Transmigrating to the Three Kingdoms as Lu Bu: I Have a Pseudo-Apocalypse System

That evening, Yang Biao was sitting idly in his study when the steward came to report: "Master, Minister Jia has sent an invitation, inviting you to come to our residence for a chat."

Yang Biao's heart skipped a beat.

What was bound to happen has finally happened.

He straightened his clothes and took a carriage to the Jia mansion.

On the way, he saw people celebrating and laughing on the streets, which contrasted sharply with his state of mind.

The Jia mansion was not luxurious, but it was heavily guarded. Yang Biao was led to the study, where Jia Xu was already waiting.

"Lord Yang has arrived, please have a seat." Jia Xu smiled and personally poured tea.

Yang Biao sat down, looking at the scholar in his fifties before him. Jia Xu had a bad reputation, known as a poisonous strategist, yet he thrived under Lü Bu's command. This man was deeply intelligent and ruthless; Yang Biao knew his capabilities all too well.

"I wonder what brings you here, Master Jia?" Yang Biao asked bluntly.

Jia Xu put down the teapot and said slowly, "Lord Yang is a smart man, so I won't beat around the bush. The General has already grasped the whole matter of His Majesty's secret edict. The corpses of those assassins and the original edict are all in the General's hands."

Yang Biao's hand trembled, and the teacup almost slipped from his grasp.

"According to the law, forging an imperial edict is a serious crime, and causing chaos in the world is an even greater crime," Jia Xu continued. "Yang Gong is not the only one involved in this matter, is he? Zhao Situ, Zhang Sikong, General Huangfu, General Zhu... and several other senior officials are all implicated."

Yang Biao remained silent.

Jia Xu took a sip of tea: "According to the law, none of these people, including their families, disciples, and former subordinates, will survive. How many people did Dong Zhuo and Wang Yun kill? How many did Li Jue and Guo Si kill? The General is even more ruthless than them—Yang Gong should have seen that mound of corpses outside the surrendered city, right?"

Yang Biao felt a chill run down his spine when he recalled the picture of the Jingguan (a mound of corpses) in the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

"However," Jia Xu changed the subject, "General, your great victory is a cause for celebration, not a cause for bloodshed. Moreover, you are all veteran officials of the court who have rendered meritorious service to the country, and General, you also cherish old friendships."

Yang Biao looked up: "What Jia Pushe means is..."

"General, we can let bygones be bygones," Jia Xu said with a smile, "but on one condition."

"What are the conditions?"

"I urge you to ascend the throne," Jia Xu uttered.

Yang Biao's pupils contracted.

"Persuade him to ascend the throne" means to persuade Lü Bu to take the position.

In the early Han Dynasty, meritorious officials of different surnames could be granted the title of king, but Emperor Gaozu had an ancestral precept that "no one other than a member of the Liu family could be king," so the highest title now is duke.

In reality, dukes were very few. Apart from the two kings and three honored officials, Emperor Guangwu (Liu Xiu) did not confer duke titles upon meritorious officials of different surnames. (Historically, this precedent was broken only when Cao Cao conferred the title of Duke of Wei.)

A duke, bestowed with the Nine Bestowments, granted the authority to command troops, and allowed to wear a sword and shoes in the palace... This is absolutely a harbinger of a powerful minister plotting to usurp the throne.

"The General's current official position is no longer sufficient to reflect his achievements," Jia Xu said. "Killing the traitor Dong Zhuo, eliminating Li and Guo, destroying the Northern Di, annexing Liang, and quelling rebellions—such merits are rare throughout history. It is only right that he be promoted to Duke of Jin and granted the Nine Bestowments."

Yang Biao smiled bitterly: "Chief Jia, are you asking me to lead the way and become a sinner for all time?"

"Whether you become a sinner for all time or continue your family's legacy, it's up to you, Lord Yang." Jia Xu's tone turned cold. "If you are unwilling, I will not force you. However, at that time, the entire Yang family, as well as the Zhao, Zhang, Huangfu, and Zhu families, will be executed along with their entire clans, numbering in the thousands, all to be buried with you for your momentary folly."

Yang Biao trembled all over.

He thought of his son, Yang Xiu, only seventeen years old, yet brimming with talent; he thought of his grandson, still an infant; he thought of the hundreds of members of the Yang clan…

Wasn't his lifelong struggle all for the prosperity of his family?

