The emperor issued an order to remove the position of General Xiaowei of Shunzheng Duke Dong Chun, expel him from the army, and dismiss him from the position of prefect of Pengcheng, and change him to the position of prefect of Wenshan County.

Where is Wenshan County? In the northwest of Bashu, there are poor mountains and rivers, and barren lands. This is equivalent to political "exile" for Dong Chun, who is famous and has a high position and power. Dong Chun fell down. Although his political opponents did not throw him into hell, they also achieved the goal of expelling him from the army and staying away from the political center.

Dong Chun's fall of the Guanlong and Longxi aristocratic group suffered heavy damage. The main reason for Dong Chun's fall was not the thieves in Xuzhou, but the political aftermath of the imperial conscience. As one of the main ministers supporting King Yang Ming of Qi to take over the Eastern Palace, Dong Chun, when the Eastern Expedition was about to begin, the emperor and the center headed by the reformists, of course, had to find an opportunity to demote him to avoid burying unpredictable hidden dangers on the domestic political situation.

Dong Chun's demotion is the result of political struggle for the top powers in Zhongtu. For the senior aristocratic bureaucrats in Zhongtu, the first lesson is that they must do their own job well without considering political factors. Otherwise, even if your backer is big and hard, you will seize the handle and make the people feel embarrassing and shameless. Will he still protect you? He kicked you to the end earlier.

The thieves in Qizhou returned to Qi County, and the crisis in Lu County was relieved, and Duan Wencao could also take a breath. Although this was very different from Zhang Xutuo's original intention, everything had advantages and disadvantages. Zhang Xutuo won cooperation with the Qilu noble group headed by Duan Wencao. Compared with the series of serious consequences brought by the suppression of the thieves, the benefits it brought to Zhang Xutuo were incomparable, so Zhang Xutuo personally rushed to Xiaqiu to pay homage to Duan Wencao.

Duan Wencao felt that Zhang Xutuo was cheap and acted good. You slapped me first, and now I'm here to give me a sweet date. Think I'm a fool? But since I've cooperated, this little bit of idleness is meaningless, and it seems petty and has no measure. Duan Wencao invited Zhang Xutuo to the banquet and then revealed the news that Dong Chun was demoted. This news has not been transmitted to various counties yet, but Duan Wencao's brother is in the center, so you can still reveal such news first, it doesn't matter what the secret is. Duan Wencao's meaning is very straightforward. As a Guanlong native, he must win the cooperation of Qilu people in the Qilu territory.

Dong Chun is an example. Xuzhou thieves were in trouble with Tongji Canal and robbed the heavy troops of an entire fleet. What is particularly incredible is that Xuzhou thieves, with this thieves of a whole fleet of heavy troops, actually escaped from Dong Chun's encirclement and interception, and advanced thousands of miles into Mengshan. How could this be possible if there was no secret help from Xuzhou people behind this? Similarly, there is a reason behind the rebellion of Qizhou thieves, not the anti-corruption work, taxation, and ineffective relief that everyone has said, is nonsense.

Just imagine that the general public in Middle-earth had experienced more than 400 years of division and war. Generations of people suffered hardships in wars year after year, enduring great pain that ordinary people could not imagine. Now they have finally unified and finally lived a peaceful life. Who would not cherish it? Never underestimate the general public's endurance of suffering and poverty, don't underestimate the general public's desire and expectation of peaceful reunification, don't underestimate the general public's enthusiasm and passion for defending their country. Whether the previous Western Expedition or the upcoming Eastern Expedition was all foreign wars, all for expeditions to barbarians, for the stability of the border, for the safety of the Central China and the great cause of peaceful reunification of the Central China and the welfare of the general public, therefore, it was the general public in Middle-earth who truly supported foreign wars and devoted themselves to foreign wars with full enthusiasm.

Of course, when China and Turkish launch an Eastern Expedition with the whole country, it will inevitably increase the tax collection and corvee collection in some areas, which will bring heavy burdens and even pain to some general public. However, the general public knows that this is short-lived, patient, overcome, and the future can be expected. The pain and despair brought to the general public by the foreign war on the basis of peaceful reunification today cannot be compared with the pain and despair brought to the general public by more than 400 years of division and war.

