Chapter 367 I'm not ready yet, and you want to put the yellow robe on me?
The news that Liu Xie wanted to abdicate could not be concealed at all.

Originally, it was only spread in a small circle among the top leaders, but somehow, the middle and lower levels also knew about it, and even the common people didn't talk about it.

When Jin Mao returned to Wancheng, he overheard a nursery rhyme saying that things were going to change.

As you can imagine, this matter has become known to everyone.

It is obvious whether there are people pushing the issue.

This incident had a huge impact, and the ministers had been looking forward to this day, but there were a few unexpected factors that needed to be dealt with.

In Wancheng, Jingzhou, the Xun family built a new mansion.

As the head of the Xun family, Xun Yu did not want this kind of reward, so Jin Mao gave this mansion to Xun You, so it can also be called Xun You's home.

this day.

Xun You secretly returned to Wancheng. He was not the only one. Xi Zhicai, Zhou Yu, Gu Yong, Yu Fan and other leaders all returned to Wancheng as if by appointment. They were going to prepare for Jin Mao's ascension to the throne.

The first thing to do is to convince Xun Yu, the leader of the gang.

Even though Xun Yu lost his official position and devoted himself to writing books, his words still expressed his dissatisfaction with Jin Mao's usurpation of power.

At this critical juncture, no one wants such an unexpected factor to exist.

If Xun Yu were to make a mess on the day he ascends the throne, I'm afraid this group of smart people would all be laughed at for a thousand years.

Carrying a heavy mission, Xun You looked heavy-hearted. In terms of seniority, Xun Yu was his uncle; in terms of status, Xun You was many times higher than Xun Yu; but when facing Xun Yu again, Xun You seemed to be back to the scene when the two of them debated scriptures.

When it comes to debating, Xun You has never won once!
What needs to be faced must be faced. After Xun You met Xun Yu, they exchanged greetings before speaking, "Uncle, a big event is about to happen. I hope you can show some leniency."

Xun Yu sat down on the ground with a feeling of loss, tears rolling down his cheeks, and cried, "Has the Han Dynasty finally come to this point?"

Xun You sighed and said, "My lord does not have this intention, but all the ministers do."

Xun Yu had guessed this a long time ago, but hearing it with one's own ears is different from guessing it. He thought that even if Jin Mao wanted to ascend the throne, he would have to wait for ten or eight years.

By that time, the world will be at peace, there will be a successor, and then I can find an opportunity to ascend the throne. It will be much better than the current situation.

Xun You felt mixed emotions when he saw this. He slowly squatted down and looked at Xun Yu level, his tone full of helplessness and earnestness: "Uncle, you know very well that the situation is difficult and the lord has no choice. The world has been in turmoil for a long time, and the people are eager for stability. The lord is known for his benevolence. If you can unify the world, you may be able to create a new prosperous era. But this process will inevitably be accompanied by sacrifices and choices."

"Why must the foundation of the Han Dynasty be sacrificed?" Xun Yu's voice trembled, his eyes full of reluctance and grief. "I, Xun Yu, have sworn to be loyal to the Han Dynasty all my life, but now I have to witness its demise with my own eyes. How can I cope with this?"

Xun You gently stroked Xun Yu's back, trying to comfort him: "Uncle, the wheel of history rolls forward, and it cannot be stopped by one person. Although the lord intends to replace him, he also promised to inherit the will of the Han Dynasty, govern the country with benevolence, and save the people from the suffering of war. Perhaps this is not a kind of continuation, a new hope found in troubled times."

Xun Yu was silent for a long time after hearing this. He closed his eyes, as if he was struggling fiercely in his heart. Finally, he slowly opened his eyes, with a look of determination in his eyes: "Forget it, although I, Xun Yu, cannot witness the revival of the Han Dynasty with my own eyes, if I can exchange this for peace in the world, I will have no regrets. But, Gongda, you must remember that no matter how the world changes, the descendants of our Xun family should be loyal and filial, and must not forget their roots."

Xun You's eyes slightly reddened when he heard this, and he nodded heavily: "Uncle, rest assured, Gongda will remember it in his heart and live up to the family's expectations."

The two looked at each other in silence, and the air was filled with an indescribable heaviness and solemnity. Xun Yu stood up, straightened his clothes, and seemed to have made some kind of decision. He looked into the distance and asked in a firm and powerful voice: "When will you ascend the throne?"

Xun You was stunned for a moment. He did not expect the topic to change so quickly. He replied, "It is still unknown. The lord has not agreed to this matter."

Xun Yu sighed softly, his eyes showing both relief and worry, and he said slowly: "Gongda, you and I know very well that the general trend of the world is that after a long period of division, there will be unification. My lord is a man of great talent and strategy, and it is not something that can be easily found. It is only a matter of time before you ascend the throne and become emperor in accordance with the will of heaven. What I am worried about is not the change of power, but whether we can preserve the legacy of the Han Dynasty in this process and prevent the doctrines of loyalty, filial piety, benevolence and righteousness from being annihilated in the dust of troubled times."

