Three Kingdoms: I am not Liu Bian

Chapter 270 Liu Bian: The Yang family of Hongnong, do as they please!
June of the first year of the Han Dynasty was destined to be filled with sorrow.

On June 3rd, just as the first ten days of summer began, Grand Commandant Yang Ci passed away suddenly in his residence at the age of sixty-six.

Upon hearing the news, the emperor was deeply grieved and announced a seven-day suspension of court sessions. He then dressed in mourning clothes and personally visited the emperor's residence to offer his condolences.

In the mourning hall, the emperor performed the rites of a son and grandson, gazing at that familiar face, tears streaming down his cheeks as he sobbed.

The officials who came to offer their condolences stood on both sides, and witnessing this scene, they were all moved, and they were all grateful for the extraordinary relationship between the emperor and Yang Ci.

Yang Biao supported the emperor, who was so grief-stricken he could barely stand. Tears streaming down his face, he choked out, “If my late father knew that the country had been ruined by his passing, he would feel guilty and remorseful even in the afterlife.”

Liu Bian forced back his tears, nodded tremblingly, and allowed Yang Biao to help him sit down on a folding chair. He then gestured to Xu Jing, the Yellow Gate Attendant who was standing to the side, to read the imperial edict on his behalf.

At the funeral of the old Grand Commandant, Liu Bian did not want to have any other thoughts in mind and did not choose young people he liked, such as Lu Cui, to read the imperial edict.

Xu Jing, though perhaps not the most talented among the Attendants of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, certainly possessed the most renowned reputation, befitting Yang Ci's status. Xu Jing understood the Emperor's deeper meaning in choosing him to deliver the edict. He cleared his throat slightly, unfolded the edict, and read aloud: "The late Grand Commandant, Duke Xian of Yang Ci, a man of exceptional talent, possessed all nine virtues, serving as prime minister for three generations, and assisting the state with loyalty. When I first assumed the throne, I entrusted him with the guidance of the emperor, and he rose through the ranks to achieve great merit, ascending to a high position. His exemplary conduct was evident both within and outside the court, and his duties to the officials were diligent and tireless. Six times he served in the high ranks, attaining the rank of Special Advisor, and three times he was promoted to the highest office, bringing peace and tranquility. Though he has received a fief, he has not yet repaid for his merits. With the passing of this wise man, who will consult him? I am deeply afraid. Therefore, special rites are established, and appropriate attire is provided. Now, I hereby appoint Fu Wan, the General of the Five Offices, to posthumously grant him the rank of Special Advisor and the seal of Grand Commandant and General of the Cavalry."

Yang Biao was startled upon hearing this.

The emperor's favor far exceeded the norm. The rank of General of the Cavalry was second only to the Grand General. According to the custom of the Later Han Dynasty, posthumously granting the title of General of Chariots and Cavalry was already an honor, and Generals of the Cavalry were often posthumously granted titles to relatives of the empress. However, the assembled officials stood solemnly, and no one felt that Yang Ci was unworthy of this honor.

When Liu Bian boarded the golden carriage and left the Grand Commandant's residence, Yang Biao brought his wife and children to see him off. As Liu Bian was about to board the carriage, he stepped onto the horse stool and glanced deeply at Huang Wan, the Minister of the Three Dukes, in the distance. Then he looked at Han Rong, the Doctor of the Five Classics, and finally his gaze fell on the face in front of him that was extremely similar to Yang Ci.

Liu Bian patted Yang Biao on the shoulder, sighed, and said, "Wenxian, do your best."

Biao did not understand the meaning, but he quickly realized that it was the emperor's encouragement because he was worried that the emperor was also too sad. So he bowed and said, "Your subject understands. Thank you for your teachings, Your Majesty."

Liu Bian didn't say anything more, but just shook his head slightly. As the carriage drove on, he looked out the window at the Grand Commandant's mansion and Yang Biao and the others, which were gradually disappearing from sight.

The day after Yang Ci's death was the day of his encoffining. Yang Biao and his family bathed and dressed Yang Ci's body, tidied his appearance, and then wrapped the body in cloth.

On the third day after Yang Ci's death, the day of his funeral, Yang Ci's body was finally placed in the coffin.

According to the established rites, this should be followed by a long process of waiting for the coffin to be laid to rest, which means that Yang Ci's coffin would be kept at home.

