Imperial power is a very mysterious thing.

It is a kind of people's hearts condensed based on the system. If it is effective, it can cause a bloody storm at any time. If it is ineffective, it will be the same thing. Moreover, the transformation process is extremely subtle and rapid.

Just a few months ago, when the emperor's illness was not obvious, although everyone in the world wanted to let the emperor go away, the truly smart people still knew that Wang Fen's move to abolish the throne was absolutely nonsense, and the probability of success was extremely low!

But soon, as the emperor's condition became apparent, even though he was not dead, people's hearts were immediately shaken. And as the general challenged the emperor, or succeeded in seizing power, everyone immediately began to oppose Beigong.

The Emperor, who was still alive and awake, had no feeling. Instead, everyone felt relieved, and many people even started gearing up...

However, when one hundred thousand Liangzhou rebels poured out from the corner of Liangzhou and tried to seize the western capital Chang'an, everything became subtle again... The cowardly people were afraid of the Liangzhou rebels, and the loyal people were afraid of Chang'an.

Worry about the consequences of the fall actually gave new political vitality to the emperor on his hospital bed.

An orthodox emperor who has been in power for more than 20 years can make any political decision under the banner of protecting Sili, and no one can refuse it!

Because that's Chang'an, that's Guanzhong, that's the lifeblood of the Han Dynasty!

Chang'an is six hundred miles away from Luoyang, and Tongguan is four hundred miles away from Luoyang.

But in fact, this number cannot accurately describe the real distance between the two, because the Guanzhong Plain, that is, the Weihe Plain, is one and the same. From a military point of view, once the rebels occupy Guanzhong, then from Tongguan to Luoyang

The distance of only four hundred miles seems meaningless. Because the rebels will then hold the strong pass and occupy a strategically important place, but Luoyang will be undefeated.

Therefore, no one can bear this political responsibility except the orthodox emperor who is about to die, and there is no way he can advance... He has lived a pampered life for many years without killing a pig. It is said that he has gradually gained weight. How can he have the strength?

Correspondingly, the strategy Zhang Rang presented to Jian Shuo was a hit to the point.

The first person to leave was Gai Xun. He was appointed as Jing Zhaoyin, the governor of the county where Chang'an was located, and went to the west to defend against the rebels.

There was no way, Zhang Rang and a group of other old chamberlains were sober. They knew in their hearts that the emperor was in failing health after all, and this was not the time to show his face to attract hatred, so they encouraged the young Jian Shuo to protect Liu Xie, the second son of the emperor.

as an excuse to actually come forward and do this.

For Jian Shuo himself, Gai Xun was the most direct political opponent emotionally, because this Liangzhou native was competing with him for the emperor's favor.

When Gai Xun received the order, it was like a bolt from the blue... It was not that he was afraid of the Liangzhou rebels, nor was he unwilling to stop them. In fact, he knew the Liangzhou rebels thoroughly and was willing to serve them. But the time was too long.

Sensitive, what really made it difficult for him, a loyal man from Liangzhou, to accept was that at the last moment, the emperor chose the eunuch Jian Shuo as the protector of his affairs, instead of Gai Yuangu.

Just imagine, without the Emperor's nod, how could the Chancellor of the Secretariat draft the edict in accordance with the procedures honestly?

Gai Xun did not accept the order, nor did he refuse it on the spot. He just tried to go to the West Garden to meet the emperor, but he was unable to enter. Instead, the Xiaohuangmen who delivered the order followed him to the front of the West Garden and asked him to come to him quickly.

The imperial edict...and Gai Yuangu was not Gongsun Xun after all, so just like Yang Qiu who kept kowtowing in front of the palace many years ago, he had to accept the imperial edict in the end!

In this way, the military affairs were urgent. On the day that the new Jingzhao Yin Gaixun took over the imperial edict in despair, he hurried to Chang'an. Before leaving, he didn't say a word, just looked up to the sky and sighed, then rode away. This made the Prime Minister hear the news.

The person who gave it away felt desolate.

Everyone knows that the eunuchs used the political correctness of resisting the Xiliang rebels to re-activate the sharp edge of imperial power. They tried their best and achieved great success!

The next target is not Gongsun Xun and Yuan Shao, but the general He Jin. The reason is very simple. Gongsun Xun and Yuan Shao are now able to have the confidence to challenge the emperor openly or covertly here.

After all, they still had the signboard of the general to protect them from wind and rain. The existence of the general transferred part of the legitimacy of the imperial power of the Han Dynasty outside the Beigong.

