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

Chapter 273 The sun shines brightly, and the fire burns brilliantly!
"Now that the Grand Tutor is about to launch his rebellion, all of you are following suit. The restoration of the Han dynasty may depend on this one move, and the glory and wealth of the Yang family will be preserved as a result."

My son is intelligent and quick-witted; why not lend a helping hand and uphold justice for the world?

However, in response to Yang Biao's suggestion, Yang Xiu simply sat leisurely at the table, raised his hand, and took a sip of tea from his cup.

"When faced with important matters, one must remain calm. This is why one can plan carefully before acting. This is what you taught me since I was a child, Father."

But now, your mind is in turmoil.

"When faced with a situation, one should proceed slowly rather than hastily, and one should be cautious rather than take risks. Do you think I do not know this principle?"

However, my Yang family has produced many high-ranking officials for generations. Although we do not compete for the top spot in important matters of the court, we have never been left out.

Therefore, since the Party Prohibitions, the Yellow Turban Rebellion, He Jin, Dong Zhuo, and Li Guo, my family has neither prospered nor declined.

Always leave room for maneuver; the victor is king, the loser is villain, and nothing will harm my family.

But this time, with officials in attendance and troops gathered, the Grand Tutor has amassed such a powerful force. If we do not express even the slightest intention to revive the Han dynasty, then we are in no position to do so.

I fear that the day he succeeds will be the day my Yang family loses power under His Majesty.”

However, before he could finish speaking, Yang Xiu interrupted him with a light laugh.

"Father, times have changed."

In the past, during the power struggles in the court, my Yang family would not be the head of a chicken, but only the tail of a phoenix.

Success brings shared glory, while failure does not implicate the family too much, thus ensuring wealth and prosperity and preserving the family's thousand-year-old legacy.

This is the correct principle.

As he spoke, he gently tapped his teacup on the table, then abruptly changed the subject.

"However, while the principle is sound, one should not knowingly get involved in something that is bound to fail."

Moreover, this is not the case of powerful ministers in the past pursuing personal gain and forming cliques to suppress dissent, but rather: "

He paused slightly, holding the cup as if it were a seal, his eyes narrowed as if he were asleep.

"The traitor Cao is about to commit a rebellious act. How can we allow a tiger to sleep soundly beside our bed?"

"what?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Biao's expression changed drastically. Although he was the head of the Yang family, after his clever son displayed extraordinary talent, Yang Xiu was the true strategist who helped him in many important matters.

He had long known that Yang Xiu had never thought highly of Liu Yao, otherwise he wouldn't have refused to sign a petition despite the repeated invitations from loyalists of the emperor's faction.

But he never expected that this pessimism would escalate to the point of believing that Liu Yao was doomed to defeat, and even went so far as to say that Cao Cao intended to do something rebellious.
"But...why did it come to this?"

The Grand Tutor had more than a hundred loyalists and civil and military officials under his command, as well as 40,000 troops from the palace, the western garden and outside the city.
Even if they cannot win, even if the plan to eliminate Cao fails, it will be just like what happened in the court before, a half-hearted effort with mutual checks and balances.

If the Grand Tutor couldn't get rid of Cao Cao, could Cao Cao possibly get rid of the Grand Tutor?
As for the rebellious acts? Cao Cao planted his cronies in the palace and recruited followers among the imperial guards, though he did so in secret.

But since the Grand Tutor has revealed the secret, and everyone is on guard, they may not be able to let him succeed. Thus, the outcome is only fifty-fifty; why so easily declare defeat inevitable?

“Father, all you can see is that the situation in Luoyang is very good. Grand Tutor Liu is carrying out the emperor’s edict and ordering the elimination of Cao Cao. No one dares to disobey.”

The great cause of reviving the Han dynasty seems to be just around the corner.

However, you only focused on the city. While everyone was preoccupied with the matter of the Grand Tutor and the turmoil in the city, you neglected the area outside the city.

The number of people whose names were on the imperial edict in the Grand Tutor's rebellion was well over a hundred. The city of Luoyang was in turmoil, and it seemed that a major event was about to break out. Even you had people tipping you off. Did not a single person send a message to Cao Cao's camp?

