The Three Kingdoms: Zhaolie, the strategist, and the rise of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 131 Everyone here is a loyal minister, how can there be any treacherous ministers?
Liu Chong, Zhao Yun and Guo Gong went to the palace to meet the emperor.

"I heard that this year the Eastern Capital is in great famine, and officials, soldiers and civilians are all starving."

"So I came here to offer wine and food to relieve the king's distress after his long journey."

As soon as he said this, the soldiers knelt down to offer wine and food, and Liu Chong and others served the emperor respectfully.

Zhao Yun took out the gift list and presented it to him, bowing and saying:
"Your Majesty, this is the tribute from Liu Xuzhou."

Shizhong Zhong Ji stepped forward to take it and handed the tribute list to Emperor Liu Xie for review.

This time,

In total, they carried two hundred catties of gold and three hundred catties of silver.

Fifty kilograms of animal skins and twenty kilograms of malt sugar.

One hundred stones of refined salt, twenty rolls of silk and brocade, and ten pearls.

There were also ten carts of rare items.

The emperor could not help but be moved by such a generous gift list.

If it were an ordinary Han emperor who was extremely wealthy, he would certainly not appreciate such a gift.

But since Liu Xie was helped to ascend to power by Dong Zhuo, he has had no control over his own affairs.

Normally, when officials and loyal ministers offered rice as tribute, they would be stopped.

All the money and property were mostly embezzled by the two thieves Li Jue and Guo Si.

Liu Xie never really held power.

"Before this, when I was riding in the imperial carriage through Hongnong, I was cornered by the two thieves, Kuai and Si."

"General Yang and Uncle Dong fought hard against the Liang rebels, but were ultimately defeated, and the royal army was badly defeated."

"In this battle, countless officials and soldiers died, and all the women, baggage, and royal belongings and books were looted."

"Since the time in Hedong, I have only had a hundred Tiger Guards and Feathered Guards around me."

As he spoke, Liu Xie stepped forward and personally helped up Liu Chong, Zhao Yun and others.

"However, today I have received the help of so many heroes and warriors, which makes me very happy."

Zhao Yun introduced Liu Bei to Liu Xie, and not only said that Liu Bei was also a member of the Han royal family.

It also tells the story of how Liu Bei tightened his belt and resumed production when he was in Xuzhou.

Encourage agriculture and sericulture, and educate the people.

Two years later, the situation had returned to the time when Tao Gongzu was in power.

In addition, apart from civil administration.

Liu Bei also led his troops to repel Yuan Shu of Huainan who coveted Guangling, and supported the governor of Yangzhou appointed by the court, making outstanding contributions to the court.

Upon hearing this, Liu Xie could not help but exclaim:
"I didn't expect that I would have such a heroic uncle among the royal family."

"Now seeing the bravery of General Zhao, the Han Dynasty will be able to stabilize the country sooner or later."

As he was speaking, Cao Cao led a group of people into the palace to meet the emperor.

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, when Cao Cao saw Liu Chong and others were already here, his eyes suddenly changed.

But his face remained calm, and he bowed to the emperor:
"I heard that the king was in distress, so I came to offer wine and food to Your Majesty!"

Liu Xie nodded and also praised Cao Cao for his loyalty.

Cao Cao glanced at Liu Chong and the others again, and without giving them a chance to speak, he stepped forward and bowed, saying:

"Your Majesty, the court has just returned to the capital after being dispersed from Yue. People far and near look up to you, hoping for a day of peace."

"But Luoyang was in ruins, and there was a great famine that year, with fewer than a hundred households and nothing to eat."

"Everywhere I look, there are many people dying among the dilapidated walls."

"How can this place be used to worship the king?"

"Therefore, I think it is better to move the emperor to another place so as not to annoy the people."

"If you do extraordinary things, you will achieve extraordinary results. I hope Your Majesty will make a decision!"

Liu Chong and Zhao Yun looked at each other and thought that Cao Cao really wanted to seize the throne.

Liu Xie frowned. His purpose of returning to the east was to get rid of the two thieves, Jue and Si.

Now that the two bandits have been repelled by the Guandong coalition forces, he no longer has to worry.

