Shuhan

When the night was as dark as ink and quietly enveloped the entire capital, the mansion of Shaofu Dong Yun was still brightly lit.

The moonlight shines through the sparse clouds, sprinkling mottled onto the bluestone slabs, adding a touch of mystery to the quiet night.

Dong Yunzheng was sitting alone in the study, his brows furrowed, his eyes revealing an unconcealable worry.

The documents piled up on his desk were like mountains, and the confusion and worry about the unknown in his heart were as deep and heavy as the night outside the window.

At this moment, a burst of hurried footsteps broke the silence in the room, and a guard in black hurried in, holding a sealed bamboo scroll in his hand with a solemn expression.

"Your Majesty, the secret decree from His Majesty has arrived."

Upon hearing this, Dong Yun's body trembled slightly, then he quickly stood up and took the secret decree with both hands, as if he was taking over not only an order, but also the safety of the entire Han Dynasty.

He carefully removed the wax seal on the bamboo slips and unfolded the yellowed silk. Lines of neat small seal characters came into view, and the words between the lines revealed the emperor's wisdom and determination.

At first, Dong Yun's brows furrowed even more tightly. The rebellion of the Yi family mentioned in the secret decree made his already troubled thoughts even more complicated.

Why did the Yi family, a seemingly insignificant family, suddenly become the eye of the storm in the court?

However, as he read deeper, Dong Yun's eyes gradually began to light up. It was a kind of relief after sudden enlightenment, and also admiration for His Majesty's foresight.

Dong Yun patted his forehead lightly, a bitter smile appeared on his lips, and he secretly sighed in his heart: "Your Majesty is wise. The Yi family is nothing to worry about. The most important thing is to find out the person behind it."

With a long sigh, Dong Yun calmed himself down.

Sometimes the truth of the matter is not important, what is important is how to solve the problem.

Your Majesty's method is simple and direct, but also extremely clever - divert the conflict and make everyone think that it was the Wei State's School Affairs Office that was instigating it behind the scenes. When the situation becomes chaotic, he will slowly work to find the real black hand hiding in the dark.

This is undoubtedly a strategy of hitting the snake at its most vulnerable part and hitting it with one strike.

Having made up his mind, Dong Yun took action immediately.

He first summoned the captain of the Baling Imperial Farm, a loyal and capable general who had crawled out of a sea of ​​blood and corpses. He was absolutely loyal to His Majesty and was under the command of the Shaofu. He never questioned Dong Yun's orders.

"Fu Zun!"

The captain bowed to Dong Yun.

Dong Yun whispered, "Go to the imperial manor immediately, gather some men, and capture Yi Chou!"

"promise!"

The Yi family was a family of nobles who had been granted the title of a righteous ruler by His Majesty, but when the Shaofu gave the order, he did not need to think too much and could just execute it.

The captain took the order and left, disappearing into the night.

Afterwards, Dong Yun wrote another letter and ordered someone to send it to the Jingzhao Yin Mansion at full speed.

In the letter, he elaborated on the possible collusion between the Yi family and the Wei Kingdom's Imperial Household Department, and requested the Jingzhao Yin to immediately send troops to arrest all members of the Yi family suspected of rebellion on the charge of being spies for the Imperial Household Department, and at the same time to interrogate them strictly in order to pry more useful information out of their mouths.

After doing all this, Dong Yun sat back at his desk again, staring at the night outside the window, his mind clear.

This struggle has just begun, and the road ahead will certainly be full of thorns, but as long as there is light in our hearts, we will not be afraid of any darkness.

He gently stroked the secret decree in his hand, as if he could feel the emperor's heavy trust and expectations.

It was late at night, and the lights in the study were still on. Dong Yun's figure looked particularly firm under the candlelight.

He continued to bury his head in documents, planning his next move. Every detail could not be ignored and every decision had to be made with great caution.

In this war without the smoke of gunpowder, Dong Yun knows very well that only wisdom can become the sharpest weapon and illuminate the way forward.

In the land of Ba Ling, the sun shines lazily on the bluestone road, and the breeze blows by, bringing a hint of early summer warmth.

In this land, a manor sits quietly surrounded by mountains, as if it is a paradise specially reserved by nature for a nobleman.

This is the manor bestowed by the emperor on Yi Chou, a mansion that once belonged to a prominent nobleman and was used as a resort for outings and summer vacations.

At the entrance of the manor, two stone lions stand majestically guarding. Time has left mottled marks on them, but their majestic spirit remains unchanged.

Passing through a carved wooden door, what comes into view is an open meadow with lush green grass. Several horses are leisurely strolling in it, occasionally lowering their heads to nibble on the fresh grass leaves.

