Chapter 71: Liu Dai Replaces the Han, Zhuge Pays Homage to the Gu Shizi

For a full month, Gu Chen had kept the entire coalition blocked outside Hulao Pass.

Gu Chen’s ferocity had truly exceeded everyone’s expectations.

He was now able to suppress Zu Mao in combat.

Several times, he had been only a hair’s breadth away from cutting Zu Mao down from his horse, only for the timely rescue of Cheng Pu, Sun Jian, and others to save Zu Mao’s life.

This rate of improvement had truly stunned everyone.

The coalition had always been this way.

When their offensive was thwarted, the internal conflicts among them would gradually erupt.

—Especially the news that forces from all four directions were rushing toward Luoyang, which made these people realize the pressure.

For them, this was a war with no path of retreat.

Having no other choice.

This group of people also began to contemplate strategy.

They prepared to divide their troops from four directions and utilize their numerical advantage to advance upon Luoyang.

This was indeed a good plan.

The disadvantage in troop numbers could not be compensated for by Gu Chen alone.

But just as they were about to mobilize, Gu Chen took advantage of the night to lead his army and withdraw from Luoyang.

—The situation changed drastically!

At first, no one had anticipated such a turn of events.

Even after the news was scouted out, they still found it somewhat hard to believe.

Gu Chen had abandoned Luoyang?

How could this be possible?

However, at a time like this, they couldn't be bothered to dwell on the causes; once the news was confirmed, they immediately led their armies into Luoyang.

A continuous stream of troops entered Luoyang.

This scene, which completely defied all protocol, made everyone realize the current weakness of the Great Han imperial power.

It seemed that from the moment Gu Xi died.

The two characters for "Great Han" were no longer so important in anyone’s heart.

The common people were deeply disappointed in the imperial court;

The warlords and noble clans no longer held any reverence for the court either.

And who would care about these so-called rules?

Liu Bian was a man of little courage to begin with, and facing this situation, he trembled even more.

Even though the warlords from the four directions still maintained a polite attitude toward him, it was still not enough to put his mind at ease.

People always have a certain intuition.

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

But even if he were afraid, what could he do?

Who would care about a Son of Heaven who had nothing?

The warlords and noble families from the four directions quickly learned of everything that had happened in the city.

When they heard the news that Empress Dowager He had committed suicide, the expressions in everyone’s eyes changed.

Who could not guess what had happened?

Immediately, some proposed using this incident to completely purge the entire Gu Shizi and brand them as rebels.

However, all the noble clans immediately rejected this.

Xun Yu was right.

This matter was a political balance that both sides had tacitly accepted.

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

And they, in turn, could not move against the Julu Gu Shizi, nor could they lay this matter out in the open.

Although the moral order was in chaos, these noble clans still wanted to preserve a good reputation.

The Gu Shizi’s prestige among the common people was too high.

If everything were laid out in the open, it would surely lead to irreversible consequences.

This was political balance.

For the current Great Han, the noble clans held immense power of discourse.

The matter was settled immediately.

And Liu Dai, this so-called leader of the alliance to save the King, began to fulfill his promises, rewarding the various factions with great zeal.

This was a thought that had gradually sprouted in Liu Dai’s mind as the situation evolved.

The utter incompetence of Liu Bian on the throne only served to intensify this notion.

In the past, the Guangwu Emperor was able to unite the noble clans and eventually dominate the world.

Why couldn't he do the same?

When it came to prestige, was he not far superior to that young Son of Heaven?

Furthermore, he was now taking advantage of this opportunity to establish connections with all the noble clans.

As long as these influential noble clans supported him.

Why could he not be Emperor?

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

And soon, Liu Dai began to put it into action.

The method to win over the noble clans was simple—bribery.

In truth, for the current noble clans, it really didn't matter to them who was Emperor.

They only wanted power.

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

Facing Liu Dai’s overtures, the noble clans quickly guessed his intentions, and under these circumstances, Liu Dai essentially sold out the entire Great Han until nothing was left.

—Promised the Yuan clan that they would have autonomy.

Bestowed the special privilege of "Establishing a Bureau with the Status of the Three Excellencies."

And permitted Yuan Shu to establish a shogunate in Huainan, granting him independent authority to recruit troops.

Married the granddaughter of Yuan Kui and promised to make her Empress later.

—Promised the Yang clan;

Abolished the "Gu Learning" and established the "Yang Family Commentary on the Book of Changes" as the state curriculum, making it the sole standard textbook for the civil service examinations.

Bestowed upon Yang Biao the title of "Grand Tutor," with hereditary control over the Imperial Academy and the compilation of historical records.

