[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-overthrowing-han":3,"chapter-overthrowing-han-overthrowing-han-chapter-463":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Overthrowing Han",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1223222,1620,"Chapter 463: How Could My Heart Be Deterred","overthrowing-han-chapter-463",463,"\u003Cp>Days of wind and snow were destined to severely delay travel and the spread of information in this era. And this weather was clearly yet another serious obstacle for the Son of Heaven's party heading east — or rather, southeast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, when it was only snow, things were still manageable. The Yang clan had mobilized almost entirely, making every preparation. When a century-old great clan fully mobilizes, how formidable is that? There was no shortage of supplies, personnel, livestock, or vehicles. Even the two beauties had Yang family members personally attending to them, and preparations had been made all along the route.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, for the first three days of the Son of Heaven's flight, aside from being slowed down, the journey went quite smoothly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But once they reached the area around Mount Tuhe to the southeast, they abruptly fell into dire straits — the southern and northern sides of the mountain were different. South of the mountain, the snow was thin and stopped quickly; aside from one main road, the paths tended to turn muddy. Yet that one main road, the famous Shangluo Passage, was far too conspicuous and might well draw pursuit!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On this matter, Captain of the Tiger Guard Jing Ze suggested simply taking the main road, because ahead lay only Shang County and two or three minor checkpoints that could not fully block the passage before reaching Wuguan. If they hurried, they could pass straight through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Yang Biao and other seasoned elders all expressed misgivings. They believed these minor checkpoints were extremely dangerous — the officers guarding them were all low-ranking military men, naturally closer to the General of the Guards' faction as grassroots warriors. If even a few of them proved to be reckless fools, who could guarantee the life of His Majesty?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It must be understood that in this party, the ones truly calling the shots were inevitably the Yang clan. Since Yang Biao and his associates had misgivings, Jing Ze naturally had no say, and naturally they could not take the southern main road.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, the Son of Heaven's party predictably chose to take the small paths on the northern side of Mount Tuhe, where the snow lay thick. And so, this group of high ministers, who ordinarily could not lift a hand or shoulder a load, came to learn firsthand what it meant to face howling northern winds in the mountains and roads caked with ice and snow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The following days were truly grueling. On a mere Mount Tuhe, seven head of livestock dropped dead from exhaustion, four carriages were wrecked beyond repair, and even Wang Mang's skull had a corner of its jaw crushed — they could only see if it could be patched with gold once they reached Nanyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the deaths of several Yang clan servants, in a fleeing party of nearly five to six hundred people, that was simply unavoidable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And what was even more dire was that the severely slowed pace made the Son of Heaven's party increasingly fearful of pursuit. To avoid being hacked to death in the mountains, in the end, so many people dared not even light a fire, surviving only on melted snow and dry flatbread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet it is worth noting that the Son of Heaven's conduct was exceptionally admirable. Upon realizing that Yang Biao had clearly made a grave error in choosing the route, this young Son of Heaven showed no intention of blaming anyone. Instead, he removed the Six Seals, shed his imperial robes, changed into ordinary clothes, and personally dismounted to walk. He even symbolically helped push the carts, and voiced not a single complaint about the food or water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young Son of Heaven's various actions left Yang Biao so ashamed he was nearly moved to tears, and added two more degrees of hope for the coming journey to Nanyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, on the afternoon of that day, thanks to the Son of Heaven's majestic virtue and protection, and thanks to the united resolve of the entire party, they finally emerged from the northern small paths of Mount Tuhe, arriving beside the Shangluo Passage behind Wuguan, and breathed a long sigh of relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What followed needs little elaboration. Yang Qi and Jing Ze went ahead, leading the latter's several dozen trusted elite Tiger Guard armored soldiers to Wuguan to contact Han Xian, while the Son of Heaven and the others rested briefly in a southern mountain hollow where the snow had already melted, awaiting the two men's return to escort them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unexpectedly, by nightfall, before the two had returned, chaos suddenly erupted within the convoy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is happening?!\" Startled awake by the sounds of clashing blades and firelight, the young Son of Heaven was momentarily panicked. \"Have the pursuers caught up?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty, please remain calm.\" Right General of the Household Li Shao, utterly disheveled and disregarding the presence of Lady Fu in the tent, entered to report with a bare blade in hand. \"It is not pursuers. Some Yang household servants, unwilling to travel east, sought to seize valuables and desert. They dared not act in the snowy northern mountains, but now, seeing the main road and noting the Tiger Guard Captain had taken the armored soldiers away, they grew malicious... It is only a few dozen men. Lord Yang is handling it!