Therefore, the real reason for the rebellion that broke out in Shandong, including the north and south of Dahe and even Xuzhou was the anti-East Expedition.

Who opposes the Eastern Expedition? It is not the general public in Middle-earth, not the general public in Middle-earth that expects permanent peace and unity, but the aristocratic group in Middle-earth, the aristocratic group that ruled Middle-earth and shared Middle-earth power and wealth.

Why did the aristocratic group oppose the Eastern Expedition? Because of the reform and with the peaceful reunification of Middle-earth, the politics of Middle-earth irreversibly developed from aristocratic politics to centralized politics.

In the politics of aristocratic families, the aristocratic families were the ones in charge of the power and wealth of China, and in centralized politics, the emperor was the central government. From the perspective of power and wealth, in the politics of aristocratic families, the aristocratic families completely controlled the distribution of power and wealth, so they naturally enjoyed the greatest power and the most wealth. In the politics of centralized politics, the emperor and the central government completely controlled the distribution of power and wealth. In order to ensure peaceful reunification, the power and wealth of the aristocratic families must be weakened. Therefore, the most acute, fierce and fundamental contradictions emerged.

The emperor and the center led by the reformists carried out a series of national defense and diplomatic strategies such as the Western Expedition and the Eastern Expedition were nominally intended to attack foreign enemies, protect Middle-earth, and maintain peaceful reunification. In fact, it was to establish martial arts and increase the authority of the emperor and the central government. At the same time, use war to alleviate internal conflicts, use military merits to win over some new nobles who support reform, and attack some old nobles who oppose reform. At the same time, win cooperation with neutral nobles. Then, on the basis of the stable internal and external environment, carry out all-round radical reforms, trying to destroy the politics of aristocratic families and aristocratic systems in the shortest time, and then completely consolidate and develop the great cause of unity in Middle-earth, in terms of system, law, and etiquette and morality, so that Middle-earth can enjoy the prosperity and prosperity brought by peaceful reunification for generations.

For today's Shandong aristocratic bureaucrats, they must figure out the real reason behind the rebellion in order to make the correct strategy of suppressing rebellion and suppressing thieves. Otherwise, they will be crushed to pieces in the whistling political storms that follow one after another.

Duan Wencao cannot clearly explain the real reason for the rebellion of the thieves in Qizhou, but he can use Dong Chun as an example to discuss the situation and use the political reasons for Dong Chun's fall to clearly express the real purpose of the rebellion of the thieves in Xuzhou.

Although Zhang Xutuo was a powerful general in the army and had never had deep exposure to high-level politics, he was exposed to aristocrats in daily life, including many children from wealthy families. After being influenced by them for a long time, he could see the tricks even if he didn't understand them. Dong Chun was a famous general in the army, a nobleman in Longxi, a big shot in the Longxi aristocratic group, and was even more famous in the military. Such a person fell before the Eastern Expedition and had no relationship with the Eastern Expedition. This is enough to illustrate the problem, which shows that Dong Chun was a heavyweight who opposed the Eastern Expedition. Before the Eastern Expedition, the emperor and the Central Committee tried every means to demote such a person to a remote mountain. This is obvious.

As for why Dong Chun opposed the Eastern Expedition, Zhang Xutuo was not very clear, but Duan Wencao still explained implicitly that it was because of the dispute over the imperial rule. But why did Dong Chun intervene in the dispute over the imperial rule? This involves a more complicated question. Why has the emperor been shirking responsibility and delaying the matter of crown prince since Prince Yuande passed away? A country's monarch is important, while a country's throne is equally important, which is directly related to the stability of the country's destiny. This truth is known to everyone in the world, but the emperor does not know it?

