My younger brother Lü Fengxian

Chapter 349: Prime Minister Jin
The bustling city of Luoyang was in a frenzy until after curfew, when it gradually quieted down.

However, for ordinary people, the curfew is a ban.

However, for Lu Yi, who holds great power in the world, he is naturally not subject to the curfew.

The lights in the General's Mansion were bright, just like daytime.

Lu Yi is now gathering his advisers to discuss tomorrow's reward ceremony.

Lu Yi alone can make decisions on rewards for ordinary civil and military officials.

The main topic that Lu Yi convened to discuss with his advisers today was Lu Yi's own reward.

Today's series of prisoner presentation ceremonies have already earned Lu Yi enough political bargaining chips.

If it is said that Lu Bu, Sun Jian and others are about to become governors of states.

As the commander of the war, Lu Yi would naturally receive a higher reward.

Moreover, Lu Yi is now the Marquis of Jin, the general, and the governor of Bingzhou.

He is already at the peak of his career and there is no room for promotion.

If one wants to go further, one needs to break court conventions and seek rewards beyond existing political norms.

Above the Marquis is the Duke.

Above the general is the position of prime minister.

However, the position of prime minister has been abolished since Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu established the Eastern Han Dynasty.

This convention was not broken until Cao Cao used the emperor to command the princes and monopolized power. He was then appointed prime minister by Liu Xie.

And the position of Duke.

Throughout the Han Dynasty, apart from the descendants of the royal family of the previous dynasty, only two people received this reward.

One is the "ancestor of time travel", the old predecessor Wang Mang, who usurped the throne of the Western Han Dynasty and established the Xin Dynasty.

The other is Cao Cao, Boss Cao, the founder of Cao Wei, who restored two-thirds of the ruling power of the Han Dynasty in the chaotic times.

Although Lu Yi has made great contributions now, and everyone in the court and the country is his.

The resistance to breaking through these two obstacles is still very great.

Therefore, Lu Yi summoned his advisers to discuss countermeasures.

"That's the situation."

"Please discuss this, everyone!"

Lu Yi pinched his aching temple and gave orders to his advisers.

Lu Yi's current camp of advisers can be described as extremely luxurious.

Not only are there veteran members like Tian Feng and Chen Gong, but there are also new members like Cao Cao, Jia Xu, and Li Ru.

This think tank of five people is the best in the world.

However, there is another person attending the meeting tonight.

That was Ju Su, the new military advisor recommended to Lu Yi by Tian Feng.

Ju Su and Tian Feng had known each other for many years and had a harmonious relationship.

Since Tian Feng became Lu Yi's strategist, he recommended Ju Su to Lu Yi many times.

It’s just because of the mourning period.

Ju Shou had been in mourning at home. Now that the mourning period was over, he immediately set out for Luoyang and joined Lu Yi's army.

Tian Feng and Ju Su can be regarded as Yuan Shao's ace military advisors in history.

He was not inferior to Xun Yu and Guo Jia under Cao Cao's command.

However, Yuan Shao, who was stubborn and indecisive, pales in comparison to Cao Cao, who was good at selecting and employing talents and was quick to learn from others' advice. As a result, their historical reputations are far lower than those of Xun Yu and Guo Jia.

However, now with the appearance of Lu Yi, it is believed that the two will leave their original and true style in history in the future.

"The reputation of the lord is known to all the world, and the lord's benevolence and righteousness are known to the world."

"No one can match your achievements. Without a higher rank, it will be difficult to quell the turbulent discussions in the world."

"I think that you should be promoted to Marquis of Jin, appointed Prime Minister, and be in charge of the government."

As Lu Yi's number one strategist and also Lu Yi's old team member, Tian Feng immediately stepped out and spoke carefully.

"I second this motion!"

As soon as Tian Feng said this, all the other strategists responded.

But Lu Yi couldn't help but smile bitterly when he heard this.

I didn't summon them here to discuss what titles and official positions I should confer on them.

It is about how to break through political conventions and eliminate adverse effects invisibly.
Lu Yi had no choice but to express his worries.

He was not afraid of usurping power.

I'm just worried that the world will be in turmoil because of this.

Now that the Shandong bandits have surrendered, Lu Yi has already regarded the whole world as his own, and he does not want to cause too much turmoil in the world because of his radical actions.

He is only thirty years old now and has a long life ahead of him.

And Lu Yi is not lacking in patience.

If the time is not right, he can still wait patiently and postpone his actions of usurping power.

After hearing Lu Yi's concerns, all the counselors laughed at the same time.

Lu Yi was puzzled and asked the six counselors with some dissatisfaction.

"It would be fine if you, the military advisors, did not give me any advice, but why did you make fun of me?"

"My lord is just too concerned and confused."

"Who in this world can stop the lord now?"

