Han officials

Chapter 239 The Seeds of Calamity [5K]

"Father, is it really necessary to inform General Zuo before embarking on this journey?"

Outside Hangu Pass, looking at the Chang'an troops who had taken over the defense of the pass, Liu He couldn't help but whisper:

"Your appointment as Commandant of the Capital Region was made by the Left General, and the eight passes of Luoyang were all handed over by the Left General. Even the territory of the Governor of Henan was restored by him. Shouldn't you..."

However, before Liu He could finish speaking, Liu Yu reprimanded him sternly:
"All under heaven belongs to the king; all within the four seas are his subjects."

"The eight passes of Luoyang are not the city of the Wei family, and the governor of Henan is not the territory of Ji County. It is only natural to hand over to the emperor now. Why does it need the approval of Ji County?"

"My relationship with Wei Gongwei is merely a private one; how can I disrupt the proper etiquette between ruler and subject?"

It must be said that Liu Yu was a man of righteous indignation, completely out of place in this chaotic world.

In reality, he did not regard Luoyang County as a vassal state of Youzhou, nor did he consider it as his own territory.

Therefore, when Wang Yun invited him to the court, he handed over Luoyang without hesitation.

However, Liu He lacked his father's uprightness and integrity, which made him feel that something was amiss.

It should be noted that although Luoyang was in ruins, it still had five or six hundred thousand people. After his father's two years of recuperation, it had grown to have over ten thousand soldiers, which was a decent foundation.

Now that Wang Yun could so easily retract an imperial edict, Liu He naturally felt somewhat resentful.

Perhaps sensing his son's thoughts, Liu Yu stopped scolding him and instead spoke earnestly:
“I know you have devoted a lot of effort to restoring Luoyang in the past two years, but Luoyang is just a small place. As members of the imperial family, we should prioritize the well-being of the nation. Compared to the well-being of the nation, our family’s losses are nothing.”

"This empire ultimately belongs to the Liu family. If we, the imperial clan, do not do our utmost, how can we expect others to be loyal to us?"

Hearing Liu Yu say this, Liu He's knot in his heart was finally untied.

Regardless of whether this statement is correct or not, it is at least logically sound, and Liu He can barely accept this explanation.

Seeing the worry on his son's face dissipate, Liu Yu also let out a heartfelt chuckle.

After all, his entire family had worked diligently for the Han Dynasty, and he really didn't want his descendants to go astray in the future.

Standing atop Hangu Pass, gazing at the distant, layered mountains, Liu Yu's eyes couldn't help but reveal a hint of longing and anticipation.

He seemed to have seen through thousands of mountains and rivers the restored Chang'an, where everything was full of hope.

After a long while, Liu Yu gazed in the direction of Chang'an with longing and said:
"Now that the traitor Dong is dead, the county is full of wise men and upright officials, and it is time for us to give our lives."

"Xuan Tai, work hard! Don't miss this great opportunity to make a name for yourself!"

Upon hearing this, Liu He finally shook off the slight disappointment of leaving Luoyang and began to look forward to the future with great ambition.

However, when Liu Yu and his son trekked through mountains and rivers to enter Guanzhong, they heard a shocking message as soon as they arrived in Chang'an.

When Dong Zhuo was alive, he would often have Ding Yansi accompany him at banquets, composing poems and essays in response.

After Cai Yong left, Ding Yansi became the scholar most favored by Dong Zhuo.

Disregarding the advice of Ma Ridi and others, Wang Yun insisted on imprisoning and torturing the Imperial Censor Ding Yansi to death.

The charge was that he had colluded with the traitor Dong Zhuo and disrupted the imperial court!

When Liu He heard the news, he was immediately dumbfounded.

Did he collude with the traitor Dong Zhuo and wreak havoc on the court?

If we're talking about who in the entire court most resembles a remnant of Dong Zhuo's traitor, probably no one can compare to Prince Shi.
It would be somewhat understandable if his father were to do this.

After all, among all the civil and military officials, only Liu Yu had not sided with Dong Zhuo from beginning to end. Instead, he had been trying to save the emperor from start to finish, and even firmly rejected the support of Yuan Shao and other warlords from Guandong.

