Liu Bian at the start, so you're called Dong Zhuo, right?

Chapter 133 The First Blade of the Court

Once the imperial edict of the first year of the Chuping era was issued, the atmosphere in the Deyang Palace truly calmed down.

With the reign title set, the official status has been established.

Liu Bianfang had already established the necessary rules; he had also observed the hearts of the people.

So, there's only one thing left to do.

—Settling accounts.

After the court session ended, the officials all left, but Liu Bian did not leave immediately, nor did he look at the imperial edict for the mausoleum. He simply gave a brief order: "Return to Zhangde Hall."

Upon hearing this, Xun Huo's eyes flickered slightly, and he immediately understood.

When the group returned to Zhangde Hall, the hall doors had already been closed.

The wind was kept out of the door, and the hall was eerily quiet.

On the ground, a dense mass of people were already kneeling.

Those in charge of medicine, those who changed incense, those who delivered night reports, those who brought meals, those who held the keys and tokens, and even old acquaintances pulled out from the eunuch's office and the outer residence—everyone was deathly pale, their heads bowed low, as if they couldn't even recognize where they were kneeling.

He Jin was the last to arrive.

As he entered the palace, he initially thought that Liu Bian had finally remembered him as his uncle, and the anger that had been weighing on his heart for the past few days began to subside.

But as soon as he stepped into the palace, he saw the pile of kneeling heads on the ground and paused for a moment.

Is this... an interrogation?

The thought had barely crossed his mind when he glanced ahead and his expression changed instantly.

Because the person kneeling in front of that group of people was no stranger.

It was Jian Shuo.

Jian Shuo had obviously just been brought in, and the forced composure on his face hadn't quite settled yet. When he looked up, he met He Jin's eyes.

Both of them were taken aback.

Immediately, that moment of surprise transformed into an indescribable chill and hatred.

Enemies meeting are bound to be filled with hatred.

One of them felt that the other side was using the West Garden to coerce the army and that they were remnants of eunuchs who deserved to be torn to pieces.

One thought the other party was a foolish and reckless man who acted recklessly because of his status as a relative of the emperor's wife, and almost ruined his overall situation.

Before the two could even speak, a very soft voice came from the head of the table: "Have you all arrived?"

He Jin and Jian Shuo both stiffened at the same time, and subconsciously turned their gazes upwards.

Liu Bian had already sat down.

"Let's begin."

The first to step forward was Hua Tuo.

"The late emperor has been coughing up blood and experiencing chest tightness recently; this is not a sudden illness. His medicine has been replenished, his incense has been secretly changed, and there are also traces of medicinal powder in his meals."

"If you look at it in one aspect, it's not fatal."

"If these three conditions occur simultaneously, they will accumulate over time and potentially conflict with the prescription I wrote some time ago."

Hua Tuo paused, then lowered his voice even further: "Enough to damage vital energy and exacerbate old ailments."

The hall fell into a deathly silence.

Jian Shuo, being a veteran of the palace, reacted quickly, immediately stepping forward and prostrating himself, shouting, "Your Majesty! I closed the camp to protect you precisely because I felt there was something sinister in the palace! The late Emperor was repeatedly disturbed during his illness, and if I did not guard the West Garden, who knows what kind of chaos might erupt outside!"

That's a brilliant line.

Before Liu Bian could speak, He Jin let out a cold laugh.

"Protect the emperor?"

"Are you protecting the Emperor, or just the few soldiers under your command from the Western Garden?"

"The late emperor's body is barely cold, and you're already trying to glorify yourself!"

That's enough.

Liu Bian spoke up and stopped He Jin.

He waved and looked at Jian Shuo.

"You said you were protecting the emperor."

"Then let me see what you're protecting."

Cao Cao immediately stepped forward and placed a thin, heavy book on the ground.

"The accounts confiscated from the outer residence of the Yellow Gate Office."

"Seven days before the incident, Zhou Ping received fifty taels of silver; three days before the incident, the household of the incense master received a new land deed; the day before the incident, the younger brother of a minor official in the Imperial Kitchen was suddenly bailed out of prison."

