Liu Bian at the start, so you're called Dong Zhuo, right?

When Yuan Ji came, he brought two things with him.

It was a gift, packaged in a mahogany box. It wasn't heavy; it was a set of the Four Treasures of the Study, including a brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, all of top quality. The inkstone was a She inkstone, and the brush was a Huzhou brush. It was wrapped very carefully, showing that it was prepared with care and was not something given away casually.

The other item was a roll of paper covered in writing, placed next to the box, unsealed and left open, as if deliberately meant to be opened and read at any time.

Wang Ming placed the two items on the table and said in a low voice:

"Attendant Yuan is waiting outside. He said there's no need to announce His Highness; if it's convenient for Your Highness, he can sit for a moment and then leave."

Liu Bian glanced at the mahogany box, then at the roll of paper, but didn't speak immediately.

Xun Yu sat beside him, holding a teacup, glanced at the two items, and then put the teacup down.

"Your Highness, please let him in."

Liu Bian nodded and said to Wang Ming, "Please invite Attendant Yuan in."

When Yuan Ji entered, he was more composed than Liu Bian had expected.

He was Yuan Shao's elder brother, a few years older than Yuan Shao. He was more composed in appearance, and his eyes lacked the deep-seated sharpness of Yuan Shao, but had more of the roundness that only the eldest son of a powerful family possessed.

It's not soft; it's a polished sheen, the luster that comes from having seen too many scenes.

He bowed and looked up at Liu Bian:

"Your Highness, the Yuan family has been quite impolite in recent times. I have come today for two reasons: first, to apologize, and second—" He paused, looking at the scroll on the table, "I have some humble opinions that I would like Your Highness to review."

Liu Bian gestured for him to sit down, then picked up the roll of paper, unfolded it, and began to read it from the beginning.

The scroll contained several suggested revisions to the regulations of the Inspection Bureau. The handwriting was neat, the entries were clear, and each change was accompanied by its source.

It cites the ritual system of which year, the commentary of which great Confucian scholar, and changes the wording to make it nominally closer to the "Emperor's System" rather than "privately established by the Crown Prince."

The changes were few, only seven in total, but each of them was precisely placed in a position that would make one vulnerable to impeachment.

Liu Bian read the scroll from beginning to end, put it down, and did not speak immediately. He simply looked down at the table and remained silent for a moment.

Xun Yu picked up his teacup, glanced at the last page of the scroll, and then put it down.

Yuan Ji didn't urge him, but simply picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"Minister Yuan's revisions show that he has thought things through very carefully."

Yuan Ji cupped his hands in greeting: "Your Highness is too kind; these are merely some humble opinions."

"It's not insignificant," Xun Yu said. "Of these seven locations, there are four I hadn't considered."

Liu Bian nodded, agreeing with Xun Yu's words.

He picked up the roll of paper again, placed it firmly on his right, raised his eyes, and looked directly at Yuan Ji:

"The gift and the advice have been accepted. The Crown Prince will remember this kindness from Attendant Yuan today."

Yuan Ji stood up, bowed, said nothing, and turned to leave.

He stopped at the door, as if suddenly remembering something. Without turning around, he simply said:

"Your Highness, the Yuan family has always followed the rules. With the rules in place, everyone can communicate more easily."

-

After everyone left, Chengde Hall became quiet again.

Xun Yu picked up his teacup, took a sip, put it down, and slowly said:

Yuan Shao neither stopped them nor followed them.

Liu Bian looked at the rolled-up paper again, folded it, and placed it on the corner of the table:

"I can tell."

"Yuan Shao didn't stop him because he knew it was a step he couldn't stop, nor was it worth stopping," Xun Yu said. "He didn't come because he didn't want people to think the Yuan family had truly softened their stance."

He paused:

"The Yuan family has two people, two paths. Yuan Ji offers face, Yuan Shao wields the knife. The Yuan family's rule is to have both face and knife in hand simultaneously."

He looked at Xun Yu and asked:

"Sir, what do you think I should do in this situation?"

"I accepted it," Xun Yu said, "not too warmly, not actively approaching, but not pushing it away either."

"To make the Yuan family feel that the Crown Prince has given them face, but the Crown Prince owes them nothing."

Liu Bian nodded, tapping his finger lightly on the edge of the table:

"I have a lot to do, it's not worth wasting time here with the Yuan family."

