I practiced magic in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 62: Unwilling to be Lonely Yuan Benchu

Luoyang outer city, Dongguo Camp.

"Wenyuan, go on!"

"My lord, what is this?"

Zhang Liao took the iron halberd thrown by Wang Jing and immediately opened his eyes wide: "The blade is made of dragon bone and it has a mighty aura. Is this the Painted Dragon Sky-lifting Halberd?"

"Haha, Wenyuan has good eyesight. This is the magic weapon in the hands of Nangong Changwan, the first warrior of the Spring and Autumn Period. There is a remnant soul of a dragon locked in it. Only a true warrior can make it recognize its master. It is said that a sword is given to a hero. Such a magic weapon is naturally only worthy of being held by a peerless warrior like you, Wenyuan."

Wang Jing handed Ding Yuan's weapons to Zhang Liao without any reluctance.

After all, no matter how good a treasure is, it will only gather dust if kept in a warehouse. Only when it is handed over to the most suitable person can it bring the greatest value to oneself.

This move once again moved Zhang Liao deeply. Wang Jing gave him a treasure like the Painted Dragon and Sky-lifting Halberd just as he asked. Zhang Liao secretly felt lucky to meet such a generous lord. At the same time, he also became more determined to follow Wang Jing in conquering the world.

Only by following a lord like this can you have a bright future!
For several days, Wang Jing personally stayed in the Dongguo camp to disband and reorganize Ding Yuan's old subordinates.

Xun You, Shi A and others were arranged by Wang Jing to gather intelligence in Luoyang City.

After a while, Xun You came to report to Wang Jing: "My lord."

"Gongda, what's the situation in Luoyang City?"

Wang Jing had just finished practicing swordsmanship and sat down casually on a stone bench next to the martial arts field with his upper body naked. Diao Chan quickly came over with a clean wet towel to help him wipe it.

Xun You was used to his master's unrestrained and heroic style, and replied with a smile: "Dong Zhuo is still gathering the old troops left by He Jin. As for the Grand Tutor, the Yuan family seems to be in disharmony recently. The Inspector of the Imperial Guards Yuan Shao and the Tiger Guards General Yuan Shu have both complained."

"Haha, it's nothing more than an uneven distribution of the spoils."

Wang Jing was also the second son, so he naturally understood why Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu were dissatisfied: "It is hard for anyone to accept that they have worked so hard for the family cause and watched the fruits of their labor ripen, but in the end they did not get any share. The Yuan family of Runan is going to be in big trouble."

In history, Yuan Wei and Yuan Ji were killed by the two brothers Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu.

Dong Zhuo deposed Emperor Shao Liu Bian and enthroned Chenliu King Liu Xie as emperor. He personally consulted Yuan Wei about this matter, and Yuan Wei agreed.

As the only remaining regent and Dong Zhuo's old boss, it is clear that this matter was Yuan Wei's plan and Dong Zhuo was only the executor and scapegoat.

As a result, at the critical moment, Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu stood up and openly opposed it. This is why Dong Zhuo was so angry later.

However, Wang Jing was very curious. The Runan Yuan family in this world was very powerful. Not only in terms of reputation and family background, but also in terms of strength alone, the Runan Yuan family could be regarded as the undisputed number one among the aristocratic families.

The family-inherited unique skill "Meng's Yi" was derived from the "Book of Changes". Among the many skills of the school of prophecies and divination, it can also be called the best, and it also has the official airs of the Yanhan Dynasty.

As a regent, Yuan Wei could even use the power of the Mountain and River State Map to suppress Dong Zhuo with ease. What could Dong Zhuo use to kill Yuan Wei?

Just as Wang Jing was thinking, the angry little golden crow jumped onto his head, flapped its wings hard and made dissatisfied sounds.

Chirp~chirp~
"You stinky bird, do you think my head is a bird's nest? Get down here!"

Jiji~
The little golden crow's three short legs held on to Wang Jing's crown tightly, making it impossible for it to come down.

Xun You smiled and complimented him, "My lord, the Golden Crow is an ancient mythical beast that is most sensitive to destiny. The reason why it is so agitated is probably because you have successfully assimilated Ding Yuan's old subordinates, and your destiny has greatly increased."

"Qi Fate? Is it the power of an official?"

Wang Jing showed a look of doubt. The "Purple Star Emperor Qi Chapter" taught the art of observing qi, but lacked an introduction to the basic content related to it.

