About Cao Cao's reincarnation as the emperor's uncle

Chapter 40: The Old Case on a Snowy Night Sows the Seeds of Trouble

A light rain suddenly enveloped Luoyang.

tick tock...tick tock...

The conversation among Liu Fang and the others gradually faded into the rain.

At the same time, the rain also made the eaves of the Yuan residence seem a bit muffled.

……

Grand Master of the Palace, Yuan Feng, stood with his hands behind his back, knocking on the window lattice and gazing at the withered lotus in the pond.

Situ Yuanwei hurried in from under the corridor, his clothes damp with raindrops.

The sound of knocking, footsteps, and raindrops...

It stirred up a sense of anxiety.

"Another remonstrating official has impeached..."

Yuan Wei's voice was slightly hoarse. "His Majesty has ordered Yang Biao to thoroughly investigate the allegations that the Yuan family members are levying exorbitant taxes and levies."

Yuan Feng turned around and leaned against the rain curtain. "It's not just this."

"The Runan County report says that documents concerning our clan's gathering of students in the area have been intercepted and submitted to the Ministry of Personnel on the grounds of forming cliques for personal gain."

"As for Yang Biao..."

Yuan Wei's gaze fell on the worried lines between Yuan Feng's brows, and he couldn't help but sigh:
"These successive marriages have truly backfired on us."

"When the elder brother asked the younger brother to bring Ma Rong's daughter into the family, he originally wanted to get the help of the Ma family of Fufeng."

"Who could have predicted that Ma Jichang would ruin his reputation in his later years? It's not that he flattered Liang Ji, but he was too ostentatious."

He looked up and gazed out the window:
"As a result, many of Ma Jichang's disciples became estranged from him, including outstanding figures like Zheng Xuan and Lu Zhi..."

"Now when they see members of the Yuan family, they don't even bother to give them a smile."

Yuan Feng sneered:
"These two are among the few who are kind to the Yuan family, so it doesn't matter..."

"Back then, when I sent my illegitimate son to study under Ma Rong, I originally wanted to use the Ma family's reputation to win over the literati. Now it has become a laughing stock."

“What’s even more annoying is that legitimate daughter.”

Yuan Feng gripped her teacup tightly, "Ever since marrying Yang Biao, my heart has been completely devoted to the Yang family of Hongnong..."

"After Yang Xiu's child was born, she became even more reluctant to return to her parents' home."

Yuan Wei raised an eyebrow and casually flipped up his sleeve:

"The Yang family of Hongnong has been respected for generations, and now they look down on the Yuan family of Runan even more..."

“I advised you from the beginning that this was a pointless act.”

He suddenly chuckled softly:
"Brother, do you still remember the way that old man Yang Ci looked at us during last year's festival, like we were bandits?"

The rain grew heavier, and the eaves dripped with water.

Yuan Feng thought back to the day his daughter got married; her face under the veil was more beautiful than a peach blossom in spring.

Now, separated by layers of walls, it's impossible to even see each other again.

"Back then, the marriage alliances with the Ma family of Fufeng and the Yang family of Hongnong were all for the sake of making the Yuan family more secure..."

"Who would have thought that Ma Rong would lose his integrity in his later years, and that the Yang family would have political views that contradict ours?"

Yuan Wei suddenly leaned closer, the candlelight reflecting a cold glint in his eyes:

"politics?"

“Yang Ci and his son Yang Biao don’t consider us to be on the same level at all.”

“A few days ago, during the court meeting, Yang Biao actually dared to impeach our Jizhou Salt and Iron Bureau in court.”

He tapped the table with his fingertips:

"If I hadn't had people suppress the memorials, the Censorate would have been piled up like a mountain by now."

A few wisps of incense smoke drifted from the incense burner on the table. Yuan Feng gazed at the swirling smoke, speechless…

Two years ago, when my daughter returned home, she wore a jade hairpin, a family heirloom of the Yang family, in her hair.

He jokingly remarked, "She's definitely a daughter-in-law of the Yang family," but his daughter just lowered her head and remained silent...

Yuan Wei noticed the weariness in Yuan Feng's eyes, walked over, and helped Yuan Feng up.
"If the Yang family joins forces with the Yuan family, even if the emperor is wary, there is nothing he can do."

"But they insist on going against us. If the Party Prohibitions are not lifted, will the Yang family's disciples fare well?"

Yuan Feng waved his hand:
"Things have come to this point, there's no point in dwelling on those things anymore."

"The Xu family of Runan and my Yuan family have been intermarrying for generations, and their relationship is quite solid."

"But last year we helped Xu Xun oust Yang Ci from the position of Minister of Works, which created a deep grudge between us and the Yang family."

"If... Yang Biao really dares to make a move, our Yuan family will accept it."

Yuan Wei scoffed:
"I don't know why Yang, who has always looked down on eunuchs, is willing to help the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, Cao Jie, to deal with us aristocratic clans."

