At the end of the Han Dynasty: a stingy husband from his hometown

Chapter 274 Heartbreak, temptation

Speaking of Yuan Shao.

In the beginning, he may have had no disobedience like Cao Cao, but just wanted to prove himself because of his status as a concubine.

In addition, the emperor at that time reused eunuchs, which caused the disaster of party supervision and continued to reduce the power of aristocratic families.

Yuan Shao knew how much the aristocratic families hated party officials and eunuchs, so he ignored the fact that his own family was also involved with eunuchs, and he began to recruit talented people and raise dead soldiers early on, intending to kill the eunuchs in order to become famous.

There is no doubt that if Yuan Shao can accomplish this, he will definitely become famous and have an unshakable position among the scholars.

Although the process was tortuous, the eunuch was finally eliminated.

However, Yuan Shao did not expect that He Jin would be killed by the eunuchs, nor did he expect that Dong Zhuo, whom he relied on as a foreign aid and a former official of the Yuan family, would ignore the support of the Yuan family and become the peach picker.

At this time, Yuan Shao was already a little angry, so he strongly opposed Dong Zhuo's dethronement of the emperor.

In Yuan Shao's view, a wealthy family could depose and establish the emperor, but a person of Dong Zhuo's status was simply not qualified to do such a big thing.

When a noble family abolishes the throne and establishes an emperor, it is to rejuvenate the country and stabilize the country, and to establish talented people to help the country.

When an uneducated warrior like Dong Zhuo deposed the emperor, he was disregarding the dignity and dignity of the court and intending to rebel.

Yuan Shao was so angry that he left Luoyang angrily and summoned the princes to attack Dong Zhuo.

Until this time, perhaps Yuan Shao still wanted to become a powerful minister with all the power in the government and had no ambition to replace him. Otherwise, he would not have planned to elect Liu Yu, a highly respected member of the clan, as emperor.

Later, Yuan Shao's power continued to expand, just like Cao Cao, and his ambitions gradually began to get out of control.

Especially after Yuan Shu became emperor, Yuan Shao's mentality changed greatly.

Therefore, when he heard Zheng Tai say that Yuan Shu wanted to give him the royal seal and the imperial title, his joy was beyond words.

And this time.

Xun You, who was originally happy that Zheng Tai came to the camp, changed his expression slightly after hearing Zheng Tai's words.

Compared with the ambitious Yuan Shao, Xun You still remained loyal to the Han Dynasty.

The reason why he defected to Yuan Shao was because Yuan Shao welcomed the emperor to Yecheng, just like Xun You in history, who defected to Yuan Shao after Cao Cao welcomed the emperor.

Xun You tried his best to assist Yuan Shao, more because he wanted to revive the Han Dynasty than to help Yuan Shao achieve his imperial career.

But as time passed, Xun You also vaguely felt that Yuan Shao's ambitions were growing, which made Xun You gradually feel anxious.

never thought.

Zheng Tai, who had fought side by side with him and even risked his life to get rid of Dong Zhuo, actually became Yuan Shu's envoy and planned to give up the imperial seal and imperial title to Yuan Shao.

Xun You knew Yuan Shao.

After all, Yuan Shao has a good reputation. Now, even if his ambitions are gradually expanding, he may not dare to do such a treasonous act as proclaiming emperor because of the fact that the Yuan family in Runan has received favor from the emperor.

However, if Yuan Shu gave up the imperial title, things would be different.

At least, Yuan Shao could quibble, saying that his imperial title came from Yuan Shu, not the Han Dynasty.

He hurriedly looked up at Yuan Shao, and his heart sank to the bottom.

As expected, Yuan Shao smiled brightly at this time, with undisguised ambition in his eyes.

However, Yuan Shao still wanted to save face after all, so naturally he could not agree to it. Instead, he pretended to be displeased and reprimanded: "My family has been living in Han Dynasty for a long time and has received many favors from the emperor. How can I do such a treasonous and unethical act?"

