Chapter 56 Liu Bei is appointed as the governor of Qingzhou, Bao Zheng discovers the truth!

Just as Liu Bei and others looked over, Liu Bian said in a deep voice:
"Yufuluo, the Southern Xiongnu, was attached to Yuan Shao. He suddenly led his people to rebel. It was obviously Yuan Shao's instruction. Did you really think I didn't know?
"Yuan Shao is now fleeing to Jizhou, how could he be willing to retreat to Bohai? With the power of the Yuan family, I'm afraid they will try to seize Jizhou. Moreover, Jizhou Governor Han Fu was originally a student of the Yuan family. It is very likely that Yuan Shao will get Jizhou.

"How can I allow others to sleep soundly beside my bed? I have decided to take action against Jizhou! Youzhou is suppressed by Liu Yu, a member of the royal family, and Yanzhou is attacked by Liu Dai. The governor of Qingzhou, Jiao He, has died of illness. I need a minister to take charge!"

Thinking of this, Liu Bian looked at Liu Bei.

"Boom boom boom——"

At this moment, Liu Bei's heart was beating like a drum.

"Liu Bei, are you qualified to be the governor of Qingzhou?"

After Liu Bian finished speaking, Liu Bei's heart exploded, his head buzzed, and his brain suddenly went blank!
When His Majesty mentioned that Qingzhou Governor Jiao He had died of illness, he had already realized something. When His Majesty looked over, Liu Bei's heart moved. With His Majesty's final decision, Liu Bei was convinced that His Majesty valued him!
The governor of Qingzhou!

Since Liu Yan proposed "abolishing the historian and establishing the governor", the governor of the state was superior to the provincial governor and prefect in the local area, monopolizing power to stabilize the people and at the same time having the power to control the military.

Liu Bei had never expected that Your Majesty trusted and valued him so much.

Liu Bei was somewhat expectant at first, but when the heavy burden really fell on his shoulders, he felt a little unworthy.

Liu Bei cupped his hands and said:

"I thank your majesty for your trust. As a subject, I should share the king's worries and serve the country. I will do my duty even if it means going through fire and water. However, I am not talented enough and I am afraid that I will fail your majesty's trust!"

As soon as these words were spoken, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, their two sworn brothers, became anxious.

But the Deyang Palace was solemn and dignified, and they were in front of the emperor, so they couldn't act presumptuously. They could only wink at Liu Bei frantically!
But Liu Bei was unaware of this. He was not retreating to advance, but he really felt that he was not capable enough to be the governor of a state. He was afraid of disappointing His Majesty and the people of Qingzhou!
"If I say you can do it, you can do it!"

This was the first time Liu Bian met Liu Bei, but just one glance made Liu Bian absolutely certain that Liu Bei was a loyal minister of the Han Dynasty.

Liu Bei: Loyalty 99+
According to the result of "Emperor's Qi-gazing Technique", Liu Bei's loyalty is even higher than Liu Dai's, which is 90+.

This is also the first subject with such high loyalty so far, except for the capable ministers summoned by Liu Bian.

Loyalty is actually a bit vague, but subjects with high loyalty are definitely loyal to Liu Bian and the Han Dynasty!

This is the factor that Liu Bian values ​​most!
But after hearing this, Liu Bei bowed his head and could not get up. His voice was already sobbing, and it was obvious that he was in tears:

"Your Majesty, I followed Yuan's false edict and led troops to besiege the capital. This was a capital crime punishable by death. You have been so magnanimous that you have pardoned our death sentence and allowed us to make meritorious contributions. I am deeply grateful and am willing to repay your kindness with my death.

"Now that Yuan Shao is still alive, what virtue and ability do I have to be qualified to be the governor of the state? I hope Your Majesty will choose a wise minister, and we are willing to serve him like dogs and horses to help him kill the thief Yuan!"

After hearing this, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei sighed. Their eldest brother was good in every way except that he was too slow!

But they also knew that this was Liu Bei's bottom line.

Liu Bei, who had always been committed to supporting the Han Dynasty, suddenly found himself aiding and abetting Zhou and becoming a traitor. The pain and self-blame he felt were unimaginable!

