About Cao Cao's reincarnation as the emperor's uncle

Chapter 13 I Have Three Questions for Huangfu

Liu Fang watched everyone leave one by one, leaving only Xu Feng standing in front of the steps with his hands hanging down.

"Go to Huangfu Mansion."

The rumbling sound of the carriage rolled over the morning frost and arrived in front of the Huangfu mansion.

A plaque with the words "loyalty and bravery" was engraved on the vermilion lacquer lintel, shining coldly in the morning light.

Liu Fang got out of the car and straightened his clothes, the dragon-patterned jade pendant in his sleeve swaying gently with his movements.

Xu Feng stepped forward to hand over the visiting card, but was stopped by the gatekeeper with a spear across his face:

"My old man is seriously ill and has not seen visitors for a long time."

"A certain master has something important to do..."

Before Xu Feng could finish his words, the doorman threw the visiting card back at him:

"Don't you understand what people say?"

As soon as these words fell, the scabbard made a slight sound, and the green sword on Xu Feng's waist was already three inches out of the scabbard.

Liu Fang was about to shout to stop him when he suddenly saw a horse galloping towards him from the corner of the street. A handsome man was standing at the reins on a white horse with a silver saddle.

The man was about thirty years old, dressed in a plain robe, with eyes as bright as stars under his sword-like brows.

Liu Fang looked at the familiar face and understood what was going on.

This person is Huangfu Song.

"Who is looking for trouble in this courtyard?"

Huangfu Song dismounted, the soles of his boots crushing the remaining snow.

Xu Feng tightened his grip on the knife, but saw Liu Fang leaning over to pick up the visiting card, his fingertips stroking the wrinkles:
"I am Liu Fang, and I have come to pay my respects to General Huangfu."

Before he finished speaking, Huangfu Song suddenly stretched out his hand.

Seeing that the attack was quite fierce and did not seem like one for taking a visiting card, Xu Feng quickly held his sword across his body in front of Liu Fang to stop him.

When their eyes met, a hint of surprise flashed in Huangfu Song's eyes.

The young man in front of him was thin, but he dodged the attacks with the agility of a soldier, and it was obvious that he had learned combat skills.

Huangfu Song said no more, took the visiting card, and frowned slightly when he felt the hard object inside:
"I will pass it on to you. If you don't see me within a quarter of an hour, you can leave on your own."

After saying that, he walked straight back to the mansion, and the doorman stood in front of Liu Fang and the other man.

Liu Fang looked at Huangfu Song's back and couldn't help laughing when he thought of his always arrogant temper.

Huangfu Song is a man who will treat you sincerely if he approves of you, but will not bother to show any worldly courtesy if he doesn't approve of you.

Therefore, Liu Fang thought that the words and actions of this doorman were normal.

The entire Huangfu family is of the same lineage, so it would be strange to choose a doorman who is good at dealing with people.

While Liu Fangzheng was thinking, he suddenly heard the muffled sound of wheels rolling over stone slabs from the corner of the street.

A carriage with a green curtain slowly turned out, the bamboo curtain swaying slightly, and the silhouettes of an old man and a young man sitting opposite each other in the carriage could be vaguely seen, the outlines of the old and the young overlapping in the morning light.

Before he could think about it, Huangfu Song walked out of the mansion with a gloomy face.

The cold mist whitened his shoulders, and made his eyebrows and eyes look as if they were quenched with ice.

"Uncle invites you."

Before he finished speaking, he glanced at the approaching carriage, then turned and whispered a few words to the doorman.

The gatekeeper rushed towards the carriage like a hound receiving an order, but Huangfu Song's figure was walking away in a chill.

Liu Fang looked at his receding figure and had no choice but to pick up his robe and quickly catch up.

Turning around the screen wall engraved with words of loyalty and righteousness, the cold plum blossoms in the garden come into view.

The icicles condensed on the dead branches reflected cold light, and the faint fragrance wrapped in frost pierced the nostrils.

The copper bells hanging on the eaves are all engraved with fine Qiang characters, and they make clear sounds when they are knocked against the cold wind.

"This is a peace bell given to my uncle by the Qiang people when he was guarding the border."

Huangfu Song spoke without turning his head, but his voice was unusually soft.

Liu Fang looked at the copper bells and suddenly realized that this cold and hard man had an unspeakable admiration for his elders in his eyes.

When I walked to the backyard, I saw a thin layer of ice on the bluestone slabs.

Huangfu Song suddenly stopped in front of the moon cave entrance, a corner of his white robe lifted by the wind:
"Uncle only invites you."