On the contrary, Luoyang has been in ruins since it was burned down by Dong Zhuo, even worse than Chang'an.

In a place like this, it is difficult to make a living, let alone manage the government.

"What do you think of Cao Qing's proposal?"

Liu Xie asked the ministers for their opinions.

Taiwei Yang Biao suggested:
"Now Guanzhong is in ruins, and the palaces are burned down."

"Officials are weaving through thorns and leaning against the wall."

"The officials were starving, some died of starvation under the ruins, and some were killed by the soldiers."

“This is not a long-term solution.”

"If we are lucky enough to be somewhere else, that would be the best option."

After this was said, many ministers came out to second the motion.

"I second the proposal!"

"I second the proposal!"

"..."

All the ministers were living in great hardship.

Especially now that those in power in the court are Baibo commander Han Xian and the king's brother-in-law Dong Cheng.

Another person who held military power, Yang Feng, stationed his soldiers in Liang County, not far away.

These two men relied on their merits in protecting the emperor to do evil things, and all officials were worried that they would be the next Li Jue and Guo Si.

Therefore, they all agreed with Cao Cao's proposal to move the capital and get rid of the Baibo Army first.

Liu Xie also felt that Luoyang was in ruins and difficult to govern, so he asked:

"Then where is the best place for you all to go?"

Liu Chong knew that he could not let Cao Cao get ahead of him this time, so he rushed to get ahead of Cao Cao and said:
"Your Majesty, I have protected myself in the State of Chen for many years. The country is rich and the people are well-off, and the people are loyal to me."

"The army is strong and the horses are strong, and the food and grass are abundant."

"As early as when I heard that the emperor was returning to the east, I had already repaired the city walls and palaces in Chen to serve the king."

"If Your Majesty is lucky enough to visit the State of Chen, you can use the taxes from Chen to support the army, cultivate land, build fortifications, and govern the country and benefit the people."

"Then the imperial court can be revived, the country can be restored, and the Han Dynasty can be revived!"

In one breath, Liu Chong stated all his proposals to move the capital to Chen and the benefits of moving the capital.

Obviously he had made all the preparations and was just waiting for this moment.

you! !

Cao Cao was so angry that he was fuming. He was the first to propose the idea of moving the capital, but he didn't expect that Liu Chong would get there first.

"Your Majesty, I think this proposal is inappropriate!"

Cao Cao quickly came out to refute and advised:
"Chen is a small country with weak people, and it is difficult to transport food, so it is not able to protect itself."

"Xu County in Yingchuan is close to Luyang, and the city walls, palaces, money, food and other materials are sufficient for use."

"I dare to ask Your Majesty to visit Xu County. I hope Your Majesty will agree to it."

When Cao Cao expressed a different opinion, the atmosphere on the scene immediately became tense.

This time,

Anyone can see that these people have bad intentions.

They came here under the pretext of supporting the royal family and defending the emperor, but in fact they still wanted to seize the throne.

The ministers dared not even breathe a word and watched the two sides quarreling.

"Cao Yanzhou is wrong."

Liu Chong was not in a hurry, because he knew that there was not only the State of Chen behind him.

In addition, Yuzhou Governor Liang Guo Gong and Xuzhou Governor Liu Bei were on his side.

Then he said to the emperor Liu Xie in an orderly manner:
"The Han dynasty is ruled by the virtue of fire, while the Chen dynasty is the descendant of the great Shun. The earth inherits the fire, and fire can give birth to earth."

"Earth can make wood prosperous, and it is in line with the saying that the Han Dynasty will rise again."

"Although the State of Chen is small, it has several thousand elite soldiers, and has stored up a million bushels of grain. The people are prosperous and the country is rich."

"Besides, I have already repaired the palaces and city walls, and all the imperial utensils are fully prepared, waiting for Your Majesty to come and show us the way."

Liu Xie could see that Liu Chong was also well prepared.

Emotionally speaking, he is of course more inclined towards Liu Chong, after all, he is his uncle.

But Cao Cao was tyrannical and the most powerful among them.

The combined forces of Guo Gong, Liu Chong and Zhao Yun were not as large as Cao Cao's, which made it difficult for Liu Xie to make a decision easily.