"Where the money came from, and where the favors came from, are all recorded in the accounts."

Cao Cao paused deliberately at this point, then looked up at Jian Shuo.

"And all these accounts eventually passed through one hand."

"The hand of the Grand Eunuch's household."

Jian Shuo's pupils contracted, and he immediately said, "Framed!"

"How dare you implicate me with just a few mere external accounts?"

"Just a few books?"

Liu Bian repeated it softly, his expression suddenly turning indifferent.

"Then let's add one more item."

Gongsun Zan stepped forward, along with a bronze plaque and a register of those who had left at night.

"Your Majesty, when I was ordered to clear out the North Camp of Xiyuan, I found a duplicate badge in the camp's military officer's quarters. According to the records, Zhou Ping used this badge to enter and leave the North Camp at night three times before and after the incident."

"And this side card"

Gongsun Zan raised his hand and turned the plaque over.

On the back of the card, there is a deep, old engraving.

It was a mark that Jian Shuo often used in private.

Upon seeing this, He Jin immediately took half a step forward, his eyes lighting up.

The last bit of color in Jian Shuo's face finally began to drain away.

He still tried to defend himself, saying, "Mismanagement of deputy officers is common in the military."

"Out of control?"

Xun finally spoke.

"Then let me add one more sentence for the Grand Eunuch."

"If it was neglected, why did Zhou Ping's last destination before his death not be the Yellow Gate Office, the Imperial Pharmacy, or the Imperial Kitchen, but rather the abandoned well north of the West Garden?"

"If it was a case of mismanagement, why didn't the Grand Councilor immediately hand over his credentials to prove his innocence after the incident last night, but instead closed the camp and refused orders?"

"If it gets out of control—"

Xun raised his head, his voice still calm, but to Jian Shuo it sounded like the whisper of death.

"Why did the Central Attendants argue about the same thing from beginning to end?"

"Are you arguing that you were protecting him, not involved in the case?"

These words were like a slap in the face, landing squarely on Jian Shuo's cheek.

He Jin nearly burst out laughing, and was about to add fuel to the fire when Jian Shuo suddenly prostrated himself, his voice trembling: "Your Majesty! Even if I have failed in my duty, I would never dare to plot against the late Emperor! These people, these threads, might very well be the work of my subordinates behind my back—"

'

"Carrying you on my back?"

Liu Bian let out a cold laugh.

"You control Xiyuan, and the old connections of the eunuchs are also linked to your household accounts. Zhou Ping took your deputy's token and left Xiyuan at night. After the incident, your first thing to do was to close the camp."

"Even now, you still want to tell me 'I'm doing this behind your back'?"

He slowly stood up, looking at Jian Shuo below who was still trying to argue, his face filled with coldness.

He originally just wanted to find a reason to dismiss this incompetent official, but the more he investigated, the more alarmed he became.

This Jian Shuo cannot be kept.

"Jian Shuo, when the late emperor was alive, I still gave you some dignity."

"The West Garden camp was closed last night, and I only said that it awaits verification."

"It was you who insisted on tearing away this facade of decorum in front of me."

Jian Shuo finally panicked completely and abruptly looked up: "Your Majesty! I have served the late Emperor for many years, I—"

'

"Record the imperial edict."

The Minister of the Imperial Secretariat hurriedly stepped forward with his pen, his hands trembling.

Liu Bian stared at Jian Shuo, saying each word clearly: "The eunuch Jian Shuo closed his camp and refused orders, using his personal guards to bolster his own power; he allowed the old eunuchs to secretly communicate with the inside and outside of the Zhangde Palace, causing the late emperor to be disturbed during his illness. His crimes are unforgivable."

"He was stripped of his post, his official seal was confiscated, and the old Xiyuan camp was taken over."

"He is to be executed."

As soon as the last two words were uttered, Jian Shuo felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

He Jin's heart skipped a beat, and even his breathing quickened.

He originally thought that at most he would be imprisoned, await trial, and gradually have his power reclaimed.

Unexpectedly, Liu Bian didn't even hesitate and immediately struck a fatal blow in the palace!