It can be said that in terms of reputation, no one in the Chang'an court could compare to Liu Yu.

Even so, Liu He did not feel that he should be so harsh on the civil and military officials in Chang'an.

Especially those upright officials like Ding Yansi, who had a good reputation in the past and had never curried favor with eunuchs.

For a moment, Liu He couldn't help but mutter to himself, "How could it have come to this? How could it have come to this!"

In contrast, Liu Yu quickly recovered from his shock and looked helpless.

Because he suddenly guessed the intention behind Wang Yun's actions.

Wang Yun did this probably to make a statement.

What attitude?

A political stance of thoroughly eliminating the remnants of Dong Zhuo!

Although Liu Yu only arrived in Chang'an today, he had already received many letters from relatives and friends on the way, and had heard about some of the happenings in the court.

For example, there were significant disagreements and constant disputes among the court officials regarding how to deal with the remnants of Dong Zhuo's forces.

Ma Ridi and others believed that the counties in the Guandong region were now essentially fragmented and the imperial court was weak, so it was not appropriate to nitpick.

Instead of clamoring for the killing of those Liangzhou soldiers who rebelled, it would be better to appease them and order them to conquer the disloyal people in Guandong.

In this way, the problem of Dong Zhuo's remnants occupying Guanzhong can be solved, and resources can be put to good use.

It must be admitted that Ma Ridi's strategy was indeed a wise and prudent approach to governing the country.

Even though many of Ma Ridi's relatives and friends had died at the hands of Liangzhou soldiers, he was able to suppress his personal desires and pursue the maximization of national interests.

From this perspective, he can be considered a mature politician.

However, another faction of court officials, led by Wang Yun, firmly believed that evil should be eradicated completely.

Even if they didn't massacre all the Liangzhou soldiers, they felt they should at least hold the Liangzhou officers and soldiers who had committed atrocities accountable.

Because almost every one of these officials had suffered at the hands of these Liangzhou people.

As long as noble ladies dared to go out, the Liangzhou officers and soldiers would openly abduct them on the streets.

After all, the people of Liangzhou were deeply influenced by the Hu culture and had long been accustomed to the custom of bride kidnapping.

Even though these officials appealed to Dong Zhuo and got their female relatives back, it was basically too late.

Whether it was wives and daughters or clansmen, almost every family had a blood feud with the Liangzhou soldiers!
Of course, this is not surprising, as seven or eight out of ten people in Chang'an have blood feuds with the Liangzhou army.

Because of the relocation of the capital, the ancient Xiaohan Road from Luoyang to Chang'an was littered with the dead, and countless corpses lay exposed in the wilderness. Whether they were noblemen or commoners, almost every family wept, and there were even cases of entire families being wiped out.

Of the million people living in Luoyang, only seven or eight out of ten were able to reach Chang'an safely.

It was precisely because of this that when Wang Yun expressed his opinion, almost the entire city of Chang'an cheered.
Unfortunately, bureaucrats like Ma Ridi, who were willing to endure hardship for the sake of the country, were ultimately a minority.

In an instant, Wang Yun's prestige reached its peak, both in the imperial court and among the common people.

Wang Yun, whose reputation had already soared after killing Dong Zhuo, could now be said to have completely taken control of the court.

As a result, the young emperor Liu Xie, who had initially placed high hopes on Liu Yu's arrival, began to become taciturn.

Because he knew that even with Luoyang County as his support, Liu Yu was no longer able to contend with Wang Yun.

Forget about checks and balances; Liu Yu would be lucky to even protect himself.

The young emperor Liu Xie didn't want to discard the useful minister after he had served his purpose; he simply disliked the emergence of another powerful minister in the court.

But whether he liked it or not, the Chang'an court ultimately became Wang Yun's personal fiefdom.

With the support of the court and the people, Wang Yun became increasingly confident, and the 10,000 troops brought by Liu Yu greatly strengthened Chang'an's power.

Therefore, Wang Yun began to frequently send messengers with imperial edicts to places such as Youfufeng and Zuofengyi to seize and strip the military power of the Liangzhou generals and officers.