"His Majesty!"

Yuzhou Governor Guo Gong also spoke up, "King Chen's words are very good. I have tens of thousands of elite soldiers in Liang State."

"Liang is adjacent to Chen, and the two places are closely connected."

"If the State of Chen is in trouble, I will immediately go to the capital to defend the king and protect the royal family!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Yun also spoke.

"Your Majesty, Liu Xuzhou is located in Xiapi, not far from the State of Chen."

"If the State of Chen needs it, Liu Xuzhou will never sit idly by."

"As for grain, rice, silk, and other daily necessities, they can all be transported through the Si River and arrive the next day."

"Please don't worry, Your Majesty!"

With Zhao Yun's statement, the balance clearly began to tilt towards Liu Chong.

Because even a fool can see that.

Chen Wang Liu Chong, Xuzhou Mu Liu Bei, and Yuzhou Governor Guo Gong, the three of them had obviously discussed it in advance.

They all planned to welcome the emperor to the State of Chen.

With the three princes exerting pressure at the same time, even a tyrannical man like Cao Cao had to think carefully.

"His Majesty!"

Cao Cao became anxious and was about to make another appeal.

But Liu Chong interrupted:
"Your Majesty, the State of Chen is located in the heart of Yan and Yu."

"In the middle, the Ru River, Ying River, and Wo River connect to the Huai River."

"Today, all the prefectures and counties in the country have strong troops, and they are not willing to surrender."

"If you can control the center of the world and command the heroes, then the four seas will be subdued. Who dares not to come and pay tribute?"

This advice is indeed useful. Doesn't Liu Xie also aspire to become the leader of the revival?

He also made a lot of efforts in the process, such as opening warehouses to provide relief to the people.

Even when being chased by bandits, he was unwilling to abandon all the officials and leave.

I have been trying to be a wise ruler, but unfortunately the officials are too powerful and I have no choice.

If I could resume my administration in the State of Chen, it would be a blessing from Heaven.

"Good, what the emperor's uncle said is very much in line with my heart."

"Since all officials have no objection, we will set off for the State of Chen tomorrow!"

"His Majesty--"

Cao Cao wanted to persuade him again, but Liu Xie waved his hand and interrupted him:
"I have made up my mind. Do you have any objections, Mr. Cao?"

If it were any other time, how could Liu Xie dare to speak like this to Cao Cao, who had a large army under his command?
But today he is taking advantage of the power of others and relying on the simultaneous pressure from the three princes Liu Chong, Liu Bei and Guo Gong, so he is also acting tough.

Cao Cao was speechless and retreated in anger.

……

When he returned to the camp, he urgently summoned his civil and military officials to discuss the matter. "The emperor wants to go to Chendi and does not want to go back to Yingchuan with Cao."

"What can I do?"

Cao Cao's brows were filled with discontent and his expression was extremely ugly.

After he put down the civil strife in Yanzhou, he attacked the State of Chen and then Yingchuan.

Keep going without stopping for a moment.

Then he hurriedly marched to Henan Yin to protect the king, paying such a huge price.

If it were a little Liu Chong, he would have picked the peaches just like that.

This was something Cao Cao could never accept.

Cao Ren was so angry that his mouth twisted, and he said viciously:
"This little emperor has no conscience. If we hadn't fought hard and rescued him from the Xiliang rebels,

"We were both taken back to Chang'an a long time ago. How could we have come to this day?"

"You are just relying on the prestige of Liu Chong and others, and you dare to look down on us like this."

"It's really abominable and hateful!"

Cao Cao narrowed his eyes, his expression solemn, and said in a deep voice:
"Although Liu Chong was brave and courageous, the State of Chen was small and weak."

"He certainly doesn't have the guts to compete with me for the throne. This must be Liu Bei's idea."

"He was afraid that the emperor would fall into my hands, and then he would forge an imperial edict to seize Xuzhou."

"So I brought Guo Gong and Liu Chong with me to put pressure on me."

"Otherwise, the three of us would not have acted as if we had discussed it beforehand today. Please ask the Emperor to come to our place."

