Chapter 387 Popularity
When Liu Xie said he wanted to let them hear what the people of Chang'an thought, it really wasn't an empty statement.
Because the next moment after he said this, he walked out with the jade seal in his hand without any hesitation.
"stop……"
"It can't be stopped." Just as someone opened his mouth, Huangfu Song on the side suddenly replied.
"Aren't you afraid that he will really throw the seal to the ground, making the loss of the imperial seal a joke in Chang'an City?" Huangfu Song asked.
“……”Afraid, of course I’m afraid.
Liu Xie's words showed his intention to emulate Lin Xiangru, and he did this without any hesitation, which made people have no doubt whether he would really do it!
It seems that it is not just talk.
"That's not right. The impact of having him smash the imperial seal will not be greater than having him say such words in Chang'an City!" The man suddenly had an idea and continued after realizing the fallacy.
But just as he said this, Huangfu Song asked, "What offense did you dare to do to Lord Dong?"
“……”Of course I don’t dare.
Even the emperor sitting on the throne today had to welcome Liu Xie's appearance. How could he forget that Liu Xie was once a legitimate emperor who took over the throne from Emperor Xiaoling.
If he had not disappeared, Liu Yu would not have been able to succeed to the throne under Qiao Yan's decision.
If Liu Xie had not said such a shocking statement just now, he should have accepted Liu Yu's entrustment to return the throne to him and become the emperor of the Han Dynasty again.
As long as he still considered himself a subject of the Han Dynasty, he would never do anything towards Liu Xie.
They could only watch as Liu Xie walked out of the hall with the imperial seal and disappeared from their sight at an extremely fast speed.
He couldn't help but ask Huangfu Song: "General, which side are you on?"
Even though Huangfu Song's words were telling the truth, Liu Xie's special status could not be tampered with by anyone.
However, among the consequences of allowing Liu Xie to rush out of the palace, the one who clearly benefited was Qiao Yan, who had a close personal relationship with Huangfu Song!
Is it true that Huangfu Song had no selfish motives in this action?
However, when he looked at Huangfu Song, he saw that the other person's expression was somewhat confused and troubled, and he was looking in the direction of Qiao Yan with a look that made it impossible to see his emotions clearly. But when he saw that Qiao Yan had already chased in the direction of Liu Xie, his gaze turned to Lu Zhi.
Both of them should be considered as Qiao Yan's predecessors, but neither of them would have thought that in the past they were the main commanders in the Yellow Turban Rebellion and witnessed Qiao Yan's rise, but today they are witnessing such a scene that is hard to describe.
Liu Yu intended to return power to Liu Xie, but Liu Xie planned to give the throne to Qiao Yan?
What a bizarre and absurd thing this is!
But... after Liu Yang and Wang Yun imprisoned Liu Yu and intended to murder Qiao Yan, for some reason, thinking of the reaction in Chang'an City after Qiao Yan retreated to Huayin that day, Huangfu Song felt that this did not seem to be something incomprehensible.
If Liu Xie were to ask the question of whether he could replace the emperor in Chang'an...
When Huangfu Song and Lu Zhi looked at each other, they both got the answer given by the other.
It can be done.
It can be done!
"What happened outside?"
Yu Niang came to Chang'an with her mother because she was about to go to the Painting Academy to study. They lived in a guest house on the outskirts of Chang'an. Suddenly, she heard a loud noise outside, which was not an ordinary noise, so she quickly stuck her head out to see.
During the drought two years ago, the small village of Qishan where she lived got the opportunity to dig wells for survival. She then made up her mind to learn skills well so that she could understand more news from the Leping Monthly Report and use it to help her hometown.
But it is extremely difficult for people like them to learn these literary skills. Even with the continuous promotion of Jijiupian and Book of Songs, they are still far behind those who have a formal enlightenment path.
But her poor family background meant that she could never find a good teacher to enlighten her like those children from wealthy families.
