In the Changle Palace of Chang'an.
Although this was once the center of the world, it has been repaired, but it still looks dilapidated and has no trace of the atmosphere of an imperial city.
This is especially true for the children of the royal family who have lived in Luoyang City since childhood.
In the palace, Liu Bian had already sat on the throne. With Dong Zhuo's support, he had become the emperor of the Han Dynasty, while Liu Xie was named King Chenliu, which was just a false title.
The imperial court in Chang'an was all Dong Zhuo's people from top to bottom. This is not an exaggeration, but a fact.
This is completely the Chang'an court formed by the Xiliang army.
As a courtier who supported Liu Bian's rise to power, Dong Zhuo was granted the title of County Marquis.
County marquises were not considered precious in the early Han Dynasty. Liu Bang was very generous to his old brothers. The marquises granted by the later Han emperors were also county marquises. The difference was only in large and small counties.
The only exception is the prince Wushuanghou, who is considered an exception in the remote frontier.
As Taifu and Shangshu Ling, Dong Zhuo reached the pinnacle of his life in one step.
However, this is far from meeting the requirements of Dong Zhuo and Li Ru. What he wants is a regent with more than ten thousand people, and what Li Ru wants is the ability to change the world.
In the palace, Dong Zhuo walked up to the palace with his sword without scruples and sat first on the left. Luo Kong knelt and sat on the right in a robe. Dong Zhuo looked at Luo Kong and smiled and said, "Are Marquis Wushuang going to Luoyang with His Majesty?"
When Dong Zhuo's face was not ferocious, he still looked like a kind-hearted fat man. His current behavior showed that he had ever been at odds with Luo Kong, and even almost killed Luo Kong with a knife.
Luo Kong's eyes were deeply guarded, and he said indifferently: "I always have to accompany His Majesty."
Dong Zhuo took another deep look at Luo Kong, stood up and said, "Then Marquis Wushuang must protect His Majesty. I and Prince Chenliu will arrive later."
After saying that, he saluted Liu Bian and then left the palace directly. The guards in the palace were all wearing iron armor and they were all Dong Zhuo's men. They were extremely cautious.
Li Ru walked at the end, walking very slowly, and then turned around in front of the palace gate. He completely ignored Liu Bian and asked Luo Kong directly: "Wu Shuanghou, you are from the Luo family. You must have a deep understanding of those wealthy nobles who have brought disaster to the country and the people." You hate it, right? Why don't you want to join us and create a new world?
In this new world, Luo Shi will not change and will remain brilliant. "
Luo Kong looked at Li Ru with a complicated expression. Every time he saw Li Ru, he understood more and more why the family always emphasized that virtue is more important than talent. The danger of these geniuses doing evil is too great.
There is also a need to open a clear path for advancement. These outstanding people who can change the world are not willing to succumb to others.
If the court doesn't want them, they will flow to the local area; if the place doesn't want them anymore, they will go out to other countries; they will rebel and overthrow the imperial court; or even go to the extreme and directly defect to foreign nations to counterattack the Central Plains.
The Xiongnu's growth in power had a lot to do with the defection of the Han people.
It is always said that the scholar's rebellion failed after three years, but it would be terrible if the scholar assisted the rebellion. Look at Li Ru, in more than ten years he cultivated Dong Zhuo, a prince who could compete for supremacy in the world.
How many people are there like Li Ru in the world?
How many of them are in the hands of the imperial court? The decline of the Han Dynasty is really unjust.
Hearing Li Ru's words, Luo Kong directly replied: "People of different ways do not seek each other's will. Li Wenyou, you are too extreme, and Dong Zhuo, he is not worthy to fulfill your ideal. Your choice of lord is wrong. You have great cause." It will become a bubble and disappear into nothing.
It is better to choose Dong Zhuo than to be loyal to the Han Emperor in front of you. At least you are good to His Majesty, and His Majesty will definitely trust you. "
When Li Ru saw Luo Kong, he did not refute the point about hating wealthy nobles, but he directly denied himself and Dong Zhuo. He looked up at the emperor again, cupped his hands, turned around and left without saying another word.
Liu Bian was frightened by Li Ru's look. Li Ru's appearance was similar to Jia Xu's and he was kind, but the coldness in his eyes and the sinister temperament all over his body made him look like a ghost. Same.
In terms of character alone, Li Ru and Jia Xu are almost the same. Both are good at conspiracy and use unscrupulous means.
But the difference between the two is that Li Ru is too obsessed with it, while Jia Xu, although he also has the intention of reviving the family, is not strong and has a resigned attitude.
Jia Xu wanted to live, and Li Ru wanted to die.
"Junhou, does the Taifu want to kill me?"
Liu Bian said tremblingly, he was so scared that he didn't even call himself me. Luo Kong sighed in his heart, Liu Bian was really not suitable to be the emperor.