Your Majesty has magnanimously pardoned them, but they have not yet made amends for their mistakes. How can they be so greedy and accept Your Majesty's important task with a clear conscience? !

At this moment, Liu Bian felt a little helpless!

If Liu Bian didn't know that Liu Bei's loyalty was 99+, his attitude of refusing would really give people the feeling of being ungrateful and hypocritical!

This is also why some people in the future think that Liu Bei is a hypocrite.

But a gentleman judges by deeds, not by heart!
Judging from Liu Bei’s performance throughout his life, no matter whether he was pretending or not, since he could pretend for his entire life, he was a gentleman.

Not to mention his loyalty is 99+, that’s enough!

Liu Bian then said:

"Liu Bei, did you know that when Qiao Mao issued a false edict to purge the emperor's court, Qingzhou Governor Jiao He also responded. He led his troops to the Suanzao Alliance, disregarding the people of Qingzhou, leaving the Qingzhou military defenses empty.

"At this time, the Yellow Turban bandits in Qingzhou grew stronger and swept across Qingzhou, causing countless casualties and great momentum. Before Jiao He even approached Suanzao, the Yellow Turban bandits in Qingzhou had already slaughtered the city and implicated thousands of civilians.

"At this time, the Suanzao coalition was defeated, and Jiao He had no choice but to retreat back to Qingzhou. However, he was no longer able to resist the Yellow Turban bandits in Qingzhou, so he fled and only knew how to pray to the gods for help. Now Qingzhou is in ruins. Jiao He also died of illness while in office.

"Liu Bei, as a member of the Han royal family, you should be loyal to the emperor and serve the country and the people. Qingzhou has been devastated by war, and the people have been displaced and their families have been destroyed. You have already retreated from the battle before you even took up your post. This is not what a real man should do!"

...

"Big Brother!!!"

Guan Yu and Zhang Fei finally couldn't help themselves and shouted in a low voice. But Zhang Fei's voice was like thunder, and it was still deafening.

Liu Bei had some difficult decisions to make at this time. He did not want to disappoint the emperor's high hopes, but he could not bear to see the people of Qingzhou suffer. However, he was worried that he was not talented enough to do the job.

But Liu Dai advised: "Xuan De, you are not being modest and yielding, you are defying the will of the emperor!"

After hearing this, Liu Bei suddenly woke up!

The emperor's order cannot be disobeyed. His Majesty has chosen him to be the governor of Qingzhou, so he has to do it even if he is unable to do so!
With a click, Liu Bei immediately knelt down and kowtowed, asking for forgiveness: "Your Majesty, I deserve death. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me!"

"Then accept my order and thank you!"

Liu Bei accepted the decree and thanked him: "Thank you very much, Your Majesty!!!"

...

"Get up."

Liu Bian felt helpless. Now he thought about it carefully. In the novel of the Three Kingdoms, Tao Qian gave up Xuzhou three times and was probably angered to death by Liu Bei in the end. Finally, Liu Bei had no way to refuse. It was really too slow!

Liu Bei thanked him again and stood up.

Liu Bian said at this time:
"I will not hide it from you. The six imperial seals and the imperial seal are lost! I have sent people to search, but have not found any clues yet.

"Therefore, Liu Bei, your imperial edict of appointment as governor of Qingzhou lacks the seal. I will order the Shangshutai to issue a document and add the imperial edict later."

The appointment of high-ranking officials such as provincial governors and prefects required an imperial decree of appointment, and the above appointment documents needed to be stamped with the imperial seal. Without the seal, it would be illegal.

...

Liu Bei, Liu Dai and others were immediately horrified!!!
The seal is related to the national system. It is equivalent to an army losing the tiger talisman. It concerns the country and its people, and it is a crisis of life and death!
In fact, they also received the news, but the meaning of what His Majesty said in person was completely different from the rumors they heard.

Liu Bei and the others looked at each other in bewilderment, but after hearing this, Liu Bei immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty, you are the ruler of a country and the ruler of the Han Dynasty. Your words are more important than any seal!"

