Chapter 382: Retreat from Huayin
What was Liu Yu thinking at the moment he fell?
Was he thinking about the increasingly precarious dignity of the Han Dynasty after this shocking change, or was he thinking that Qiao Yan, whom he most suspected of having the intention to overthrow the Han Dynasty, at least made every move in public for the sake of maintaining the Han Dynasty's rule. On the contrary, Wang Yun, Liu Bei and others, who he thought were loyal Han ministers, disclosed all the turmoil and struggles in Chang'an City in front of the public, completely bringing shame to the Han Dynasty.
The fact that he was unable to stop Qiao Yan from moving forward step by step was a sign of his incompetence as an emperor.
His inability to control his son's growing ambition was a sign of his incompetence as a father.
Then his inability to restrict the actions of people like Wang Yun cannot even be said to be incompetent, but rather pathetic!
How can such a pathetic and incompetent person have the face to become the ruler of the world, and how can he have the face to sit in Chang'an and live in this world!
The extremely sad emotions intensified his mental illness and physical weakness in an instant, and the moment he fell down, his face became as pale as gold paper.
Out of a doctor's instinct, Zhang Zhongjing, who was beside him, immediately rushed over and quickly took him in.
"Quick! Hurry and settle His Majesty down, and then fetch my medical box!"
Even though Liu Yu seemed to be in high spirits in the past two days, the sudden change today was enough to completely knock him down.
The human body is the most complex creature, and it is difficult to predict to what extent the disease will intensify.
I'm afraid that this fall, compared to the previous time when he was made sick by Liu Yang, would be an even greater damage to him that cannot be repaired in a short period of time.
The one who fell was more than just the seriously ill Emperor of the Han Dynasty.
Qiao Yan looked at Liu Yu being carried away from here, and a complex emotion flashed across his eyes.
But when she allowed Liu Yang and others to successfully join forces, and when she used Chang Yan as the first step to fight back, there was no turning back for her.
It's okay to pity Liu Yu's current appearance, but -
Who could show a little sympathy to the people who were living in the midst of a great disaster at the end of the Han Dynasty and an environment where land annexation had reached its peak?
Qiao Yan said, "Please ask Mr. Zhongjing and General Huangfu to take good care of His Majesty. I will go and clean up the mess in Chang'an first."
Even though Wang Yun set the ambush within the palace walls, first Qiao Yan ordered Zhao Yun to lead the Huayin defenders, then he made a desperate move to detonate the gunpowder, and now Shisun Rui led his troops to support Chang'an with the intention of meeting Liu Yang. Even if the people in Chang'an were not sure what had happened at the beginning, they must have known it at this moment!
This is because the Grand Marshal was targeted by the princes and ministers of the Han Dynasty, with the intention of killing him!
Even if there had been that rumor that had been widely circulated before, no one in Chang'an would have thought that such a drama would actually happen.
The rumor of red energy penetrating the Purple Palace might have been due to the jealousy of a very small number of people towards the Grand Marshal's status, or perhaps Yuan Shao and the other emperor in Yecheng were unable to effectively stop the Grand Marshal's attack and had to resort to such a tactic to save themselves.
But today is different!
That was a real internal conflict right in front of them!
What did Da Sima do wrong to be targeted like this?
When this shocking news came, which was like the earthquake in Chang'an in the second year of Jian'an, this question flashed through the minds of most people.
Without the Grand Marshal, there would be no possibility for the establishment of the Chang'an court. The natural disasters and man-made disasters in the past few years have already made them victims of the times.
The most intuitive thing is that the deep well that they used to survive the drought was built under Qiao Yan's arrangement, which made them regard this young powerful official as their breadwinner and savior.
But look what they hear now!
They said that the Grand Marshal was a traitor and wanted to trick her into the palace in the name of His Majesty and kill her.
This is obviously not a rumor spread by someone with ulterior motives.
Those who were closest to the Chang'an Palace City clearly heard Wang Yun's dying struggle on the Chang'an Palace City and saw him igniting the gunpowder. They also saw Liu Yang's embarrassed posture without any demeanor of a prince, and that he did not change his accusation against the Grand Marshal even in such a situation.
