Three Kingdoms: I, Yuan Shu, Loyal Officials of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 271 The Han Dynasty shines brightly, restoring our lands!
Inside the government office, Zhuge Liang rested his chin on his hand on the desk, watching Pang Tong beside him writing with lightning speed, feeling utterly hopeless.

"It's been more than ten days already, Brother Pang. It's not right for me to keep you in this position. Why don't you let me take over from now on?"

"You've come?"

Pang Tong looked up and glanced at him with surprise. The look of concern for a fool deeply stung Zhuge Liang.

"Kongming, don't overthink it. These things are easy for me. It only takes me an hour each day."

"Please rest here for a while. Once this official business is finished, we can discuss the state of the world with you."

Kongming: "."

Although his plan to conceal his talents failed, that wasn't what bothered him the most.

After all, if one plan fails, another can be devised. What bothers him most is the daily discussions with Pang Tong about the state of the world.

Because of the image he had previously cultivated, he not only had to act stupid during every conversation, but also had to agree with and praise Pang Tong.

It provided Pang Tong, who had long been looked down upon because of his appearance, with unprecedented emotional value.

Thus began a vicious cycle: the more pleasurable the experience, the more Pang Tong wanted to come; and the more he came, the less likely Pang Tong's plan to neglect his duties and become lazy would succeed.

The more Pang Tong helped him, the less reason he had to refuse to discuss the state of the world with him. As a result, the more they talked, the more Pang Tong liked him.

Day after day, week after week, as soon as he entered Yuan's camp, Kongming seemed to already see the end of his days ahead.

[Does this mean that from now on, Liang will pretend to be stupid in Yuan's camp and follow Pang Tong around like a shadow for the rest of his life?]

Am I to have lofty aspirations, but must my ambitions be worn away in these repetitive, mundane days?
Oh, heavens, in this stagnant, monotonous existence, how many human beings can withstand such moral decay?

Just thinking about it is suffocating. Living in a turbulent era, possessing extraordinary talent, yet confined to a government office where there is no change throughout the year, leading a life where you can see the end from the beginning.

I, Zhuge Kongming, will never accept such a future!

[Quickly think of a plan, future me, you can do it!]

We can't go on like this.

However, just as Zhuge Liang was pondering a good plan, Pang Tong beside him exclaimed in surprise. He was looking at a document that had just been delivered and muttering to himself.

"Previously, I only took the title of teacher to the King of Han for the sake of the title of teacher and disciple, and never thought that he could teach me anything."

Only today do I realize that there are people more capable than me, and heavens beyond heavens. The King of Han's abilities are truly admirable.

Zhuge Liang, his thoughts interrupted, looked at him in surprise.

Brother Pang, where do you get this idea?

Pang Tong handed him the document, saying, "Kongming, take a look for yourself."

Unexpectedly, the King of Han possessed such extraordinary abilities to change the world and overturn the entire realm.

For over a decade before, he controlled the course of history, pushing the world to unfold according to his will.

Therefore, it seems that the King of Han must have been hiding his true abilities when playing chess that day.

The claim that there's nothing they can teach me is just a way of comforting me.

Kongming, we must devise a plan to get our teacher to reveal his true abilities and teach us, so as not to betray our bond as master and disciple.

Kongming became more and more confused as he listened, so he quickly opened the document and saw that it read: Urgent report from Luoyang!

[A Proclamation Against Yuan Shu]

The heavens shine brightly, the Han dynasty is glorious, it has received the mandate of heaven and rules over all nations.

In the past, Emperor Gaozu wielded a three-foot sword, slew a white snake to pacify the realm, and sacrificed a white horse to swear an oath:

"Anyone who is not of the Liu clan and yet becomes king shall be attacked by all under heaven!"

His words were earnest and as clear as the sun and moon.

There is now the traitor Yuan Shu, whose family has held high office for four generations. He enjoys the emperor's favor and holds the title of a Han official, but in reality, he is a beast.