"..."

Liu Dai glanced at him and he didn't expect that Liu Bei's flattery skills were better than his. He even doubted whether Liu Bei's refusal just now was fake?

Liu Bian was very satisfied with Liu Bei's attitude and advised:
"Qingzhou has been swept by the Yellow Turbans. After you take office, you need to suppress the Yellow Turbans, restore people's livelihood, rebuild Qingzhou, and also face the thief Yuan Shao and his accomplices. The responsibility is heavy."

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty, I will definitely fulfill my mission!"

Liu Bei looked determined. Since he had accepted the important task from His Majesty, he would definitely do his best.

"You only have two to three thousand soldiers under your command. The Yellow Turban bandits in Qingzhou are very powerful, and you still have to face Yuan Shao..."

Liu Bian thought for a moment and said:

"At that time, the Xiliang army was defeated and captured tens of thousands of prisoners. You can select 3,000 of them, appoint Guan Yu as the Commander-in-Chief, Zhang Fei as the Commander-in-Chief, and Zhao Yun as the Commander-in-Chief to lead their respective armies to help you take charge of Qingzhou!"

After hearing this, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun were extremely surprised, and their loyalty instantly jumped from 95+ to 99+!

They were not as pretentious as Liu Bei, and they knelt down and kowtowed:

"Thank you, Your Majesty!!!"

"No need to pay tribute."

In the original history, during the Three Kingdoms struggle, more and more people with military merit were appointed as generals, so that there was a saying that "generals are as numerous as dogs, and lieutenants are worse than dogs".

But in fact, the ranks of military officers in the Han Dynasty were divided into three levels: general, lieutenant general, and colonel.

Since the position of general was not permanent and was only given when there was a war, the highest official position that an ordinary military officer could obtain in normal times was General of the Household, with a rank of "equivalent to two thousand stones".

Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun reached great heights in one step!

This was Liu Bian's commendation to them for their participation in the "Battle of Sour Jujube". He also hoped that after they took office in Qingzhou, they could devote more energy and dedication to serving the country!

Liu Bian summoned Minister of the Interior Wang Yun and Grand Tutor Lu Zhi, who recorded the affairs of the Secretariat and issued documents to Liu Bei and other generals. At the same time, they mobilized 3,000 soldiers from the Western Liang Army.

The 3,000 soldiers of the Western Liang Army were not drawn from Wang Fang and Xu Rong's Southern Army, but from the defeated captives of Niu Fu and other generals. Therefore, whether they can be controlled depends on the abilities of Liu Bei and other generals.

At this time, Liu Dai felt very embarrassed. He wanted to ask, "Your Majesty, have you forgotten me? We are all heroes of the Battle of Suanzao. You can't favor one over the other, right?!"

Perhaps Liu Dai's resentment was too deep, Liu Bian finally reacted, rewarded him for his contribution in this battle, and immediately assigned him a thousand Xiliang army prisoners of war.

If these captives were to remain in the capital, Liu Bian would also need to split them up and distribute them among the various tribes to prevent them from gathering together to rebel.

In order to help them gain control of their territory more quickly, the quickest way is to divide the troops and give them command!

Of course, it was also because of their loyalty that they won Liu Bian's recognition and trust!

At this time, Minister Wang Yun asked, "Your Majesty, Yu Fuluo, the Right Wise King of the Southern Xiongnu, led his people to cause chaos in Bingzhou. Do you need more troops to help?"

Wang Yun was born in the Wang family of Taiyuan, Bingzhou, which was next to Shangdang County, so he would definitely be affected. He was loyal to the emperor and patriotic, but he was also worried about the safety of his family and the survival of the people of Bingzhou.

Liu Bian naturally saw it, but he didn't care. It was impossible for a person to serve the country and the people wholeheartedly.

If you can devote most of your energy to the country and leave a small part for your family, that is loyalty.

Liu Bian asked, "Situ, who do you think is the most suitable person to send to Bingzhou?"

"Your Majesty, it would be most appropriate to order Lu Bu to lead the Bingzhou Army to rush to Bingzhou's aid!"