Hearing this, Xun You quietly breathed a sigh of relief and reprimanded: "Have Gongye forgotten everything you and I did to revive the Han Dynasty and get rid of Dong Zhuo?"

"Yuan Shu arrogated the title of Emperor, causing many people to betray their relatives and alienate themselves. Scholars in the world all denounced him, and all the princes wanted to send troops to destroy him. Only then did he besieged Ruyang, and there was no way out."

"By offering these words to King Zhao, you are not only ashamed of the Han Dynasty, but also harmful to the king."

"You want to make King Zhao follow in the footsteps of Yuan Gongdao?"

Xun You's words reminded Zheng Taibi that he was a minister of the Han Dynasty and should not forget his roots and commit such a treasonous and unethical act.

It is also a disguised warning to Yuan Shao that the reason why Yuan Shu fell into such a situation is precisely because proclaiming himself emperor is very unpopular, and he should take this as a warning.

Sure enough, after hearing Xun You's words, Yuan Shao, who was originally in great interest, his eyes gradually became clearer and his face showed a thoughtful look.

Zheng Tai also looked ashamed.

He was loyal to the Han Dynasty, and he strongly opposed Yuan Shu's claim to the throne at the beginning.

However, in the current situation, the dignity of the Han Dynasty has been lost, and all the princes have evil intentions. Only Liu Xuande of Xuzhou and Cao Mengde of Guanzhong seem to be really loyal to the Han Dynasty.

However, the two of them are too weak, and it is difficult to judge whether they are really loyal to the Han Dynasty or just pretending.

Especially after Yuan Shu proclaimed himself emperor, Zhou Qi not only did not return to his army immediately to crusade, but he did not even send out a message to punish the thieves. Zheng Tai already knew that the great man's strength was exhausted.

Zheng Tai is now also eating the emperor's salary and sharing the emperor's worries.

When he escaped from Chang'an in despair, Yuan Shu entrusted him with important responsibilities and treated him well over the years.

This is why, even though Zheng Tai later knew that Yuan Shu was not the master of success, he still refused to leave. Even though he was dismissed after Yuan Shu became emperor, he still did not leave.

What he repaid was Yuan Shu's kindness.

What Zheng Tai is doing now, although he feels ashamed of the Han Dynasty, he is worthy of Yuan Shu.

He took a deep breath, suppressed the guilt in his heart, and then said loudly: "Does Gongda know that this moment is the same as that moment?"

"In the past, Dong Zhuo was in chaos. Even though the Han Dynasty was in turmoil, its majesty was still there. The scholars and the people all missed the kindness of the court."

"However, as time passed and the country moved, the imperial court successively experienced Dong Zhuo's rebellion, Li Jue's and Guo Si's rebellion, and the eastward movement rebellion. Its majesty has long been lost."

"Today's destiny has been separated from the Han Dynasty for a long time. It can survive to this day only because it relies on the support of the princes in the world. The political power has long fallen into the families of various princes."

"In today's world, heroes compete to divide the territory. This is no different from the Seven Kingdoms at the weekend, only the strong ones have the ear. It's also like Qin losing its deer, and the whole world chases it. No hero who can conquer the mountains and rivers can't end the troubled times."

"The fourth and third princes of the Yuan family have disciples and former officials all over the world. They are appointed to be kings, Fu Ruibingran."

"My lord mistakenly honored the emperor's title, and then was defeated and trapped in a city. This is not against destiny. In fact, it is because the army is small and the generals are not strong enough. They are surrounded by enemies on all sides."

"King Zhao is different."

"The king owns the land of five states, with millions of households. If he captures Yuzhou again, the land of the Central Plains and half of the world will belong to the king. At that time, there will be thousands of warriors and millions of armored men. It is not a problem. "

"Even if all the princes come together to fight against it, why should they be afraid?" "The king has a great reputation as a virtuous man and has countless advisers under his command. Scholars from all over the country admire Yuan's kindness and are all unwilling to do anything wrong."

