I rode and slashed unparalleled in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 804: Gossip in the Hot Spring, the General Points His Sword at Yang Biao
July, the first year of Kaiyuan.

Jinquan Hot Spring (now Jinci Spring) is located southwest of Taiyuan County, at the foot of Luliang Mountain.

Su Yao led the soldiers and the accompanying maids to rest here for a while, enjoying the rare tranquility until Su Yao said Yang Biao's name.
"My benefactor actually wants to deal with Yang Situ?"

In the hot spring, Hong'er, who was massaging Su Yao's shoulders, suddenly shivered.

"Who is Yang Situ? Can he be greater than the master?"

On the other side, Nana, the former Wuhuan Yanshi, curled her lips slightly, a little surprised by Honger's performance.

"Yang Situ is Yang Situ."

"The Hongnong Yang family has three dukes in four generations. The Lord Situ is second only to Grand Tutor Lu in the court!"

"Isn't that just a third official?"

Nana looked quite disapproving:

"That old man called Sikong Zhong was easily taken care of by the master."

"No matter how powerful Yang Biao is, can he beat the master?"

"Sister Nana, this is different. The Central Plains is not the grassland. It's not the one with the biggest fist who is powerful!"

Unlike Nana Yanshi, who was born in the Wuhuan grassland, had a noble status but did not know the rules of the Han Dynasty, Hong'er was just a singer, but she was born in the Wang family of Taiyuan and was chosen by her master. She was trained and influenced since childhood. In addition, she once studied in the Imperial Academy with the Empress Wannian, so she has a deep understanding of these aristocratic families, especially the famous families in Tokyo like the Hongnong Yang family.

Seeing that Nana still had the attitude that whoever had the bigger fist was the most powerful on the grassland, Hong'er looked anxious.

She glanced at Su Yao, who was squinting his eyes and seemed to be nonchalant, and quickly explained:
"Don't be careless, benefactor."

"The Hongnong Yang family is a top family that has been passed down for hundreds of years and has a very deep origin."

"Their ancestor is Yang Xi, who fought against Grandpa Taizu and was granted the title of marquis for his contribution in killing Xiang Yu!"

"His descendant Yang Chang even served as prime minister and, together with General Huo Guang, deposed and enthroned emperors."

"Since then, the Yang family has stood proudly in the court, with high-ranking officials and dignitaries in every generation."

As she spoke, Hong'er's brows furrowed more and more, her face full of worry:
"Do you know what four generations of three officials mean?"

"That's four consecutive generations of people who have been promoted to the highest positions in the government!"

"That's four generations. Even the Runan Yuan family, which also has three dukes in four generations, can't compare to this honor."

"Because the Yuan family has three officials for four generations, they cannot do without eunuchs, which is a controversial issue."

"As for the Hongnong Yang family, their family was established with virtue and was a well-known family among scholars. Their grandfather Yang Zhen was praised as the Confucius of Guanxi. In order to protest against the eunuchs' disorderly politics and to show that he would not be involved in corruption, the great general committed suicide by taking poison in front of the emperor."

"Such a series of virtues and deeds have made the Hongnong Yang family extremely prestigious among the scholars. There are many students and former officials everywhere, and they can help each other with Yang Situ."

Hong'er's voice was somewhat anxious, and her speaking speed gradually increased:
"Besides, Yang Situ himself is also very powerful."

"Can you imagine how turbulent the imperial court has been in recent years?"

"Whether it was when the eunuchs were in power, when General He Jin was in power, or even when Dong Zhuo was in power, it did not affect Lord Yang's promotion."

"On the contrary, every time there was unrest, he took a big step forward. Today, when Lord En is in power, he seems to have done nothing, but he has already been ranked among the three highest officials, second only to Lord En and Lord Lu."

"How can such a person be simple?"

"If the benefactor were to act rashly against him, I'm afraid there would be great unrest in the government and the country."

"Hiss--if you put it that way, this guy seems quite powerful." Nana frowned and looked worried when she heard it.

Su Yao listened to the conversation between the two without losing his smile. Instead, he reached out and gently scratched the tip of Hong'er's nose, then said with a smile:
"Our Xiao Hong'er is thoughtful and considerate, but don't forget that since I dare to touch him, I am fully confident."

Nana tilted her head and asked curiously, "Master, what solution do you have? Tell us quickly."

Su Yao sat up straighter, the mist around him making his eyes look even deeper.

"Although the Hongnong Yang family has a deep foundation, they are not invulnerable."

Su Yao spoke slowly:
"First of all, although they are highly respected and have many students and former officials all over the world, this is both a help and a hindrance in troubled times." "Of course, Yang Zhen, the ancestor of Yang Biao, was an honest official with a great reputation throughout the world and was a role model for the world."

