Chapter 121: Chapter 108: Power Reshuffle; Unification of the County Town
"Calm your anger, Your Majesty!"
Just then, the elderly man standing first on the left took a step forward, erging from the line of officials.
At once, the dozen or so people on both sides looked over in surprise.
’Why is Old Su, who never ddles in affairs, getting involved today?’
The next mont, they heard Elder Su speak, his hands clasped in respect:
"Your Majesty, please quell your anger. Though these County Magistrates are guilty, it would be better to let them atone by handling the refugee crisis. If they succeed, the cri is theirs alone. If they fail, their three closest relations will be implicated. The Six Paths Bureau will oversee the sentence!"
How ruthless!
A chill went through the hearts of the officials. This directly implicated their entire families!
The mbers of the Zheng, Zhu, and Tang families couldn’t help but turn to look at Su Ningguang.
’What is this old man trying to do?’
’He’s usually so quiet. Why pull a move like this now?’
Zheng Chen’s eyes shifted slightly.
’In his plans, since that boy from the Chang Family couldn’t control the situation and had squandered this opportunity, he was now worthless!’
’As things stood, it was better to replace a few people. Trading one for four was a net gain no matter how you looked at it. Though he had lost control of a County Town, it wasn’t an absolute necessity.’
’But Su Ningguang’s actions... was he trying to protect them?’
But when he saw the anger drain from Emperor Liang’s face, he understood. He imdiately closed his eyes again to rest.
’The performance is starting again.’
’He didn’t believe Emperor Liang was actually angry; it was just an act. When the Emperor was truly enraged, he beca calm.’
’He just didn’t know what the nearly ninety-year-old man had planned.’
"Lord Su, your words are reasonable. What do you suggest?" Emperor Liang had cald down. His expression was placid, and his tone beca courteous.
Su Ningguang clasped his hands and said:
"Your Majesty, since the Jade Peak County Magistrate is so eager for rit and resourceful with his sches, let’s promote him to Governor of Guang’an County to oversee all its affairs. The previous Governor of Guang’an governed ineffectively and stood idly by. He can be swapped with the Jade Peak County Magistrate. Let’s see how he fares governing a county.
The County Magistrates of Wuxi, Yuxi, and Liu Xi are to be swapped with their counterparts in Luoxi, Tai Ning, and Wuye—three counties under the jurisdictions of Linchuan and Guang’an.
Furthermore, I hear that Sima Chengye, the Governor of Baisha County in Yangzhou Prefecture, is a capable administrator beloved by his people. I’m certain he can gradually restore order to Qianye Prefecture. Once he succeeds and demonstrates his rit, he can be rewarded accordingly.
Liu Rufeng, who previously served as a County Magistrate in Qingfeng Prefecture, recently returned to the Capital City to report on his duties and now awaits a new post. I recomnd he be appointed the new Governor of Baisha County."
Su Ningguang delivered his ’proposals’ in a moderate and calm tone, yet they caused the expressions of the five n present—from the Zhu, Zheng, Tang, Sima, and Liu families—to shift.
Emperor Liang’s face was wreathed in smiles as he listened.
This series of moves, a mix of offense and defense that swapped officials around, completely upended the families’ spheres of influence.
The Zhu and Tang families may have been allies, but a six-county swap ant they would each have to confront the entrenched local powers in their new territories. This was a matter of self-interest!
’Even though they were allies, would they truly cede territory? Even in a trade, one had to consider if the value was equivalent!’
The Sima Family, though part of a third-party alliance, was not given the chance to sit on the sidelines. Su Ningguang had dragged them right into the fray to compete with the other two factions.
Linchuan was the ho base for both the Sima and Tang families. Sima Chengye had been governing Baisha in Yangzhou Prefecture for three years, managing it expertly and serving as the Sima Family’s foothold in the region. Just as they were about to deepen their influence, he was being transferred? Was all their effort about to be for nothing?
For the Zheng Family, however, this was a pleasant surprise.
The Zheng Family had no influence in Guang’an and had been unable to wedge their way in. If Chang Younian was transferred there, it ant another opportunity for them.
If they played their cards right, Guang’an could beco a powerful asset for the Zheng Family, even if it ant confronting the Sima and Tang families.
"Your Majesty! Regarding what Lord Su said, I obj—"
"Your Majesty, this must not—"
"Your Majesty—"
"..."
"Then it is settled! Draft the decree!"
Without giving the seven or eight officials who had stepped forward a chance to finish, Emperor Liang waved his hand and said, "Effective imdiately, Sima Chengye, Governor of Baisha County in Yangzhou Prefecture..."
As Emperor Liang began to speak, the officials who had intended to object swallowed their words and returned to their places, their faces grim.
This matter wasn’t significant enough to warrant the most senior officials speaking out against it. Besides, the representatives of the affected Noble Families were far more anxious than anyone else.
But the speed with which Su Ningguang had arranged the personnel changes indicated that he and His Majesty had planned this in advance.
This was rely the opportune mont they had been waiting for to enact their reorganization.
Instantly, the three factions began to harbor their own separate designs.
A Gate Valve could influence an entire prefecture, but everything still depended on Emperor Liang’s true disposition.
Emperor Liang held military power. Combined with the Six Paths Bureau and the Reincarnation Bureau, both filled with Martial Arts masters, his word was absolute.
For years, they had been unaware of what Emperor Liang was plotting concerning Tianduan Mountain, but they had never dared to truly challenge his authority. As a result, only their lower-level operatives were active, so that if any problems arose, the families could easily intervene and manage the fallout.
It was precisely for this reason that Emperor Liang turned a blind eye to them using the drought as an opportunity to disrupt a centuries-old balance of power and scramble for territory.
Had they truly threatened the foundations of Da Liang, the outco today would not have been a re shuffling of their alliances to restore balance.
As Emperor Liang finished speaking, the Chief Eunuch of the Imperial Ceremonial Office swiftly drafted the imperial decree, which would later be fully transcribed and dispatched to the various regions.
When the court session concluded, Emperor Liang departed in high spirits.
Likewise, Su Ningguang, looking perfectly composed and nonchalant, shuffled his way out with faltering steps.
Once outside the main hall, Sima Xin, Patriarch of the Sima Family, ambled over to Su Ningguang’s side. Matching his slow pace, he sighed and said:
"I say, Old Su, none of my family’s little brats have gotten on your bad side recently, have they?"
"Huh? What did you say?" The white-haired Su Ningguang cupped a hand to his ear, a look of confusion on his face. He then said loudly, "I can’t hear you. Say that again."
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