Chapter 324: Welcoming the Emperor Back to Luoyang, the Naive Liu Xie

The attack on Jinmao this time was not actually on himself, but on a stand-in.

As a conservative person among the conservatives, Jin Mao had no personal guards to protect him, so how could he risk his life to go to Chang'an to welcome Emperor Liu Xie?

Naturally, they sent a substitute who had no connection with the person's appearance.

Even so, they were attacked along the way.

This made Jin Mao angry.

The cause of the incident was an imperial edict from Emperor Liu Xie, saying that Chang'an was in trouble and the people were living in misery, and he wanted to return to the eastern capital Luoyang, and hoped that the general would come to escort them.

In this case, it is not possible not to go, and it is even worse to go, so there is a substitute to take the risk.

This test yielded bitter results.

The edict is real, the ambush is real, and there is no need to talk about the truth of the matter.

For this reason, Jin Mao angrily mobilized 100,000 troops from Jingzhou and Yizhou, preparing to capture Chang'an City in one fell swoop, welcome back Emperor Liu Xie, and kill the traitors.

Jingzhou sent out troops in three routes. Gan Ning led the Huaihe River navy, the main force of the three battalions, and the rest of the combat troops, totaling 20,000 troops, crossed the Yellow River to the west, and attacked from Hedong County.

Sun Ce led an army of 15,000 soldiers, and with the morale of a great victory over Lu Bu, he launched a fierce attack on Hangu Pass.

Jin Mao led his own army, including baggage troops, combat troops, and various special troops, totaling 30,000 troops, ready to provide support at any time.

In Yizhou, Guan Yu led an army of 15,000 from Hanzhong and launched a direct assault.

Zhou Yu led 10,000 troops to mediate, while Zhang Fei led 10,000 troops to the north.

...

People in Chang'an City were in panic.

General Li Jue, Grand Marshal Liu Yan and others wrote letters to the emperor, accusing him of being too reckless and asking how he could not inform his ministers about such a big thing as issuing an edict to the general?
Liu Yan was even more blunt in his memorial: "Your Majesty, the military is a matter of great importance to the state, a matter of life and death, a matter of survival and destruction, and must be carefully considered.

He may be unsafe to deploy troops without consulting the court officials, and he may even cause doubts among the soldiers, which will be disadvantageous to the war situation.

I beg Your Majesty to recall the imperial edict immediately and ask the general to withdraw his troops."

One person took the lead, and Li Jue and other warlords echoed: "Your Majesty, please issue an imperial edict to order the general to withdraw his troops!"

Facing the indignation and questioning of his ministers, Emperor Liu Xie sat on the dragon throne, his brows full of fatigue and helplessness.

He knew very well that since the Yellow Turban Rebellion, there had been constant conflict across the country and the imperial court's majesty was no longer what it once was.

However, there was nothing wrong with returning to Luoyang this time. Food in the palace was already tight, let alone the entire Chang'an city.

Liu Xie was a smart man and a good emperor who cared about the world, but unfortunately he was born at the wrong time.

"Do all the ministers think this way?"

Liu Xie opened his arms and cried, "Is it wrong for me to do this so that the people will not suffer from hunger?"

Liu Yan confronted him and said, "In your Majesty's eyes, only the lowly people are the common people? Are we not the common people?

Chang'an still has the foundation of the old capital, and people still have a sense of stability. Now we are moving east to Luoyang, and bandits are rampant along the way, and the people are living in poverty. In addition, there is a shortage of food and grass. If anything goes wrong, where will our Han Dynasty go? Your Majesty should put the country first and think twice before acting! "

Luoyang is under the rule of the great general, where do the bandits come from?

Liu Yan indirectly accused the general of being a thief!
When Liu Xie heard this, a trace of pain flashed in his eyes. He slowly closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, his eyes had become firm.

"How could I not know what you said? But I have seen the general situation in the world. Chang'an is no longer a place to stay for long. Bandits are everywhere and the people are demoralized.

Luoyang is the land of our ancestors, and the people still have longings for it. I want to take this opportunity of returning east to revive the government, appease the people, and gradually restore order in the Central Plains.

I will share the hardships and dangers with all the people. If my hard work can bring peace to the world, I will die with no regrets!"

At this point, Liu Yan wisely stepped back and gave a wink to General Li Jue.

Li Jue immediately stepped out and asked, "How many people have died of exhaustion with just one sentence from your majesty?"

"Your Majesty, do you really think that the people want to move the capital back to Luoyang?"

"Your Majesty, please open your eyes and take a look. Is there anyone out there who wants to move back to the Eastern Capital?"

Li Jue almost said, "Your Majesty, can you bear this?"

Liu Xie was so angry that his chest heaved. He stared at his ministers with anger and helplessness in his eyes. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his heart, and said slowly: "I am not unaware of the suffering of the people, nor am I stubborn.