Upon learning this news, Liu Yu could no longer sit still and went to the Ministry of Personnel that very day to offer his advice.

……

Inside the Secretariat, Liu Yu and Wang Yun sat facing each other.

Liu Yu looked worried, while Wang Yun appeared spirited and full of fighting spirit.

Seeing this, Liu Yu couldn't help but earnestly advise:

"Most of Dong Zhuo's generals and military commanders are from Liangzhou. If their troops are all dismissed now, everyone will feel insecure. Doesn't Zishi fear that this will cause chaos? Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish; how can we make such a big fuss?"

"Now that the bandit leader Dong Zhuo is dead, it would be better to appoint Huangfu Yizhen as general, to lead the Liangzhou troops, to garrison Hulao Pass and guard the Guandong region, so as to observe the situation and prevent the Guandong counties from developing any contempt for the imperial court."

"Isn't it delightful to atone for one's sins in this way?"

Liu Yu had actually been brewing this idea in his mind for a long time, and had even been planning it on the way here.

After several defeats, Liu Yu realized that he lacked the talent to lead troops. Therefore, when he entered Chang'an to pay homage to the emperor, Liu Yu took the initiative to express his desire to give the position of Grand Commandant to Huangfu Song, but the emperor refused.

Liu Yu and Ma Ridi shared similar views on this matter; he also believed that the Liangzhou troops should be recruited.

Furthermore, Liu Yu even proposed a specific measure: to use Huangfu Song to control the Liangzhou troops.

After all, the Huangfu clan of Anding was a prominent family in Liangzhou, enjoying great prestige. Huangfu Song himself was a decorated military leader, wielding immense influence even within the Liangzhou army. It's worth noting that even Dong Zhuo had once served under Huangfu Song, not to mention the other Liangzhou generals. If Huangfu Song were to lead the troops, coupled with a general amnesty, he would likely be able to win over this formidable Liangzhou army.

The best part about this move is that there's no need to worry about Huangfu Song becoming the next Dong Zhuo.

Because Huangfu Song's actions during the reign of the late emperor had already proven his loyalty, he was indeed a staunch supporter of the Han dynasty.

It can be said that Liu Yu proposed a more practical and feasible solution based on Ma Ridi's strategy.

Unfortunately, both Liu Yu and Ma Ridi represented only a very small number of people.

Upon hearing this, Wang Yun immediately sat up straight and retorted without any politeness:
"Grand Commandant, you have overstated things! Those who raise righteous armies in Guandong are all of our kind!"

"If we occupy the strategic location of Shaanxi now, we can reassure the people of Liangzhou, but how can we reassure the people of Guandong?"

"To suspect the rebellion of Guandong and delight in its insurrection—is this not putting the cart before the horse? I urge the Grand Commandant to prioritize the affairs of the state and not to let personal interests disrupt the very foundation of the nation!"

Wang Yun meant that Liu Yu should not act emotionally because of his conflict with Yuan Shao.

Upon hearing this, Liu Yu immediately turned red with anger.

However, Wang Yun ignored him completely and immediately turned and left.

After all, he now holds all the power in the court, and he has even taken over the more than 10,000 Henan soldiers brought by Liu Yu in the name of the Northern Army. He can be said to have sole control over military and political power, no different from the generals of the past.

Under these circumstances, Wang Yun certainly had the right to disregard Liu Yu, the Grand Commandant.

However, Liu Yu was in a bad situation. He was angered by Wang Yun's autocratic and stubborn behavior, and after returning home, he felt depressed and soon fell ill.

……

At the same time, upon learning of Dong Zhuo's death, the various tribes of Liangzhou in the Three Auxiliary Regions were filled with panic.

In their panic, Niu Fu, Li Jue, Guo Si, Zhang Ji, and others did not think of revenge. They only hoped that the court would forgive their crimes and allow them to return home with their wealth and live as rich men.

Unfortunately, Wang Yun's current political stance completely prevents him from forgiving these people.

If you rise by this, you will surely fall by this.

Wang Yun gained immense power by "removing Dong," and naturally, he was also bound by this banner.