Wang Yun thought for a moment and said, "Lü Bu and his men are natives of Bingzhou and are most familiar with the geography of Bingzhou. They can prevent Yu Fuluo's troops from using the mobility of their cavalry to wage guerrilla warfare and delay the war for a long time."

"What do you think, Grand Tutor?" Liu Bian looked at Lu Zhi and asked.

Lu Zhi thought for a moment and said:

"Your Majesty, Yu Fuluo's troops are attached to Yuan Shao, and suddenly they are causing chaos in Bingzhou. I'm afraid Yuan Shao wants to seize Jizhou, so he is causing chaos to tie down the troops so that he can take advantage of the situation.

"We need to find out the real political intentions of Han Fu, the governor of Jizhou!

"If Han Fu firmly supports the Yuan family, Yuan Shao will easily get Jizhou. If we divide our troops to Bingzhou, it will reduce the pressure on Yuan Shao along the Yellow River.

"But if Han Fu is loyal to the Han Dynasty, Yuan Shao will have to find a way to get rid of Han Fu if he wants to annex Jizhou. It would be easiest to drive the tiger to devour the wolf and let the Southern Xiongnu cross the Eight Passes of Taihang Mountain to harass Jizhou." "Then we only need to use this as bait and let Zhang Yang, the governor of Shangdang, ambush and annihilate them."

Lu Zhi's hidden meaning was to send all the troops to support Bingzhou.

There is one point he didn't say. Although the princes in Guandong were defeated, the safety of the capital was the top priority.

Now the Luyang coalition forces of Yuan Shu, Sun Jian and others have not been resolved yet.

Moreover, the capital's food crisis has not been properly dealt with. What if a famine breaks out and the victims are instigated by someone with ulterior motives to attack the capital?
The capital is in turmoil, and what should we do if the princes from Guandong make a comeback?

Therefore, the military defense safety of the Yellow River defense line is also of top priority.

Stationing troops here can prevent Yuan Shao from leading his troops across the river easily, and can also form a confrontation with Jizhou.

...

Wang Yun was a little anxious, but he did not argue after hearing this. In fact, as he was born in the Wang family of Taiyuan, he should avoid suspicion and should not take the initiative to propose. If he said too much, it would be selfish.

If the ministers cannot make up their minds, the king must make the decision!

Liu, Guan, Zhang, Zhao, Liu Dai and others did not interrupt, and they could not interrupt.

Minister Wang Yun and Grand Tutor Lu Zhi were both their predecessors, and Lu Zhi was also Liu Bei's mentor. Moreover, Lu Zhi had experienced many battles and was a Confucian master who was both civil and military. They had no right to interrupt!
Everything still depends on your majesty's decision!

Liu Bian thought for a moment and said:
"Taifu, these are words of wisdom and prudence, but Yu Fuluo is causing chaos in Bingzhou, and I'm afraid that Lu Bu and other Bingzhou generals will be worried about their fellow countrymen and have no intention of fighting.

“If we stay in Suanzao, the army and the generals will have no fighting spirit.

“Instead of doing that, it would be better to send them to Bingzhou to suppress Yu Fuluo’s troops, and at the same time they can attack Jizhou through the Eight Passes of Taihang.

"Whatever Han Fu's political intentions, the Bingzhou Army can restrain or support him.

"As for the Yellow River defense line..."

Liu Bian looked at Liu Dai, Liu Bei and others and said, "As long as Liu Dai, the governor of Yanzhou, and Liu Bei, the governor of Qingzhou, take up their posts and take charge of their respective areas, they will surely be able to confront Jizhou."

"Your Majesty is wise and powerful!" Wang Yun immediately echoed.

"It's my fault for not considering it carefully!" Lu Zhi thought about it and realized that he had not considered the homesickness of the Bingzhou army's officers and soldiers.

"Taifu, you are too modest! You are famous throughout the country, your learning is the leader of Confucianism, you are a role model for scholars, and a pillar of the country." Liu Bian said with a smile.

After hearing this, Lu Zhi said excitedly: "Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty!"