He turned around, looked deeply at Xun You, and continued, "As descendants of the Xun family, you and I should not only assist the wise monarch, but also set an example and inherit the family's teachings. The road ahead may be full of thorns, but as long as we have light in our hearts, we can illuminate the way forward. You need to act more cautiously, assisting the lord in achieving hegemony, and remind yourself at all times not to forget your original intention and not to lose your original heart."

Xun You felt a warm current in his heart when he heard this. He knew his uncle's good intentions and felt the heavy responsibility on his shoulders. He replied solemnly: "I will remember my uncle's teachings in my heart. No matter how bumpy the road ahead is, I will take the honor of my family as my own responsibility and live up to the expectations of my uncle and ancestors. As for the matter of my lord's enthronement, I will pay close attention and make suggestions at the right time, striving to protect the persistence and faith in our hearts amid the changes."

"It's just..." Xun You hesitated to speak.

Xun Yu was such a smart man that he immediately realized that the next words would definitely be disadvantageous to him, but since he had agreed to it, there was no need to hesitate.

"Go ahead." Xun Yu took a deep breath and said, "What do you want from me?"

Xun You nodded slightly, a trace of worry flashed in his eyes, and he slowly said: "Recently, the court has been changing. The lord is about to ascend the throne, and various forces are ready to move, and undercurrents are surging. Some old ministers, especially those who claim to be loyal to the Han Dynasty, have complaints about the lord's intentions. They discuss privately, worrying that after the lord ascends the throne, he will implement harsh policies and deviate from the wishes of the late emperor. What's worse, they are plotting to contact relatives and frontier generals to obstruct this matter. They know that you, Xun Wenruo, have always been known for your loyalty and are deeply trusted by the lord, so they all place their hopes on you, hoping that you can come forward to persuade the lord at the critical moment to protect the orthodoxy of the Han Dynasty and maintain the stability of the court."

Xun Yu frowned upon hearing this, feeling mixed emotions. He knew that as a Han official, he had an unshirkable responsibility to the Han Dynasty, but he also understood his lord's great talent and determination to unify the country. The balance between the two was wavering in his heart.

"Uncle," Xun You called softly upon seeing this, "You need to know that the lord is not an ordinary person. He has ambitions for the world, and ascending the throne is just a move in accordance with the will of heaven and the people's hearts. As ministers, we should put the overall situation first and assist the lord to achieve great things, so as not to let down what we have learned in this life. As for the worries of those old ministers, we can take it slowly and convince them with reason, so that they can see that the lord is not a tyrannical and unjust person, but a wise monarch who can lead the world to peace." Xun Yu pondered for a moment, nodded slowly, and a firm look flashed in his eyes: "Gongda's words make sense. Although I, Xun Yu, am a Han minister, I know that the way to be loyal to the emperor and love the country lies in assisting the wise monarch and stabilizing the world. I will handle this matter properly, neither letting down the lord's trust nor violating the morality in my heart. Don't worry, I know my limits."

After saying that, Xun Yu stood up and looked at the vast sky outside the window. He had already made up his mind. He knew that the road ahead would be even more difficult, but he was ready to meet every challenge with wisdom and courage and protect everything he cherished.

Xun You sighed and said, "It's not enough."

"Huh?" Xun Yu opened his eyes wide and shouted angrily, "What do you mean? Do you want me to commit suicide to apologize?"

Xun You waved his hands and said solemnly, "Uncle, you misunderstood. That's not what I meant. I meant that although we can assist you wholeheartedly, in troubled times, the situation changes rapidly. It may be difficult to stabilize the overall situation with wisdom and loyalty alone. Although the lord is wise, we also need to open up the way for talents and gather heroes from all over the world, so that we can work together for the great cause and truly realize the ambition of stabilizing the world."

"Furthermore, my brother needs to be more cautious and consider the impact of his words and actions. There are undercurrents in the court and the princes outside are eyeing us covetously. If we are not careful, we may fall into an irretrievable situation. We should not only give advice to our lord, but also protect him from unnecessary storms so that he can focus more on the great plan of the world."

Xun Yu frowned when he heard this. After thinking for a moment, he nodded slowly: "You are right. I was negligent. Indeed, it is difficult to shake the foundation of this chaotic world with one's own strength. We should open up a wide range of talents and let all knowledgeable people serve us. At the same time, I also need to be more cautious and make sure that every step is taken steadily and not give the enemy any opportunity to take advantage."

"As for the affairs of the court, I will observe secretly, look for hidden dangers that may threaten the lord's position, and try to resolve them one by one. In addition, I will strengthen communication with other important officials, win their support, and jointly create a more stable rear for the lord."