Therefore, he firmly rejected the requests of the Liangzhou officers and soldiers to obtain a general amnesty, and continued to steadfastly implement his plan to abolish the Liangzhou army and settle past crimes.

Under these circumstances, the Liangzhou generals who had initially intended to surrender began to hold their troops in self-defense.

Wang Yun had anticipated this situation, so he wasn't too worried.

He felt that these Liangzhou people were fighting their own battles, without a unified leader like Dong Zhuo, and with orders coming from multiple sources, they would inevitably be divided and disintegrated by the Northern Army in the long run.

Therefore, Wang Yun successively promoted Song Yi, a fellow townsman, to the position of Left Fengyi, and Wang Hong to the position of Right Fufeng, attempting to isolate the various tribes of Liangzhou from each other and turn them into a disorganized mess.

Furthermore, just in case, Wang Yun summoned Zhu Jun and appointed him as General of Chariots and Cavalry to command the Northern Army.

Huangfu Song was disliked by Wang Yun because of the successive recommendations of Ma Ridi and Liu Yu.

He felt that Huangfu Song was in cahoots with Liu Yu and others, so even their loyalty was unreliable.

As a result, Huangfu Song was only appointed as the General Who Conquers the West, a title without any real power, and had no soldiers under his command.

As for Lü Bu, the great hero who assassinated Dong Zhuo, he was only given the title of Marquis Wen, and remained unchanged.

It can be said that after Dong Zhuo's death, Wang Yun's will, as the leader of the majority faction, was fully implemented in the Chang'an court.

Unfortunately, Wang Yun's seemingly foolproof plan collapsed at the first touch, just like a sandcastle!
Especially after Jia Xu took action, Wang Yun's attempts to divide and weaken the enemy were completely ineffective.

However, on the other hand, Jia Xu was forced to take action.

He originally entered officialdom through the proper channels, being recommended as a filial and incorruptible official and becoming a Gentleman of the Palace before finally entering the palace to serve as a halberd bearer.

Unexpectedly, after Dong Zhuo gained power, he took good care of him because he was from Liangzhou, so he promoted him to the position of Grand Commandant's Aide, and later promoted him to the position of Commandant of Pingjin, and not long after, he was promoted to the position of Commandant of the Expeditionary Army.

It can be said that Jia Xu was promoted passively. He himself had no intention of currying favor with Dong Zhuo, otherwise he would not have kept his talents hidden and remained unknown.

However, once Wang Yun issued the edict to eradicate evil completely, Jia Xu had no choice but to take action to protect himself, no matter how unwilling he was.

In just ten days, the various tribes of Liangzhou in the Three Auxiliary Regions began to unite and march towards Chang'an.

In his shock and anger, Wang Yun immediately ordered Zhu Jun, Lü Bu, and others to lead 20,000 northern troops to meet the rebels at Xinfeng, attempting to defeat them... or at least prevent this Liangzhou rebel army from reaching the gates of Chang'an.

However, the result was something Wang Yun never expected.

Zhu Jun, who was as famous as Huangfu Song in the court and among the common people, was actually no match for the remnants of Dong Zhuo's forces.

Despite being evenly matched in numbers, Zhu Jun was decisively defeated by Li Jue, Guo Si, and others, resulting in the complete annihilation of the 20,000 Northern Army troops that Chang'an had painstakingly built up. Following Zhu Jun's death in battle, Li Su immediately led his troops to surrender.

As a result, after a major battle, Wang Yun not only failed to defeat the Liangzhou rebels, but also helped them gain momentum.

Riding on their great victory, Li Jue, Guo Si, and Dong Zhuo's former subordinates Fan Chou and Li Meng joined forces and gathered troops that had once belonged to Dong Zhuo's army along the way. Before long, they had amassed more than 100,000 soldiers.

They then marched on Chang'an and besieged the city for eight days, leaving Chang'an in ruins!
At this point, both Liu Yu and Huangfu Song were finally in utter despair.

They just couldn't understand how Wang Yun had managed to ruin such a promising situation!