According to etiquette, a high-ranking official should be buried after three months, meaning that the coffin should be kept at home for three months before burial.

In practice, the time of burial would be adjusted according to the deceased's official rank and the weather, with a minimum of ten days as per the commoner's standard and a maximum of five months as per the standard for princes.

It was the height of summer, and the heat was unbearable. The emperor decided that the coffin of the late Grand Commandant Yang Ci should be kept for fifteen days before being buried.

Upon hearing the emperor's decision, Yang Biao donned mourning clothes and hurriedly entered the palace to see the emperor, attempting to persuade him: "Your Majesty, my household has an icehouse that can preserve my late father's remains..."

Before he could finish speaking, Liu Bian raised his hand to stop him.

Liu Bian's expression was resolute, and his tone left no room for argument. He said, "Wenxian, there's no need for further words. I cannot bear to leave the old Grand Commandant's body alone in such a cold and damp place as the Ice Chamber. Is a dark and damp place the place where the old Grand Commandant should reside?"

Yang Biao opened his mouth, but could not find a strong rebuttal.

As a filial son, he should have prioritized the preservation of his father's remains rather than adhering to rituals and laws. Moreover, this was a special permission granted by the emperor. If his stubbornness led to criticism of "disrespecting his father's body," then the century-old reputation of the Yang family of Hongnong would have been ruined in his hands.

Therefore, Yang Biao could only express his gratitude verbally, but his eyes showed a hint of panic, and his steps were somewhat hurried as he left the hall.

"Wen Xian!"

Liu Bian called out to Yang Biao.

Looking at the old Grand Commandant's only son, at the face that resembled the old Grand Commandant, and at the complex emotions hidden in his phoenix eyes, he finally uttered only three words: "Do it well."

Yang Biao, who was about to hear what was to come, was taken aback and looked puzzled. But the emperor had no intention of saying more and simply waved his hand to signal him to leave.

"Your Majesty, I understand. Thank you for your instruction."

Yang Biao didn't take it too seriously that this was the second time the emperor had told him to "do it well." He still thought that the emperor wanted him not to be too saddened by his father's death, so he bowed and took his leave.

After Yang Biao's figure disappeared outside the hall, a person slowly walked out from behind the screen. It was Jia Xu, who had been away from the capital for a long time.

Liu Bian didn't turn around, but leaned back on the soft couch, his voice slightly tired as he said in a low voice, "Wenhe, do you think he understood?"

Jia Xu shook his head slightly. He was good at understanding people's hearts, so he could see that Yang Biao had not grasped the emperor's second hint. In fact, the emperor had also seen it, but was just pretending to know the answer while clinging to wishful thinking.

After a long silence, Jia Xu, not wanting to discourage the emperor too much, simply sighed and said, "I don't know either. We'll find out by observing the results of the Embroidered-Robed Envoy's investigation."

On the 20th day of the sixth month of the first year of the Hanxing era, the late Grand Commandant and posthumously conferred the title of General of the Cavalry, Yang Ci, was buried.

The grandeur of the funeral procession left the officials and scholars who came to Luoyang to mourn Yang Ci speechless.

The Emperor decreed that the six generals—Dian Wei (Left Guard General), Xu Chu (Right Guard General), Gao Shun (Central Fortress General), Huang Zhong (Central Strong General), Lü Bu (Swift Cavalry General), and Sun Jian (Guerrilla General)—should personally drive the chariots, with armored soldiers accompanying them, to escort the coffin. He also ordered Zhang Zhao, the Imperial Censor, to preside over the funeral with his imperial insignia, and dispatched ten Imperial Censors and clerks from the Censorate to accompany the coffin procession.

The funeral procession was accompanied by the sounds of drums and trumpets. The emperor ordered the officials of the Grand Commandant's office and the Grand Commandant's ceremonial guard to escort the body to the cemetery. Except for a few officials with physical disabilities, all officials in the capital participated in the burial ceremony.

The master craftsman Cai Yong erected the "Stele of Grand Commandant Yang Ci" in his own handwriting in front of the tomb, and proclaimed the imperial edict on behalf of the emperor, posthumously conferring upon Yang Ci the title of Marquis of Wenxiang, with a fief of one thousand households, and the posthumous name of Wenlie. His son Yang Biao inherited the title.