He is different from Emperor Xiaohui. Emperor Xiaohui is actually quite independent, but there is Queen Gao in front of him and King Luowen in the back, which shows that he is not good enough.
Liu Bian is really bad!
It is never a good thing to have a weak leader and a strong minister. It is very difficult to maintain the majesty of the monarch when his ministers are strong, and evil will definitely breed in it.
Luo Kong looked at Liu Bian with pity in his eyes. He could already foresee that Liu Bian's end would not be good. He said warmly: "Your Majesty, I will accompany you and the Queen will also accompany you."
Compared to Liu Bian, Luo Kong felt that Tang Ji was more worthy of mercy. Liu Bian was the eldest son and this was his fate. Tang Ji was a little girl who didn't understand anything but became the queen. She was completely implicated.
Luo Kong's comfort still had some effect. Liu Bian grabbed Luo Kong's sleeves and said, "Junhou, are we going back to Luoyang?"
"Yes, we are going back to Luoyang."
Liu Bian's eyes suddenly lit up. Luoyang was the only place that could bring him warmth. "It's good to go back to Luoyang. You can see your mother after you go back to Luoyang."
However, Luo Kong only had worries in his heart. The Luo family had accumulated prestige in the Han Dynasty for so many years, and he dared to rely on the military formation to directly kill the Luo family's son. What else could he not dare to do?
After all, this was an internal political battle. Dong Zhuo's idea of directly killing someone was something Luo Kong never expected. It can only be said that the reputation of a border commander as a warrior was well-deserved.
Now is the beginning of the troubled times, and people like Dong Zhuo who dare to trample on the unspoken rules have appeared. Fortunately, he still has some political awareness in his heart and has not taken direct action.
But if such a person becomes unscrupulous in the future, he may become a demon king.
…
Although it is a thousand miles from Chang'an to Luoyang, the Xiliang cavalry is going all out and it will not take long.
On the straight road, smoke and dust rose and fell, and groups of cavalry full of murderous auras galloped past. The Xiliang army was almost mobilized. Although there were basically no top advisers except Li Ru, there were fierce generals who came from the border legions in the surrounding counties. It can be said to be like clouds and sea.
Li Jue, Guo Si, Zhang Ji, and Hua Xiong, the second-rate captains in the Xiliang Army, were all rare cavalry generals and warriors. Even Dong Zhuo himself was a fierce man who could fire a powerful bow and go into battle with a weapon. .
The Xiliang army is rushing towards Luoyang.
The front army has already set off, but the middle army and the rear army are still in Chang'an, ready to go.
Luo Kong, Liu Bian and Tang Ji were sitting on a carriage. Luo Kong was almost inseparable from Liu Bian. For fear that Dong Zhuo would attack Liu Bian, Liu Bian and Tang Ji sat on either side of Luo Kong.
Tang Ji is younger than Liu Bian and appears to be stunted. She is a very insecure little girl, and Luo Kong is the only person she can rely on.
"If we go to Luoyang from now on, life and death will be difficult to distinguish."
Luo Kong had an unknown premonition in his heart, but he didn't know where this premonition came from. Liu Bian was now the emperor. Could it be that Dong Zhuo dared to kill the emperor directly?
In the old palace of Chang'an, Dong Zhuo looked at Liu Bian leaving, then turned to look at Li Ru, with a fierce look in his eyes: "Wen You, the emperor alone has a good relationship with Wushuang Hou, which is not good for us.
Moreover, Liu Bian was cowardly. Without the aura of an emperor, how could he dominate the world?
well.
Marquis Wushuang made Liu Bian emperor because of his own selfish desires. This was a disregard for the world.
As a son of the Luo family, he acted for his own selfish desires. I am a great man and a loyal man, and I am close to the late emperor. I must not sit idly by and ignore him!
King Chenliu is smart. Although Emperor Ling is a single husband, he is my benefactor after all. He wants Liu Xie to be the emperor. I should fulfill Emperor Ling's last wish instead of making King Chenliu the emperor.
What does Wenyou think? "
Liu Bian would never have expected that Dong Zhuo, who had respectfully welcomed him to the throne some time ago, would want to replace him so soon.
Li Ru shook his head when he heard this and said: "My lord, it's not possible for the time being.
There is another prince in Luoyang City, who is the second son of Emperor Ling. He must have been made emperor by those rebels.
Liu Xie was a concubine, and his identity could not overpower Liu He. He could only use Liu Bian's undisputed identity as the eldest son to suppress Liu He.
We have both the authority of the Ling Emperor and the legal authority of Gangchang, so that we can remain invincible.
As for your concerns, I understand.
Just wait until Liu He is deposed from the throne, wait for an opportunity to get rid of him, and then get rid of Liu Bian. At that time, only Liu Xie will be left, and he will naturally become the emperor. The death of his two brothers will definitely teach him how to do it. "
In Li Ru's mouth, killing the emperor's relatives and even the emperor is as simple as eating and drinking. In his eyes, there is no difference between the emperor's ministers and the pigs, dogs, cattle and sheep in the pen.
