Okay!

You're so aloof, so impressive!

He Jin, Yuan Shao, and the others who supported Liu Bian were all inwardly seething with frustration.

Liu Wei and the members of the imperial clan he represented entered the venue and chose to stand on Liu Xie's side.

This clearly shows that they intend to oppose He Jin and his group.

Liu Hong's confidence stemmed from Liu Wei's unequivocal support for Liu Xie.

Now Liu Hong is speaking so grandly, claiming that he is delaying the appointment of a crown prince for the sake of the empire.

In fact, everyone knows that the reason why the Han Dynasty has become so wretched over the years is that he is the one primarily responsible for it!

They were quite diligent in the early stages, but later their actions became baffling.

First, he relied on the Ten Attendants to sell official positions and titles, allowing them to wreak havoc on the court;

Then, He was made empress, and the He family rose to prominence, with everyone in the family gaining power and control over the court.

Seeing that He Jin was becoming too powerful, Liu Hong created the Eight Colonels of the Western Garden to counterbalance him.

Unexpectedly, the officers of the Western Garden were all won over by He Jin, who then thought of using members of the imperial clan to check and balance the local governors!

In short, Liu Hong dug one pit after another, trying to fill the pits behind with the soil from the previous ones.

But before the pit could be filled, more and more pits appeared on the ground, leaving the area devastated.

Even before his death, he left a will to thoroughly betray the Han Dynasty!

Now, Liu Hong's words have already infuriated He Jin, Yuan Shao, and others.

But you certainly can't lose your temper with the emperor in the imperial court!

He Jin took a big step forward and walked aggressively towards Liu Wei:

"King of the Clouds, are you deliberately trying to cause trouble?"

"What do you mean I'm causing trouble? You can object to every word I say, but I must defend my right to speak."

"Now that I've come to the Jiade Hall, I can naturally offer my opinions on matters of state!"

"If His Majesty says I am not allowed to speak, then I will shut up immediately."

"As for who will be chosen as the crown prince and when, that will ultimately be decided by His Majesty!"

"I fully support whatever decision Your Majesty makes!"

In short, he was just stirring up trouble. Liu Wei remained calm despite He Jin's fiery gaze.

He felt that he should stop while he was ahead, as continuing to show his face in public would likely backfire.

Firstly, it sends a signal to Liu Hong and everyone else that he has no intention of vying for the throne.

Since the legitimacy is not yet in place, it is necessary to keep a low profile and wait for the right opportunity to act.

Secondly, it let the faction supporting the Prince of Chenliu know that Liu Wei and the imperial clan supported the Prince of Chenliu, which gave them confidence.

Even if Liu Bian is chosen as the crown prince today, the faction that supports the Prince of Chenliu feels there is still a chance and will not give up.

This intensified their struggle against He Jin's faction!

This will help Liu Wei and the royal family strengthen their own power!

Thirdly, although he suggested establishing the Prince of Chenliu, he ultimately supported His Majesty's decision.

This reiterates that Liu Wei and the imperial clan are still loyal to the current emperor, unlike the ministers who rushed to side with the He family even before Liu Hong died!

After Liu Wei finished speaking, he immediately bowed to Liu Hong on the imperial steps and returned to his seat.

Liu Yu, Liu Biao, and the others nodded in agreement. Liu Wei's actions had created a closed loop.

The goal was achieved, the attitude was presented, and loyalty was not forgotten – commendable!

However, He Jin was about to lose control of himself!

All the past grievances with Liu Wei, plus the loss of gold at Baoguo Temple, He Miao's ransom, He Yu and Xun You's disappearance, and being humiliated by Liu Wei at the palace gate by being smeared with horse manure, big and small things all rushed into his mind.

If Liu Wei were a fat pig, He Jin would surely take out a sharpened butcher's knife, bleed him dry, and then gut him to vent his hatred!

Unfortunately, Liu Wei is not one of them!

He Jin could only stare helplessly.

Liu Wei jumped out and played this game, seemingly saying a lot, but in reality he said nothing, leaving the final ball to Liu Hong.

Liu Hong, however, did not see this as a ball, but rather as a testament to the loyalty of Liu Wei and the imperial clan to him.

His trust in Liu Wei has increased dramatically!

Regardless of the circumstances, Liu Wei's performance in court today must not disappoint him!

Just as Liu Wei turned to go back, He Jin, Yuan Shao, and a group of ministers exchanged glances and nodded slightly.

This will definitely stop Liu Hong from trying to delay any longer. At this point, we have no choice but to use our ultimate weapon:

"Your Majesty, if you intend to make the Prince of Chenliu the Crown Prince, it would be against the law and propriety; and the loyal ministers present would also object!"

“If the Prince of Hongnong is not established as the Crown Prince today, we, the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers, and all the loyal ministers present, will remonstrate with our lives.”

After He Jin finished speaking, he strode towards the imperial steps and knelt down with a thud.

"We, your humble servants, are prepared to die in remonstrance!"

"We, your humble servants, are prepared to die in remonstrance!"

"We, your humble servants, are prepared to die in remonstrance!"

"......"

Immediately, the two Yuan brothers, the three Yellow Turban generals, and other ministers moved upon hearing the news.

One by one, they stepped forward and knelt down behind He Jin.

Soon, a large group of people knelt down in the hall.

Of the more than two hundred officials with a salary of over six hundred bushels of grain, only thirty-four remained in their seats.

That aura is truly frightening!

This was the first time Liu Hong had ever seen so many ministers threatening suicide to force the establishment of an heir apparent.

Why were these ministers so quick to risk their lives to remonstrate with the emperor?

Ultimately, it's all about pursuing fame and fortune!

Civil officials valued reputation, while military generals valued honor.

In order to uphold the "legitimacy" of the primogeniture system, civil officials were even willing to go against the emperor, and were not afraid of death.

Since Dong Zhongshu dismissed all other schools of thought and exclusively honored Confucianism, Confucianism has become a powerful tool for emperors to maintain their rule.

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