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

Chapter 4: Twin Jades Shine in the Palace

"Sir, should I follow the example of Ji An and his frank criticism, or should I emulate Zhang Tang's tactics?"

Liu Fang stood with his hands behind his back, "No..."

"All you need to do is hang the five-colored stick at the main gate of the government office starting tomorrow. Every day at 2 a.m., wipe the dust off it yourself, making sure the people can see it."

Cao Cao looked solemn and listened carefully to what followed.

"Tomorrow afternoon, the palace will send someone to deliver a hundred taels of gold, which will contain poisoned wine."

"You may collect the gold and display it at the ceremonial gate, inviting all the students of the Imperial College and the distinguished passersby to see it."

Cao Cao suddenly felt a chill running down his spine:

"If so, someone will surely make a big fuss about this, saying I'm secretly having an affair with a eunuch."

Liu Fang tapped the table with his fingers, his voice suddenly getting heavier:
"Exactly! Once they start to cause trouble, we can melt the gold and forge a tripod..."

"Engrave 'Immeasurable Law Enforcement' on it, and then pour poisoned wine into the cauldron."

"Thus, the gold came from the eunuchs, while the tripod was a symbol of law, and with the poisoned wine as proof, neither party was above reproach."

Cao Cao looked at Liu Fang's face half hidden in the shadows, and suddenly he understood.

Since the two parties want to use his background to play a game, why not use the power of the two parties instead?
Just at this moment, Liu Fang pushed open the carved lattice fan, and fine snow flew into the room and landed on his shoulders.

"You should remember this: don't emulate the likes of Li Ying, who boast of being upright and uncorrupted, and who boast of exterminating all eunuchs. They don't realize that without eunuchs in the court, the aristocratic families will become the sole threat."

The candlelight flickered in the wind and snow, casting shadows of people in the room.

"Thank you for your teachings, sir. I will definitely..."

"No need to report."

Liu Fang raised his hand and threw down a bronze talisman, his wide sleeves rustling in the wind:
"I am but a pole-holder, and I hope you will be the oar across the river... Bring this talisman to Jian Shuo, and he will understand."

Seeing Liu Fang waving his sleeves and about to leave, Cao Cao hurried forward and took off half of the jade pendant from his waist.

"Sir, this is something my grandfather left behind. I'm offering you half a jade pendant as a token of my loyalty. I will definitely live up to your expectations."

The jade beads felt warm to the touch, just like the surging desire in this cold night.

Liu Fang stopped and looked back.

Seeing the young man Meng De, his hat and belt were slightly disheveled, and his eyes were full of burning ambition.

Suddenly my eyes felt sore.

How...how hard it is to describe the feeling.

His throat was slightly choked, but he forced himself to remain calm:
"Remember, the seal of the General of the Western Expedition is easy to obtain... the difficult part is protecting this original intention without flaws."

After saying this, his eyes fixed on the other half of the jade pendant on Cao Cao's waist:

"I look forward to the day when I can be with Meng De..."

When Cao Cao came to his senses.

Only a corner of the clothes was seen swaying several times in the wind and snow, and suddenly disappeared into the night.

Cao Cao held the jade pendant tightly and stood there for a long time.

The snow falls faster.

He turned around and murmured, then suddenly laughed, as if relieved and determined.

……

As the morning light began to shine, people began to talk in the streets of Luoyang, and the accumulated snow reflected the light.

Cao Cao straightened his clothes and said solemnly to his attendants:
"I will prepare the ceremony of presenting my tribute to you and will go to see the Yellow Gate Master Jian."

The wheels rumble, the horses neigh, the snow stops soundlessly, but my heart is filled with emotions.

……

Jian Shuo stood at the steps with his hands behind his back.

His brows were covered with dark clouds, his knuckles were white, and his voice was like quenching ice:

"Captain Cao's five-colored stick truly intimidates Luoyang—"

He dragged out the last syllable of his words, and there was a hidden edge in his words, as if he was probing the truth.

Cao Cao held the volume of "Wei Lu" and bowed deeply in front of Jian Shuo.

"As the Northern Commander of Luoyang, I am acting according to the law. I wonder what advice Emperor Jian has for me?"