For over a decade he has plotted wickedness, and for forty years he has feigned a life of luxury. In reality, he is the culprit behind the decline of the Han Dynasty and the chief cause of the chaos in the world!
Tracing its evil deeds, it began with the Party Prohibitions, where upright officials and ministers from both the court and the countryside suffered at its hands, and eunuchs and powerful ministers became its henchmen.

They instigated discord, causing loyal and virtuous people to be harmed; they secretly framed others, leading to the extinction of righteous men.

When the rebel Zhang Jiao rose up, the Yellow Turban Rebellion plunged the world into chaos, causing widespread suffering and devastation.

This also shows that Yuan Shu secretly gave the "Taiping Heavenly Book" to Zhang Jiao, using the Yellow Turbans to disrupt our Han Dynasty and take advantage of the people's difficulties to destroy our foundation.

Since the beginning of the reign of Emperor Zhongping, the nation's situation has been precarious, while the evil deeds of the traitor Yuan Shikai have become increasingly rampant.

He corrupted the palace, interfered in state affairs, plotted treacherous schemes, instigated He Jin and other eunuchs to kill each other, and skillfully manipulated power, causing bloodshed in the capital and the imperial court.

In the past, when the eighteen warlords attacked Dong Zhuo, they burned Luoyang, moved the capital to Chang'an, and left the ancestral temples in ruins, causing the people to be displaced.

To satisfy his insatiable greed, he murdered his father and brothers, wiping out his entire family, and seized sole power over the Yuan clan.

Their wolfish ambitions are blatantly obvious; their cruelty and tyranny are unforgivable!
Yuan's treacherous heart has grown increasingly arrogant and entrenched. Now, relying on his military strength, he has usurped the title of king, calling himself "King of Han," but in reality, he is a traitor to Han!

Even worse, some denounced the Luoyang court as a "false dynasty," coerced the Liu clan princes, and concocted a "parliament" to seize control of the government.

I hereby announce to the feudal lords that I, Liu Xie, the Son of Heaven of Han, am a descendant of Emperor Gaozu and a direct descendant of Emperor Guangwu.

Inheriting the ancestral temple sacrifices and continuing the Han dynasty's legacy, the Mandate of Heaven rests in Luoyang, and all under Heaven revere it.

The dynasty established by the traitor Yuan is a false dynasty that defies heaven and reason!
Now their intention to overthrow the Han dynasty has been revealed, and their wolfish ambitions have been fully exposed. They want to sever the Han dynasty's rule, divide the land of China, and plunge the people back into misery and suffering.

The truth is clear, this is intolerable, and Heaven and Earth shall condemn it!

I hereby proclaim to the world:

Yuan Shu of Huainan was a great scourge to the country, the source of chaos for the Han dynasty, and the root of the suffering of countless people.

This proclamation is hereby issued to all feudal lords, governors, prefects, and loyal and righteous men: raise an army immediately and join forces to punish the traitor!

Those who kill Yuan Shu will be granted land and titles; those who capture his followers will be promoted and ennobled.

We hope that righteous men from all over the world will unite in their hatred of the enemy and eradicate the evil forces!

The mighty Han dynasty has restored our lost lands!
The mighty Han dynasty has restored our lost lands!
The proclamation shall be as if I were personally present; raise an army to punish Yuan Shikai, and do not fail my expectations!

Kongming: "???"

Zhuge Liang recognized every single word of this proclamation, yet he remained speechless upon reading it.

No, what's wrong with the world these days? Is this still the same big man Liang knew?

The Party Prohibitions, the Yellow Turban Rebellion, He Jin, the eunuchs, Dong Zhuo, the campaign against Dong Zhuo, and all of these were all orchestrated by the Prince of Han behind the scenes.
How come this world is becoming more and more surreal every day?
After decades of patience and more than a decade of planning, he overthrew a four-hundred-year-old dynasty and seized control of the nation's destiny!
Is this something a human being could do?
Zhuge Liang didn't want to believe it, but looking at this proclamation from the Luoyang court, personally written by the emperor and proclaimed to the entire nation, he had no choice but to believe it!
This is a proclamation personally written by the emperor, agreed upon by the officials, and intended to be circulated throughout the land and proclaimed to the four seas. How could it be fake?

