At this moment, there were many officials rushing to the palace like Lu Zhi and Cai Yong.
Because it was a holiday and it was still in the afternoon, many officials were taking a nap after taking a shower and eating, but they were forcibly shouted by the messenger who suddenly came to the door, and they rushed towards the palace with a confused look on their faces.
It didn't take long for a large number of officials to gather outside the palace. With great confusion on each other's faces, they slowly followed the team into the palace.
After entering the palace, they found that the situation was different from what they imagined.
On both sides of the road in the palace hall, where they used to go, there were soldiers in full armor and solemn expressions standing in line.
Not only were the roads lined with heavily armed soldiers, there were also crossbowmen looking down from the watchtowers behind the walls on both sides.
What's happening here?
Lu Zhi and Cai Yong, who were walking together, felt something was wrong. In addition, Ma Rixi, Xun Shuang, Fu Qian and others who were scattered in different places also felt that something was wrong.
Many officials felt the oppression brought by the heavily armed soldiers and were afraid. They lowered their heads and did not dare to look around. They quickened their pace, hoping to leave here as soon as possible.
The destination of their trip was the Chongde Hall, which was usually used to discuss court affairs. After arriving at the entrance of the palace, as usual, only officials with a certain status and above could enter the Chongde Hall to meet the emperor, while most others could only wait in the shop. Standing in the large square at the entrance, waiting for news from the palace to come out.
Lu Zhi had enough status, and Cai Yong had enough status. They entered the Chongde Hall together and were surprised to see the emperor Liu Hong sitting on the throne wearing court clothes. His face seemed a little bad.
Beside him, Zhang Rang, who should have been standing in the past, disappeared, replaced by another person, Zhao Zhong.
In addition, there are two chairs beside Liu Hong, sitting on them are two people, one is Queen Mother Dong, and the other is Liu Hong's second son, Liu Xie.
The ministers in the palace stood in their usual positions and looked around. Only then did they realize that many of them did not show up, leaving a large number of vacancies in the queue.
Lu Zhi saw at a glance that there was no one in Yuan Wei's position.
Yuan Wei was Situ, so he didn't come, which made Lu Zhi feel a little strange.
Could it be that what happened in the morning made the emperor resent him and deliberately prevented him from coming?
"I know that you all have your own doubts, but don't worry. I will tell you everything... and after listening, you will naturally make a decision."
Liu Hong's voice was not loud, even a little weak, but in the quiet hall, even if he stood in the corner, he could still hear clearly what Liu Hong said as long as he held his breath and concentrated.
So the officials were even more surprised.
They desperately need an explanation.
"First of all, some of you should already know that Situ Yuan Wei and Queen He led people to break into the Queen Mother's palace this morning, right?"
The ministers lowered their heads and said nothing. Only a few people looked surprised, obviously not well-informed people.
"I was very angry about this matter. Yuan Wei heard the news from somewhere that I had died of illness. He suspected that someone was plotting to kill them, so he forced his way into the Queen Mother's palace and spoke rudely to my mother. This made me very angry.
Because he heard rumors that I was dead, he dared to break into the palace of the Queen Mother. He had no respect for the Queen Mother and the royal family. He committed the crime below and had no sense of ethics. I can no longer imagine what the Yuan family wanted to do.
But the thing that really makes me angry is not this one, but another thing. You should all know that He Jin asked to lead troops to Xuzhou to attack the Yellow Turban bandits, and used this as an excuse to go to Luoyang. Recruit brave soldiers.
This is something I allowed, but what I never expected was that Yuan Wei and He Jin actually took this opportunity to convene a conspiracy and secretly conspired to mobilize well-trained soldiers and horses from Bingzhou to enter Luoyang, and then serve as recruiters. Enter He Jin's military camp and try to enrich the army! "
As soon as Liu Hong said this, all the ministers were dumbfounded and extremely shocked. Not to mention Cai Yong, even Lu Zhi, who had experienced strong winds and waves, instantly felt a buzzing in his ears.
this……
it is true?