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Son of Heaven nodded slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did Li Shao notice Lady Fu behind the Son of Heaven, and could not help feeling awkward. He promptly begged pardon and withdrew, then sat upright on guard outside the tent, presenting an utterly loyal and devoted posture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Lady Fu leaned on the Son of Heaven's shoulder and cautiously asked, \"Your Majesty, surely nothing will go wrong?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the tent, firelight flickered in layers and chaos reigned. Liu Xie, who had been sleeping in his clothes, turned back and forced a smile, but said nothing. He simply sat upright, sword in hand, imitating Li Shao's posture outside the tent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could he say? Though Liu Xie was but a youth, he had after all experienced many things and had reached the age of sixteen. Moreover, thanks to the protection of the Han imperial court system in Chang'an, he had received a complete foundational education (the binding of hair and commencement of study refers more to institutional establishment). Some things he did not speak of, but not because he did not understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For instance, why had Jing Ze insisted on taking those several dozen armored soldiers to find Han Xian that afternoon? In truth, it was not Jing Ze's idea at all, but the Yang clan still mistrusted Jing Ze and wished to seize the right to guard the Son of Heaven's person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was not born of malice. To speak of power struggles at such a time would be laughable; it was genuine mistrust of Jing Ze. This, Liu Xie understood perfectly well in his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another example: right now, Li Shao's performance was, to some degree, an act. If he were truly loyal to the core, why not go fight with his blade? But conversely, if Li Shao were not guarding outside the tent at this moment, Liu Xie and Lady Fu likely could not feel at ease either... This, too, the young Son of Heaven understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ultimately, in this world, there is no absolute right or wrong. A person's true stance is hidden in their heart and cannot be clearly seen until the very last moment, and even the final decision may not be a true reflection of their inner thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stranded in the wilderness, with blades showing no mercy and nothing else to be said, the Son of Heaven could only sit in a daze, leaning on his sword. Meanwhile, on the other side, Yang Biao found himself plunged into dire straits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, the malice had initially arisen from just a few unruly Yang household servants. Having endured extreme hardship on the small paths of Mount Tuhe, and gradually awakening to the risks of their master's venture, coupled with an unwillingness to leave Guanzhong, they had momentarily conceived evil intent. They rallied a dozen or so men, planning to steal a cartload of goods and quietly slip away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the moment they acted, they alerted others, sparking a confrontation. In the ensuing melee, what caught Yang Biao off guard was that, on one hand, these men fought desperately with their backs to the wall, and on the other, nearly all the Yang household servants harbored resentment and merely went through the motions. Compounded by the household servants' natural lack of combat experience, the situation could not be swiftly brought under control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in the dead of night, the consequence of failing to quickly stabilize the situation was that the chaos grew ever larger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the fighting, some seized torches and set tents and carts ablaze; others fished in troubled waters, trying to emulate the thieves and steal valuables; still other servants simply defected outright, attempting open plunder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faced with such a scene, Yang Biao and a few ministers of civil official background were utterly useless!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chaos raged deep into the night until the situation spiraled completely out of control. Most of the baggage was looted, and two of the carts the Son of Heaven had brought from Weiyang Palace were also seized. Yang Biao and the other ministers abandoned all hope of quelling the disorder and could only gather with a few trusted followers before the Son of Heaven's tent, desperately protecting the Son of Heaven, the two beauties, and some Yang clan womenfolk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At daybreak, the rebellious servants had vanished without a trace. A quick tally revealed that Cao Cao's fellow townsman and close friend, the Gentleman Attendant at the Yellow Gate Ding Chong, had been found frozen to death, stripped bare, in a creek bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It turned out that Ding Chong was notoriously fond of drink. The hardships of Mount Tuhe had forced him to restrain himself, but upon emerging from the mountain paths the day before, he could no longer hold back and drank several cups too many, falling into a drunken stupor from which he could not wake. Amid the chaos, someone looted his tent and, finding him too drunk to stand, simply stripped the fine brocade robes from his body and tossed him into the creek bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the pandemonium, perhaps his cries for help went unheard, or perhaps he had no time to cry out, or perhaps he was too drunk to call for help at all — and so he froze to death alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, Yang Biao and the others mourned briefly, but could do nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or rather, by this point, the situation had already begun to faintly resemble the miserable scene of the relocation of the capital from Luoyang to Chang'an. Who could spare a thought for anything else?