……

In the afternoon, listening to the deafening sounds of the siege outside, Liu Yu, who was already old and frail, recalled his time in Luoyang and burst into tears.

On the sickbed, he tightly grasped the hand of Liu He, who was kneeling beside the bed, and sighed with regret:
"I was wrong! It's a pity I didn't listen to your advice before!"

However, at this moment, Liu He no longer cared about right or wrong; he simply begged his father to take his medicine, tears streaming down his face.

But Liu Yu stubbornly shook his head, staring blankly in the direction of the Imperial Secretariat. After a moment, he suddenly roared in resentment:
"The one who destroyed the Han Dynasty was Wang Yun!"

After saying this, Liu Yu vomited blood and died instantly.

In a short while, the entire Grand Commandant's mansion was filled with cries of sorrow.

And amidst the complaints of Liu Yu's advisors and scribes, Liu Yu's last words quickly spread like wildfire.

This made the already anxious and uneasy city of Chang'an even more restless.

Only Wang Yun remained defiant, insisting that he was not wrong.

Therefore, he did not even attend Liu Yu's memorial service, saying only that they had different paths and could not work together.

Coincidentally, while Chang'an was undergoing frequent upheavals, the Guandong region was also experiencing tremendous changes.

……

Due to the all-out war between Wei Zhe and Yuan Shao, almost half of the Han Dynasty was engulfed in flames of war.

Ji Province, You Province, Bing Province, Yan Province, Xu Province, Qing Province, Yu Province—battles raged almost everywhere!

For example, Yuan Shu of Yuzhou took the opportunity to attack Yanzhou in an attempt to expand his territory.

Tao Qian, the governor of Xuzhou, then attacked Zhou Ang, the governor of Qingzhou under Yuan Shao, in fulfilling his duty as an ally.

Liu Bei's reputation had soared due to his previous campaign against the Yellow Turbans in Qingzhou, earning him a name of benevolence. Therefore, Tao Qian valued him and appointed him to lead troops to garrison Xiaopei—to guard against Yuan Shu!
There was no other way; Tao Qian simply didn't trust Yuan Shu's character.

But no one expected that when Cao Cao led his army to fight Yuan Shu in Jiyin County, his base was raided in the blink of an eye.

This was, in a way, the seed of disaster that Cao Cao himself sowed.

At that time, Cao Cao had just taken control of Yan Province and was full of vigor, so he inevitably acted somewhat recklessly.

Bian Rang, a renowned scholar from Yanzhou, was known for his arrogance and foul temper. Relying on his talent, he disregarded Cao Cao and made many disrespectful and insulting remarks.

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao did not tolerate it. He directly ordered Bian Rang's fellow townsmen to deliberately frame him. Without even conducting a trial, Cao Cao ordered the officials in the prefecture to execute Bian Rang on the spot, and also to execute Bian Rang's entire family.

In this respect, Cao Cao was always the most bloodthirsty!

However, Cao Cao, who was serving as the governor of Yanzhou for the first time, did not realize what his move meant.

It should be noted that his position as governor of Yanzhou was established by the people of Yanzhou, and his legal foundation lay with the local gentry.

Therefore, Cao Cao's killing of Bian Rang's entire family, a renowned scholar from Yanzhou, caused great dissatisfaction and panic among the gentry of Yanzhou.

After all, Cao Cao dared to kill even Bian Rang, a representative of the Yanzhou gentry, which shows that he didn't respect them at all.

As Cao Cao was locked in a fierce battle with Yuan Shu on the front lines, his trusted advisor Chen Gong colluded with Zhang Miao, Zhang Chao, Xu Si, Wang Kai, and others, the governors of Chenliu, to rebel.

Furthermore, Chen Gong and others revived the practice of electing a governor by popular vote, and actually went to Xiaopei to welcome Liu Bei as the governor of Yanzhou. In a short time, the governors of several counties in Yanzhou responded and rose up in rebellion.

Only the three county towns of Juancheng, Fan, and Dong'e, which are adjacent to Ji Province, remain under Cao Cao's control.

In the blink of an eye, Cao Cao's career fell into an unprecedented slump...

(End of this chapter)