—Promised the Xun clan;

Permitted the Xun clan to oversee the evaluation of officials across the realm, allowing those from the Xun clan’s private schools to be directly appointed to positions of six hundred shi or higher, and granted the Xun clan the monopoly on salt and iron, controlling the transport hub from Aocang to Yingchuan.

Human desire will eventually suppress all reason.

Facing the seat of the "Nine-Five Sovereign," Liu Dai seemed to have lost his sanity, making promise after promise.

And under these circumstances, the noble clans naturally would not reject Liu Dai’s intentions.

—Beginning in the third year of Zhaoning, in the eighth month.

Liu Dai first used his position as Head of the Imperial Clan to seize power in the court.

Subsequently, auspicious signs appeared one after another in the areas surrounding Luoyang.

First, a mysterious tortoise appeared in the Luo River with the character "Dai" carved on it; later, a prophecy left by the founding Emperor Gaozu appeared, stating, "Dai will restore the Han."

Under these various auspicious signs, rumors began to spread.

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

Such a thing would not be done for him by the noble clans.

The ensuing drama was naturally the "three refusals and three acceptances."

Although there were those in the court who opposed this, after all, Liu Dai was not of the direct line; he was a descendant of Liu Bang’s elder brother.

But at such a time, this move was undoubtedly a drop in the bucket.

Facing the current court, Liu Bian had no control whatsoever, and his courage was not enough to support him in protecting his throne.

Finally, in the tenth month of the third year of Zhaoning.

—Liu Bian declared himself "young and lacking in virtue" and abdicated to the Head of the Imperial Clan, Liu Dai.

Liu Dai held a grand enthronement ceremony.

He announced the change of the era name to "Han Xing," rewarded the imperial clan and the warlords of the four directions to stabilize the situation, and finally sat upon the throne he had dreamed of.

But he soon discovered the problem with the Imperial Jade Seal, though he did not make it public, wanting to secure his throne first.

The Luoyang court was shaken to its core.

Only at this moment did these so-called loyal ministers of the Great Han truly wake up.

It seemed the Great Han was truly finished.

Even the position of the Son of Heaven had become so trivial.

But what could they do?

This was actually the flaw of the "idealists" of the current era.

Gu Xi’s reforms would naturally not offend everyone, even among the noble clans, there were those who were loyal to the Great Han.

Yet his actions made all the scholars feel that he was blocking the path to the "Public World" that was about to arrive.

This was the core reason why Gu Xi ended up with the whole world as his enemy.

Even Xun Yu had such thoughts, though he was quicker to realize it than others.

And by now, although these people had realized it, it was already too late.

Some resigned from office;

Some wept bitterly;

But all of this could ultimately change nothing.

How could Liu Dai possibly care about these people?

He intended to secretly eliminate Liu Hong's two heirs, but the great noble clans would not permit him to do so, and loyal ministers also took the opportunity to protect Liu Bian and Liu Xie as they fled Luoyang.

And after this, the great noble clans began their carnival of dividing the spoils.

Each family began to partition power.

But the thing called profit is something that can never easily satisfy people.

The "strife" within human nature would endlessly incite the ambition in the hearts of all dissatisfied people, and conflict quietly sprouted amidst this.

Not to mention between the various great clans, even between brothers of the same clan but different branches, there were also conflicts.

This is an irreconcilable contradiction within human nature.

In order to consolidate his own strength, Yuan Shu appointed Sun Jian as the Administrator of Changsha and took the position of Inspector of Yangzhou for himself.

Just how valiant Sun Jian was, everyone could see clearly through this battle.

And at a time like this, Yuan Shao thought of his playmate, Cao Cao.

The two of them did not have any conflict yet.

He wanted to pull Cao Cao into his own camp, directly giving Cao Cao the position of Inspector of Yanzhou that Liu Dai once held, and he also sent letters to everyone who had risen to fame during this suppression of the rebellion.

As for himself, he took the position of Inspector of Jizhou, wanting to accumulate his own strength in the entire north.

Under the influence of the Gu family.

The current Jizhou was much more prosperous than it had originally been.

This was a piece of fat meat.

But perhaps because of the name of the Yuan family, and the fact that the Gu family was still in Jizhou, this matter was settled directly.

Yet the open and secret struggles among everyone continued unabated.

Perhaps because the initial excitement had gradually faded, Liu Dai finally realized the current situation he was in as Emperor.

He tried to exercise the power of the Emperor.

But for an Emperor like him, who relied entirely on bowing to the noble clans and had not a shred of prestige in the world.

