Chapter 41 3. Li Shanchang divorced, Liu Bowen was expelled

Over the years, Zhu Yuanzhang has been used to this kind of life.It has long been handy to deal with related issues.But after Dingding Jinling became emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang had to face all kinds of new problems that were different from the past.From gaining the world to governing the world, can he complete this transition?Through the open and secret struggle between Li Shanchang and Liu Ji, Zhu Yuanzhang successfully realized this transformation. In the third year of Hongwu (1370), Zhu Yuanzhang named a hero.Li Shanchang was granted the title of prime minister Zuo, and he was granted the title of Han Guogong, with a yearly salary of four thousand stones, which was hereditary from descendants.Zhu Yuanzhang even compared him to Xiao He of the Han Dynasty.Feng Liu Bowen is sincere, and his annual salary is two hundred stones.

When he returned home that night, Liu Bowen's eldest son, Liu Lian, asked, "Father, I don't understand why my father was only made an earl, but Li Shanchang was the head of the six princes? It's so unfair." "Lian'er, you are still too young, you still don't understand many truths. The emperor is targeting us." Liu Bowen said. "My son really doesn't understand. He, Li Shanchang, has a salary of 4,000 shi, why he only gave his father 200 shi. Even if Li Shanchang made great contributions, his father did not give up too much." Liu Lian really didn't understand, he felt wronged for his father.

"Lian'er, since ancient times, when the birds are gone, the good bows are hidden. At this time, whoever has a higher status is more dangerous. You can think of it this way, although the father's yearly salary is only two hundred stones, it is only the second of Li Shanchang's. One-tenth, but the danger of being a father is only one-twentieth of Li Shanchang's." Liu Bowen explained. Liu Bowen understands that now that the world has been settled, the emperor does not dare to deal harshly with these meritorious ministers, but this day will come sooner or later.The emperor Zhu Yuanzhang is so smart, he will not keep these heroes.As long as the common people can live a peaceful life, what more can I, Liu Bowen, ask for!It's time for me to go back to my hometown in Qingtian to spend a few days of quiet life, so I'll go back when I find the right time.This officialdom is extremely filthy, you must not be greedy for glory and wealth.

After a while, the emperor called Liu Bowen into the palace to discuss matters.After the ceremony was over, Zhu Yuanzhang asked, "Bowen, is there anything you want to say to us?" Liu Bowen understood that the emperor was asking himself if he had any opinion on the knighthood. "Report to the emperor, I have nothing to say." "If you don't tell me, we also understand that you have followed us and advised us all these years, and you have made a lot of contributions. Compared with Li Shanchang, making you an earl really wronged you. Now that the right prime minister, Xu Da, is fighting outside, we are going to Add a prime minister, let you do it, what do you think?"

"Your Majesty, this is absolutely impossible, I can't afford it!" Liu Bowen immediately bowed down and bowed down. "What can't you afford, I think you are more suitable to be a prime minister than Li Shanchang." The emperor helped him up and said. "Your Majesty has praised you. Li Xiangguo is a minister of the Zhu Kingdom and has made great contributions. And the minister is just a small tree in the mountains. It is good to be able to support a roof tile to settle down. How can it be compared with Li Xiangguo?" Liu Bowen took the opportunity to say Out of your own heart.

Zhu Yuanzhang understood that Li Shanchang often spoke ill of Liu Bowen.Liu Bowen refused the post of prime minister at this time, the reason was only for self-protection. "Hehe, I know your talents very well. We think you are the most suitable for the position of prime minister. You may have other reasons for your reluctance. Recently, some books have been talking about you, and of course there are also Li Xiangguo. What do you do? How about Li Xiangguo?" "Your Majesty, I'm afraid I offend many people because of my straightforward nature. But in all fairness, Li Xiangguo is the most suitable for the current position of prime minister. Now, the relationship between civil and military officials is probably only Li Xiangguo who can straighten it out." Liu Bowen understands that now everyone Most of the civil and military officials are the children of Huaixi, and they dominate the power of the court.In this case, he can't gain a foothold at all, so he must not take the post of prime minister himself.

"Since you don't want to be the prime minister, we won't force you. I have a few candidates for you to help me as a consultant." Zhu Yuanzhang knew what Liu Bowen was worried about, so he stopped forcing him. "How about Yang Xian?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked. "I think Yang Xian can't do it." Liu Bowen was very grateful to the emperor for discussing with him the candidate for the prime minister. "Why? You recommended him to us at the beginning." Zhu Yuanzhang was very puzzled. "Yang Xian is indeed talented, and he is appreciated by the emperor. But he is very brave and ruthless in handling affairs, and he can't handle the relationship with the group of officials well. I'm afraid that once he becomes a minister in the future, he will make all the officials feel insecure and cause chaos. "Yang Xian is a good friend of Liu Bowen, and Liu Bowen knows him too well.

"How about Wang Guangyang?" Zhu Yuanzhang continued to ask. "This person is worse than Yang Xian. His talent cannot lead the officials. It is enough to be a Zhongshu province and participate in politics." "What about Hu Weiyong?" "This person has talent, but he is not strong enough to be a minister. He will retaliate when he is in trouble, and once he is a minister, he will suppress dissidents." "Can't they all do it?" Zhu Yuanzhang said angrily. "Your Majesty, I think it is enough for Li Xiangguo to sit in the Ministry of Education. Your Majesty need not worry about it." Liu Bowen understands that Li Shanchang is now in charge of the government, and it is impossible for anyone to be another prime minister to fundamentally change the situation. a status quo.The emperor wanted to contain Li Shanchang by adding a prime minister position, but it would be futile.

