“Dong Zhao’s passionate statement caused Cao Rui to become alert immediately.”
"Prime Minister Dong," Cao Rui looked into Dong Zhao's eyes: "If the implication is so widespread, it will undoubtedly be another episode of the 'Party Restrictions Disaster'!"
Dong Zhao, however, was entirely unafraid. With the experience from the last time in the arsenal, Dong Zhao had come to understand that when the Emperor is hesitant, one must use a firm tone and clear words to solidify His attitude.
"Not so," Dong Zhao bowed and said: "As for the “Party Restrictions Disaster”, Your Majesty knows what “Party Restrictions” means for “disaster”?"
"Speak up!" Cao Rui also didn't waste time.
Dong Zhao said, "During the reign of Emperor Huande, the first Party Restrictions were due to a conflict between scholars and eunuchs. The eunuchs lobbied Emperor Huande, leading to the imprisonment of Li Ying, Chen Shu, Fan Pang and others."
"From my perspective, it is simply a power struggle between the nobility and eunuchs. Although there may be some casualties and injuries in the conflict, compared to the overall situation of the government, it is not a significant concern."
"The second Party Restrictions during the reign of Emperor Ling killed a large number of people and involved a wide range of people. Scholars used Party Restrictions as an excuse to incite local warlords and integrate with local aristocrats, even seizing control of regions after the Yellow Turban Rebellion, but this was not directly due to Party Restrictions, but rather because eunuchs were unchecked, the state governance was in shambles, and the central government was unable to exert control."
"The Party Restrictions themselves were not wrong!"
Cao Rui stared at Dong Zhao's eyes for a long time and asked: "Prime Minister Dong, do you want to tell me that during times of chaos and eunuch dominance in the realm, the Party Restrictions were unleashed without restraint and people were indiscriminately punished, leading to the creation of the calamity."
"Now that the political situation in the Great Wei is stable, would it be justifiable to have another round of Party Restrictions?"
"Exactly!" Dong Zhao spoke earnestly: "Now that the Great Wei's emperor is wise, the central government holds power, and the states and territories are stable, where is the doomsday scenario like that during the reigns of Emperor Huande and Emperor Ling?"
"During the reigns of Emperor Huande and Emperor Ling, it was the eunuchs who suppressed the scholars, and the scholars sought to form parties and gain fame, which naturally led to disaster. But now there are such frivolous social circles in Luozhong, how can we not impose restrictions on them to thank the heavens and earth?"
"Moreover, where has there ever been a Party Restrictions involving thousands or tens of thousands of people? At most, it's just a hundred or two scholars in Luozhong!"
Cao Zhen stood aside and asked, "After listening to Prime Minister Dong's explanation, I still have one thing I don't understand. Please clarify it for me."
Dong Zhao said: "General Cao, please speak!"
Cao Zhen said, "It's just a group of scholars forming a party. Select some to execute and others to demote, and it's over, right? How do I not see that this matter is so serious?"
"It hasn't reached the point of executing people. Let me give you an example, General Cao." Dong Zhao looked at Cao Zhen: "General Cao, who is responsible for selecting the generals who serve as commanders for a rank of 1,000 and 600 bushels in the central army?"
Cao Zhen said: "It's Zhong Hu Yin Dong Fan who is responsible. The generals of 1,000 and below don't need to be reported to me."
Dong Zhao asked: "If Zhong Hu Yin Dong Fan acts solely on personal preferences, arbitrarily inserting people who have never fought battles or are not loyal to the king into the central army and constantly forming cliques within the army, can the combat power of the central army still be as strong as before? Can General Cao still be at ease?"
Cao Zhen stood in place, thinking and remained silent.
"Your Majesty," Dong Zhao turned back to the emperor: "Now that Your Majesty has been on the throne for less than a year, there are already these ostentatious and cliquish individuals in Luozhong openly using state affairs to gain fame and seek justice. If some time goes by, it is feared that the system of official elections will be thrown into complete disarray!"
Cao Rui sneered and walked forward a few steps, picked up the great halberd placed on the weapon rack, waved it a few times and said: "Restricting so many officials' children, how can their fathers feel at ease while serving for me?"
