Chapter 67: Liu Dai Replaces Han, Zhuge Pays Homage to the Gu Clan

For an entire month, Gu Chen held the entire allied force at bay beyond Hulao Pass.

Gu Chen's ferocity truly exceeded everyone's expectations.

He now could overpower Zu Mao.

He had even nearly slain Zu Mao from horseback on several occasions, but only Zu Mao's survival was ensured thanks to the rescue of Cheng Pu, Sun Jian, and others.

This rate of progress truly stunned everyone.

The alliance had always been like this.

When the offensive stalled, internal conflicts among them gradually erupted.

——Especially the news that forces from all four directions were rushing toward Luoyang, made them all acutely aware of the pressure.

For them, this was a war with no retreat.

Under duress,

these men began to consider strategy.

They prepared to divide their forces from all four directions, leveraging their numerical advantage to attack Luoyang.

This was indeed a good strategy.

Their numerical disadvantage could not be compensated by Gu Chen alone.

But just as they were about to move their troops, Gu Chen secretly led his army out of Luoyang that night.

——The situation changed drastically!

No one had anticipated such a turn of events at first.

Even after confirming the news, they still found it hard to believe.

Gu Chen abandoned Luoyang?

How could that be possible?

Yet at this moment, they had no interest in probing the causes; once the news was confirmed, they immediately marched their troops into Luoyang.

Troops poured into Luoyang without end.

This utterly irregular scene made everyone realize how weak the Han imperial authority had become.

It seemed that from the very moment Gu Xi died,

the words "Great Han" had ceased to hold much significance in everyone's hearts.

The common people had lost all faith in the court;

the warlords and aristocratic clans had lost all reverence for the court.

Who would care about these so-called rules anymore?

Liu Bian was always a timid man, and under these circumstances, he trembled uncontrollably.

Even though the four regional warlords still maintained a courteous demeanor toward him, it could not calm his nerves.

People always have a sense for these things.

The casual glances of these men were enough to reveal their true intentions.

But even if he feared more than ever, what could he do?

Who would care about a Son of Heaven with nothing at all?

The regional warlords and aristocratic clans quickly learned of everything happening within the city.

When they learned of Empress Dowager He's suicide, their expressions all changed.

Who could not guess what had happened?

Someone immediately proposed using this incident to completely dismantle the Gu clan and brand them as rebels.

Yet all the great aristocratic clans immediately rejected the proposal.

Xun Yu was right.

This matter was a political balance mutually acknowledged by both sides.

Gu Chen had not exposed the private armies of the aristocratic clans, nor had he killed any clan members within Luoyang.

And they, in turn, could not move against the Julu Gu clan, nor could they fully expose the matter.

Though the moral order had now collapsed, these aristocratic clans still wished to preserve a good reputation.

The Gu clan's reputation among the people was too high.

If everything were laid bare, it would cause irreversible consequences.

This was political balance.

For the Han of today, the aristocratic clans held immense influence.

The matter was thus settled.

And Liu Dai, this so-called leader of the loyalist alliance, began fulfilling his promises, lavishly praising the contributions of all forces—working tirelessly to do so.

This was a notion that gradually took root in Liu Dai as the situation evolved.

The utterly passive Liu Bian on the throne only intensified this notion.

In bygone days, Emperor Guangwu had allied with the aristocratic clans and ultimately dominated the realm.

Why could he not do the same?

In terms of prestige, wasn't he far superior to that boy-emperor?

Moreover, he had seized this opportunity to establish ties with the aristocratic clans.

If these immensely influential clans supported him,

why could he not become Emperor?

From the very moment this thought took root, it could no longer be suppressed.

And soon, Liu Dai began to act upon it.

The method of courting the great clans was simple—bribery.

In fact, for the great clans of the present day, who sat on the throne truly did not matter.

They only wanted power.

To all of them, the Emperor was merely an agent.

Faced with Liu Dai's overtures, the clans quickly guessed his intentions, and under these circumstances, Liu Dai sold the entire Han dynasty down to the last scrap.

—He promised the Yuan clan autonomy.

He granted them the special privilege of "establishing a court equal to the Three Excellencies."

He allowed Yuan Shu to establish a headquarters in Huainan, with independent authority to recruit troops.

He would marry the legitimate granddaughter of Yuan Kui and later make her Empress.

—He promised the Yang clan:

He would abolish the Gu School and elevate the Yang Family's Commentary on the Yi Jing to the state curriculum, making it the sole standard for recommendations and examinations.

