Dark Sand: My Players Are All Actors
Chapter 293 - 217 Conspiracy and Open Scheme _3

Chapter 293: Chapter 217 Conspiracy and Open Scheme _3

But now the factional struggle Chu Ge wanted to instigate wouldn’t bring fierce opposition from the emperor.

Firstly, because he had already shown enough sincerity.

Chu Ge started by presenting the official system law, voluntarily giving up a portion of his ministerial power; this had already made the emperor see him as an unambitious and very obedient subject. With his favorability maxed out, the emperor naturally wouldn’t feel that Wang Wenchuan posed any significant threat to him.

Secondly, because he packaged the factional struggle as clearing obstacles for the emperor to consolidate power.

Chu Ge brought up Ayun’s Case, using this inconspicuous case to shift the conflict between the old and new factions to one between the old faction and the emperor.

The message was to say, "Let’s not talk about the reforms for now, let’s look at this minor matter of Ayun’s Case.

In the Ayun Case, there was an imperial edict from His Majesty himself!

We of the new faction are actually working for His Majesty. The imperial edict said to reduce the sentence, so we reduced it; likewise, if His Majesty wants reforms, we will make reforms. Everything we do is actually for His Majesty.

And the old faction? Today His Majesty wishes to pardon a defenseless woman, they disagree; His Majesty wants reforms, they again disagree.

Constantly citing the ways of the ancestors—are they suggesting that everything should be done according to the ways of the ancestors? That everything should be left to these old officials to handle? Is the emperor’s word no good?

In this way, it further alienated the old faction from the emperor, making the emperor dislike them even more.

Since the emperor already disliked them, then this is not a party struggle, but the emperor eliminating disobedient ministers.

Thirdly, because he left enough room for maneuver.

Chu Ge stated that anyone who did not support the emperor in Ayun’s Case, anyone who did not support the new laws, were targets for attack.

Start with the small fry first, then gradually drive the important ministers in the court away.

But after the purge?

If Chu Ge were to say that these vacant positions should be filled by members of the new faction, or even further, that he should decide who takes over, then the emperor would certainly be alarmed.

Isn’t this still nurturing Wang Wenchuan’s power?

But Chu Ge had already handed over the power of appointment and removal; whomever would fill these vacancies is up to the emperor.

In summary, in the emperor’s view, who to strike at is his decision; who to promote is also his decision.

If so, then what cliques are there? What threat?

The feeling of controlling everything, how joyful.

This is the nine-tenths of the open strategy that Chu Ge presented before the emperor.

But there was one-tenth he didn’t speak of.

That is even after such maneuvers, in the later stages, he could still realize the operation to sideline the emperor.

Because when dealing with these old faction members, he would strike mercilessly, ensuring they would have no chance of coming back.

On the surface, the emperor might make appointments and promotions at will, mostly thinking that he could promote someone else to check Wang Wenchuan at any time, with everything under his control.

But to other officials, it wasn’t so simple.

They would only see that under the emperor and Wang Wenchuan’s blows, the old faction fell completely, and all were cleared out by Wang Wenchuan with ruthless methods.

By then, when they hoped to enter court as officials, hoped for promotion and advancement, could they have another choice?

They could only choose to stand with Wang Wenchuan, to become supporters of the new faction.

And when they were promoted, would they remember the emperor’s kindness, or would they remember Wang Wenchuan’s?

Even if such promotions were personally made by the emperor, these officials would think in their hearts that their positions were actually given by Wang Wenchuan.

Because they could not discern whether the emperor’s decisiveness was to support the reforms or to support Wang Wenchuan.

Actually, it was neither; the emperor was for his own power. But those officials, I’m afraid, would have difficulty realizing this. And even if they did, there wasn’t much they could do.

They surely couldn’t petition to fiercely criticize the emperor, right? Even if they realized this, they couldn’t just talk about it anywhere!

Over time, although the emperor ostensibly controlled the power of appointing and removing officials, if everyone in the court was Wang Wenchuan’s people, whom he appointed or removed, what difference would it make?

By that stage, Chu Ge could boldly push for new laws without worrying about any opposing or questioning voices.

What? There would still be some?

There wouldn’t be because, by then, Chu Ge wouldn’t allow these voices to reach the emperor’s ears.

Not being able to deceive both above and below, what kind of a powerful minister would that be?

Of course, Chu Ge also knew that even if he did so, the role he played as Wang Wenchuan couldn’t possibly become a king without a crown, couldn’t truly sideline the emperor completely to do whatever he wanted.

Because this emperor was no child; he was in the prime of his life, still firmly in control of power.

The Qi Dynasty was different from those dynasties of the past; the factors for checks and balances were too numerous.

Even if the entire court was Wang Wenchuan’s people, if one day the emperor truly resolved to eliminate Wang Wenchuan, it was still possible, just that it would take a very long time.

Is it because the emperor didn’t want to get rid of Yan Maoqing that he could dominate court politics for over forty years? It’s really because he was too handy, he didn’t want to let go. If he really wanted to, he still could.

But even if one day the emperor truly made up his mind, and treated Wang Wenchuan like those powerful ministers of history, exhuming and defiling his corpse, so what?

For that long stretch of time, Chu Ge would have had enough time to do many things.

At last, the emperor was completely conquered by Chu Ge’s filling of such a pie in the sky.