Jian Shuo raised his eyebrows and glanced at him.

Suddenly, half of a bronze symbol was seen between the scrolls, and the word "Fang" was clearly visible on it.

Cao Cao raised his head.

He met Jian Shuo's scrutiny with a calm gaze, then took out a talisman and a lacquer box and presented them to him.

The moment Jian Shuo opened the lid of the box, his pupils suddenly contracted.

Is there evidence that Yuan’s disciples formed a clique for personal gain?
His fingertips stroked the raised "Fang" character on the back of the talisman.

"The captain is thoughtful."

Jian Shuo lowered his voice to a very low level.

Cao Cao lowered his eyes, his expression unchanged:
"I only know that the laws of the country cannot be disregarded."

Every word is of great significance and has a resounding impact.

Jian Shuo stared at the young man in front of him and suddenly burst into laughter.

He patted Cao Cao's shoulder heavily:

"Great Cao Mengde, he really has inherited the legacy of your ancestors!"

"Follow me into the palace tomorrow. His Majesty wishes to see you, but—"

He suddenly turned around, his eyes like a knife cutting through the five-colored stick Cao Cao was carrying:

"Remember who should hold this stick!"

The two of them had just finished whispering, but the lingering sound still lingered in the air.

Suddenly, Jian Shuo cried out in grief, and a mournful wail broke through the air:

"I am so heartbroken! My uncle was murdered and died in an unfortunate place. How can I take this revenge? Alas, how sad..."

A cold wind blew past.

Cao Cao tightly grasped the token thrown back by Jian Shuo, looked at his receding back, and did not move for a long time.

……

On that day, news spread among the people of Luoyang:

"Cao Cao, the Northern Commander, captured Jian Tu on a road at night. According to Han law, he should have been executed, but because of his advanced age, he was given twenty lashes and then released."

"The next morning, Cao went to Jian Shuo's house and said: 'Laws are like pillars of steel; how dare we neglect them? However, respecting the elderly and honoring the virtuous is also a virtue that my Han ministers have always upheld.'"

"Although Jian Shuo was resentful, the emperor praised Cao Cao for his 'fairness in enforcing the law,' so he kept his anger to himself."

At noon, the news that Jian Tu's body was left exposed in the street and was executed by righteous men spread throughout the capital, shocking the whole city.

There are rumors that the students and knights admired the style of Zhu Jia and Guo Jie, so they eliminated the evil and filthy people.

……

At three quarters after noon, several carriages arrived, carrying a hundred taels of gold given by the palace.

Cao Cao stood at the ceremonial gate with his hands behind his back and waved his hand lightly.

The officials rushed out one after another and went to the places where the students and dignitaries usually gathered.

In just half an hour, the news spread rapidly throughout Luoyang City like wildfire.

First, students from the Imperial College came in groups of three or five, discussing things.

Soon after, the sons of noble families also came following the sound.

There was even an old man selling pancakes standing on tiptoe to look around.

Soon, the avenue outside the government office was crowded with people and the noise of carriages and horses.

Cao Cao stepped out and stood in the middle of the road.

He suddenly pulled out the five-colored stick, raised it high, and pointed it at the mountain of gold ingots.

"The gold given by the eunuchs is just right for casting the cauldron of law."

Whispers rose and fell among the crowd.

"Is Cao Mengde out of his mind? I'm afraid he's in cahoots with the eunuchs!"

"...You dare to use this eunuch's gold?"

"Captain Cao's ancestor was the Grand Chamberlain. No wonder..."

Some students even raised their sleeves and shouted:
"Since you accept bribes from the eunuchs, how can you claim to be impartial in enforcing the law?"

Rumors spread rapidly like the tide, and undercurrents surged among the people in the market.

Cao Cao, however, looked calm, as if he had not heard anything.

He narrowed his eyes slightly and scanned the restless crowd in front of him.

Suddenly an order was given:
"Melting gold to cast a cauldron!"

Before he could finish his words, the craftsmen had already rushed into the front street carrying the furnace.

The sound of the bellows was like a war drum, and the heat waves from the charcoal fire rolled up gold powder.

At three quarters of an hour after You, the tripod was completed.

