The revival of the Han Dynasty must start with Dong Zhuo

Chapter 98 I swear by the Wei River!

Dong Zhuo's steps were unsteady and his face was pale.

If Liu Xie had not helped him down from the city wall, Dong Zhuo would have collapsed to the ground.

He said that he hated Wang Yun the most, but when Wang Yun really died before his eyes, Dong Zhuo couldn't control himself and completely lost his previous heroic spirit.

Rather than saying that Dong Zhuo came to kill Wang Yun, it would be more accurate to say that Dong Zhuo came with the hope that Wang Yun would admit his mistake.

But Wang Yun's determination obviously exceeded Dong Zhuo's imagination.

"Prepare the car! Let the Grand Tutor return to Chang'an!"

Dong Zhuo's mentality is now severely damaged and he is obviously unable to manage affairs.

Liu Xie also couldn't get over Wang Yun's words for a long time, so he frowned and sat where he was.

But everything in the world is always moving forward.

Just like the surging Wei River, no one can stop it.

Liu Xie and Dong Zhuo were both very sad because of Wang Yun's incident, but it did not affect other people's happiness at all.

No matter what, this was a great victory that took place on battlefields everywhere! It was a rare feast of military merit for the army!

There were several battles in Guanzhong alone, and the accumulated military merits were enough to promote a large number of generals to the powerful class.

Not to mention the numerous merits he had accumulated in following Dong Zhuo in defeating the enemy and recovering the homeland in Hedong.

Among them, Lu Bu was the most impatient.

As soon as Dong Zhuo left, he ignored Liu Xie's mood and asked anxiously, "Your Majesty! Didn't you say that if I made a contribution, I would ask the Grand Tutor to get the person back? Why didn't Your Majesty let me ask the Grand Tutor for the credit just now?"

……

Now that the person is gone, thinking about some things now seems pretentious.

When Liu Xie came to his senses, he heard that Lu Bu was still thinking about getting a wife, and he couldn't help but laugh and cry.

It’s better to choose someone like Lu Bu!

Fighting wars, getting promoted, and sleeping with women.

As for the rest of the things, I’m afraid they all go in one ear and out the other?

I feel carefree and relaxed, just like a newborn baby.

"Fengxian... when you left Guanzhong for more than a month, you didn't even see the family of the Grand Tutor. Now that you're back, you ask the Grand Tutor for the girl. Are you afraid that the Grand Tutor doesn't know that you've been having an affair with her for a long time?"

Lu Bu's face turned red, and he realized that something was wrong with his behavior.

"Don't worry, I will invite the family of the Grand Master to come to Chang'an. You will have your own chance then, and it won't be awkward."

Lu Bu smiled again with embarrassment: "Your Majesty is still very thoughtful!"

"correct."

Liu Xie thought of the sturdy physique of Dong Zhuo's concubine again...

"I saw that woman in Meiwu."

Liu Xie gave Lu Bu a thumbs up with difficulty: "Very smooth! Just right for Fengxian!"

Hearing this, Lu Bu smiled even more brightly, instantly dispelling the last bit of gloom in Liu Xie's heart!
Return to Chang'an.

Familiar palace, familiar faces.

As the Minister of the Chancellery, Jia Xu had the authority to enter and exit the Weiyang Palace, so he had been waiting here early.

"Thank you for your hard work, Wenhe. Fortunately, you are safe."

If Jia Xu had not transferred Zhang Xiu's troops over there, Liu Xie might still be trapped in Meiwu.

Although he was not in Chang'an, Jia Xu's contribution is unquestionable.

"This battle is entirely due to the Emperor's bravery and his ability to intimidate the villains. In addition, his holy virtues will shine upon us, which will protect the safety of the Han Dynasty and our ministers!"

Still unwilling to take credit.

"Wenhe, being too modest is actually arrogance. Even if we don't call Zhang Xiu to rescue the emperor, you should still be credited for your great contribution in facilitating the transportation of grain and grass."

