Chapter 62

The situation shifted abruptly like a surging tide, and the ministers were thrown into chaos, like birds startled by a bowstring.

Gu Xi had shown too much resolve.

He ignored all counsel, issued another edict to all provinces, and simultaneously began mobilizing the Central Army.

The Han court, which had just stabilized after the recent departure, was instantly shrouded once more in gloom.

——And this time, the gloom far surpassed any before!

This matter was destined to trigger a cataclysmic upheaval.

Empress Dowager He was confined within the Changlegong; no minister could gain an audience with her.

In desperation, many turned their attention to Liu Bian, the Son of Heaven, hoping he might persuade Gu Xi.

Yes, just persuade him.

To these great clans, Gu Xi was also a figure of fear.

Previously, they had merely believed they stood on the same side as Gu Xi.

These men had employed every means possible, portraying the situation as dire, even claiming the Han dynasty might fall.

This had indeed frightened Liu Bian.

Beigong.

Liu Bian's face was filled with panic, his expression wild with alarm.

When Gu Xi saw him, he first bowed respectfully, then asked softly, "Your Majesty, what have you heard to cause such distress?"

"Grand Tutor!" Liu Bian leapt to his feet, hurried forward to stand before Gu Xi, and stared at him with wide eyes, urgently asking, "The ministers say the Han will fall."

"I, as Emperor, have only death before me."

"Could this be true?"

His eyes were filled with terror, his voice trembling slightly—he had been deeply frightened by those words.

Upon hearing this, Gu Xi's gaze instantly sharpened.

How audacious!

Even if the Son of Heaven were young and powerless, could he be spoken to thus?

To speak before the Son of Heaven of the Han's fall—and even of death?

Just how little regard do these men now hold for the Son of Heaven?

Gu Xi gazed calmly at Liu Bian and asked softly, "Your Majesty, who told you these things?"

He controlled the palace and knew which ministers had met Liu Bian, yet could not determine precisely who had uttered these words.

Liu Bian hesitated, then finally named them: "Grand Commandant Yuan Kui, General-in-Chief He Jin, Yang Biao."

Gu Xi's expression did not change; after Liu Bian finished, he simply said calmly, "All these men deserve death."

Liu Bian's hand trembled slightly, terrified by Gu Xi's icy words.

"Your Majesty," Gu Xi slowly knelt down, bringing himself to Liu Bian's eye level, his gaze firm yet gentle as he asked, "Do you trust your old minister?"

Liu Bian froze completely.

He stared silently at the wrinkles on Gu Xi's face for a long while, then finally nodded: "I trust Grand Tutor."

"Then Your Majesty need not be alarmed," Gu Xi smiled warmly. "I shall resolve all matters for Your Majesty."

"When Your Majesty comes of age, I shall return this realm to you, whole and intact."

His tone remained ever calm.

Yet inexplicably, Liu Bian suddenly felt his fear begin to fade.

He recalled many legends.

Legends of Gu Xi.

Finally, he too smiled faintly, nodding firmly: "Good!"

From that day forward, Gu Xi once again restricted officials from meeting Liu Bian.

He did not execute those men.

To do so would have forced the entire scholar-gentry class into rebellion.

At least for now, he could not do so.

Against such a formidable Gu Xi.

This time, no overt unrest emerged among the provinces.

But that same month,

rebel forces erupted one after another across the four regions, each causing considerable commotion.

They captured cities, killed officials, and looted civilians.

No one dared openly oppose Gu Xi.

His prestige was too great.

All had to consider this: any overt move would brand them as traitors and invite universal condemnation.

Yet for these men, this was enough!

The rebellion spread with terrifying speed.

The most severe even reached Heyin, advancing straight toward Luoyang.

Reports from every region followed in rapid succession.

Arguing that military power must not be revoked, that rebels must be contained, and so on.

This time, Gu Xi moved!

He entrusted Luoyang to the Gu clan's young heirs and dispatched his trusted officers from Hebei to garrison the Eight Gates of Luoyang, securing the city's situation.

And he himself led the Central Army.

With the force of Lei Ting, he wiped out the rebel forces in the Henan region within ten days.

He again proclaimed to the realm that maintaining private armies would be regarded as treason, and adopted an attitude of preparing to personally lead the imperial army to suppress the rebellion.

——The whole realm trembled in fear!

Gu Yi had been watching all of this, and felt no relief at Gu Xi's victory.

Only Gu Xi could have done this.

Had anyone else attempted it—even Emperors Liu Zhi or Liu Hong—such an effect would have been impossible.

Even their edicts might not have made it out of Luoyang.