The four characters "Enforce the law impartially" on the tripod were carved by Cao Cao himself.

When he poured the poisoned wine on the cauldron, the crowd became agitated again.

There was a "sizzling" sound, and green smoke rose from the cauldron. Wherever the wine passed, black marks were corroded, like winding cracks.

Cao Cao laughed so hard that the roof tiles shook.
"Can you see? Although the poisoned wine is poisonous, it can only corrode the surface of the tripod, but cannot destroy the bones."

After he finished speaking, he shouted from a high place:
"Eunuch's gold can be used to forge a legal cauldron, but even poisoned wine cannot deter a minister's will!"

As the voice fell, thunderous applause broke out in the street.

When the dukes, ministers and nobles heard this, they all looked at him with surprise.

By dusk, envoys from various families came one after another, vying to invite Cao Cao to a banquet.

Rumors spread at the time:

"Under Meng De's stick, the capital city kept quiet and no one dared to offend."

There were also students from the Imperial College who played the zither and sang:

"When the stick falls, the treacherous ministers are afraid; when the law is established, the people live in peace."

The sound reaches the peaceful and peaceful place.

At this point, Cao Cao escaped danger and established his fame and power.

……

At three o'clock in the morning, Liu Fang sat cross-legged on a Hu bed. He knew Cao Cao's temperament in his youth, and since the seeds had already been sown, he only needed a little guidance and there would be no more trouble.

Now that the chess pieces have moved, we should consider the overall situation.

Suddenly, Xu Feng whispered:
"Sir, everyone is here, waiting in the corridor to hear your announcement."

Liu Fang's gaze lingered on the map on the desk before he spoke slowly:
"Go in immediately."

The door was open, and the draft blew in, making the candlelight flicker.

Xu Feng led the way, and the three people behind him were all wearing black robes, hiding their faces in the shadows.

The three of them filed in one after another:

The leader was Jian Shuo.

He raised his hand and took off his black robe, revealing his meticulously combed hair and a jade-studded leather belt tied around his waist.

He was a burly man, with slightly narrowed triangular eyes and thin lips tightly pursed under his hooked nose.

Later, Xu Shao.

He also took off his black robe, revealing a moon-white gown with elegant orchid patterns embroidered on the hem.

He has a thin face, eyebrows like ink painting, and three long strands of beard under his chin swaying in the wind. He is worthy of being the famous scholar in charge of "Yuedanping".

The last one is Feng Yan.

After taking off his black robe, he wore a green official uniform, which looked much simpler than the previous two.

There were many crow's feet around his eyes and his body was slightly hunched, but a sinister light flashed in his eyes from time to time.

……

Xu Feng stepped out first and told everyone what had happened during the day.

Liu Fang lowered his eyes and nodded, listening carefully.

After Xu Feng finished speaking, Jian Shuo stepped out from the crowd:

"Your Excellency, Cao Cao is indeed an extraordinary person. He has found evidence of Yuan's conspiracy."

Liu Fang stroked the table and chuckled:

"Such a generous gift is rare. Do you know where he got it from?"

"Replying to the Lord! The spies have found out that it seems to be the work of Yuan's illegitimate son."

Liu Fang couldn't help but think of an old friend when he heard this, and raised his eyebrows to ask:

"Yuan's bastard? Could it be Yuan Benchu?"

Jian Shuo looked up in confusion, stealing a glance at Liu Fang's strange expression:

"Does your Excellency know this man?"

"Don't rush to talk about him."

Liu Fang flicked his sleeves to interrupt the conversation and smiled:
"Now, let's talk about how you cried so hard today because of your uncle. I wonder if it was a brilliant performance or if you were truly heartbroken?"

Cold sweat broke out on Jian Shuo's forehead:

"Jian Tu relied on his humble power to commit numerous evil deeds, and when I was down and out, he bullied me in every possible way..."

Liu Fang sighed softly and took a sip from the cup:

"Never mind, we are connected by blood after all."

Jian Shuo suddenly knelt on the ground and kowtowed loudly:
"If it weren't for your support, I would have long since turned into a pile of dry bones in the palace walls!"

