After Wenwu caught up with Yuan Shu, he stated the pros and cons of the current situation.
"The Xudu court seems to be restoring the old Han Dynasty system and welcoming the emperor back to the palace, but it is actually under the control of Cao Cao."
"Cao Cao is not a virtuous man. He must have deceived the emperor through some shameful means. My lord must be aware of it."
"Oh? What do you mean by that?" Yuan Shu turned his head and looked at them, his eyes shining thoughtfully.
Isn't this obvious?
Why do we have to chase him in public to report him? Any knowledgeable person would not think that Cao Cao spent half his life in the army just to return the world to the Han Dynasty.
He controls the emperor in his palm. In fact, there is no difference in essence from Dong Thief and Li Guo in the past. It is just that Cao Cao's methods are gentle. He uses the emperor to weaken the nobles and then win over other nobles and poor families to strengthen himself.
When he no longer needs the nobles, or in other words, when all the nobles in the world turn to Cao, the emperor will be completely useless.
Although those famous celebrities are arrogant and stubborn, they also have a fatal problem, that is, they dare not bear the reputation of betraying the big man.
Therefore, disobeying the emperor is a matter of betraying the emperor, and they may not be able to do it.
"My lord, I believe that since Cao Cao is essentially holding the emperor in his hands to force the princes to pay tribute, he is no different from the traitor Dong."
"Well, what you said is good," Yuan Shu nodded in agreement, turned around completely, and planned to listen to their words.
"Therefore, this Han is not the Han he was loyal to at the beginning. The world is still in the hands of traitors. Cao Cao serves the emperor in name, but in fact he secretly wants to usurp the Han Dynasty. The Han Dynasty is actually dead."
"Since the Han Dynasty has lost its deer, and now it is a vying for the deer, how can it continue to obey the emperor's edict that Cao Cao held up? Isn't this giving money and food to the enemy and depriving me of our granary?"
"It's unacceptable to be so foolish and loyal. Even if my lord misses the Han Dynasty, he should not ignore the situation."
The person who made the suggestion was tall and thin, with a stern face, a mustache, small eyes, and a half-smiling smile. His name was Yang Hong, and he was the long history of Yuan Shu.
He has been following him for many years, and he has often made plans and debates. Among the several advisers, he is a person who is deeply liked by Yuan Shu. Therefore, he is appointed as the chief historian to accompany him and discuss important matters at all times.
"Oh?" Yuan Shu frowned, but he was secretly happy. He twisted his beard and narrowed his eyes at Yang Hong, saying, "Yang Changshi, what do you mean by this?"
"My lord," Yang Hong quickly raised his hand and said loudly, "I beg my lord to disobey Xu Du's orders and fight Cao Cao decisively!"
"I know very well that my lord is fond of the Han Dynasty. In the past, he refused to jointly establish the Emperor of Guandong with his brother Yuan Shao. However, today he has fallen into the hands of traitors again and it is difficult to save him. The Han Dynasty has long been considered dead, so what? How can the hundreds of thousands of soldiers and millions of people who follow the lord be poisoned and assassinated by the thief Cao!"
"Now, it is no longer time to obey the imperial edict. I have heard that sages and sages will understand the situation of the world clearly and will not put themselves in danger by following those they trust. Now my land in Huainan has just been expanded and cultivated, but I have to pay tribute. To the imperial court, but my lord has written several times but there has been no response, which means that either the imperial court does not take the people of Yangzhou into its heart, or it is deceived by Cao Cao."
"Therefore... we should comply with the destiny of heaven, take over the fallen Han Dynasty and establish it, inherit the kindness of heaven, lead all the people to prosperity, and the lord should be the emperor of the Zhong family!"
The emperor of the Zhong family.
The Son of Heaven, acting on behalf of the herdsmen of Heaven, should be the first, followed by brother Zhong and Shu Ji, followed by Zhong.
This kind of title does not seem too treacherous, at least it is ranked below the emperor. However, His Majesty is currently imprisoned in Xudu and cannot rule the world personally or act on his behalf.
Yuan Shu smiled without hesitation, then suddenly felt something was wrong, and hurriedly cursed: "What you said is trying to harm my reputation! Don't mention it again! I will definitely send the tribute to Xudu according to the imperial edict, even if it is Yangzhou The people suffer, but they cannot suffer the emperor!"