In the distance, there is a lush orchard with peach and apricot blossoms in full bloom. The air is filled with the faint fragrance of flowers, which is intertwined with the birdsong coming from the distant mountains and forests.

Deep in the orchard, there is a small and exquisite pond. The water in the pond is crystal clear and a few goldfish are swimming leisurely in it, occasionally jumping out of the water, stirring up circles of delicate ripples.

By the pond, a few willow trees sway gently, and the willow branches brush the water surface, as if telling of a thousand years of tenderness.

In sharp contrast to this tranquil and beautiful scenery, the architecture in the manor does not pursue luxury, but is presented in a simple and practical style. The wooden houses and blue brick paths all look so natural and harmonious, yet solemn.

In this seemingly ordinary yet full of infinite possibilities, Yi Chou is sitting in a simple yet elegant house. Outside the window is the garden full of spring scenery, but inside the house is silence.

He was wearing a dark robe with the collar slightly open, revealing the delicate embroidery underneath. In his hand, he was playing with a porcelain cup. The clear wine in the cup was like amber, exuding an alluring aroma.

Yi Chou had a stern face and deep eyes, and his brows revealed a kind of majestic temperament, as if he was the owner of the manor and not just a recipient of a reward.

At this time, an elderly steward in black slowly walked into the house. His steps were steady and every step seemed so calm and unhurried.

The steward had an old face and skin like dry bark, but his eyes were unusually sharp, revealing a sophistication and wisdom that came from having experienced the vicissitudes of life.

In his hand he held a letter made of silk, which was carefully folded and sealed with an exquisite wax seal.

"Master, this is a secret letter from Chang'an." The voice of the black-clothed steward was low and powerful, and every word was clearly heard by Yichou.

Upon hearing this, Yi Chou raised his eyebrows slightly, and a gleam of light flashed in his deep eyes, as if a cheetah had discovered its prey.

He put down the wine glass in his hand, took the secret letter handed to him by the steward, and gently stroked the smooth silk with his fingers. He already had a vague premonition in his heart.

The moment he opened the letter, his eyes became extremely focused, as if the whole world stopped.

The content of the letter was brief but shocking, and between the lines it revealed a huge opportunity, enough for the Yi family to gain a foothold in the Han Kingdom and even become one of the largest families in Guanzhong.

After reading it, Yi Chou curled up a smug smile. The laugh was hearty and confident, echoing in the house, and it seemed that even the spring breeze outside the window was lifted.

"With the support of the great men of the Han Kingdom, my Yi family will be able to gain a firm foothold in the Han Kingdom, and may even become one of the most powerful families in Guanzhong!"

Yi Chou's words were full of lofty ambitions, and his eyes sparkled with ambition. It was a desire for power, a pursuit of status, and an infinite longing for the future of his family.

However, behind this ambition, there was a ripple in Yichou's heart.

This road to glory will never be smooth, it is full of unknowns and challenges.

He thought back to his years of hard work in officialdom, and how every decision he made and every sacrifice he made were for the future of his family.

Now, this opportunity is right in front of him, how can he not seize it? The Han Kingdom is now quietly rising, attracting countless heroes who are eager for fame and power.

Yiqiu keenly captured the opportunity of this historical turning point, but was also well aware of the hidden risks.

His decision to bring his family here was not an impulse but a well-considered one.

Although the State of Wei was strong, it was riddled with internal conflicts, the power of the aristocracy was huge, and the imperial power was weak, which made him see possible turmoil and unrest in the future.

In contrast, although the Han Dynasty was new, it showed great vitality. The monarch worked hard to govern the country, strived for reform, and was eager to seek talented people.

Yi Chou knew very well that if he could gain a foothold in this land, he would not only be able to open up new horizons for his family, but also realize his political ambitions.

However, the migration journey is not smooth.

Yi Chou not only had to face the dangers of the journey, but also had to deal with the suspicion and obstruction from the Wei court.

To this end, he began to make careful plans, using his personal connections in Wei to secretly collect intelligence, while actively contacting Han to seek shelter and support.

Yi Chou knew very well that if he wanted to gain a foothold in the Han Kingdom, his own strength was not enough and he had to seek help from outside.

So he chose to cooperate with the school affairs office in exchange for the necessary intelligence support.

This decision is undoubtedly fraught with risk.

Cooperating with the school affairs office meant that he had to bear the crime of treason. Once exposed, not only would he be disgraced, but his family might also be implicated.

But Yi Chou had his own calculations: as the first Wei scholar to openly defect to the Han Dynasty, he believed that the Han emperor would not easily take action against him in order to demonstrate his tolerance and openness.

