bookrandom Chapter 1922 This is called power!
Chapter 1922 This is called power!
Chu Ning walked back to the main seat in the hall and sat down, tapping lightly on the rosewood armrest with his fingers, making a regular light sound.
"you,"
He looked at Li Bi and said in an unquestionable tone, "Personally contact all former Han officials in the city, those with a rank of 200 dan or higher, regardless of whether they have been summoned before."
"This time, I'll say I invited them to the palace to discuss matters. The topic is the methods used by the previous dynasty's royal family to deal with them."
Li Bi was stunned when he heard this.
Then a huge ecstasy surged through my body like a warm current, and even the pain in my back seemed to be relieved a lot!
What does it mean that the emperor entrusted him with such an important task?
This means great trust and respect!
This was not just running errands and delivering messages. It was asking him, as a core member of the new dynasty, to summon his former colleagues to jointly discuss and decide the fate of his old master!
What a glory, what a suggestion of power!
He could almost imagine what kind of wonderful expressions would appear on the faces of those colleagues who might have looked down on him in the past when they received the emperor's "invitation" conveyed by him personally!
This was not just an assignment, but also an opportunity given to him by the emperor to establish his authority and further identify, win over or intimidate the old bureaucratic group!
"My lord! I obey the order!"
Li Bi's voice trembled slightly with excitement, and he kowtowed again.
"Your Majesty's trust is something I will never repay even if I die! I will convey your Majesty's instructions in detail to every official, and I implore them to come and discuss state affairs!"
He deliberately emphasized the word "please" and had already begun to think about how to use this opportunity to demonstrate the emperor's majesty and to gain the greatest political capital for himself.
Who can be won over, who needs to be suppressed, and whose attitudes can be used as bargaining chips to report to the emperor.
In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through his mind.
"Go."
Chu Ning waved his hand, his tone still calm, as if he was just giving instructions for a trivial matter.
"Yes! I will do it immediately!"
Li Bi suppressed his inner ecstasy and the pain in his back, tried hard to maintain his composure, and bowed as he left the side hall.
As he walked out of the temple, the warm sunlight shone on him, and he felt even more energetic than inside the temple.
My back injury didn't seem to hurt as much, and my steps were lighter.
He seemed to have seen himself wearing a brand new official robe of the Chu State, standing in the court, enjoying the awe-inspiring gazes of the crowd.
And that glory and wealth are as bright and real as the sunlight in front of this temple.
He immediately summoned his followers and some of the retained old officials, and began to assign tasks, make lists, and divide areas.
He would personally supervise and ensure that every former official on the list could feel the emperor's invitation and the respect of the State of Chu.
As for those who may still be hoping for luck or are foolishly loyal...
A cold light flashed in Li Bi's eyes. He took this opportunity to help the emperor and himself to clear away these untimely stumbling blocks.
Under the sky of Chang'an City, a meeting that would determine the fate of the last bloodline of the old dynasty, and was also intertwined with countless speculations, fears, and the power construction of the new dynasty, slowly unfolded with Li Bi's active and efficient running.
Li Bi himself was intoxicated on the edge of this power game and couldn't wait to step into the center which seemed within reach.
As Li Bi spared no efforts to campaign, the atmosphere in Chang'an City became increasingly subtle and tense.
This was different from the last time when he was "invited" to the palace gate by the Chu army's swords and weapons, and he was in a panic and forced situation.
This time, when all the former Han officials who were still staying in the city received the "invitation" personally conveyed by their former colleague and today's "close minister of the Chu Emperor", they felt as if a huge stone was pressing on their hearts.
This time, no one dared to use illness as an excuse, and no one dared to shirk responsibility.
Almost all officials with a rank of 200 shi or above were included in the list.
Because everyone knew that this meeting was not a simple solicitation of opinions, but a final statement on whether to submit to the new dynasty.
The price of not paying the price, Chu Ning had already engraved the bloody word "annihilation of the entire family" in everyone's heart through the mouth of the captain.
As a lesson from the past, the blood of more than a hundred members of the Liu Bei clan has not yet completely solidified in the memory of this capital.
The gates of the imperial palace opened one after another, and officials wearing slightly worn official robes walked silently on the familiar palace roads.
But now, the people standing solemnly on both sides were no longer the Han army's Yulin Lang, but the sharp-eyed and armored warriors of the Chu army.
The cold metallic reflection and the faint smell of blood constantly reminded them of their changed identities and the danger of their situation.
They rarely spoke to each other, and even if their eyes occasionally met, they quickly looked away, filled with suspicion, fear and an unspeakable humiliation.
In such a large team, there were only the sounds of footsteps and suppressed breathing, which was so heavy that it was suffocating.
The Golden Throne Hall, the palace that symbolizes the highest power of the Han Empire, was once the place they dreamed of gaining a foothold, but now it seems so strange and depressing.
The furnishings in the hall remained largely the same, with coiled dragon pillars, glazed tiles, and golden brick floors, but the person sitting on the throne had changed.
Chu Ning did not wear the formal imperial robes, but was still wearing a dark casual suit.
However, the majesty he exuded as he sat on the supreme throne filled the entire space.
Let this familiar hall be filled with a new, cold and powerful aura that belongs to him.
Officials filed into the hall according to their rank, knelt down in a mass, lowered their heads, and dared not look directly at the throne.
The roar of "Long live" echoed in the empty hall, with obvious trembling and uncertainty, and was far less neat and loud than in the court meetings of the past.
"No need to be polite."
Chu Ning's voice came from above, calm and even with a hint of casualness as if he didn't care, but it was clearly heard by everyone, like ice sliding down their spine.
He waved his hand casually, his movements showing the calmness of being in control of everything.
Everyone obeyed and stood up nervously, with their heads bowed, waiting for the verdict of fate.
Chu Ning's gaze, like an invisible searchlight, slowly swept over His Highness's old ministers, who had different thoughts.
His eyes did not deliberately exert pressure, but they made everyone who was passed by his eyes feel a palpitation, as if all the calculations and fears in their hearts were seen through.
After a brief silence, Chu Ning spoke again, getting straight to the point without any detours:
"I've summoned you all here to discuss how to deal with the Han imperial family."
His tone remained steady, but the word "deal with" struck everyone's heart like a heavy hammer.
How to "deal with" them? These two simple words could mean exile, imprisonment, demotion to commoner status, or even a bloody purge.
Although the Han Dynasty has collapsed, so many officials are still there.
He just wanted to use this incident to clean up the mess!