Xun You came from a family of scholars and knew a thing or two about this, so he explained to Wang Jing: "Official aura is granted by the court, just like salary, which is generally paid out monthly. But fate is different. The so-called fate is actually the gathering of people for the common aspirations and goals. Their destinies are intertwined and their fortunes are connected, which is called fate."

Wang Jing understood what was said and said, "I see. So the bigger my territory is and the more people I control, the stronger my luck will be?"

"That's roughly the case, but numbers are fictitious. The strength of fate depends on the support of the people. Whether there is unity or abandonment, the results will naturally be very different."

Xun You didn't know how to read qi, nor was he a fortune teller, but he could still see that Wang Jing's fortune was amazing and beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Wang Jing seemed to be thinking: "Tian Si once said that I had seized the destiny of Wei Wu from King Jia of Wei. I didn't expect that this stolen luck would be so strong. It's simply a wish come true."

But then Wang Jing became a little worried. After all, everything has a price. If Wei Wu Tianming was really so invincible, King Wei Jia would not have died.

From this we can see that this thing will definitely have sequelae, but we don’t know when it will erupt.

However, Wang Jing touched the little golden crow on his head and suddenly felt relieved: "Fortunately, I have transferred Wei Wu's destiny to the little guy in advance. If there is a disaster at that time, I will throw you out to block it."

Jiji~
The little Golden Crow seemed to sense Wang Jing's ill intentions and cried out angrily to express his dissatisfaction.

But even so, it still stayed on Wang Jing's head and refused to come down, just to get more luck and allow itself to grow as quickly as possible.

After a long while, Wang Jing could not help but ask Xun You: "Gongda, who do you think will have the last laugh, Yuan Wei or Dong Zhuo?"

"My lord, the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. You naturally hopes that you will have the last laugh. As for the Grand Tutor, his self-righteous secrets are actually guessed by most of the noble families. However, this matter is beneficial to the noble families, so most people are watching from the sidelines, intending to reap the fruits of their labor."

"Secret? Do you mean the Confucian world?"

Wang Jing thought for a moment, and then asked, "Taoism has its own country, and Confucianism has its own world. Could it be that all the other schools of thought have similar grand plans?"

Xun You did not hide anything from Wang Jing, and told him everything he knew: "In the recent ancient times, hundreds of schools of thought contended with each other because the world was in chaos and rituals and music had collapsed. From the princes to the common people, everyone's rituals and music had collapsed and they didn't know what integrity and shame were. Therefore, hundreds of schools of thought rushed to the world, and their goal was to save the world, which was called the will of heaven."

"However, different schools of thought have different directions for saving the world. The Taoists believe in a country of Taoism, the Mohists believe in stopping wars, and the military strategists believe in a world of great contention. As for my Confucianism, it is the Confucian world. Although the directions are different, the starting point is the same, which is to re-establish order so that the world can continue to operate in an orderly manner."

Wang Jing nodded repeatedly after hearing this: "Establishing the orthodoxy, no wonder it is called the Mandate of Heaven. However, after Emperor Wu, Confucianism has become the only school of thought. The goal of Confucianism ruling the world should have been achieved, right? Why is Yuan Wei still making such a fuss?"

Xun You looked serious, shook his head and said, "My lord, you don't know that the so-called Confucianism in the world does not mean that Confucianism is the only doctrine, but that the human heart of Confucianism replaces the will of heaven. And the so-called will of heaven is actually the will of heaven."

"To replace the will of heaven with one's own will?"

Wang Jing finally understood what "Confucianism in the world" meant. It turned out that it meant letting Confucian thought replace the will of Heaven, so that Confucianism would remain unchanged for hundreds of generations, forever and ever, and would always be above all living beings.

It has to be said that Yuan Wei’s idea was very bold and truly daring.

Then Wang Jing pinched his chin, and had new doubts: "That's not right. The plan of Confucianism should be supported by most people in Confucianism, right? Why do I hear from you, Gongda, that you don't seem to agree with it?"

Xun You sighed, "My Lord, there are also disputes among Confucian schools. My Yingchuan Xun family belongs to the ancient text classics, while the Runan Yuan family belongs to the prophecy and divination classics. If Yuan Wei succeeds, won't my Xun family's classics never come to the fore?"

Wang Jing understood it instantly and nodded, saying, "Yes, compared to other schools of thought, the heresy within our own school is more hateful."

Pagans still have the possibility of being converted, but heretics who believe in the same god but have different ideas are often cremated on the spot.

People have the same heart, and the heart has the same reason.

"But I remember that Dong Zhuo is a descendant of Dong Zhongshu. Logically speaking, he should support the plan of ruling the world with Confucianism."

