My Three Kingdoms is not right

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Standing before the simple, almost shabby gate of Yang Biao's mansion, Liu Xun felt a mix of emotions.

The walls of this small courtyard are mottled and the lintel is plain. It was originally the old residence of a minor official in Luoyang, but now it is inhabited by the head of a top aristocratic family who is the Grand Commandant of the current dynasty and whose family has held high office for four generations.

"Your Highness, the head of the family is not at home today."

The servants of the Yang family stood in front of the door, their tone respectful but leaving no room for negotiation.

Liu Xun sighed softly. He had volunteered to his elder sister, Empress Liu Xie, to come and persuade this highly respected old minister.

In just three days, the political landscape of the court changed completely beyond what the young female emperor had anticipated.

The balance of power that Liu Xie had meticulously envisioned—with Yang Feng, Han Xian, Dong Cheng, and Cao Cao checking and balancing each other—did not materialize at all.

Just yesterday at the court assembly, Cao Cao suddenly launched an attack, impeaching General Han Xian on charges of "being arrogant and domineering, and interfering in government affairs."

Han Xian flew into a rage and ordered the guards outside the palace to seize Cao Cao. However, instead of the order, it was Cao Ren who led his elite armored soldiers who rushed in!

Han Xian fled Yang'an Palace in a panic, attempting to rally his troops for a counterattack. However, Cao Cao had already joined forces with Dong Cheng, effectively trapping Han Xian's army in their camp and quickly seizing control of key strongholds and passageways throughout Luoyang.

Thus, this nominally supreme military general of the Han Dynasty, a powerful figure in the court, was reduced to a lonely figure within half a day, and could only flee Luoyang alone in a panic, seeking refuge with Yang Feng in Liang County.

This swift and decisive action was chilling. It also deeply intimidated the young emperor on her throne, making her wary of Cao Cao and Dong Cheng.

Only then did she finally realize that Liu Xun's plan to expand the Imperial Guard was no longer a precautionary measure, but an urgent matter!

The plan received the emperor's approval, marking a significant step forward. However, new challenges soon followed.

In private discussions, several high-ranking officials, while supporting the emperor's expansion of the imperial guards to strengthen the royal family's power, firmly opposed having Princess Liu Xun, a member of the imperial clan, take command of the imperial guards, citing "violation of the established order."

That's why Liu Xun is standing here now, receiving a cold shoulder.

"Isn't he at home?"

—You're kidding me! You clearly guessed why I came and were deliberately avoiding me!

Although he thought this in his heart, Liu Xun's smile did not fade:

"It's alright, I'll just stand here and wait for Grand Commandant Yang to return."

"Standing here? How can this be!" The servant was instantly dumbfounded. "Your Highness, Your Highness, you are of noble birth, how can you stand in the street..."

"It's nothing," Liu Xun waved his hand and smiled. "Go do your thing, don't worry about me."

The servant looked like he was about to cry.

—How could we possibly ignore it!

The dignified Princess Wannian, the most noble and handsome young member of the Han Dynasty's royal family, stood like a stone waiting for his wife at his own doorstep...

Just imagining this scene sends chills down your spine!

Before nightfall, everyone in Luoyang would know that a princess was being "dryed out" in front of Grand Commandant Yang's residence.

At this level, which important person doesn't value their reputation more than their life?

The servant inwardly groaned, secretly glancing at Liu Xun. The young man was tall and straight, his face seemingly bathed in a soft glow in the afternoon light. Despite being an unapproachable member of the royal family, he wondered where he had learned this street rogue-like method of "relentless pestering."

She had no choice but to hurry inside and report back.

Before long, steady footsteps could be heard from inside the door.

The door opened again, and a middle-aged woman appeared in the doorway.

Her hair was gray, but it was combed meticulously.

In this world, lifespan is finite, but the aging process is quite slow. Therefore, although she is over fifty years old, her face has almost no wrinkles. Instead, due to the accumulation of years, she exudes a calm and dignified beauty.

Wearing a slightly worn, dark blue, curved-hem robe, she exuded a calm and intellectual scholarly air.

This is Yang Biao, the current Grand Commandant of the court and the current head of the Yang family of Hongnong.

His every gesture exudes the refined elegance that only a family with four generations of high-ranking officials and a long tradition of scholarship and propriety could cultivate.

Yang Biao looked at the innocent-looking smiling face at the door and sighed helplessly:

"Your Highness, please come in."

victory!

Liu Xun mentally gave a thumbs-up.

The two men took their seats as host and guest, and before tea was even served, Yang Biao got straight to the point.

"It was indeed my fault for refusing to see Your Highness today, and I apologize for that."

She bowed slightly, then changed the subject, "But, Your Highness, I have a general idea of ​​why you have come today."

"Your Highness's decision to enter the court as an official and take command of the Imperial Guards is absolutely irreversible. Please do not waste your breath."

How direct!

Liu Xun took a deep breath, his smile fading: "I have always admired the scholarly tradition of the Yang family of Hongnong, and I thought that Grand Commandant Yang must be well-versed in classics and history and have extraordinary insight. But I never expected that he would also be a person who looks down on men and is stubborn and narrow-minded."

That was a rather impolite remark.

Yang Biao shook his head, his tone devoid of any anger: "Your Highness is mistaken."

"This old minister has never looked down on men, much less on Your Highness."

Her gaze was gentle yet earnest: "On the contrary, the imperial court has endured countless hardships and near-death experiences on its journey from Chang'an to Luoyang. If it weren't for Your Highness's repeated acts of bravery in times of crisis, many of us old and frail would probably be buried in the wilderness."

"For this, your humble servant feels only gratitude and respect for Your Highness."

"If that were not the case," Yang Biao said frankly, "even if Your Highness stood outside the door until dark, this old minister would not have come to see you."

Eh?

Liu Xun was stunned.

This reaction... is not quite what I expected?

He composed himself and continued to press, "If that's the case, why did the Grand Commandant so resolutely oppose it?"

"Can't the Grand Commandant see that the court is currently caught in a web of power struggles among various military commanders and influential ministers, its fate hanging by a thread? How crucial it is for the imperial family to have a force to protect the palace!"

Yang Biao answered without hesitation: "I understand the importance of this matter. Moreover, I also know that the Emperor lacks reliable generals."

"Your Highness has shared weal and woe with the Imperial Guards and fought alongside them against the enemy during the escape, which has already won their sincere support. Your Highness is the most suitable person to lead them."

Her words completely stole Liu Xun's prepared lines.

Liu Xun's lips twitched: "Then why does the Grand Commandant still object? I really don't understand."

Yang Biao remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking:

"Your Highness, the decline of the Han Dynasty is now evident to all under Heaven."

Her voice lowered, "In terms of military strength, the imperial court is no match for a regional commander; in terms of finances, the imperial court is no match for a city governor."

"What the Han dynasty can rely on now is not the dilapidated palace walls of Luoyang, but the righteous cause and legitimacy."

"This title comes from the system of rites, from the relationship between the ruler and his subjects, and from the legal system and order accumulated by the Han Dynasty over four hundred years. It is the last rope that binds the hearts and minds of the people."

At this point, Yang Biao leaned forward slightly, his tone serious: "If we were to take the initiative and break these established rules and regulations—for example, by allowing a member of the imperial clan to openly enter the court and command the army."

"Isn't that cutting down the last foundation of the Han dynasty with our own hands?"