But what about Yuan Gong and Han Wang? Just what kind of terrifying being did Liang take as his master?

No wonder he never understood his own talent, yet he fabricated a dream of a wise minister who still wanted to keep him. No wonder he tried so many times to feign ignorance, yet even losing a single game of chess was so difficult.

Now, recalling the time he met Yuan Shu, he looked at him with such eager eyes, as if he were greedy for a piece of jade, as if he were stealing sweet rain.

This is hardly the look of someone who has never understood themselves.
Only now, with his words and actions from his first meeting with the King of Han to the present vivid in his mind, did Kongming suddenly realize something!

It's all an illusion, a complete illusion. He's trying to trick me!

This is clearly someone who understands themselves, even to the core.

He not only understands me, but also understands Shiyuan.

During this period of time spent together, he observed Pang Tong handling official duties and discussed the state of the world with him.

Zhuge Liang knew that he was better at handling political affairs than Pang Tong, while Pang Tong was better at military strategy and tactics.

Cabinet Academician? Military Advisor!
It turns out everything was already decided; we were both caught in his trap.

But how could the King of Han have seen through our strategic brilliance and profound knowledge when he had only met Liang and Shiyuan for the first time?
Is it just based on that one terrible game of chess?

Like a human, like an immortal; like a god, like a demon!
So this is how scheming and plotting can be done so subtly and gradually, even unaware of the person involved, who is still foolishly planning how to play dumb and how to slip away unnoticed.

If it weren't for the "Proclamation Against Yuan" in Luoyang that awakened him and exposed the Han King's scheme to wreak havoc on the world for over a decade, he would have been in trouble.

Kongming could foresee that no matter how many escape plans he devised in the future, they would be extremely difficult to succeed.

It was only because the King of Han probably already knew of his abilities and was only pretending to cooperate, while he himself was caught in the middle of it all without realizing it.

The elder brother's recommendation was a lie, the dream of a wise minister was a lie, and the chess-playing selection of officials was a lie.
At this moment, Kongming couldn't help but recall the image of himself stepping over the nine steps and into the hall, when he first met the King of Han, his figure holding a chess piece appearing and disappearing amidst the misty clouds.

Perhaps, as my brother said, this destiny, this inevitable trend, is merely a man-made destiny, a trend determined by human will.

One man plots to govern the country, severing the destiny of the Han Dynasty for four hundred years; a white-robed man holds a child's hand, calculating the fate of the people for thirteen years!
"Teacher, which of your statements is true and which is false?"
Is he a spoiled brat? Or is he the King of Han?
Loyal and virtuous? Or a usurper?

Such important matters as the imperial proclamation issued by the Luoyang court to the world were not something that Kongming and Pang Tong dared to handle on their own.

The two men suppressed the turmoil in their hearts caused by the proclamation and immediately informed Yuan Shu.

In the main hall, Yuan Shu was surprised that the two had come together. He took the proclamation from Kongming and read it.

Yuan Shu: "???"

Was I responsible for the disaster of the Party Proscription?
Was I the one who started the Yellow Turban Rebellion?

Was it me who corrupted the palace, instigated He Jin and the eunuchs to kill each other?
The eighteen warlords attacked Dong Zhuo and massacred the entire Yuan family. Hmm, this seems to be, maybe, it seems like I did it.
No way, why are they trying to pin all this blame on me?!
Kongming and Pang Tong stood below, watching as Yuan Gong on the platform remained silent for a long time before his expression suddenly changed!
"Nonsense, spreading rumors and causing trouble!"

I am a loyal subject of the Han Dynasty, and the cause of the Han Dynasty rests on my shoulders. How can I be slandered like this?

This must be because there are treacherous and wicked people in the court who have slandered me, tarnished my reputation, framed loyal officials, and harmed pillars of the state.

Pang Tong/Kongming: "."

"Teacher, this imperial edict has been widely circulated throughout the land. What should we do now?"

That being said, even with the strategies of Pang Tong and Kongming, they found this matter difficult to handle.

