I am not Yuan Shu

Chapter 183 I won’t enjoy this glory alone!
After Yuan Shu left, Duan Xing called Duan Wei over and told him about this.

Duan Wei's behavior was normal. He was so scared that he fell to the ground and didn't get up for a long time. It was Duan Ying who pulled him up.

Duan Wei was horrified and puzzled about this matter. He didn't know why Duan Xing would agree to Yuan Shu's request, when his family would be ruined if he failed. Even if Duan Xing didn't consider himself, he would have to consider his family, right?
But it was obvious that Duan Xing had lost his temper.

"Zhongming, I walked through a sea of blood and corpses, risking my life to suppress the Qiang rebellion, which earned me the opportunity to enter Luoyang. However, I was almost driven back before I could gain a firm foothold. If I had not joined the eunuchs, my fame and achievements would have turned to dust long ago. This has taught me that merit is powerless in the face of power.

Not all merits can be exchanged for power, so instead of pursuing merits, it is better to pursue power directly. Once power is in hand, will you still worry about what you can't get? This emperor, the eunuchs can support him, but I can't? This authority, the eunuchs can control it, but I can't? The eunuchs drive me like a hawk or a dog, why can't I betray them? "

Duan Wei thought about it and felt that what Duan Xing said made sense, but on the other hand he felt that this matter was too dangerous.

"That's what I said, but brother, this is too dangerous. If you're not careful, you'll lose everything!"

“That’s how power comes.”

Duan Xing said coldly: "I supported the emperor, I used my life, I can have power, Taiwei, Sangong! Zhongming, I am from Liangzhou. Under normal circumstances, it is almost impossible for me to ascend to the position of Sangong. But now, I only need to open two doors, and I can become Taiwei, one of the Sangong, and ascend to the pinnacle of human officials!
I am not young anymore, and most of my body is buried in the ground. It is not surprising that I will die at any time. It is possible that I go to bed today and die tomorrow. How can you expect me to be patient and wait? Even if you don’t say all this, how can a man be driven by a eunuch without feeling ashamed? ! "

At the end of his speech, Duan Ying gritted his teeth and punched the table in front of him, almost breaking it.

It was obvious that Duan Xing had made up his mind. Duan Wei knew his brother very well. Once a decision was made, no one could change it even with eight oxen.

This was the case when he surrendered to the eunuchs, and it is also the case now when he abandons the eunuchs.

Duan Wei didn't know what he felt, but he knew that his life and future were highly tied to his brother. He had no choice but to follow his brother all the way to the end.

So, he began to give advice and formulate action plans for Duan Xing.

As the Inspector of the Imperial Guards and Wang Fu's "confidant", it was easy for Duan Xing to enter the palace during the day, but it was difficult for him to stay in the palace at night unless he was an official working overtime in the palace.

The Inspector of the Imperial Guards is obviously not among them.

However, Duan Xing was obviously not an ordinary Si Li Xiaowei. He quickly remembered his past experiences and immediately knew what he should do.

"Zhongming, go get the jar of wine from the mansion, and bring a few boxes of brocade, pearls and jade. Load a few more carts and arrange more people to transport them. Let's go around the palace!"

Duan Wei realized almost immediately what Duan Ying was going to do.

He returned to his home, took out the wine that Duan Xing had treasured as a treasure, and loaded three carts with various gifts.

Before the team set off, he confirmed with Duan Ying one last time.

"Brother, it's not too late to regret now. Once we enter the palace, there will be no turning back. Do we really want to do this?"

"Turn back? How can I turn back?"

Duan Ying sighed, shook his head, and even smiled bitterly.

"Zhongming, there is no turning back since I surrendered to the eunuchs. If I don't keep moving forward, I will inevitably fall into the abyss and be unable to extricate myself. By then, not only me, but also you and the entire family will be implicated. Things have come to this point. I can only move forward and cannot retreat. If I retreat even a little, I will be doomed!"

With this thought in mind, Duan Xing decisively mounted his horse and rode forward without looking back.

Duan Wei also sighed, followed the team at the end, and rode forward.

The two brothers, one in front and one behind, slowly walked towards their destiny.

Different from the melancholy of the two brothers of the Duan family, Wang Fu has been in high spirits recently.