"Although millions of people are following me now, I cannot be arrogant and think I am noble. I should still keep Your Majesty in my heart!"
After saying that, Yuan Shu and Yang Hong looked at each other deeply, and even raised their eyebrows, signaling secretly.
When Yang Hong heard this, he immediately understood what Yuan Shu meant. His eyes flashed with joy, and he knew in his heart that Yuan Shu really meant to be independent.
This flattery of mine was exactly when the old horse was sticking out his butt, and he slapped it crisply.
Wonderful.
"My lord's kindness is truly unparalleled in this world! The Yuan family is like a swaying breeze, awe-inspiring in the world! I admire you!" Yang Hong prostrated on the ground, very excited, and shouted to see him off.
On that day, news spread inside and outside Shouchun.
Yuan Shu refused the advice of Yang Hong and others and wanted to send the few remaining rations in the city to Xudu to show his surrender.
The people were all filled with emotion and admiration.
"This governor... deserves to be from a famous family in the world, and he has such character."
"Although he is arrogant and extravagant, he upholds righteousness in his heart, so he may not be a wise master."
"Although life is miserable, this governor still has righteousness in his heart."
Soon, under the instigation of many comments inside and outside Shouchun City, the dislike of Yuan Shu was slightly relieved. A few days later, Yuan Shu's government office released the emperor's edict and urged Yangzhou to pay tribute.
As a result, the malice was transferred to Emperor Xu Du, causing an uproar. The common people and gentry became more and more disappointed with the Han Dynasty.
Then under the guidance, the people shouted that the Han Dynasty was unkind and had no regard for the common people. At this time...
Yang Hong led various retainers to travel among these scholars, analyze and evaluate the current situation in Xudu, and also said that Cao Cao's claim to "serve the emperor" was to "hold the emperor hostage."
Only talking about this kind of speculation, of course, among the various inferences made by many scholars, there is only one conclusion.
It is Cao Cao who wants to press tribute, not His Majesty the Emperor.
Who is that heinous person? ? Cao Cao too! The behavior of this person is the same as that of the Dong thief back then. They are both deceiving the world and stealing the country. In the name of the emperor, they are actually harming everyone.
His heart can be punished!
Public sentiment and public opinion have reversed. The ill feeling towards Yuan Shu has disappeared, and they are more dissatisfied with the Han Dynasty. At the same time, they also resent Xu Du Cao Cao for controlling the emperor, which has caused Yangzhou's tax revenue to increase again.
Therefore, during the discussion in the lobby on the second day, Yang Hong took the lead and jointly put forward the idea of "going further", which was seconded by the whole hall, but Yan Xiang, the chief registrar, said nothing.
When someone objected, Yuan Shu knew that the matter had not yet been completed, so he could only object again and wait for the third invitation. However, at this time, his reputation and deeds were also spread throughout Shouchun.
Together they attracted admiration from countless people.
Yan Xiang was puzzled, and gradually, the distance between his peers gradually widened unconsciously.
It seems like I am the only one walking alone.
A few days later, after Yan Xiang was busy transporting money and food late at night, he was invited to the side courtyard of the government office to meet Yuan Shu late at night.
"Lord."
Seeing Yuan Shu in the courtyard again, Yan Xiang was full of words and didn't know where to start.
"Yan Jun, you objected to my disobedience to the Han court's edict the day before yesterday, and now Xu Du's order is imminent. I believe you have countermeasures to respond to this edict, right?" Yuan Shu stood leisurely and contentedly, standing with his hands behind his back, looking at the rich and burly man in front of him with a smile. of Yan Xiang.
Yan Xiang's beard reached to his chest and fluttered up. He straightened his back and said in a rich voice: "No."
"Since not, haha," Yuan Shu couldn't help but sneered, "Why did Lord Yan say nothing? Do you think that I, Yuan Shu, should give away what I have gained so far and abandon the people?"
Yan Xiang had nothing to say, after all, Yuan Shu's words had reached such a high level of justice.
If he continues to object, it will be tantamount to treason.