"The Shangshutai will probably be quite busy recently. The most feared thing in the army is unfair rewards and punishments. We must clearly distinguish the merits of the soldiers and make sure nothing goes wrong."

Jia Xu had served in the army before and understood the importance of rewarding people based on their merits, so he naturally would not be negligent in this matter.

"Your Majesty, I came here today to discuss rewards and punishments, but not to reward or punish soldiers."

Jia Xu took out a bamboo slip from his arms and presented it to Liu Xie.

"Your Majesty, Wang Yun is dead, Shisun Rui and Huang Wan have both been imprisoned, and there are also some people who were involved in the rebellion... How should these people be dealt with?"

Reward and punish.

Where there is reward, there must be punishment. Only in this way can it be justified.

If you only reward the soldiers but do not punish the enemy, it will undoubtedly make the soldiers confused.

If you only punish the enemy but do not reward the soldiers, it will undoubtedly cause the soldiers to become alienated.

Both are indispensable.

But it is undoubtedly a difficult problem.

Liu Xie took the bamboo slips and felt a little dizzy when he saw the densely packed names on them.

Looking at the names one by one...most of these people deserved it.

But some of them were implicated by others.

Liu Xie picked up a brush and drew circles around some people's names.

"These people...Wenhe will go to the Grand Tutor to ask if they can be let go."

When Jia Xu took back the bamboo slips, he saw that most of the names Liu Xie had written had the surname Wang, and he also felt a toothache.

"Immediate relatives cannot be kept here, otherwise I cannot explain to the world."

Liu Xie had some other opinions about Wang Yun in his heart, but that did not affect the court's decision to punish Wang Yun for "treason".

Otherwise, how can the justice of the law and the majesty of the court be demonstrated?
"But the collateral descendants don't need to be implicated too much."

Liu Xie thought for a while and said: "If there are talented people in his clan, we can also grant them the position of Langguan to show the benevolence of the court."

Liu Xie really didn't want to kill these people.

Jia Xu's expression was somewhat painful.

"Your Majesty, what if the Grand Master insists on killing these people?"

When Wang Yun died, Jia Xu was not there, and he did not see the loss that followed Dong Zhuo's death.

Therefore, he probably thought that Dong Zhuo really hated Wang Yun to the core and wanted to kill all nine generations of his clan.

"Wenhe, take it without worry. The Grand Tutor will definitely not let you kill these people... Forget it, I will go with you to see the Grand Tutor's condition."

When he heard that Liu Xie would go with them, Jia Xu's shoulders relaxed, as if the burden on him had been lightened a lot.

Liu Xie suddenly felt a little amused when he saw this: "In the document that Wenhe wrote to me, you were not so panicked when it was recorded that you were planning to kill Xun You. Why are you so solemn now?"

Jia Xu chuckled twice and did not answer.

"Old fox!"

Liu Xie cursed softly in his heart, then got on his carriage and went to Dong Zhuo's residence.

Time is not a panacea, but it can heal wounds well.

After a period of rest, Dong Zhuo no longer behaved as he did in Huaili City and regained his former dominance.

When Dong Zhuo heard Jia Xu asking him to look at the list of implicated people, he immediately waved his hand and said, "Just kill them all. Why do you want me to look at it?"

However, when Dong Zhuo got the list and saw the names circled by Liu Xie, his anger disappeared.

"Then do as Your Majesty says and spare these people's lives." Things went incredibly smoothly!

Jia Xu originally thought he would see a quarrel between Dong Zhuo and Liu Xie, and this was the scene he had been afraid of before.

I didn’t expect that the emperor was so insightful about Dong Zhuo that he was sure that Dong Zhuo would not pursue Wang Yun’s other clans... He really made a good decision!

After finalizing the list, Jia Xu did not leave, but took out another bamboo slip and presented it to Dong Zhuo.

