My father, Gao Huan, is an invincible prince!

Chapter 63: To first stabilize the government and then eliminate the traitors is truly the right way

Conversely, Gao Yang, upon hearing Gao Cheng's words, immediately beamed with joy and couldn't help but glance sideways at Duan Shao, who was riding outside the carriage, giving him a smug look that seemed to say, "See if I'm right?"

Seeing this, Duan Shao was too lazy to argue with him anymore. He just twitched the corner of his mouth, turned his horse around, looked ahead, and continued on his way.

Gao Yang, having been rebuffed, was not annoyed. He chuckled and abruptly closed the carriage curtain, shutting out all the noise from inside and outside.

The group then proceeded in silence, heading straight for the Governor's Mansion.

Before long, the carriage stopped in front of the governor's mansion. Beside the gate, He Xi Shele had already led his personal guards to stand solemnly below the steps.

Seeing Gao Cheng lift the curtain and get out of the carriage, he immediately stepped forward and bowed: "Your Highness, the mansion has been thoroughly cleaned up. The nine traitors and their thirty-seven family members have all been detained. We humbly request Your Highness to decide their fate."

"Um."

Upon hearing this, Gao Cheng showed no surprise on his face, only nodding calmly.

Immediately, he said in a calm tone, "Now that the purge has been completed, let us follow the old precedent: all males aged fifteen and above shall be sent to remote towns to serve in the army; and all female relatives shall be confined to the inner palace."

After speaking, he paused, then added, "Only the ringleader should be punished; no one else should be implicated."

"only."

He Xi Shele nodded in acceptance and led the group into the mansion.

Upon arriving at the main hall, everyone took their seats according to their status as guests and hosts. Before they could even rest for a moment, Gao Yang eagerly leaned over.

He asked eagerly, "Brother, now that we have the evidence of their crimes, have eliminated all the traitors, and have cut off the henchmen of the four powerful figures, they are truly fish in a pot. When should we rise up, sweep away the treacherous officials, and restore order to the court?"

Duan Shao and Gao Yang immediately composed themselves upon hearing this question, turning to look at Gao Cheng with eyes full of anticipation.

Although he felt that Gao Cheng's methods were somewhat cruel, he also knew that the four powerful figures had been entrenched in Ye City for many years, and that their corruption was rampant, harming the country and its people. If these people were not eliminated, the court would never have a day of peace and order.

However, Gao Cheng met their expectant gazes and shook his head, saying unhurriedly, "No rush, let's wait a little longer."

"Do we still have to wait?"

The two men, who were initially full of enthusiasm, frowned upon hearing that Gao Cheng was going to have to wait.

Gao Yang looked puzzled and asked, "Now that the evidence is conclusive, the traitors have been eliminated, and the Four Nobles have exhausted their tricks, this is the perfect time for a thunderous strike. If we don't act now, when will we?"

Duan Shao echoed in a deep voice, "Indeed, our esteemed lords have exhausted their skills, and it is precisely the time for the changing of the seasons. If we delay any longer, they will recover and cause trouble again, and wouldn't all our previous efforts be in vain?"

Upon seeing this, Gao Cheng did not mince words and said directly, "What I am waiting for is news from the powerful families of Hebei."

"A prominent family?"

The two were taken aback upon hearing this.

Gao Yang pressed further: "What are you waiting for news from the aristocratic families?"

Gao Cheng patiently explained, "The four powerful officials have been in power for many years, and their protégés and former subordinates are all over the court and the countryside. From the highest officials to the county magistrates, most of them are his cronies. If we remove them suddenly, it will paralyze the government, cause a mountain of paperwork, and make people panic."

"If we were to capture the Four Nobles today, who would manage the myriad affairs of Ye City? The two of you? Or me? Even if we had three heads and six arms, we would still find it difficult to manage this vast Ye City."

Upon hearing this, the two were momentarily stunned.

They immediately looked at each other, and both saw a strange light flash in their eyes.

Gao Cheng glanced at the expressions of the two men and continued, "Speaking of the various tribes in Hebei, they have long been suppressed by the nobles of the Six Garrisons and have been relegated to low-ranking positions. They are now eager to make progress. Although they each have their own selfish motives, compared to the four nobles who are greedy and prey on the common people, they still have a sense of shame and understand the greater good."

"Now I promise to appoint them to key positions in the central government, such as Director of the Secretariat and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and I will also execute the Zheng family of Xingyang as a warning to others. With both kindness and severity, they will surely be grateful and willing to serve me."

"Therefore, we should wait for the members of their clans to arrive in Ye, go to various departments to fill the gaps and take over the general affairs, and then we should take action to eliminate the four nobles and their cronies. Only in this way can we ensure a seamless transition, keep the government stable, and keep the people at peace."

"This is the principle of 'establishing before dismantling,' do you understand?"