However, Luoyang is the foundation of our Han Dynasty. It was a prosperous place in the past. Although it is now ravaged by war, its cultural heritage and political status cannot be easily replaced by Chang'an.
The proposal to move the capital is not for personal gain, but a long-term plan. I want to take this opportunity to revive the government and restore the prosperity of the past, so that the people can live and work in peace and contentment, free from the suffering of war and displacement. "

After saying this, Liu Xie glanced at the ministers, and when he looked at a few old ministers, his tone softened a bit: "I know that you, my dear ministers, have doubts in your hearts, and you are exhausted from years of fighting.

But I firmly believe that as long as the ruler and his subjects are of one mind and the people above and below share the same desire, there will be no difficulties that cannot be overcome. I am willing to work with you to make plans, open up a wide range of talents, and select talents from all walks of life to assist me in governing the country and overcome the difficulties together. "

At this point, he paused, his eyes revealing a firmness: "As for the will of the people, I will also personally issue an edict to open up channels for people to express their opinions, set up a public opinion box, and encourage the people to write letters to express their opinions. Whether they agree to move the capital or have other good ideas, they can all be directly reported to the emperor.

I will humbly accept advice and strive to make comprehensive decisions, so as to live up to the trust of the people."

When this was said, Li Jue was amused: "Your Majesty, have you ever been out of the palace to see those untouchables?"

"Nowadays, we can't call them untouchables, we should call them beasts!"

"People eating each other! If not beasts, what else can they be?"

This incident was also attributed to Li Jue, Guo Si and others. In order to occupy territory, they caused the collapse of social order. There were many people committing crimes in broad daylight, and bones were piled up like piles.

When Liu Xie heard this, two lines of tears slowly slid down from the corners of his eyes. He knew very well that the pain of this chaotic world could not be fully expressed in words.

He looked at the vast sky outside the palace, feeling mixed emotions, deep sympathy for the suffering of the people, and helplessness and anger at the incompetence of the court. "Although I am the emperor, I am unable to immediately save the people from the water and fire. This is really my fault."

"However, my heart is not dead, and my will is still there. I wish to work together with the people of the world, regardless of their status, as the foundation of the country.

Chang'an is in ruins, so let's go to the Eastern Capital Luoyang!"

"I will personally review every memorial, whether it is a criticism of current ills or a suggestion, and I will treat it as a treasure.

I believe that with the assistance of the general, the world will be at peace!"

When these words were spoken, all the civil and military officials in the court were in an uproar.

Liu Yan: "Your Majesty, you said we are incompetent?"

Li Jue: "Your Majesty, you want to kill us?"

Even Yang Biao stood on the side of Liu Yan and Li Jue this time, "Your Majesty, please think twice. The general is cruel. If we move back to the eastern capital Luoyang, I'm afraid we won't live long."

"Yang Qing..." Liu Xie said painfully, "Even you are against me?"

"Mr. Yang, you are all my right-hand men. How can I give up any of you so easily? What you said about the general being cruel may be a misunderstanding. What I said was not out of anger, but out of consideration for the overall situation."

Liu Xie advised, "I know you are worried. Although the general holds power, I also have ways to check and balance it.

I will open up a wide range of talents, regardless of their background. No matter if they are scholars, farmers, merchants or workers, as long as they have both talent and virtue, they can serve as officials in the court and discuss state affairs. The generals must also abide by the law and work together with me, so that the country can be peaceful and the people can live in peace. "

Under Liu Xie's expectant gaze, Yang Biao bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty, please order the general to withdraw his troops."

Liu Yan and Li Jue were overjoyed and echoed, "Your Majesty, please order the general to withdraw his troops!"

"You...you!" Liu Xie pointed at the ministers with trembling hands.

It took Liu Xie a while to calm down, but what he said was not calm at all.

"What if I don't obey?"

"Are you going to follow Dong Zhuo's example and depose and enthrone the emperor?"

Li Jue participated in the whole process of Dong Zhuo's removal and enthronement. At this time, he jumped out happily and said, "If your majesty is losing his mind, I am willing to choose a wise emperor for the world!"

Liu Yan, Yang Biao and others all distanced themselves from this fool Li Jue.

If Jin Mao really welcomed the emperor back to Luoyang, these people would still have room to turn around, but Li Jue would be dead.

"Li Jue, what you said is totally wrong!" Grand Herald Liu Biao, who had been silent for a long time, shouted in a deep voice. He looked around with sharp eyes, trying to stabilize the shaky order of the court.

"Your Majesty is the orthodox Han Dynasty and the common ruler of the world. How can you easily depose him? Dong Zhuo's rebellion in the past has caused great suffering to the people of the world and displaced the people. Do you want to repeat the same mistakes and let this beautiful country fall into disaster again?"

"As subjects, we should put the country first and assist Your Majesty to overcome the difficulties together, instead of fighting for power and profit and disregarding the safety of the country!"

Liu Xie felt relieved when he saw this, but his face still showed an unquestionable majesty: "I have made up my mind and do not want to start a war again. The people have longed for peace, and I do not want to be a sinner for all eternity. If you really care about me and the world, you should withdraw your troops immediately and discuss state affairs together instead of forcing me here."