Not only did he define Liu Kui, the biggest threat to his power, as a rebel who was about to be killed, he also took the opportunity to kill a group of court eunuchs who were at odds with him, further consolidating his position.

Now, among the group of eunuchs, he and Cao Jie are already two great Buddhas, and the other eunuchs are far inferior to them in terms of power.

Even in their private comparison, Wang Fu thought that he was better than Cao Ji.

Mainly, Cao Jie's power was concentrated in the inner court, and he lacked people who could do things outside. He often faced the dilemma of making decisions but not being able to find executors. However, he had a capable general on his side - Duan Xing.

Therefore, some of Cao Jie's actions also required his cooperation, otherwise he would not be able to accomplish his tasks. Only when he gave the order would Duan Xing do it, which was something Cao Jie did not have.

It is precisely because of this that he tolerates some of Duan Xing's minor faults and temper, and even helps Duan Xing clean up his mess and solve some of the troubles caused by Duan Xing. In his opinion, this can be regarded as a reward to Duan Xing in a sense.

He had to admit that Duan Yu's knife was sharp and powerful, but a good knife also had its difficult side.

Wang Fu felt that he still needed to teach Duan Ying some lessons. He should give him some sweet treats while teaching him some tricks. Only by pulling and hitting him could he make the knife serve him better.

Duan Xing had previously contradicted Wang Fu a little, which made Wang Fu very angry. After scolding him, Wang Fu sent someone to deliver 12 million yuan and told Duan Xing that 10 million was a little too little. I am giving you 12 million to cover half of the compensation for you. Is that enough?
Then when it came time to deal with Liu Kui, although he still needed Duan Xing to be his sword, perhaps he would find a chance for him to be promoted again and enter the central court, and he would definitely help him obtain the position of one of the Three Dukes within three years.

In this way, Duan Xing should be obedient.

This is what Wang Fu thought.

Now Duan Xing came to the palace to pay him a visit, bringing a jar of precious wine and several carts of gifts. This attitude made Wang Fu think that his method was very clever and the effect was very good. This old dog of Xiliang was also tamed by him and became a loyal dog under his command, who would do whatever he was told.

What could be more wonderful than this?
So Wang Fu was in a particularly good mood. He immediately asked people to set up a banquet and prepare delicious food to go with the jar of fine wine brought by Duan Yu. He chatted and laughed with Duan Yu, as if all the previous conflicts had disappeared and the two of them were still close partners.

Because he was happy, Wang Fu drank a lot. Seeing that Duan Ying's face was also red, as if he had drunk a lot, he took the initiative to invite Duan Ying to stay overnight and return to his home tomorrow.

Duan Xing was overjoyed to have achieved his goal, and he poured Wang Fu more than a dozen glasses of wine and several glasses of grain wine, which mixed together and had a very good effect, finally making Wang Fu into a puddle of mud. Wang Fu then fell into a deep sleep and lost consciousness.

After the preliminary preparations were completed, Duan Ying could wait with peace of mind, waiting for the night to fall, waiting for the destined moment to arrive.

Yuan Jun, oh Yuan Jun, I have placed my life and property in your hands, please don't let me down!
Duan Xing was looking forward to it.

Time passed slowly, and soon it was evening. Nothing happened in Luoyang City, and it seemed that the day had passed smoothly.

The sun set, dusk fell, and the sky gradually darkened. When the last ray of light disappeared from the horizon, Yuan Shu held the final action meeting at the military training ground in Liangzhuang, Luoyang.

He gathered more than 300 of his closest confidants and told them that the action was about to begin.

He delivered one last, passionate mobilization speech.

"Today is just an ordinary day for the people of Luoyang, but for us and those traitors in the palace, it will be a day of great significance! Because from today on, we and the entire Han Dynasty will have a completely different tomorrow! And those traitors! They have no tomorrow!
Four years ago, on a night like this, former general Dou Wu led his troops into the palace and tried to get rid of the eunuchs, but he failed. Then, he and his accomplices were brutally massacred by the eunuchs, and it soon spread to all those involved, and further expanded, resulting in the tragic Party and Factions Disaster.