"This is true!"

After Liu Bian made the ruling, everyone was happy.

Everyone dispersed.

Outside the palace, Lu Zhi and Wang Yun walked side by side, while Liu Bei and others followed behind them from a distance.

"Situ, I didn't mean to target you."

"Hahaha, Master, do I look so narrow-minded? In fact, I woke up afterwards. I lost my rational judgment because I was concerned about my hometown. What you said is prudent!"

"Situ, you are too serious! Your Majesty is right. The morale of the Bingzhou army and their concerns about their hometown also need to be taken into consideration."

"..."

The two put aside the conflicting opinions in the palace just now. They were not against people, but against the matter. They were all here to share the worries of the king and serve the country.

After Wang Yun got on the carriage, he suddenly found that Lu Zhi had not gotten on the carriage, so he asked curiously, "Isn't the Grand Tutor going back to the office?"

"I'm sorry to make you laugh. Liu Bei is my student. This time, he has been entrusted with an important task by Your Majesty. I am worried that he may not be able to handle it, so I want to give him some advice and pass on some of my experience."

Lu Zhi smiled helplessly.

Wang Yun glanced at Liu Bei and others who were following not far away, and immediately nodded and smiled:

"The Grand Master is indeed a role model for others. As the saying goes, a good teacher produces good students. I think Liu Bei is also a talent and will become a pillar of the country in the future. In this case, I will go ahead!"

Lu Zhi bowed and said goodbye to Prime Minister Wang Yun.

Liu Bei came forward at this time: "Bei, meet your teacher!"

"Five years have passed since we parted ways in Guangzong." Lu Zhi smiled with relief, "You really didn't disappoint me!"

"I was a commoner at the beginning, and I am grateful to my teacher for his advice. That is why I was able to achieve great feats during the campaign against the Yellow Turbans. It's a pity that my teacher was framed, otherwise the Yellow Turbans would have been wiped out by my teacher!"

Liu Bei sighed. Now he naturally understood that the people who framed Lu Zhi were Yuan Wei and other Yuan family members.

That was also their conspiracy to deliberately indulge the Yellow Turban rebels and force the court to delegate military power!
"This matter has passed."

Lu Zhi's expression gradually became serious, and he began to teach Liu Bei by example:
"Now you have been entrusted with an important task by His Majesty and have become a high-ranking official. After taking office in Qingzhou, you must love the people and govern with kindness.

"Among the Yellow Turban bandits in Qingzhou, there are some extremely vicious criminals, but there are also innocent people who have been coerced. Remember not to kill them all at once, but leave them a glimmer of hope..."

Lu Zhi spoke to Liu Bei for a full quarter of an hour. Liu Bei listened to every word and at the end his eyes were filled with tears.

Liu Bei was born in a humble family. Although he was a relative of the Han royal family, his family fell into poverty and he had to make a living by weaving mats and selling shoes.

However, he was also lucky in his life!

There are mentors like Lu Zhi who are highly respected and selfless in teaching. There are also brothers like Gongsun Zan who are sincere and supportive. There are also sworn brothers like Guan Yu and Zhang Fei who share weal and woe.

This is what a man should do!
"Thank you for your teachings and examples, Master!"

Liu Bei bowed and saluted.

When Lu Zhi was about to say something, a loud "boom" suddenly came from the south direction of the city!
It was shocking, the earth was shaking and the mountains were shaking.

Soon, smoke and dust billowed up into the sky from the south of the city, and dense uproars and waves of fear gathered and came from afar!
"What happened?!"

Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and others came closer in confusion, wanting to protect Liu Bei and Lu Zhi.

The guards in the entire palace were alarmed, and the Eastern Depot spies and the Imperial Guard secret agents surrounded the Deyang Palace, fearing that someone would attempt to assassinate the emperor.

Lu Zhi looked solemn, and immediately rushed to Deyang Palace, and ordered Liu Bei: "Be cautious and calm, stay here for the time being and don't act rashly."

“Students understand!”

Liu Bei did not dare to act rashly for the time being, nor did he go directly to Deyang Palace like Lu Zhi.