"If you are strong, don't compete with others for supremacy; if you are in position, there will be no competition for you."

"Furthermore, the civil servants and generals of Hebei accompanied the king on his expeditions to the north and south. Except for those who admired the kindness of the Yuan family, most of them came here for fame and fortune."

"For them, do they want to follow the king and prosper the Han Dynasty together, or do they want to become a hero of the dragon and a founding figure of the country?"

"Today Zhou Ziyihu is occupying the south of the Yangtze River. The situation has been achieved. Countless heroes in the world are watching, all wanting to know who is destined to be destined."

"Now that the king has obtained the jade seal and the emperor's title, he will not only be able to please his generals, but also be the first to announce it to the world, and also show his orthodoxy. If the world's heroes are waiting and watching, won't they all flock to vote?"

"If God doesn't take it, you will be blamed for it. Please think more about it, your Majesty."

Zheng Tai's words not only left Xun You speechless, but also made Yuan Shao, who was already somewhat hesitant, feel reassured.

Zheng Tai's words were rough and crude, and everything he said was like a sharp sword, piercing into Xun You's heart.

In fact, with Xun You's vision and knowledge, how could he not know that the strength of the great Han Dynasty had been exhausted, and there was almost no possibility of revival?

However, the Xun family of Yingchuan lived in Han Dynasty for a long time. Even though they knew that there was little hope, they still hoped to see the dawn after the darkness.

Unexpectedly, Zheng Tai was sober in the world, and directly gave Xun You a heads-up, showing the bloody reality, which once made Xun You so painful that he couldn't breathe.

Yuan Shao now had a bright smile on his face. He stepped forward and took Zheng Tai's hand and said: "The matter of proclaiming the emperor is of great importance. How can we decide it hastily?"

"Since the highway wants to present the imperial seal and surrender to Kaicheng, what are the conditions?"

Zheng Tai said: "My lord has nothing else to ask for. He voluntarily gives up his title as emperor. He also hopes to retain the title of idle king in the future."

"The king and my lord are from the same clan, and are even brothers. According to legal principles, it is reasonable for the king to make my lord king after he proclaims himself emperor. Please agree to it."

However, Yuan Shao waved his hand indifferently and said: "The road requirements are not excessive. As long as he is willing to remove the imperial title and surrender to Kaicheng, he can retain the royal title."

"Not only that, Gu can also give him enough land, so that he can have good food and clothing for the rest of his life without any worries."

Zheng Tai bowed and said, "If you are a foreign minister and do not believe in your Majesty, please write a letter in your own hand so that I can repay my lord!"

Yuan Shao did not hesitate, and directly asked for paper and pen, and wrote a document eloquently. He not only signed his name, but also stamped it with his personal seal.

Obviously, Yuan Shao had no intention of breaking his promise.

Zheng Tai took Yuan Shao to sign the documents and returned to the city.

Yuan Shao looked at the lost Xun You, but his eyes narrowed slightly and asked: "What do you think of Gongda's words?"

Xun You was silent for a long time, but finally he paid his respects: "The fourth and fifth princes of the Yuan family in Runan have lived in Han Dynasty for generations and received many favors from the emperor. If you rashly proclaim yourself emperor, you will lose the hearts of the people. Please consider your actions carefully!"

Yuan Shao responded noncommittally, then looked at the pale Xun You, pretending to be concerned and asked: "What's wrong with Gongda?"

Xun You covered his heart and said, "I feel a little tight in my chest."

Yuan Shao said: "In that case, Gongda should go back to the camp to rest first. Don't worry about military affairs these days. You should focus on your body."

Xun You felt sad in his heart, knowing that his answer did not follow Yuan Shao's wishes and was left out.

He didn't say anything more, bowed deeply to Yuan Shao, and then left.

After Xun You left, Yuan Shao summoned Jushu, Fengji, Shenpei, Xunchen, Xinpi, Gaogan and others individually to inform everyone about Yuan Shu's intention to present the imperial seal and relinquish the imperial title, and to consult them. Public opinion.

