Author: Gongsun Wujiu

Liu He straightened his clothes, stood up and strode out of the palace.

"Your Majesty, please get on board!"

Liu He stared at Bingji, then nodded and boarded the imperial carriage from Chang'an.

At this time, the officials and attendants who originally belonged to the Changyi Prince's Palace also boarded the car one after another.

Only a few of these people still maintain a clear understanding like Liu He, but most of them have the mentality of chickens and dogs ascending to heaven.

Liu He glanced at everyone with a wry smile and said: "Life and death are determined by fate..."

Then he ordered someone to bring him a jug of wine.

When Bingji saw this, he wanted to say something, but in the end he just sighed.

After everyone got on the bus, Zongzheng Liu De gave the order to set off.

The wheels were turning, and Liu He, who originally wanted to appear free and easy, couldn't help but lift the curtains and look back at his palace.

He sighed in a low voice: "I don't know if someone can be born back to my family!"

Then he looked at the more than two hundred followers who followed him to Chang'an.

"I wonder how many people can survive!"

Liu He is indeed a smart man, and his guess is very accurate.

Historically, he went to Chang'an and became emperor for only twenty-seven days, and was charged with more than a thousand crimes.

More than 200 people who followed him to Chang'an were all killed, and no one survived.

He himself was demoted to a commoner for a time. Later, the Shangguan clan saw his pity and gave him two thousand households.

After Liu Xun took office, in order to prevent him from threatening his throne, he was given the extremely insulting title of Marquis of Haihun.

He also moved him from Changyi to Jiangxi, which was still a wilderness at that time.

…

Perhaps because he had known his fate for a long time, Liu He relaxed after leaving Changyi.

He ate and drank every day, but except for a few of his cronies occasionally, he didn't see anyone else along the way.

As for the subordinate officials who followed him to Chang'an, except for a few, Liu He ignored them.

It took more than a month for Liu He and his party to finally arrive at Bashang.

Huo Guang ordered Da Honglu to greet him in the suburbs, and the official in charge of carriages and horses also presented the emperor's car.

But what confused everyone was that Huo Guang did not arrange a special charioteer for Liu He.

Liu He had no choice but to let his servant Shoucheng drive the car, and his doctor Gong Sui rode with him.

At dawn the next day, Liu He and his entourage finally arrived at the Dongdu Gate of Guangming. Gong Sui saw that Liu He had no intention of getting out of the car, so he persuaded him: "According to etiquette, when you go to a funeral and see the capital, you have to cry. Your Majesty, this is already

Dongguo Gate of Chang'an."

Liu He had broken the jar and said bluntly: "I have a sore throat, so I can't cry."

When they arrived at the city gate, Gong Sui once again persuaded Liu He to cry. Liu He was silent for a while and said: "This is the way to protect me!"

Gong Sui also fell silent at this time, and he stopped persuading.

It was not until he arrived at the east gate of Weiyang Palace that Gong Sui spoke again:

"The mourning tent of Changyi Kingdom is on the north side of the road outside this gate. Before the hanging tent, there are sidewalks running north and south. It is less than a few steps away from here. The king should get off the car, face west toward the palace gate, crawl on his knees, and cry to his heart's content.

Until you are sad."

At this point, Gong Sui took advantage of people not paying attention and lowered his voice and said to Liu He:

"Your Majesty should be more sad now, so maybe there is room for preservation..."

After thinking about it for a while, Liu He agreed with Gong Sui's statement.

On the first day of June in the first year of Yuanping, Liu He mourned the emperor as required by etiquette.

He then accepted the emperor's seal and ribbon, and succeeded Emperor Xiaozhao to the throne.

The Empress Shangguan of Emperor Zhao of the Han Dynasty (i.e. Empress Dowager Shangguan, granddaughter of Huo Guang) is honored as the Empress Dowager.

Originally, according to the etiquette system, the new emperor had to visit Gaozu Temple when he succeeded to the throne, but Liu He never visited Gaozu Temple.

By now, the ministers had fully understood Huo Guang's plan, and also understood that Liu He was just a tool.

Originally, Liu He still held some illusions deep in his heart, but after several requests to visit Gaozu Temple were rejected, his last illusions were shattered.

Then Liu He completely indulged himself. Except for necessary ceremonies, he just locked himself in the palace, drank and sang.

Tian Yannian saw Liu He's performance and was very satisfied.

Immediately ordered to provide Liu He with enough wine, meat and beauties every day.

…

On this day, Huo Guang visited Zhang Yue again.

"Does Marquis Yunyang think Liu He's recent behavior is worthy of the emperor's position?"

Zhang Yue smiled slightly when he heard this, and just said softly, "If you want to wear a crown, you must bear its weight!"

"The position of emperor is occupied by the virtuous!"

Upon hearing this, Huo Guang thought that Zhang Yue had already agreed to his plan in his heart.

Huo Guang then asked his close confidant, Da Si Farming Yannian, alone.

"I think Liu He's virtue is not enough to be an emperor. How should I behave?"

Tian Yannian heard this and said: "The general is the pillar of the country, the former emperor's entrusted minister, and is responsible for maintaining the Han Dynasty."

"Since the general knows that this person is not good, why doesn't he suggest to the empress dowager that someone else should be chosen as the emperor?"

Huo Guang said: "A certain person is indecisive now. Is there any such example in history?"

Tian Yannian said: "Yi Yin became the prime minister of the Yin Dynasty, exiled Taijia and preserved the royal family. Later generations praised him for his loyalty. If the general can do this, he will be my Yi Yin of the Han Dynasty."

Huo Guang nodded with satisfaction upon hearing this.

At this time, Tian Yannian said again: "If the general wants to do this, he must persuade someone to do it!"

Huo Guang said: "Who is Mr. Tian talking about?"

Tian Yannian said: "Of course it is Yunyang Hou Zhang Yue!"

Huo Guang said: "Marquis Yunyang will support someone..."

Huo Guang then hinted to Tian Yannian to persuade Sangong and Jiuqing.

In order to facilitate Tian Yannian's actions, two days later, Huo Guang issued an edict in the name of the Empress Dowager Shangguan to let Tian Yannian concurrently serve as Shizhong.

After obtaining his new position, Tian Yannian immediately began to act according to Huo Guang's orders.

He first contacted the cavalry general Zhang Anshi secretly.

Zhang Anshi had not received Zhang Yue's instructions at this time, was not sure about Zhang Yue's thoughts, and did not dare to offend Huo Guang and Tian Yannian, so he verbally agreed to Tian Yannian.

Then Tian Yannian persuaded the prime minister, the imperial censor, Ting Wei and others one after another.

Seeing that the plan was proceeding smoothly, although Zhang Yue never publicly supported it, he did not openly oppose it either.

Huo Guang then summoned the prime minister, censor, generals, princes, Zhong Erqianshi, officials and doctors to have a meeting in Weiyang Palace to discuss.

When the meeting was held, Zhang Yue, Liu Yi, Geng Shu, and Zhang Anshi did not attend the meeting.

When Huo Guang saw that the four people had not arrived, he felt a little uneasy in his heart.

But at this time, the arrow was already on the string and had to be fired.

He could only bite the bullet and continue holding meetings.

During the meeting, Huo Guang said to the ministers and Dr. Liehou:

"The king of Changyi behaves foolishly and may endanger the country. How should you deal with it?"

When all the ministers heard this, their expressions changed with astonishment. For a moment, no one dared to speak, but they were just obedient.
Chapter completed!