Thousand-year-old family: its rise began with Shang Yang’s reforms

Chapter 303 Consequences!

Liu Qi's voice was very calm, like a pool of stagnant water.

In fact, Liu Qi's heart was indeed dead.

And in front of him, a blank look appeared on Empress Dowager Dou's face for the first time since Liu Heng's death.

"what?"

She blurted out: "What did that idiot Liu Biao do?"

There was a flash of confusion on Empress Dowager Dou's face, and she stood up instantly. She didn't look like an old lady in her seventies or eighties at all. There was fear, trembling and terror in her eyes, and her whole body was shaking like a sieve.

"What did you say?"

"What did that idiot Liu Pi do?"

Empress Dowager Dou asked again in disbelief. She felt as if her ears were not very good just now. She seemed to have heard her son say that Liu Pi scratched the face of Chen's daughter, and then called Chen Liu's dog.

Liu Qi sat down next to Empress Dowager Dou with a dejected look on his face. He no longer cared about the dignity of the royal family. He just said calmly, as if the sky had fallen, "You heard it right."

"Liu Pi went to Guandu in early April. I don't know about this, but you should know about it, right?"

"The envoy in embroidered robes said that Liu Biao left Chang'an City with your handwritten imperial decree."

"Even if I don't know, don't you know it?"

At this time, Liu Qi no longer called himself "I", but instead called himself "I".

Queen Mother Dou was walking back and forth. Suddenly, as if she remembered something, she turned around and looked at Liu Qi seriously and asked, "Did Liu Biao, that idiot, accomplish what he wanted to do?"

"Did anything happen to the daughter of the Chen family?"

Empress Dowager Dou was worthy of being Empress Dowager Dou. She grasped the most important thing in an instant.

If the daughter of the Chen family is fine, then everything has not reached the worst point. Everything can be negotiated. It just depends on to what extent the royal family will give in and how many times the royal family will step on your face.

But if something really happened to Chen's daughter.
Then, the world will undergo tremendous changes. Those who are dissatisfied with Liu's rule will stand up one after another, and then another war like that at the end of the Qin Dynasty will be sparked. Even the Chen family will have reason to openly retaliate against the Liu family and replace them.

Liu Qi sneered: "If that idiot had succeeded, would you still be able to stay in this hall safely now?"

"Can Chen Qiu still sit in the Prime Minister's Mansion and handle government affairs?"

He wiped the sweat off his face, told Empress Dowager Dou everything in detail, and then sighed: "Liu Biao's life will definitely not be saved. Chen will not give Liu Biao a chance to live."

"As long as Liu Pi lives, the humiliation of the Chen family will last."

"I came here not to provoke mother, but to let her know how outrageous Guantao's behavior was. I also want to let mother know that this matter is no longer something we can decide. Don't even think about angering Chen again."

"You have the lofty status you have today because Liu is still the emperor."

"But even if you have such a high status, Chen can still enter the palace with a sword and kill you directly; if Liu is no longer the emperor, then you are really nothing."

Liu Qi looked at Dou Yifang and said, "Mother."

"The only thing we have to do and the only thing we can do at this moment is to do our best to calm Chen's anger."

"And the anger of the people of the world."

Empress Dowager Dou just glanced at Liu Qi, with a calm and helpless look on her face: "No need to say more, I know this."

"Since you have already heard the news, I'm afraid Chen Qiu will soon enter the palace."

She sighed again: "Okay, go ahead."

"Remember, when it comes to how to deal with Liu Pi, you must not let Chen speak for you, but you must speak for yourself, and you must speak about what Chen cares about most, otherwise the Han Dynasty will be in danger."

Liu Qi was also silent. How could he not know about this?

So he dragged his sick body and waited in the hall, waiting for Chen Qiu to arrive.

As the sun slowly set, following the eunuch's report, a figure slowly walked into the hall.

The shadows on the ground are very long.

It was a rare occasion that Chen Qiu was not wearing the prime minister's court robes, but instead the prince's attire of King An.

He sat next to Liu Qi, speaking in a normal tone, as if he had no idea what was happening in the world, and just started playing chess with Liu Qi.

The sound of chess pieces falling on the board continued to ring out, and everything seemed to be the most normal.

After a moment, Chen Qiu said, "Your Majesty, do you have anything to say to me?"

After Liu Qi thought for a moment, a bitter look instantly appeared on his face, with a little redness in his eyes: "It is I, Liu, who are sorry for Chen. I cannot shirk my responsibility for what happened."