Ju Shou did not object to Yuan Shao proclaiming the emperor, but he believed that the time had not come yet. He should at least eliminate Yuan Shu and Liu Bei, and stabilize the situation in Yuzhou and Xuzhou before proclaiming the emperor.

Moreover, Jushu believed that it was not advisable to accept the title of Emperor Yuan Shu. Even if he wanted to proclaim himself emperor, the Emperor of the Han Dynasty should abdicate, so that he could be regarded as orthodox.

Since Yuan Shu has been labeled as a rebel, if he inherits his imperial title, how will he be different from a rebel?
Jushou's words also made Yuan Shao fall into deep thought.

The rest of the people, except Xun Chen who was doing Tai Chi and talking for a long time but did not express his attitude, were all happy and encouraged, thinking that Yuan Shao was destined to receive the imperial seal and should be crowned emperor.

The reason why they are like this is not only because they really want to become Conglong heroes, but also because they understand Yuan Shao's character.

Since Yuan Shao asked about this alone, he must be inclined to proclaim himself emperor. If he spoke out against it at this time, it would leave a bad impression in Yuan Shao's mind.

Don’t you see, what happened to the three people in history who opposed Liu Bei’s claim to be emperor?
One was demoted, one was warned, and one was killed.

Among them, Fei Shi was demoted. If he hadn't been quite famous and had served as an official in Yizhou before Liu Bei entered Shu, he might have ended up not so good.

Even so, it was not until Liu Bei's death that Fei Shi was used again.

The person who was warned was Liu Ba.

Liu Ba came from a well-known family and had few talents. He revised the "Shu Ke" together with Zhuge Liang, Fazheng and others. After Fazheng's death, he took over the position of Fazheng's Shangshu Ling, which can be regarded as a high position.

And this guy is extremely noble.

Although Zhang Fei was a martial artist, he liked to make friends with famous scholars. Because he admired Liu Ba's talent and learning, he took the initiative to visit Liu Ba and make friends with him.

Based on Zhang Fei's status among the Shu Han, Liu Ba should be very happy to be able to take the initiative to make friends with him.

This guy just ignored Zhang Fei, and he didn't take it seriously when he made Zhang Fei furious. Instead, he said to Zhuge Liang: "When a man lives in the world, he should make friends with heroes from all over the world. How can he talk to soldiers?"

This was a complete disdain for Zhang Fei's background, and it also made Liu Bei furious, but because of his reputation, he did not dare to do anything to Liu Ba.

Before Liu Bei proclaimed himself emperor, Liu Ba came out to act like a monster again, and even took Yong Mao, the chief secretary, to dissuade Liu Bei.

Liu Bei was also a ruthless man. Although he couldn't do anything to Liu Ba, he found an excuse to kill Yong Mao who came from Liu Bala, and also asked Liu Ba to draft various prayers, edicts, and documents needed when he ascended the throne. , to humiliate the other party.

Aren’t you going to let me claim the title of emperor?
Not only do I want to proclaim myself emperor, but I also need you, Liu Ba, to draft the prayers, edicts, and documents needed to proclaim myself emperor.

If you are disobedient, there are ways to cure it.

If he disobeys his orders, the aloof persona he established before will suddenly collapse.

And coincidentally, Liu Bei had just proclaimed himself emperor, and Liu Ba died of illness the following year, which may not be without its tricks.

Even a monarch like Liu Bei who treated his subordinates generously could not tolerate opposition from others when it came to proclaiming himself emperor, let alone the headstrong Yuan Shao.

These counselors who had followed Yuan Shao for a long time knew Yuan Shao's nature well and naturally did not dare to object.

Moreover, they all believed that the strength of the Han Dynasty had been exhausted. With Yuan Shao's current power, there would be no problem even if he proclaimed himself emperor, and the official positions of themselves and others would also increase.

(End of this chapter)