He appointed Yang Biao as "Grand Tutor," granting his lineage perpetual control over the Imperial Academy and historical compilation.

—He promised the Xun clan:

He granted the Xun clan authority over the evaluation of all officials; those trained in Xun private academies could be directly appointed to posts of six hundred dan or higher, and he bestowed upon them the exclusive rights to salt and iron, controlling the grain transport hub from Ao Cang to Yingchuan.

Human desire ultimately crushes all reason.

Faced with the "Nine Five" throne, Liu Dai seemed to have lost his mind, making promise after promise.

Under these circumstances, the great clans naturally did not refuse Liu Dai's proposals.

—Starting in August of Zhaoning Third Year.

Liu Dai first seized court authority under the title of Minister of the Imperial Clan.

Soon after, auspicious omens began appearing around Luoyang.

First, a black tortoise bearing the character "Dai" surfaced in the Luo River; then came the ancient prophecy left by Gao Zu: "Dai shall revive Han."

Amid these omens, rumors spread.

Liu Dai immediately ordered his men to raise the matter of "abdication" in court.

No great clan would do this for him.

The next act was naturally the "three refusals, three entreaties."

Though some in court did oppose this—after all, Liu Dai was not of the direct line; he was a descendant of Liu Bang's elder brother—

at this point, their resistance was like trying to stop a cart with a cup of water.

Liu Bian had no control whatsoever over the current court, and his courage was insufficient to defend his throne.

Finally, in October of Zhaoning Third Year,

—Liu Bian declared himself "young and undeserving," and abdicated in favor of Minister of the Imperial Clan Liu Dai.

Liu Dai held a grand coronation ceremony.

He proclaimed a new era name, "Han Xing," rewarded his clan and regional lords, seeking to stabilize the situation, and at last sat upon the throne he had long dreamed of.

But soon he discovered the problem with the Imperial Seal—yet he said nothing, intending first to secure his position.

The Luoyang court was instantly shaken.

Only now did these so-called loyalists of Han fully awaken.

Han truly seemed to be collapsing.

Even the Son of Heaven's throne had become so casual.

But what could they do?

This was precisely the flaw of the "idealists" of this age.

Gu Xi's reforms certainly did not offend everyone—even among the great clans there were those loyal to Han.

But his actions made every scholar feel he blocked the path to the coming "public realm."

This was the core reason Gu Xi became the enemy of all under heaven.

Even Xun Yu harbored this thought, though he awoke sooner than others.

Now, though these men had awakened, it was too late.

Some resigned from office;

some wept aloud;

but none of it could change anything.

How could Liu Dai care about these men?

He planned to secretly eliminate Liu Hong's two sons, but the great clans would not permit it; loyalists seized the chance to escort Liu Bian and Liu Xie out of Luoyang.

After this, the great clans launched a frenzy of dividing the spoils.

Each family began carving up power.

But power, as always, could never satisfy anyone easily.

The human drive for "strife" endlessly stoked the ambitions of all discontented hearts, and contradictions quietly took root.

Not only between the great clans, but even among brothers of the same clan, different branches, there were conflicts.

This was an irreconcilable contradiction inherent in human nature.

To consolidate his strength, Yuan Shu appointed Sun Jian as Governor of Changsha and appointed himself Governor of Yangzhou.

Sun Jian's ferocity had been clearly seen by all in this battle.

At this moment, Yuan Shao recalled his childhood companion, Cao Cao.

The two had no conflict yet.

He wished to draw Cao Cao into his camp, granting him the former Governorship of Yanzhou—once Liu Dai's—and sent letters to all who had risen to fame during the suppression of the rebellion.

And he himself took the post of Governor of Jizhou, intending to accumulate his strength throughout the entire north.

Under the influence of the Gu clan.

Today's Jizhou was far more prosperous than it had originally been.

This was a juicy piece of meat.

But perhaps because of the Yuan clan's name, and added to the fact that the Gu clan was still in Jizhou, this matter was settled directly.

Yet the open rivalry and covert scheming among the people never ceased.

Perhaps because the initial excitement had gradually faded, Liu Dai finally perceived the predicament his position as Emperor currently faced.

He tried to exercise the Emperor's authority.

But for an Emperor like him, who had entirely relied on bowing to the noble families and possessed not the slightest reputation in the realm—

How could the great noble clans care about his face?

The instant this thought arose in him—

The noble clans' spears all pointed straight at him, so much so that he even smelled the threat of death.

And the news from Luoyong spread rapidly in all directions.