"He seems to have forgotten that his grandfather, Yang Zhen, was forced to drink poison by eunuchs..."

Yuan Feng frowned slightly:
“That eunuch Cao Jie survived three reigns, first supporting Emperor Huan, then Your Majesty, and was promoted to the rank of Grand Master, enfeoffed as a marquis and appointed as prime minister.” “Such methods… it’s only natural that he could trick that brat Yang Biao.”
-
[Special Promotion]:
"Tejin" was originally an official title established in the Han Dynasty, meaning "special promotion".

This refers to adding titles or official positions on top of existing ones, and the recipients are mostly meritorious officials, relatives of the emperor, or people of high moral character and prestige.

Normally, their status is second only to the Three Dukes and higher than that of ordinary marquises.

During the reign of Emperor Ling, due to special circumstances, the authority of the Special Envoy was even greater than in previous dynasties.
-
"That's all."

Yuan Feng closed his eyes to rest for a while, feeling even more tired:

"Pass down the order: keep a close eye on Yang Biao's every move, and also..."

"Tell the Xu family of Runan to speed up their actions. Now that we've come this far, there's no turning back."

Yuan Wei nodded slightly, his fingers unconsciously twirling within his sleeve:

"But... there's something strange about these things lately."

"Which side released this rat from behind?"

Yuan Feng's fingertips traced the bamboo slips of the *Meng Shi Yi* on the table:

"The trouble is minor; what I'm worried about is..."

Yuan Wei's pupils suddenly contracted:

Is there something strange about my house?

Yuan Feng suddenly lowered his voice:
"No one, not even the palace eunuchs, had the ability to obtain such clear evidence."

“We, the legitimate sons, would never do that. As for our uncle’s lineage, we’d rather avoid them than get involved in this mess.”

"As for the sons and collateral branches of the family, very few of them have access to these things, so..."

Yuan Feng's body trembled, and he almost dropped the teacup in his hand.

The two exchanged a glance, and a name came to mind for both of them.

"Primordial?"

Yuan Wei's eyes were filled with malice.

But Yuan Feng felt a bitter taste rising in his throat.

That snowy night is replaying in my mind again...

The eldest brother, Yuan Cheng, lay drunk on the bed, his clothes disheveled, while a trembling maidservant curled up beside him.

Suddenly, the door was kicked open, and Uncle Yuan Peng walked in holding a candlestick, startling him so much that he took a half step back.

……

Yuan Feng snapped out of his reverie, lowered his head, and whispered:

"I only wanted to get you to have a few drinks, but you went and drugged me."

Yuan Wei suddenly flicked his sleeve, slamming it against the corner of the table with a crisp sound:

"That's because my uncle was soft-hearted and only banished the maid from Luoyang, which led to the current troubles."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yuan Feng's eyes dimmed...

That year, his father, Yuan Tang, told him that Liang Ji already regarded his elder brother, Yuan Cheng, as a thorn in his side, and that if his reputation was not ruined, the Yuan family would surely suffer a great calamity.

He was merely following Yuan Tang's instructions and had no intention of killing Yuan Cheng.

It just so happened that he had a beautiful maidservant, so Yuan Wei came up with an idea, saying that she could be used to seduce Yuan Cheng.

So they got Yuan Cheng drunk and drugged him, almost achieving their goal, but were discovered by his uncle Yuan Peng.

Yuan Peng stopped the news in time, preventing the scandal from spreading.

However, after this incident, Yuan Peng and Yuan Cheng completely broke away from Yuan Tang's lineage.

Perhaps, in their eyes, they have been betrayed by their closest relatives.

Anyway...

They engaged in an even fiercer struggle with the Liang family.

Not long after, Yuan Peng and Yuan Cheng were secretly murdered.

A few years later, the maid returned with a baby...

　Note:

　　[Related]

　　The Book of the Later Han Dynasty states: "Yuan Shao, courtesy name Benchu, was a native of Ruyang in Runan. He was the grandson of Situ Tang. His father, Cheng, was the General of the Five Offices. He was strong and loved making friends, and everyone from General Liang Ji down was on good terms with him."

　　The Book of Han by Hua Qiao states: "An, courtesy name Shaogong, was studious and dignified. During the reign of Emperor Ming, he served as the governor of Chu Commandery and presided over the case of the King of Chu. More than 400 families under his jurisdiction were all saved, and An thus became a famous minister. During the reign of Emperor Zhang, he rose to the position of Minister of Works and had a son named Jing, the governor of Shu Commandery. Jing's younger brother, Chang, became Minister of Works."

　　"...Jingzi Tang, Grand Commandant. Tang had four sons: his eldest son Ping, Ping's younger brother Cheng, both of whom were Left General of the Palace Guards and died young; Cheng's younger brother Feng, and Feng's younger brother Kui, both of whom became dukes."

　　"...Peng Ditang, courtesy name Zhonghe, inherited his family's learning from a young age. Scholars praised his integrity, and he held many prominent positions."

　　
　
(End of this chapter)