At the internal meeting, Xia Houyuan, the oldest person in the group, spoke first.
"I think this rumor is not that simple, and I don't know who spread this rumor now. It was started by people from the Jinwen school back then, and it quickly disappeared. Now it suddenly appears again. I I feel very strange.”
"I think so too."
Pound spoke immediately afterwards: "This rumor is too strange to appear. I think it's either someone deliberately trying to cause a stumbling block for the general, or it's someone within us who did it himself."
"self-made?"
Dong Huang touched his head and asked doubtfully: "Who would do this? For what?"
"To go further, to protect myself, my family, and my family!"
Cao Ren calmly analyzed: "Think about it, we were all brought out by the lord, and we are all his subordinates. We have always listened to the orders of the lord, not the emperor. I heard the old man at home said that once The emperor and his courtiers.
This is very meaningful. It means that the new emperor will only trust his own people and will not trust the ministers left by the old emperor. They do not like other people's ministers, but only like their own ministers. If the emperor returns to power in the future, then We have all become other people’s ministers. "
Cheng Pu pinched his beard and nodded slowly.
"This is true. We are all subordinates of the Lord. Can the Emperor trust us? So, someone is worried about this, so this rumor is spread. The purpose is... to make the Lord go further?"
"Probably."
Liu Yong finally spoke: "Although I don't know who did this, I have to say that what this guy did is quite interesting and can explain the problem very much."
Liu Yong sighed like this, but the other five people suddenly looked at Liu Yong with strange expressions.
Liu Yong understood something instantly.
"Don't slander me, I didn't do this! I am also a member of the Han clan, what should I be afraid of? At worst, I can save myself, and my life is not in danger. Don't look at me, think about others!"
The others thought about it and felt that what Liu Yong said made sense. After all, this guy was a member of the Han clan, and in the worst case, he would not lose his life.
Who did that?
Or was it Liu Bei himself?
They started another round of brainstorming, but still came to no conclusion. In the end, they could only come to the conclusion that "they know this and must do it".
So they decided to visit Liu Bei together.
At this very strange moment in Luoyang City, a few of them came to the General's Mansion carelessly, regardless of the size of their goals. Under the attention of a group of people, they entered Liu Bei's office and closed the door to isolate outsiders. .
Then there was a flurry of murmurs.
Everyone cares about it, but they just don't dare to say it openly. Now that someone is taking the lead, how can they ignore it?
In the end, how will this matter develop?
Liu Bei in the office was quite helpless when faced with the concern of these old subordinates.
"You are coming together to see me at this moment. This is too clear. I'm afraid there will be another round of rumors after you go out. Don't you think about it?"
As a clan general, Liu Yong took a step forward against everyone's expectations.
"Your Majesty, this is a serious matter. We have been thinking about it over and over again. We feel uneasy and have trouble sleeping and eating. We really want to know the reason for this matter. We hope that Your Majesty can tell us so that we can avoid thinking about it day and night and making our food unsatisfactory."
"Okay, okay, are you starting to play with me?"
Liu Bei smiled, then sighed, and said slowly: "My father-in-law and Meng De came here before, and they were also worried like you, but what I can tell you is that Zheng Tai did this. It was not done by someone within us.”
"Zheng Tai?"
The generals were all confused and didn't understand what was going on.
Liu Bei explained to them the cause and effect of this matter, telling them that Zheng Tai did this to make him an enemy of the world, and that it was not because some insider did it for other reasons.
This was an attack from the enemy, not an assist from one of his own, although if Liu Bei really wanted to be emperor, the difference between the two would not be that big.
But this was not Liu Bei's own plan after all.
"Then...junhou, what do you...mean?"
Xia Houyuan asked cautiously.
Liu Bei glanced at these people.
"Of course I don't want to be an emperor. My power now is greater than those emperors. What kind of emperor do I want to be?"
"But……"
Xia Houyuan was anxious.
Others also became anxious.
So Liu Bei raised his hand to signal them not to panic.
"I know what you mean, and I also know what you are thinking. Although I have no intention of becoming emperor, I know that you will not let me get what I want."
ah?