Xu Feng pressed the scabbard of the sword in an instant, and a cold light flashed in his eyes.

Liu Fang held down his trembling shoulders and glanced at the half-exposed jade pendant on Huangfu Song's waist.

The seal characters "Huangfu" are faintly visible, and it seems that the Huangfu family has already chosen the next person to carry the tripod.

"The Huangfu family has been loyal and righteous for generations. How could they harm me?"

He deliberately emphasized his tone, and seeing Huangfu Song's eyebrows move slightly, he knew that his words finally touched the other party's heart.

When the carved wooden door was pushed open, the aroma of medicine mixed with the smell of pine smoke and ink came in.

On the bed, seventy-one-year-old Huangfu Gui sat leaning against the pillow, his skinny knuckles pinching the soft golden pillow, and his long silver-white beard trembling with his breathing.

The old general tried his best to raise his hand to salute, but the moment he saw Liu Fang's face clearly, his cloudy eyes suddenly widened.

This face...

"Go back."

He dismissed the doctor who was standing by and looked at Huangfu Song, who was hesitant to speak.

"Yizhen, wait outside the door."

Huangfu Song's Adam's apple moved, and he looked at Liu Fang, but finally bowed and left.

The moment the carved wooden door closed, sparks in the charcoal basin exploded with a crackling sound.

Huangfu Gui's cloudy eyes suddenly gleamed with a sharp gleam, and his withered fingers clenched the soft pillow, his knuckles turning white from the force:
"Who are you, sir? Why do you come to me, a dying man, with the dragon-patterned jade?"

The wormwood soup in the medicine bowl was still steaming, but it couldn't hide the coldness in his voice.

Liu Fang's sleeves were swirling as he bowed deeply to the ground:
"I am Liu Fang, and I have come here to ask you three questions."

Huangfu Gui coughed twice with his throat rolling, and his bony chest heaved violently.

"What are you asking about?"

"First question, can Huangfu be a Han minister?"

Upon hearing this, the old general who had fought for half his life unexpectedly burst out with a murderous aura from his old age.

"Say it again."

Huangfu Gui's voice was as harsh as a rusty weapon scraping against armor.

But this time, Liu Fang's response was a bit more resolute:
"Can the Huangfu family serve as Han officials?"

When Liu Fang looked up, his eyes were sharp and he saw the other person's neck veins suddenly tense up.

"absurd!"

Trembling violently, Huangfu Gui brought his palm down heavily, causing the soup in the medicine bowl to splash onto the table.

"My Huangfu clan has been in the army since the time of Emperor Wu. My great-great-grandfather slew the Xiongnu at Yanmen Pass, and my grandfather defeated the Xianbei in Liaodong. I have spent half my life fighting the Qiang people in Liangzhou, and have fought over a hundred battles without ever retreating..."

Although the old man on the couch looked like a dead tree at this moment, the loyalty and bravery in his bones seemed to be quenched by fire, burning a dazzling light in the sick air.

"How dare you slander me, you bastard!"

A cough suddenly choked his words. He leaned against the headboard, breathing heavily, his white hair scattered on the pillow like autumn frost.

As if he heard some noise inside the house, Huangfu Song's nervous voice came from outside the door.

The anger in Huangfu Gui's eyes instantly subsided, and he called out to the door:

"It's okay, just wait patiently."

After saying this, Huangfu Gui raised his hand to stop Liu Fang from speaking, and suddenly laughed softly:
"I'm really old, but I'm so excited by this little kid that my blood boils..."

He looked at the plum petals falling outside the window, and his tone suddenly became serious:
"Tell me, who are you here for?"

Seeing this, Liu Fang shook his head and smiled:
"It's not for anyone, if I really want to say..."

"I'm here for the big man too."

Huangfu Gui's smile suddenly froze at the corner of his lips, and a strange color appeared in his cloudy eyes.

"I'm a dying man, so there's no need to play tricks on me."

"If you have come here for His Majesty, just speak frankly..."

"Although I am about to die, the Huangfu bloodline will live on and will protect the Han Dynasty for generations to come."

"If you want the Huangfu family to do something for you by leveraging the power of the royal family, give up this idea as soon as possible."

The flames from the charcoal basin licked the pine branches, ruffling the two people's shadows on the screen. After all, he was a veteran official who had experienced the ups and downs of officialdom for half his life. How could he be deceived by a few words?

However, the most ultimate killer move in this world is sincerity out of ten.