At all of this, Gu Yi's heart was likewise immensely shaken.

Clearly, this age of chaos had completely changed.

The great noble clans wished to grip the realm tightly in their grasp, drawing in the local powers on all sides and continually spreading downward.

Yet such a thing was destined never to succeed.

Setting aside the wrath of the common folk, would the local powers and humble clans on all sides be content with such a state?

Liu Dai's move had in fact already torn away the last veil of the great Han.

Letting everyone feel the waning of imperial power.

At such a time, any man of ambition would not be content to remain beneath another!

Just as Gu Yi had anticipated.

When this matter gradually spread out from within Luoyang city—

—The realm was shaken!

Cao Cao had all along been steadily developing his own forces in the lands of Yanzhou.

Yuan Shao's timely rain had given him an even more fitting pretext to occupy the lands on all sides.

Within the great tent.

"The Han dynasty's decline cannot be stayed."

Cao Cao gazed at the imperial edict that had been delivered, his eyes exceedingly complex.

"Elder brother."

Beside him, Cao Hong gave a cold snort and said, "This must surely be Heaven abandoning the great Han. If the two Emperors Huan and Ling had employed Gu Gong—"

"How could the realm have come to this?"

The rest of the sworn brothers also nodded slightly.

But Cao Cao shook his head slightly and sighed: "Not entirely so."

Even now, how could he fail to see the game being played within this whole chain of events?

"Elder brother—the Gu clan's disciples are scattered across the realm. If we were to seize this chance to put forth words of 'punishing Liu Dai,' could we not use it to gain reputation?"

Cao Hong suddenly spoke up.

Hearing this, all the sworn brothers nodded in agreement.

Their current strength was by no means weak; Cao Cao had all along been quelling rebellions while simultaneously absorbing their forces.

This gave every one of them a very strong confidence.

"No!"

Cao Cao waved his hand, his gaze unfathomably deep as he looked at the sworn brothers present, and countered: "Why should we rebel against Liu Dai?"

"Hm?"

Everyone could not help but be taken aback.

In truth, until now, Cao Cao had always fought under the banner of quelling rebellions.

Moreover, Cao Cao held Gu Xi in very high esteem.

His sworn brothers naturally assumed that Cao Cao would oppose Liu Dai at this juncture.

"The court has just appointed me Governor of Yanzhou—how could I possibly rebel?"

Cao Cao's lips curled slightly upward, and with a hint of disdain he said: "What we should do now is to go along with the court, and seize this moment to swiftly occupy Yanzhou as our base."

"To build up our own strength!"

As he spoke, Cao Cao even stood up directly, laughed twice, and said: "My dear brother Benchu has truly sent me a great gift."

"I was just thinking how to make the noble clans of Yanzhou support me."

"Now—the chance has come!"

"Bring paper and ink, and prepare a generous gift. I must let brother Benchu feel my gratitude."

Though he spoke thus, his face was full of contempt.

At the same time, the various provinces and commanderies on all sides also stirred.

Yuan Shao's drawing-in this time could be called exceedingly direct.

—Appointing Gongsun Zan as General Who Pacifies the North, which let Gongsun Zan, who had already been gradually rising in Youzhou, become even more renowned;

Appointing Liu Bei, whose fame had lately been rising ever more, as Governor of Langya;

Appointing Huangfu Song as General Who Pacifies the West;

With the Gu clan's fall, he had seemingly placed the Yuan clan at the pinnacle of all great families.

He wished to use his own and the Yuan clan's prestige to draw all heroes of the realm under his command.

Liangzhou.

Huangfu Song stared at the imperial edict delivered to him, his face filled with profound sorrow.

"General, was I not right in what I said?"

Gu Wei also sighed softly and said: "The great families enter the capital."

"It will not stabilize the realm as you imagine—it will only divide the court's power."

"Rebels! All of them are rebels!" Huangfu Song burst into furious curses, "When I storm Luoyang, I will slay every last one of these rebels."

"General, you must not do this!"

Gu Wei hurried to dissuade him, earnestly saying: "Entering the capital now will surely cause the great families to unite once more."

"My disciple, Gu Ziyan, has already arrived in Hanzhong."

"Hanzhong is a strategic stronghold, easy to defend and hard to take. I suspect Ziyan is waiting for a shift in fortune."

"Entering the pass now brings only harm and no benefit."

Seeing Huangfu Song's expression remained resolute, Gu Wei hesitated, then lowered his voice and said: "And General, you need not worry about the state."