It was at this moment that two roads appeared in front of her.
Her sister who worked in Chang'an City brought her two pieces of news. One was that all the factories, especially the cotton cloth factory directly under Qiao Yan, would offer courses for those who were most efficient, had outstanding character and were eager to learn. The other was that the art academy and the medical college would strengthen the training of cultural courses, and those who could serve as mere tools who could carve drawing boards or medicine boys who memorized and dispensed medicines would not be the only ones.
As for the former, Yu Niang is not old enough to join in, but she can give the latter a try.
Perhaps because of her curiosity about the well-drilling vehicle and her yearning for the Leping Monthly News, and the fact that she could really use tree branches to paint on the ground in her spare time, Yu Niang immediately decided to try her luck at the Calligraphy and Painting Academy.
This attempt by her actually found a future for herself!
Got accepted.
Everyone in the small mountain village of Qishan was happy for Yu Niang, who had proposed the method of obtaining the well-drilling cart. When they sent her out, they told her that they would take turns to help with the work on her family's fields that she should have been responsible for. They just hoped that Yu Niang would not forget to help the village after she returned from her studies.
Although it should not be attributed to the drought, this natural disaster did link their fates together in a closer way.
They took turns buying last year's Leping Monthly Newsletter by chance, and gathered together to guess what the higher-ups meant. It seemed like a small meeting was held every month, and even these children had the opportunity to participate.
The painting that Yu Niang used to pass the test imitated a pattern from a newspaper or magazine.
The newspaper was given to her by the village chief, giving her the opportunity to copy it hundreds and thousands of times, opening the door that was still somewhat far away from her.
When she returns after completing her studies, she will naturally repay this favor!
Just before school starts, it seems like there’s still some excitement?
She opened the window of the guest house and saw many students running out of the calligraphy and painting academy opposite.
She informed her mother and chased after him.
While running, she got the answer to her puzzle.
"The emperor who had been lost before has returned to Chang'an and brought back the imperial seal."
Yu Niang asked suspiciously, "But is it necessary for you to be so surprised and even so eager to watch the fun?"
After all, the emperor would be Liu Xie and Liu Yu, so it was of no use to ordinary people like them to pay much attention to it.
Instead of thinking about such things, it is much more practical to think about what to eat tomorrow.
"If it's really that simple, then it's fine." The woman she was questioning saw that she was young and short, so she grabbed her and ran away.
The sound of the wind carried her next words into Yu Niang's ears, "I don't know what he was thinking. He said on the Chang'an Road that he wanted to represent the Han Dynasty and hand over the imperial seal to the Grand Marshal. Oh my God, this... how is this different from abdication!"
Although the gossipers mentioned that Liu Xie was asking the people in Chang'an what suggestions they had, those who received the news did not subconsciously think that this suggestion was too incredible. They only thought that the only question was -
They must not miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
"It's different from abdication. He is no longer the emperor." Yu Niang's reply was blown away by the wind and was not heard by the girl who was pulling her away.
However, whether Liu Xie was the emperor now or not did not affect the boundless shock he brought to people when he stood on Chang'an Road and told them the news.
"If it were you, how would you respond?" Yu Niang heard the girl in front of her ask again.
When asked this question, for some reason she suddenly thought of the female official who came to register the amount of land.
The other party mentioned that her name was very similar to her own, so much so that Yu Niang often thought in her dreams how great it would be if one day she could emulate the other party and become an official like him.
It's a pity that she has never seen him again since that meeting. She only saw her involvement in the various agricultural arrangements in Guanzhong last year.
I heard that she was one of Da Sima's subordinates and had been working with her for twelve years.
if……
"Why are you still in a daze?" the girl in front asked again.
Yu Niang quickly replied loudly: "The Grand Marshal is blessing all the people, why not?"
If there had been no Grand Marshal, she would have either starved to death due to food shortage during the drought, or been killed if the Qiang people invaded Sanfu again.