Liu Fang's indifferent expression concealed a solemnity that was inconsistent with his age:

"May I ask, old general, how many generations of the Huangfu family have served the emperor?"

Huangfu Gui was probably not expecting Liu Fang to ask such a question, and was slightly stunned.

The wormwood soup in the medicine bowl formed a thin layer of oil on the table. The old general's voice was mixed with phlegm, and his fingers trembled imperceptibly:
"What is the meaning of this?"

When Liu Fang looked up, the charcoal fire just happened to pass through his pupils. He looked directly at Huangfu Gui:
"To whom does the Huangfu clan remain loyal, the Liu clan or the Han dynasty?"

Anyone who hears this sentence will think it is a rebellion.

"presumptuous!"

Huangfu Gui was no exception, and the temperature in the room seemed to have dropped a few degrees.

"If you don't explain clearly, I'm afraid you won't be able to leave this place today..."

Liu Fang did not pay attention to the threat in Huangfu Gui's words.

"Or, in other words, is the Huangfu family trying to protect the emperor alone, or the people of the Han Dynasty?"

Huangfu Gui tried to get up, but was pulled back to the quilt by a cough.

Liu Fang continued:

"Old General, you have guarded the border for decades. Do you know that the Xianbei royal court has now unified the various tribes of the Hu people and is gathering troops at the border. Are you planning to destroy our Han Dynasty?"

These words hit Huangfu Gui's heart like a heavy hammer.

He suddenly clenched the brocade on the headboard, his knuckles turning white as frost. This was consistent with what he was most worried about recently. He was about to die, so what would happen to the border after his death?

He also knew that Liu Fang was not exaggerating. Although he did not know the specific strength of the Xianbei, he had often heard Huangfu Jie talk about some of the Xianbei's situations.

A sweet and fishy taste rose in his throat, but he didn't bother to wipe the blood from the corner of his lips.

"Where did you get this news?"

Liu Fang saw the wariness in the old man's eyes turn into panic, and knew that the time had come.

The yellow silk in his arms was warm from his body temperature, and it made a slight hissing sound when it unfolded. He held it above his head with both hands.

Huangfu Gui concentrated his eyes and saw traces of the emperor's seal on the yellow silk.

"This……"

Liu Fang did not look up, but just whispered:
"The old general is right. This is exactly what the current emperor did. He tore the lining of his dragon robe and gave it to my clan member Liu Fang with a secret edict, which conveyed the divine message."

"minister……"

Huangfu Gui's vision suddenly blurred. He held on to his body, and his skinny knees banged heavily on the couch. The quilt slipped off, revealing rows of knife scars.

"...Huangfu Gui, the Protector of the Qiang, receives the imperial edict."

Liu Fang looked at Huangfu Gui trying his best to lower himself from the couch, and his throat suddenly choked.

He walked slowly to Huangfu Gui, but he always leaned forward and was never taller than Huangfu Gui.

Huangfu Gui took the imperial edict with trembling hands, and stroked the yellow silk with his fingertips several times. He was afraid that the calluses on his hands would wear through the yellow silk, so he quickly held it in his palm again.

When Huangfu Gui raised his head again, the charcoal fire was passing over Liu Fang's red eyes.

"Your Majesty ascended the throne at the age of twelve..."

Liu Fang's voice suddenly became hoarse:

"He cleared the Dou family, eliminated the party members, pacified the border, changed the land distribution system, implemented the Three Mutuals, and carried out reforms frequently, exhausting all his energy..."

"Night after night, the bamboo slips on my desk pile up until the candlesticks collapse, all for the day I can see the revival of the Han Dynasty."

"But the Han Dynasty's foundation is already terminally ill. Whether the aristocratic families are a benefit or a disadvantage to the Han Dynasty, I believe the old general has his own judgment."

Huangfu Gui's throat rolled over and he could only let out a long sigh.

Liu Fangyan's words became more and more excited:
"If anyone else saw this imperial edict, I would definitely say it was to purge the emperor's court, but in front of the old general..."

"I wish to tell you the truth. Although Your Majesty employs eunuchs, there is no one available. Although you eliminate party members, it is difficult to defeat the aristocratic families in the world."

"Now, internal troubles continue, and external threats are about to arise. Our Han Dynasty is in danger!"

Huangfu Gui tried his best to control his breathing, but he couldn't speak calmly.

"Old minister...Old minister..."

Liu Fang burst into tears at this moment:

"I am the younger brother of Emperor Heng. My father-in-law died a tragic death when I was less than a year old. My elder brother was placed on the throne by the Liang family, but he could not escape their control."