After the emperor listened carefully to Jian Shuo's explanation of his plan on the sickbed, he made his choice almost immediately... because he was really worried about his youngest son Liu Xie!

Liu Xie is less than ten years old this year. He is smart and cute, and has a good relationship with his elder brother Liu Bian. There is no need to worry about fratricide. However, as a bedmate, the emperor is very aware of the fate of his queen, the emperor's eldest son Liu Bian.

Mother, what kind of person is General He’s sister, Queen He! If no arrangements can be made, Liu Xie will most likely be killed by Queen He, just like she easily killed Liu Xie’s biological mother, Beauty Wang.

.

Previously, Dong Zhong, the nephew of Empress Dowager Dong who raised Liu Xie, was appointed as the General of the Hussars, and Jian Shuo was asked to form the Eighth School Lieutenant of Xiyuan. Of course, it was to restrain the General He Jin, but why should he be restrained? It was not to enable Liu Xie to be suppressed.

Is the agreement safe?

When a person is about to die, or in other words, when such a selfish person is about to die, the only thing he can worry about is his two sons.

Abolition of the elder and the establishment of a younger child may be just an impulse and some backup plan, while having two sons is the fundamental wish.

Based on this mentality, the emperor thought for a while and summoned Huangmen Shilang, and then issued an edict in public, asking the general to lead troops to Guanzhong to resist the Xiliang rebels.

The emperor's holy will was bright and aboveboard, and irrefutable, and the edict was transferred to the Shangshutai through Huangmenjian without delay. After review, the edict was formally drafted by Shangshutai, and then Huangmenjian took over and prepared to formally hold the edict early the next morning.

Communicate to the general.

In fact, the decree had not yet been formally drawn up. He Jin, who had already taken control of the Chancery, learned the news and was at a loss what to do...because he could not refuse the decree!

As a general who commands all the troops in the world, how could he refuse the order to defend Chang'an?

If he really does that, I am afraid that half of his legitimacy as a general will be lost immediately. But in such a situation in Luozhong, who knows how long the emperor can last. If he leaves now, wouldn't he give up everything he had before to Jian Shuo?

"What can I do?"

In panic, General He summoned his wise and resourceful men in the tent overnight to discuss the matter.

At this time, He Jin had too many wise and resourceful people under his command. Some of the most famous ones include the following:

Chang Shi Wang Qian (Second and Third Duke); Chief Registrar Chen Lin; Sima Xu Liang (initiator of the military parade); Engaged in the Middle Lang Wang Yun; Ling Li Bian Rang (Yang Jun's division); General's Mansion - Kuai Yue, Wang Kuang,

Wu Kuang, Wu Fu.

In addition, there are a large number of people who were transferred from He Jin's mansion to various places in Luozhong, and who were directly promoted by him:

For example, Huben Zhonglang general Kong Rong; Yulin Zhonglang general Huandian (former Congma Yushi); Northern Army Zhonghou Liu Biao and Bao Xin; admonishment official Zhong Shao; Yulin Zhongcheng Dong Fu (talking to Liu Yan about Yizhou)

The one with the emperor's temperament)...

And when the military parade is over and most of the soldiers and horses from various places and the Forbidden Army in Xiyuan officially join the general, Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, Liu Bei, Zhang Yang, Zhang Liao, etc. will be added to this list.

In addition, Gongsun Xun's younger brother Gongsun Yue, Liu Yan's eldest son Liu Fan, and Dong Zhuo's younger brother Dong Min are also included in this list. They represent a very important part of He Jin's power structure.

As for those who are placed everywhere and cannot be easily released from duty, there are even more. There are countless guards at Luoyang Eight Passes, ministers at the Shangshutai, and pastoral guards from other places.

Of course, with so many people, it is impossible for all of them to have a face-to-face meeting with He Jin. He Jin's core decision-makers can only be his direct subordinates to the General's Office, as well as those outstanding party members who have been placed by him in various places in Luozhong.

, As for the newly arrived Xiyuan Forbidden Army and local armed forces, except for one Yuan Benchu, the rest from Cao Cao down could only move a small bench and sit in the outer hall, waiting to hear the decisions inside!

That's right, Cao Mengde was squeezed out!

But who made his status embarrassing? His relatives and scholars are sharpening their knives to deal with eunuchs. Although you, Cao Mengde, handed in a surrender letter as soon as you debuted, it is a matter of life and death. Who can trust you?