What does it mean?
Several people looked at each other.
"Of course, I can't blame you entirely. From the time I wanted to truly reform Dahan, I had no choice. Everything I did was not only to reform Dahan, but also to push myself to that position. To this day , has been unable to extricate itself.
There are many people who rely on my identity and power to survive. Without me, they cannot survive. The new system I built for the Han Dynasty cannot continue. There are already too many people around me. I can't help myself. "
Liu Bei smiled bitterly and shook his head.
"I can no longer live for myself. I can't even live for my family and clan. I have to live for so many people who work for me. If I hand over power at will and retreat to the second line, it will not only affect the big man. If I am irresponsible, I am also irresponsible to them, so I am too selfish."
Several people looked at Liu Bei's slightly bitter face with very complicated emotions in their hearts.
"Junhou, do you really not like the position of emperor?"
Cheng Pu asked: "No matter how many people are fighting for this position, we can't get it. But now, we are willing to do our best to help you. If you want to become emperor, we will fight to the death. Why don't you want it?" Woolen cloth?"
Liu Bei looked at Cheng Pu and pondered for a moment.
"Because I don't want my descendants to face what the world is facing today for the same reason one day. I can't guarantee that my descendants will be able to rule the world like me.
When they have no ability, if they are just ordinary people, they can still survive, but if they are royal family, it is difficult to say. If today's things happen again, how will future generations evaluate me today? "
Cheng Pu was stunned for a moment, then lowered his head and said nothing.
The other people were speechless.
Liu Bei looked at their depressed looks, smiled, walked up to them, and patted their shoulders one by one.
"Okay, don't put on such an expression. Don't worry. You have fought bloody battles for me. I will not abandon you. This is my promise to you. I will solve the big problems. I will solve the heavy burdens. Bear it, but don’t tell anyone about today’s matter, just treat it as if it doesn’t exist.”
Several people looked at each other, feeling a little excited, but they didn't understand what Liu Bei meant.
But Liu Bei didn't let them stay any longer, and waved his hand to let them leave.
"only."
Several people nodded one after another, and then slowly left Liu Bei's office with inconsistent moods.
Looking at the probing and curious eyes of the officials of the General's Mansion outside, several people involuntarily quickened their pace and soon left the General's Mansion and Luoyang City.
Arriving outside Luoyang City, several people slowed down their horses in unison.
"Have you decided to become emperor?"
"should be."
"What about our future?"
"The Lord will definitely do what he promised us, so we can rest assured."
"But the prince...will he be happy because he became the emperor?"
No one could answer the question Cheng Pu asked.
The few people then returned to their respective military camps in silence, keeping silent about what happened today. No matter who came to inquire, they just ignored him and never mentioned any details of the matter.
So people who should be anxious are still anxious, and people who should be anxious are still anxious.
Later, after the rumors spread quietly for five or six days, Lu Zhi couldn't help but come to Liu Bei's door and asked Liu Bei what the matter was.
Liu Bei told Lu Zhi the truth, and Lu Zhi was extremely angry about it.
"Xuande, what are you going to do? What Zheng Tai has done is something that can be punished. I can no longer tolerate him. I want to join him!"
"Teacher, Zheng Tai's group can be wiped out with a snap of the fingers, but the most important thing right now is not to deal with Zheng Tai's group."
Liu Bei slowly shook his head: "Don't you want to know how this matter will develop in the future?"
Lu Zhi was stunned.
Shao Qing, his expression became complicated.
"Xuande, you..."
"Teacher, I don't want to be the emperor."
After Liu Bei said these words, Lu Zhi suddenly breathed a sigh of relief and his expression became relaxed.
"Xuande, you are rational. At this moment, you should be rational, but not..."
"But my men won't allow it."
Liu Bei spoke and interrupted Lu Zhi's words: "To be more clear, I once wanted to be the emperor, but then, I didn't want to be the emperor anymore. But now, I find that I have to be the emperor. If I don't Emperor, the big man is finished."
(End of chapter)