After he finished speaking, he looked outside the hall and murmured:

"The Yuan family's roots are those of a prominent family, not just their own. This matter cannot be resolved by simply recruiting a few people in Luoyang."

Xun Yu did not respond to that, but simply held his teacup, looked down at the water, and remained silent.

Some things are better left unsaid when both people know them.

-

Three days later, an urgent report was sent to Beijing.

Bian Zhang and Han Sui gathered a crowd and started an uprising, capturing several counties in succession, which shocked the Western Liang region.

When Emperor Ling of Han heard the urgent report in the palace, his face turned ashen, and he slammed the memorial onto the table.

"What is the governor of Liangzhou doing? The siege of Beidi Commandery hasn't been lifted yet!"

The hall was completely silent.

Zhang Rang, standing to the side, hunched over and whispered:

"Your Majesty, General He has submitted a memorial requesting permission to send troops."

Emperor Ling of Han remained silent for a long time before speaking:

"We'll discuss this matter again tomorrow."

-

About an hour later, hurried footsteps were heard outside Chengde Hall.

Zhou Wen practically ran in, clutching a roll of something in his hand. He bowed to Liu Bian as he entered and then handed the roll over with both hands.

"Your Highness, an urgent report from Liangzhou arrived just as we entered Zhangde Hall. Attendant Guo made a copy and had it delivered."

The ink on the cover was not yet dry, and the inscription read: "Urgent delivery by the Prefectural Governor of Liangzhou."

Liu Bian didn't let anyone read it aloud; he opened it himself.

His gaze darkened as soon as he saw the first line.

"In Jincheng, Longxi and other prefectures, the Qiang and Hu peoples and the border peoples have formed alliances, gathering tens of thousands of people."

"Bian Zhang, Han Sui, and others incited the prefectures and counties to plunder granaries and besiege county seats."

"The government troops suffered repeated defeats, their food supplies were running out, and all the prefectures were in dire need of help."

Further down, there was an even more jarring sentence:

"We urge the court to dispatch a renowned general with imperial authority to oversee the campaign immediately."

Liu Bian placed the urgent report on the table, his fingertips lingering on the names "Bian Zhang" and "Han Sui".

Seeing that his expression was not right, Xun Yu picked up the urgent report on the table and began to read it.

Before long, his brows began to furrow.

"Bian Zhang, Han Sui." Xun Yu repeated these two names to himself.

"They're not refugees, not remnants of bandits; they're organized, with powerful backers."

Liu Bian looked at Zhou Wen and asked:

"Has a result been reached at Zhangde Hall?"

Zhou Wen shook his head:

"Never."

"General He submitted a memorial requesting permission to lead troops, but His Majesty refused."

Liu Bian nodded slightly. He Jin was the defender of the capital, and Emperor Ling of Han could not possibly send him to the frontier battlefield.

He placed his hand on the edge of the table, tapped his knuckles lightly once, twice, before speaking:

"Wang Ming."

Wang Ming bowed and stepped forward.

"Go and fetch the latest accounts and inventory from the three locations of the Tian Shang Guild in Liangzhou, and prepare them tonight."

Wang Ming nodded, accepted the order, and withdrew.

Liu Bian looked up at Xun Yu, his voice steady:

"Sir, with the rebellion breaking out in Liangzhou, the capital cannot suppress it with just one breath."

"The rules of the Inspectorate—must be established as soon as possible."

Xun Yu nodded:

"If Liangzhou falls into chaos, people in the capital will take advantage of the situation."

Liu Bian picked up the scroll containing Yuan's second opinion again and weighed it lightly in his hand:

"Then let them bring up the outer skin first."

He raised his hand and instructed Zhou Wen on the second thing to do immediately upon returning to the palace:

"The 'Regulations of the Inspection Office' were revised into 'Rites and Decrees' according to Yuan's suggestion, and the old precedents of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices were added."

"And also," he paused, looking at Xun Yu, "Sir, regarding the grain route, whether it's passable, and how long it will take, let's figure that out tonight."

Xun Yu nodded, sat down beside him, and picked up his pen.

Liu Bian walked to the window and looked outside:

"gentlemen."

Xun Yu looked up.

Liu Bian stood by the window, his expression obscured, but his voice was softer than before:

"This time, it's not about fighting for territory."

"It's a lifesaver."