The counselor Cheng Yu was also among them. Upon hearing this, he immediately suggested:

"Your Excellency raised an army of righteous men to put an end to the rebellion and entered the court to assist the emperor. This is the achievement of a king and a hegemon."

"Now your reputation is growing, and you have brought a large number of troops here."

"Why not take this opportunity to do what the king and tyrant do?"

Cao Cao clenched his fist, pondered for a while, and finally shook his head.

"It seems that there are still many loyal ministers in the court today, so we cannot act rashly."

"Tomorrow I will gather my troops and discuss the matter of moving the capital with the emperor."

Since you, Liu Da'er, are so unkind, don't blame Cao for being unjust.

Although Xu is strong and Yan is weak now.

But after all, Liu Bei was far away in Xuzhou, and could not send many troops to Henan Yin.

Only Zhao Yun brought a thousand cavalrymen to help boost the momentum.

The real big bosses are still Liu Chong and Guo Gong.

These two men are just defeated generals, so why should we be afraid of them?

The next day, early morning.

Cao Cao ordered Dian Wei to bring three hundred tiger guards to accompany him to the court to meet the emperor.

He also ordered Cao Hong and Xiahou Dun to lead a thousand soldiers each to block the road to the east and not let them pass.

At this time, Liu Chong, Zhao Yun, Guo Gong and others had already entered the court.

He was preparing to discuss with the Emperor about visiting the State of Chen.

Suddenly, footsteps were heard, and a group of armored warriors rushed in from under the ruins of the wall.

All the officials were trembling and unable to speak.

Liu Xie and Empress Fu were also shocked.

Liu Xie covered his face with his sleeves and asked in surprise:

"What is Cao Qing doing?"

Cao Cao put one hand on his waist and held the scabbard with the other hand, and said seriously:
"Please do not worry, Your Majesty. I have come to Luoyang to pay tribute and distribute food to the ministers."

After this, all the warriors presented grain and rice to all the officials.

The officials dared not refuse and took it with trembling hands.

Seeing this, Liu Xie could only say:

"Cao Qing's loyalty is commendable, but I am not used to seeing fighting in the court."

"If the contribution is complete, the warriors can be ordered to withdraw."

Cao Cao said calmly, raised his eyebrows, and said:
"I heard that there are treacherous officials and villains around your majesty."

"Therefore, I have disregarded the etiquette between the monarch and his subjects and have rashly advanced my troops, only to rid Your Majesty of the treacherous villains."

After he finished speaking, he looked around and scanned everyone.

All the officials turned pale and covered their faces with their sleeves, not daring to look at Cao Cao.

Among them, there are indeed many who are corrupt, abuse their power and disrespect the emperor.

In particular, a small number of generals who held military power had often submitted petitions to appoint the people in each camp as their subordinates and asked for gifts.

There were also people who wanted to offer wine and food to the emperor, but they were stopped by others.

Management is out of control, there is chaos from top to bottom, and many officials are unable to perform their duties.

"Who does Cao Qing want to impeach?" Liu Xie asked.

Cao Cao replied loudly:

"After arriving in Luoyang, Baibo commanders Han Xian and Yang Feng took over power without authorization."

"One is promoted to General, the other to General of Chariots and Cavalry. This is against the will of His Majesty."

"I beg Your Majesty to punish these two people!"

At this time, Baibo commander Han Xian was in the court, and Yang Feng led his troops to station in Liang County and was not here.

When Han Xian heard Cao Cao's name, his face immediately turned red, and he quickly explained:
"Cao Aman, stop slandering me!"

"I have the merit of protecting the emperor, so why can't I be the general?"

"You are the descendant of a eunuch, how dare you show off your power here?"

The words just fell,

Dian Wei glared at him with murderous intent.

Han Xian was so frightened that he took several steps back.

"...Good, good, good, the birds are all gone, the bows are put away, the rabbits are dead, the running dogs are cooked."

"Since Cao Aman wants to be arbitrary and dictatorial, then you can do it."

After saying this, he turned to face the emperor and spoke quickly:

"Your Majesty, please take care of yourself and take good care of your health."

"I can no longer serve Your Majesty!"

With these words, without waiting for Liu Xie's reply, Han Xian quickly walked out of the crowd.