But even so, could this matter be resolved so easily?

Clearly not.

How could the power of the great aristocratic clans in the late Eastern Han be so easily crushed?

Just from the history of the Three Kingdoms and Wei-Jin periods, one could see just how terrifying the power of the aristocratic clans truly was.

Although for the Han of today, the aristocratic clans had not yet reached such a peak.

But united, they would still be a force capable of shaking the entire realm.

If Gu Xi wished to truly succeed,

then he must break all of them—without bloodshed, it was impossible!

Huai County.

Within the military camp.

A group of central army commanders gathered before Gu Xi, all pleading for battle.

The central army of the Han had not yet reached the future era where it was filled with aristocratic sons coming merely to collect merit.

Each of these men was a valiant warrior.

For these men, there was no cunning or trickery.

They simply wished to follow Gu Xi into battle, to Achieve Merit.

Gu Xi would not move his troops.

He intended to maintain the current situation.

The aristocratic clans still hesitated, unwilling to openly rebel—this favored him.

He only needed to fight a few more battles.

Then, he would release a little goodwill, and some would come to surrender.

Thus, he could influence the entire situation.

This was human nature.

These commanders naturally looked to Gu Xi's orders as their guiding star.

Gu Xi stationed his troops in Henan, waiting for the aristocratic clans to act again.

Indeed, several days later,

rebel forces across the land, as if receiving some signal, rapidly assembled in Henan.

Tens of thousands strong, formidable in strength.

Most of them were equipped, and their marching formations were solid.

The entire rebel army attacked Gu Xi's positions in three columns: Lord Yewang, Xiuwu, and Wen County.

These men fought with great bravery.

Even facing Gu Xi, they showed no excessive fear.

This was destined to be a great battle.

Fortunately, Gu Xi's command attribute was not low, and his central army's equipment was superior.

He first broke through at Xiuwu.

Then he launched a counterattack.

He shattered the rebel forces at Lord Yewang, slaying nearly ten thousand.

The remnants of the rebel army retreated back to Xiuwu.

This time, Gu Xi clearly intended to decide the fate of the realm in a single battle.

Immediately after the battle, he reorganized his three armies, determined to annihilate every last soldier in Henan and establish the foundation of reform in one decisive strike.

The news spread, and the realm trembled!

Night fell heavily, stars and moon hidden.

Luoyang.

He Jin, dressed as a eunuch, hurried toward the Chang Le Palace.

He moved swiftly, his expression tense, carefully avoiding detection at every step.

Empress Dowager He had lived in constant fear recently.

Gu Xi's attitude toward her had already unsettled her.

Added to the stark contrast between past and present, it was difficult for a jealous woman like her to accept.

At this moment, she lay tossing and turning on her bed.

——Creak!

Suddenly, the palace door was pushed open.

Empress Dowager He jumped up like a startled fawn, shouting sharply: "Who!"

"Your Majesty, it's me!" He Jin's deep male voice rang out instantly.

Hearing this familiar voice, Empress Dowager He froze: "Brother?"

"Empress Dowager!"

He Jin closed the big gate and hurried forward, disregarding all propriety.

The Empress Dowager paid no mind to such matters.

When she saw He Jin's face, her expression instantly brightened with surprise: "General, how did you come here?"

She furrowed her brow, studying his eunuch attire, and asked: "Why are you dressed like this?"

"Empress Dowager," He Jin immediately bowed his head, sighed, and said, "The Grand Tutor has imposed strict control within the palace."

"If not for this disguise, how could I possibly meet with you?"

"Ah..."

Hearing this, the Empress Dowager could not help but sigh as well, her eyes once again filled with anger as she mocked herself: "Who would have thought?"

"My brother and I—one Empress Dowager, one General—have come to this."

She was about to say more.

But at that moment, He Jin suddenly interrupted her: "Empress Dowager, do you wish to change the heavens?"

"Change the heavens?" The Empress Dowager froze instantly.

"I have a matter—I beg you to decide swiftly!"

He Jin knelt down, looking earnestly at the Empress Dowager: "I ask you for a written order to open the Eight Passes of Luoyang."

"The Eight Passes of Luoyang?" The Empress Dowager frowned immediately. "Aren't they still under the control of the Grand Tutor's confidants?"

"Empress Dowager."

He Jin took a deep breath, his body trembling slightly, visibly filled with intense tension as he whispered: "Though the Grand Tutor has entrenched defenses within the Eight Passes..."

"Many court ministers have paid heavy prices to secretly bribe certain individuals."

"All it takes is your written order, and they will act immediately."

At these words, the Empress Dowager's expression changed drastically.

