Chapter 18: The power of the Han Emperor, one word to scare Lu Bu!!!

Outside the Canglong Gate on the east side of Nangong Palace is the residence of the Three Dukes.

Among them, all the staff in the mansion of Sikong Dong Zhuo were in mourning, and the soldiers and guards of Bingzhou Army were around. When they saw Jia Xu riding over, they did not search or ask anything, and behaved very relaxed and lazy.

If you look closely, you can see distrust and even some resentment in the eyes of the Bingzhou soldiers towards Jia Xu and other Liangzhou soldiers.

However, some Xiliang army soldiers immediately surrounded them.

Dong Zhuo's nephew Dong Huang was also keeping vigil for Dong Zhuo and did not participate in the guarding of the dethronement. When he saw Jia Xu, he asked about the progress of the dethronement.

Jia Xu said solemnly: "Something happened."

"What's the matter?" Dong Huang was shocked.

The matter of dethroning and enthroning the emperor concerns the future of their Xiliang Army, and there must be no mistakes!
"There is an ambush and counterattack by the rebels in Chongde Hall. Zhang Liao, the Sima of the Fifth School of the Northern Army's Yue Cavalry, has broken through the Yong Gate on the west side. General Li Jue is leading the Feixiong Army to block them outside the Baihu Gate." Jia Xu said concisely.

Dong Huang was horrified!

"Speed ​​is of the essence in war. General Dong, immediately summon all the generals of Bingzhou Army to discuss the matter." Jia Xu reminded.

"I understand."

Dong Huang immediately summoned the generals of Bingzhou Army.

Jia Xu once again told Dong Huang about the rebels and the five schools of the Northern Army, first telling them so that the soldiers of the Western Liang Army could be mentally prepared. But this time, when he told Lü Bu and other soldiers of the Bingzhou Army about it, he did not mention the general "Zhang Liao".

After hearing this, Lu Bu sneered and said, "You Xiliang Army are recklessly deposing and enthroning the emperor. We Bingzhou Army are loyal to the emperor and love our country. We will not participate in the act of usurpation!"

Haha, when they are needed, they are General Lu, and when they are not needed, they are Lu Bu. Do you really think that their Bingzhou army is a brothel lover who can be used when needed and discarded like a worn-out shoe when not needed?

But generals like Gao Shun looked solemn!
Ever since Lu Bu killed Ding Yuan and defected to Dong Zhuo, their Bingzhou Army and the Xiliang Army have been tied together, and they can be said to prosper and suffer together. Now that the Xiliang Army asked for help, they could only accept the request.

It’s hard to get off the tiger!
Jia Xu persuaded him with emotion and reason:
"General, you are the adopted son of Lord Dong. If the Xiliang army fails in its attempt to depose and enthronize the emperor, you will be blamed! Now that the rebels are strong, we should join forces to fight the enemy and face the enemy together.

"Whether we continue to abolish and establish, or choose other options, only by showing our value can we have bargaining chips and room for negotiation. Instead of just sitting there and letting others slaughter us!"

Lu Bu took these words to heart!
Lu Bu's expression changed. Although he was reluctant, he finally agreed to follow Jia Xu to support Li Jue and other Western Liang troops. The generals of the Bingzhou army followed Lu Bu's lead and had no objection.

The army sets out.

But after they left Dong Zhuo's Sikong residence, Jia Xu took them straight to Nangong Chongde Hall.

"and many more!"

Lu Bu was a little confused: "Captain Jia, didn't you say that Li Jue was fighting the enemy near Yongmen on the west side? Aren't we going to help him?"

"General Li Jue is a skilled warrior, and the Feixiong Army is invincible. There is no need for our help. The rebels are powerful and are trying to stop us from deposing and enthroning the emperor. As long as we capture the leader first, they will be afraid to act and be helpless!"

Jia Xu said directly to the point.

In fact, he was still worried. If rebels infiltrated the Nangong Baihu Gate, no matter how strong Li Jue's Feixiong Army was, it would not be able to stop the attack of the army. In the end, they would have to temporarily withdraw and allow the rebels to attack Nangong.