"Ziyan has taken the Imperial Seal of the Realm."

At these words, Huangfu Song's face instantly changed.

"The Imperial Seal of the Realm??"

Gu Wei gave a slight nod, earnestly saying: "Yes, precisely the Imperial Seal of the Realm."

"General, the struggle for the realm is now inevitable."

"If you truly wish to restore the Han, do not act rashly. For now, return to Liangzhou. When the moment arrives, we can strike straight back to Luoyang."

"With the Imperial Seal of the Realm in hand, we can depose the false emperor Liu Dai and reinstall the Han."

If anyone else had spoken such words, Huangfu Song would have drawn his blade and cut them down without hesitation.

He was a loyal minister of Han.

But the one speaking was Gu Wei—that was different.

Huangfu Song fell silent for a long while, then gave a slight nod and agreed.

Eldest son.

Gu Tao had also received the Ju Lu disciples sent by Gu Chen.

Gu Chen knew his elder brother's nature; unlike Gu Wei, he had already planned a destination for him.

That was to seek out Lu Zhi and others.

These were the men Gu Xi had chosen in years past.

Gu Chen still placed great trust in Gu Xi's judgment.

Gu Tao felt the same.

Upon receiving the news, he abandoned the idea of returning to Luoyang and led his troops straight toward Qingzhou.

Lu Zhi had also received the message sent by Yuan Shao.

With Lu Zhi's current reputation, how could Yuan Shao not try to win him over?

He had seemingly placed the Yuan clan at the pinnacle of all great families.

For these rising figures,

he sought to win them over with small favors, and the prestige of the Yuan clan and himself.

But how could a man of Lu Zhi's upright and unbending character accept?

He had once submitted a memorial criticizing Emperor Ling Liu Hong.

Had Yuan Shao not aided Liu Dai's ascension, perhaps this might still have been possible.

But now, they were destined to be mortal enemies.

The entire realm was changing daily under this tide.

Ju Lu.

Gu Ze had remained within the Gu clan.

His talent for civil administration was exceptional—this was one reason Gu Xi had sent him back to Ju Lu.

The Gu clan's prestige stood like a mountain.

Whether the reforms succeeded or failed, as long as the Ju Lu Gu clan stood apart, unaligned with any side, it would be enough to preserve the entire Gu clan.

At this moment, Gu Ze had just returned from the Gu clan's private academy.

He immediately set off to pay respects to a distinguished guest passing through the area.

"I pay my respects to Master Zhuge."

He bowed with perfect courtesy, his voice clear and resonant, embodying the refined bearing of a noble scholar.

"Boyu, what is this?"

Zhuge Xuan was startled, quickly lifting Gu Ze up, and said earnestly: "I am merely passing through; for the Gu clan to ensure my safety is already a great favor."

"Boyu, you must never do this again."

Though Zhuge Xuan was far older than Gu Ze, he showed not the slightest air of condescension.

"Master Zhuge, please hear me out for a moment."

Gu Ze insisted on bowing, earnestly saying: "I wish to take your nephew as my disciple."

"Liang?"

Zhuge Xuan immediately understood, his eyes brightening instantly.

To study within the Gu clan and receive personal instruction from a Gu heir is an unparalleled honor.

Do not think that the Gu clan has never maintained a private school.

But since the days of a few former emperors, no one else has ever been personally taught by a Gu heir!

In an instant, Zhuge Xuan could hardly believe it.

"Boyu, this—"

Gu Ze's expression remained solemn as he bowed again to Zhuge Xuan: "Lord Zhuge, you do not understand."

"Though I harbor lofty ambitions, for the sake of my Gu clan, I fear I shall never again leave Julu."

"Your nephew is extraordinary."

"Though I am dull-witted, I am willing to devote all my effort to teaching your nephew."

"I do not demand that he aid my Gu clan—only that he carry on my aspirations."

Zhuge Xuan regarded Gu Ze intently, fell silent for a long while, then gave a slight nod: "If Boyu truly intends this, then I accept on Liang's behalf."

"When Liang completes his studies—"

"Boyu may send Liang to seek me in Jingzhou."

Gu Ze's face immediately lit up with joy, yet he suppressed it and urged: "Lord Zhuge, please remain in Julu—my Gu clan will ensure your safety."

At this, Zhuge Xuan's eyes flickered slightly.

But after a moment of silence, he finally shook his head.

The Gu clan is too sensitive now.

It is acceptable for a young boy to stay here for study, but if you remain here indefinitely, people will inevitably speculate.

