Tiger Guards

Chapter 306 Punishing the Nobles
Shortly after, the emperor's carriage emerged from the gate, followed by all the officials.

Among the high-ranking officials, only Kong Rong, the Junior Steward, and Zhong Ji, the Attendant-in-Ordinary, accompanied him; the other officials remained trapped in the camp.

Lu Bu and Zhao Ji greeted him in the roadside, and Liu Xie felt relieved as he looked at them.

"Your subject, General of the East and Governor of Yuzhou, Meng Houbu, respectfully welcomes Your Majesty."

"Your subject, General of the Tiger Guard, Attendant-in-Ordinary, Marquis of Pingyang, Ji, respectfully welcomes Your Majesty."

Lü Bu and Zhao Ji introduced themselves, dismounted, and bowed. The emperor's carriage stopped, and Liu Xie waved his hand, saying, "My two beloved ministers, please rise and follow me."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Lü Bu and Zhao Ji replied together, mounted their horses, and rode alongside the emperor's carriage.

The carriage moved slowly. Liu Xie sat upright and turned to look at Lü Bu: "Lord Lü, have you reached an agreement with Minister Zhao?"

"Your Majesty, all matters have been settled, and there is no dispute between me and Marquis Zhao."

"That's good. Minister Zhao is a man of great principle who is not concerned with trivial matters. I was worried that the misunderstanding between Marquis Lü and Minister Zhao would lead to the deterioration of the country and make it difficult to recover."

"I don't dare."

Lu Bu turned sideways, cupped his hands, and glanced at Zhao Ji's profile.

Seeing this, Liu Xie chuckled heartily, then turned to Zhao Ji and asked, "Lord Zhao, how do you intend to deal with the officials who have violated the law?"

"Your Majesty, I believe that punishing the ringleaders is sufficient. The ministers may be lacking in ability and have been deceived by treacherous officials, or they may be worried about national affairs and troubled by the shortage of military supplies and provisions. They have no other choice."

Zhao Ji also answered humbly, showing that he never intended to condemn the officials outright.

Keeping these people around to embellish the imperial court makes it look like a proper imperial court.

Liu Xie was also very satisfied with Zhao Ji's answer; in fact, he was quite frightened afterward.

But what can he do?
The Hebei soldiers followed Chunyu Qiong, Zhang Yang led the Hanoi soldiers to Yanzhou to assist in the battle, the Nanyang soldiers had their own ideas, and Dong Cheng was close to the nobles, so Liu Xie had no room to refuse.

With the end of the Battle of Bianshui, many things gradually became clear.

Looking at the whole picture, it's clear that the officials wanted to ally with Cao Cao, and the so-called defection of Xun Yu was a deception.

The purpose was to lure him there, in order to sever the loyalty of Zhao Ji, Lü Bu, and others to the imperial court.

Liu Xie's impression of Xun Yu was rather lukewarm, as he fled after the Luoyang coup when things turned sour.

In his limited life, he had seen too many court officials who sacrificed their lives for their country. Compared to them, Xun Yu was a bit too selfish.

As Liu Xie grew older, how could he not understand the root cause of the chaos in the world?
The Wei family's treasury is evidence of this, as are the wealth and prosperity of the powerful clans in Taiyuan and Shangdang.

These were all things he had personally confirmed, so naturally he trusted his own opinion.

As long as Zhao Ji doesn't touch the Three Yangs, dealing with other people is no big deal in Liu Xie's eyes.

Moreover, the stance of the three Yangs this time also made him very unhappy; they were clearly treating him like a child.

He also weathered the most difficult time, when the Zhao family held absolute power and there was a lack of checks and balances.

In the future, the government may seem to be jointly controlled by Lü Bu and Zhao Ji, but in reality, they will be in control separately. If a dispute arises at this time, his importance will be greatly enhanced.

This was the best possible situation he had envisioned before the war, and it was developing in that direction. What more could he ask for?
This situation was also the result of Zhao Ji's efforts, so he trusted Zhao Ji and believed that Zhao Ji's efforts to build a balance between the court and the government were for the long-term future of both sides.