In this case, they went directly to the Nangong Chongde Hall. As long as they could hold back the Han Emperor and Empress Dowager He, and even help Li Ru and others complete the ceremony of deposing and enthroning, any rebels would be unable to gain any momentum by then, and would be afraid to act rashly and allow themselves to be slaughtered.

"Captain Jia is really resourceful!"

Lu Bu looked at Jia Xu deeply. This in-depth and easy-to-understand analysis showed that Jia Xu's overall view and strategic performance were no less than that of the military advisor Li Ru.

Since there was no objection, Lu Bu led the Bingzhou Army through Canglong Gate and rushed to Chongde Hall with Jia Xu. The chaos around here made them a little surprised about what happened in Chongde Hall.

When they approached Chongde Hall, Guo Si was commanding his troops to fight against the imperial guards. However, the news that the rebels had broken through the Yong Gate on the west side shook the morale of the Western Liang army, allowing the imperial guards to gain the upper hand again.

Seeing that the rebels were temporarily difficult to suppress, Guo Si finally found a way to break the impasse from Yuan Wei's eyes. He was about to step onto the Danchi platform, take the Han Emperor and Empress Dowager He hostage, and capture the leader first to make the rebels afraid to act rashly.

But at this moment, Guo Si suddenly heard the sound of dense horse hooves coming from behind him. His heart suddenly tightened and his face was horrified!

Could it be that the rebels had already broken through the palace gates and entered? So fast?! Didn’t Li Jue lead the Feixiong Army to stop them?!
When Guo Si looked sideways, he saw Lu Bu and other Bingzhou soldiers, as well as Jia Xu and other Xiliang soldiers beside Lu Bu. His tense mood immediately eased.

It turns out that reinforcements have arrived!
When Lu Bu and other Bingzhou troops approached Chongde Hall, they happened to make eye contact with generals including Guo Si who were in charge of the troops. Everything was clear without words.

Looking at the shouting and killing sounds inside, and smelling the bloody smell, they could feel the strength of the rebels and the brutality of the fighting.

When they were about to dismount and rush in to provide assistance, they suddenly heard the sound of dense horse hooves from the north. Lu Bu and Jia Xu were immediately moved and looked sideways!

They thought that rebels had broken in, and it was no wonder that they were so nervous. It was the sudden appearance of the rebel force that made them suspicious and fearful.

But upon closer inspection, they discovered that it was still the Xiliang Army that came to support them.

As expected, the incident in Chongde Hall had attracted the Xiliang troops who were patrolling the imperial palace and the imperial city.

The man who came was Zhang Ji. His job was to guard the imperial city area outside the North Palace. The five armies of the Northern Army attacked Xia Gate and Gu Gate on the north side, and Zhang Ji was one of the main generals.

However, after Zhang Liao and Qin Qiong attacked Yongmen on the west side and sent a message to the generals of the five schools of the Northern Army, the five schools of the Northern Army immediately chose to split up their forces and take a detour to attack Yongmen on the west side. The pressure on the northern city defense was immediately reduced.

After handing over the patrol mission to his colleagues, Zhang Ji led his troops to the west side of Yongmen to find out what was going on. However, when passing by Nangong, he heard the sound of thousands of horses of the Bingzhou Army galloping.

Zhang Ji immediately led his troops to investigate, but unexpectedly met Lu Bu and other Bingzhou troops outside Chongde Hall.

"Hasn't the military advisor completed the dethronement yet?"

Zhang Ji looked at Jia Xu, frowned and said, "The five schools of the Northern Army turned to attack the Yong Gate on the west side. I am leading the troops to rush to help. Why was the Yong Gate breached? Do you know?"

Obviously, Zhang Ji did not receive the military intelligence and battle reports from Yongmen and Chongde Hall in the first place.

Jia Xu immediately said:

"There are rebels in Chongde Hall, Yongmen has indeed been breached, and General Li Jue is leading the Feixiong Army to provide support. Our top priority now is to assist the military advisor in deposing and enthroning the emperor. By then, those rebels will have failed!"

