Chapter One Hundred and Forty-One: On Concession Again
On the morning court the next day, several suggestions made by Dong Zhuo were almost all passed by Yuan Wei's nod. Even He Bai, who had been watching coldly, didn't know what Yuan Wei was thinking? He believed in Dong Zhuo too much? No, as a politician, how could he trust someone wholeheartedly?
It was not until He Bai saw Yuan Shao with his face full of blue and tightly clenched his hands that He Bai suddenly realized. It turned out that Yuan Shao's performance in recent times was too ostentatious, and Yuan Shao's personal reputation almost reached a higher level than Yuan Wei.
As the head of the Yuan family, Yuan Wei was only over fifty years old, which was the best time in his political career. He had both experience and prestige, but he didn't want to be divided by others. Even if he was a clan, the Yuan family had only so many resources, and he could not care about himself, but he didn't care about Yuan Shao.
Yuan Wei looked at Yuan Shao with a low expression and Yuan Shu with a high expression. Yuan Shao had a little rebellious intention a few years ago. If he hadn't been kind to him in private with the Ten Constables, he might have been cheated by Yuan Shao long ago. Compared to Yuan Ji, Yuan Shu was more pleasing to him. It was the time when he used Dong Zhuo as a martial artist to attack Yuan Shao.
In the morning of this morning, Dong Zhuo not only controlled most of the military power in the capital, but also his official position was replaced by Liu Hong, who had always been unpopular in the court and had no reputation in politics, as one of the three dukes. The second was Yuan Shu, who was promoted from General Hu Ben to the post of General Chenglang for his contribution to the Ten General. This was the official position that Yuan Wei took before he became the Grand Tutor, and Yuan Shu took over. It was a commendation for Yuan Wei to be brave and brave in his duties.
He Bai, because of his great contribution to rescue, specially granted a title of 1,000 households and became the Marquis of Duxiang. However, He Bai submitted a memorial saying that he hoped to be granted a title in Beihai. So he abandoned the Marquis of Duxiang and changed it to Longchi Township, Duchang County, Beihai State, which was 3,000 households.
When the court was down, Dong Zhuo laughed and asked all the officials, saying that he would hold a banquet in Wenmingyuan and would ask all the officials to come and enjoy the glory. The Grand Tutor Yuan Wei agreed immediately. When the officials saw it, they would not be able to offend Dong Zhuo, so they had to agree. So after the court dispersed, he saw that it was already getting late and did not return to the mansion and headed to Wenmingyuan.
He Bai's expression changed and he went to Wenmingyuan? How could Dong Zhuo's absurd discussion on the abolition of the emperor in Wenmingyuan come so quickly? He thought that what happened only half a month later, but why did it happen just the second day after returning to Beijing?
He Bai walked into Wenmingyuan with a hesitation to attend the banquet. Sure enough, after drinking for several rounds, Dong Zhuo stopped drinking and laughing, and said sternly: "I have a word, all the officials listen quietly."
When all the officials were tilted, Dong Zhuo said, "The emperor is the lord of all people. Without majesty, he cannot serve the ancestral temple and the country. Now he is cowardly, he is not as smart and studious as King Chenliu, and can be accorded the throne. I want to abolish the emperor and establish King Chenliu. What do the ministers think?"
When all officials heard this, they did not dare to speak. Even the Grand Tutor Yuan Wei was shocked by Dong Zhuo's sudden suggestion of the deposed emperor and could not object for a moment. Only Yuan Shao sneered when he heard this and looked at Ding Yuan. Ding Yuan immediately understood, pushed the case straight out, stood in front of the banquet, and shouted: "No! No! Who are you, dare to make a big statement? The emperor is the legitimate son of the late emperor, and he had no fault at first, so why should he argue abolition? Do you want to usurp the rebellion?"
Dong Zhuo scolded angrily: "Those who follow me live, those who go against me die!" He drew out his sword and wanted to go forward and kill Ding Yuan.
Li Ru, who was standing tall, saw Lu Bu, and followed Ding Yuan, hurriedly stopped and said, "Where is the banquet today, I wish Gong Dong to be promoted to Sikong, and I will not talk about the national affairs in a vain way; it is not too late to discuss the court's arguments."
All the officials were afraid of a bloody case, so they all advised Ding Yuan to get on the horse and leave. Dong Zhuo then asked all the officials and had a disagreement with the Minister Lu Zhi, and fortunately they were persuaded by the counselor Peng Bo. Henan Yin Wang Yun stood up and said, "You should not discuss matters of abolishing the establishment after drinking, and discuss them again another day." So the banquet in Wen Mingyuan was completely over.
After receiving the exact information about Wen Mingyuan's proposal, He Bai ignored Dong Zhuo's funeral and took it as it was not too late to go straight to the Nangong to meet Empress Dowager He and Emperor Liu Bian. Empress Dowager He heard that He Bai was coming in the palace, so he hurriedly ordered the palace maids to come and lead He Bai to the Weiyang Palace of the Emperor's bedroom.
After He Bai met with Empress Dowager He and Liu Bian, he immediately told the two of them about the dinner in Wenmingyuan, and advised: "Now, Sikong Dong Zhuo proposed to abolish the establishment, and behind it, it was not that the Taifu Yuan Wei secretly supported it. If the emperor wants to be safe, he must issue an edict to abdicate the letter tomorrow, otherwise there may be changes."
Empress Dowager He said in surprise: "How come it is so fast? The Ai family has not yet shared the conversation with the emperor."
He Bai sighed secretly that Empress Dowager He was nostalgic for the position of power and refused to give up the position of emperor and empress easily. So he bowed and said, "The death of the general and the general of the chariot and cavalry have many doubts. The servants thought that Yuan would have had any harm in secret. If the emperor remained safe and unmoved, when the emperor took power ten years later, how could Yuan be afraid of the emperor's revenge for his mother's uncle? Therefore, the nephew of He who had a rift with him and the King of Chenliu, who had no relatives or queen, would be what Yuan wanted."