"No matter in name or in reality, your promotion is what everyone wants."

"The matters that the lord is worried about will be handled by our subordinates. The lord can rest assured and receive the title tomorrow!"

Tian Feng and others immediately stepped forward and answered.

"It's true!"

After being enlightened by Tian Feng and others, Lu Yi suddenly became enlightened.

He has done well enough now.

It can even be said that it has been perfected.

Even people like Dong Zhuo could usurp power and cause chaos in the world.

Why is it not acceptable to be a hero like Lu Yi who serves the country and the people?

After figuring this out, Lu Yi felt relieved and, just as Tian Feng had said, slept comfortably and soundly, the best sleep he had had in the past ten years.

Wake up.

Lu Yi just felt refreshed, and his whole body seemed to be revitalized.

It takes many years of painstaking effort to hone a sword.

Now we can finally reap some rewards.

Although today's harvest was just an appetizer, it still made Lu Yi happy.

It seems that he understands the seriousness of Luoyang today.

Not only did the civil and military officers under Lu Yi stand in strict order outside the General's Mansion, but even most of the people of Luoyang gathered on the road from the General's Mansion to the Luoyang Imperial City, ready to catch a glimpse of the general.

After Lu Yi walked out of the General's Mansion, he saw that all the civil and military officials were looking at him with joy. All he had to say ended up with just a smile and a nod.

"Get started!"

Following Tian Feng's order, the general's carriage began to move towards the Luoyang Palace in a mighty manner.

A group of civil and military officials as well as elite cavalry loyally guarded both sides of the carriage.

Along the way, all those who saw the general's carriage, whether they were commoners or officials, knelt down on both sides of the road in awe, and only dared to look at the powerful general from afar after Lu Yi's carriage left.

Now the bandits in Guandong are helpless.

Only the powerful people in Liangzhou and the Qiang people refused to obey the discipline.

Looking at the whole world, Yizhou is the only place in the entire Han Dynasty that can be closed off and live in peace in a corner because of the dangerous roads.

The rest of the states and counties have all fallen into Lu Yi's pocket.

The strategy is just a matter of time.

Building an army is not something that can be done overnight.

It doesn't mean that you can immediately build a powerful army that can compete with Lu Yi just by giving out money and food.

Now the last resistance force assembled in the entire Guandong was destroyed by Lu Yi in one battle. It would be impossible to re-assemble an army that can rival the Guandong coalition forces without a year or two.

Lu Yi would not be so foolish as to let the Guandong nobles show up again.

Moreover, even if they showed up, Lu Yi was confident that he could defeat them again.

Therefore, compared to occupying the prefectures and counties in Guandong, it is more important to return to Luoyang to complete the procedures for changing the head of the household registration book in the Han Dynasty.

Lu Yi's huge convoy went straight to the gate of the imperial palace.

Before Lü Yi's convoy approached, Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong and other ten eunuchs opened the imperial city gates from afar, awaiting Lü Yi's arrival.

All of Lu Yi's actions since he took control of Luoyang were blatant acts of a powerful official.

Anyone with a discerning eye can see what Lu Yi is thinking.

Everyone knows what Lu Yi is thinking.

How could Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong, two veteran political opportunists, not see the truth behind it? Naturally, they showed their willingness to welcome the emperor earlier than others.

Moreover, now that the two of them knew Lu Yi's background, they realized that he must be the surviving son of the late emperor Liu Zhi. Since they loved Liu Zhi so much, they were even more respectful to Lu Yi.

"Your servants welcome the general!"

When Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong and other remnants of the Ten Attendants saw Lü Yi stepping down from the general's carriage, they immediately came forward to pay homage with their old faces licked.

Logically speaking, the Ten Attendants and other eunuchs were the emperor's household slaves, but now they actually called themselves slaves to Lu Yi, which was a definite act of usurpation.

If the imperial power is stable, confiscating property and exterminating the clan would be the least severe punishment.

But now, the imperial power has fallen into the hands of others and the powerful official Lu Yi is in power, so naturally no one wants to pick on this issue.

Those who were qualified to find fault and those who had the strong desire to find fault had already been chopped into pieces by Lu Yi.

Everyone was used to hearing this and didn't think there was anything wrong with it.

On the contrary, Lu Yi has already set one foot on the process of usurping the throne. He does not want his last journey to leave any stain on himself, so he interrupted them with a smile.

"You eunuchs are the emperor's servants, and I am the emperor's minister. How can you call yourself a slave in front of me?"

"During this critical period, please be careful with your words, eunuchs!"

"When the general taught us a lesson, we realized our mistakes!"

Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong saw that although Lu Yi was blaming them, he had a smile on his face. They knew that Lu Yi did not really blame them, so they all smiled and confessed their crimes.

