Second-hand time travel: Liu Bei, the big-eared bandit

Chapter 260 Seizing the Palace
Feng Fang looked at Yuan Shao, then at the closed city gates, and said nothing.

Yuan Shao frowned: "Lord Feng, when Attendant Cao passed away, my uncle helped you out of trouble and didn't utter a single word of complaint..."

Feng Fang was the son-in-law of Cao Jie, the former Grand Chamberlain. After Cao Jie's death, Feng Fang was regarded as a member of the eunuch faction and was impeached by the officials. It was Yuan Wei who saved him.

“Benchu, it’s not that I’m unwilling to help you… I know there are important matters in the capital today, but I only wish to live out my old age in peace and do not wish to get involved in the power struggle between the two palaces…”

Feng Fang spoke quite sincerely.

In fact, this is also the attitude of most officials and military generals.

Everyone here has a family business. Unless a prince is related to their family or has a master-disciple relationship with them, few people would rashly participate in the deadly struggle for the throne among princes. After all, a single misjudgment could implicate hundreds or thousands of family members.

Why not just sit idly by and watch the game, not helping either side, and then join the victor when the final result is in?

Although the returns are not high, the risks are low.

Those who constantly try to claim credit for their contributions to the founding of the dynasty are actually a very small minority.

"Master Feng doesn't want to cause trouble, but he doesn't care about provoking me? He knows I want to arrange a marriage between your daughter and my eldest son, Tan, yet he went back on his word and agreed to Gong Lu's marriage proposal..."

Yuan Shao sighed, "It seems Lord Feng doesn't think much of me..."

Yuan Tan is only fifteen years old this year, which is indeed the age to talk about marriage. Feng Fang's daughter is also fifteen years old, so the two sides are actually quite suitable.

Yuan Shu's wife died a few years ago—from a cold plague. She and Madam Ma, Yuan Kui's wife, contracted the plague after the doctors led by Ma Yuanyi were murdered.

Yuan Shu wanted to remarry, but he preemptively snatched away the daughter-in-law that Yuan Shao had his eye on... This was obviously intentional.

For Feng Fang, Yuan Shu was the legitimate son of the Yuan family, while Yuan Tan was the eldest son of Yuan Shao, a son born out of wedlock. The two families were not only very different in status and position, but also a generation apart.

Although Yuan Shu was remarrying, he was still marrying his principal wife. In any case, it was a marriage alliance, so it was certainly more advantageous for his daughter to marry Yuan Shu than Yuan Tan.

Besides, Yuan Shu isn't very old; he's only thirty this year.

Yuan Shao had indeed discussed marriage with Feng Fang before, but had not formally proposed. Feng Fang's daughter was very beautiful, and countless people had proposed to her in the past two years. This could not be considered Feng Fang going back on his word; it was simply that Yuan Shao hadn't proposed earlier.

Feng Fang shook her head and said, "Benchu, I had no such intention... but you know Gong Lu's temper. If I don't agree to him, he will definitely make a fuss..."

"Does Yuan Gonglu have a bad temper and is not to be trifled with, while I, Yuan Benchu, am easy to bully?"

A cold glint appeared in Yuan Shao's eyes: "Fine, fine... Feng Fang, I'll ask you one last time, do you really not want to open the city gates?"

"Primordial?! Come..."

Seeing Yuan Shao's coldness, Feng Fang suddenly felt uneasy, took a step back, and was about to call for help.

But Yuan Shao had already drawn his sword and pierced Feng Fang's neck with it.

"what!"

Feng Fang's attendants screamed in terror and were killed by several guards from Yuan Shao's side.

Those guards were highly skilled and agile; they were more like assassins.

After killing the followers, Feng Fang's head was cut off and handed over to Yuan Shao, after which the assassins blew bamboo whistles.

Several groups of men rushed in from all directions and lined up behind Yuan Shao. There were hundreds of elite warriors and also swordsmen in plain clothes.

The city gate guards also heard the shouts and bamboo whistles of Feng Fang's entourage. Zhao Rui, the city gate commander, and Han Juzi, the Marquis of Qu, led their troops out of the outpost. Both of them were Feng Fang's subordinates.

Yuan Shao, carrying the severed head, stood outside the city gate post and threw Feng Fang's head directly in front of Han Juzi: "General Yuan Shao, the Tiger-like General, is here! Feng Fang, a member of the eunuch faction, plotted rebellion and has been beheaded! Those who wish to follow me into the palace to defend the emperor and punish the rebels, stand outside the camp! Those who do not wish to follow... come and fight!"