"Then my lord, in the next one or two months, he will ask his subordinate Wen Wu to speak again, and then naturally... he will become the emperor of the Zhong family?" Yan Xiang tentatively approached Yuan Shu, with a strange expression on his face but a look of expectation in his eyes. .
"Huh?" Yuan Shu glanced at him arrogantly and snorted coldly: "Huh, Yan Jun's words are wrong. He has a civil and military heart and Huaiyang's public opinion. Why did I let them make a comment? This statement is a bit presumptuous. "
"My lord, forgive me." Yan Xiang's eyes were slightly disappointed, and his tone was a little weaker. "Then, lord, have you ever thought about why this is the only way to go in the current situation?"
"My lord, have you thought about it carefully?"
Yuan Shu's expression froze, and he thought deeply about these words. What Yan Xiang said was not unreasonable.
Why is this the only way I can go now? Otherwise, I would have to pay tribute to Xudu, which would either reduce local income or increase taxes on the people.
But for being so humble and serving him, all he got was an official title from the imperial court.
"Could it be that Lord Yan meant that this situation was... created by Cao Cao?"
"It may not be impossible," Yan Xiang nodded directly: "It should be noted that everyone in the world has the ambition to be independent, but so far no one has dared to take this step. Why?"
"It's probably because the hearts of the people are against the Han people and they dare not bear the infamy. Moreover, whoever takes the initiative to stand on his own will be pressured by the general trend and cause the princes to turn their backs."
"What if I could withstand such heavy pressure?! What kind of world would it be like?"
"this……"
Yan Xiang was stunned, he no longer knew what to say, his face was full of determination.
Who in the world can bear this infamy and at the same time withstand the verbal and written attacks from all the princes, and even the armies facing each other?
"Don't worry, Lord Yan."
Yuan Shu smiled confidently, pursed his lips, and said: "At this time, Cao Cao is coercing the emperor to stay in Xudu, claiming to be the orthodoxy of the Han Dynasty."
"Since he has obtained the emperor's convenience, he must accept the rectification of the Han Dynasty's name. He will definitely not sit back and wait to see Huaiyang become independent and strong."
"If I accept the kindness of the officials, wouldn't I only have to guard against Cao Cao?"
"And how do our troops in Yangzhou compare with those of the past?"
Yan Xiang raised his head proudly, turned and looked away, and said coldly: "Ten times."
"Yes, but what about Cao Cao's military strength?"
"Several times more."
"From this," Yuan Shu was sure of victory, his words were sonorous and powerful, "I have a strong army and strong horses, and have been preparing for many years. I will never be defeated by the Cao family again. Since I already knew that I was going to fight, why should I keep covering it up?"
"If I win, I will gain a new world. If I lose, why should I lose? What difference will it make?"
Yan Xiang could not refute, he could only lament.
Half a month later, the officials came again. Yuan Shu no longer refused, but ordered that no tribute be paid to Xu Du after the autumn harvest.
Then he slowly prepared everything, offered sacrifices to heaven and earth, and prepared documents and announcements. After testing public opinion again in the coming year, he immediately established a title, designated a capital, and prepared troops and horses.
Before that, half a year of preparation is needed. There are still too many things going on secretly, and everything needs to be sorted out.
The outcome will be decided next year, when I, Yuan Shu, will be resurrected and have the opportunity to truly achieve great things!
…
Xudu.
Zhang Han led the crowd back from outside the city, dismounted in front of the courtyard gate, and looked at the people in front of him in surprise.
Xi Zhong, wearing a black official uniform, stood in front of the door of his house, followed by a dozen knife-wielding young men also dressed in black robes.
Xi Zhicai wears a high hat on his head, holds a knife behind his back, wears a dark red outfit inside and a black robe outside. Coupled with his long and elegant beard, he looks really handsome after being dressed up a little.
It was completely different from the slovenly appearance of the old man before.
Zhang Han beamed as soon as he saw it. The position of the school official is of great significance because of its humble position and power.
As the saying goes, you are proud of the spring breeze.
But as soon as Xi Zhong opened his mouth, Zhang Han's face immediately fell.
"Bo Chang, open the door. Our school affairs office has received several reports. The corruption is very serious! We need to open the office to investigate. If there is money that is unknown, corruption and perversion of the law, please Bo Chang follow me back to the school affairs office."