After Yang Ci's coffin was buried, Zhang Zhao, the Imperial Censor in charge of the funeral, privately conveyed to Yang Biao the words that the Emperor had asked him to pass on.

"The Yang family of Hongnong, you should do it!"

Yang Biao was puzzled. He looked at Zhang Zhao, hoping that Zhang Zhao could reveal some information. This was the third time the emperor had told him to "do it well". What was the deeper meaning behind this?
However, Zhang Zhao ignored Yang Biao's attempts to persuade him to stay and his pleas, and simply boarded his carriage and left. Yang Biao had a bad feeling, but he gritted his teeth and pulled the three high officials, Minister Cao, Huang Wan, and others into his carriage.

He was not content with the Hongnong Yang family only having three or four generations of high-ranking officials; he wanted the Hongnong Yang family to always stand at the pinnacle of the great Han dynasty's powerful families.

No one knew what Yang Biao was thinking; they only felt that the Yang family of Hongnong was enjoying unparalleled glory for a time.

Throughout the court and among the common people, everyone was deeply grateful for the Emperor's great kindness towards the Yang family, and their hearts were filled with envy.

The Yang family of Hongnong, who had produced three high-ranking officials for three generations, had already risen to the top of the great Han dynasty families after the Yuan family of Runan was destroyed.

Yang Ci was so fortunate that he became the imperial tutor of the retired emperor and gained the trust of Liu Bian, the succeeding emperor. Yang Biao himself was also appointed as the governor of Henan.

Although Yang Biao was required to leave his post for 27 months of mourning, everyone knew that once his mourning period was over, he would be greeted with an even brighter and smoother future.

Unfortunately, that was not Liu Bian's plan.

Instead, he will never hire Yang Biao again!
Inside the Lecheng Hall, Liu Bian leaned against a jade table, eating a flatbread filled with beef. Some crumbs remained at the corners of his mouth. He did not abide by the rule of "not speaking while eating" and said to Lu Zhi, who was also eating a flatbread beside him, "Master Lu, I feel more and more hypocritical. The old Grand Commandant and I are like grandfather and grandson, yet I have to scheme against his son like this."

Lu Zhi slowly put down the flatbread in his hand, wiped his hands with a handkerchief, and shook his head slightly.

He and Yang Biao were close friends, but thinking of the recently deceased Yang Ci, he couldn't help but sigh and say, "If Duke Bo Xian knew what Yang Wenxian had done, I'm afraid... he would have killed him with his own hands."

Slaughtering refers to putting a person in a sack and throwing them to their death.

The secret report pointed directly to by the Embroidered Robe showed that Yang Biao had clearly not grasped the deeper meaning behind Liu Bian's "love of doing things" in the first two times. He still secretly met with famous scholars Shen Tu Pan, Han Rong, a scholar of the Five Classics, and Huang Wan, the Minister of the Three Dukes, to plan to petition the court to retry the cases of Dou Wu, Chen Fan, and the former dynasty's faction.

Huang Wan was the most genuine party member!
Huang Wan once served as the General of the Five Offices, and together with Chen Fan, who was then the Minister of Ceremonies, he was in charge of the selection of officials. He was a protégé and former subordinate recommended by Chen Fan, and also a witness to Chen Fan's arrest and execution.

After the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, Liu Bian pardoned the partisans and reinstated Huang Wan.

Under Liu Bian's rule, there was actually no conflict between eunuchs and scholars, and the court was full of virtuous eunuchs who were praised by everyone. However, Huang Wan still wanted to gather the officials to exonerate Dou Wu and Chen Fan.

Saying they're re-examining the case is just a euphemism for overturning the verdict!
If the court does not believe there is any injustice in this matter, then why should it be retried?

But who were Dou Wu and Chen Fan?

Dou Wu was the father of Empress Dou Miao. Because Dou Miao was made empress, Dou Wu was promoted from a junior official to the rank of Yueqi Colonel, and was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Huaili with a fief of 5,000 households.

On the surface, during Dou Wu's tenure, he recruited famous scholars, was honest and upright, and refused to accept gifts or bribes. His wife's food and clothing were just enough for her needs.

At that time, the imperial court was short of food due to the Qiang rebellion in Liangzhou. Coincidentally, there was also a poor harvest and the people were starving. Dou Wu distributed all the rewards he received to the students of the Imperial Academy and also used carts to transport grain and food to distribute to the poor along the roads.