Zhang Ji was suddenly shocked!

There were rebels in Chongde Hall? How did they infiltrate the palace? How was the Yongmen Gate on the west side breached?
The mutual association testified that there was obviously a traitor working together from the inside and outside. Moreover, this traitor was in a high position, which gave him enough power to dispatch troops and infiltrate the rebel forces!
The thought was so terrifying that Zhang Ji suddenly felt his scalp tingling!

After hearing this, Zhang Ji nodded solemnly, but did not rush directly into the Chongde Hall. Instead, he gave orders to his personal soldiers!

After whispering a few words, the personal soldiers went to Xia Gate on the north and Yong Gate on the west respectively. This was to inform the city defense on the north and to inquire about the military intelligence and battle reports from Yong Gate on the west. It can be said that they were thoughtful.

He is worthy of being one of Dong Zhuo’s four great generals!

After Zhang Xiu joined forces with the Bingzhou Army, he suddenly had nearly 10,000 soldiers and horses. This was because they came to the rescue in a hurry. If they were given enough time, the Bingzhou Army would still have more than 10,000 soldiers outside.

But even if there are only nearly ten thousand, it is enough to change the situation of the battle!
All the generals felt relieved immediately. As Jia Xu entered the Chongde Hall, they were about to meet Guo Si and other generals for joint defense, but when they glanced at him, they were immediately shocked and their hearts were filled with turmoil!

In the central square of Chongde Hall, the Factory Guards and the Western Liang Army attacked each other. There were hundreds of corpses on the ground, some from the Western Liang Army and some from the Factory Guard rebels. However, there were more soldiers in the Western Liang Army, after all, they were caught off guard by the Factory Guards.

All the officials hid on both sides of the square, and of course some officials wanted to die for their country and joined the battlefield. Wu and his accomplices were first subdued, and then they were freed because of the sudden rebellion of the factory guards, and once again joined the battlefield and fought bloody battles.

On the high platform of Danchi, several generals of the Western Liang Army, including Niu Fu, Duan Wei, Fan Chou, Wang Fang and others, joined forces to besiege a white-haired eunuch, but they were completely at a disadvantage and were defeated.

They had guessed that the rebels were powerful, which was why they delayed until this point. But they did not expect that the rebels were so powerful, and they were all well-trained and highly skilled warriors, so that the Xiliang army fell into a disadvantage.

They thought this was shocking enough, but when they looked around, they suddenly saw Li Ru's torn body lying in a pool of blood. They were immediately even more horrified, and their hearts were filled with turmoil!

"The military advisor is dead?!!!"

Zhang Ji couldn't believe it, and immediately looked shocked and angry, scanning the entire audience.

Finally, in the corner, I saw Zhang Xiu fighting with Azure Dragon and Vermillion Bird. After he unleashed the "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Spear", Zhang Xiu was gaining the upper hand. He became more and more courageous as the battle went on. Don't mention how high his spirits were!

Zhang Ji was immediately furious!

Zhang Xiu's duty was to protect the military advisor Li Ru. Zhang Ji repeatedly warned him that no matter what happened, he should not be greedy for merit or rush into anything, but should just protect Li Ru.

Zhang Xiu patted his chest and promised him, but now, Li Ru's body has been torn apart? !

How could Zhang Ji not be angry? !

If Dong Zhuo is the backbone of the Xiliang Army, then Li Ru is the soul of the Xiliang Army!
Now that two important figures have died, it is a fatal blow to their Xiliang Army! However, this is his nephew after all. He has no sons, and Zhang Xiu is his adopted son. It is impossible for him to be punished by military law. His anger turned into a feeling of disappointment. He could only wipe his ass for him and said:
"With five northern army divisions attacking from outside and rebels lurking inside, it's hard to guard against. Empress Dowager He's power is indeed huge. She is worthy of being the Empress Dowager who rules the country and exercises power on behalf of the emperor!"

It was impossible to prevent it, what could he do if something unexpected happened? He couldn't blame his nephew Zhang Xiu for not protecting him well, could he? He could only blame the fact that Empress Dowager He was too powerful, and that was the culprit!

