Han family achievements

Chapter 532: Chessboard and Spectators

When Empress Dowager Dong, Liu Xie, and Fu Shou climbed out of the window, Dong Cheng was still waiting.

He held the "Last Emperor's Last Will" in his hand, quietly waiting for Empress Dowager Dong and Liu Xie to come out.

In his subconscious, Queen Dowager Dong has always longed for her good grandson to inherit the throne, and this has not changed over the years.

And Liu Xie, facing the supreme position, how could he not be tempted?
Besides, even if he was not tempted, he had no choice now.

That position belongs to none other than Liu Xie. It is the legal and righteous thing for him to "rectify the country" and he must not let it go!
He waited quietly, ignoring the eunuchs, palace maids and others who were shivering not far away.

With such a big "happy event" falling on their heads, Empress Dowager Dong and Liu Xie need time to digest it.

Dong Cheng was very patient. He had waited for so long, so he wouldn't mind a little more time.

But Zhang Yang outside the door couldn't wait and sent people to urge him again and again.

This is the key, but the more critical thing is the palace. If we delay too long, the more effort it will take to capture the palace.

It was unknown how long he had been waiting, but Dong Cheng, who had been very patient, suddenly came to his senses and strode forward towards the back hall where Empress Dowager Dong and others were.

The servants did not dare to stop him and hid aside.

Dong Cheng looked at the empty back hall and became furious. He shouted, "Come in and search!"

Hearing Dong Cheng's voice, the Yulin soldiers outside the wall rushed in and looked for someone everywhere.

Zhang Yang even rushed open the door with an extremely gloomy expression.

The Yulin Army shuttled through the entire Chenliu Palace and turned the palace upside down, but still failed to find Empress Dowager Dong, Prince Chenliu, Fu Shou and other important figures in the Chenliu Palace.

Dong Cheng knew he had miscalculated, and his face turned extremely ugly. He said to Zhang Yang, "They can't have gone far, they are nearby, search them out!"

Zhang Yang couldn't wait any longer, and said to Dong Cheng with gritted teeth: "I will leave you 200 men, you must bring them to the Suzaku Gate. If you can't find them, you will die!"

Dong Cheng looked at his expression angrily and said nothing.

Zhang Yang had no time to pay attention to him and led his army straight to the palace.

"The late emperor left a will, Liu Bian usurped the throne, I obeyed the order to fight against the enemy and uphold the country's destiny!"

"The late emperor left a will, Liu Bian usurped the throne, I obeyed the order to fight against the enemy and uphold the country's destiny!"

"The late emperor left a will, Liu Bian usurped the throne, I obeyed the order to fight against the enemy and uphold the country's destiny!"

Outside the Suzaku Gate, the Yulin Army waved their spears and shouted loudly.

On top of the wall, the imperial guards were on high alert, with arrows, shields and other weapons already prepared, but they did not launch an attack immediately.

Dian Wei stood on the top of the city wall with a big spear in his hand and his eyes wide open, like a door god, extremely conspicuous.

Zhang Yang rode over on horseback, looked at the imperial guards standing on the top of the city wall, and without saying a word, he shouted at Dian Wei: "Dian Wei, Liu Bian is dead, the Prince of Chenliu has succeeded to the throne. If you surrender, you will be granted a title of nobility, and enjoy wealth and glory!"

Dian Wei seemed not to have heard anything and stood there motionless.

Zhang Yang's expression was cold and hard. He knew that he could not delay any longer, so he drew out his sword and shouted angrily, "Fight the enemy by order, quell the rebellion and restore the emperor, and attack the city!"

The archers of the Yulin Army launched an attack immediately, and ladders, battering rams and other weapons were used in the battle.

Dian Wei dropped his spear to the ground and shouted, "Defend!"

Before he finished speaking, shields came forward and arrows rained down.

The brutal battle to defend the city began instantly.

It didn't take long before the Yulin Army reached the top of the city wall and started hand-to-hand combat.

Dian Wei was wearing heavy armor and wielding a large spear, killing one little kid with each swing. He was not at all panicked by the Yulin Army's attack on the city wall.

Dian Wei was not in a hurry, but Zhang Yang was, and kept urging the Yulin Army to attack.

Liu Xie has not been found yet. If the palace cannot be taken down and the Queen Mother, Empress, Xun Yu, Cao Cao and others cannot be controlled, and reinforcements arrive from all directions, Zhang Yang will be in a passive position.

In order to avoid any further complications, Zhang Yang urged the attack.

The palace was not big and the city walls were not very strong. In addition, there were few imperial guards and they were divided into four gates, which was not enough to resist the 20,000 Yulin Army.

Zhang Yang concentrated his forces and spared no expense to capture the palace as quickly as possible!
Qiao Mao stood in a teahouse not far away, quietly gazing at the imperial palace with a slightly strange look on his face.

He vaguely felt that something was wrong.

"Do you think this palace is too calm?" Qiao Mao said to himself, his eyes full of doubt.

Behind him stood a middle-aged man without a single hair or beard. He looked at the familiar yet strange palace and sighed, "With Xun Yu and Cao Cao inside, it's probably not that easy to break in. It's said that there are only 10,000 imperial guards, but who knows if there are more hidden? Our Majesty never shows off his strength."