When Gao Cheng's words about establishing something before destroying it reached their ears, the two of them were struck as if by a thunderbolt, and their faces showed a look of sudden realization.

This is because they only thought about seizing power and eliminating traitors as soon as possible, but they did not consider the matter of the handover of government affairs at all.

If Gao Cheng had not been so farsighted, taking action today would likely have led to great chaos.

Thinking of this, Gao Yang was filled with joy and admiration: "Brother, your wisdom and foresight are far beyond my reach!"

Duan Shao also bowed and said solemnly, "Your Highness has great foresight, which I admire. As Guan Zhong once said, 'The way to govern a country is to first enrich the people.' Now Your Highness has prioritized the stability of government affairs before eliminating traitors, which is truly the right way to govern a country."

Upon hearing this, Gao Cheng remained calm, simply waving his hand and smiling, "It's alright. You are all eager to get things done, which is understandable. In the future, think things through more carefully and avoid acting impulsively."

Upon hearing this, the two nodded in unison, expressing their deep admiration for Gao Cheng.

Just as he was about to speak again, Wang Hong strode into the hall, knelt on one knee, and reported, "Your Highness, the Li family of Zhao Commandery has sent an envoy."

Upon hearing Wang Hong's words, the conversation between the three of them abruptly stopped.

Gao Cheng nodded, then turned to Wang Hong and asked, "Why have the two families sent envoys?"

Wang Hong said in a deep voice, "I will send out an invitation, inviting the heir apparent and the Duke of Taiyuan to the Li residence tomorrow for a meeting."

The practice of "mutual inspection" is an old custom from the Northern and Southern Dynasties, in which unmarried men and women would examine each other's character and appearance before marriage to see if they were compatible.

Upon hearing the reasons for the two envoys' arrival, Gao Cheng raised an eyebrow, instantly concluding that Li Xizong's dispatch of envoys must be for Gao Yang.

After all, he already had a principal wife, Princess Fengyi Yuan Zhonghua. Even though she was from a noble family, she could only become a concubine in his household, and there was no need for him to consider her further.

Li Xizong invited him to go along, presumably under the guise of a consultation, but in reality, to discuss matters.

Upon hearing this, Gao Yang became instantly excited, his face beaming with barely concealed excitement: "Li Xizong has sent an invitation; will he finally agree to marry his daughter to me?"

As Gao Cheng's mind raced, he saw Gao Yang's impatient expression again and couldn't help but chuckle, "You're only looking at each other, not even having formally engaged or asked for names yet. Seeing your monkey-like eagerness, won't you become a laughingstock if others hear about it?"

Gao Yang, upon hearing this, did not care, but chuckled and said, "There is an opportunity if we look at each other. Once I have the chance to behold your beautiful face, I have my own way of winning her heart. Brother, please do not worry too much. Although I am not good-looking, my talents are not inferior to others, and I will surely make Lady Li fall in love with me."

Duan Shaoben, who was sitting to one side, couldn't help but chuckle and tease him upon seeing his anxious demeanor: "Second Brother, when you see Lady Li tomorrow, please don't act like you did the day before, slamming your fist on the table and shouting angrily, disturbing the whole household. If you cause the beauty to run away, where will you find a remedy for your mistake later?"

"What nonsense are you talking about, cousin?"

Upon hearing Duan Shao's words, Gao Yang finally blushed.

Still refusing to show weakness, he stubbornly argued, "The other day, it was Li Xizong who was ungrateful and stood by while chaos broke out in Hanoi without offering any assistance, which angered me. When I see you tomorrow, my lady, I will not lose my composure. Brother, do not underestimate me!"

He spoke with great passion, as if tomorrow was not a day for a consultation, but rather a day to lead troops into battle and capture the enemy city.

His absurd words only made the two of them laugh even harder.

After laughing, Gao Cheng shook his head and said to Wang Hong, "Reply to the messenger that Erlang and I will be there on time tomorrow."

"only!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Hong immediately responded and turned to leave the hall.

Watching Wang Hong walk away, Duan Shao, who was standing to the side, also composed himself and said to Gao Cheng, "Your Highness, when you go to the appointment tomorrow, will you need me to accompany you as a guard?"

Gao Cheng thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "No need. Tomorrow's meeting is just a routine one. Too many attendants would only make things worse. You stay at the Governor's Mansion and secretly observe the movements of the four nobles, lest they become desperate and cause trouble."

"only."

Upon hearing this, Duan Shao did not insist and immediately nodded in agreement.

With the business concluded and appointments made the next day, Gao Cheng said no more. He immediately rose and said to the two men, "It's getting dark, and we have important business to attend to tomorrow. You should all go home and rest."

After saying that, he went out first and walked towards the backyard.

Upon seeing this, Gao Yang and Duan Shao quickly got up to see him off. Only after Gao Cheng had gone far away did the two of them disperse.