I Can Control My Ancestors-Chapter 132 - 50: Medicine Cannot Save the Great Han (2)
Every word they spoke was about eunuchs.
But the core was directly pointed at Liu Zhi and the court’s system.
The flames of war were already unstoppable.
Gu Xi had never imagined that things would develop to this extent.
Ultimately, he was also affected by the limitations of the times and failed to notice the hidden dangers under the Great Han’s system.
But regardless, it was already too late at this point.
This matter was absolutely not something that could be resolved by the power of one person alone; Liu Zhi could not depose the eunuchs and bow to the scholar-officials.
And the scholar-officials were destined not to give up their power voluntarily and return it all to the Emperor.
Gu Xi could not let his family get involved.
But how could he just stand by and watch?
This was the prosperous era he had painstakingly preserved with countless efforts.
He once again went to see Liu Zhi.
However, he didn’t speak about matters between the court and scholars, only advising Liu Zhi to provide relief for the refugees and not let them cause greater disturbances.
Liu Zhi’s attitude towards Gu Xi had also somewhat changed now.
With the passage of time and opposition from the scholar-officials, how could his attitude not change?
However, this time, Liu Zhi still listened to Gu Xi.
He decided to provide relief to the disaster victims.
But if that had been enough to stop the conflict, Gu Yi wouldn’t have taken it so seriously.
Not long after the relief was implemented.
Officials from various places successively reported that the eunuchs were embezzling the relief grain for the disaster victims.
This matter immediately caused a great uproar.
In the court, officials targeted the eunuchs, issuing various impeachments.
The eunuchs, in turn, protested their innocence and used Liu Zhi’s inclinations to firmly suppress the scholars.
Both sides used all kinds of means.
From the central temple to local factions, everyone was targeting each other.
In less than two years, signs of great chaos appeared throughout the Great Han.
At this time, Liu Zhi was evidently still somewhat sensible.
He made a decision that everyone accepted, which was to put Gu Xi in charge of the disaster relief.
As soon as this decision was made.
Whether they were eunuchs or scholars.
Everyone accepted it willingly.
Gu Xi indeed had considerable experience in this aspect, and since the undercurrents had just begun, it was naturally not yet significant enough to trouble Gu Xi.
He didn’t even have to leave Luoyang to handle the matter directly.
Because whether in the hearts of officials or commoners.
As long as Gu Xi was present, there would be no chaos.
The key was Gu Xi’s involvement.
Both sides dared not engage in conflict over the matter.
Until the ninth year of Yanxi, the refugees in various places calmed down a bit.
Liu Zhi was, of course, extremely pleased.
He decided to grant amnesty to the entire nation.
But right after this decree was issued, the conflict between eunuchs and scholars erupted once again.
...
"Your Majesty!"
Su Kang knelt before Liu Zhi, crying bitterly, "Si Li Captain Li Ying disregarded your order of amnesty across the nation...."
"He actually executed the prisoners."
"I have also heard that Li Ying and others nurtured roaming scholars from the Imperial College, forming connections with students from various commanderies, driving and directing them, conspiring as factions, and slandering the court, causing confusion in customs."
He wept sorrowfully.
At these words, Liu Zhi’s eyebrows furrowed, and his face immediately showed anger.
"Audacious!"
"Are they defying my imperial order?"
Liu Zhi was completely furious.
This was outright defiance of his decree!
Immediately, he ordered people to arrest Li Ying and others and bring them back to Luoyang, with more than two hundred implicated.
This matter caused a giant shock in the court and the public.
Grand Commandant Chen Fan was the first to submit a memorandum.
He stated that Liu Zhi’s actions were inappropriate, followed by all the officials submitting memoranda, and even the students of the Imperial College spoke out.
The immense pressure of public opinion bore down directly on Liu Zhi.
But how could Liu Zhi stop?
If not for Gu Xi, he would have already started targeting these people long ago.
In just a few days.
He detained more than one hundred leading scholars and directly dismissed Chen Fan from his position as Grand Commandant, citing the incompetence of those he recommended.
And he began offering rewards for buying the heads of those who had criticized the court most severely over the years.
——The nation was in turmoil!
The Great Han had already been on the verge of explosive change; it was only Gu Xi’s appearance that slowed its occurrence.
But this time, no one could stop it.
Liu Zhi even refused to see Gu Xi, directly having him turned away.
Completely conveying his stance.
From this day, a shadow was cast over the entire Great Han’s central court.
The anger of an emperor with real power in such feudal times was like thunder.
The governance of the Great Han, already teetering on the edge of collapse.
From this day, it quickly disintegrated. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺
The decline of the scholar-official faction was destined to give rise to the eunuchs.
Particularly, Liu Zhi’s change of attitude towards Gu Xi undoubtedly further intensified the situation.
The eunuchs forcefully suppressed the scholars’ attempts to strike back.
The administration in various places quickly became corrupt.
The refugees rose again.
This time, compared to two years ago, it came even more fiercely.
This was the fatal problem of the Great Han.
As time went on, this problem would only deepen and could not be alleviated.
And most crucially, there were not only internal troubles.
In recent years, the rising Xianbei once again allied with the Southern Xiongnu, Wuhuan, and other tribes, dividing their troops to invade Yunzhong, Yan Sect, Liaodong, and other commanderies.
The momentum was like a tide, surging in.
Human efforts could not stop it!
But would Gu Xi just stand by?
...
North Palace.
Today, even Gu Xi’s figure had become slightly stooped.
Having passed the age of seventy, he showed his old age.
Yet his presence still exuded a powerful aura.
"Grand Tutor, at such an age, why bother involving yourself in these matters again?"