Even though the other scenes were intercepted within the palace walls, they still didn't know that Liu Bei and others were also involved in the siege of the Grand Marshal. However, one was the only prince of His Majesty, and the other was a high official second only to the Grand Marshal.
If two people like this could make such a layout and plan, how did others do it?
The most important thing is, what does the emperor think?
Especially the latter, it is what everyone who heard the news wants to know.
The common people could only listen to these rumors that were inevitably spread in the streets, but the ministers in the Chang'an court heard the news with even more astonishment, and then they all ran towards the palace.
After hearing that Liu Yu vomited blood and fainted, they could only suppress their anxiety and gather in the Zichen Hall of the Gui Palace, which was the venue for court meetings.
"What is Wang Situ thinking?" Someone in the crowd spoke first.
To most people, Wang Yun's behavior seemed like he was crazy.
Who among those who can hold office in this government or government doesn't have a little bit of vision? As long as one is not blinded by greed, one should be able to see what kind of person Liu Yang is and whether he can be the successor to the Chang'an court.
It should also be clear whether Da Sima, as the most powerful person, is someone they can contend with.
It would have been fine if he had helped Liu Yang, but he also tried to assassinate the Grand Marshal with such a desperate measure, and even imprisoned His Majesty. It was like throwing his future into deep water, leaving him no way out for survival.
The impact of his actions made people feel panic.
No one can give a clear answer as to what consequences this event, which is close to a palace coup, will lead to.
Everyone has a temper, and young people like Qiao Yan are no exception.
Anyone who has worked diligently for the court for four years, no, if we count from the time when she was the governor of Bingzhou, it would be eight and a half years, and now has been framed and ambushed like this, I'm afraid they would feel extremely heartbroken.
If he was just a civil servant, he might be exiled to a remote area like Cai Yong, or live under the patronage of a friendly aristocratic family. He would be unable to make any counterattack against the world and the political situation, and at most he could write two or three articles or essays.
But when it was Qiao Yan, it was completely different!
Not to mention the prefectures and counties that were recaptured in all directions, almost all the generals stationed there were cultivated by Qiao Yan, allowing her influence to spread across the nine provinces. Just take the troops inside and outside Chang'an City as an example. Except for the troops controlled by Wang Yun and Liu Yang, the rest are all Qiao Yan's men.
Since she was the one who supported the previous emperor, and she was not too close to Emperor Ling of Han who had been kind to her, she could easily depose and enthrone the emperor before Cao Cao and Yuan Shao reacted to the unrest on their side.
Isn’t this what Huo Guang did in the past?
After being summoned to the capital, Marquis Haihun plotted a targeted attack on Huo Guang, but because of his hasty counterattack, he was deposed from his position as crown prince and sent back to his fiefdom.
Indeed, Liu Yu was not the only Han royal family member worthy of the throne.
When they thought of this, some people even subconsciously looked at the Grand Coachman Liu Qi.
Apart from anything else, Liu Qi's father Liu Biao seemed to be a suitable candidate.
Like Liu Yu before he succeeded the throne, he was already a governor of a state.
Judging from Qiao Yan's performance in the Battle of Xu Yang, Liu Biao was cooperative enough towards Qiao Yan.
When Zhang Jin of Jiaozhou invaded Jingzhou, although Liu Biao was defeated for a while because of the elephant soldiers, the desperate counterattack he launched afterwards was definitely remarkable. At least it was much better than Liu Yu who could only rely on Yu Qiaoyan's assistance at that time.
What’s more…
We can leave aside the question of what Liu Biao's other sons are like, but this Liu Qi is obviously not as confused as the treasonous Prince Yang!
But regardless of whether Qiao Yan was going to make such a move to depose and enthronize someone to ensure that she would not be stabbed in the back again when facing external enemies, one thing was certain -
Today's shocking change cannot be easily ignored. Otherwise, not only will Qiao Yan be gone, but the reputation of the Han Dynasty will also be in jeopardy!
The situation in Chang'an City...will eventually become chaotic.
Their status is also bound to face drastic changes.
Huang Wan, the only one among the three ministers present, did not say a word at this moment, but just looked at the vacant emperor's seat in front with a calm gaze.