Li Jue's face changed slightly when he heard this, but he still didn't give up. Just as he was about to say something else, he saw a military officer hurriedly walk in from outside the palace. He looked nervous and knelt down to report, "Your Majesty, urgent news from Hangu Pass!"

As soon as these words came out, the atmosphere in the hall changed. Li Jue and others looked at each other in bewilderment, obviously not expecting Jin Mao to launch an attack so quickly and resolutely.

A barely perceptible hint of joy flashed across Liu Xie's eyes, and then he regained his composure.

"Report!"

"Urgent news from Hedong County!"

Next, urgent reports came one after another.

"You Fufeng reported!"

"Urgent report from Jingzhao Yin!"

Chang'an is located in Jingzhao Yin, so this has really stirred up a hornet's nest.

"Where did you attack Jingzhao Yin?"

Li Jue kicked the messenger and asked, "How many troops?"

Afterwards, regardless of whether he was still in the court or how bad the impact was, Li Jue ran away.

Liu Yan and other powerful warlords did not want to waste time in the court and secretly colluded with all the forces.

It’s really that Jinmao’s deterrent power is too strong.

In the past two years, Jinmao seldom took action, but his subordinates were all brilliant generals who defeated various princes and left them without any ability to fight back.

A person's name, the shadow of a tree.

This time, Jin Mao's personal action is bound to be extraordinary, and these warlords cannot help but take it seriously.

Soon, the only people left in the entire court were some old ministers who held honorary positions but had no real power, while the young ministers were still struggling at the bottom.

"Hehehe!"

Liu Xie suddenly laughed and said, "How ridiculous!"

"You guys always say how bad the general is, but now you tremble at the mere mention of his name."

"Why?"

Liu Xie asked himself and answered: "Isn't it because you have something to hide in your heart? You are afraid of the unparalleled power and afraid that your own shameful secrets will be exposed in broad daylight?

The general may be tough and decisive, but in this chaotic world, if he hadn't turned the tide and protected the Han Dynasty from the turbulent storm, how could we be here today?"

After saying this, Liu Xie glanced at the remaining old ministers in the hall with a sharp gaze. Their faces showed either shock or fear, but more often there was helplessness and compromise.

He continued, "I know you all have your own difficulties, but the general's achievements cannot be erased.

Although he did not often stay in the court, he quelled many rebellions with thundering means and bought precious breathing space for our Han Dynasty.

I hope that you can put aside your prejudices and work together for national affairs, rather than just talking about right and wrong here and causing trouble."

An old minister heard this and stood up tremblingly, clasping his hands and saying: "Your Majesty is right. Although we are old and frail, we are still willing to serve Your Majesty and the Han Dynasty with our lives.

However, although the general's actions are effective, there must be checks and balances to prevent his power from being too great and endangering the country."

Liu Xie nodded slightly and said, "What you said makes sense, I will weigh the pros and cons and make appropriate arrangements.

But right now, I need you all to work together to overcome this difficult time. I have my own plans for the general's affairs, so you don't need to worry too much."

"Alas!" Yang Biao sighed, "Your Majesty, you are too impatient."

Yang Biao shook his head slowly, his eyes full of worry about the current situation and deep concern for the emperor. "Your Majesty, I am not questioning the general's ability, nor am I afraid of his power. It's just that since ancient times, if the tree of power is not trimmed, it will grow side branches and eventually cover the sky and block the sun, making it difficult to tell the direction.

What I am worried about is the power of the general. If there is a lack of effective supervision and checks and balances, unexpected changes may occur, affecting the people and shaking the foundation of the country. "

"Although I am already old, my heart is with my country and I dare not slack off. I hope Your Majesty can open up a wide range of talents, not sticking to one pattern, and select talented people to be distributed inside and outside the court. They can not only share Your Majesty's worries, but also supervise each other to ensure that the government is clear and the country is long-term and stable."

"Furthermore, Your Majesty can set up a special agency to monitor all officials, especially those who hold important military positions, so that their behavior is within the law and no one goes beyond the law. In this way, Your Majesty can rest assured and govern the country."

"I know very well that this is not an easy task. Your Majesty needs to be tolerant and have the wisdom to make decisions in order to be effective. However, for the sake of the Han Dynasty and the people, I am willing to die. I hope Your Majesty will think twice before acting."

After saying this, Yang Biao bowed again. His words were earnest and his emotions were sincere. There was silence in the hall for a moment. All the ministers were moved by his loyalty and foresight, and they all nodded in agreement.

Seeing this, Liu Xie was filled with emotion. He was well aware of the good intentions of this old minister, and he was even more aware of the burden on his shoulders.

So he said solemnly: "I have kept your words in mind. I will open up more paths for talents, strengthen supervision, and ensure a clean government and a peaceful country. My dear ministers, work together with me to build the glory of the Han Dynasty!"

While we are still enjoying a bright future here, the war is in full swing on the other side.

(End of this chapter)