How could the great noble clans care about his expression?

The moment he gave birth to this thought.

The spears of the great noble clans were aimed at him, which even made him smell the threat of death.

And the news from within Luoyang also spread rapidly in all directions.

Regarding all of this, Gu Yi was also incomparably shocked in his heart.

It was clear that this chaotic world had completely changed.

The great noble clans wanted to firmly grasp the world, pulling in powerful local figures and then continuously spreading downward.

But this kind of thing was destined not to succeed.

Even without mentioning the anger of the common people, would the powerful local figures and the humble families be content with this?

This move by Liu Dai had actually been equivalent to tearing away the last veil of the Great Han.

Letting everyone feel the loss of imperial power.

At a time like this, any person with aspirations would not be content to be under others!

It was just as Gu Yi had expected.

When this matter gradually spread from within Luoyangcheng.

——The world was shaken!

Cao Cao was already continuously developing his own power in the land of Yanzhou.

This timely rain from Yuan Shao gave him an even more suitable justification to occupy the lands in all directions.

Inside the great tent.

"The decline of the Han house cannot be stopped."

Cao Cao looked at the imperial decree that had been sent, his eyes incomparably complex.

"Big Brother."

Cao Hong at the side snorted coldly and said, "This must be Heaven abandoning the Han; if the Emperors Huan and Ling could have used Master Gu."

"How could the world have come to this?"

The rest of the brothers also nodded slightly.

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

Until now, how could he not see the power struggle within this series of events?

"Big Brother... the descendants of the Gu family are scattered in all directions; if we take the opportunity to propose 'punishing Liu Dai,' could we take the opportunity to gain prestige?"

Cao Hong suddenly spoke up.

Hearing this, all the brothers nodded in agreement.

Their current strength was not weak; Cao Cao had been suppressing rebellions and incorporating troops all along.

This gave them all very strong confidence.

"No!"

Cao Cao waved his hand, looking at the brothers present with incomparably deep eyes, and asked in return: "Why should we rebel against that Liu Dai?"

"Hmm?"

Everyone could not help but be stunned.

In fact, until now, Cao Cao had always fought under the name of suppressing rebellion.

And Cao Cao held Gu Xi in very high regard.

His brothers naturally thought that Cao Cao would oppose Liu Dai at such a time.

"The imperial court has just appointed me as Inspector of Yanzhou, how could I rebel?"

The corners of Cao Cao's mouth lifted slightly, carrying a trace of disdain as he said: "We should now cater to the imperial court and take this opportunity to quickly occupy Yanzhou as our base."

"To strengthen our own power!"

As he spoke, Cao Cao stood up directly and laughed twice, saying: "My brother Benchun, he really did send me a great gift."

"I was just wondering how to get the noble clans of Yanzhou to support me."

"Now... the opportunity has come!"

"Bring paper and brush, and prepare a heavy gift; I must let brother Benchun feel my gratitude."

Although he was saying this, the expression on his face was full of disdain.

At the same time, there were also unusual movements in the provinces and commanderies in all directions.

This move of solicitation by Yuan Shao was very direct.

——Appointing Gongsun the White Horse as General who Pacifies the North, which made Gongsun the White Horse, who was already gradually rising in the land of Youzhou, even more famous;

Appointing Liu Bei, who had been increasingly rising in fame recently, as Administrator of Langya;

Huangfu Song as General who Pacifies the West;

With the fall of the Gu family, he seemed to have placed the Yuan family in the position of the number one noble clan in the world.

Wanting to use his own and the Yuan family's prestige to gather all the heroes of the world under his command.

Liangzhou.

Huangfu Song looked at the imperial decree that had been sent, his entire expression extremely sorrowful.

"General, what I said was not wrong, was it."

Gu Wei also sighed lightly and said: "The noble clans have entered the capital."

"It is by no means as the General thought, that they would stabilize the world; they will only divide the power of the imperial court."

"Rebels! They are all rebels!" Huangfu Song could not help but curse loudly, "When I kill my way into Luoyang, I will definitely behead all these rebels."

"General, you must not!"

Gu Wei hurriedly tried to dissuade him, saying earnestly: "Entering the capital now will definitely cause the noble clans to join forces once again."

"My disciple Ziyan has already rushed to Hanzhong."

"Hanzhong is a vital location, easy to defend and difficult to attack; I imagine Ziyan is also waiting for the situation to change."

"Entering the pass now has a hundred harms and not a single benefit."

Seeing that Huangfu Song's expression was still so firm, Gu Wei hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice and said: "And the General need not worry about the state."

