Chapter 1385
Purge the Cabinet!
Chapter 1385 Purge the Cabinet!
"No problem, as long as there's a fight or a fire, I'll be there for you."
Surtur responded in a muffled voice.
His lifelong passion is either fighting or burning things; having him intimidate people is exactly what he wants.
The two men, accompanied by a squad of personal guards, first went to the residence of Li Yuan, the Minister of Rites. This old man, Li Yuan, rose to power through nepotism and was usually good at flattering and sycophancy. He was mediocre and incompetent, and because he was the Empress's distant uncle, he acted arrogantly in the court and caused Wang Mang a lot of trouble.
Upon hearing that Wang Mang had arrived with his men, Li Yuan was so frightened that his legs went weak. He still tried to maintain his composure and had his steward come out to deliver a message.
"Minister Li is currently handling official business and is not receiving any guests."
Wang Mang sneered and gave Surtur a wink.
Surtur immediately stepped forward and kicked open the vermilion gate. With a loud crash, the door panel slammed to the ground, raising a cloud of dust.
Li Yuan was so frightened that he fell off the chair. He tried to run away as soon as he got up, but Surtur grabbed him by the back of his collar and pulled him back like a chick.
"Minister Li, are you busy with official duties?"
"I heard that you've been getting quite close to Liu Song, the commander of the Flying Feather Guard, lately? And you're even planning to marry your daughter to Liu Song's son?"
Wang Mang sat in the main seat, picked up his teacup, and took a sip.
"Grand Secretary Wang, it's a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding! Commander Liu and I are just ordinary colleagues. The matter of marrying off my daughter is pure rumor!"
Li Yuan's face was deathly pale, and he spoke in a trembling voice.
"Rumors? Li Song has already been arrested for treason. Who would believe you if you said you had nothing to do with him?"
Wang Mang placed the teacup on the table.
"Either you write a memorial now, expressing your loyalty to me and handing over half of the power in the Ministry of Rites; or I will hand over the 'evidence' of your collusion with Liu Song to His Majesty. The choice is yours."
He paused, then his tone became sharp.
"I choose! I pledge my allegiance to Grand Secretary Wang! I hand over my authority!"
Li Yuan was terrified and nodded hastily. This old man was all bark and no bite; when it came to real trouble, he was more cowardly than anyone else.
After leaving Li Yuan's residence, the two went to the home of Zhang Minyuan, the Minister of Revenue. Unlike Li Yuan, Zhang Minyuan was a shrewd and calculating man who kept a low profile but secretly cultivated relationships with many officials. Liu Yi, the commander of the Yihui Camp, was one of his protégés.
"Grand Secretary Wang, you've finally made your move."
At that moment, Zhang Minyuan was sitting in his study drinking tea. When he saw Wang Mang bring Surtur in, he showed no panic on his face, but simply sighed softly.
"Minister Zhang is a smart man, I don't need to say more, do I?"
"Liu Yi has already been captured. I am also aware of the officials under your command. Now the rebel army is at the gates of the city, and the Great Ling Dynasty is in imminent danger. I am doing this for the sake of the overall situation."
Wang Mang sat opposite him.
"The big picture? Grand Secretary Wang's big picture is probably taking this opportunity to seize control of the court, isn't it?"
Zhang Minyuan picked up his teacup and slowly took a sip.
He saw it clearly: Wang Mang was using the uprising as a pretext to eliminate dissidents and seize power.
"So what if that's the case? The court is in disarray right now, and those royal relatives are only interested in fighting for power and profit. Besides me, who else can support Great Ling?"
"If you know what's good for you, hand over the power of the Ministry of Revenue, and I'll guarantee the safety of your whole family; if you don't, you know the consequences."
Wang Mang made no attempt to conceal it.
"That's it, the tide has turned, I can't win against you. I can hand over the power of the Ministry of Revenue, but you have to promise me that you won't harm my protégés and former officials."
Zhang Minyuan remained silent for a moment, then shook his head.
Wang Mang is currently at the height of his power, and I am no match for him. Rather than fight to the death, it is better to protect my own people. After all, a wise person knows when to yield.