Had it not been for the multitude of rebel forces across the land—

I would not have come to Julu and the Gu clan at all.

Gu Ze seemed to guess his thoughts and did not press; he merely smiled faintly: "Lord Zhuge, rest assured—I shall send men to escort you."

"Thank you, Boyu."

Zhuge Xuan did not refuse, offering a sincere thanks.

He did not stay long.

After Gu Ze arranged his escort, he set out again for Jingzhou.

From that day forward, a youth named Zhuge Liang joined Gu Ze's side.

Gu Ze truly regarded him as his hope, placing great emphasis on his education, pouring nearly all his energy into it.

Yet just half a month later—

An unexpected message forced Gu Ze to step beyond the gates of the Gu clan to welcome someone.

—Yuan Shao.

Yuan Shao's wisdom showed itself at this moment.

Unlike others who sought to distance themselves from the Gu clan,

after reclaiming the great clans of the four corners of Jizhou, he made a decision that shocked everyone.

In his capacity as Lord of Jizhou, he publicly journeyed to Julu to offer sacrifices to the ancestral spirits of the Gu clan.

To win the people's favor!

This was Yuan Shao's wisdom.

He had always been this way.

Sometimes clever, sometimes foolish.

This time, his plan was exceedingly wise: to truly secure his hold over Jizhou, he could not fail to sacrifice to the Gu ancestors—the people would never turn their hearts to him otherwise.

The Gu clan's prestige in Jizhou was unimaginable.

Indeed, when this news spread—

the entire Jizhou trembled.

The scattered, restless people across the land actually began to harbor hope for Yuan Shao.

Clearly, the impact of this act was immense.

"We pay our respects to Lord Yuan."

When Gu Ze met Yuan Shao, his expression remained calm, showing no change.

Yuan Shao's expression, however, was complex.

The Yuan and Gu clans had once been closely connected; their heirs had known each other well—yet now all was changed.

He fell silent for a long while, then sighed softly: "Boyu, are you well?"

"Thank you for your concern, Lord—I am unharmed."

Gu Ze remained composed, his tone neither humble nor arrogant.

Hearing this, Yuan Shao's eyes grew even more complex.

How could he not sense the distance between them?

"I know you harbor great ambitions. The court has now granted me authority to establish my own court."

"If you do not wish to waste your years in Julu—"

"You may come with me—"

Before Yuan Shao could finish, Gu Ze cut him off: "Lord, no further words are needed—I harbor no ulterior motives."

Yuan Shao froze.

Looking at Gu Ze before him, he only sighed deeply and said nothing more.

This was a ceremony watched by all.

Yuan Shao also treated this with great seriousness, and the entire process was highly formal.

He then disregarded Gu Ze's attitude entirely and immediately appointed Gu Ze as Governor of Julu.

This move won him the hearts of the entire population of Jizhou and swiftly stabilized the region's situation.

He then gradually turned his attention toward Qingzhou.

And as Xun Yu had predicted, none of the regional warlords could suppress their swelling ambitions—war broke out one after another!

——————

In the third year of Zhaoning, Governor Dai of Yanzhou, as Minister of Rituals, presided over the court, coerced Emperor Bian to emulate the deeds of Yao and Shun, forced him to surrender the imperial seal and ribbon, feigned abdication, and usurped the throne, changing the era name to Han Xing.

Although Dai claimed descent from Gao Zu, his policies did not originate from him.

The Yuan clan of Runan held the power to establish a private court; the Xun clan of Yingchuan held the power of evaluation; the Yang clan of Hongnong held the power of Confucian scholarship; regional aristocratic families divided imperial authority.

Regional governors and administrators each harbored divergent ambitions, splitting the imperial seals and tallies to control prefectures and commanderies, carving up land registers to maintain private armies.

At that time, the empire shattered.

Cao Cao held Yanzhou, watching the Central Plains with predatory intent, repairing armor and stockpiling grain; Liu Bei stationed himself in Langya, soaring like an eagle over the seas and mountains, winning the hearts of heroes.

Prefects and magistrates either cast spears inscribed "Serve the King" or raised banners proclaiming "Pacify the Crisis"; twelve controlled multiple prefectures and commanderies, thirty held private armies over counties.

Imperial edicts from Luoyang did not extend beyond Yique.

The sacrificial vessels in the Imperial Ancestral Temple stood empty; the embroidered throne in the Bright Hall hung uselessly.

——《Records of Heroes at the End of Han: The Dawn of Turbulence》

(End of Chapter)