She seemed to guess something, staring tightly at He Jin, her voice trembling with uncertainty: "Why?"

He Jin stared intently at the Empress Dowager and replied with a question: "Empress Dowager, do you truly intend to continue like this?"

Instantly, the Empress Dowager fell silent.

He Jin continued to coax: "Empress Dowager, once the Grand Tutor dies..."

"You will be the true Empress Dowager, and I will be the General who holds all military power under heaven."

"The court ministers have already agreed to me."

"At that time, the He clan's descendants may marry into the great families, and each great family will cede some land to us He."

"If this succeeds..."

"The He clan shall rise among the great clans, enjoying eternal glory and wealth."

His eyes were filled with greed, his body trembling uncontrollably from excitement and tension.

"This... this..." The Empress Dowager's expression changed completely; she never imagined He Jin would say such things.

She instinctively felt fear.

But the lure of power made her yearn for it.

In that instant, she too began trembling uncontrollably, staring tightly at He Jin: "Can this succeed?"

"What if the Grand Tutor does not die?"

"Would the Grand Tutor dare to murder the Empress Dowager?" He Jin countered. "Could it possibly be worse than the current situation?"

In the glow of the candlelight, he looked like a demon risen from hell, his face awash with greed.

"Dong Zhuo now stations his troops at Anyi."

"Once we open the Luoyang passes, we can have him strike the Grand Tutor's rear, encircling him from front and back."

"He could never anticipate this—and Gu Shizi is still human; who is invincible?"

Seeing the Empress Dowager still hesitating, He Jin grew even more agitated, kneeling and pleading incessantly.

"Empress Dowager!"

"Do you still intend to wait for the Grand Tutor to die of old age?"

"Even if the Grand Tutor dies, would he, given his nature, return power to you?"

"And would the Grand Tutor truly not rebel?"

"Human hearts are unfathomable—especially when faced with all under heaven."

"Who today can match the Grand Tutor's prestige?"

"If he now gathers all power under heaven, usurping the throne would be effortless for him."

"Have you ever considered these things?"

The Empress Dowager's expression grew even darker.

She stared tightly at He Jin, her eyes filled with both anger toward Gu Shizi and fury.

He Jin seemed to have abandoned all restraint and continued: "The Grand Tutor maintains tight control within Luoyang—this night's opportunity is the result of our long preparation."

"If you do not seize this chance now..."

"Perhaps..."

Before He Jin could finish...

A mad look surged across the Empress Dowager's face.

She finally made her decision, nodding firmly: "Good!"

Anyi.

When he received the letters sent by He Jin and Yuan Kui...

Dong Zhuo was momentarily stunned.

To him, He Jin was manageable—it was Yuan Kui who truly mattered.

After all, Yuan Kui was Dong Zhuo's patron.

In this era, Dong Zhuo was already regarded as a disciple and former subordinate of the Yuan clan.

Dong Zhuo had always hoped to leverage the Yuan clan's influence to elevate his political standing, even to lift his family into the ranks of the great clans.

He could not ignore Yuan Kui's advice.

But this matter was simply too great—he hesitated.

"My Lord, this is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity!" Li Ru's eyes gleamed as he fixed his gaze on Dong Zhuo.

Dong Zhuo nodded and sighed softly: "How could I not know?"

"But Wenyou—"

"If we strike at the Grand Tutor and fail, we—"

"Fail?" Li Ru smiled coolly, his eyes brightening further. "My Lord, the Eight Passes of Luoyang are treacherous ground."

"The Grand Tutor could never expect our army to march straight into Luoyang."

"The Grand Tutor is currently facing enemies in Henei."

"I have carefully considered this—the ordinary rebels would never dare confront the Grand Tutor head-on. These men must be private troops secretly trained by great families from all corners."

"They are not like those rebels."

"They will not be easily crushed by the Grand Tutor."

"If our army seizes the opportunity, we can strike from both front and rear."

"But if it succeeds—"

Saying this, Li Ru paused slightly, then bowed deeply to Dong Zhuo. "My Lord may then proceed to Luoyang and replace the Grand Tutor!"

In an instant, Dong Zhuo leapt to his feet.

He had never imagined this!

He had only thought this move would make the great clans view him with greater respect and bring him advantages.

Replace Gu Xi?

Those words struck like a thunderclap, shattering every last hesitation in Dong Zhuo's heart.

His hands trembled uncontrollably; his chest rose and fell rapidly, his breathing growing Heavy and Coarse.

Only after a long while—

did he slam his fist onto the table before him, his face set with resolve as he roared:

"Issue my orders—muster the troops!"

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(End of Chapter)