Just as he was about to say something in a long-winded way, a black chess piece suddenly fell onto the chessboard.

"Snapped--"

A crisp voice was heard, and Chen Qiu was sitting there with an ordinary look on his face.

"Speak the key."

Liu Qi immediately adjusted his expression and said directly, "I have already asked my mother for instructions. Liu Biao is the eldest princess, but she has done something so illegal. She should be executed."

"I will order Miss Chen Rou to be given the title of 'Princess Anguo' and be rewarded with ten thousand gold coins, a thousand pieces of silk, and a thousand kilograms of spices."

Chen Qiu lowered his eyes, and Liu Qi was waiting for Chen Qiu's answer.

A moment later, the sound of another chess piece resounded throughout the hall.

"not enough."

Liu Qi paused, and countless thoughts flashed through his mind. He looked at Chen Qiu and said, "I will let Che'er marry Princess Anguo. In the future, Princess Anguo will be the next queen. The first child of Princess Anguo and Liu Che will be the future crown prince of our Han Dynasty."

Chen Qiu raised his head, looked at Liu Qi and smiled.

Just when Liu Qi thought Chen Qiu was satisfied with the answer, Chen Qiu took off the hair crown on his head and threw it on the ground.

"Bang--"

A crisp voice was heard. The eunuchs and guards around heard it but did not dare to move.

They were just holding Chen Qiu back.

And Chen Qiu's voice sounded again: "This is not enough."

He looked directly into Liu Qi's eyes, as if he wanted to see all the emotions hidden in them. His voice was flat, but very powerful.

"If you do this once and twice, I will not give Your Majesty a third chance."

"Your servant, Chen Qiu, resigns from this post and returns to his hometown."

Chen Qiu looked at Liu Qi: "This is not a request, but a notification."

"I am waiting for you at Guandu, waiting for you to give me an answer, an answer that I really want to know."

"Whether it's you or Liu, this is the last chance. I hope you won't let me down."

After saying this, Chen Qiu stood up and walked out. Liu Qi sat there looking at the chessboard in front of him, his hands trembling slightly under the chessboard, with a little twitching in the corners of his eyes. Beside him, the commander of the Central Chariot House, "Wang Que", had a hesitant look on his face, not knowing whether he should go forward.

After a moment, Liu Qi took his hand away from under the chessboard.

Unlike the last time, this time, even if Chen's men smashed his face, he could not overturn the chessboard on the table and smash it on Chen Qiu's head.

He dare not.

Liu Qi could not afford the cost of doing so, and the Han Dynasty could not afford the cost of doing so either.

Chen is not Liu Bi.

He exhaled and whispered, "Send the prince over and tell him I have something important to discuss with him."

Wang Que nodded with a silent expression: "As you wish."

East Palace
Liu Che sat in the palace with a thoughtful look on his face. He was wondering how this incident happened and who was behind it.

Liu Pi is indeed a fool, but is she stupid to this extent?

Rushing directly to Chen's territory and trying to scratch the face of Chen's eldest daughter? Even saying that Chen was Liu's dog?
Is Liu Pi so stupid? Is she so crazy?

Memories kept swirling in Liu Che's mind. He sorted out all his thoughts and clues, and then an incredible result appeared in his mind.

Could it be that person?

But if it was that person, what was he trying to achieve?

At this moment, footsteps were heard not far away, and a figure walked over in a trance with a solemn look on his face.

"Your Highness, His Majesty has urgently summoned you."

Your Majesty's urgent summons?

After hearing Wang Que's words, Liu Che finally showed an expression of "as expected". He stood up and said to Wang Que, "Okay, I'll go right away!"

On the way, Liu Che had almost concluded that the biggest driving force behind this incident was probably his own father!

Liu Qi, the Emperor of the Han Dynasty!
Apart from Liu Qi, who else has such powerful strength?
But what is my father’s purpose?
Is it just to strike a blow to the Chen family?
He frowned and continued to think while walking on the road, but he still hadn't figured out an answer until he arrived at the Weiyang Palace.

Weiyang Palace
After Liu Che saluted, he saw Liu Qi in front of him waving his hand: "Sit down, no need to be so polite."

He did not hide anything, and pointed directly at the hair crown on the table in front of him and said: "Your teacher has resigned, and told me that he did not ask me to allow his resignation, but only ruled me."