The palace has its own rules. If something unexpected happens, acting without authorization may lead to suspicion.

Just like now, Liu Bei suddenly felt as if a thorn was on his back, as if there were pairs of eyes staring at him in secret.

Even Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, two powerful generals who could defeat thousands of enemies, felt a sense of danger. They didn't know how many open and secret guards there were in the imperial palace who gathered in the Daodeyang Palace at this moment.

And if they make the slightest movement, they might be captured and killed as assassins!

As the king of a country and the ruler of the Han Dynasty, Liu Bian's safety is of great importance. He is related to the country, the people, and cannot afford to be careless in the slightest.

Even Lu Zhi approached Deyang Palace under heavy surveillance, but found that Liu Bian had already arrived at the palace gate and was looking towards the south of the city under the close protection of Cao Zhengchun.

"Is this... an explosion?!"

Liu Bian was a little suspicious. It couldn't be dynamite, right?

Although the prototype of gunpowder had already appeared in the Eastern Han Dynasty, due to problems with the formula ratio and purification, it could only be used as an ignition at most and could not produce such a horrific explosion!

But what caused the explosion now? !
"Your Majesty, are you okay?" Lu Zhi asked with concern.

"I'm fine, Grand Tutor, don't worry. Send someone to investigate what happened in the south of the city immediately." Liu Bian gave the order immediately.

After receiving the order, Lu Zhi retreated and took Liu Bei and others out of the palace.

Not long after he left, a spy from the Imperial Guard came to report: "Report, Your Majesty, there was a sudden explosion in the underground sewer of Yihongyuan in South City!"

"Sewer?"

Liu Bian was stunned for a moment, then guessed: "Could it be a methane explosion?"

The fermentation of organic matter in underground waterways can produce methane, which can easily ignite and explode if it encounters sparks in a closed space.

Soon, Jinyiwei spies came one after another, bringing news that surprised Liu Bian:

“Your Majesty, today Bao Zheng and Gongsun Ce went to Yihong Courtyard to investigate and unexpectedly came across a murder case.

"After their investigation, they followed the trail and found that the underground waterway of Yihongyuan connected the entire South City and went deep into the imperial city, leading to the vicinity of the Taifu Mansion and other government offices.

"Bao Zheng and Gongsun Ce speculated that Yuan Ji and other members of the Yuan family were able to hide their whereabouts by using the underground waterway.

"When they led the Jinyiwei into the underground sewer to track down the murderer, they were ambushed on the way and a fight broke out between the two sides. The whole situation was extremely chaotic.

"There is a slightly smelly gas inside, which can be ignited by torches. Intense fire can even cause an explosion, which is why such an act of disturbing the Holy Riding occurred!"

Although biogas is colorless and odorless, the hydrogen sulfide in it has a bad smell. It should be that the biogas was ignited by the torch and exploded!
But what Liu Bian cared about was not the biogas, but this underground sewer!

When he ordered the search of Yuan's mansion, Yuan Ji and other members of the Yuan family fled first. The Jinyiwei had been searching around the Taifu's mansion but found nothing. It turned out that these rats actually used the underground sewers!

Liu Bian said in a deep voice:
"Order the Black Armor Army to surround Yihong Courtyard! Make sure Bao Zheng and Gongsun Ce are safe!
"No, the whole city is on alert! Who is responsible for this project? All relevant personnel must be under strict supervision! Block all the entrances to the underground sewers!"

"I obey your orders!!!"

Liu Bian had never expected that an Eastern Han Dynasty prison break had actually happened right under his nose. He was also somewhat curious about this underground waterway project and added: "Immediately bring the underground waterway blueprints of the capital. I want to see it with my own eyes."

"promise!!!"

More people left one after another.

Because of Liu Bian's orders, the entire capital was in turmoil.

No one expected that the Yuan family would use the underground sewers to do evil, and no one expected that Bao Zheng and Gongsun Ce would actually be able to find clues.

Since the underground sewer can be used, there must be something wrong with the person in charge. It is better to kill the wrong person than to let him go!
……

(End of this chapter)