"The Dong family has long been in decline, and Dong Zhuo's behavior is more like that of a military strategist. I suspect that he has the support of a military strategist behind him. His general, Li Jue, is the heir of the military strategist's military strategy. If Dong Zhuo really succeeds, the world will be in a period of great contention, with dragons and snakes rising from the land and dragons fighting in the wild."

Xun You was very worried about this. Although the military strategists had been silent since the Qin Dynasty, only the descendants of each school relied on the imperial power and served the country.

However, there are also many people in the military who are afraid of chaos in the world and are always planning to stir up trouble, restart the world of great contention, and start wars and beacons. Only Wang Jing knows that the world of great contention will soon come, and it is indeed provoked by Dong Zhuo.

In response to this, he was not panic-stricken, but quietly prepared for war, responding to all changes with the same strategy.

However, Wang Jing could hold it back, but some people could no longer hold it back.

To the west of Luoyang City, a rider galloped out from Yongmen
When he arrived at the White Horse Temple, he turned over and went straight through the main gate. Amid the chanting of Western monks, he came to the door of a quiet Zen room deep in the temple.

"Captain, there is a secret letter from Jizhou."

"Send it up."

The paper door was gently pushed open, and five people were sitting in the Zen room. The one in the middle was wearing black brocade clothes, with a tall and heroic figure, and a pair of bright and energetic eyes.

He has a gentle face with handsome features, but he also has a dignified air. Upon closer inspection, it seems as if there is an aura of majesty emanating from his brows.

The messenger knelt on one knee and handed over the letter with great trepidation: "Captain, please read this."

The person who took the letter was none other than Yuan Shao, the Inspector of the Imperial Capital, who had met Wang Jing several times before.

Crouching Tiger Yuan Shao!

After Emperor Ling's death, Yuan Shao was appointed by He Jin as the Inspector of the Imperial Capital, in charge of the most mysterious intelligence agency of the dynasty. He was in a high position of power and was deeply trusted by He Jin.

Now that He Jin is dead, the powerful minister Dong Zhuo is in power. He constantly excludes dissidents in the court. Many officials who have old ties with Yuan Shao have been demoted, making his power much less than before.

Yuan Shao was very angry about this. After all, when He Jin was still alive, he was so powerful that many powerful people in Luoyang still fear him like a tiger.

But when Dong Zhuo came, he lost his previous glory.

But Yuan Shao knew the real reason. It was his uncle Yuan Wei's warning to him so that he would behave himself and stop thinking about unnecessary things.

But how could Yuan Shao accept such an outcome?

Which of the previous Inspector of the Capital Region was not a powerful person who was feared like a tiger and was called "Crouching Tiger" by all officials?

But since he is a crouching tiger, how can he be willing to lie dormant in the darkness?

Yuan Shao used a sharp knife to gently pry open the seal, took out the letter, and after reading it, he laughed out loud: "As expected, Meng De has indeed agreed to cooperate with us."

"Congratulations, Captain!"

"With this support, we can expect great things!"

Several historians who had followed Yuan Shao before He Jin was killed came out to congratulate him, with looks of ecstasy on their faces.

The truth is that they have been dormant for too long since Dong Zhuo entered the capital, and recently they heard that Dong Zhuo also wanted to take up the title of Inspector of the Imperial Guards, and Taifu Yuan Wei did not refuse it sternly, which shows that he is obviously considering it.

But this made Yuan Shao and others very uncomfortable. He knew the importance of intelligence, so he would never hand over the post of Sili Xiaowei to others. Otherwise, once he lost the protection of power, it would undoubtedly be a more terrible thing than death.

Yuan Shao was unwilling to accept that he had done so many things, even taking all the blame, but in the end he only got a tiny bit of reward, so he resolutely decided to take a big risk.

He was seen passionately encouraging the morale of his subordinates: "Everyone, as long as we kill the traitor Dong at home and make alliances with the princes abroad, Luoyang will be in our hands. One day, we will be able to stand in the light, hold power uprightly, and be above all officials!"

"I am willing to die for my lord!"

Several historians prostrated themselves on the ground, and such oaths came from the heart.

It's because spies seem to be very powerful, but in fact they are hated by court officials and nobles.

When they have the emperor's support, they can do whatever they want, but once they lose the protection of power, they will die immediately.

Even if it is just for their own lives and property, they must support Yuan Shao and work for him.