Wang Yun and he had a close relationship for many years, and this friendship was further deepened due to the Chang'an incident in the third year of Guangxi.
Just as Wang Yun and Liu Yang said when analyzing their side's advantages, Huang Wan was originally included.
But perhaps because Liu Yang took action against Xianyu Fu first, Wang Yun had to initiate this action in advance, so that he not only missed persuading Huangfu Song, but also missed Huang Wan in order to ensure that the news would not be further leaked.
So at this moment, Huang Sikong can still stand in this hall, waiting for the current situation to have an outcome, instead of being shot to death on the top of Chang'an city wall, or being detained in prison.
Huang Wan was a little confused when he first received the news. Why did Wang Yun make such a stupid decision? But when he looked at the position of the emperor in front of him, he seemed to have understood the reason.
Wang Yun, Xian Yuyin, Chunyu Jia and others clearly have a set of self-consistent logic, and they also have interests that they have to fight for from their standpoint. Between being assimilated like a frog in boiling water or attacking the person next to the pot, they resolutely chose the latter, and also chose the most feasible path under the conditions they could offer.
However, perhaps not every frog wants to jump out of this warm water.
Huang Wan was recommended by Yang Ci after the Yellow Turban Rebellion in the seventh year of Guanghe, and was freed from the predicament of being imprisoned by the Party and Faction Persecution. He was promoted all the way to the position of governor, and was transferred back to the court because of the Dong Zhuo Rebellion. Even though he had no military power, his vision was far superior to that of most officials.
In his opinion, this turbulent situation may not last long.
The moment this thought came to his mind, Huang Wan couldn't help but close his eyes.
In the darkness with only a glimmer of light before his eyes, he seemed to have seen an irresistible future.
Whether or not the Han Dynasty had failed the Grand Marshal was no longer so important at this moment. In other words, for the people, this was not a fact they needed to consider in depth.
All they need to know is who they can follow to survive, or to be decent enough to survive like a human being.
In this unstoppable trend, those who choose to compete with Qiao Yan may still be called supporters of the previous era, but the moment they choose such a hasty and selfish way to achieve their goal, they will have no choice but to be ruined and abandoned in the gap between successors.
Wang Yun has died under the walls of Chang'an Palace. How long can Chunyu Jia and Shisun Rui hold on?
Probably not for long.
When they started their uprising in Huaili, Youfufeng, they felt that their future was bright.
Although Shisun Rui had only been in the position of You Fufeng for a short time and had mobilized the soldiers on the pretext of transferring them back to Chang'an for training, in his opinion, by the time he arrived in Chang'an, Liu Yang must have dealt with Qiao Yan. At that time, even if these soldiers did not obey his orders, they would have to obey the orders of His Majesty and the Prince and devote themselves to the action of stabilizing the situation in Chang'an.
In this way, even if they did not participate in the encirclement and suppression of Qiao Yan, and naturally could not get the real first credit, the second-rate credit would always be fine.
Besides, no matter how inferior it is, it is still a contribution to the dragon!
Qiao Yan was able to become so powerful today because he helped Liu Yu become the emperor. Why can't they seek more benefits from Liu Yang's incompetence?
They were indeed trying to protect the Han Dynasty, but it was also a Han Dynasty that would be more beneficial to them.
However, before Shisun Rui and Chunyu Jia arrived in Chang'an, they had already encountered the intercepting troops sent by Qiao Yan.
The moment the Huayin defenders appeared before them under the command of Zhao Yun, Chunyu Jia immediately realized a terrible fact -
The conspiracy in Chang'an City must have failed!
Qiao Yan was even able to send Zhao Yun and a considerable team to intercept at this time, which clearly meant that all the enemies in Chang'an City had been completely eliminated!
This is a sign that the game is over!
Chunyu Jia was once scolded by Ni Heng in the street until he vomited blood. In fact, his health was not very good. But at this moment, his instinct for survival made him jump on the horse and try to escape, and he still looked extremely flexible and agile.
