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In the 74th year of the emperor (146 BC), Emperor Xiangzhuang ushered in his 80th birthday. Pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info

In this year, the population of the empire exceeded 100 million for the first time, the population of Luojing exceeded one million for the first time, and the emperor's ** team also crossed the Green Ridge for the first time, built the first immigrant city west of the Green Ridge, and began to effectively rule the barbarians west of the Green Ridge.

Xiang Zhuang set up a banquet for thousands of elders in the Wanshou Palace, and invited veterans and veterans of his era to come to celebrate his birthday, and finally more than 2,000 people led by Bai Lixian, the Duke of Chu, attended.

The third emperor Xiang Chu also came to celebrate his birthday in person, but was blocked by Xiang Zhuang outside the palace.

The second emperor Xiang Zheng reigned for a total of 30 years, died of illness in two months, and was succeeded by the crown prince Xiang Chu.

However, Xiang Chu's throne was not easy, and it can even be said to be very bloody, thirty years ago for the first time the crown prince was pushed, the court was relatively calm, and the six princes of the martial court, thirty-six marquis, one hundred and ninety-eight counts, more than five hundred viscounts and more than two thousand barons held a public election, and as a result, Xiang Yong, the sixth son of the emperor, became the crown prince.

It is said that when this result came out, everyone was surprised.

Because the first emperor Xiang Zhuang obviously favored the fourth son of the emperor Xiang Shu, and the second emperor Xiang Zheng instructed the third son of Xiang Quan, but the more than 2,700 noble generals of the martial arts court did not buy it at all, and insisted on electing the most ideal crown prince in their minds, because compared with Xiang Shu and Xiang Quan's weakness, Xiang Yong is skilled in arching and horses, both civil and military.

Twenty years ago, as usual, it was time to proclaim the crown prince again.

This time, the court push was also very calm, and the crown prince Xiang Yong was re-elected without any suspense. Because according to the rules set by the first emperor, all children of the imperial family can run for election as long as they are between the ages of eighteen and thirty, Xiang Yong was only eighteen years old when he was first elected crown prince, and he was only twenty-eight years old ten years later, and he is still within the age range of running.

However, ten years ago, the crown prince finally caused a huge turmoil.

Ten years ago. The second emperor Xiang Zheng's son-in-law, Xiang Chu, has reached adulthood, and the second emperor can finally rely on his huge influence as emperor to lay the foundation for the inheritor he really wants. However, Xiang Yong, the sixth son of the emperor, as the two crown princes, has attracted a group of military generals, and he has a deep foundation in the martial arts academy. Contradictions inevitably intensified.

Xiang Chu has the full support of the second emperor, and there are two minions of Xuanyiwei and the Imperial Forest Army standing behind him, and the army of the whole country as his wings, which can be described as full of confidence, and Xiang Chu himself is also outstanding, not only tall and handsome, capable of writing and martial arts, but also personally led the army to conquer Hexi, and a large part of the noble generals supported him.

However, Xiang Yong is not without the power of a game, and the more than 4,000 noble generals of the Martial Arts Academy (twenty years have passed, and a large number of soldiers have been promoted to nobility because of their merits) is his biggest backing. Because in the past 20 years, Xiang Yong's northern expedition to the Xiongnu, Dongping Jizi Korea, and the southern expedition to Yelang can be described as a great martial arts, and he has attracted a large number of noble generals.

The date of the official court push has not yet approached, and the competition between the two sides has begun in secret.

In addition, the rest of the princes and grandsons tried to make a profit. Hiding in the dark to add fuel to the fire, it makes the situation more complicated, since the first half of the Tingtui, Luo Jing has been bleeding constantly, not Xuan Yiwei today raided the home of a noble general, and searched all kinds of evidence of rebellion from his mansion. It's tomorrow that a military general close to the prince Xiang Chu will be assassinated......

Every day there is bloodshed, every day is dying, and the whole Luojing people are panicking.

In the end, even the second emperor was almost assassinated, but fortunately Xuan Yiwei resolved the crisis.

After the assassination, the second emperor Long Yan was furious, and urgently dispatched the Imperial Forest Army to cooperate with Xuanyi Wei to reinstate the prison, and the crown prince Xiang Yong did not take it lightly, and used his influence in the martial arts academy to urgently summon the two major Praetorian Guards of Huben and Tianluo to aid Luojing.

Although the three forbidden armies belong directly to the emperor, and the middle and senior generals in the army are all the elders of the imperial family directly appointed by the emperor, the middle and low-level generals in the forbidden army are all from the martial arts, and without the support of the middle and low-level generals, the emperor cannot control the forbidden army at all, but the crown prince Xiang Yong has the support of the middle and low-level generals.

The two sides of the battle for the throne are tense, and a civil war is on the verge of breaking out.