The matter of restoring the Han dynasty has not yet taken place, as they are waiting for the brilliant strategy to eliminate Cao Cao that Liu Taifu spoke of.

So you say that Cao Cao's camp remained completely still throughout the entire ordeal. What was Cao Cao waiting for?

Yang Biao was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. After being reminded to this extent by Yang Xiu, how could he still not understand where the problem lay?

"Outside the city? You mean the Jingzhou troops might cause trouble?"

How could this be? The Grand Tutor is a member of the Han imperial family, holding the highest rank among officials. How could he possibly stoop to serve a traitor and ruin the foundation of his ancestors' legacy?

Yang Xiu sneered, "Liu Jingsheng may not know, but what about his subordinates?"

Are all the generals and officers in the Jingzhou army, regardless of rank, relatives of the Han imperial family, and all of them the most noble officials?
They abandoned their homes and businesses in Jingzhou and traveled thousands of miles to Luoyang, only to be denied entry to the city gates. How could they not feel resentment?
Moreover, Luoyang has suffered repeated warfare, leaving the imperial treasury depleted. Even if Your Majesty and your Han officials were to allocate all the funds and provisions to Liu Bei's new army in the Western Garden, it would still be insufficient.

His words were clear and meaningful, yet they sent chills down Yang Biao's spine and made his whole body feel cold.

"Then Father, I would like to ask, who is currently paying the soldiers' wages, and why haven't the troops outside the city mutinied yet?"

Cao Cao!
Was that really his plan?

At this moment, with each word Yang Xiu uttered, the chaos in Luoyang during this period—the incomprehensible, unpredictable, and illogical situation—came vividly to life.

It was as if the sunlight broke through the clouds, dispelling the layers of mist that enveloped the city and obscured the world's view, and a single lamp illuminated the entire city amidst the smoke and mist.

Yang Biao lifted his foot to leave the mansion.

"Xiu'er, since you have already seen through such a major matter, why didn't you speak up sooner?"

I must immediately inform the Grand Tutor and all the ministers of this matter. Otherwise, even if the great cause of reviving the Han dynasty fails, it will not be too late in the future. But if the elite of the imperial faction are reduced to ashes, then the emperor will fall into the wrong hands, and what will become of the Han dynasty?

However, the young man's slender figure slowly walked up to him. He raised his face, and his still-childish face, which was very similar to Yang Biao's, solemnly met his gaze.

Yang Biao frowned and stamped his foot slightly. "Hundreds of loyal and righteous men of the Han Dynasty are listed in the imperial edict. If we can bear to watch them die, I fear the Han Dynasty will perish in my hands."

"Now that the greater good is before us, do you intend to stop me?"

"Does Father intend to kill dozens or even hundreds of members of the Yang family?"

Yang Xiu cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and slowly made way for him.

"If that is so, then the son should follow his father's example, sacrificing his family to relieve the calamity and be buried with the Han dynasty."

"This"

Even though Yang Xiu had already cleared the way, Yang Biao looked pained and could barely move, muttering to himself.

"With your talent, if you had seen through it so early, why didn't you speak up sooner, lest things come to this?"

"Speak early? Even if you did speak early, what would be the point?"

"Can the ministers gather enough provisions, or can they bypass the city walls guarded by Cao Cao's army and deliver the provisions outside the city?"

Yang Xiu sighed softly, "We have long fallen into Cao Cao's trap. One step behind means we will fall behind at every step."

On that day in the imperial court, it shouldn't have been Liu Xuande who stepped forward to volunteer for battle, but rather it should have been Liu Jingsheng!

In Liu Bei's army, all the officers and soldiers admired his kindness and loyalty, were grateful to him, and followed him through many years of wandering. They would not easily betray him.

The commander of the army is either his second or third brother, who possesses the courage of ten thousand men and is enough to intimidate the entire army.

Furthermore, Mi Heng served as the military advisor in the army, whose loyalty to the Han Dynasty remained unwavering. If he were to discover Cao Cao's plot, he would surely launch a counterattack!

It is a pity that Liu Jingsheng was too self-serving and neglected the country, while Kong Wenju's loyal heart and blood were wasted, and he could not even get a word from him to go to war for the country.