"Back then, my eldest brother couldn't even guarantee his own life, let alone my infant brother."

"So, my eldest brother feared that I might meet with an unforeseen fate, so he gave me to my second brother, the King of Bohai, to raise. Together, we kept my origins hidden..."

Before he could finish his words, the north wind suddenly blew outside the window, making the copper bells ring loudly.

"Later, my eldest brother died suddenly in the palace for unknown reasons, so Your Majesty succeeded to the throne."

"But within a few years, who could have imagined that my second brother, the King of Bohai, would be convicted of treason and over a hundred members of his family would be tragically imprisoned."

"Before my second brother entered the capital, he ordered his men to put me on a charcoal cart and entrust me to my third brother, King Pingyuan."

Liu Fang's voice mixed with the crackling sound of the charcoal brazier startled the ashes on the beam and caused them to fall onto Huangfu Gui's shoulders.

"The way the Dou family controls Your Majesty is exactly the same as how the Liang family controlled Emperor Heng!"

"So the King of Bohai never had any rebellious thoughts, but instead was full of sympathy."

"Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, the Prince of Bohai has lent his full support. Blood is thicker than water, and the Princess of Bohai and Empress Song are even closer, like aunt and niece."

"How could my second brother be a traitor? I cannot accept this, so I hid in the palace to clear my second brother's name."

Having said this, Liu Fang picked up the jade pendant with dragon pattern from the table beside him.

"It was during that time that I met His Majesty. That night, neither of us could sleep. His Majesty embraced me and wept..."

"In other words, since the reign of Emperor He, every time a young ruler was enthroned, there were always relatives from outside the family disrupting the government, and power fell into the hands of others..."

"The Han Dynasty had nearly ten emperors. Emperor Shang ascended the throne at one hundred days old but died before his first birthday. Emperor Chong inherited the throne at two years old but died of illness in the palace at three. Emperor Zhi ascended the throne at eight years old but was poisoned to death at nine. The longest-lived emperor died at over thirty."

Huangfu Gui covered his chest tightly, but still couldn't stop coughing violently.

Liu Fang suddenly kowtowed to the ground, tears streaming down his face:
"Your Majesty grabbed my hand, his nails almost digging into the flesh..."

"I, Liu Yuanyi, as the younger brother of Emperor Heng and the uncle of the Emperor, have taken on the responsibility of protecting the Han Dynasty at this moment of decline. After much negotiation, I finally left the palace with this imperial decree, solely to seek someone to support the Han Dynasty."

When Huangfu Gui heard this, tears had already covered his wrinkled and decayed cheeks.

His hands, like dry vines, tightly grasped the imperial edict.

Looking at the eight large cinnabar characters on the yellow silk, "Liu Fang, a member of the royal family, is on tour on my behalf," it was as if someone was strangling his throat. He wanted to say something but couldn't.

Liu Fang took a deep breath, calmed himself down, moved closer, and placed his hand on the wrinkled back of Huangfu Gui's hand.

"Old General, that's why I asked that second question..."

"Whom the Huangfu family wants to protect, the emperor alone, or the people of the Han Dynasty?"

Huangfu Gui trembled as he touched the tear on the imperial edict. Why did this rough edge cause such a sharp pain in his heart?

All that was seen was the tears scattered from the corners of Huangfu Gui's eyes, spreading out on the yellow silk.

"The Huangfu family is full of loyal and brave people, and is willing to protect the Han Dynasty for generations..."

"Lord Yuan Yi! If there is anything the Huangfu family can do, please speak frankly!"

Liu Fang frowned and said through gritted teeth:
"Old General, do you know what this question means?"

The words fell in a state of panic, and Liu Fang's eyes were bloodshot:

"Huangfu Gui, listen to the imperial edict!"

"I do not ask the Huangfu family to protect me alone, but I ask them to guard the pass and resist the Hu people, and protect the Han people!"

As soon as these words came out, Huangfu Gui's body, like a withered tree, burst out with a strong force.

He pushed away Liu Fang's hand that was trying to stop him, dragged his sick body to the ground, and then fell to the ground and shouted:

"Your Majesty, Huangfu Gui, obeys the imperial edict!"

At the same time, a sobbing yet sonorous sound was heard outside the door.

"Your Majesty, Huangfu Jie, obeys the imperial edict!"

"Your Majesty, Huangfu Song, obeys the imperial edict!"

"minister……"

(End of this chapter)