"How not? It's better to use men for their faults than for their achievements!" Dong Zhao paused and then continued: "Apart from these showy individuals in the court, there are more honest and devoted people!"
Cao Rui looked at Dong Zhao: "Among the young officials among the scholar class, who are honest and devoted?"
"Dong Zhao hesitated for a moment."
"How come, Prime Minister Dong can't name one?" Cao Rui pounded the point of the spear on the ground and lightly pulled up with his right foot, lifting the spear horizontally.
Dong Zhao bowed and said: "As for young scholars, there are Wang Shu in the palace, and Du Xiu in the court. There are also Liu Shao in the government, Lu Yu in the court, Hu Bao, Zheng Mao, Wang Ji, and Wang Guan...such a variety is countless!"
Cao Rui nodded with a calm face: "If Prime Minister Dong is correct, will the likes of Zhong Taifu, Hu Taifei, and Wang Dashizhi - such senior and respected officials, do they all agree with Prime Minister Dong?"
"Why not?" Dong Zhao replied, "As early as the tenth year of the Jian'an era, Emperor Wu issued an edict saying 'To be in a clique and conspire is something that even the ancient sages have forbidden.' This was also the original intention of Emperor Wu when he appointed people like Cui Yan and Mao Jie - those who were upright and honest - to be in charge of the selection process."
Cao Rui turned to look at Cao Zhen: "General Cao, do you understand? There are some differences between the matters of the court and those of the central army."
Cao Zhen smiled awkwardly: "Just now, Prime Minister Dong's words made me feel somewhat blurred, as if I understood but was not entirely clear."
"Then I'll give you a hint," Cao Rui said with a smile: "During the Party Restrictions under Emperors Huande and Ling, the scholars of the realm had long been dissatisfied with the eunuchs!"
"Now it's the first year of Taihe, and the old officials from the years during Jian'an are no longer straight with the officials from the years of Huang Chu."
"That's it!" Cao Zhen laughed: "Prime Minister Dong, you might as well just say it's about power struggles. What's the point of all these twists and turns?"
Dong Zhao's face also showed some embarrassment, and he was about to explain when he was stopped by a raised hand from Cao Rui.
"Prime Minister Dong, you don't need to explain further. I'm not afraid of the thoughts of my officials. Just let it be that Prime Minister Dong has convinced me." Cao Rui slowly said: "I only have one question for you."
"Please say it, Your Majesty."
Cao Rui looked at Dong Zhao and said with a smile, "How can this matter be handled safely so as not to leave any hidden dangers?"
Dong Zhao answered: "Your Majesty, I am willing to write a memorial tomorrow to speak out on this matter!"
"Regarding the restriction of frivolous scholars taking office, only the restrictions are to be raised, each to return to their hometowns, and there is no set time limit. Whether to grant pardon or not, and the length of time for pardon shall be decided by the sovereign!"
"Dong Zhao is absolutely right!" Cao Rui smiled and clapped his hands: "Previously, Huang Quan submitted a memorandum to me, mentioning that there were many illegal activities in the field of arable land in Yingchuan. He recommended punishing the newly appointed governor of Yingchuan, Dong Zhi, and the commander of arable land, Lü Xun Yu."
"I only judged the guilt of Lü Xun Yu. Dong Zhi is new to his post, and I have suppressed this matter. Do you know about it, Prime Minister Dong?"
Dong Zhi is Dong Zhao's son. After Dong Zhao entered the Xigu, he was assigned a major county as his post.
Dong Zhao bowed back and said: "I was not aware of this before."
Cao Rui nodded: "Let's go. I've been out for two days and am feeling tired. It's time to return to the palace. Tomorrow, in the study, I will discuss this matter with all of you again."
"Frivolous... ?"
These frivolous scholars, most of whom come from noble families or officials' homes, are able to reside in Luozhong due to the high ranks of their parents and grandparents. As they mingle with peers of similar age, they gradually gather around figures such as He Yan and Zhang Dun.