With Liu Bei's army being transferred to a distant location and Liu Biao's army remaining behind, it seemed that Cao Ren and Guan Yu were each leading 30,000 men to guard the outer passes, thus clearing up the situation in Luoyang.

In reality, the so-called mutual checks and balances are nothing more than a trick by Cao Cao to deceive us. From the moment he proposed exchanging Cao Ren for Guan Yu, he had already harbored murderous intent in his heart, only wanting to get rid of the Han officials as soon as possible!
Compromise? Weighing the pros and cons?

He feigns compliance, creating a false impression to mislead us. In Cao Mengde's eyes, there are only two kinds of people: the people of the world and Cao Cao himself!
In the eyes of this ruthless hero who would rather betray the world than let the world betray him, we are all people who can be betrayed and killed. What else is there to say?

At this moment, for the first time, Yang Biao saw a hint of dejection in the eyes of his son, who prided himself on being the most intelligent and talented. His eyes were bleak, and his voice was helpless.

“Father, if you had spoken earlier, would I not have spoken?”

It's too late!
The court assembly that day was originally a scheme devised by my son, but he not only resolved the situation, but also turned the tables on me on the spot.

While you, the emperor, are scheming in the court to weigh the pros and cons and check each other, what he truly desires is simply to kill you all!

After the court session ended, and with Cao Ren and Guan Yu leading their troops away from Luoyang, it was all too late.

Why did Cao Ren and Guan Yu set off together? It was to keep an eye on Liu Bei's army as they moved away, to prevent any unforeseen events.

All you see is that after Cao Ren left, there were only 20,000 Cao troops in Luoyang, making it difficult to breach the imperial city, and the Han dynasty had a chance to catch its breath.

However, they could not see that Cao Cao's 20,000 troops were guarding Luoyang, and the Han army could not even leave the city. The 20,000 Jingzhou soldiers had come from afar, their families scattered, without food or pay, and they were already in the state of being an isolated army!
So what if Xiu saw through it? So what if his father went to remind the Grand Tutor? Could the imperial guards possibly break out of Luoyang and deliver military supplies to them?
The money and provisions have all been paid to the Western Garden, so where will the court get the military pay?
This is why Cao Cao could sit idly by while Liu Bei recruited soldiers and horses in the Western Garden!

With each word Yang Xiu spoke, Yang Biao's face grew paler. He tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and tears welled up in his eyes.

"The sky is bright and clear, and the fire is blazing!"

Will the mighty Han Dynasty, which has reigned for four hundred years, perish here?

His voice was filled with sorrow, bringing tears to the eyes of those who heard it, while his steps trembled, and he could no longer move an inch.

"Father, the only way for us to survive is to sever ties with the Grand Tutor and the Emperor's faction. If we can preserve the Yang family, at least we can leave a spark for the Han dynasty."

"If the situation changes in the future, there may be an opportunity to make a comeback and restore order to the Han dynasty."

He bowed to Yang Biao again, saying, "Father, please stay. I'm leaving now."

Yang Biao knew that once he left, there would be no turning back. This loyal and upright man of the Han Dynasty would personally set fire to the entire city of Luoyang, reducing the very essence of the Han Dynasty to ashes.

But with Liu Taifu's uprising imminent, even if the Yang family didn't do it, someone else would.

He closed his eyes, choked with sobs, unable to bear opening them.

The Cao residence, a dark room.

An oil lamp, its dim candlelight casting long, elongated shadows.

Yang Xiu slowly walked three steps to the table, lowered his eyes, and bowed with his hands clasped.

"Yang Xiu, son of Grand Commandant Yang Biao, pays his respects to Lord Cao."

"Now, by my father's command, there is a great matter to report in Luoyang."

Cao Cao continued working at his desk, seemingly unaware of his arrival. Only after finishing the documents in his hand did he stroke the paper, his expression enigmatic.

"Anmin once said that paper was expensive in Huainan, but I never expected that Yuan Gonglu could come up with such a good thing."

"I've known him for nearly forty years, but I never imagined I'd misjudged him from the very beginning."

Yang Xiu was not intimidated and answered with a light laugh.