It is said that there are more than a dozen passionate officials who died directly at the bottom of the stairs, only asking the old emperor Xiang Zhuang to come out to "save" the empire, but the palace door is always closed, and no matter how more than 100 imperial historians toss, the old emperor does not come out to suppress the situation.

However, in the end, the two sides did not fight.

At the last critical moment, the two sides reached a compromise, and on the day of the compromise was reached, a grand court was held at the Luojing Arena, with a total of more than 4,600 noble generals participating in the vote, and finally the crown prince Xiang Chu won by a narrow margin of more than 2,400 votes to more than 2,200 votes, and narrowly became the crown prince.

After the court push, a grand gladiatorial performance was held.

Tens of thousands of gladiators from hundreds of gladiatorial enclosures in dozens of counties of the empire played the role of the emperor ** and the barbarian army respectively, and once again performed the glorious deeds of the former crown prince in the north to conquer the Xiongnu, the east to conquer Jizi Korea, the southern expedition to Yelang and the current crown prince to conquer Hexi, and personally cut off the head of the king of the Yue clan.

On the seat in the center of the Huagai Hall of Wanshou Palace, Xiang Zhuang and Baili Xian were drinking according to the case.

"Lao Baili, how are you doing lately?" Xiang Zhuang raised his eyes to respect Baili Xian and asked with a smile.

"Emperor Taishang, it's not very good, the last tooth of the old minister also fell out two days ago, and it is estimated that he is not far from death, alas."

Xiang Zhuang smiled, and then said: "Lao Baili, remember that you are nine years older than me, and next year will be your ninetieth birthday, right?" When the time comes, you must remember to set up a banquet, I will also go to celebrate your birthday, there are not a few old guys left, such a party, but also a gathering of one less time, alas, the old people are withering day by day. ”

As he spoke, Xiang Zhuang became a little sad.

Baili Xian was afraid that Xiang Zhuang's old people would be sad, so he changed the topic and said: "The emperor, the crown prince will be promoted again next month." ”

Xiang Zhuang wiped away the tears overflowing from the corners of his eyes with his sleeve, and said with a smile: "Is it, the crown prince will be promoted again next month?" I don't know how many princes and grandsons will run for election this time? ”

Since Xiang Zhuang abdicated, he has completely let go of the government and politics, and he doesn't care much about his children and grandchildren. In the first twenty years after the abdication, when his body was still quite strong, he took dozens of concubines to travel all over the mountains and rivers of China, enjoying the fun of traveling in the mountains and rivers, and even followed the sailor to the South Seas, bringing back a few blonde and blue-eyed female slaves from the Middle East.

Therefore, Xiang Zhuang really doesn't know how many royal children there are now.

Xiang Zhuang estimated that there should be three or four hundred royal children now. If the Chinese Dynasty can be inherited for three hundred years, the number of royal children should not be less than that of the dragon sons and grandsons of the Ming Dynasty, and 150,000 is estimated to be exceeded. But this is nothing for a huge empire, and what is it to raise a hundred thousand idlers in a huge empire?

After all, the princes and grandsons of the Chinese Empire have no princes. The treatment is not good, and each child of the royal family will receive some money and rations from the Zongren Mansion, and his life is only better than that of ordinary nobles, not to mention hundreds of thousands of princes and grandchildren, and the later Manchu Qing Dynasty raised more than 5 million banner people, and the required expenses only account for a very small part of the treasury revenue?

Baili Xian said: "Emperor Taishang, there are sixty-nine princes running for election this time. ”

"Sixty-nine, so many?" Xiang Zhuang frowned and said, "Lao Baili." Go back and let your kid take the lead and give the emperor a fold, the rules of the court to push the crown prince are indeed necessary to be revised and modified, it is not enough to stipulate that the crown prince cannot be re-elected, but also to stipulate the number of princes who are running for election. The first audition is made, and the final election of no more than five princes should be selected. ”

Bai Lixian nodded and said in a low voice: "Emperor Taishang, this time the court pushes, there won't be any mess, right?" ”

Xiang Zhuang said: "Lao Baili, let me ask you." Do you think there will be such a strong emperor in the future? ”

Bai Lixian recalled the various performances of the second emperor Xiang Zheng when he was alive, shook his head and said, "I'm afraid not." ”

"That's right." Xiang Zhuang said with a smile, "Even such a strong emperor as Zheng'er is helpless to take the noble generals of the Martial Academy, and the future emperor will not be able to be, you can rest assured, there will be no big mess." ”

Indeed, today's martial arts academy has indeed formed a climate, more than 4,600 noble generals, including almost all the elites of the empire, the emperor wants to put aside the martial academy and act recklessly, it is absolutely impossible! Even an emperor like Xiang Zheng, who is outstanding in terms of prestige, ability, and skill, has not been able to help the Martial Academy, who else can in the future?

Moreover, with the passage of time and the continuous expansion of the empire's territory, there will continue to be military generals who will be promoted to nobility due to merit, and the scale of the martial arts academy will become larger and larger.