At this moment, with Lü Bu and Zhao Ji on his left and right, Liu Xie actually found himself enjoying the scenery on both sides of the road.

Before long, the emperor's carriage went straight into the camp of the dukes and ministers, where the officials and soldiers knelt down to greet him.

Liu Xie did not waive the formalities, allowing the officers and soldiers in the camp to kneel on one knee as a way of expressing his attitude.

The open space in the center of the camp was originally a field.

At this time, Chen Gong, Luo Jun, Zhang Xiu, Li Tong, Lou Gui, Deng Ji, Han Ji and others also entered the camp to pay homage to the emperor, standing in rows on both sides of the emperor.

Zhang Xiu's arrival was particularly unusual; he pushed a newly made four-wheeled cart alone, while Zhao Qi sat on the cart, looking relaxed and carefree, showing no remorse for betraying the nobles or deceiving the people of Nanyang.

As for the three Yangs, Fu Wan, Dong Cheng, Zhao Wen, Sima Fang, Chen Ji, Xun You, Huan Dian, and others, they were listless and stood in front of the carriage awaiting their fate.

During this period, Xiao Jian, the former Chancellor of Pengcheng State, and Xu Qiu, the Chancellor of Guangling, who had been summoned to the court by Zhao Ji, stood in the ranks of officials.

Liu Biao's envoy, Han Song from Nanyang, also stood among the court officials, observing this unconventional and unique purge.

As for Wang Lang, the governor of Kuaiji Commandery, who was summoned to the capital by Zhao Ji's order, he is still on his way.

As everyone arrived, Liu Xie saw that Yang Qi was leaning on a cane and looked even older. Feeling sorry for him, he turned to Zhao Ji and said, "Minister Zhao, Ziqi is old. Please send someone to offer him a seat."

"only."

Zhao Ji cupped his hands in greeting, turned to look at the guards on duty beside him, and immediately two guards brought over a combined table.

Yang Qi disregarded everything else and bowed deeply to Liu Xie, saying, "Your Majesty, I thank you for granting me a seat."

Liu Xie simply nodded, then nodded to Zhao Ji.

Zhao Ji stepped forward three times, his gaze sweeping around before settling on Huan Dian: "Luozhong is short of food. If I hadn't urged you all, you wouldn't have been able to set off. Over thirty thousand soldiers have rebelled due to famine. If this endangers His Majesty's safety, you will all be held responsible!"

"Don't dare."

Yang Biao cupped his hands in greeting, and the others also lowered their heads. Huan Dian was trembling, as if his legs had not fully recovered.

Zhao Ji placed his left hand on the hilt of his sword, which was held horizontally behind his waist. He said, "I, along with Lord Lü and General Zhang, are holding off the traitor Cao Cao in Chenliu. If Your Majesty were to personally lead the campaign as promised, the rebel army in Chenliu would surrender at the mere sight of them, and Cao Cao would be beheaded. In one battle, we could pacify the four provinces of the Central Plains and restore peace to the millions of soldiers and civilians in those provinces! But you, you have been instigated by treacherous officials, failing to recognize Cao Cao's cunning schemes, and have instead dragged the Emperor south to Yingchuan!"

Xun You stood in the crowd, clenching his fist secretly. The thing he had never lacked in his life was patience, and behind patience was a resolute character.

If it were anywhere else, he might have stood up and debated with Zhao Ji, but unfortunately, outside Yingyin City was Gaoyang Village, where the Xun family had lived for generations.

He dared to break with Zhao Ji and not give him any face. Not only would he lose his life, but the Xun clan would also be destroyed, and it would bring disaster to all his ancestors.

Only by remaining alive could he have a chance to rescue Xun Yu.

Huan Dian was in the same situation; due to natural disasters and food shortages, Cao Cao and Yuan Shu had already abandoned Pei State.

If he dared to disrespect Zhao Ji, then the Huan clan, who remained in their hometown, would likely be exterminated by imperial decree.

He also considered suicide to avoid humiliation.

But if that's the case, how will Zhao Ji vent his anger?

The trouble they caused was too great, so great that no one else could or wanted to bear it.