"Now all the power is in the hands of Yuan. I would like to ask the Empress Dowager and the Emperor to resist forcibly. It is wonderful to avoid it. Should we decree or abdicate? This matter is like an arrow on the string, and we must make a decision quickly. After tomorrow, I will not be able to protect the safety of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor."
When Liu Bian understood what He Bai said, he hugged Empress Dowager He and cried bitterly. He Bai advised: "Everyone in the world said that the throne is good, but since the time of Emperor Zhang, there are very few emperors in all dynasties over thirty years old, and even none of them are over 40 years old, and the majority of those who died young and prematurely. On the contrary, there are many long-lived people in the distant county vassal kings. The Empress Dowager and His Majesty, who should go, who should follow, who should be better and who should be inferior, I hope to decide quickly."
Liu Bian cried and said, "During his lifetime, my father told me that I was frivolous and did not have the majesty of an emperor, so I was not suitable for being an emperor. The emperor's brothers' association was smart, steady and majestic, and he was the best candidate for the emperor. Since I was forcibly supported by my mother's uncle and succeeded as the emperor for only a few months, there was a fire in the capital, bloodshed in the two palaces, and the misfortune of my mother's uncle's death occurred. Even the jade seal of the country was lost, which shows that this is God's warning to me. If I nostalgic for the throne, I am afraid that my father will have a spirit in heaven and will not let me go. Whether it is better, I will abdicate to my brother."
After saying that, he wiped away his tears and wrote an edict from the emperor's brother Liu Xie, who was appointed as the emperor's brother Liu Xie, and ordered Fu Jielang to cover the emperor's seal. Under He Bai's prompt, he also wrote in the edict that Sikong Dong Zhuo was promoted to prime minister, praised him and worshipped him, and went to the palace with his sword and steadfast, and helped the new emperor Liu Xie with the Grand Tutor Yuan Wei to fight for power. After hearing this, Empress Dowager He immediately instigated Liu Bian to write it. If Yuan did not let himself have a good life, he would not let Yuan live a good life. Let them bite the dog.
Queen Mother He asked again: "Tianming, I don't know where the emperor should be. I hope that Tianming will choose a good retirement place for the emperor."
He Bai thought for a while and said, "The servant is about to come to Beihai Kingdom to take up the post of Prime Minister. If the emperor is in Donglai, the servant may be able to protect Your Majesty nearby. As long as you spend a few years, you will be free of worries."
Empress Dowager He asked unhappily: "Donglai County has a small population, can't it be a big country?"
He Bai advised: "A big country is easy to be jealous, and a small country is just as safe as possible. Besides, Donglai County has 480,000 citizens, which is not a small county. As long as the management is well managed, the small county will also be the benefits of a small county."
Liu Bian also spoke and asked, "I wonder who should be the prince of Donglai?"
He Bai thought about it and wanted to be loyal to Liu Bian, but he should not be too old. It is best to die naturally within two or three years. He Bai didn't know too many celebrities from the Three Kingdoms, and he didn't know who to recommend. Later, when he thought of a person, he immediately smiled and said, "Shangshu Lu Zhi, who is loyal to the country, has great virtue and wisdom, can be used as the prime minister of Donglai."
When Empress Dowager He and Liu Bian heard that they were Lu Zhi, the famous minister of the court. The day before yesterday, they were very satisfied. The two discussed the matter of the vassal aftermath. Then, He Bai hid the edict and walked out of the palace calmly.
As soon as he returned to the mansion, he heard that Cao Cao had been waiting for the marquis in the mansion for a long time. He Bai didn't know why Cao Cao came, so he had to go to meet him. Cao Cao frowned deeply, not knowing what he was thinking. It was not until He Bai called out several times that he woke up.
Cao Cao said tiredly: "The court has been in trouble recently, so I have no intention of coming to disturb the sky. I have time today and will meet with the sky. It is just that the wine is in my throat, so it is difficult to swallow it."
He Bai smiled and said, "Even if the sky is about to overturn, there is still a tall person who stands up. Why should Meng De be idle?"
Cao Cao sighed, "I'm afraid that a tall person is powerless to lift the sky, so I'll see us. I heard that Tianming went to see Sikong Dong Zhongying yesterday, but I don't know who he is?"
He Bai raised his eyebrows and replied, "I am impatient, unkind, tyrannical, and have no foresight. He is filial, righteous, has great ambitions, can listen to others, and is easy to trust others easily. In general, he is not too bad."
Cao Cao then breathed a sigh of relief and said, "In this way, it would not be too bad if Dong Zhongying was appointed as Sikong in the court."
He Bai asked strangely: "Is Meng De so convinced of my opinion?"
Cao Cao laughed and said, "Yes, Tianming was unwilling to get involved in the plan of eliminating officials before. I thought that I had seen many adverse consequences at that time, but I was in the situation at that time and did not know it. As a result, not only did the generals and brothers die together, but now even the emperor's throne is a little unstable. From this, it can be seen that Tianming's vision is far better than me. If Tianming said that Dong Zhongying is not too bad, it is really not too bad, and I may help him accomplish things. It's just the emperor... Since ancient times, there has been no good ending for the deposed emperor. I don't want to see the emperor be humiliated by the emperor. I wonder what kind of plan can Tianming help?"
He Bai said calmly: "Maybe there is, but it is not convenient to explain it clearly at this time."
Cao Cao had some clarity and bowed deeply to He Bai to express his gratitude. He drank with He Bai that night and returned drunk.
Chapter completed!