The information provided by the School Affairs Office will help him gain a foothold in the Han Kingdom more quickly and expand his influence.

In his dealings with the school affairs office, Yichou showed great caution and wisdom.

He passed information through secret channels and cleverly exploited the interests of both parties to ensure that the cooperation was neither too close nor too alienated.

This delicate balance allowed him to maneuver easily between the two countries and gradually build his own power network.

This was also the reason why he was able to receive letters from important figures in Chang'an just a few months after arriving in the Han Kingdom.

but
Not all of these Han nobles came with good intentions.

Many Han nobles were wary of the new Yichou, and even hostile.

In order to break this situation, Yichou has already thought about how to deal with it next.

On the one hand, he actively demonstrated his talents and abilities, participated in court affairs, put forward a series of practical reform proposals, and won the appreciation and trust of the Han emperor.

On the other hand, he should take the initiative to contact the Han nobles, and gradually integrate into this circle through marriage, alliance, etc., to reduce friction, and turn himself into a Han noble and integrate into it.

Thinking of this, everything is so beautiful.

but.
The risks involved are not small!
Yi Chou holds an ancient book in his hand, immersed in the long river of history, trying to find the future direction of his family from the wisdom of the past.

Just at this moment, there was a quarrel outside the room.

"What are you doing?"

"Do you know where this place is?"

"Stop!"

"Hey~"

The sudden noise made him frown involuntarily, and an ominous premonition quietly rose in his heart.

He stood up suddenly and strode to the door with unquestionable majesty in his eyes. He shouted angrily: "Why are you panicking and shouting? Who is here?"

Just as he finished speaking, a burst of hurried horse hoof sounds came from afar, accompanied by the clang of armor colliding, and a well-equipped Han army rushed into the manor like a black storm.

The middle-aged general in the lead, wearing heavy armor, had a stern face and eyes as sharp as an eagle. He was the captain of the Baling Imperial Farm.

He rode his horse right up to Yichou, looking down at this former Wei scholar, with a sneer on his face: "Yichou, you colluded with the School Affairs Office, but you are not truly loyal to the Han Dynasty. You are a spy sent by the Wei Kingdom. Now, follow me to the Imperial Prison!"

Upon hearing this, Yi Chou's face turned pale instantly. The shock and fear in his heart intertwined together, almost suffocating him.

He forced himself to remain calm and quickly explained, "That is absolutely not the case. I, Yichou, am loyal to the Han Dynasty. Moreover, I am a member of the noble family who was granted the title of the Righteous One by Your Majesty. How can you arrest me at will?"

Although his voice was a little trembling, he still tried to maintain his dignity.

Upon hearing this, Qianhu's lips curled up into an even deeper sneer. He took out a sealed document from his arms, gently unfolded it, and showed it to Yi Chou.

On the document, the seals of Jingzhao Yin and Jianjunsi were clearly visible. The most eye-catching thing was that in the lower right corner of the document, there was a large vermilion seal of Shangshufang, which was a symbol of the emperor's will.

"I have the documents from Jingzhao Yin and Jianjunsi, including the seal of Shangshufang. How can I not arrest you?"

Qianhu's voice was low and powerful, and every word was like a heavy hammer, hitting Yichou's heart hard.

Yi Chou's eyes fell on the large vermilion seal, and an indescribable despair surged in his heart.

The seal of the Shangshufang meant that all this was the emperor's will. What was he, a so-called converted nobleman who was conferred an imperial title by the emperor, worth under the majesty of imperial power?
His face became paler and a hint of despair flashed in his eyes, but soon, this despair was replaced by a strong desire to survive.

He took a deep breath and tried to make his voice sound more resolute: "I have been wronged. I will write to your majesty and ask you to look into the matter and clear my name!"

Upon hearing this, Qianhu curled up a sarcastic smile, as if he had already anticipated Yichou's reaction.

"After you have been put in prison and tortured, it won't be too late to submit a petition."

His voice was cold and heartless, as if he was announcing an unchangeable fate.

As he finished his words, several soldiers quickly stepped forward, roughly lifted up Yi Chou, and prepared to take him away.

Yi Chou's body was forcibly dragged, but his eyes never left Qianhu's face. His eyes were full of unwillingness and anger, but more of fear and uncertainty about the future.

Once he enters the imperial prison, what awaits him will be endless torture and interrogation, and perhaps even death.

But there was still a glimmer of hope in his heart.

I am a converted nobleman. Your Majesty, if you want to deal with me, you must think twice before doing so.

There are also Han nobles
If you don't take action now, you will be slaves to the imperial power for the rest of your life!

If you want to be the master of Han, you have to come and save me! (End of this chapter)