Yuan Wei and He Jin conspired to secretly recruit troops from Bingzhou and arrive at Luoyang?
this……
Want to rebel?
Or is it just to give He Jin more leverage to defeat the Yellow Turban Army?
No matter how much you want to win, you can't do such a stupid thing! This is an absolute no-no! Red line! Once you touch it, no matter what your reason is, it is basically a capital crime!
You are confused, Yuan Wei!
When the ministers had different thoughts, Liu Hong smiled coldly.
"Do you think Yuan Wei and He Jin did this because He Jin was worried about the failure of the Yellow Turban crusade? You are wrong. You don't have to think so well of these two traitors. They did this to rebel and to force I abdicate!"
The entire court exploded in an instant. The officials were more than ten times more shocked than before. Everyone was stunned. Some people couldn't even stand still, and some people collapsed directly to the ground with dull faces.
Even though Lu Zhi had seen strong winds and waves, he didn't dare to completely believe the words coming out of Liu Hong's mouth.
Yuan Wei and He Jin want to rebel?
Are they going to force the emperor to abdicate?
this……
Is this the emperor telling a joke?
"It seems like you don't want to believe it. Well, I'll show you the irrefutable evidence."
Liu Hong took a breath and looked at Zhao Zhong. Zhao Zhong understood and put the two secret letters sent by Dong Zhuo according to Liu Bei's wishes in the tray, walked down the steps and delivered them to Lu Zhi.
"Liu Taiwei, let's take a look. After reading it, pass it on to the people behind you so that everyone can look at it together."
Two secret letters, each written on silk.
Lu Zhi picked up the first letter, read it, and then closed his eyes.
The content of this secret letter was that Yuan Wei asked Dong Zhuo to send troops to Luoyang, and then detailed how they should enter Luoyang through Hedong County, and then join He Jin's military camp openly.
Lu Zhi handed the letter to the official behind him and picked up the second letter.
The content of this letter is Yuan Wei's reprimand to Dong Zhuo. It seems that because Dong Zhuo had doubts about the matter before, Yuan Wei was very angry, so he reprimanded Dong Zhuo and asked Dong Zhuo not to forget what happened back then.
It seems that Yuan Wei is not gentle towards his old officials, and directly controls them as servants and servants.
Lu Zhi had little correspondence with Yuan Wei, and he did not recognize Yuan Wei's handwriting, but it seemed that to prove that the letter was written by Yuan Wei himself, Zhao Zhong also had a public memorial written by Yuan Wei himself in Zhao Zhong's tray.
Lu Zhi hesitated for a while, then reached out and picked up the note written on the bamboo slip, unfolded it, and compared it with the handwriting on the letter. He was disappointed to find that the handwriting was exactly the same.
Lu Zhi stopped talking and handed the memorial and the secret message to the officials behind him. Then he sighed heavily, walked out of the queue, and saluted Liu Hong.
"Your Majesty, what Yuan Situ did is really disappointing to me. I cannot imagine that a Situ from a country would do such a disobedient thing. I wonder how your Majesty plans to deal with this matter?"
Liu Hong was drinking something under the Queen Mother Dong's service. After listening to Lu Zhi's words, Liu Hong shook his head.
"You don't have to worry about this matter. I have already arranged for someone to handle it. Read the letter and don't leave any one behind. After those in the palace have read it, pass it on to those outside the palace. I want all the officials to read it. What kind of thief is he, Yuan Situ!"
Liu Hong's condition was obviously not good, and Lu Zhi was a little worried.
"Your Majesty, your body..."
"Don't worry, I'm not dead yet."
Liu Hong looked at Lu Zhi and smiled: "The thief is not dead yet, how can I die? If I die, wouldn't the thief be the happiest? How can I let them get their wish?"
Lu Zhi's heart suddenly suddenly felt as if he had overlooked something.
What is it?
He thought for a while, but his mind was full of Yuan Wei and He Jin's plot to rebel, and it was a mess.