Those who admired noble character and integrity within the country began to extol each other, establishing a reputation for outstanding scholars. Dou Wu, Liu Shu, and Chen Fan were collectively known as the "Three Gentlemen."

Then Dou Wu seized control of the court, the Northern Army, and the Imperial Guards. Because his suggestion to exterminate all the eunuchs was not agreed to by Dou Miao, who was then the Empress Dowager ruling as regent, he prepared to lead his army to attack the palace and kill the eunuchs.

Not to mention Dou Wu's control over the government and the Northern Army and Imperial Guards, and his placement of his cronies and confidants in key positions in the court, he was even preparing to send troops to attack the palace in order to eliminate the eunuchs, and also planned to depose Emperor Liu Hong and replace him with a new one.

Does someone like this deserve to be called a Han official?
Moreover, Dou Wu, who appeared to be as honest and upright as water, petitioned Empress Dowager Dou to grant titles to his brothers and sons after Emperor Xiaohuan's death, before the tomb had been fully repaired. He also took many beautiful palace maids away from the palace and plundered hundreds of millions of valuables from the palace within a month.

Chen Fan, as Dou Wu's collaborator among the scholars and one of the "Three Gentlemen," upon hearing that Liu Hong and the eunuchs had preemptively launched a palace coup and killed General Dou Wu, led more than eighty officials and students of the Imperial Academy to draw their swords and storm into the Chengming Gate of the Imperial Palace.

How can someone who wields weapons and attacks the capital be considered a subject?
Moreover, Chen Fan's son, Chen Yi, colluded with Zhang Ju, the then-prefect of Taishan Commandery, and Zhang Chun, the commander of Taishan Commandery, to plot a rebellion. If the Embroidered-Robe Envoy hadn't discovered this intelligence beforehand, Zhu Miao's army would certainly have been attacked and suffered losses.

Both father and son are traitors to the Han Dynasty!

There are actually people who want the court to exonerate such treacherous and rebellious officials?
Lu Zhi had admired these two predecessors in his early years, but only those who have experienced it firsthand can understand the principle that distance makes the heart grow fonder.

When you get too close to your idol, the truth you see can often be hard to accept.

Thinking about this, Lu Zhi couldn't help but wonder if his friend Yang Biao had developed hysteria.

Regardless of whether Dou Wu and Chen Fan were guilty or not, they both intended to depose the newly enthroned Emperor Emeritus Liu Hong. If their cases were overturned, wouldn't that negate the legitimacy of the Emperor Emeritus's ascension to the throne…and consequently shake the very foundation of the current emperor's legitimacy?

To exonerate Dou Wu and Chen Fan would be tantamount to treason in the eyes of the retired emperor and the emperor himself!
The emperor told Yang Biao three times to "do it well," which was already out of consideration for the old Grand Commandant Yang Ci.

However, Yang Biao, Huang Wan, and others had been plotting this for a long time. They originally planned to raise this issue in front of all the officials and scholars who came to pay their respects on the day when Yang Ci's coffin was placed in state for three months and he was about to be buried. They thought that the emperor would find it difficult to refuse under the watchful eyes of everyone.

Once this matter is brought to the forefront, countless scholars and descendants of party members who were implicated will surely rise up in response.

It's not that so many people truly miss and remember Dou Wu and Chen Fan, who have been gone for so many years; it's just that they covet the endless profits and fame behind this massive wave!

As long as you participate, even a few words can enter the world's eyes and bring you fame!
What puzzled both the emperor and Lu Zhi was, "Who are you, Yang Wenxian? Do you really lack this much reputation?"

Given Yang Biao's background, reputation, and experience, being a Nine Minister was merely his minimum requirement; he could easily become one of the Three Dukes with a little effort. Moreover, he never dabbled in military power and clearly had no intention of rebelling. So what was he after?
However, no matter what Yang Biao's motives were, things will eventually come to an end.

After Yang Biao finally understood the deeper meaning of the emperor's words for the third time, he still chose to associate with Huang Wan and others. The emperor's decision to only ban Yang Biao from employment after he finished his mourning period, rather than banning his entire clan from employment or even exterminating his three clans, was already a great act of mercy.

If Yang Biao truly doesn't know his place, then Liu Bian will no longer show him any mercy.

(4215 words)
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P.S.: There will be one more update!
(End of this chapter)