Zhu Yuanzhang also understood this truth. He had long wanted to abolish Li Shanchang, but the time was not yet ripe.Li Shanchang is the head of the six princes, once he is moved, I am afraid that those who have made great contributions to the founding of the country will be in danger. "Bowen, in a few days we will go to Bianliang to reward the soldiers. You and Li Xiangguo will be in power together. Don't refuse this again." Zhu Yuanzhang still didn't want to let Liu Bowen go.Liu Bowen had no choice but to agree. When Li Shanchang and Liu Bowen were in charge, one day, Liu Bowen found out that Li Bin, the capital of Zhongshu Province, had embezzled public funds.In fact, Li Shanchang knew about this a long time ago, but Li Bin is an old man, and Li Shanchang has been helping him to cover it up, without saying anything.

Li Shanchang said to Liu Bowen: "Please let this matter go for a while, and we will talk about it when the emperor comes back." Li Shanchang believed that the emperor would not do anything to Li Bin because he embezzled some money. Unexpectedly, Liu Bowen firmly disagreed. He asked Li Shanchang: "Master Xiangguo, do you still remember how the Song Dynasty perished? It was all because of the relaxation of laws and regulations, which led to the loss of the world. Do you want us to repeat the same mistakes?" Li Shanchang was speechless Word. Liu Bowen thought that Li Bin should be beheaded, so as to suppress Ji Gang.After he asked the emperor to get permission, he immediately beheaded Li Bin, and all the courtiers were shocked for a while.

Liu Bowen understands that this time he has completely offended Li Shanchang, and he is afraid that there will be no place for him in the court.Sure enough, since then Li Shanchang has repeatedly slandered Liu Bowen. Soon, Liu Bowen's wife in Qingtian's hometown died of illness. Liu Bowen thought that his chance to return had finally come, so he went to see the emperor. "Bowen, I know everything about you, how much time do you need to deal with family affairs?" Before Liu Bowen could speak, Zhu Yuanzhang said first. "Your Majesty, the minister's health has been getting worse and worse in recent days. I would like to ask the emperor's kind minister to return to his hometown for a few days of peace, so that he can accompany his dead wife." Liu Bowen pleaded. Zhu Yuanzhang felt sad for a while, he really felt sorry for Liu Bowen, and the emperor couldn't give him a peaceful life. "That's fine, it's fine to go back and have a rest. We know that your life is not peaceful during this time. But Bowen, our Daming Jiangshan still needs talents like you. I hope you can come out to help us when we need it. Believe it Then we can let you make good use of your talents." Liu Bowen kowtowed to thank him.He himself is not sure whether this walk will come back.He didn't want to come back. Although the Ming Dynasty conquered the country, it still left a lot of problems unresolved.I hope that after these years of experience, the emperor can get rid of his bravery in battle and have more strategies to control his ministers. "Your Majesty, I have to leave, but I still have a few words to say. Now that you have won the world, you need to know that this world belongs to the people of the world, not yours, nor the children of Huaixi. You can rely on Huaixi Children rule the world, but you can't rule the world only with Huaixi's children." "We've been waiting for your words for a long time, we understand. Those brave generals, how much contribution they made during the war, they are now a big threat. Look at the civil and military affairs of the Manchu Dynasty today. They are all Huaixi people. They also said What kind of Zhedong party are you, you really created something out of nothing!" When Zhu Yuanzhang said this, his eyes widened with anger. "Thank you, Your Majesty, Holy Judgment!" Liu Bowen said gratefully. "Actually, we really don't want to let you go. We are still planning to make good use of you, a native of eastern Zhejiang." Zhu Yuanzhang said reluctantly. After returning, Liu Bowen and his eldest son Liu Lian said: "Pack up your things quickly and leave quietly tomorrow morning." "Father, hasn't the emperor already agreed for us to go back to our hometown in Qingtian? Why do we have to leave quietly?" Liu Lian asked. "The emperor promised to let us go back, but he was not willing. I am worried that the emperor will listen to the slander and change his mind." Liu Bowen explained. Sure enough, as Liu Bowen expected, after Hu Weiyong got the news of Liu Bowen's repatriation, he told the emperor that Qingtian was located in the former Zhang Shicheng's department, and he was worried that Liu Bowen would gather people to rebel after he returned. Zhu Yuanzhang was very hesitant, and Hu Weiyong's words were not without reason.At the same time, Zhu Yuanzhang was also worried that after Liu Bowen returned to Qingtian, the Huaixi people headed by Li Shanchang would still not let him go. After much deliberation, he decided that it would be more appropriate to keep Liu Bowen in the capital. Poor Liu Bowen was not allowed to return to his hometown in Qingtian even though he was repatriated. If Li Shanchang is Zhu Yuanzhang's Xiao He, then Liu Bowen is his Zhang Liang.Zhu Yuanzhang understood that if he wanted to rectify the administration of officials, he had to start with these humble ministers.The superficial result of the struggle between Li Shanchang and Liu Bowen was Liu Bowen's repatriation, but Zhu Yuanzhang also saw the current situation clearly after this incident.The power of the Huaixi Group headed by Li Shanchang is expanding day by day, directly threatening the imperial power.Even Liu Bowen, whom they valued highly, can deal with them at will, let alone other officials?Li Shanchang also felt this kind of pressure. Out of self-protection, he returned home due to illness in the third year of Hongwu (1370).In the fourth year of Hongwu (1371), Zhu Yuanzhang asked Li Shanchang to retire and return to his hometown in the name of Li Shanchang's old age and illness.