They may have good ideas, but no matter what their plans are, they are unlikely to be able to handle this matter perfectly.

The saying goes, "It is easier to stop the people from talking than to stop a river." Rumors are inherently difficult to suppress, let alone a proclamation issued by the imperial court in the name of the emperor.
If we forcibly suppress the rumors now, it will only make us look guilty and cause them to spread even more widely.

However, if left unattended, given the explosive nature of this manifesto, it will still spread widely and make everyone believe it without a doubt.

Not wanting to face such a thorny matter, Yuan Shu only hesitated for a moment before chuckling.

"The one who tied the knot must untie it. You need not worry about this matter. If my plans in Luoyang go smoothly, someone will surely bring you the solution soon."

Pang Tong/Kongming: "."

The two of them found it hard to believe. As expected of someone who had planned ahead for over a decade, the root of the turmoil in the Han Dynasty, even something like this, Teacher, you had arranged in advance?

An ordinary strategist, after the enemy has devised a plan, will turn the tables on them.

The teacher used a trick to turn the tables on the enemy before they even had a chance to devise a plan.
Meanwhile, in Luoyang.

After the meeting concluded that day, everyone discussed inviting Liu Bei.

The following night, Liu Yao, carrying the imperial edict, went directly to Liu Bei's residence.

The gatekeeper entered to report, and Xuande came out to greet him. The two sat down, with Zhang Fei standing beside Liu Bei.

Liu Bei bowed and said, "Grand Tutor, your arrival here so late at night must have something important to say."

Liu Yao asked with a smile, "Your Majesty previously ordered Xuande to train the new army in preparation for the southern expedition against Yuan. I wonder how it is going now?"

Xuande looked distressed and troubled, and replied:
"Although we received the imperial decree, the national treasury was empty, with no money or grain allocated from above and no salaries paid from below."

"We have only recruited 10,000 soldiers, and their fighting strength is questionable. I fear they will be of little use and are no match for Yuan's army."

"Really?"

Liu Yao's gaze was meaningful, and his tone suddenly changed, "But I wonder if, if I were to offer Xuande such a large amount of pay and provisions, would the new army in the Western Garden be capable of fighting?"

Upon seeing the amount written on the silk scroll handed over by Liu Yao, Liu Bei's eyes suddenly sharpened. "The court has been engaged in successive wars, and the national treasury is so empty. I wonder where the Grand Tutor got so much money and grain?"

"This was offered by a loyal and righteous man of the court, who sacrificed his family to relieve the country's distress!"
"Xuande, you don't need to worry about where the money and provisions will come from. Just tell me, with this money and provisions, is it possible to eliminate the bandits?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei was at a loss for words. The national treasury was so empty that there wasn't even a rat left, yet these corrupt officials in the court were able to quietly produce so much money and grain.

If you call them rats, at this critical moment, they still know they should contribute to the country and provide some money and supplies.

He didn't know whether to be happy or sad about the Han Dynasty's decline; he simply nodded slightly and sighed.

“Yuan Jun is brave and victorious in every battle. With the help of this money and supplies, even if he can not eliminate the traitors, he can at least protect himself.”

However, to Liu Bei's utter surprise, Liu Yao took a sip of his cup and then asked him with a smile.

"If you can't get rid of the traitor Yuan, then I wonder if you, Xuande, are confident in eliminating the traitor Cao in the country?"

What! ! !
Liu Bei remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he was horrified!
Good, good, that's how he said these rats have changed their ways and now know they should work for the country.

It turns out it's a power struggle between the ruling party and the central party!
No wonder they were willing to spend money and supplies!
How ridiculous and pathetic!
Suppressing his emotions, Liu Bei maintained a calm demeanor, feigning surprise and doubt.

"Grand Tutor, what do you mean?"

His Majesty just said that we should work together to resist Yuan Shikai.

"What are your intentions in advocating the removal of Cao Cao?"

Liu Yao looked directly into his eyes, smiled without saying a word, and quietly took out a scroll of blood-written edict from his sleeve, showing it to Liu Bei, saying:

"This is a secret edict bestowed by His Majesty!"

(End of this chapter)