Brother, stop curling up! You're curling up like the founder of the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 119 Following the Example of Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Guangwu, Liu Bei's Ambition to Conquer the World (Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets)
Liu Bei's goal in coming to Luoyang was always clear: he was only interested in money.

The purpose of using the phrase "Those who plan great things should plan for their own retreat" to persuade Gai Xun was to get Gai Xun and his associates to deposit the money in Quanzhou Prefecture, Yongzhou.

The reason for asking Zhang Rang to pay 100 million coins in exchange for remaining neutral was to get Zhang Rang and his associates to deposit the money in the Quanzhou government office in Yongzhou.

The rumor spread in Luoyang that the world was in chaos and wise men had three burrows was intended to entice the officials and wealthy people of Luoyang to deposit their money in the Quanzhou government office in Yongzhou.

Now, by turning Cao Cao against him and claiming that he wants to work with Cao Cao to achieve the merit of following the emperor, he also wants to deposit more money into the Quanzhou government office in Yongzhou.

Most of the world's wealth is concentrated in Luoyang.

In this age of great contention, the competition is for wealth.

The more wealth one acquires, the greater the strategic advantage one gains in accumulating resources.

The situation in Luoyang is a three-way struggle between the eunuchs, He Jin, and the Yuan family, each vying to annex the other two.

For Liu Bei, helping anyone would be a loss.

Whoever wins will take the opportunity to eliminate Liu Bei.

Even if Liu Bei were to enter the fray, he would not be able to defeat either side.

Whether it was the eunuchs, He Jin, or the Yuan family, they had all established their power in Luoyang for many years, and it was not something that Liu Bei, a governor from another region, could easily contend with.

If Liu Bei wanted to avoid losses, he had to act unconventionally.

Since there were too few pieces on the chessboard to win, Liu Bei simply imitated Emperor Jing, the chess master of the Han Dynasty, and used the chessboard to crush all three forces.

As a descendant of Emperor Jing of Han, throwing chessboards at people was a basic skill for her.

After everyone had left, Liu Bei fell into deep thought alone.

"Dong Zhuo and Cao Cao can only provide military support; Gai Xun and others are still too weak in political power; although I have already sent someone to Yu Province to ask Governor Huang Gong for support, the distance is far and he may not be able to arrive in time. If we want to succeed, we also need to get the support of my mentor Lu Gong."

With this in mind, Liu Bei sent someone to deliver a letter to Lu Zhi early the next morning, inviting Lu Zhi to the military camp to reminisce.

The situation in Luoyang was complicated, and even after meeting Lu Zhi, Liu Bei did not intend to leave the military camp.

There were many people in Luoyang who were dissatisfied with Liu Bei.

A few days ago, one of Yuan Shu's lackeys ran to the camp gate to cause trouble. Although Ma Chao broke his leg, Yuan Shu will certainly not let it go.

If Yuan Shu were to ambush and forcibly capture Liu Bei with his elite Tiger Army after he leaves the camp, even Liu Bei's most brilliant schemes would be in vain.

Only when he was in the military camp could Liu Bei be fearless of anyone and cope with any unexpected events.

Although he didn't understand why Liu Bei suddenly invited him to the military camp, Lu Zhi didn't hesitate and drove directly to the gate of Liu Bei's camp.

"It is my fault for causing my esteemed teacher such trouble." Upon seeing Lu Zhi, Liu Bei bowed deeply.

Lu Zhi returned the greeting and said, "Xuande, there's no need for such formalities. What brings you here in person?"

Liu Bei respectfully invited Lu Zhi to sit down, then poured him a bowl of hot water. Instead of answering, he asked, "Previously, I invited my esteemed teacher to Yongzhou to serve as Right Governor, but he declined, preferring to remain in Luoyang to assist the Emperor in stabilizing the people. Is the current situation in Luoyang what my esteemed teacher desires?"

Lu Zhi frowned: "General, the execution of the eunuchs is what the world desires. What do you mean by that, Xuande?"

“Master, you are mistaken,” Liu Bei said solemnly. “Whether eunuchs or ministers, they are merely one part of the court’s official system. The court has its own laws and regulations; those who have merit are rewarded, and those who have committed crimes are punished. Both eunuchs and ministers should follow this principle, rather than abandoning the law simply because the people want the execution of eunuchs.”