Only by staining Zhao Ji's body with blood, and with the situation changing in the future, can he become a shining ray of glory in the Huan family.

Upon closer examination, the act of forcing the emperor to flee south to Yingchuan was a failed coup.

Since you've lost the bet, you should accept your fate.

As a member of the Han dynasty's high-ranking officials, one should have this kind of awareness.

Seeing that the officials remained silent as if admitting their guilt, Zhao Ji asked, "Do any of you have anything to say in your defense? If so, speak frankly in public; if not, then accept your fate."

Everyone fell silent. Situ Zhao Wen cupped his hands and said, "I know I have been misled by a treacherous person. I will enforce the law as your advisor."

Sima Fang, who was standing next to him, glanced at the guy sideways, then his eyes dimmed, and he obediently waited for the verdict.

His eldest son accompanied the emperor to the capital, while his other sons remained in their hometown of Hanoi.

Obediently accepting punishment may save your descendants, and perhaps even your life.

Therefore, like Huan Dian and Xun You, even though Sima Fang had many valid points, he dared not argue with Zhao Ji at this moment, for fear of increasing the severity of the punishment and bringing disaster upon his clan.

Seeing that these guys were so aware of the big picture, Zhao Ji asked, "Who was the first to propose going south to Yingchuan?"

Huan Dian spoke tremblingly: "It was I, the old man. I was also misled by Sima Jian Gong and Xun Gong Da."

Zhao Ji then looked at the two men: "What else do you two have to say?"

Xun You turned to look at Sima Fang, who replied, "I also trust Xun Gongda. Xun Gongda said that his uncle Xun Yu raised an army to break away from the Cao traitors. The court's provisions are less than three days' worth, and we are worried about the shortage of provisions, so we want to go south to Yingchuan first, join forces with the people of Yingchuan, and then help fight in Chenliu."

Zhao Ji then looked at Xun You: "What do you say?"

Xun You bowed and said, “Reporting to Your Excellency, I was entrusted by the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat to persuade my uncle, Xun Wenruo, who is of the same clan. With the Minister's permission, I was able to come to court to report the good news. Xun Wenruo has difficulty gaining the trust of the court and can only hold out in Xu County. In recent days, he has been actively allocating provisions and has not acted disrespectfully. In addition, General Zhang of Nanyang attacked Yingyin, and the garrison of Yingyin surrendered without a fight; Li, the Colonel of Runan, seized the residence in Xutian, and the garrison of the residence also surrendered without resistance. From these three events, it can be seen that Xun Wenruo's heart is very firm in his submission to the court.”

Zhao Ji nodded, turned to look at Zhao Qi, and cupped his hands: "Strategist, what do you think of what Xun Gongda said?" "It is true. I did indeed entrust Gongda to persuade Xun Wenruo, and also asked Gongda to go to court to report this matter. But I never expected that after the ministers gathered to discuss it, they took the emperor south to Yingchuan, almost ruining the decisive battle of Chenliu."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ji turned to look at Liu Xie and cupped his hands in greeting: "Your Majesty, it seems that Xun Gongda has both merits and demerits. His merit lies in persuading Xun Yu to launch a righteous uprising; his demerit lies in failing to present his case clearly and speaking inappropriately, which led the ministers to make a misjudgment and be misled by treacherous officials, almost causing a great disaster."

When Zhao Ji addressed the other party by his courtesy name, even Sima Fang breathed a sigh of relief.

Liu Xie said sternly, "Make amends for your mistakes?"

"Your Majesty, if this is the case, how will we explain the two soldiers who died unjustly in Chenliu?"

Zhao Ji proposed: "I believe that Xun Gongda's promotion should be maintained, but he should also be given a minor punishment as a warning to prevent him from repeating the offense."

Liu Xie nodded slightly: "That's fine too, I'll do as you wish."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Zhao Ji bowed again, then turned to Xun You: "Xun Gongda, are you willing to confess your crimes?"

Xun You immediately bowed deeply, his voice rising: "I wish."

Without him needing to say a word or make any effort, Zhao Ji pardoned Xun Yu as well, thus approving of Xun Yu's defection and uprising.