But he did not think about the fact that when these Huaili defenders saw Zhao Yun, the impression left by years of training was no different from the impression they had when they saw their superiors. They all subconsciously stopped what they were doing, making Chunyu Jia's action of turning around and leaving very obvious in this motionless crowd!
Lu Lingju, who was in Zhao Yun's team, immediately noticed this change. As the two armies got closer, she shot an arrow at the fleeing man's horse without hesitation.
Although she is young, her arms are very strong.
She had been training herself as a military general for many years, and Taishi Ci had started training her several years ago. Although she could not pull a heavy bow of two or three stones as easily as Qiao Yan and Lu Bu, the longbow she used was definitely not the same as those used by ordinary soldiers.
At this moment, the arrow flew out from the bow, like a stream of light that instantly pierced through the horse that Chunyu Jia was riding.
The horse, which was already running fast, immediately fell to the ground, and Chunyu Jia, who was sitting on the horse, was thrown out.
But he was not as quick-witted as Li Ru who had the same experience back then. In this sudden fall, Chun Yu Jia couldn't even do anything to save himself. He heard a sound of broken bones, and he lost consciousness after vomiting blood in his chest.
By the time Shisun Rui was captured and both teams were completely under the command of Zhao Yun, this Guanglu doctor had already breathed his last.
Lu Lingju couldn't help scratching his head and asked, "This should be considered an accident caused by refusing to surrender, right?"
It can't be considered that she killed an imperial official without authorization...right?
"Of course you didn't do anything wrong." Zhao Yun looked at the soldiers in front of him who had no idea what was going on. At this time, his subordinates reorganized them into the team one by one and transferred them back to the direction of Youfufeng. His usually gentle face couldn't help but show a bit of anger. "They were the first to mobilize troops without authorization. According to military rules, this is a capital crime!"
If it wasn't him who came to stop this team, or if by the time the enemy arrived at the city, these soldiers would have made irreversible actions under the instigation of these two men. At that time, not only would the soldiers have to face life and death in the battle, but after they were captured, who could say they were innocent? These soldiers who were used as tools must be held accountable.
The actions of Shisun Rui and Chunyu Jia clearly showed that they did not take the lives of these soldiers seriously at all. They deserved to die!
If the emperor wanted to hold Lü Lingju accountable for killing Chunyu Jia, then they would have even more reason to overthrow the Han Dynasty!
However, they still have to maintain a sense of reason, a sense of reason that should not exceed their authority under the current circumstances.
Zhao Yun was already aware of Qiao Yan's ambitions, and he also knew that what she wanted was not to rely on the military power to make a call from a high position, but to make the current situation develop in the direction of a smooth transition despite the intensified conflicts caused by the actions of Liu Yang, Wang Yun and others.
What they want is not the bloody storm in Chang'an City, but...
Instead, he relied on the growing public support in Chang'an City to change the situation in one fell swoop!
After intercepting the team heading to Chang'an, he did not make any unnecessary moves. He only stopped the team he led on the outskirts of Chang'an, and then met with Qiao Yan, who had suppressed public opinion in Chang'an City, on the outskirts of Chang'an.
"What do you plan to do now, my lord?" Zhao Yun asked when he saw Qiao Yan looking back at the flowing water outside Chang'an and the city wall in the distance, with a look of disappointment on his face.
Qiao Yan sighed and replied, "Let's step back and wait for His Majesty to wake up."
The more you do, the more mistakes you make, so——
She believes more in the power of popular support.
Liu Yu's fainting lasted almost two days.
When he woke up, he saw only a swaying double image in front of him. It took him a full cup of tea before he finally recognized the person in front of him.
Who else could it be but Grand Marshal Huangfu Song?
Liu Yu quickly asked, "Where's Ye Shu?"
Logically, what he heard before he fell was the news that Shisun Rui and Chunyu Jia had raised an army from Youfufeng. There was nothing wrong with Qiao Yan going to quell the rebellion at this moment. However, when Liu Yu saw Huangfu Song's expression at this moment, he had an indescribable bad premonition.
Qiao Yan is not here, and it doesn't seem like he is here because of suppressing the rebellion.
Huangfu Song smiled bitterly and said, "Ye Shu led his troops to retreat to Huayin.":,n,
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