"Ziyan... has already taken the Imperial Jade Seal away."

As soon as these words were spoken, Huangfu Song's entire expression changed instantly.

"The Imperial Jade Seal??"

Gu Wei nodded slightly and said earnestly: "That is correct, it is indeed the Imperial Jade Seal."

"General, at this current juncture, strife in the world is already unavoidable."

"If the General truly wishes to restore the Han house, do not be impulsive; for now, you can first return to Liangzhou, and when the opportunity arrives, we can directly kill our way back to Luoyang."

"When the time comes, with the Imperial Seal in hand, we can naturally depose the false emperor Liu Dai and restore the Han Dynasty."

If anyone else had said such a thing, Huangfu Song would have undoubtedly drawn his blade and cut them down without a second word.

He was, after all, a loyal subject of the Great Han.

But since it was Gu Wei who said it, things were different.

Huangfu Song merely remained silent for a long time, then gave a slight nod, agreeing to the matter.

The eldest son.

Gu Tao had naturally also received the Julu clansmen sent by Gu Chen.

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

That was to seek out Zhuge the Elder and the others.

These were the people Gu Xi had selected years ago.

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

Regarding this, Gu Tao felt the same.

After receiving the news, he abandoned the idea of fighting his way back to Luoyang and led his troops straight toward Qingzhou.

In fact, Zhuge the Elder had also received the message sent by Yuan Shao.

With Zhuge the Elder's current reputation, how could Yuan Shao not try to win him over?

He seemed to have already placed the Yuan clan in the position of the world's premier noble family.

Regarding these rising figures.

He wanted to win them over by relying on small favors, as well as the prestige of the Yuan clan and his own.

But how could someone with a character as upright and unyielding as Zhuge the Elder accept?

He was the one who had submitted a memorial criticizing the Emperor Liu Hong.

If Yuan Shao had not assisted Liu Dai in ascending the throne, this might have been possible.

But now, they were destined to be mortal enemies.

The entire world was changing daily under this trend.

Julu.

Gu Ze had been staying within the Gu clan.

His talent for internal affairs was excellent, which was one of the reasons Gu Xi had sent him back to Julu.

The Gu clan's prestige was like a mountain.

Regardless of whether the reforms succeeded or not, as long as the Julu Gu clan remained independent and did not participate in any faction, it would be enough to preserve the entire Gu clan.

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

He immediately went without pause to pay his respects to an honored guest passing through the area.

"Greetings, Zhuge the Elder."

He was courteous and his voice was clear, possessing the very proper demeanor of a renowned scholar.

"Boyu, what is the meaning of this?"

Zhuge the Elder was startled, hurriedly helping Gu Ze up, and said earnestly: "I am just passing through; that the Gu clan can ensure my safety is already a great kindness."

"Boyu must never do this again in the future."

Although Zhuge the Elder was much older than Gu Ze, he still showed no sign of relying on his seniority.

"Zhuge the Elder, please listen to this junior's words first."

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

"Liang'er?"

Zhuge the Elder reacted immediately, his eyes suddenly brightening.

Being able to study at the Gu clan and receive personal instruction from a Gu clan member was an supreme honor.

Do not be fooled by the fact that the Gu clan had always had a private school.

Aside from the several former emperors of the past, no one else had ever received personal instruction from a Gu clan member!

For a moment, Zhuge the Elder found it hard to believe.

"Boyu, this..."

Gu Ze's expression remained as earnest as before, and he bowed to Zhuge the Elder once more: "Zhuge the Elder may not know."

"Although I have ambitions, for the sake of my Gu clan, I fear I may never leave Julu in this lifetime."

"Your nephew is truly extraordinary."

"Though I am dull, I am willing to do my utmost to teach your nephew..."

"I do not force him to assist my Gu clan... I only hope he can carry on my aspirations."

Zhuge the Elder looked at Gu Ze earnestly, remained silent for a long time, and finally gave a slight nod: "Since Boyu has this intention, then I shall agree on Liang'er's behalf."

"When the day comes that Liang'er has completed his studies..."

"Boyu may have Liang'er travel to Jingzhou to find me."

A look of joy appeared on Gu Ze's face, but he suppressed it and urged: "Zhuge the Elder may stay in Julu; my Gu clan will certainly ensure your safety."

Hearing this, Zhuge the Elder's eyes flickered slightly.

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

The Gu clan was currently too sensitive.

Leaving a young child here to study was one thing, but if he himself stayed here, it would inevitably lead to speculation.

If it were not for the many rebel troops in the world today.

He would not have even come to this land of the Julu Gu clan on this trip.