"Grand Master, this is the conversation between Shisun Rui and Xun You in the Shangshu Office in Chang'an. Please watch it."

Xun You?
Dong Zhuo was surprised and didn't even know when Xun You was released from the imperial prison!

"He's just a thief who deceives the world and steals the reputation! What's so good about him!"

Dong Zhuo didn't want to read it at first, but Liu Xie asked someone to bring Jia Xu's bamboo slips.

"I didn't tell the Grand Master clearly."

Liu Xie saw that Jia Xu wanted to plead for Xun You, so he took the matter into his own hands.

"Before, the Grand Master and Wenhe were not in Chang'an. I suddenly heard that Ma Teng and Han Sui were invading Guanzhong, so I lost my composure. I thought of Xun You, a wise man known all over the world, so I released him to give me advice."

Dong Zhuo was actually still somewhat unhappy about releasing Xun You privately.

But after all, it was the emperor who did this, so even though Dong Zhuo was unhappy, he still took the bamboo slips and wanted to see what Xun You said.

……

……

Ok?
Xun You did not directly state in his words that day that he was on Dong Zhuo's side.

But the theory of "loyal ministers" still made Dong Zhuo's eyes light up!
Even the gloom of Wang Yun’s death was diluted a little!

"Xun Gongda actually has such awareness?"

Dong Zhuo held the bamboo slips in his hands and read the sentence "May all the people of the world be happy!"

This sentence seemed to rekindle Dong Zhuo's expectations for scholars.

Originally, Wang Yun's actions had made Dong Zhuo hate scholars, and he thought that scholars were all dirty people.

But Xun You's words today were like a pool of clear water, making Dong Zhuo realize that -

Among the scholars in this world, there are a few who are truly worthy of admiration.

Cai Yong is one of them.

Jia Xu is one of them.

As for Xun You... let's just consider him half-hearted.

Thinking of Cai Yong, Dong Zhuo inevitably missed his family again.

"Your Majesty, I want to bring all my family members in Meiwu to Chang'an. They have been hit by the war and must be frightened. I hope Your Majesty will grant me permission!"

"Easy to say!"

Liu Xie was worrying about how to get Dong Zhuo's concubine for Lu Bu, but he didn't expect that Dong Zhuo would come to him on his own.

And wouldn’t I be able to meet Ms. Cai and discuss vocal music with her?

It’s just a pity that the crybaby Wei Yang Jun is also coming along. I’m afraid the ears of the servants and maids in the palace will suffer in the future!
"Of course you can. When the time comes, let them live in the palace so that they are closer to the Grand Tutor."

By the way, Liu Xie also said a polite remark: "The granddaughter of the Grand Master, Wei Yangjun, has really inherited some of the Grand Master's general style. She is worthy of being the daughter of a general!"

Liu Xie thought that Dong Zhuo would just say a few polite words.

No matter how bad the situation is, you should be humble...even though this may not be Dong Zhuo's character.

Unexpectedly, when Dong Zhuo heard Liu Xie mention Dong Bai, he became like a cat with its fur standing on end, and his eyes were full of vigilance when he looked at Liu Xie!

Grand Master... No! Don't look at me like that! I don't have any feelings for that crybaby! Really! I swear on the Wei River!

It was the first time that Liu Xie felt oppressed by Dong Zhuo, and he quickly looked away: "Grandmaster, we haven't finished discussing the business yet, let's talk about the business first."

……

Dong Zhuo gradually withdrew his gaze, but his whole body was filled with vigilance and alertness.

This has nothing to do with the closeness of the relationship or the relationship between the emperor and his subjects. It is simply Dong Zhuo's instinctive protection for his only child, Dong Bai.

"Yes, let's talk business... What did you say just now? Xun You, right?"

Dong Zhuo rolled up the bamboo slips and knocked them against his legs.

"Since he argued with that old villain Shisun Rui in the Shangshutai before, and he also made plans and made contributions to protecting Chang'an, he will be spared the death penalty for the time being."