"I ride on a horse..."
Zhang Han stared at Xi Zhicai dumbfounded, so stunned that he had nothing to say, "Brother Zhicai, the first thing you want to do when you take office is to burn my palace?!"
"Bo Chang, this is His Majesty's wish. Please open the door to the palace. After we find out, we will report it to His Majesty."
Xi Zhicai's face was serious, there was no room for talk, he looked businesslike.
Zhang Han was stunned when he heard this, and immediately walked up to him and said softly: "Master Fu, someone has taken part in me?"
"Dong Cheng, Fu Wan, I noticed that you were greedy for land in Motian, and even found out that you were reported to have traded land privately."
"The school affairs office has been established for one month, and officials should not be allowed to have something to say because of favoritism."
Zhang Han was anxious and choked on his words. He quickly came closer and said, "I have devoted myself to the Han Dynasty and have never collected bad wealth. What I have earned now is the reward I deserve. Why should Your Majesty listen to the slander?"
"I think," Xi Zhicai raised his eyelids and glanced at him, "Dong Cheng and others hate the establishment of the school affairs office, but they dare not vent their anger on Sikong, so who should they vent their anger on!?"
Zhang Han took a deep breath, held back his anger and asked in a low voice: "Fu Jun has such great official authority."
"Bo Chang, this is the last straw."
Xi Zhicai smiled and patted Zhang Han on the shoulder. There was a lot of confidence in his smile.
"Open the door of the mansion! Please invite all school officials to come into the mansion to investigate!!"
Zhang Han rolled his eyes at Xi Zhicai, let them into the house with a long sigh.
After burning the incense, half of the school staff got lost in Zhang Han's house.
Zhang Han sent Dianwei to lead the team in person, and led the guards to lead the way. After a final search, even the two ladies in the inner courtyard were alarmed, and after cleaning up, they were allowed to go in and have a look.
In the end, Xi Zhi got a summary of the responses from the school officials. They were astonished to see that in this palace alone, there were more than 30,000 pieces of gold, countless pieces of cloth, and treasures piled up in three large rooms.
There are hundreds of people living in the shops in Qianyuan Street. They are not slaves to Zhang Han, but they regard themselves as servants and servants, and each of them has his or her own livelihood.
This mansion is actually equivalent to a village pavilion, with many families living there. Although Zhang Han considers himself a slave of Zhang Han's family, Zhang Han does not regard them as slaves.
Every day, relatives and friends in the inner courtyard do not need to go out at all, they can just go to the spacious street in their front yard.
Gold, silver, and treasures can all be explained as fraud, but what about the hundreds of people in Zhang Han's family?
At this time, in front of everyone, Xi Zhicai could only treat him seriously, staring at him with stern eyes, and said in a deep voice: "Bo Chang, come with me to Dali Temple. Your status is too high. Qing Zhongsi should personally handle it." trial."
He still believed that Zhang Handing had a way to explain the past, which was why it was the last straw on the eve of the war.
Xi Zhicai's guess was not bad. Zhang Han had indeed foreseen it, so before they came, he followed Jia Xu's strong suggestion.
Together with Dian Wei, they forced Gao Shun to take the soldiers with their money and send them to the manor in Xiaolinshan outside the city.
"It has to be you, Jia Wenhe, you are too strong," Zhang Han said through gritted teeth.
Although he had doubts, he was never convinced. Only Jia Xu had always insisted on it, and several times he would rather be arrested by Dian Wei and sent to the army for training, but also negotiated with Zhang Han to let him give away half of his family's belongings.
Unexpectedly, today, it really works wonders.
"The last straw..." This is what Zhang Han said on the stove. The whole sentence is the last straw that breaks the camel's back.
Fu Jun used this as a code word, which was actually a reminder to Zhang Han.
It's interesting, maybe go check it out.
Zhang Han was certain in his heart. Although his face was bloodless and he seemed panicked, he was completely fearless in his heart.
Boss Cao and Little Boss Cao didn't show up, and they haven't even received any news yet. They must have known about it for a long time.
They must have mastered everything in the dark.
(End of chapter)