We can think that Dou Wu's failure was his own fault. He was not firm and decisive enough, and he was not careful enough, which led to his suicide after his defeat. We can think that the eunuchs' revenge on him was justified, but everything that happened after that far exceeded what was necessary for revenge. That was not revenge, it was a massacre!

After the eunuchs killed Dou Wu and all his accomplices, they began to hunt down other people, including the three clans, friends, disciples and even neighbors of those accomplices. Anyone involved with them was either imprisoned or had their families destroyed. Hundreds of thousands of people died, counties were devastated, and the whole country was terrified.

Is it unjust? Very unjust. Even if we follow the most stringent law of retaliation, most people are innocent. So have they been vindicated? No! Why? Because the eunuchs won’t allow it. The eunuchs don’t allow the verdict to be overturned. So, I can bypass the eunuchs and directly submit a petition to the emperor. Is that ok? No, why?
Because the emperor had seized the emperor's seal and imperial seal from Empress Dowager Dou and seized power through cooperation with the eunuchs. He was the biggest beneficiary of the mutiny. Is it possible for him to overturn the verdicts for those party members? Unless the sky falls and the earth collapses, it is impossible. Don't even think about expecting to redress the unjust case by presenting a petition to the emperor!

The current emperor trusts and relies on eunuchs far more than the previous emperor did. The power that eunuchs possess also far exceeds the normal level during the previous emperor's time. They exclude dissidents and sell official positions in the court, and indulge their cronies and plunder wealth in local areas. Their own wealth continues to expand, and their cronies become even more powerful.

The honest and capable officials in the court were heartbroken, their fiery patriotism had turned cold, and they were disappointed with the Han Dynasty. And what about the local people? The anger of the people who were violated and humiliated by the eunuchs and their followers towards the eunuchs was accumulating more and more, just like a full tank, which would immediately pour out if it was slightly damaged.

Do the eunuchs know what they are doing? Do they know what the consequences will be? I think they do. It is precisely because they know that they cannot stop. They have no other choice. They know that only by letting the world know their terror and fear them can they maintain their wealth and status.

Does the emperor know what the eunuchs did and what he did? He may not have known before, but now, I think the emperor should know something. But will the emperor correct these mistakes? No, for the reason I just said, he is the biggest beneficiary of these mistakes, and he will not change at all.

Well, the situation is at a standstill. One party knows that what it does is wrong, but in order to continue, it chooses not to change. The other party knows that the other party is wrong, but places its hopes on the biggest beneficiary, hoping that he can punish those who seized power for him and hope that he can cut off his own arms!

This is to let Qin Shi Huang kill Li Si and Meng Tian, to let Gao Huangdi kill Zhang Liang and Xiao He, and to let Hu Hai take the initiative to kill his Zhao Gao. Is this possible? Impossible! So, should we continue to endure, endure the terror brought to us by the eunuchs, and endure the humiliation that comes with this terror?

You all have relatives or friends who have been or are being bullied by eunuchs and their cronies. I think you all know this very well. I know it very well too, because my family has been attacked by eunuchs twice in a row, and even I have been attacked by eunuchs myself.

No one can understand this pain more personally than us, no one can understand this humiliation more than us, but will the pain and humiliation of the world let you go just because you kneel down and beg for mercy? No, the more you give in and beg for mercy, the more arrogant it becomes, and the more afraid you are, the more it bullies you, until it completely drains you dry.

So, what should we do? How can we save ourselves and those who are in danger like us? How can we restore this magnificent country to the place we were once so proud of? There is a way, and many people know it, but not everyone dares to do it. "

Having said that, Yuan Shu paused for a moment, then slowly drew out the sword in his hand. The blade was cold and shining with a chilly light.

He drew out his sword, slowly raised it and pointed it in the direction of Luoyang.

"At first, Taijia was dissolute and rude, did not make progress in government, acted recklessly, and built large-scale projects, which made the people live in misery. Yi Yin saw that the country was declining, and in order to repay Shang Tang's kindness, he chose to depose and exile Taijia and act as regent himself. It was not until three years later that Taijia repented that he was welcomed back and his position was restored. As a result, Shang Dynasty ushered in a revival.