Qiao Mao's gaze faded slightly, and he turned towards the direction of Chenliu Palace and said, "This Dong Cheng is too incompetent."

The middle-aged man ignored the Prince of Chenliu and said, "Once Zhang Yang conquers the Queen, I'm afraid she will no longer be controlled. At that time, are you afraid of being preyed upon?"

Qiao Mao sneered and said, "He is just a small Yulin Lang. How many people in the Han territory know his name? Without me, he is nothing. I can help him up, and naturally I can also make him die without a burial place!"

The middle-aged man shook his head slightly.

In troubled times, under the power of the military, everything is empty. Once Zhang Yang enters the palace, everyone will be fish on his chopping board!
No one is an exception.

At the same time, Dong Cheng was still searching in the Chenliu Palace.

"I'll find it even if I have to dig three feet underground!" Dong Cheng growled, furious.

Prince Chenliu is the most critical link in their plan. Without him, everything will go wrong and nothing will go right.

The Yulin Army was still rummaging through boxes and cabinets, prying open floors, and sending people to investigate all suspicious cellars, wells, and even inner lakes.

"Prime Minister Dong, we found the secret passage!"

Suddenly, a military officer from the Yulin Army came to report.

"Take me there quickly!" Dong Cheng said anxiously with a happy look on his face.

The military officer hesitated and said, "But it collapsed in the middle."

Dong Cheng didn't care at all and shouted angrily: "Dig it up! I'll only give you half an hour. If you can't find the person, I'll bury you all with me!"

The military marquis's expression froze, as if he was dissatisfied, and he said with all his strength: "Yes!"

At this moment, Empress Dowager Dong, Liu Xie, and Fu Shou were hiding under a house next to the Chenliu Palace. It was pitch dark and no one dared to breathe.

Because there were dense footsteps above their heads, it was obvious that someone was rummaging through boxes and cabinets, searching anxiously.

The three of them huddled together, looking up nervously.

An unknown amount of time had passed, but as the three of them were in agony, the footsteps gradually disappeared, and the three of them let out a long sigh at the same time.

Liu Xie's tense nerves relaxed, but he still asked in a low voice, "Grandmother, is my brother really okay?"

Empress Dowager Dong was leaning on a crutch. It was pitch black all around her. She muttered a few words silently, and then said, "Your royal brother never takes risks. If anything happens to me, I must have a backup plan. Let's just wait and see." Liu Xie was still nervous. He looked at the way he came and then at the top of his head, silently.

He was very worried about his brother and the fate of the Han Dynasty, and was extremely anxious.

Liu Xie was not the only one who was worried and uneasy. There were people everywhere in the palace who were uneasy.

After Cao Cao left, Xun Yu became the backbone.

Sitting around him were Lu Yu, Sima Lang, Sima Yi, Shen Pei and Xu Yan. They were all silent, looking into the distance in the direction of Suzaku Gate.

Once the Suzaku Gate is breached and the rebel army rushes in, they will most likely be killed on the spot.

Xun Yu glanced at Xu Yan from time to time, thinking constantly in his mind, trying to think of a way to break the impasse.

Lu Yu, Sima Yi and others did not dare to speak. Xu Yan also noticed Xun Yu's gaze and responded with a look of doubt and questioning.

The shouting and killing sounds seemed to be in my ears, always in my ears, but also always in my ears.

The rebels failed to break through the Suzaku Gate. As the sky gradually darkened, the expressions of the people in the Shangshu Terrace softened slightly.

Lu Yu, Sima Yi and others were called away by the minor officials as they had their own business, leaving only Xu Yan, who looked calm and composed.

Xu Yan, who is usually extremely busy, seemed to be fine at this moment. He looked in the direction of Suzaku Gate with a look of transcendence, as if he was admiring something.

Xun Yu's mature face remained unchanged. He pretended to pick up the teacup and said calmly, "Lady Xu, Empress Dowager, Empress Dowager, don't you have anything to say?"

Xu Yan was startled, and suddenly came to his senses. He pretended to be flustered and said, "Well, Prime Minister, there is. The Queen Mother and the Queen were very uneasy and wanted to come here in person, but I persuaded them not to come."

"is it?"

Xun Yu put down his teacup and said calmly and indifferently, "I remember that there is an inconspicuous little mole on your Majesty's neck."

Xu Yan immediately bowed without saying a word.

Looking at his expression, Xun Yu had already thought through the causes and consequences of everything.

"It really is a big chess game..."

Xun Yu looked out the door and sighed softly, "Your Majesty, do you want to solve all the troubles in one fell swoop?"

Xu Yan didn't say anything, but just bowed more.

This prime minister has always been cautious and taciturn, but everyone knows that he has a very smart mind and can see many things clearly. He is an extremely intelligent person.

Xu Yan didn't expect to be exposed by Xun Yu so quickly, and for a moment he didn't know what to do.

Xun Yu glanced at him and said, "Don't worry, I will cooperate with your majesty and play this drama to the end."