No matter which one it is, Qiao Yan saved her life.
The appearance of Qin Yu and the enlightenment of Leping Monthly News made her see the possibility of another life and walk out of that closed and poor village.
If you ask her how much sense of belonging she has to the existence of the Han Dynasty and what her understanding of the Han territory is, she may not quite understand. But if the Grand Marshal whom she admires is allowed to sit in a position that can hold power over the world, this will be the best news she has received this year!
"I thought so too. Since we share the same view——"
She glanced at the crowd, and suddenly her eyes lit up, "Come on! I'll take you to a good spot."
Without knowing what was going on, Yu Niang was dragged by the girl to follow a fat cook.
During the previous run, they were already around Chang'an Road.
It is the iconic street that Qiao Yan built with cement.
Logically speaking, this is the widest road in Chang'an City, but the news brought by Liu Xie was so shocking that the area around it had already been surrounded by three layers of traffic. No matter how Yu Niang looked at it, she felt that it was unlikely that they could squeeze in with their physiques.
But this cook, who also arrived later, maneuvered left and right in the queue and easily made a path. As a result, because the two of them were following closely behind each other, they managed to squeeze into the middle section. If they passed about five or six people, they would be able to successfully get to the front.
"How...how did you do this?"
Yu Niang felt that if she was not mistaken, when the cook walked in, everyone who saw him made way for him, making Yu Niang almost think that he was a bully in Chang'an City.
But as soon as she asked the question, she saw her companion pointing her hand and motioning her to look.
Yu Niang raised her hand and realized that there was a dog squatting on the cook's shoulder.
"Hey, that dog is a celebrity. Everyone in the calligraphy and painting academy knows him."
"When the new Chang'an Road was built, there was an essay and calligraphy competition. Lu Gong's son Lu Zijia included a black dog in his painting. He won by using a small thing to see the big picture, and also made the dog he borrowed for a few days famous. Now that the incident happened on Chang'an Road and it was such a big event, who knows if there will be any more requirements for painting records. We have to give it a chance to participate."
"..." Yu Niang was a little suspicious of the mental state of the people in Chang'an.
But when she was sent to the front row in this way and lifted to the other side of the kind cook's shoulder to sit down, what she saw were faces full of excitement, and she could no longer think of the black dog.
Everyone who arrives here is not here to watch the show, but to cheer for Sima!
They didn't know whether Liu Xie's inquiry was sincere, but when Yu Niang looked around, with her simple yet sharp intuition, she felt that there was a message written on everyone's face.
If Liu Xie feels that this is a test, then they must also express their support in the loudest voice!
It would be better to take advantage of this sudden opportunity to help Qiao Yan to the position!
As long as the Han emperor was still on the throne, this seemed an extremely terrifying idea.
But even compared with the people in Bingzhou, the people in Chang'an have just as much respect and gratitude for Qiao Yan.
It is not just because of the grace of saving lives during the drought, nor is it just because of the various businesses that emerged after the Chang'an court took root, providing countless people with opportunities to find jobs and make a living, nor is it because although Guanzhong has not yet recovered its appearance as a fertile land, it has already made people feel at home.
Also because of the rules.
When Dong Zhuo was wreaking havoc in Chang'an, he even issued Dong Zhuo coins in order to accumulate wealth in his own hands, completely destroying the people in Guanzhong's trust in currency overnight.
Then Qiao Yan came, bringing with her the Wuzhu coin policy that she had always adhered to from Liangzhou, allowing currency and goods to circulate quickly in the three states, pulling the precarious economy of Chang'an back.
It's the rules of money and trust.
The subsequent legal framework of the five punishments was a rule, the selection and assessment of officials was a rule, and the implementation of the alcohol restriction was also a rule.
These rules do not bind them into constraints, but protect them in an alternative way, and make them believe that as long as they do not break the rules, they can continue to climb up with their own hands.