If my blind loyalty leads to the extermination of my entire clan, how can I face my ancestors in the afterlife?

"What about His Majesty..." Yang Biao's voice was hoarse.

"Your Majesty is young and easily misled by treacherous officials, which is understandable," Jia Xu said calmly. "However, Your Majesty should also take good care of yourself. The affairs of state are handled by the Grand General and the ministers; Your Majesty need not trouble yourself with them."

The meaning is clear: Liu Xiehui has been completely sidelined.

Yang Biao sighed deeply, "I understand now."

Subsequently, Zhao Wen, Zhang happy, Huangfu Song, Zhu Jun, and others also received invitations from Jia Xu and Guo Jia, and were persuaded one by one.

These veteran officials, though loyal to the Han dynasty, valued the fate of their families even more.

Dynasties come and go, but powerful families remain. Even if they have some loyalty to the royal family, when faced with a choice between the royal family and their own family, they will still choose their own family.

Those who were blindly loyal to the royal family had been almost entirely killed in several coups.

Huangfu Song thought of his son who died on the battlefield, and he could not let his grandson die as well.

Zhu Jun thought of the glory of the Zhu family and knew he couldn't let it be ruined in his own hands.

Zhao Wen and Zhang happy did not want their entire families to be exterminated and implicated.

In the end, they all made the same choice as Yang Biao.

On the sixth day of the third month, Lü Bu held his first formal court assembly after returning to Chang'an.

Inside the Qilin Hall, all the officials stood solemnly.

Liu Xie sat on the throne, his face haggard.

He has been under house arrest for the past few days, unable to eat or sleep properly, and has lost weight.

Lu Bu stood beside the throne, a long sword at his waist, a privilege he was granted to enter the palace with his sword and shoes.

"If you have something to report, speak up; if not, leave the court," the eunuch announced loudly.

Jia Xu stepped forward and said, "I have a proposal."

"speak."

"The traitor Han Sui, misled by a false imperial edict, launched a rebellion, attacked Dazhen Pass, and wreaked havoc in Liangzhou. His crimes are unforgivable. An investigation has revealed that Han Sui and thirty-seven of his trusted generals participated in the rebellion. According to the law, their entire families should be executed," Jia Xu declared loudly. "I beseech Your Majesty to issue an edict to punish him according to the law."

Liu Xie looked at Lü Bu.

Lu Bu said calmly, "Your Majesty, such traitors must be killed to appease public anger."

Inside and outside the hall, those standing with swords were all trusted soldiers of the heavy cavalry, who were nominally palace guards but were actually Lu Bu's personal guards.

Liu Xie could only reply, "Granted...granted."

Jia Xu then said, "Han Sui confessed that the secret edict he received was forged by treacherous officials in the court. I have investigated and confirmed that several palace eunuchs took advantage of Your Majesty's youth and forged an edict to wreak havoc on the empire. I beseech Your Majesty to punish them severely!"

Liu Xie clenched his small fists, but could only say in a trembling voice, "Granted."

Now, even the eunuchs and palace maids he brought from Luoyang were all gone, replaced entirely by Lü Bu's men.

Liu Xie will be completely isolated, unable to issue orders beyond the palace. Without Lü Bu's permission, he won't even be able to leave his bedchamber.

But why did Lü Bu only arrest a few eunuchs and palace maids to take the blame, and not arrest Yang Biao and others? Was Lü Bu perhaps worried about the influence of these aristocratic leaders among the literati of the land?

Just as Liu Xie was indulging in his wild ideas, Yang Biao stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I have a report to make."

Liu Xie: "Speak."

Yang Biao reported, "General Lü Bu, since the execution of Dong Zhuo and Li Guo, has protected the state and stabilized Guanzhong. This time, he personally led an expedition against the Northern Barbarians, beheading Kebineng in battle, capturing Qubei, and building a Jingguan (a mound of statues) to intimidate the northern frontier; he also recovered Bing and Liang, and quelled Han Sui's rebellion. Such achievements are rare throughout history." Yang Biao said loudly, "However, the General's current official position is insufficient to fully demonstrate his merits. This old minister humbly requests Your Majesty to promote the General to Grand Marshal (military), concurrently holding the position of Minister of the Imperial Secretariat (political), and concurrently serving as the Commandant of the Capital Region (inspection), and to the rank of Duke of Jin, and to bestow upon him the Nine Bestowments!"