Liu Qi said in silence: "Do you still remember what happened before the fall of Qin?"

Liu Che replied respectfully: "Your Majesty, I remember it."

"Before the fall of Qin, there was the fourth emperor of Qin, Hu Hai. At that time, the head of the Chen family, Chen Ju, decided to resign after killing Zhao Gao."

"And Chen Ju's resignation led to the resignation of many great sages in the court at that time. After many of Chen's disciples resigned, Qin's power finally could not suppress the turmoil in the world."

"After Emperor Wulie of Qin ascended the throne, the descendants of the Chen family once again served as officials and helped Qin survive for nearly ten years, even if they were just pretending to be officials."

He raised his head, looked at Liu Che, and pretended to be confused and said, "Father, even if my aunt did such a thing, just get rid of her. Why is the teacher so dissatisfied?"

Liu Che's words almost touched Liu Qi's heart. He pressed his forehead, not knowing what to say.

Finally, he could only sigh quietly and looked at Liu Che: "I know what you are thinking, but I advise you not to think too much."

He looked at Liu Che and said, "If you can't appease your teacher's anger, whatever you think will become a castle in your mouth."

After hearing Liu Qi's words at this time, Liu Che had completely confirmed one thing: Chen Qiu's anger and resignation were most likely not caused by what his stupid aunt did, but most likely because of what Liu Qi did.

"Then, Father, what is the matter that you have summoned me here for?"

Liu Qi lowered his head with a hint of fatigue in his eyes. He felt that he had paid enough price for his "test", but he was not sure whether what he wanted could satisfy Chen.

But, he still felt a little unwilling in his heart.

Why should he satisfy Chen?
How far can Chen go?
He was not sure, so he looked up at Liu Che and said, "Forget it, go back first and think about how to calm your teacher's anger."

Seeing Liu Qi struggling, Liu Che fell silent again.

He stood up. Although he felt emotional in his heart, his expression remained unchanged: "Your son obeys your order."

After Liu Che left, a crackling sound was heard from the Weiyang Palace, as if something was breaking.

The emperor was furious.

But how?
Liu Che lowered his head and continued walking towards the East Palace. He already understood everything.

The reason why his aunt was able to go to Guandu so smoothly this time and prepare to cause trouble for Chen was most likely because of his father's intention, and his father's purpose was probably to test Chen's bottom line.

As for why?
After thinking about it, Liu Che turned his steps and walked towards the Imperial Hospital.

He guessed that his father's health might be failing.

The serious illness in the fourteenth year probably completely drained his father's body. The reason he recovered was because Li Ji did something stupid, which directly stimulated all of Liu Qi's energy.
People will do many stupid things before they die.

this is normal.

Liu Che could understand it, but he didn't know whether Chen could understand it.

Autumn, the sixteenth year of Jingyuan.

Prime Minister Chen Qiu resigned and returned home, and with Chen Qiu's resignation, everyone knew what Liu Biao had done.

Then.
The chief academic officer of the Imperial College resigned, the chief academic officer of the Xianyang Academy resigned, the clerk of the Prime Minister's Office resigned, the Chief Censor resigned, the Grand Marshal resigned, and more than half of the Three Dukes, Three Teachers, and Nineteen Ministers resigned directly!

These people certainly couldn't compare with Chen Qiu, so they just resigned instead of leaving directly.

But even so, it's still a big deal.

The court was vaguely showing signs of shutting down.

The 16th year of Jingyuan, autumn, September 13
Among the officials in the court, 30% resigned and had begun to refuse to attend court.

They looked like they were waiting for the emperor to issue an edict to agree before they left immediately.

The sixteenth year of Jingyuan, autumn, September 24th.

All officials with salaries above 1,000 shi in the Han Dynasty court resigned, and the Han Dynasty court came to a standstill.

The emperor still stood firm.

In the sixteenth year of Jingyuan, autumn, October 3rd.

Among the forty-three counties in the sixty counties of the Han Dynasty that were under the jurisdiction of the imperial court, the governors of thirty counties resigned.

Almost all of the Han Dynasty came to a standstill.

In the sixteenth year of Jingyuan, on the fourth day of the tenth month in the autumn, the Chief of Zong went to the temple of Emperor Gao to cry and complain, and his words hinted at the idea that if the emperor did not admit his mistakes, he would directly join forces with the crown prince and other officials in the court to depose the emperor.

This time, the emperor finally couldn't bear it anymore.

(End of this chapter)