I, Liu Bian, Sanxing Han Dynasty

Chapter 532: Split into two sects?

Yuan Shu just felt that he was extremely wronged. He had suffered many injustices since he was a child.

For example, although they were both knights-errant, He Yong was only willing to make friends with Yuan Shao, but not with him.

For example, in the eyes of his late father and uncle Yuan Wei, he could never compare to his brother Yuan Ji, even though Yuan Ji had now been sent to Jiaozhou to count stars for committing a crime.

If it weren't for him and his daughter Yuan Xin, could Yuan Ji have such a good ending?

The Yuan family of Runan will be broken up without me!
As for Yuan Shao, how could Yuan Shao compare with him in recent years? In the matter of measuring land, Yuan Shao was only half his subordinate.

Therefore, despite the grievance of being slandered, Yuan Shu was actually a little angry.

He, Yuan Gonglu, was one of the Nine Ministers. Why could Yuan Ji and Yuan Shao be ranked alongside him?

Just as he was trying his best to defend himself, Yuan Wei, who had remained silent, looked at Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao who came out one after another.

Yuan Wei had no doubt that Yuan Shu would do such a thing. Based on his understanding of Yuan Shu, if the latter was planning to do something big, he would definitely make it known to the whole world.

But Yuan Shao...

Yuan Wei thought of the letters and actions in which Yuan Shao distanced himself from him after he resumed his official duties.

"Could it be that Yuan Shao did the same thing as Yuan Ji did before?" - As this thought emerged in his mind, Yuan Wei's premonition became stronger.

As ministers expressed their opinions one after another, such as the Grand Marshal Dong Zhuo, who firmly believed that this must be Pang Ji's slander and revenge, Yuan Wei suddenly stepped out.

"Your Majesty, I have something to report!"

After getting the permission, Yuan Wei said: "Your Majesty, in recent years, the number of people in the Runan Yuan family has increased. Although there is family knowledge, there are many conflicts among them when it comes to governance. Therefore, since the early years, although the Runan Yuan family has not been divided on the surface, in fact, there is very little contact between the several branches, which is no different from a divided family."

"Although Yuan Ji, Yuan Shu, and Yuan Shao were blood relatives, they had different political views."

"Before Yuan Ji was executed for his crimes, he lived with Yuan Shu in Luoyang, but they had almost no private contact. Yuan Shao lived in Runan, and we haven't seen each other for many years, so we have also lost contact."

At the end, Yuan Wei concluded: "There may be some of the Yuan family's children who harbor evil intentions like the criminal Yuan Ji. This should be investigated in detail by the authorities. However, if it is said that several people conspired together, I think it must be a slander!"

Yuan Wei made up his mind that even if something happened in the end, he would try to save as many people as possible.

Divide the sect?

Hearing Yuan Wei's words, Yuan Shu, who felt aggrieved and angry, was moved.

He could indeed split up the clan. After all, Yuan Shao was not from the same clan as him in name, and Yuan Ji was a criminal who could no longer fight with him...

Moreover, the most crucial thing is that Yuan Shu cannot be sure whether Yuan Shao is as innocent as him - what if Yuan Shao is the same as Yuan Ji in the past - both brothers have conspiracies... then not only will the emperor suspect him, but even he will suspect himself.

Thinking of this, Yuan Shu said on the spot: "Your Majesty, as the Minister said, although we are blood relatives, our political views are different. Where the way is, where the justice is, I dare not change it."

"Now I am involved in the matter of treason. Although I am innocent, I dare not guarantee for others! I beg to exchange my past merits for the transfer of the family name and the establishment of the Yuan family!" Seeing this scene, Liu Bian did not rush to agree, but said: "I already know your integrity. The talk of treason is definitely slander. As for the matter of transferring the family name and dividing the clan, it involves family affairs, which is not an ordinary matter. You should think about it carefully after the court is dismissed before discussing it."

"Our dynasty governs the world with filial piety. When parents are alive, the family does not separate. The same is true among the common people. I have heard that although the household registration system among the common people is different, even if the sons start a family, they still live with their parents. Today's officials should set an example."

It is naturally difficult to divide the family while the parents are still alive.

But Yuan Shu's parents and even grandparents had already passed away.

After saying this, Liu Bian signaled the court meeting to continue.

Yuan Shao listened to the emperor speaking for several sentences without mentioning him at all, and he couldn't help feeling a little flustered.

He didn't know whether Pang Ji had betrayed him.

While he was racking his brains for countermeasures, he never expected that Jia Xu, who was in charge of reading the confession, neither cleared his suspicion nor deepened it. Instead, he continued to read Pang Ji's confession.

"After the Yuan family of Runan, there is the Yang family of Hongnong..." Jia Xu paused when he said this, and replied: "According to Pang Ji's confession, there were only two people in the Yang family who were accomplices. One was Yang Zhong, the chief academic officer of the Imperial Academy, and the other was Yang Qi, the governor of Zhangye."

When he heard that his name was not on the list, Sikong Yangbiao first breathed a sigh of relief, but then immediately became nervous again.

Because he has no idea!
The chief academic officer of the Imperial Academy happened to be a 600-stone official, and Yang Zhong was also in the court. Hearing the news, he felt that disaster had come from the sky.

He was just a little more lenient in his control over the speech of the students. Apart from that, Yang Zhong claimed that he had done nothing out of line. Whether the students became local officials or led the northerners to migrate south, he strongly supported these new policies.

How did this involve him?
Before Yang Zhong stepped out to defend himself, Jia Xu said, "According to Pang Ji, he had spread rumors in Luoyang many times before, starting from the Imperial College several times, and at that time he used the help of the Imperial College's chief academic officer."

Yang Zhong's heart tightened when he heard this. He bowed and said, "I am innocent! I don't even know Pang Ji, how can I be connected with him?"

Seeing this, Yang Biao was thinking about whether he should say something for his cousin, and how to say it so as not to implicate himself in case of an emergency, when he suddenly heard someone speaking.

"Your Majesty, when Luoyang was in a state of uproar several times in the past, I was with Yang Jijiu. I would like to guarantee that Yang Jijiu did nothing wrong!"

Hearing such generous and powerful words, the ministers looked and saw that it was none other than the Minister of Rites Cai Yong.

Liu Bian was somewhat helpless, as he knew that Cai Yong was often a good person in politics - he looked down on Le Song, the chief priest of the Hongdu School, and thought that Le Song might slander Liu Bian just like he had done to the previous emperor. Therefore, he thought of a way to make Le Song too busy to flatter him, which in turn helped Le Song secure his position as the chief priest of the School.

But now Cai Yong stood up at this time, this political sensitivity...

Fortunately, there is another explanation.

Seeing that Cai Yong was guaranteeing Yang Zhong, Jia Xu did not dwell on Yang Zhong any more, but bowed to Liu Bian and said, "Your Majesty, when I saw Pang Ji's confession, I thought of Xu You, who had instigated the rebellion of the remaining Yellow Turbans in Qingzhou."

"At that time, among the people Xu You confessed, there were Yuan Shao and Yang Qi. At first, I just thought that this was Xu You's accusation... But now Pang Ji doesn't know who Xu You is accusing, but he can still say Yang Qi's name. I think there may be doubts."

Yuan Shao, who thought he had passed the test, had not yet breathed a sigh of relief when Jia Xu mentioned him again. It happened that Yang Qi, who was in the same rank as him, was now the governor of Liangzhou. Now it was his turn to appeal alone.

(End of this chapter)