Zhang Ji thought so, and wanted to stop Lü Bu and other generals and Jia Xu from talking. But in fact, Lü Bu and other Bingzhou soldiers didn't care at all. The death of Li Ru might have shocked them, but they didn't think of Zhang Xiu's failure to protect the emperor.

As for Jia Xu, his focus is different from others!

Lü Bu and Zhang Ji watched the factory guards attacking and killing each other, watched Cao Zhengchun fighting one against five, watched Zhang Xiu and Qinglong Zhuque attacking and killing each other, watched the shock of Li Ru's body being torn apart. Jia Xu, on the other hand, watched the core figure that these rebels were vaguely protecting.

These factory guards, such as Cao Zhengchun, Qinglong, Zhuque and other generals, although they fought separately, actually formed a pincer attack, all of them were protecting the Han Emperor and Empress Dowager He at the top, and they would rush to the rescue at the first moment if there was any problem.

It’s like the moon surrounded by stars!

In fact, there is also a White Tiger disguised as "Wang Fang" who is secretly protecting the Han Emperor and Empress Dowager He.

The scene was so chaotic that many people didn't notice.

But when Jia Xu arrived at Chongde Hall, he saw the core at a glance. Perhaps he was resourceful and saw things clearly. Or perhaps he was a newcomer and saw things clearly. Therefore, he saw the two cores, the Han Emperor and Empress Dowager He.

Just with this one glance, Jia Xu was stunned!

Jia Xu saw that Emperor Liu Bian was calm and composed, with a solemn look on his face, and that Empress Dowager He was at a loss and panicked.

There was a sudden surge of shock in his heart, and his body began to tremble!
It turns out that the emperor is the real mastermind behind this? !
Otherwise, it is impossible to explain why he was calm and composed, while Empress Dowager He was at a loss, as if she knew nothing? !

These rebellious guards were actually the work of the emperor. That's why he could remain calm! But Empress Dowager He had no idea, so she was at a loss and panicked!
Jia Xu only took one glance and figured out the hidden secrets, just like Li Ru at that time.

In order to test this possibility, Li Ru wanted to order all the generals to go all out to attack the emperor. But Jia Xu remained silent!

Li Ru is wholeheartedly concerned about the Xiliang Army, and Jia Xu also wants to help the Xiliang Army because of his fellow villagers, but the prerequisite is that he is not in danger.

Be prudent and protect yourself, seek benefits and avoid harm!
It is even more important to keep oneself safe and protect one's life. This is the way Jia Xu and Jia Wenhe survive in troubled times. It is their profound wisdom that allows them to enjoy their old age in the suspicious Cao Wei!
Jia Xu thought of the five schools of the Northern Army breaking through the Yongmen Gate on the west side and the rebellion of the Chongde Hall Factory Guards, all of which indicated that there was a traitor among the high-ranking officials of the Western Liang Army!

He had always guessed that it was Empress Dowager He who bribed a high-ranking general of the Western Liang Army, and through the relationship with He Jin's old subordinates, she coordinated internal and external efforts, and took advantage of the day when the Western Liang Army was about to depose and enthrone the emperor to launch an attack!
But now it seems that the real mastermind behind this may very well be the Han Emperor Liu Bian!

This young emperor, who was said by the world to be cowardly, of little virtue and talent, and who had no imperial dignity, and who relied on He Jin's military power to force his way to the throne, was actually the real mastermind behind all this? !

This was beyond Jia Xu's control, and it made him feel a fear of the unknown!
The Han emperor was clearly under house arrest in Deyang Palace of Beigong by the Xiliang army, but he made so many arrangements without realizing it?
How did he do that? !

Why did even the high-ranking generals of the Xiliang Army willingly surrender and betray their comrades? What a terrifying personality charm!
How was the gate of the imperial city infiltrated? !
Even, were Zhang Liao's troops who broke through the Yongmen Gate on the west side also loyal to the Han Emperor Liu Bian?
The Han Emperor was able to communicate with people outside the palace and persuade the army to join forces inside and outside to launch a sudden attack. Does this mean that... the Han Emperor was not a turtle in a jar, but was luring the enemy out of his hole?
Does the Han Emperor have any other plans?
Thinking hard!
Jia Xu didn't want to delve into it further, he just wanted to escape from this unknown, hidden vortex storm that made him feel ignorant!