Maybe Yuan Benchu ​​can trust you with his small letters, maybe Gongsun Xun, a comrade in arms, can trust you, but what about the others? Where is the general?

So Cao Mengde could only sit awkwardly in the outer hall as a captain of the Two Thousand Stone Imperial Army, drinking with a group of Thousand Stone Military Attache, while preparing to express his opinions on the decision-making of the people in the front row of the inner hall... As the saying goes, laugh when you hear it, get angry when you hear it, and be angry after hearing it.

I am happy and sigh when I hear it, but I cannot directly participate in it.

Like him, there are Liu Bei, Zhang Yang, Zhang Liao and others, as well as lower-level military officials in the general's palace, such as Wang Kuang, Wu Kuang, Wu Fu, and even followers brought by Yuan Shao and others, such as Wu Chen and others

generation.

Of course, compared to Cao Cao, this group of people couldn't even laugh after hearing it. They didn't have the qualifications to laugh at the people inside.

It was a dark night in Luoyang. There were too many people gathered in the general's palace, and there would be more in the future. Among these people, there were dragons, tigers, snakes and insects. Some were loyal and wanted to support the Han Dynasty, and some were wolf-hearted and bent on personal agendas.

Regarding the future, some people collude with each other and have great ambitions, while some people keep silent and live alone...but there are only a few who are truly loyal to General He Jin!

"What can I do?" He Jin, who was a bit potbellied, asked earnestly again under the flame of the red honey candle, a specialty of Liaodong.

Everyone remained silent.

"General, you must not leave Luoyang at this time!" It was Yuan Shao and Yuan Benchu ​​who spoke. In other words, everyone was silent before because they were waiting for the Fourth Third Duke, the leader of the Luozhong clan and the leader of the party to speak. "

If you are in Chang'an and there is a change in Luoyang behind you, how can you cope with it? If there is a change in the Beigong, Zhang Rang controls the Beigong, Zhao Zhong controls the Nangong, and Jian Shuo controls the West Garden, then everyone here will die instantly.

It may not be known!”

He Jin touched his stomach with one hand and sighed: "At first, why didn't I know this truth? But as a general, if I can't be ordered to guard the Chang'an Mausoleum, I'm afraid I will be ridiculed by the world. What will I do in the future?

To assist the emperor? Moreover, let's make a digression. Now the rebels are one hundred thousand strong, and they may reach the Guanzhong Plain in a short while... The rebels came from Liangzhou, mostly cavalry with spears, and arrived at the plain.

If we can't stop it, if we really capture Chang'an, and if we come to Luoyang again, won't you and I be dead in the same way?"

"Then the general might as well send troops in response to the imperial edict." Chen Lin, the chief secretary who had been silent until now, suddenly said stiffly. "Go to Chang'an and let others handle Luoyang!"

However, as Wang Qian, the leader, looked back at him, Chen Lin and Chen Kongzhang immediately laughed and apologized: "No, I was confused... As the general said, the situation at hand is indeed difficult to handle, and the edict will not be accepted."

It is unpopular, but the Western Expedition is absolutely impossible."

"Then there is only one way." Bian Rang suddenly intervened. "Failure to follow the imperial edict will delay time."

"But if that's the case." Liu Fan frowned and asked, "What should we do in Guanzhong? Guanzhong must not lose anything... If we just delay time, but we don't respond to Guanzhong, what will the people in the world think?"

"

"You can send a general to go out on the expedition on behalf of the general!" Yuan Shao suddenly suggested. "Find a senior general with sufficient rank to go out of Kansai with integrity, be the leader of the generals, and carry out the affairs of Kansai for the general.

!”

Everyone was silent for a moment.

"General, everyone." At this moment, a person in the corner stood up carefully and came to the hall to bow down. It was Dong Min, Dong Zhuo's brother. "My brother has been with Zhang Chaoqi since he returned to the west.

, has been sitting in Fufeng with 20,000 troops to fight against Xiliang. If he can be made commander, it can be regarded as knowing yourself and the enemy... He has said long ago that if the rebels attack, he is willing to share the worries of the general. "

"Does Dong Zhongying have this intention?" Yuan Shao asked with a smile without saying anything. Dong Zhuo once served as his uncle's servant, so it was not rude.

"Exactly." Dong Min said cautiously.

"Dong Zhongying has been in Xiliang for a long time and can be called a veteran general." Bian Rang frowned and interrupted. "But how can his 20,000 soldiers resist the 100,000 Xiliang rebels?"

"Yes, we still need to increase our troops..."
To be continued...