hometown in the countryside. Han Ruzi sent Zhang Youcai back to Beijing for the first time, and this was the matter that was solved. The Wang family was left behind and many rewards were given.

King Donghai smiled and said, "Your Majesty treats his uncle as well as the Empress Dowager. If you are rich, you will be rich. You cannot be considered 'noble', let alone 'noble'."

Han Ruzi sighed, "If the Wang family becomes a 'prominent', I am afraid that the ministers will follow suit, and officials will be nepotist, and the decline of the Great Chu will be even worse."

"Your Majesty is very worried. The relatives of the outside world are often the source of chaos, and there are countless records in history books. I just wonder if Your Majesty cannot make the Wang family ‘highly noble’. Can you praise the Queen Mother in other matters and make the Queen Mother’s face shine? Your Majesty can be fully filial, and the Queen Mother will be at ease. He will no longer think that his position as a queen mother is a false title."

Han Ruzi stared at Donghai King for a while, "You really have some skills."

King Donghai smiled and said, "It's just a little cleverness. As for the court and the world, I have no way to do it."

King Donghai blocked the road first, and Han Ruzi said he said, "He doesn't believe that King Donghai can still seize the throne, but he won't reuse him."

"Wait and talk about it." Han Ruzi did not make a decision immediately. Even if he wanted to praise Empress Dowager Cining, he would have to wait for the minister to ask the emperor to return to the capital first, and then accept Empress Dowager Cining's request after he refused.

"How could the Empress Dowager write you a letter?" Han Ruzi was a little confused. Her mother had never been happy with King Donghai and even advised the emperor to eradicate the roots, but now she asked King Donghai for help, which was really strange.

"I'm not particularly clear. Maybe Mrs. Ping'en praised me a few words in front of the Empress Dowager." King Donghai shook his head, "Mrs. Ping'en is too meddling in other people's business."

"Mrs. Ping'enhou... His son is still in Luoyang, right?"

"Miao Yuan? In Luoyang, the military officer of the cavalry camp."

Han Ruzi fell into deep thought.

King Donghai waited for a while and asked, "How should I reply to the Queen Mother? Please rest assured that what Your Majesty says will never be leaked from my mouth."

Han Ruzi raised her head, "Why do I have to go back to the capital? Why can't the Empress Dowager, the Queen, come to Luoyang to meet me? The journey is not far, and the road is very smooth."

King Donghai was stunned for a while, "It should be possible, but in this way... won't Luoyang become a capital?"

Han Ruzi nodded, "Tonghai King, you came up with a good idea."
Chapter completed!