"When chaos breaks out in the land and people suffer, the root cause lies in the corruption of the entire official system, not just the eunuchs. Many of the General's relatives, brothers, fellow villagers, and retainers are also corrupt officials and lawbreakers. If we are to talk about what the people want, how can we only punish the eunuchs and not the relatives of the emperor?"

"Speaking of ministers again, the Yuan family boasts that four generations of them held high positions and their protégés and former officials are found throughout the land. However, many of these protégés and former officials are corrupt and lawless. When I went to Runan to assist Governor Huang of Yuzhou, powerful bandits posing as Yuan's protégés not only seized fertile land and enslaved people, but also raised an army to resist us. The Yellow Turbans of Gebei were mostly commoners who could not survive. In this respect, are the crimes of the Yuan family no less serious than those of the eunuchs?"

"During my tenure as Governor of Yongzhou, 90% of the officials under my jurisdiction were corrupt and lawless, and there were countless powerful bandits who amassed wealth and caused havoc. The reason why Han Sui and his rebel army were able to gather tens of thousands of people was also closely related to the corrupt and lawless officials and powerful bandits who amassed wealth and caused havoc."

Lu Zhi remained silent.

Lu Zhi naturally understood what Liu Bei was saying.

However, the more I learn, the more helpless I feel.

Although Lu Zhi was eager to assist the emperor in bringing peace and stability to the people, he had no chance to turn the tide and bring order to the world.

a long time.

Lu Zhi sighed, "Xuande, if you have something to say, just say it directly. There's no need to beat around the bush in front of me."

Lu Zhi also knew Liu Bei quite well.

He was ambitious from a young age, learned about the universe and humanity, understood the changes of the past and present, and often made insightful remarks that made people think deeply.

Over the years, Lu Zhi had often heard scholars vying to extoll statements such as "Lord Lu said," "Lord Lu said by the river," and "Lord Lu instructed his disciples."

Some even collected and compiled these remarks into a book for people to copy, almost to the point of giving it a title like "Lu Zi".

Although the scholars all believed that Lu Zhi was the one who said it, Lu Zhi knew very well that these remarks actually came from Liu Bei.

In terms of intellectual depth alone, Liu Bei could have written books and established his own school of thought long ago.

Seeing that Lu Zhi had seen through his thoughts, Liu Bei stopped beating around the bush and said directly, "My mentor is a man of noble character and the one who has guided me. I really do not want my mentor to be submerged in this worldly torrent, so I ask my mentor to lend me a hand."

Lu Zhi's tone hardened: "What is it?"

Liu Bei continued, "Before I went to Yongzhou, my mentor asked me who His Majesty intended to establish as emperor. I only said that His Majesty intended to establish Prince Xie. In fact, not only that, His Majesty also gave me a secret edict, which stated that if His Majesty were to pass away, we should wait for the opportune moment to eliminate the chief villains, support the successor, and secure the Han dynasty!"

Lu Zhi stood up in shock: "Is this really true? Gai Xun had previously asked me to jointly support Prince Xie, but I didn't know if it was true or not and didn't want to get involved in the struggle for the throne, so I politely declined Gai Xun's offer. Could it be that Xuande's trip to Luoyang this time is not to respond to the General's call to eliminate the eunuchs, but to help Prince Xie seize the throne?"

Liu Bei nodded: "It's not just me and Gai Xun, but also Dong Zhuo, the governor of Bing Province, and Cao Cao, the military commander. I also sent someone to Yu Province to inform Governor Huang Gong. If the journey goes smoothly, Governor Huang Gong is on his way now."

Lu Zhi was even more alarmed and lowered his voice: "Xuande, do you know that your actions will only make the world more chaotic?"

"The Han Dynasty has been gnawed by termites and is already riddled with holes." Liu Bei said solemnly, "Even if I don't do this, the world will still be in chaos. Rather than sitting and waiting for death and missing the opportunity, it is better for me to guide the situation. A serious illness requires strong medicine, and great order also requires great chaos. What Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Guangwu could do, I can also do."

This was the first time Liu Bei revealed his ambitions for the world to Lu Zhi.

Both Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang and Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu lived in a time of great chaos. Both rose from humble beginnings to establish their rule and end the chaos.