"Let's go. Today is a grand court. As a minister, we cannot keep the emperor waiting for too long."

After exchanging a few words with the Ten Attendants, Lu Yi immediately led the way towards the Luoyang Imperial City.

"The previous general He Jin was also summoned to the palace, but he was assassinated right after entering the palace."

"What do you think? Will I follow in He Jin's footsteps when I enter the palace this time?"

But before he stepped into the imperial city, something came to his mind and he joked to Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong and others.

"We are terrified!" The ten eunuchs behind Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong were horrified when they heard this. They knelt down in front of Lu Yi in panic, revealing their guilt.

However, Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong had been the leaders of the Ten Attendants for many years, and their personalities were far more miserable than those of ordinary people.

Seeing that Lu Yi was just joking and had no intention of blaming them, they also replied with a smile.

"He Jin is just a pig butcher and dog dealer who was lucky enough to be favored by the late emperor and occupy the position of general."

"If one's virtue does not match his position, disaster will follow."

"And the Duke of Jin is the one chosen by heaven and by the people. Even a great general cannot match the achievements of the Duke of Jin. If it is up to us, being crowned a king is just a piece of cake!"

"You guys!"

Lu Yi couldn't help laughing when he heard that. After pointing to a few people, he led the huge group of civil and military guards into the palace gate.

When He came in before, the imperial power had not yet fallen into the hands of others.

Even though He Jin was a general of the time, he could not violate the rules and laws and could only enter the palace alone and without weapons.

But now the imperial power has fallen into the hands of others and Lu Yi has seized all the power. Except for Liu Bian and his mother and the precocious little boy Liu Xie, the entire palace is filled with Lu Yi's people.

Not to mention he brought civil and military soldiers into the palace.

Even if two elephants were brought into the palace, no one dared to stop him.

The situation in the court is now clear.

These civil and military officials were both officials of the imperial court and servants of Lu Yi's family.

Rather than saying that Lu Yi has all the power in the court, it is better to say that the current court is entirely supported by Lu Yi.

If there were no Lu Yi, I really don’t know how many people in the world would call themselves lonely and how many would call themselves lonely.

Came to the outside of the meeting hall.

Lu Yi still restrained himself a little, took off his shoes and entered the hall with the civil and military officials.

After entering the palace, the hall was empty. Only Emperor Liu Bian was sitting lonely and helpless on the dragon throne. Except for a few eunuchs and palace maids who served him, he didn't even have a guard around him.

Naturally, Lu Yi would not give Liu Bian any chance to threaten him, let alone protect him.

Even the young eunuchs and palace maids who now serve Liu Bian and his mother have long been conquered by Lu Yi and are all Lu Yi's people.

Now, what time Liu Bian got up every day, what he ate and drank, who he favored at night, and even what he said in his dreams would all appear on Lu Yi's desk early the next morning.

It can be said that today's Lü Yi's position is more stable than that of his historical predecessors, Dong Zhuo and Cao Cao.

The emperor was not given the slightest chance to rebel.

Moreover, Liu Bian himself was a coward. If someone really instigated him to rebel, he would probably become suspicious before he even started planning, and might even be scared to death.

After Lu Yi entered the hall, he and Liu Bian looked at each other from a distance.

Lu Yi only saw helplessness and cowardice in Liu Bian's evasive eyes.

However, Liu Bian saw in Lu Yi's eyes a fire of ambition that was even more fierce than that of his uncle He Jin.

This discovery made Liu Bian feel very uneasy. Even the dragon throne under his butt seemed to have turned into a barbecue grill, which made Liu Bian's back sweat profusely. He wished he could give the dragon throne to Lu Yi immediately.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you. Long live the Emperor."

However, Lu Yi still tried hard to maintain his image as a loyal minister. After entering the palace, he led the civil and military officials to congratulate Liu Bian.

"Jin Hou, please get up quickly!"

Seeing that Lu Yi was still bowing to him at this point, Liu Bian dared not accept the bow calmly. He quickly jumped up from the dragon throne and made false gestures to Lu Yi to support him.

"The minister obeys the order."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yi immediately stood up. It was enough to just act like one, there was no need to immerse himself in it.

"The day before yesterday, a group of bandits in Shandong rebelled. I followed your orders to suppress the rebellion and now I have returned victoriously."

"Those who have made contributions should be rewarded to show the emperor's favor and the court's generosity."

"Lü Bu has made great contributions in killing the enemy and commanding the troops properly. He should be promoted to General of the Cavalry, Governor of Jizhou, and Marquis of Wen..."

"Gao Shun also has merits..."

After Lu Yi stood up, he immediately took out a long list of rewards and slowly read it to Liu Bian.

Every time Lu Yi named a person, another person would step out upon hearing his voice.

……

(End of this chapter)