The final outcome of each of these rules was in the hands of Qiao Yan, who relied on the power of her civil officials, military generals and soldiers to implement them. This also made her far more likely to make people feel more at ease living in Chang'an than if the Liu clan were to sit on the throne of the emperor.
But unfortunately, some people insist on eradicating such existence, intending to replace Da Sima's step-by-step efforts with those corrupt and outdated systems!
Even if that method ultimately failed, it did not prevent them from being filled with an eager emotion that was ready to burst out at any time.
If Qiao Yan becomes the ruler of the world, no one will be able to bring her down, right?
Can they... continue to live like this?
Even if they responded to Liu Xie's question and shouted "The Grand Marshal will ascend the throne", even if they were accused of treason, so what!
When everyone is guilty of the same crime, even the most timid among them will have the courage to scream at the top of his lungs!
"The Grand Marshal ascends the throne!"
"We support the Grand Marshal to ascend the throne!"
“…”
Yu Niang looked at the scene in front of her in astonishment. It was obvious that she had only been in Chang'an for a short time and was now sitting on the shoulders of a stranger. She should have restrained her actions a little. But if anyone could remain calm in such a situation, he would be a real god.
The changes in Guanzhong reappeared before her at this moment, and every single one of them was clear and vivid.
So at the top of the wave of voices, she also shouted at the top of her lungs: "Please make the Grand Marshal the emperor!"
This was the most intense response that the emperor and his ministers who were originally in the Purple Palace heard when they appeared here.
The voices of the people of Chang'an, which had long since broken through the clouds, came towards them in an irresistible manner, making it impossible to tell who made any of the voices.
The only thing they could hear was that after someone made way for them, Liu Xie, who was standing in the middle, looked towards them and asked a question that hit their heart: "Everyone, did you hear this sound?"
That’s a lot of different sounds.
But it seems to have the same meaning.
Even Qiao Yan, who was supported by them, was unable to stop these voices. At most, he mobilized the Chang'an troops to maintain order to prevent the influx of people from causing any stampede.
But even though there was already a slight sense of order, such a scene still brought an unparalleled shock to the court officials.
I heard it.
They heard it clearly.
Huang Wan, who was standing at the front, had already changed his expression.
The waves formed by these echoing voices poured into his ears together. What he felt at this moment was not the trend that everyone expected, but a kind of... indescribable horror.
Amidst the excitement, Huang Wan couldn't help but look towards Qiao Yan subconsciously.
In his opinion, the protagonist of today's drama is not Liu Xie.
Liu Xie was just one of the symbols of the Han Dynasty holding the jade seal.
It is just a trigger to arouse the voices of the people in Chang'an!
This role can be played by Liu Xie, but it can also be someone else, such as Liu Biao who almost obeys Qiao Yan's every word, such as Liu Qi who was left in Chang'an City by Liu Biao, or even their majesty who has already revealed a bit of decadence and laziness.
Therefore, the real protagonist should be the Grand Marshal Qiao Yan, who can lead the people of Chang'an and even the people of the Nine Provinces under her control to rise up at any time!
Even though she seemed to be carried forward by the wave and pushed forward in an unexpected way, like a passive participant in this drama, her position as the protagonist could not be ignored.
Huang Wan's gaze met hers through the crowd.
Of course, she was not looking at him, but at those who spoke up for her. However, this did not prevent Huang Wan from clearly catching that in her eyes when she looked at these people at this moment, she could not see any fear about being promoted to that position.
This shouldn't happen!
Even though there is a saying that has been passed down from ancient times, "Are kings, princes, generals, and ministers of different races born of different races?", there was Wang Mang who actually achieved this goal and established the Xin Dynasty, and there were several popular uprisings during the reigns of Emperors Huan and Ling, but with the 200 years of rule of the Later Han Dynasty, the idea of replacing the emperor had long since become something that no one who called himself a "Han minister" could possibly have.