After the last official in the palace read Yuan Wei's handwritten letter, the palace became quiet again.
Liu Hong also drank the unknown thing that Zhao Zhong brought, forced himself to sit upright, and tried his best to put on a dignified appearance.
"Yuan Wei and He Jin conspired to rebel. They wanted to use the soldiers from Bingzhou and the troops they recruited themselves, as well as the soldiers and horses from Luoyang who obeyed their command to rebel, kill loyal ministers and good generals, and then force the palace to force me to abdicate. Finally, Support my eldest son Liu Bian to ascend the throne and proclaim himself emperor!"
There was a shocking sound in the hall that had just been quiet for a while. Everyone was stunned and speechless. They looked at Liu Hong who was sitting at the top in shock, feeling extremely shocked by what he said.
Not to mention Lu Zhi, all the officials were shocked.
Yuan Wei and He Jin conspired to rebel. They wanted to force Liu Hong to abdicate and replace Liu Bian. In this way... Yuan Wei and He Jin could become the actual rulers of the Han Empire.
This is indeed the best situation for them, and judging from their previous actions, it is also very logical. They have been asking the emperor to confirm Liu Bian's identity as the crown prince, but Liu Hong has never let go. , and even called Liu Bei to help.
then……
Are Yuan Wei and He Jin ready to take risks?
That being said...
today……
Lu Zhi's eyes suddenly widened and he immediately asked Liu Hong.
"Your Majesty! If Yuan Wei and He Jin rebel, you will be in great danger, and the entire palace will be in great danger. Are you fully prepared? Are Liu Qiaoqi's army and the Xiyuan Army ready to escort them?"
Liu Hong looked at Lu Zhi and sighed slightly.
Lu Zhi is a loyal minister, but...
It can't be used!
"Don't worry, Lieutenant Lu. The palace is safe. Since the traitor's rebellious behavior has been known to me, there is no possibility of victory. Master Wang will definitely win."
The officials looked at me and I looked at you. Their emotions were very complicated and they didn’t know what to say.
It sounds like the emperor has decided to use troops against the Yuan family and the He family. The prophecy that had been circulated that "Luoyang will fight and the two palaces will bleed" has actually come true.
But this is not over yet, the Dukang map in Liu Hong's hand has just expanded to the key part.
"For several months, the turmoil in Luoyang City has not stopped. Rumors spread throughout the streets and alleys. I have heard a little bit about it. You may also have doubts in your hearts and have never understood the true nature of this matter. Therefore, Here, I can say it clearly.
Before, many of the rumors in Luoyang City were false, but some of them were true. I, the Emperor of the Han Dynasty, had never really thought about abolishing the elders and establishing younger ones. All I thought about was that the power of the He family should not be allowed. It is so big that it will repeat what happened to the late Emperor and me when we first ascended the throne. "
Some officials felt a little baffled when they heard this.
But some smart officials, such as Lu Zhi and Xun Shuang, had already smelled something was wrong.
"But as soon as this matter came up, I knew that I had been deceived. I had been deceived by the people closest to me. He Jin and Yuan Wei were plotting a rebellion. Queen He did not report the knowledge and even cooperated with Yuan Wei to go to the Queen Mother's Palace. They spy on me. This kind of thing makes me extremely chilling!
We have been together for many years. In the end, I did not destroy her, but she wanted to destroy me. Good, very good, very good. Queen He intends to rebel, is jealous, kills, has no mother of a country style, such a poisonous woman, forfeit her. You cannot be the mother of the country and depose the Queen He from her position! "
The most critical part of the Dukang map was unfolded, and a dagger with a cold light appeared in front of the ministers.
Liu Hong, who seemed to be sick, suddenly had his eyes flashing. He grabbed the dagger and stabbed everyone in the heart. Everyone was caught off guard and was stabbed to the core.
There is still a feeling of bitterness that can only be swallowed in the stomach.
It was obviously the kind of thing that they subconsciously wanted to object to, but when the words came to their lips, they found that their objections were simply untenable.