Gu Ze seemed to have guessed his thoughts and did not force the issue, only smiling faintly: "Zhuge the Elder, rest assured, I will send men to escort you on your journey."

"Many thanks, Boyu."

Zhuge the Elder did not refuse and thanked him sincerely.

He did not stay there for many days.

After Gu Ze arranged for his escort, he headed straight for Jingzhou once again.

From this day on, a youth named "Zhuge Liang" appeared by Gu Ze's side.

Gu Ze seemed to truly view him as his hope, placing great importance on his education and pouring almost all his heart and soul into it.

However, half a month later.

Sudden news ultimately forced Gu Ze to step out of the Gu clan's gates to welcome someone.

—Yuan Shao.

Yuan Shao's wisdom manifested at such a time.

Unlike others who thought of distancing themselves from the Gu clan.

After successively pacifying the great clans of Jizhou, he made a decision that shocked everyone.

In the name of the Lord of Jizhou, he went to Julu with great fanfare to offer sacrifices to the ancestors of the Gu clan.

To win the hearts of the people!

This was the wisdom of Yuan Shao.

He had always been this way.

Sometimes clever, sometimes dull.

This time, his plan was extremely clever; if he wanted to settle down in Jizhou, it would be impossible to win the hearts of the people without sacrificing to the ancestors of the Gu clan.

The prestige of the Gu clan in Jizhou was unimaginable.

Sure enough, when this matter spread.

The entire Jizhou was shaken.

The people, who were gradually falling into chaos, actually began to have some expectations for Yuan Shao.

This shows just how great the impact of this matter was.

"Greetings, Governor Yuan."

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

Yuan Shao's expression, however, was somewhat complex.

The Yuan clan and the Gu clan had once been deeply connected, and the children of the two families were naturally well-acquainted, but unfortunately, things were no longer as they once were.

He remained silent for a long time, finally sighing softly: "Is Boyu well?"

"Thank you for your concern, Governor; I am unharmed."

Gu Ze was calm and composed, his tone neither servile nor overbearing.

Hearing this, the complexity in Yuan Shao's eyes deepened.

How could he not sense the distance in those words?

"I know you have great ambitions, Boyu, and the imperial court has now granted me the authority to establish my own government office."

"If you are unwilling to waste your time here in Julu,"

"You may come with me..."

Before Yuan Shao could finish, Gu Ze interrupted him directly: "Governor, there is no need to say more; I have no such distractions in my heart."

Yuan Shao was stunned for a moment.

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

This was a highly anticipated sacrifice.

Yuan Shao also attached great importance to this, and the entire process was very formal.

Afterward, regardless of Gu Ze's attitude, he directly appointed Gu Ze as the Administrator of Julu.

This move completely won him the hearts of the people throughout Jizhou, rapidly stabilizing the situation in the Jizhou region.

Subsequently, he gradually set his sights on Qingzhou.

As for the various feudal lords, just as Xun Yu had anticipated, no one was able to suppress their surging ambitions, and the flames of war ignited one after another!

——————

"In the third year of Zhaoning, Dai, the Governor of Yanzhou, acted as the Imperial Clan Court official to oversee the court, coerced Emperor Bian to perform the abdication of Yao and Shun, forced him to surrender the imperial seal and ribbon, falsely claimed an abdication, usurped the throne, and changed the reign title to Hanxing.

Although Dai bore the name of a descendant of the High Ancestor, the government was not of his own making.

The Yuan clan of Runan held the power of the government offices; the Xun clan of Yingchuan held the power of evaluation; the Yang clan of Hongnong held the power of classical studies; and the aristocratic families of various regions partitioned the imperial power.

The governors and prefects of the four quarters each harbored ulterior motives, dividing the imperial tallies to control the provinces and commanderies, and splitting the census registers to possess private armies.

At that time, the world fell into collapse.

Cao Cao occupied Yanzhou and eyed the Central Plains, repairing armor and gathering grain; Liu Bei was stationed in Langya, soaring like an eagle over the seas and mountains, winning the hearts of heroes;

The governors and prefects of the provinces and commanderies either forged spears for 'loyal service to the king' or raised banners for 'pacifying the disaster,' with twelve holding power across provinces and commanderies, and thirty possessing crowds and partitioning counties.

The edicts from Luoyang did not pass beyond the Yique Pass.

The sacrificial vessels in the Imperial Ancestral Temple were set out in vain, and the embroidered screens in the Bright Hall hung to no purpose."

—— "Records of Heroes at the End of the Han: The Beginning of the Chaotic World"

(End of this chapter)