Xun Yu had no other options at the moment. Zhao Ji had seized upon the clan's weakness, so he could only agree with the decision made here.

Zhao Ji frowned and turned to look at Han Shu: "Xun Gongda is about to be promoted to the rank of minister, so we must not be impolite."

"Here."

Han Shu clasped his hands and bowed loudly. He then waved his hand, and two fierce guards came up and grabbed Xun You. Xun You cooperated, so they didn't tie his hands behind his back. They just urged Xun You to walk to an open space to the side.

There, a dozen or so Tiger Warriors were divided into groups of two, with four groups of Tiger Warriors each holding a cloth wall. When they were pulled apart, they formed a curtain that was four zhang square.

A straw mat was laid out behind the curtain. Xun You probably guessed his fate and took a wooden peg handed to him by a Tiger Warrior, putting it in his mouth.

He lay calmly on the straw mat, and Han Shu, holding a hammer, swiftly brought the execution to a close.

Xun You was carried onto a prepared cart. One side of the curtain was lifted, and two tiger-like guards pushed the cart to escort Xun You to the ranks of the dukes and ministers.

Xun You's face turned pale: "Your Majesty, I thank you for your forgiveness. I will take this as a warning and dare not repeat it."

"Minister Xun, rest assured and recuperate. Once you are fully recovered, you can return to court to assist in governing."

"only."

Xun You responded with a sound of agreement, closed his eyes, and his heavy breathing and pale face revealed the pain he was suffering both physically and mentally.

Zhao Ji then looked at Sima Fang: "I originally intended to investigate your recommendation of Cao Cao, but the one who recommended him for the position of filial and incorruptible was not you, but Wang Ji, the adopted son of the eunuch Wang Fu. Who is Wang Ji? He recommended Cao Cao to enter the court as a court official, and you dare to recommend Cao Cao as the Northern Commandant of Luoyang?"

Sima Fang immediately broke out in a cold sweat. Helplessly, he looked at the three Yangs and then at Liu Xie, but they all returned his gaze with calm indifference.

Wang Ji was the adopted son of Wang Fu, a eunuch. In his twenties, he became the chancellor of Pei State. He was fond of studying Confucian classics and also loved fame.

After taking office, he selected brave and strong men as his subordinates, and even old cases from more than ten years ago were re-investigated and severely punished; all kinds of filial impiety and minor crimes were also severely punished.

Even if a child cannot be raised, the parents will be killed.

They all used the cruel punishment of dismemberment, which involved tearing the body apart with a knife or axe, even more brutal than being cut in half at the waist or being executed in the marketplace.

After the execution by dismemberment, the dismembered body was loaded onto carts and paraded through the county, and then through all the counties of Pei State before the process stopped.

Even when the weather was hot and the corpses rotted and infested with maggots, this practice did not stop. They would even string together the remaining bones and display them to all parts of Pei State.

During Wang Ji's five years as chancellor of Pei, he executed more than 10,000 people in this manner, causing great fear among the officials and the people.

Given Wang Fu's power at the time, Cao Cao, who was also from a powerful family of eunuchs, dared not refuse when Wang Ji recommended him as a candidate for the civil service examination.

So that year, Cao Cao and Han Sui's father were both recommended as filial and incorruptible officials.

Not long after he was appointed as a court official, he was recommended by the Minister Sima Fang to serve as the Northern Commandant of Luoyang.

Perhaps convinced that the eunuchs were doomed, Cao Cao enforced the law harshly, killing the uncle of the powerful eunuch Jian Shuo, which shocked the capital region. This act distanced Cao Cao from the eunuch group, and he also avoided trouble by being transferred to the post of magistrate of Dunqiu.

So, Cao Cao, such an important person, was recommended for the position of filial and incorruptible official right at the age limit... People only know that Sima Fang had the insight to recognize talent and recommended Cao Cao to be the Northern Commandant of Luoyang, but few people know that Cao Cao's recommender was Wang Ji, the adopted son of Wang Fu.

Now that Zhao Ji has brought up the old matter again, and Wang Ji recommended Cao Cao as a candidate for officialdom, you, Sima Fang, immediately followed suit by recommending Cao Cao for an official position. Your position at that time was very dangerous.