Now, Liu Bei is also living in a chaotic world. He rose from humble beginnings to become powerful, and he also has the ambition to establish his rule over the world and end the chaos.

"Xuande actually has such ambitions!" Lu Zhi's expression was complicated.

When Liu Bei revealed his ambitions for the world to Lu Zhi at this time, he was telling Lu Zhi:

For Liu Bei, supporting Liu Bian or supporting Liu Xie made no fundamental difference; both would cause chaos throughout the land.

The two young Liu Bian and Liu Xie were not capable of shouldering the heavy responsibility of quelling the rebellion and governing the country. Only Liu Bei, who emulated the ambitions of Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Guangwu, could shoulder this responsibility. However, Lu Zhi's current ambition was only to assist the emperor in stabilizing the people, and had not yet risen to the level of quelling the rebellion and governing the country. Therefore, it was difficult for him to change his mindset in a short time.

Many people could foresee that the world would descend into chaos, but only Liu Bei clearly knew how chaotic the world would become and how long it would last.

During the chaotic end of the Han Dynasty, more than half of the population perished; during the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties, another large portion died.

While it may appear to possess the spirit of the Jian'an period and the elegance of the Wei and Jin dynasties, it is essentially no different from the chaotic period at the end of the Han dynasty.

The royal garden was filled with singing and dancing, and noblemen's sons traveled around enjoying themselves.

There is only absurdity, no beauty; it can be steamed, stir-fried, or grilled.

Why were the two Han dynasties relatively stable?
One of the most important reasons is that the quelling of the rebellion was quick.

Liu Bang took only seven years, Liu Xiu only twelve years, but the Wei and Jin dynasties, from Cao Pi's usurpation to the Western Jin's conquest of Wu, took sixty years.

Prolonged chaos can destroy any social rules; propriety, righteousness, integrity, and a sense of shame will vanish amidst deceit and treachery.

Even in the upper class, due to a certain oath made by the Luo River and the murder of the emperor in the street, the idea gradually evolved into "the emperor should be whoever has the strongest army and the most powerful horses; is there any inherent right or wrong in the system?"

If those at the top only care about vying for power, it will be even harder for those at the bottom to survive.

What Liu Bei needed to do was to emulate Liu Bang and Liu Xiu in establishing their rule over the world in the shortest possible time.

Compared to later dynasties, the Han dynasty under Liu Han did indeed have the backwardness of a feudal imperial system, which made the prophecy of the golden knife seem more sacred and inviolable. However, if placed in the contemporary era, ending the chaos in the name of Liu Han would make it easier to bring peace to the people.

Seeing that Lu Zhi did not fly away in anger upon hearing this, Liu Bei then said, "Master, there are always things in this world that someone has to do. My merits and demerits will be judged by future generations."

“If I go and do not do it, the struggle for Luoyang will lead to chaos in the world. Neither my mentor nor I will be able to go with the flow and achieve anything.”

"If, many years from now, the world is still in chaos, and I am old and frail, I will regret it. I beg my mentor to help me succeed!"

Liu Bei bowed deeply and kowtowed, touching the ground with his head.

Lu Zhi was moved.

The line, "If many years later, the world is still in chaos, and I am old and frail, I will regret it," particularly moved Lu Zhi.

Time waits for no one, and Lu Zhi is no longer the spirited young man he once was. The saying "at fifty one knows one's destiny" is actually a reflection of the helplessness of not being able to realize one's life ambitions.

To know one's destiny is to accept one's fate.

But who is truly willing to accept their fate?

Lu Zhi was ambitious and aspiring. As early as six years before the Yellow Turban Rebellion, he submitted a memorial outlining eight points: "employing good officials, prohibiting corruption, controlling pestilence, preparing for bandits, cultivating virtue, honoring Yao, governing subordinates, and distributing benefits." He hoped to restore order through top-down reforms.

When He Jin wanted to summon Dong Zhuo to Luoyang, Lu Zhi also advised He Jin to be wary of foreign generals becoming uncontrollable.

However, reality was too cruel. Neither Liu Hong nor He Jin would listen to Lu Zhi. No matter how ambitious they were, it was all just empty talk if they couldn't put their ideas into practice.

a long time.

Lu Zhi's chaotic emotions gradually calmed down.