Of course the emperor knew, but the emperor made a grand aspiration and must complete the reform and rebuild the centralized system in his lifetime. For this reason, he needed absolute power and absolute authority. The establishment of the crown prince will inevitably give birth to a new political force. Once this force is used by his opponent, it will seriously constrain the emperor and directly affect the emperor's advancement of the reform. Therefore, the emperor tried every means to delay the establishment of the crown prince.

In order to prevent reform and prevent reform, conservative aristocratic forces used all their best. One of the most important methods was to try every means to rebuild the crown prince. The case of King Yang Hung of Qi that broke out not long ago was a powerful counterattack by the emperor against the conservative forces.

Zhang Xutuo is still very politically sensitive and has strong understanding ability. Duan Wencao said that Dong Chun was actually using Dong Chun to "beat" him. When he thought of the complex situation in Qilu, he couldn't help but be shocked. It was not that Duan Wencao was threatening him, but that he was indeed like Dong Chun, both of them were members of the conservative forces.

In the past, the Heluo noble group followed the leader of Duke of Chu, Yang Su, and Yang Su, like the previous emperor, was a moderate reformist party. He did not hurry everything and went step by step. If one generation fails, two generations will come naturally. After taking it slowly, there will always be a natural result. After he ascended the throne with his support, his reform ideas changed rapidly, from moderate to radical, and the conflict between the two also quickly intensified. Duke of Chu, Yang Su, was old and died of illness, and his political inheritance was inherited by his eldest son Yang Xuangan. Yang Xuangan's position on reform was the same as his father, and they were both moderate reformists, but as the reform forces were aggressively controlled the center, the moderate reformists were also classified as one of the conservative forces.

The Weifu was a key area for reform. Zhang Xutuo participated in a series of military system reforms, many of which were boycotted or even opposed in the Weifu. Zhang Xutuo himself was also very dissatisfied with many systems that harmed the interests of soldiers, so he was very conscious and classified himself as a conservative in reform, although he did not oppose reform.

If there are shadows of the conservative aristocratic forces in China and Earth behind the rebellion in Shandong, then the suppression of rebellions in various places will become a "touchstone". Anyone who fails to suppress rebellion can be classified as a conservative force, and will naturally be hit like Dong Chun. Those who win the suppression of rebellion can be classified as supporters of reform, rewarded by the emperor and the center, and their career will be bright.

Duan Wencao was warning Zhang Xutuo that cooperation is OK, but don’t do anything to fight against the Eastern Expedition in the name of cooperation, otherwise, once you turn against each other, you will be dead.

"Encourt, when will the Mengshan suppression of bandits begin?" Zhang Xutuo asked.

"We have to wait a little longer," Duan Wencao said, "Mengshan's suppression of bandits is a major event in Qi and Lu. It requires the lead of Qiao Gong (Zhou Fashang) and the Right Guard Office, and provide military support to each county. Mengshan borders Pengcheng. To encircle Mengshan, it is necessary to win cooperation from Pengcheng."

Zhang Xutuo bowed his hand to the courtesy, "Since that's the case, I led my army back to Qi County to kill the thieves in Qizhou."

Duan Wencao smiled and said, "The Prince of Cui County in Pengcheng sent an envoy to Pengcheng to discuss the joint efforts to suppress the thieves. He also intended to send an envoy to Xiaqiu to discuss with someone. Look..."

Zhang Xutuo understood as soon as he heard this. Duan Wencao hoped that the Qi army could stay. Now Duan Wencao's troops are very limited, and the Xuzhou bandits are eyeing the Sishui line. They will attack and plunder as long as they have the opportunity. This makes the situation in Lu County very tense. If the Qi army can leave a part of it and pose a threat to the Xuzhou bandits, Duan Wencao can free up his hands to recruit local Zongtuan Townships to form local troops, and plan to join forces with Pengcheng and Langya counties to suppress the bandits and complete the preliminary preparations for encirclement and suppression of Mengshan.

Zhang Xutuo pondered for a moment and said, "After returning to Qi County, he immediately dispatched military commanders to assist Qin Qiong, and led his army to help the envoy. What do you think?"

Duan Wencao was overjoyed, "Good!"

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Chapter completed!