Unless the empire expands to the limit, there is no more military exploits to maintain the promotion of military generals, and the scale of the imperial martial arts academy will stop or shrink, but with the two expansion directions of water and land designed by Xiang Zhuang for the empire, at least in three hundred years, the empire will definitely not reach the limit of expansion, and as for what will happen after three hundred years, Xiang Zhuang will not be able to control it.

And three hundred years later, if the empire really expands to the limit, and there are no more military exploits to ensure the promotion of military generals, there is actually a solution, that is, to change the aristocratic lifelong system to the aristocratic hereditary system, because at that time, the empire must have reached its peak, and then it will inevitably decline, even if the class is solidified, it doesn't matter.

Bai Lixian was not worried about the loss of imperial power, he shook his head and smiled bitterly, and said: "Emperor Taishang, what the old minister is worried about is not this, the old minister feels that the martial arts academy has formed a great elbow for the imperial power, if the martial arts academy is united, it is likely to form a big tail, if there is another Lu Buwei, Li Si-style minister......"

"Lao Baili, you're too worried." Xiang Zhuang waved his hand and said with a smile, "There are more than 4,600 people in the martial arts academy, from the Guogong to the captain, and there will be more in the future, so many people, and all of them are heroes who can lead troops and fight, who will really convince whom?" And who can really control others? ”

Xiang Zhuang's words are not in vain, everything in the world, only interests are forever balanced.

With the structure and influence of the Martial Academy, coupled with the national policy of the Empire's martial arts, the expansion of its power is inevitable, and now the Martial Yuan only has the power of the Imperial Prince, but in the future it is likely to cover all major policies, but to say that the Martial Yuan will have a unified voice to replace the imperial power, it is absolutely fantastical.

First of all, the titles of the noble generals in the martial arts court are high and low, but the status is equal, and no one can use their power to subdue others, but can only rely on interests to win over others.

Therefore, even if there is a careerist, he can only win over some people through interests or incorruptible tongues, because the martial arts academy is also divided into hundreds of factions, and if you win over this faction, you will inevitably offend several other factions, unless there is an external threat such as the provocation of the imperial power, it is difficult for the various factions of the martial academy to unify.

Secondly, in addition to the commander of the army who is nominated by the crown prince and directly appointed by the emperor, the appointment and dismissal power of the rest of the leading generals and colonies, and the right to evaluate the merits of the war are all in the hands of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Rites.

Thirdly, the official hats of the officials of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Rites were pinched in the hands of the cabinet scholars, who in turn were the emperor's secretary team, and the emperor was able to let his trusted scholars enter the cabinet with a simple piece of paper.

Under Xiang Zhuang's design, the power structure of the empire formed a fragile balance, the imperial power was restricted by the military court, the military court was restricted by the military department, the ritual department, and the military department and the ritual department were restricted by the cabinet and the imperial power, which became a chain of people, everyone has someone to supervise, everyone has someone to restrict, and no one can act recklessly.

However, on the whole, the martial arts academy is still in a clear advantage, because the empire at this time is in a period of expansion, and the martial arts have a status far beyond the literati, merchants and farmers, so with the passage of time, the influence and discourse power of the martial arts academy will definitely become greater and greater, and the final formation of the dual power structure of the emperor and the martial arts is inevitable.

But Xiang Zhuang can't think about it so much, he can't take care of it so far, his children and grandchildren have their own children and grandchildren, and the future will be up to future generations to figure out how to do it, he has done everything he can do, and he has a clear conscience.

"That's right, those young people in the martial arts academy are really arrogant, and they dare to point at the old minister's nose and scold their mothers, but these young people are also really capable, just say that the barbarian riot that has just been suppressed in Congling Town is a full hundred thousand barbarians, and as a result, the total army of Congling only uses five hundred horsemen, and a night attack will beat them to the ground, even if Lao Bi was like this back then." Bai Lixian suddenly thought of Bi Shu as he spoke, and asked Xiang Zhuangdao, "Emperor Taishang, why didn't Lao Bi come this time?" ”

Xiang Zhuang sighed and said, "Lao Baili, Lao Bi has already taken the first step." ”

As he spoke, Xiang Zhuang's eyelids slowly drooped, and he sat still on his knees.

"Huh?" Bai Lixian was a little sad when he heard this, and sighed gloomily, "The old people have withered one by one, but it's okay like this, there is nothing worth nostalgia in this world, and it's good to go down early to accompany these old brothers." After that, Bai Lixian raised his wine to Xiang Zhuang again, "Come on, Emperor Taishang, drink again." ”

Xiang Zhuang didn't react, and Bai Lixian called twice, but there was still no response.

Bai Lixian was shocked to realize that something was wrong, and quickly sat up on his knees, leaned over to Xiang Zhuang and stretched out his hand to probe, but the emperor who was laughing just now was already out of breath. (To be continued)