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the late morning, Yang Qi and Jing Ze hurried back. Witnessing such a scene, they were utterly horrified. Jing Ze, in particular, immediately went to check on the Son of Heaven's safety, which stirred a secret shame in others — who did not know that if Jing Ze and his Tiger Guard armored soldiers had been present the previous night, such an incident would never have occurred? And that Jing Ze, setting aside such matters and caring only for the Son of Heaven's safety, appeared all the more admirable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I deserve death ten thousand times!\" Seeing the Son of Heaven unharmed, sitting upright and holding himself together in the tent, Jing Ze finally let out a long breath and nearly collapsed, sitting sprawled before the disheveled tent. He then signaled the armored soldiers to patrol the area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young Son of Heaven, equally bedraggled, felt a measure of calm seeing Jing Ze return with the armored soldiers, yet still forced himself to appear composed: \"You have troubled yourself, good sir. At this point, dwelling on it is useless. Those wretches, having scattered, will inevitably expose our position. What of Wuguan? Can we depart immediately?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jing Ze hurriedly straightened his posture, but then lowered his head: \"I was just about to speak to Your Majesty on this matter...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Has something also gone wrong at Wuguan?\" The Son of Heaven did not seem surprised. \"Did Chang'an send a messenger via the main road, making preparations in advance, or simply replace Commandant Han?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is not the case.\" Although the two beauties, Yang Biao's wife Lady Yuan, and other high ministers like Li Shao and Zhou Zhong were all present around the Son of Heaven, Jing Ze could not concern himself with such things and directly stated the reason. \"According to the prior agreement between Lord Yang and Commandant Han, Commandant Han was originally supposed to follow my example and open the way for Your Majesty, then lead his trusted men to Nanyang to escort and protect you... His family is in Hedong, originally a great powerful clan, so he harbored much discontent with the new policies, and even more discontent with being stuck guarding Wuguan for five or six years... These things Your Majesty should be aware of.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But when the moment came, Commandant Han grew somewhat timid, hesitated, and became unwilling to accompany us.\" Jing Ze hesitated slightly, but under the Son of Heaven's expectant gaze, he omitted the matter of Liu Yu's death, which even he had not anticipated. \"Nor was he willing to open Wuguan and let us leave by the main road. He only said he would provide boats, allowing Your Majesty to pose as a merchant and take a small path west of Wuguan into the Dan River, drifting downstream. When passing beneath Wuguan, he would absolutely not lead troops to obstruct us.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This news was like adding frost to snow. The Son of Heaven was momentarily furious, but immediately fell silent. After all, at this point, what path of retreat did he have left? He only sought to reach Nanyang as quickly as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In contrast to the Son of Heaven's relative composure, at the same time, in a corner far from the Son of Heaven's tent, Yang Qi, who had also returned from Wuguan, was locked in a heated argument with his younger cousin Yang Biao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, between scholars, especially between brothers of the Yang clan, a family that had produced the Three Excellencies for four generations, a certain everyday decorum had to be maintained. Their so-called argument was, accordingly, not outwardly conspicuous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was less an argument and more a case of their words toward each other being somewhat more severe than usual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Back then, Wenxian, when you said we should go to Nanyang, I opposed it all along. It was only because you are the direct heir of the main line, ranked among the Three Excellencies, the leader of the clan, and because this matter involved the life, death, rise, and fall of the entire clan, that I had no choice but to agree.\" Yang Qi's eyes were bloodshot, his heart clearly filled with unquenchable indignation. \"That arrow outside the city gate was precisely to remind you that our Yang clan had no path of retreat left... How can you now turn around and blame me? Did I want Liu Boan to die?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Biao sighed: \"Elder cousin, I know that events have unfolded step by step, and no one deliberately intended to ruin the greater situation. But that arrow was truly too fatal! Liu Boan was not only the assisting imperial clansman designated by the late Emperor Ling, not only the Grand Commandant and Acting Master of Writing who presided over the Chang'an court for six years, but also one of the Son of Heaven's three formal Imperial Tutors... If that arrow had not killed him, it would be one thing, but now that Liu Boan is dead, will the Son of Heaven not be saddled with the name of slaying his own teacher?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I understand that better than you!