Next, the two visited the residences of several other Grand Secretaries. Some, like Li Yuan, were so frightened that they immediately yielded; others, like Zhang Minyuan, calmly relinquished power after recognizing the situation; and a few who wanted to resist, the outcome of which is self-evident—Wang Mang was now in a precarious situation with no choice but to act.
These high-ranking officials usually appeared dignified and respectable, but when faced with a life-or-death situation, most of them chose to protect themselves, since no one wanted to risk their own life.
Wang Mang's last stop was the residence of the Imperial Censor Yan Hong.
Yan Hong was one of the few loyal ministers of the Da Ling Dynasty. He was upright and incorruptible throughout his life and could not tolerate any injustice. He had always targeted Wang Mang and impeached him for "abusing power and harming the country". Several times he forced Wang Mang to back down.
But Wang Mang not only did not hate him, but admired him greatly. In this chaotic world, he was able to stick to his principles and wholeheartedly serve the royal family, wanting to save the world from collapse. Such integrity of doing what he knew was impossible was truly rare.
Yan Hong's residence was very simple. There was no vermilion gate or stone lions, only an ordinary wooden door. There were a few green vegetables growing in the courtyard. He was obviously a man who lived a simple life.
Wang Mang arrived at the door with Surter and his personal guards. Yan Hong was already standing there waiting, wearing a faded official robe. He had a thin face but an unusually firm gaze.
"Grand Secretary Wang, you don't need to go in. Just say what you have to say here."
Yan Hong's voice was calm, without anger or panic.
"Doctor Yan, I know you are loyal to the royal family, but the Great Ling Dynasty is now on the verge of collapse. The rebel armies of Liu Bang and Liu Xiu will soon be at the gates of the city. The royal family simply cannot hold on. Only I can stabilize the situation."
Wang Mang cupped his hands in greeting.
"Stabilize the situation? You're taking this opportunity to seize power and usurp the throne!"
"Wang Mang, don't forget, you are a key minister in the inner cabinet of Da Ling. You are paid by the emperor and are obligated to serve him. Now that we are facing a formidable enemy, instead of thinking about how to repel them, you are carrying out a purge within the capital. Do you live up to His Majesty's trust? Do you live up to the people of Da Ling?"
Yan Hong sneered.
"Of course I deserve it! Over the years, the royal family has been corrupt and incompetent, and powerful ministers have been in power. The Great Ling kingdom has long been hollowed out! If it weren't for me, the rebel army would have already stormed the capital!"
"I am seizing power now not for myself, but to concentrate all forces to fight against the rebel army and preserve half of Da Ling's territory!"
Wang Mang's tone also became agitated.
"What nonsense!"
"You think I don't know what you're up to? You want to be emperor! You're a traitor! You scoundrel!"
Yan Hong stepped forward and pointed at Wang Mang's nose.
"Dr. Yan, I admit that I have a little bit of ambition, but I also have the ability to protect Da Ling."
"The rebel army is now very powerful, and Ying Zheng, Xiang Yu, and Zhu Yuanzhang are also eyeing us covetously. Only I can unite the forces of Da Ling and fight against them."
Wang Mang fell silent, and after a moment, he sighed.
"Impossible! I was born a citizen of Da Ling, and I will die a ghost of Da Ling. I will never submit to you, you traitorous scoundrel!"
"Wang Mang, I advise you to turn back before it's too late. Stop the purge now, join forces with the royal family, and perhaps there's still a glimmer of hope! If you insist on your reckless actions, you will sooner or later be disgraced and infamous for eternity!"
Yan Hong said firmly.
Looking into Yan Hong's resolute eyes, Wang Mang was filled with mixed emotions. He had long known that someone like Yan Hong would never submit to him, but he couldn't bear to kill this loyal minister.
"Invite Doctor Yan into the mansion and treat him well. He is not allowed to leave without my order."
After a moment of contemplation, he spoke to the guards behind him.
He wanted to put Yanhong under house arrest and wait until he had control of the situation before trying to persuade him. Even if he couldn't persuade him, he couldn't let him fall into the hands of others.
"Wang Mang, let me go!"
Upon seeing this, Yan Hong was so angry that he trembled all over.
He struggled desperately, but was held down firmly by his guards and dragged into the mansion.
(End of this chapter)