He mounted his horse and headed straight for Liang County to find Yang Feng.

The warriors did not stop him and were all waiting for Cao Cao's orders.

Cao Cao still insisted on his own opinion and begged the emperor to punish Han Xian and Yang Feng.

After weighing the pros and cons, Liu Xie rejected Cao Cao's request.

"Yang Feng and Han Xian have done a great job in protecting the emperor. I should not punish them."

Cao Cao nodded and smiled.

"In this case, I beg Your Majesty to consider moving to Chen State."

"Kyoto is the center of the world, so we must be careful."

"I hope Your Majesty will put the country first and make a prudent decision."

Liu Chong thought to himself that Cao Cao was indeed coming for him.

He just impeached Han Xian and Yang Feng just now just to establish his authority.

Liu Xie had just forcibly suppressed Cao Cao's request, and it would not be easy to suppress it again now.

Cao Cao's nickname is really worthy of being called A'man, he is indeed treacherous.

Liu Chong knew that it would be difficult for Liu Xie to veto Cao Cao again, so he had to come forward in person.

He shouted angrily:
"Cao Cao! Yesterday the emperor issued an edict to visit Chendi. Don't you know that you are not joking?"

"You are bringing troops into the court today, are you planning to rebel?"

Cao Cao didn't look at Liu Chong directly, but glanced at him sideways:
"In extraordinary times, do extraordinary things."

"Your Majesty is surrounded by treacherous ministers. Your ancestors have been enjoying the Han Dynasty's salary for generations. If you don't think about serving the country, what's the difference between you and animals?"

"So I risk my life today to make a direct appeal to Your Majesty, and I beg you to revoke your order."

"We must not be misled by treacherous officials and ruin national affairs!"

Guo Gong, who was standing by, could no longer bear it and showed his toughness. He harshly rebuked Cao Cao for his rudeness:

"Cao Aman, you brought troops into the court without any respect for the monarch and his subjects."

"If you want to get rid of the treacherous ministers for your majesty, you can draw your sword and kill yourself!"

Cao Cao was furious when he heard this. He glared at Guo Gong and said coldly:

"Guo Yuzhou! You took advantage of my attack on Xuzhou the other day to steal my Juancheng."

"I haven't had time to settle this account with you yet, how dare you lie to me?"

Guo Gong looked ashamed and left in anger.

Liu Chong still maintained a tough attitude and refused to give in.

"I sacrificed my life for the Han Dynasty and shed my blood. Why should I fear death?"

"Cao Aman, if you insist on doing what you want today, I am willing to bleed five steps away and spill blood three feet long!"

Cao Cao gritted his teeth and thought to himself how things had turned out like this today.

It seemed that he had no choice but to retreat.

He decided to go all out, drew his sword and shouted:
"You are loyal to the Han Dynasty, and I, Cao, have never betrayed the Han Dynasty."

"In the past, it was I, Cao Cao, who first initiated the righteous army and called on heroes from all over the world to fight against the thief Dong."

"The Guandong coalition forces were afraid of the Liangzhou army and hesitated to advance. It was Cao who led the troops to pursue them alone."

"There were many casualties, and Cao almost died in Xingyang."

"Are you the only loyal minister in the world?"

Seeing Cao Cao draw his sword, the warriors drew their weapons one after another, rubbing their hands in preparation for fighting.

Liu Chong also drew his sword and shouted angrily:
"You roared at the court, led troops to the palace, and yet you called yourself a loyal subject."

"You are bullying me!"

Dian Wei's eyes were bloodshot and he glared at him angrily.

Zhao Yun stood in front of Liu Chong, openly unafraid, and also glared at him angrily.

It seemed that both sides were on the verge of a fight.

The officials, fearing that they might get hurt, rushed forward to mediate.

"Calm down, Prince Chen, and calm down, General Cao!"

"Everyone here is a loyal minister, how can there be a treacherous minister?"

"Let's talk it over peacefully, don't resort to violence."

"If your Majesty is hurt, it will be a great sin."

After the officials exhorted him, Cao Cao ordered his men to put away their weapons.

Liu Chong, Zhao Yun and others also sheathed their swords.

……

(End of this chapter)