Just as Jia Xu's heart was in turmoil, Guo Si saw Zhang Ji, Lu Bu and other generals coming to help, and immediately approached:
"The military advisor has been killed, and the rebels are strong. We can't continue like this. We must suppress them forcefully!"

"What do you think?" Zhang Ji asked.

Guo Si recalled Yuan Wei's look just now and said in a deep voice: "Capture the leader first!"

"That's exactly what I meant!" Zhang Ji nodded.

“However, the white-haired eunuch standing between the Han Emperor and Empress Dowager He claimed to be Cao Zhengchun, the supervisor of the Eastern Depot.

Although I don't know when our Han Dynasty had an East Factory, he is very skilled in martial arts and is probably not inferior to General Lu. We must solve this obstacle!"

Guo Si said again.

In fact, there was a provocation in his words. Cao Zhengchun was so skilled in martial arts that although he understood Yuan Wei's intention of "capture the leader first", he did not want to go up and seek death. Letting Lu Bu take action was the best choice.

As expected, Lu Bu responded with a sneer, "It's not that he is too strong, but that you Xiliang army generals are too weak! You can't even deal with a eunuch, you are really a bunch of good-for-nothings!"

At this time, Guo Si and Zhang Ji were angry, but they did not refute: "Then I'll trouble General Lu to take action!"

"Humph!"

Lu Bu snorted coldly and glanced around. The rebel army of the Factory Guards was powerful and each of them was highly skilled in martial arts. They were indeed a huge threat.

But as they came to support, now that the Xiliang Army and the Bingzhou Army have joined forces, they have more soldiers and generals, and are more powerful, so the chance of winning is still in their hands.

If they win this battle, their Bingzhou Army will definitely be superior to the Xiliang Army. Dong Zhuo is dead, and Lu Bu actually wants to fight for the position of leader!
after all--

A man of honor was born between heaven and earth, how can he be depressed and live under others for a long time? !
"Everyone, step back. I am enough!"

Lu Bu walked towards the Danchi platform step by step. I don’t know if it was an illusion, but when the world’s number one warrior stepped onto the battlefield, the atmosphere suddenly changed. The oppressive atmosphere before the storm swept across the entire place!

The guards were struggling to hold on, and when they saw Zhang Ji and Lu Bu leading their troops to help, they immediately felt that they were alone and helpless. The Xiliang army, seeing this, naturally became more and more motivated, and the guards soon fell into a disadvantage.

But now seeing Lu Bu coming alone and single-handedly, they did not lament Lu Bu's arrogance, but felt a huge sense of crisis, as if they were facing thousands of troops, and the pressure was enormous!
This is the momentum that erupts from the brave tiger general who is invincible!
This is the arrogance of the world's most powerful general!
This is "Lü Bu among men, Red Hare among horses", the pressure that Wenhou Lü Bu puts on people!
"Tread, tap, tap—"

Every step that Lu Bu took into the battlefield was like stepping on the heart of the guards. However, as they watched Lu Bu walk towards the Danchi platform and about to attack the Han Emperor and Empress Dowager He, the guards were terrified but still performed their duties loyally.

"Da da da--"

The factory guards, Qinglong, Zhuque and others who were fighting gave up fighting with their opponents and decisively retreated to the Danchi platform, protecting Liu Bian and Queen Mother He with three layers of protection, and looking at the approaching Lu Bu as if they were facing a great enemy.

Generals such as Niu Fu, Duan Wei, and Fan Chou also decisively withdrew from the high platform. They had already been seriously injured in the battle with Cao Zhengchun, so they just handed the battlefield over to Lu Bu.

Bai Hu, who was disguised as Wang Fang, had no choice but to pretend to retreat. He had a plan in mind. If anything went wrong, Bai Hu would attack Lu Bu from behind!
The entire battlefield was instantly divided into two camps due to Lu Bu's intervention.