This is rebellion.
This was an obvious rebellion, a serious crime that wanted to annihilate the three clans. If this could still be forgiven, wouldn't the Han Dynasty be able to accommodate all kinds of monsters and monsters?
So, needless to say, they had nothing to say.
It was inevitable that the queen would be deposed. Unlike the previous time, no one would plead for her this time.
But at this moment, the smart officials already felt something was wrong, and they realized that the emperor might have something else to say.
Yes, Liu Hong does have something to say.
"He Jin and the He family committed the crime of rebellion. Regardless of whether the emperor's eldest son was involved in it or not, he cannot be the successor to the throne. Therefore, I only have the last son, Xie, who can inherit the throne."
Liu Hong waved his hand and asked Liu Xie to come to him, then hugged him and faced the ministers.
"It's not that I don't want to inherit the throne with my eldest son, but due to the current situation and the unfortunate circumstances of my family, I have no choice but to make my second son Xie the crown prince, and I hope you will assist me!"
There was silence in the court hall.
The teacher said that no matter what the purpose of Yuan Wei and He Jin's rebellion was, since Liu Hong could openly say it and produced evidence, there was nothing to argue with.
If anyone still has doubts, wait until the matter is over and see how many Bingzhou soldiers there are in He Jin's military camp. Find them out and confirm their identities. The truth will naturally come out.
The recruitment scope of He Jin and Yuan Wei definitely did not include Bingzhou. If a Bingzhou soldier is found, this matter can be confirmed.
The rebellion of Yuan Wei and He Jin has become an irreversible truth.
As Liu Bian's most important and strongest supporter, He Jin's conspiracy against Liu Bian was a fatal blow. This blow directly determined that Liu Bian had actually lost the possibility of inheriting the throne.
Regardless of whether he knew about or participated in this matter, even if he was completely innocent and He Jin rebelled, he could not escape the blame. He could no longer inherit the throne.
As a result, Liu Hong was left with only his last son, Liu Xie.
Although he is less than eight years old, he is Liu Hong's last son who can inherit the throne.
If you don’t choose him, how about choosing Liu Bei?
The ministers in the palace looked at each other, unable to react for a long time.
"I only have this one son left. If you don't want to respect him as the crown prince, do you want to choose someone else to be the crown prince?"
Liu Hong looked at the ministers with a cold face.
All the officials were shocked.
Lu Zhi let out a long sigh, resisting the strange emotions intertwined in his mind, and was the first to walk out of the queue of ministers and salute Liu Hong and Liu Xie on the high platform.
"Your Majesty Lu Zhi, I will obey the emperor's orders!"
As the highest-ranking official present, Lu Zhi was the first to stand up.
Lu Zhi stood up, and the officials who had been hesitating before stood up one by one. Since someone was taking the lead, they were no longer afraid.
One after another, they came out, expressed their support for Liu Xie's succession, and expressed their recognition and allegiance to Liu Xie's succession to the throne.
From inside the palace to outside the palace, all the officials in the palace finally agreed with this matter.
At the same time that Luoyang's disease started, and at the same time that the bloody storm started, Liu Hong, who had won the victory, smiled, sincerely.
He looked at Liu Xie, who had a confused look on his face, and rubbed his face affectionately.
"My son, my father can finally protect you. My son, you can be the emperor. You have to be the emperor well. You have to protect your brother. You two brothers have to support each other and live well..."
Liu Xie still couldn't fully understand the meaning of Liu Hong's words, but he was happy that his father could be close to him.
So he smiled and hugged Liu Hong.
Liu Hong closed his eyes, and countless scenes flashed through his mind, and finally he settled on the scene where he and Wang Meiren were chatting and laughing, and they were in love.
After a long time, he opened his eyes and glanced past the saluting ministers, flying outside the imperial city and even outside Luoyang City.
His victory here is not a complete victory. It will be a real victory when Liu Bei also wins a complete victory outside.
So, Xuande.
Don't let me down!