"Your Majesty—!" Jian Shuo finally lost his composure, lunging forward. "Your Majesty can't kill me! Xiyuan won't—"

"Drag it down."

The guards on both sides rushed forward.

Jian Shuo was still struggling, but he had clearly given up entirely, his voice shrill and piercing: "Liu Bian! You dare kill me! Do you really think Gongsun Zan can suppress the Western Garden? You—"

Before he could finish speaking, his mouth was gagged and he was dragged out of the palace.

Seeing the person being dragged away, He Jin finally felt half of the anger that had been building up inside him.

But before he could fully exhale, Liu Bian's gaze had already fallen upon him.

"General."

"Your subject is here."

Hearing Liu Bian call his name, He Jin felt a strange unease.

"Last night you led troops to surround the West Garden, hoping to share my burdens."

That sounds like a gentle approach.

But He Jin felt a sudden tightness in his heart.

Sure enough, the next sentence changed.

The statement, "But you mobilized troops without authorization, almost causing the Grand General to commit a palace incursion," confirms the claim.

"Jian Shuo deserves to die, and you are not wronged either."

97

The entire hall was shaken.

He Jin suddenly looked up, his face freezing instantly.

He thought that with Jian Shuo dead today, he would have won.

But Liu Bian turned around and pressed the knife against his own neck!

"From this day forward, the General's personal guards are no longer allowed to enter within a hundred paces of the palace gates; any mobilization of the Northern Army involving the palace must first be approved by the Minister and then reported to the Emperor."

"You shall remain confined to your quarters for three days to await punishment."

"Think carefully, General, are you here to assist in governing or to cause trouble?"

He Jin's face turned pale and then red, his fists clenched tightly in his sleeves.

With all the officials in the hall watching, he dared not utter a single word in protest. He could only grit his teeth, lower his head, and reply, "Your subject—accepts punishment."

At this moment, everyone in the hall truly understood what the new emperor's methods meant.

The past few days were just a warm-up, a trial run, and simply a way to gauge everyone's reaction.

Today is the day when this new emperor will truly take action.

Liu Bian, however, seemed completely oblivious to the shock on everyone's faces and continued issuing edicts.

"Zhou Ping and his entourage, those in charge of matters related to medicine, food, incense, and nighttime music, shall be executed, and their followers shall be exiled three thousand li."

"The eunuch's residence outside the palace, the old accounts of the Imperial Pharmacy, and the secret contracts of the Imperial Kitchen shall all be confiscated."

"Gongsun Zan is temporarily in charge of the patrol and inspection of the three battalions of the Western Garden. All military commanders, officers, and captains are to bring their military tallies and rosters before noon today."

The grain registers must be submitted to the Ministry of Personnel for verification. Those who fail to appear will be punished according to the rules.

"Cao Cao, continue arresting people in the capital. The old cordon outside Zhangde Hall, clear it all away for me today."

"Your subject obeys the decree!"

"Your subject obeys the decree!"

Gongsun Zan and Cao Cao stepped forward almost simultaneously and bowed in response.

On this day, blood splattered across the Luoyang Palace.

The bloodshed wasn't in plain sight, but rather inside the palace gates, in the eunuch's office, in several old residences, and in front of the North Camp Gate of the West Garden.

Cao Cao did not stop, but his direction was not towards the palace.

It was the residence of Yuan Shao.

Instead of staying in the Yuan family's mansion in the capital, Yuan Shao purchased his own private residence not far from Yangcheng Gate.

But when Cao Cao led his men into the mansion that very night, it was so quiet inside that only the sound of the wind could be heard.

The lights were still on in the main hall.

The tea on the table was still warm.

Keren is gone.

The retainers were gone, the old servants were gone, and most importantly, the letters, registers, and private contracts were all gone.

Only one mansion remains, which still looks like someone has just sat there.

Cao Cao stood in the hall, staring at the half-finished cup of tea for a long time, and suddenly let out a cold laugh.

"They run fast."

He turned and went out, the night wind blowing in his face.

The gate to the mansion behind us was half-open, and it was pitch black inside.

The place is deserted.