Yuan Shao threw the letter sent by Cao Cao into the charcoal brazier. In a moment, the white paper turned into ashes. Then he ordered his subordinates to go into the city to find He Yong.

He Yong rode a donkey cart to the White Horse Temple. Seeing the endless stream of pilgrims, he could not help but sigh: "The times are difficult and people are uneasy. Otherwise, why would they come here to pray for the protection of the gods?"

Unexpectedly, someone among the pilgrims smiled and took over the conversation: "People are uneasy because the court is in power. If we want peace in the world, we have to eradicate all evil."

They both spoke in low voices, and despite the noise of people, they were not afraid of being overheard by others.

He Yong recognized Yuan Shao and his eyes twitched slightly, obviously not liking him: "Benchu, why did you ask me to meet here?"

Yuan Shao seemed to know that it would be difficult for a civil official like He Yong to be so cruel as to commit the assassination, so he deliberately provoked him by saying, "Bo Qiu, I heard that Dong Zhuo wants to appoint you as the chief secretary. Such wealth and honor are within your reach. It is really a cause for celebration."

He Yong knew that Yuan Shao was implicitly mocking him for defecting to Dong Zhuo, otherwise why was he not dismissed from office but promoted instead?
But how do you explain this?

He Yong also wanted to resign, but Dong Zhuo was a petty person, extremely cruel and moody. How could He Yong dare to resign so easily?

But He Yong couldn't admit that he was afraid of death. Although he was afraid of death, He Yong still wanted to save face, so he still didn't look at Yuan Shao well: "Benchu, it's not easy for me to leave the city, but I didn't come here to listen to your nonsense."

Yuan Shao smiled and nodded: "The reason why I hid in the White Horse Temple is not because I hope to meet you more conveniently and safely?"

The next words were of great importance, so they continued speaking only after they entered the meditation room.

Yuan Shao asked his men to stand guard outside, and he looked at He Yong: "Meng De asked me to tell you that the original plan was to launch the operation in advance to assassinate Dong Zhuo. There is no time to lose."

He Yong was shocked when he heard this: "Are you crazy? Didn't I say that I would first win over Wang Yuanxu to cooperate?"

However, Yuan Shao obviously did not want Wang Jing to get involved, because he was also coveting the throne of power and hoped to go one step further and even become a powerful official like Dong Zhuo.

Once Wang Jing got involved, even if the assassination plan succeeded and Dong Zhuo died and his family was destroyed, Wang Jing would control eight battalions of the Northern Army. At that time, all power would be in the hands of Wang Jing alone. How could he have room to intervene?
Yuan Shao was not willing to accept this, so he wrote a letter to secretly contact Cao Cao, looking for this old friend with whom he had almost completely broken off relations, to discuss how to break the impasse.

Cao Cao was also very interested in plotting to assassinate Dong Zhuo, so the two hit it off and got together again.

He Yong was obviously kept in the dark. Although he had political wisdom, he could not guess that Yuan Shao actually had the ambition to conquer the world!
Yuan Shao was still trying to persuade him: "Bo Qiu, I have ordered Zhang Yang to go to Bingzhou to recruit soldiers and generals. Soon we will raise the banner of rebellion and punish the traitors. By then, the heroes and righteous men in the Central Plains will respond, and the army to support the king will be at the gates of the city within ten days. If the traitor Dong suddenly dies at this time, the Xiliang soldiers will be leaderless, so why worry that we can't destroy them all?"

He Yong felt that Yuan Shao's words made sense, but he asked worriedly, "Are you really not going to cooperate with Wang Yuanxu? He has thousands of soldiers and horses, and the Wang family of Taiyuan is also a famous family..."

Yuan Shao said righteously: "Bo Qiu! How can you easily tell others about such a confidential matter as assassinating Dong Zhuo? Don't you know that those who do not keep their plans secret are most likely to die without a burial place?"

The six words "no place to bury the body after death" scared He Yong, so he really believed Yuan Shao's lies.

In the small Zen room, the two began to discuss how to assassinate Dong Zhuo.

Yuan Shao volunteered: "I have several skilled warriors who can take on the important task."

He Yong was afraid of death, so he asked suspiciously, "Is it reliable?"

He didn't want to fail to kill Dong Zhuo and instead lose his life.

Seeing He Yong so timid, Yuan Shao despised him even more, but for the sake of cooperation, he had to pretend to be nice to him: "These people were all rangers in Jibei in their early years. They were thrown into death row because they offended the local dignitaries. If I hadn't secretly protected them, they would have died long ago, so they are trustworthy."

(End of this chapter)