"Yuan the Rebel had been a spoiled and arrogant man for decades, and the world had misjudged him. So when his rebellion was exposed, the warlords were caught off guard, seized three provinces, and divided the world into two.

Today, the servants may have misjudged Cao Cao, unaware that he has been living in seclusion in Luoyang for dozens of days, patiently biding his time. What will the scene be like when his plot is finally exposed?

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao finally looked up from the note and began to carefully examine the young man before him.

"I see. No wonder the Yang family sent you here."

"Heroes do indeed emerge from among the young. Grand Commandant Yang has lived a mediocre and unsuccessful life, never expecting to have a son like you."

"Grand Tutor Liu Yao forged an imperial edict by using a fake official's belt to mislead the officials. He will soon launch an uprising in Luoyang, attempting to overthrow the Han Dynasty. He must be a traitorous minister in league with Yuan Shao."

The Yang family has enjoyed the Han dynasty's bounty and imperial favor for generations. Today we come to implore the Prime Minister to purge the corrupt officials who entangle the emperor, eliminate the rebellious faction, and restore the Han dynasty!

"I am not worthy of the title of Prime Minister. I am merely an Imperial Censor appointed by His Majesty. Please do not confuse me with that self-proclaimed official Yuan."

"I have misspoke, please forgive me, my lord."

Cao Cao nodded in satisfaction, but his tone remained indifferent.

"Since the Yang family has come to surrender, then I will tell you some things I do not know."

Yang Xiu quickly recounted how Liu Yao obtained the imperial edict and how he contacted everyone.

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao snorted lightly, "Over the years, from Dong Zhuo to Li Guo, Your Majesty has indeed made quite a bit of progress."

Since I learned of this matter, I have been investigating it from the very first moment until now. Despite having spies and informants in the palace, I still haven't been able to find out exactly when His Majesty gave Liu Yao the secret edict hidden in the belt.

Yang Xiu: "."

"In truth, my lord, in my opinion, there may not have been any such thing as the imperial edict hidden in the belt. It was all the work of Liu Yao, that traitor to the Han. Perhaps His Majesty is innocent?"

"This is impossible!
Liu Yao was a cowardly and timid man who valued his life like a mouse. Even after receiving the imperial edict, he still plotted a rebellion for a hundred days but accomplished nothing, merely creating a show of force without daring to take any action.

Without the imperial edict hidden in the belt, how could he have dared to oppose the emperor and sacrifice his life for the Han dynasty?
Moreover, I know His Majesty well; the words written in the edict in the belt are indeed in his voice.

Only someone like Your Majesty, who has personally experienced such a situation, can truly empathize and express it through a blood-written edict.

As Cao Cao spoke, he raised his eyes and gave him a deep look. Yang Xiu suddenly realized what was happening under Cao Cao's gaze.

"What you say is very true, my lord. This was indeed His Majesty's doing."

Regardless of whether the imperial edict was written by the emperor, Cao Cao intended to use it as a pretext to purge the palace women around the emperor.

Of course, this was only something the two of them discussed in a private room. In public, as he had previously stated:

This must be a forged imperial edict by Liu Yao!

"Alright, Cao Cao has his own plans regarding the matter of the imperial edict in the belt."

As for you, is there anything else?

Cao Cao's voice was flat, and at his prompting, Yang Xiu continued to speak about Liu Yao's grand plan to eliminate Cao Cao.

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao frowned slightly.

"So, Liu Yao has actually come up with some ridiculous plan that's enough to get rid of me without causing chaos in Luoyang?"

Cao Cao was quite surprised by this, after all, his own plans and preparations were only to minimize the losses from the internal strife.

But in a war of swords and spears, there must always be a battle to determine the victor, which is why he has been delaying the attack.

Firstly, he wanted to wait for Liu Yao to escalate the situation further, so that he could draw out all the voices in Luoyang that opposed him and eliminate them all at once.

Secondly, they were also waiting for the preparations outside the city to be more thorough.

Do you know the details of his plan?

Liu Yao was quite cautious about this and only spoke with Liu Bei, Liu Biao, Dong Cheng, and Xu Huang.

Even our Yang family's spies and informants haven't been able to find out anything."

(End of this chapter)