Looking at Liu Bei, who was kneeling on the ground and refusing to get up, Lu Zhi recalled the saying "Lu Gong said" that was being circulated among scholars, and he also remembered Liu Bei's repeated invitations to go to Yongzhou, and Liu Bei's unreserved declaration of his ambition to rule the world. Such trust and friendship made Lu Zhi's heart soften.

"How can I help Xuande?" Lu Zhi asked softly.
Upon hearing this, Xuande was overjoyed and stood up, saying directly, "All you need to do is for my master to cooperate with Gai Xun and others to appease you gentlemen after I, Dong Zhuo, and Cao Cao start our uprising."

“Alright!” This time, Lu Zhi did not hesitate and agreed to Liu Bei’s request without thinking.

Looking at the spirited Liu Bei, Lu Zhi couldn't help but think of Cai Yong's letter and asked, "Xuande, you are not young anymore. Since you have ambitions for the world, you should choose a virtuous wife and have children to reassure the people."

“I have a friend whose daughter is very virtuous. She was originally in Wu and Kuaiji seeking refuge, but has now returned to Chenliu. If Xuande is interested, I can help him find her.”

Liu Bei's expression turned strange.

friend?

Wu, will he avoid disaster?

Chenliu?

It can't be again...
"Since it was recommended by my esteemed teacher, I should accept it. May I ask which family this woman comes from?" Liu Bei asked tentatively.

Lu Zhi smiled and said, "Xuande, don't worry. I know you have concerns in your heart and you will not arrange a marriage for me. This girl is the daughter of Cai Yong, Cai Boyi, from Chenliu. Her name is Yan. Because she is very filial, she does not want to marry outside the family and leave her friends lonely and helpless. Therefore, she has not been able to find a good match for three years since she came of age."

"My friend is also worried about his daughter's safety and is anxious day and night, so he asked me to write a letter to inquire. As far as I know, since my friend returned to Chenliu, matchmakers have been coming to him in droves. If Xuande is interested, I will send someone to Chenliu. With Xuande's current status and reputation, I am sure no one can compete with Xuande."

She really is Cai Yong's daughter!
Liu Bei couldn't help but feel delighted.

With Huang Wan, the governor of Yu Province, and Lu Zhi, the minister, acting as matchmakers, and Liu Bei becoming the governor of Yong Province before the age of thirty, who could be more heroic than Liu Bei?
He then said, “To be honest, before I left Yuzhou, Governor Huang of Yuzhou also arranged a marriage for me with Cai Gong’s daughter, but I don’t know the outcome yet; now my master is also willing to arrange a marriage for me with Cai Gong’s daughter, this is my good match.”

Lu Zhi exclaimed in surprise, "I didn't expect Huang Wan to beat me to it? It seems that Xuande and his friend's daughter are destined to be together."

Whether it was a predestined fate or not, Liu Bei didn't know; what Liu Bei did know was that with Lu Zhi and Huang Wan acting as matchmakers, there was almost no doubt that Liu Bei would marry Cai Yong's daughter.

Cai Yong was also a renowned scholar, and with this connection, Liu Bei would be able to gain more support in the future.

He was a descendant of Sheng, the Prince of Zhongshan, who was the son of Emperor Jing of Han.

He was a disciple of Lu Zhi, a great Confucian scholar and Minister of State.

The son-in-law of the famous scholar Cai Yong.

The teacher of the grandson of the famous scholar Fazhen.

He was on good terms with Huang Wan, a renowned scholar and governor of Yuzhou.

He was on good terms with the famous general, General Huangfu Song.

He has a reputation for being "unafraid of the powerful and wealthy".

Add to that the prestige of acting on the late emperor's secret edict to eliminate the chief villains and support the successor.

The whole world will know Liu Bei's name, and heroes and virtuous men will vie to attach themselves to him.

After seeing Lu Zhi off, Liu Bei returned to his tent.

Not long after, Xu You stepped forward and reported: "My lord, news has come that after the Grand General entered the palace last night, the Empress Dowager ordered all the eunuchs and palace attendants to leave the palace and return to their hometowns."

“The eunuchs and palace attendants have lived in the palace for a long time and are well-versed in power struggles. How could He Jin’s tricks possibly deceive them?” Liu Bei sneered, “He Jin is courting death.”

(End of this chapter)