"But how can a family of three officials in four generations be achieved by just being honest and virtuous?"

Su Yao's gaze penetrated the mist, as if he could see into people's hearts:
"The Hongnong Yang family today is no longer as pure as it was back then. As power grows, it is inevitable that people who pursue fame and fortune will infiltrate the family."

"For example, I asked the Jinyiwei to find out about their family's farms around Luoyang. They bought the farmland from the people at low prices and rented it to the farmers at high prices to make huge profits. In business, they used their power to infiltrate the salt and iron business of the imperial court and suppressed dissidents in Hongnong and other places, causing public resentment."

"But, these are all things done by their people, right?"

Hong'er was still a little worried:
"These aristocratic families are often closely united by marriage and discipleship."

"They are a wealthy family, and there are countless people who have committed such bad deeds, but officials often value their reputation, and once something happens, they can always find a scapegoat to clear themselves of all charges."

Hong'er frowned, her eyes full of worry:
"My benefactor, even if we have the evidence, Yang Biao can still push the responsibility onto the side branches or servants of the clan. Then, wouldn't our efforts be in vain?"

Su Yao's mouth corners slightly raised, his eyes full of praise: "Xiao Hong'er, you are really smart to think of this. That's right, these things were indeed done by people in their family. If Yang Biao wants to shirk responsibility, it is not impossible."

He paused for a moment, looking into the distance, as if recalling the past:

"But Yang Biao's current position is definitely not something that can be maintained by marriage and student relationships alone."

"If he wants to stand firm in this treacherous court, there must be countless exchanges of interests behind it."

"Every time the imperial power changes, every time powerful officials are replaced, their family can accurately position themselves and get the best of both worlds. The price behind this is to cater to every superior."

A cold light flashed in Su Yao's eyes:
"Take Dong Zhuo's entry into the capital as an example. On the surface, he seemed to be just following the trend, but in fact, he was secretly helping."

"Dong Zhuo was just a military man, but he was able to take control of the court so quickly. Yuan Wei and Yang Biao must have been behind the scenes to help him."

"At that time, the situation in Luoyang was chaotic. Dong Zhuo's army had just entered and had not yet gained a firm foothold. The two used their connections and influence in the court to pave the way for Dong Zhuo to take over power smoothly. This was a thorough political investment. Yang Biao was betting that Dong Zhuo could gain a foothold in Luoyang, and he himself could gain greater power from it."

Nana was surprised when she heard this and couldn't help but interrupt, "Master, are you saying that Yang Biao knew that Dong Zhuo would gain power, so he helped him?"

Su Yao chuckled: "He may not know that Dong Zhuo will definitely gain power, but he is well aware of the way to survive in the court. The more investment, the more protection."

"In his eyes, there is no absolute loyalty, only eternal interests. After Dong Zhuo came to power, Yang Biao's official position did not decline but rose, and even eventually his status surpassed that of Yuan Wei, Dong Zhuo's former benefactor. This is the best proof of this."

"Perhaps his shadow is also behind Yuan Wei's death."

"This, this, is it actually like this?"

Hong'er's face was full of disbelief:

"My benefactor, if that's the case, then isn't Yang Biao too sinister? Yuan Wei and he are both important officials in the court, and the Yuan family is also a famous and prestigious family. How could he be able to plot against us in secret?"

Su Yao laughed: "Things involving power are never that simple."

"But at the end of the day, these are just speculations on my part."

"But if he did these things, they would definitely leave traces. I have already ordered the newly established Audit Department to specifically investigate the affairs of the Hongnong Yang family."

Hong Er was delighted at first, then paused:
"My benefactor, the Audit Department has just been established and its foundation is not yet stable. We are going to supervise a noble family like Yang Biao, and it is such a complicated case. I am afraid it will be difficult and not easy."

"Others may say so, but the one supervising this case is Guo Jia Guo Fengxiao."

"This man's talent is rare in the world. Since I have entrusted him with an important task, I believe that he will live up to my expectations and find a breakthrough among the numerous obstacles."

Su Yao's words were full of energy and confidence, giving people a great sense of security.

However, the people in Taiyuan Tangchi did not know at this time that Guo Jia in Luoyang City had fallen into an unprecedented predicament.

Luoyang, the official residence of the Audit Department.

In front of a group of Audit Department officials kneeling on the ground in shame, Guo Jia looked at the file in front of him, his face flushed, and he was furious:
"Waste, waste, waste!"

"After all these days, is this the only blank file you can hand over to me?"

"Could it be that Yang Biao, that old fox, could destroy all the evidence?!"

(End of this chapter)