"Captain Feng...this...Commander Zhao, what should we do?"

Han Juzi panicked and looked at Zhao Rui.

"Captain Feng is dead, and we are all guilty... If we don't submit to the Yuan family, how can we live?"

After discussing the matter for a while, Zhao Rui and Han Juzi wisely chose to pledge allegiance to Yuan Shao.

However, some of Feng Fang's personal guards refused to obey and fought desperately, but they were all killed by Yuan Shao's troops, with only two or three escaping into Luoyang City.

Yuan Shao did not pursue them, as the environment inside the city was not conducive to pursuit. He simply took complete control of Pingcheng Gate and issued orders to Chunyu Qiong, Xia Mou, and other members of the Xiyuan Army stationed outside the city.

Subsequently, news continued to reach Yuan Shao.

"Both the Duke of Ciyang and the Grand Master of the Imperial Stud have been imprisoned by the imperial court, which suggests that the court has already labeled the elder brother and the Grand General as traitors."

"Dong Zhuo led his troops into Luoyang... besieged the Tiger Warrior Camp, and searched the residences of the Hundred Counties..." "The Empress went to court to confess her crimes and has been imprisoned..."

"When Shi Hou was in Chongde Hall, he was detained by Jian Shuo."

"The court assembly has ended... Liu Bei's troops are stationed at Deyang Palace and have not left."

But Yuan Shao did not make a move.

By dusk, Chunyu Qiong's troops had arrived, along with the last message: "Liu Bei's troops are stationed at Beigong."

Yuan Shao then summoned the guards who resembled assassins: "Go and send a message to the General, requesting that he attack the North Palace immediately!"

He then waved to the generals beside him: "Let's go to Nangong..."

"Uncle, Lord Ciyang is still in prison. Aren't you going to rescue him?"

The person asking the questions was a high-ranking official.

Gao Gan was the son of Gao Gong, the governor of Shu Commandery, the nephew of Yuan Shao, and the son of Yuan Shao's elder sister.

The Imperial Prison is located near the North Palace, very close to the Deyang Palace. Going to the South Palace would definitely be out of the way.

"How can the mere Luoyang Prison hold my patriarch? They're all coming with me to the Southern Palace!"

Yuan Shao, expressionless, led his troops toward the Chongde Hall of the Southern Palace.

……

There were many troops guarding the area outside the Nangong Palace at this time.

Zu Mao led three hundred men to guard the Chongde Hall.

Inside the palace, there were many eunuchs guarding the area with weapons; these were Zhao Zhong's men.

Guo Si, Dong Zhuo's cavalry commander, had already deployed defenses outside the Southern Palace.

Jian Shuo's military advisor, Zhang Yang, was also present. Zhang Yang had already participated in the capture of the Empress, so he shouldn't be able to join He Jin anymore.

But... it was Yuan Shao who came here.

Guo Si was quite capable, leading his troops to hold off Yuan Shao's attack... but not for long.

Yuan Shao's troops were numerous, and wave after wave relentlessly attacked the palace, even setting fire to the Nine Dragon Gate of the Southern Palace.

Guo Si led his troops to break through the encirclement, intending to seek reinforcements, but Yuan Shao ignored Guo Si and allowed him to break through, taking the opportunity to attack Nangong.

Seeing that the enemy numbered at least five thousand, Jian Shuo knew that it was impossible to defend the palace gates, so he quickly led Liu Bian to try to escape to the North Palace to meet up with Liu Bei.

Zu Mao held the rear at Chongde Hall and fought a very tenacious battle.

Just then, Zhang Yang, who had been following Jian Shuo, suddenly stabbed Jian Shuo and grabbed Liu Bian's arm.

"Zhang Yang! You..."

Jian Shuo clutched his lower back, staring at Zhang Yang in disbelief: "What good will defecting to He Jin do you?! The Empress was captured because of you, and now your defection will only lead to your death!"

"To whom should I submit? When did I ever intend to submit to He Jin?"

Zhang Yang smiled sinisterly: "I was originally a disciple of General Yuan."

……

At the same time, a fire broke out in the imperial prison.

Jia Xu stood outside the imperial prison and witnessed the fire that broke out in the newly rebuilt Luoyang prison, which had only been completed a few years prior.

They also saw Cui Lie jumping up and down, leading people to put out the fire.

Jia Xu then helped to put out the fire.

However... Jia Xu's ability to direct firefighting seemed quite unprofessional... or rather, it was truly indescribable.

The fire not only didn't go out, it actually got worse...

(End of this chapter)