At this point, his triangular eyes became bloodshot:
"My Lord, I cannot repay your kindness in giving me a new life!"

Liu Fang extended his hand to support him, and sighed with a smile:
"It's just a joke!"

He tapped Jian Shuo's shoulder with his fingertips, his tone half angry and half smiling:

"You've been busy in the imperial palace, it's really hard."

After saying this, he glanced at Jian Shuo meaningfully.

Upon seeing this, Jian Shuo prostrated himself and kowtowed again. Just when the atmosphere was tense, Feng Chan, who was at the bottom of the list, hunched his body and slowly stepped forward to break the deadlock.

"Your Excellency, please understand that Emperor Jian has always been loyal and sincere. The current situation of the Yuan family is very difficult."

Liu Fang shifted his gaze from Jian Shuo's face to Feng Chen, nodding slightly.

"That's true. Now that the Yuan family is involved, I'm afraid there will be another wave of trouble."

Feng Yan returned to his original position. Jian Shuo showed gratitude in his eyes and nodded to him before he stood up and stepped aside.

At this moment, Xu Shao, who had been silent all this time, stroked his long beard and took a step forward:
"Mingsir, how should we change the evaluation of Cao Cao that we discussed earlier, which was to praise and kill him?"

Liu Fang was very interested when he heard this, and leaned forward slightly:
"General, please state your opinion first. How should we change the saying 'a capable minister in a peaceful age, a treacherous hero in a chaotic age'?"

Xu Shao bowed solemnly:

"Shao observed that Cao Cao had lofty ambitions and acted with courage and resolve."

After a brief pause, Xu Shao cleared his throat and continued:
"I've heard that Cao Cao admires the legacy of the Marquis of Guanjun. Although he doesn't have the same illustrious military achievements, his wisdom, strategy, and courage are truly unmatched..."

Jian Shuo's triangular eyes suddenly widened:
"Isn't Mr. Xu's evaluation a bit exaggerated?"

Before he finished speaking, a hint of surprise flashed in Feng Yan's cloudy eyes, and Liu Fang's expression also changed slightly.

At this delicate moment, Xu Shao spoke again, his voice resounding like a bell:
"In a peaceful time, uphold the principles and laws; in a chaotic time, eliminate the disobedient."

Liu Fang heard this and laughed loudly:
"Excellent! Your comment resonates deeply with me. If Meng De heard such praise, he would surely be overjoyed."

Seeing the deep smile on Liu Fang's face, Feng Xian took out three secret letters.

He held it above his head with both hands and placed it solemnly on the desk, then stepped back, bowed three times, and stood respectfully with his hands hanging down, only his sleeves swaying slightly in the wind.

……

Liu Fang looked at Feng Yan and secretly agreed in his heart.

Xu Feng, Jian Shuo and Feng Yan were all trusted confidants of his predecessor in the palace.

Xu Feng was a man of pure and courageous character. He was taciturn but had a hidden edge. In terms of his mastery of military strategy, no one in the palace could match him.

Feng Yan was resourceful and decisive, and was good at adapting to changes. He was best at observing people's expressions and understanding their hearts, and he knew how to advance and retreat just right.

As for Jian Shuo, although his literary talent was slightly inferior to Feng Yan, his martial bravery was slightly inferior to Xu Feng.

But he is resolute and acts ruthlessly and decisively.

Just now, Liu Fang suddenly recalled many old things in his previous life when "Cao Cao" was a subordinate of Jian Shuo.

Unable to resist the urge, he used words to provoke her, partly out of a joking desire, and partly to take the opportunity to give her a warning.

The "Yuedanping" hosted by Xu Shao is famous all over the world.

The strengths and weaknesses of anyone he evaluated were all analyzed in depth, and the rise and fall of their reputation in the scholar community often depended on his single word.

Although the original intention of the comment "a treacherous hero in troubled times" was to flatter him, it turned out to be a prophecy.

In the previous life, I never thought that behind this Yuedan Review was actually a conspiracy of the royal family.

Under the guise of clear discussion, they actually checked and balanced the aristocratic families and firmly grasped the lifeline of public opinion.

Looking at Xu Zijiang's life again, he was unyielding, did not follow the crowd, had a bright mind and clear ambitions.