Xun You felt relieved when he saw that Xun Yu had made up his mind. He frowned and said, "Since my uncle has made such a decision, I will naturally support him with all my strength. We two brothers will surely work together to contribute our strength to our lord and the Han Dynasty."

Xun Yu could see Xun You's dilemma, and Xun You didn't say anything too harsh.

But just because Xun You didn't say it doesn't mean that Xun Yu doesn't have to express his opinion.

"Alas." Xun Yu sighed, "I know Gongda's difficulties very well."

"Aren't they just worried that I'd cause trouble?"

Xun Yu raised his voice and shouted, "Is it not enough for me to swear?"

"Gongda, you and I both know that the world is in turmoil and people's hearts are unpredictable. It is understandable that they may have doubts. But you and I are descendants of the Xun family, and we are important officials under the command of the lord. We shoulder not only the honor of the family, but also the heavy responsibility of reviving the Han Dynasty and stabilizing the world. I, Xun Yu, am willing to swear in the name of the family and on my life that I will never mess up the overall situation for my own selfishness, and I will not let personal emotions blind my reason and do anything that harms the lord and the country."

Xun You's eyes flashed with emotion when he heard this. He took a step forward and gently patted Xun Yu's shoulder, his tone firm and warm: "Uncle's words are like spring breeze and rain, which have solved the thousands of knots in my heart. Although I, Xun You, am not as wise as your uncle, I am willing to follow my lord to death and fight side by side with my uncle. No matter how difficult and dangerous the road ahead is, I will never retreat. Our goal is to bring a bit of clarity to this chaotic world and seek peace for the people."

The two smiled at each other, and their tacit understanding and trust were sublimated in the most profound way without words. Outside the window, it was already dark, but the house was particularly bright because of this firm belief. Xun Yu and Xun You knew that the road ahead would be full of thorns, but as long as they thought in one direction and worked together, there would be no difficulties that could not be overcome and no distance that could not be reached.

...

The matter of Xun Yu has come to an end. The next step is to control public opinion and prevent it from becoming unfavorable.

Jia Xu, the Minister of Military Discipline, together with his three sons, personally controlled the direction of public opinion.

Jia Xu, the military minister known for his wisdom, knew that the power of public opinion was enough to shake the mountains and rivers, and also to stabilize people's hearts. He sat at the desk, the candlelight flickering, reflecting his deep eyes, as if he could see through the reality of everything in the world. Jia Xu gently stroked his beard and instructed his three sons beside him: "Public opinion is like water, which can carry a boat or overturn it. What we have to do is to guide this power and make it a sharp sword in our hands, rather than a hidden arrow that hurts people."

He assigned tasks one by one. The eldest son, Jia Mu, was responsible for collecting public opinion and made sure to keep an eye on all sides to ensure that no trace of movement was missed. The second son, Jia Ji, was proficient in literature and was entrusted with the important task of writing positive propaganda articles, striving to make the words powerful and warm so that they could touch people's hearts. The youngest son, Jia Fang, retired from Yichunyuan and remained behind the scenes, but had close ties with intelligence agencies. He was responsible for secretly monitoring those forces that intended to spread rumors. Once discovered, they would be dealt with immediately and would not be tolerated.

At the same time, Jia Xu also ordered the army to strengthen discipline and strictly prohibited soldiers from participating in any form of criticism or spreading false statements, ensuring that the army was united and became the most solid backing in the battlefield of public opinion. He knew that only when the army was united could it establish an unshakable prestige in the hearts of the people and win wider support and trust for the next action.

As time went by, Jia Xu's careful planning began to show results. Public opinion gradually stabilized, and those who tried to fan the flames were dismantled one by one, replaced by a positive interpretation of the current situation and a beautiful vision of the future. The people began to believe that under the leadership of their leaders and wise men, this chaotic world will eventually usher in true peace and tranquility.

Everything is ready, the next step is to persuade him to come.

The ministers gathered together in a tacit understanding and held a small meeting, with Xi Zhicai as the leader, Jia Xu as the deputy, and Xun You, Zhou Yu, Gu Yong and other ministers as the assistants. They made a careful plan and prepared to choose an auspicious day to write a letter to persuade the emperor to ascend the throne.

There was only one purpose, which was to hope that Jin Mao would accept Liu Xie's abdication and officially ascend the throne to become emperor.

As to whether Jinmao changed its name, it is not important.

The origin of Jinmao will be recorded in detail in history books, and later generations will only refer to this dynasty as "Sanxing Yanhan".

And Jinmao will also become a founding emperor like Emperor Guangwu of Han, Liu Xiu.

No! Better than Liu Xiu!

Jin Mao is only 38 years old this year. With the current medical level and his physical condition, it will be no problem for him to live another 30 years.

The officials dared not imagine what the Han Dynasty would become in thirty years.

The only thing that is certain is that as long as Jinmao continues to follow the routine, the posthumous title of "Wu" will not be enough!
(End of this chapter)