Liu Yan, who was in Shu, could have such an idea because Liu Yu, who sat on the throne of the emperor, and even the earlier Emperor Ling of Han, Liu Hong, were just royal family members who were recommended and supported to the throne. After all, he, Liu Yan, also had a surname "Liu".
But when this thought came to Qiao Yan, it was like a tiger with sharp claws and fangs turning from its original guardian to a hunter, and extending its threatening claws to the "ally" who was hiding behind her.
Whether Liu Xie's appearance and the words he said while holding the jade seal were instructed by Qiao Yan no longer seemed so important at this moment.
Even if she had not expected to receive such help today, she would definitely take a step forward with the step given by Liu Xie and put this voice of being pushed into practice!
Look, even the emperor who was once entrusted by the previous emperor to support her is declaring in this way that she should not be a minister but an emperor. In this time of upheaval, why can't she rise up and accept this supreme reputation?
Huang Wan had no doubt that if people like them who were still trying to stick to the orthodoxy of the Han Dynasty made any rebuttal or obstruction to her at this moment, she would simply use the military power of Guanzhong that she had regained in her hands to tell them whether she, Qiao Yan, had more power and prestige in this world, or whether these old stubborn people were more stubborn.
Wang Yun may not have misjudged her position.
But he misjudged his own abilities.
Because of her ambition to seize the throne, no one present could stop her.
So Wang Yun had no choice but to end up dead.
Then, do they want to follow Wang Yun's example and use their own fame to achieve the image of being slandered, suppressed, and targeted by the ministers of the Han Dynasty, or even end up falling to death from the top of Chang'an City with only cheers, or -
Should we follow the current situation and plunge directly into this torrent, so that we can at least become a participant in this peaceful evolution?
It seems that there is already an answer in the invisible.
Those who were identified as her enemies by Zhong Changtong's words may still have room for redemption at this time.
But if we are still not alert at this point and still stubbornly stand on the opposite side, we will not only become victims of obsolescence in this era of change, but will also become the objects of authority during this dynasty change!
Is it true that what Qiao Yan wants is that the Liu clan is unable to rule the world and that the throne of the emperor is handed over to her?
Since she can really win this position, why can't she completely make all the voices of opposition disappear?
Take a look——
The popular education she laid out step by step could fill the gap between those lagging aristocratic families within a dozen years.
The Leping Monthly and printed book distribution channels that she holds tightly in her hands can help her wash away the bad reputation that may be directed at her, and give her a boost to her rise to power with a sovereignty of speech that can cleanse the world.
The armed forces in various places, which have checks and balances and are mostly impressed by her military achievements, will once again help her erase those fragmented voices in a way that is different from Sun Ce's actions in Yangzhou, but undoubtedly more effective.
This is indeed what everyone wants, but it is also a destination that some people have to obey!
This is the tragedy of the Han Dynasty, but it is also the basis for Qiao Yan's victory.
If Huang Wan could understand this truth at this moment, how could Liu Yu not understand it?
When Huang Wan's gaze turned from Liu Xie to the streets of Chang'an where only one voice was left, and then turned back to Qiao Yan's face, Liu Yu's gaze turned to Zhao Yun, Lu Lingju and all the Chang'an defenders who came to maintain order in the distance.
He had this guess in his early years, but unfortunately, he was under moral constraints on the one hand, and like at this moment, under the impact of the overwhelming public momentum, he had clearly and helplessly seen a future in which the power of the Han Dynasty would eventually fall into the hands of others, and the fact that the people's hearts would no longer be with the Han Dynasty.
Perhaps the only thing he should be thankful for was that when Liu Xie was describing in the hall the changes he had seen from the perspective of the common people, he, a superior who had once stabilized the grain prices in Youzhou, did not feel a natural gap between him and Liu Xie, but an indescribable shock.