He can maneuver and make divers moves in the upper part, and he can mediate and plan, and lead the people.

I am so lucky to have such a talented person!
In previous generations, people said that Emperor Ling was stupid and incompetent, and was a disgrace to the Han Dynasty.

If you think about it carefully, if Liu Fang had not died early and Liu Hong had lived a long life, what would have happened in the world would have been unpredictable.

Perhaps if the two of them had been in a different situation and were not in the crisis of the Han Dynasty, they might have left a great reputation.

It is not the heroes who make the times, but the times that make the heroes...

Liu Fang suddenly let out a long sigh.

The four of them all looked at him with concern, and Liu Fang waved his hand to indicate that it was okay.

Turning around, I looked at the three letters on the table and saw that they were addressed to different places:
One was from a hidden stake, one was from the forbidden area, and one was from Julu.

First, I opened the letter from the secret stake, which read:
Huangfu Gui, the Marquis of Shouchengting, is ill at home and may not be able to survive for another ten days.

The letter sent from the Forbidden City was written by Liu Hong.

It was said that the Xianbei invaded Beidi County, and the Beidi prefect led his army to pursue and defeat them, so he invited Liu Fang to the palace to congratulate him on the victory.

He also asked about the fiefdom of Liu Kang, the son of Liu Li, the King of Hejian, and where it should be granted.

Finally, he opened the letter from Julu. Before he read a few lines, his face suddenly changed and the hand holding the letter trembled slightly.

He quickly unfolded the map on the table and drew several lines with a red pen, which were like a red snake coiling on the map.

Liu Fang threw down his pen, stunned, and murmured:

"How could such a sudden change have occurred in less than ten months... Quickly prepare the carriage, I will enter the palace."

Note:

① Fengxun (xū)

"Book of the Later Han": "...Empress Xiaoren sent the former Imperial Household Attendant Xia Yun and the Yongle Grand Coachman Feng Yan to communicate with the prefectures and counties..."

②Xu Feng

"Book of the Later Han": "... Yuan Yi frequently traveled to the capital, using eunuchs Feng Yan and Xu Feng as his accomplices..."

"Book of the Later Han": "...Emperor Feng Yan and Xu Fengshi were the only ones who discovered it and were executed..."

③Xu Shao (shào)

"Book of the Later Han": "Shao's ancestor Jing, Jing Zixun, Xun Zixiang, and Xun Zixiang were all appointed as the Three Dukes...Shao disliked his bad behavior and never accepted him..."

"Book of the Later Han": "... he was a man of high reputation and integrity since childhood, and he was fond of human relations and was widely appreciated... and he became famous in the world..."

"Book of the Later Han": "When Cao Cao was a humble man, he often used humble words and generous gifts to seek to become his deputy... Cao Cao then took advantage of the opportunity to threaten Shao. Shao had no choice but to say, 'You are a traitor in peacetime and a hero in troubled times.' Cao Cao was delighted and left."

"Book of the Later Han": "Sikong Yang Biao selected upright and honest people and summoned them, but none of them accepted the position..."

④Jian (jiǎn) Shuo
"Zizhi Tongjian" records: "...Initially, eight lieutenants of the Western Garden were appointed, with Jian Shuo, the Junior Yellow Gate, as the Upper Army Lieutenant...all of them were under the command of Jian Shuo."

⑤Huangfu Regulations
The Book of the Later Han records: "In the third year of Xiping, he was recalled due to illness, but died in Gucheng before he arrived. He was seventy-one years old."

Due to plot requirements, slight adjustments were made and the location was changed to Luoyang.

This location has been slightly changed due to plot requirements, from Gucheng to Luoyang.

⑥ Zhu Jia and Guo Jie

The knight-errant of the Western Han Dynasty, a symbol of chivalry, justice, and the fight against violence.

⑦Ji An

A loyal minister of the Western Han Dynasty, "Han Shu" records that he "liked to give direct advice."

⑧Zhang Tang

A cruel official in the Western Han Dynasty, he was recorded in "Records of the Grand Historian" as "using literary devices to slander others".

That is to say, Zhang Tang played with the law



(End of this chapter)