The Imperial Guards, Cao Zhengchun, Qinglong, Zhuque and others were fearlessly protecting Liu Bian and Empress Dowager He as if they were facing a formidable enemy.

The generals of the Xiliang army retreated to the front of the palace gate to meet Guo Si and Zhang Ji. Seeing that their reinforcements were numerous and powerful, they immediately felt relieved. Even though the rebels were highly skilled in martial arts, they were alone and the chance of victory still depended on them.

As the two sides confronted each other and everyone had ulterior motives, Lu Bu stepped onto the platform step by step, and no one could stop him!

When Lu Bu walked up to the high platform, he looked at the factory guards who were acting like they were facing a formidable enemy with disdain. He had the domineering aura of a tiger roaring in the mountains and all the beasts submitting to him. With a wave of the Fang Tian Hua Ji in his hand, the factory guards were like frightened birds, trembling in fear.

Lu Bu sneered and shouted, "Those who surrender will not be killed!"

The sound was so loud that it shook the world, and it was enough to show that the world's most powerful general was full of energy. However, although the factory guards were terrified, they did not fear the battle or retreat.

Behind them is their king!
For them, it means fulfilling their duties loyally, dying for the country, and repaying the emperor's kindness!
They died without regrets!

"He was obviously scared to death, but he didn't back down. He is really loyal!"

Lu Bu was also amazed by the bravery and fearlessness of these death warriors, and he admired them in his heart. Perhaps he was a kind of greedy guy, so he admired these loyal people even more!
"I will fulfill your wish and let you die a worthy death!"

...

Liu Bian felt the death intention of the people in the factory and looked down condescendingly at the officials in the court who were hiding on both sides like frightened birds and scared deer. He only felt it was ironic. There would be no harm without comparison!

Seeing Lu Bu subduing the imperial guards alone and displaying his bravery that could not be defeated by ten thousand men, even suppressing the momentum of himself, the Emperor of Han, Liu Bian remained calm and was not moved in the slightest by the appearance of the world's most powerful general.

Seeing that Lu Bu was about to attack, Liu Bian, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke in a deep voice. Just one sentence made Lu Bu's hair stand on end and he felt extremely humiliated:
"Bingzhou is a place where Han and Hu people live together. Lü Bu, are you of Han or Hu descent?!"

"Of course I am a Han Chinese!!! Although I was born in a poor family, I have always been a Han Chinese since my ancestors, and there has been no change!!! I am a Han Chinese when I am born, and I will be a Han Chinese ghost when I die!!!"

Lu Bu was like a cat whose tail was stepped on, his fur stood on end, he was raging like thunder, and waves of tangible aura centered on him swept in all directions, making it hard for many people to breathe!

The Han Dynasty perished because of its strength!

Anyone who offends the mighty Han will be punished, no matter how far away they are!

As a Han Chinese, the most insulting thing is not insults, but questioning whether he is of Han descent!
This world's most powerful general was indeed strong, and his anger was so strong that he seemed to want to kill anyone. This showed how angry he was. But Liu Bian was completely unaware of this, for he was the emperor of the Han Dynasty, the ruler of a country, and the master of the Han people.
"You are a Han Chinese, so do you know that the whole land belongs to the king! All the people in the world are the king's subjects!

"I am the Emperor of Han, the Emperor of the Han people! The Lord of the Great Han! The ruler of a country! You are a Han Chinese, a Han minister, so why don't you kneel before me?!"

"This……"

Lu Bu's momentum instantly collapsed!
The Han Dynasty had a national history of more than 400 years, and the influence of Confucianism, the relationship between monarch and minister, father and son, and the Three Bonds and Five Constant Virtues were deeply rooted and unforgettable. At this time, Lu Bu felt ashamed of himself as a traitor.

His knees couldn't help but feel weak, and he wanted to pay homage to Liu Bian. He was not only paying homage to Liu Bian, but also to the ideological imprint of the orthodox and legitimate status of the Han Dynasty and the Liu family's kingdom!

……

(End of this chapter)