He had lost his eldest son in the war, and his second son in the struggle in the court. With such a weak body, he could not bear the heavy responsibility of being the ruler of the world. Perhaps it would be a blessing for him to become an ordinary citizen after leaving office.
At that time, if he had not died of illness, perhaps he would have been able to understand in a clearer way the thoughts that Liu Xie had come up with during the years when he disappeared from everyone's sight.
Feeling relieved after figuring this out, he suddenly took a step forward.
The emperor was wearing court robes, which made him the focus of attention after Liu Xie, who was holding the imperial seal.
Even though most of the people present had only seen him from afar on the day he ascended the throne and were still quite unfamiliar with him, and even though he looked haggard and even a little bleak at the moment, making people feel as if he would collapse at any time, he was still the emperor of the Han Dynasty!
Liu Xie's existence is already a thing of the past, and Liu Yu is the emperor sitting on the throne.
For these people who regard the imperial power as a beast, if he ordered the arrest of people at this moment, labeled Liu Xie as a rebel who disguised himself as Dong Hou, and labeled Qiao Yan, who was elected by the people, as a traitor, there would definitely be people loyal to the Han Dynasty who would fight to the death for him, and the wave of cheers in Chang'an city would turn into a two-way confrontation in an instant.
Therefore, when he took action, the voices that were almost noisy just now were silent for a moment, waiting for the response from the Emperor of Han.
But he wasn't there to make a rebuttal.
The sun, which was almost setting, cast a mottled color on Liu Yu's face, making him look old and aging, yet also making his overly pale face vaguely show some color, as if there was still some vitality in his body.
He waved at Qiao Yan, and when he saw him walking closer to him, he first shouted "Ye Shu" in a voice that only the people nearby could hear. Then, as if he had used all his strength to speak, he asked:
"Lord Qiao - are you willing to take on this important task entrusted by the people?"
The moment Liu Yu opened his mouth, anyone who could hear these words could clearly realize that these were not some tentative words from him!
Each and every word contains a heavy responsibility!
The gift of Liu Xie's jade seal, the response of the people of Chang'an, the expectations of his subordinates, and the power entrusted to her by Liu Yu at the moment were all placed before her in the last embers of light and shadow before the night fell.
And the moment she stood in everyone's sight, she was like a sharp blade drawn from its sheath, and when all the ropes that bound her were removed, she completely demonstrated her unique courage and strength.
The urgent situation of Yuan Shao sending troops to Luoyang gave her a reason not to go through the drama of repeatedly asking and declining.
The current situation is almost perfect with the right time, right place and right people. If we want to put it together again, it will never snowball like this.
Some people want to see a smooth transition of the Han Dynasty to her hands, while some people just want to see her ambition and aspirations to shoulder the responsibility of ruling the country, and their eyes are full of eagerness when they look at her.
so--
She no longer had to say no!
She didn't look around, but she knew clearly that Cheng Yu, who had told her about the dream of Mount Tai holding the sun, was looking at her; Ren Hong, who had received her blessing of "the wild geese will not fly low" and had changed from a maid in the Han Palace to the Grand Historian, was looking at her; Zhao Yun, who had received the four promises of Hengqu from her, was looking at her; Cai Zhaoji, who would no longer have the Eighteen Beats of the Hujia and would only have thousands of classics and newspapers published all over the world under her command, was also looking at her...
There are also those counselors and generals who are not in Chang'an at the moment, but are guarding Jiuzhou for her, and they are all waiting for her response at this moment.
This gave her no need to hesitate!
She raised her hand, took the imperial seal from Liu Xie's hand, and held it in front of her.
The entrustment of the throne made her no longer need to pay respect to the emperor as a subject, but instead had a final silent negotiation with Liu Yu while they looked into each other's eyes.
At the moment when the setting sun in Chang'an completely disappeared on the city wall, she just opened her mouth to reply: "The people miss me, the elders trust me, and the subordinates follow me. I dare not refuse."
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