If the frivolous scholars and their ornamental cliques, as well as their evaluations and connections, are not suppressed, Prime Minister Dong only sees it as affecting elections and deteriorating morals. However, Emperor Cao Rui sees something more far-reaching.
Even without Emperor Cao Rui's imagination, the examples of the two Party Restrictions calamities are clearly laid out in front of him.
During the reigns of Emperors Huande and Ling, the party members had great power. Although they were restricted, they still came up with a political program of "exterminating the eunuchs" with the intention of completely monopolizing the politics of the Han dynasty. The former imperial relatives like General He Jin, whose wisdom and political cunning were completely no match for the party members.
By the time of Taihe era, and now there are no eunuchs to serve as a target, this group of young frivolous scholars can come up with what?
Xuanxue and Wushi Scatter have already emerged. If we do not inhibit them at all, it may be anticipated that the Weijin Mingshi (Wei and Jin Dynasty scholars) - these peculiar people - will appear earlier. Frivolous, clique formation, idle talk, drug use, excessive drinking, hedonism……
If one doesn't want to report to work and just stay at home in bed, that's called not being burdened by mundane matters.
If you want to go out, just take off your clothes and walk the streets after taking Wushi Scatter, this is called being passionate about it.
If you don't want to do something, just throw a tantrum and play tricks, completely ignoring others' looks, this is called following one's feelings and being unrestrained.
After getting high, shouting and crying at any time is called "chanting or singing with ease."
After drinking too much, everything seems wrong, and anything can be done without regard for etiquette. This is called "etiquette does not apply to us."
Dong Zhao is right, the corrective measures must exceed the original fault!
What was even more unexpected for Emperor Cao Rui was that the disagreement between the old officials from Jian'an and Huang Chu eras was directly pointed out.
The old officials from the Jian'an era are easy to understand.
The officials who held power during the Huang Chu era, although they also came from the Jian'an era, were merely more influential under Emperor Cao Pi's rule.
When Emperor Cao Pi ascended to the throne, the three chief officials did not hold actual power, and old officials like Dong Zhao were marginalized. Power was concentrated on the Handwritten Examination Bureau, and officials like Huan Qian, Chen Qun, and Sima Yi successively held important positions. It had a sense of new generation surpassing the old.
This and that ebb and flow, rise and fall.
Ups and downs, waves surge.
Let's see how Prime Minister Dong Zhao acts tomorrow.
……
The next morning, as Emperor Cao Rui arrived in the study, he was unexpectedly surprised to find Sima Yi standing outside the study waiting.
"What's the matter, the Duke?" Cao Rui smiled and asked.
"I have something to report to Your Majesty." Sima Yi replied, and then without using the pages' assistance, he pushed open the door of the study on behalf of Cao Rui.
Cao Rui stepped inside and asked as he walked, "Last afternoon, you came to see me, right?"
"Have you taken care of your family matters?"
After the emperor sat down in his chair, Sima Yi also did not sit down, standing on the side in front of the emperor with his hands clasped and said: "I have asked for this matter at home."
"My eldest son, Sima Shi, was misled by He Yan into mistakenly taking the Wushi Powder. It was an unintentional act, and he has never had any intention of associating with He Yan."
Sima Yi paused for a moment before saying: "I am willing to resign my position as the Steward and ask for mercy for my son's mistake. Please, Your Majesty, please do not punish the crime of Wushi Powder."
Emperor Cao Rui looked at Sima Yi with a calm expression: "How can a Three Grand Commanders say resign and resign so easily? Great Wei is not the Han Dynasty, and I am not one of the sluggish people in North Palace of Luoyang during the late Eastern Han!"
"That was what Duke Sima said publicly at the Cultivation and Literature Pavilion, and it was also publicly approved by me. How can you easily take it back?"
Sima Yi's heart jumped.
Not discharging the post of three grand marshall, are you going to dismiss the position of recording the imperial edicts?
Even when Kongming Duan and Yuan Kan were involved in the incident and commented on the matter with Wei Zhen, Sima Yi had already prepared in his heart to lose this position. But as the truth unfolded closer, there was inevitably a sense of discomfort that clutched at his heart. (The chapter ends)