After Emperor Zhao's death, Marquis Haihun ascended the throne. In twenty-seven days, he did more than a thousand immoral things, which showed that he was not a qualified candidate for the emperor. Seeing that the country was becoming increasingly chaotic under his manipulation, Huo Guang, in order to repay Emperor Wu's kindness, resolutely deposed Marquis Haihun and established Emperor Xuan, and then the Han Dynasty was able to revive.

The story of Yihuo tells us that when the emperor is immoral, does not repent and acts recklessly, it is time for the brave warriors loyal to the country to rise up with swords and depose the tyrant. If the emperor is immoral, he is not worthy of being a king. If the emperor loses his virtue, God will no longer favor him. This is a truth that people have known since ancient times.

The current emperor is weak and incompetent, and he condones the eunuchs to harm the people and bring chaos to the world. People all over the world are angry but dare not speak out. The anger in their hearts accumulates day by day and is on the verge of exploding. At this moment, if we cannot restore order, the four hundred years of the Han Dynasty will be in danger, and Emperor Gaozu’s foundation will be gone!
We wield swords today to support the Han Dynasty and continue its rule. We depose the tyrant emperor today to continue the great cause of Emperor Gaozu and make the Han Dynasty strong again. Perhaps there will be some villains who doubt our motives and question our methods, but future generations thousands of years later will know that everything we have done is right!

Now, that group of treacherous and cunning insects are in Luoyang City, and the tyrant emperor is living a life of drunkenness and debauchery surrounded by those insects. I am willing to lead the way, use the knife in my hand to eradicate the insects, depose the tyrant emperor, support the King of Bohai to ascend the throne, pacify the world, and continue the Han Dynasty, to fulfill the duty of a Han minister! With the admiration of the whole world!
If you do not want to follow me, you can leave. I will not stop you. From now on, we will be like strangers and never see each other again. If you are willing to follow me, then I am willing to lead you to rise up. I will not enjoy the glory after eradicating the insects alone. I will not take all the credit for continuing the Han Dynasty alone!"

Yuan Shu was silent for a while and glanced at the crowd. Under the light of the fire, everyone's eyes were shining, as if there was really a fire burning in their eyes, which was getting brighter and brighter.

Yuan Shu knew that no one would choose to leave, no one would choose to betray him.

They are his most loyal followers, the foundation of his future power, and his base.

They are loyal, brave and capable enough. With their support, I can definitely create a future full of conscience.

So he spoke again.

"Okay, since none of you have chosen to leave, from this moment on, I have no way to retreat, no chance to regret. Facing the treacherous villain, if I take a step back, you can all kill me. If you take a step back, the sword in my hand will no longer recognize you! There is only progress, no retreat, only victory, no death!"

"It is easy to learn conscience, but it is difficult to integrate knowledge and action. I understand this deeply. I also know that everyone has fears and I know that everyone is afraid. But it is precisely because of this that we need to cultivate conscience, integrate knowledge and action, and use conscience to fight fear and the evil thoughts in our hearts."

"Although we don't have much power, and although we haven't held any authority, within the scope of our ability, the people living in Maoling Liangzhuang and Luoyang Liangzhuang no longer have to suffer from hunger and cold, no longer have to be naked, and live like human beings instead of animals."

"I must also say that deposing the tyrant and enthroning a new ruler is not only to eradicate the insects and continue the Han dynasty, but also to give us, a group of people who are willing to practice our conscience, a chance to make good farms spread all over the land of the Han Dynasty and to make sure that there will never be famine again. This is the mission of the Yi Xin Society in my dream."

"I once said that we gather together to double the courage of those who have courage, so that those who don't have courage can also have some courage, unite and fight against the treacherous together. I said this and I did it, today, even more so. I have never violated my oath.

So I hope that those of you who have joined the One Heart Society will not break your oaths, and do not forget how you swore to me on the day you joined the One Heart Society. Now is the time to witness the results of your oaths, and to let everyone in the world know what conscience is and what the unity of knowledge and action is! Gentlemen! Follow me to punish the treacherous and depose the incompetent rulers! "

Yuan Shu raised the sword in his hand high and pointed it towards the sky.

Everyone drew their swords and pointed them toward the sky along with Yuan Shu, shouting with all their might in suppressed voices.

"Punish the treacherous and corrupt officials! Depose the tyrant ruler!"

The dethronement operation has officially begun!
(End of this chapter)