Dong Zhuo was persuaded by Li Ru again, and with a fierce look on his face that gradually started to show signs of anger, he said: "Then let him live for a while.
You must take good care of Wushuang Hou and don't let him do anything detrimental to the court.
Entering Luoyang, taking charge of the world, the Han Dynasty collapsed, Zhang Jiao ascended to heaven, this is God helping me Dong Zhuo.
Failure to accept what God has given will definitely bring disaster. Wenyou, your and my dreams are about to be fulfilled. "
Li Ru, who had always had an expressionless face and a cold and dark look in his eyes, smiled slightly when he heard this, but the smile was a little sinister, and Dong Zhuo was excited to see it.
Then he patted Li Ru on the shoulder and said, "Wen You, let's go to Luoyang."
Dong Zhuo's rather strong body walked out of the palace gate, followed closely by Li Ru. He looked at the scorching sun in the sky and wrapped himself in a brocade robe.
…
When the front troops of the Xiliang Iron Cavalry broke through Hedong, the entire Luoyang court felt as if they were facing a formidable enemy.
In Luoyang Palace.
The Empress Dowager He and all the veterans of the Han Dynasty had frosty expressions on their faces, and the air pressure was so low that it could even freeze people's hearts.
Initially, the ministers thought that the one returning to Luoyang would be Marquis Wushuang, but they did not expect that it would be Dong Zhuo's Xiliang army.
Queen Mother He looked at the ministers in the palace, and then asked a slightly weird question, "Who is this Dong Zhuo?"
Who is Dong Zhuo?
The former governor of Liangzhou and the general who protected Qiang, but Queen Mother He didn't know who he was, but everyone in the palace didn't find it strange.
Because not only Queen Mother He, but also many people in the palace who did not know Dong Zhuo.
A border warrior, if not for a big change, would never be able to enter Luoyang in his lifetime.
He is a figure on the border, but in Luoyang City, he is nothing. Who would care?
What the officials in Luoyang City want are the Three Gongs and Nine Ministers and the generals of the Forbidden Army. That is the ultimate power.
But now, a military man from a border county dared to ride east of the river and came to Luoyang without any concealment!
"Queen Mother, Dong Zhuo is a typical border commander. He has been hanging out in Liangzhou since he was weak, and he has risen to a high position step by step."
In the Han Dynasty, the typical border commander was a contemptuous term.
Because the adjective "Bianjun warrior" contains capricious meanings, this is the impression the whole world has on these border commanders, whether they are Liangzhou, Bingzhou, Youzhou or the Western Regions. Of course, Wushuanghou is an exception.
The capriciousness of these border warriors is not a moral double-dealing, but a way of survival that comes from deep within. It is a keen intuition after living a life of licking blood on the border for many years.
Lu Bu is a typical border warrior. In fact, Liu Bei is also a border warrior, and he is very diligent in changing allies. However, Liu Bei has a high personal moral level and always tries his best before changing allies, so no one uses this to criticize him.
As soon as this sentence "Bianjun Warrior" came out, it basically determined Dong Zhuo's road to Luoyang, that is, Dong Zhuo cannot be trusted.
"Empress Dowager, Dong Zhuo is the fake Liangzhou Mu and Sili Colonel who was appointed by Emperor Ling, and he also assists the prince. Now that Dong Zhuo dares to go to Luoyang, then the prince's defense must have fallen into Dong Zhuo's hands. If he uses this edict, we will What should be done?”
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard hurried footsteps outside the palace. He saw the messenger holding something similar to a letter high in his hand, hurriedly walked into the palace, then knelt down and said loudly: "Emperor Your Majesty the Queen Mother, this is the letter sent by Mr. Dong."
"What?"
"Dong Zhuo has arrived?"
"Did Dong Zhuo's army arrive, or did he himself arrive?"
This letter immediately caused an uproar in the court. How could it happen so quickly?
——-——
In the first year of Zhongping, Emperor Ling died. Dong Zhuo argued that the prince was his legitimate elder and welcomed him as the emperor. After the emperor was established, Dong Zhuo considered himself the Taifu and forced the emperor to grant him princes. The emperor was too cowardly to control him. Kong Nai said: "Fei If Prince Liu Bu wishes to be a king, please die, and the Lord will grant him the honor of being a loyal and righteous king."
Dong Zhuo suddenly changed his expression and said, "Are you bullying me?"
Kong Tongbolan said: "Taifu, the first emperors of the Sixteenth Dynasty of the Han Dynasty, King Zhaosheng and King Luowen, how can you compare with them?
These two saints both died and became kings. Do you dare to be born as a king?
Isn't it treason? "
Dong Zhuo stopped. ——"Book of the Later Han·Wushuang Hou Family"
(End of chapter)