"But since his merits and demerits are equal, there is no need to include Xun You's name in the reward this time. Just let him work in the Shangshutai as a Shangshulang, and strip him of his Huangmen Shilang official title."

"I understand!"

Jia Xu had never intended to ask for credit for Xun You.

After weighing the merits and demerits, saving Xun You's life is already a great blessing!

It was an unexpected surprise that he could still keep the position of Shangshu Lang. How could he have any other ideas?

"No, there's still something wrong."

Dong Zhuo didn't know when he developed this habit of breathing heavily, and he actually felt a little regretful about his decision.

After all, Xun You had assassinated Dong Zhuo, so even if he took back his authority to enter the palace at will, he would be out of sight and out of mind. But there was still a thorn in his heart.

Seeing that Dong Zhuo was hesitating and seemed to be going back on his word, Liu Xie guessed Dong Zhuo's concerns.

"Xun You had made mistakes before. Although the Shangshutai's sincere words are true, it is still unsettling."

"Xun You is from the Xun clan of Yingchuan. It would be better to have his entire clan move to Guanzhong. This way, all of his clan members will be in Guanzhong, and I don't think he will do anything out of line."

Move the nobles from Guandong to populate Guanzhong!
This is nothing new.

There was a system in the pre-Han period that if the emperor passed away, some wealthy families from various counties in the Guandong region would be moved to the mausoleum to enrich the city.

The "Five Tombs", collectively known as the Changling of Emperor Gaozu of Han, the Anling of Emperor Hui of Han, the Yangling of Emperor Jing of Han, the Maoling of Emperor Wu of Han, and the Pingling of Emperor Zhao of Han, were the county towns populated by these wealthy families from Guanzhong who came here.

This move not only strengthened the trunk and weakened the branches, but also eased local land annexation. It was originally a good policy... Unfortunately, it was abandoned during the Later Han Dynasty, and no large clans migrated to Guanzhong for a hundred years.

Although Liu Xie's purpose of relocating the Xun family of Yingchuan at this time was to dispel Dong Zhuo's suspicion of Xun You and get Xun Yu for free... this is certainly not comparable to the grand goals and strategies of the previous Han emperors, but the situation and methods are exactly the same and completely feasible.

"This... is appropriate."

Dong Zhuo thought about it for a moment and agreed to this matter.

Liu Xie chatted with Dong Zhuo for a few more words, trying to indirectly inquire about Dong Zhuo's love for his concubine and assess whether Lu Bu's plan would succeed... Although he had avoided the matter of Dong Bai, Dong Zhuo still seemed to be protecting his food, and whenever he mentioned the word "family", the topic ended quietly.

In the end, he couldn't avoid it anymore, so he pretended to be injured and forced Liu Xie and Jia Xu to leave under the pretext of resting.

"Why is Grand Master so wary of me? I really have no feelings towards Lord Weiyang!"

Jia Xu snickered at the side: "If Your Majesty can really marry Lord Weiyang, it will be a blessing!"

"You're so talkative! Mind your own business!"

Seeing that Jia Xu dared to tease him, Liu Xie narrowed his eyes and said, "Wen He was patient in the Shangshutai before, and only started to take action after Xun You said those words. I'm afraid it's not just to test Xun You, right?"

"Today, present Gongda's words to the Grand Tutor and ask him to pardon Gongda. This is your real purpose, right?"

"Gongda may have held a grudge against you because of what happened before. Do you want to go and explain things to him now, so that he doesn't think you really want to kill him?"

Jia Xu shyly shook his head: "I don't know what your majesty is talking about. Whatever Xun Gongda wants to think is his business. What I want to do is my own business. There is no need to explain it so clearly."

"Wenhe, ah Wenhe."

Liu Xie burst out laughing.

Jia Xu, on the other hand, took his leave first, choosing to leave after his work was done, hiding his achievements and fame, and returning to silence again.

(End of this chapter)