Xu Yan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he sat down, his expression suddenly changed again. He couldn't help but whispered, "Prime Minister, um, will the Grand Marshal see through it?"

Xun Yu frowned and said thoughtfully, "I can't guess it either. Cao Cao is a man of deep scheming. So far, no one has been able to catch him, and no one knows what he is thinking. However, whether he sees through it or not, it will not affect your majesty's plan. If Cao Cao is still a loyal minister this time, then we don't have to worry about him for a long time in the future. If he rebels, it depends on whether he can escape your majesty's big net."

Xu Yan nodded slightly and said no more.

Your Majesty has built a stage with many people on it, and the most important character among them is Cao Cao!

How will Cao Cao act?
Xu Yan couldn't guess it, Xun Yu could guess it, and even Liu Bian couldn't guess it.

However, there is now one more spectator - Prime Minister Xun Yu.

After figuring out the whole story and having no more worries, Xun Yu looked at the Suzaku Gate with great ease and said, "They are still attacking. It seems that Zhang Yang is desperate."

Xu Yan didn't care about Zhang Yang at all. Instead, he said, "Prime Minister, the Prince of Chenliu is missing."

Xun Yu was startled and asked, "Gone? What does that mean?"

Xu Yan looked at Xun Yu's expression and suddenly said in a hurry: "Prime Minister, please don't misunderstand. Originally, His Majesty ordered me to take Prince Chenliu away at the critical moment, but I didn't make it in time. The Empress Dowager, Prince Chenliu and the Princess are all gone. The news from the Yulin Army said that he escaped."

Xun Yu seemed to be thinking about something, and then he said, "As long as they don't have the Prince of Chenliu in their hands, everything will be fine."

Xu Yan nodded and said, "According to your majesty's order, I will send the prime minister to see your majesty in about three days."

"Three days?"

Xun Yu estimated the time and asked in confusion: "Three days. The Yulin Army cannot break through the palace, and the Imperial Army Camp and Huang Zhong's troops cannot reach Luoyang. Why is it three days?"

Xu Yan thought for a moment and said, "A few days ago, the Grand Marshal had already dispatched troops from the Imperial Guards Camp to reinforce Xiaopingjin and the other three passes. Calculating the time, it's just the right time for them to rush to Luoyang."

Xun Yu's expression changed. He didn't know about this matter, and Cao Cao didn't tell him clearly.

"How many soldiers and horses?" Xun Yu asked.

Xu Yan said: "Ten thousand."

Xun Yu couldn't guess Cao Cao's intention, and said, "Minister Huangfu should know."

Xu Yan nodded without comment, then turned to look towards the direction of Suzaku Gate again.

He has said all he can say and can't say any more.

Xun Yu did not ask any further questions. He felt relaxed and even wanted to deal with some of the piled up documents.

Outside the Suzaku Gate, Zhang Yang was furious and kept urging the Yulin Army to attack. Even when it was getting dark, he refused to stop.

After an hour, we still can’t get into the small Suzaku Gate!
As the saying goes, the first push is great, the second is weak. In addition, it was dark, and the morale of the Yulin Army had dropped greatly. Even though Zhang Yang tried his best to urge them on, the offensive was still visibly weak.

Qiao Mao, who had been watching, couldn't help but shake his head, his face full of disappointment, and said: "Zhang Yang is indeed different from before."

In the past, Zhang Yang's martial arts and abilities were superior to Zhang Liao's. However, after serving as a Yulin Lang for several years, he has become fat and ugly, and his fighting skills have also been mostly lost.

"Prince Chenliu still hasn't been found. I guess he has probably sneaked into the palace." The middle-aged man behind Qiao Mao said calmly.

"Brother Ding,"

Although Qiao Mao was disappointed, he was not in a hurry. Instead, he said leisurely, "You have been in the palace for so long. How long do you think the imperial guards can hold out?"

Brother Ding put his hands behind his back, hunched over, and said, "You should worry about the outside of Luoyang. From what I know about Your Majesty, there must be a hidden army outside the city that no one knows about."

Qiao Mao's expression changed slightly, he turned around suddenly and asked, "What did you say!?"

Brother Ding looked at Qiao Mao's disoriented expression and suddenly laughed happily, saying, "You know too little about His Majesty, and you are acting too hastily this time. You will end up losing more than you gain."

Qiao Mao's eyes flashed fiercely, then recovered as before, and smiled confidently: "You said I was too impatient? Do you know how long I have been planning for this day and how much effort I have put in? Liu Zhang of Yizhou and Yuan Shao of Yangzhou have already agreed that as long as Luoyang is captured, they will send troops to the north to quell the rebellion. Together with Zuo Rong, the Three Qiang and the Xianbei of Xuzhou, even if the court can hold out once, how long can it hold out? Liu Xie is a weak and incompetent person, Xun Yu is a minister who maintains the status quo, and Cao Cao has the heart of a tiger and a wolf. Under such a chaotic situation, how can the Han Dynasty not end?"

Under the calmness, the tone is crazy.

Brother Ding sighed and said nothing.

At the same time, Cao Cao, Le Jin and others left Luoyang City, rode on horseback, and headed straight for Mengjin, one of the eight passes.

(End of this chapter)