Sima couldn't stop having shivering. He wasn't afraid of being tortured or dying, but he was afraid that his entire family would be tainted by the extinct eunuchs.

Seeing his appearance, Zhao Ji said, "You have a past relationship with the traitor Cao Cao, so I find it hard to believe your true intentions."

With that, Zhao Ji unfastened his sword and handed it out: "This is the Shangfang sword bestowed by the Emperor. You may commit suicide."

Sima Fang let out a long sigh of relief. If it didn't implicate his descendants, then it was acceptable.

Trembling, he stepped forward and took the sword with both hands, then turned to look at Liu Xie: "Your Majesty, I feel deeply ashamed."

"Hey……"

Liu Xie closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.

Sima Fang then looked at his son, Sima Lang, who had squeezed out of the ranks of court officials: "The one who misled and killed me was Cao Cao."

"I understand."

Sima Lang prostrated himself before Liu Xie, knelt down, and kowtowed repeatedly: "Your Majesty, my father is old and senile and unable to make decisions. As his son, I am willing to die in his place. I humbly beg Your Majesty to have mercy and grant my father permission to return to his hometown to live out his remaining years."

His head hit the ground, his forehead was broken and blood was flowing.

Everyone present was moved, and even Lü Bu glanced at Zhao Ji.

Liu Xie also went to see Zhao Ji: "My dear minister, the Sima family's filial son is so sincere, could you please show some leniency?"

"How could I dare refuse Your Majesty's request?"

Zhao Ji turned and bowed deeply: "Then let one life be exchanged for another. However, Sima Lang is not guilty of a capital offense. It would be unsettling for such a filial son to die because of this. It would be better to demote him to a Tiger Step soldier, so that he can kill bandits and achieve merit under my command, thus atoning for his father's sins. However..."

"I understand. Sima Fang's death sentence can be waived; you may administer the punishment, my dear minister."

"only."

Zhao Ji turned to Sima Fang and his son: "Sima Lang, help your father to be punished. After the punishment, I will give you three months' leave to escort your father back to his hometown and treat his wounds. On the fifteenth day of the first month next year, you will have to come to Jinyang to serve in the military."

"Yes!"

Sima Lang, his face covered in blood and blood still dripping from his chin, bowed deeply to Zhao Ji, then kowtowed to Liu Xie, performing three bows and nine kowtows.

Then they returned Zhao Ji's sword, and the father and son, supporting each other, walked towards the curtain where they would be executed.

An empty carriage was also pushed into the curtain. Soon, Sima Fang finished his punishment. Sima Lang did not bid farewell to his colleagues, but thanked Sima Fang again before pushing the carriage out of the camp.

After Sima Fang and his son left, the officers and officials in the camp discussed and sighed for a while before returning to silence.

Countless eyes were focused on Huan Dian, who could only stand straight, but his eyes were empty.

Zhao Ji asked directly, "Our conflict arose from the Wei family's treasury. It appeared to be a treasury, but in reality, it was a sign of their contempt for us. Later, they harbored resentment and neglected national affairs, focusing only on personal vendettas. Whether in public or private matters, death is inevitable. I'm just asking you, how do you want to die?"

"I am willing to accept punishment to atone for my sins."

Huan Dian's mouth was dry, and he struggled to speak.

"It's a pity my sword won't slay a wicked scoundrel like you. Considering your merit in protecting the emperor during the eastward relocation, I'll spare your body."

As Zhao Ji spoke, he went to see a few Tiger Warriors. Two Tiger Warriors stepped forward and dragged away the stunned Huan Dian.

Dragging Huan Dian into the curtained area, Han Shu, who was prepared, personally strangled Huan Dian with a bowstring.

Huan Dian's body was then loaded onto a cart and displayed throughout the camp.

When Lü Bu observed and learned about Zhao Ji's judgment and execution process, he only found it interesting and too lenient.

It takes a lot of trouble to kill one person, what kind of nonsense is this?

Yang Qi sat at the low table and noticed Lu Bu's gaze. He immediately became wary, but still maintained a senile and frightened appearance.

(End of this chapter)