\" Yang Qi forcibly suppressed his emotions. \"But I say again, Wenxian, had we known this, why not have followed my advice back then and not done this? If we were still in Chang'an, letting Gong'an (Yang Zhong) guard the family estate, letting Dezu serve Gongsun, and the two of us along with Gongtang (Yang Mi), if it truly came to the worst, we could have died for the Han dynasty. Then the clan would naturally endure for ten thousand generations. How could we have fallen to this state today?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Biao lowered his head in silence. How could he not understand? No one had imagined that a single soft arrow could have such consequences — consequences so severe that Yang Qi himself could hardly bear them. That was why his elder cousin was so distraught. It was not that he was making excuses for himself, but that he simply could not accept this reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And from another perspective, Yang Qi's questioning was indeed reasonable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, when the maternal relatives had been slaughtered in a single day and the Son of Heaven sought a way out, Yang Biao, who had witnessed the heroic spirit of the central plains lords as early as the Nanyang alliance, had proposed this idea. The two had hit it off immediately, and they had also drawn in Wang Yun, Zhou Zhong, Ding Chong, and others. In the end, the Son of Heaven himself had even persuaded Jing Ze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the entire Yang clan, they had been passively brought on board precisely because the matter was of such grave importance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, Yang Qi had been the fiercest opponent from the very start. But seeing that the Son of Heaven and the clan leader had already reached an agreement, as a subject and a member of the clan, he could only join in, gradually playing a core role.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as for that arrow outside the city gate, in all honesty, on one hand the situation was urgent, and on the other, it carried a measure of resentment directed at the clan leader Yang Biao and the Son of Heaven — it was you people who started this, and now you still think of turning back?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no one ever imagined that a single arrow would lead to such grave consequences — that even a rough martial man like Han Xian would be shaken by it, and then change his stance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"More words are useless!\" Seeing Yang Biao lower his head in silence, Yang Qi also raised his head and slowly exhaled a stream of white breath. \"At this point, we can only do our utmost to send the Son of Heaven to Nanyang, and use the Southern Capital (Wancheng was one of the three capitals of the Eastern Han) and the Imperial Hometown as our foundation to seek restoration. If the day truly comes when we can restore the old capital, we must certainly bestow posthumous honors generously upon Liu Boan...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is only natural.\" Yang Biao hastily agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The clan must also be revived.\" Yang Qi continued. \"The name of the Hongnong Yang clan cannot be destroyed in your hands or mine. You are the clan head — you must put your heart into it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Biao hastily agreed again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Prepare to cross the river!\" Yang Qi had finally regained his composure, yet spoke while flicking his sleeves. \"When Jing and I arrived with the good news, the boats had already set out. By now they should be idle at the upper ferry crossing of the Dan River... After this chaos, one could even say we are traveling light.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Biao bowed his head repeatedly, answering without cease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, with reliable news at hand, and fearing that the escaped Yang clan servants might pluck up their courage and return to plunder, no one dared delay. After only a little tidying up, the party — already shrunk to a mere one or two hundred people — set out once more. Among them, several dozen armored soldiers wore white robes over their armor, guarding the Son of Heaven and the others who had changed clothes, along with the remaining two carts of the court's most precious treasures. The rest escorted the various ministers and the last three or five carts of supplies, and they hurriedly departed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Ding Chong, to prevent the mountain beasts from gnawing on him, he could only receive the same treatment as the other corpses from the day before — cremated together with the debris.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet events twisted and turned. When the Son of Heaven's party crossed the Shangluo Great Road and arrived at the agreed-upon embarkation point that evening, they found not even a ghost's shadow there! Asking the residents near the ferry crossing, they learned that indeed several boats had arrived around noon, but after waiting a short while, they had returned downstream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Left with no choice, Jing Ze went to painstakingly make contact again, and only then learned that Han Xian's trusted aide, fearing exposure, had seen this ferry crossing was fairly populated and had voluntarily moved further downstream, instructing the Son of Heaven's party to board from the wild riverbank downstream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The party had no choice but to laboriously drive their carts along small paths through the night, heading east downstream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Traveling until midnight, they indeed saw the boats, but there was no one to receive them — Han Xian, terrified of exposure, had simply ordered the boats moored at a wild sandbar and then immediately returned!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was worse, the several boats, left unattended, had been pushed eastward by the Dan River's current and drifted over a hundred paces! And at that spot, the banks on both sides were practically cliffs, making it utterly impossible to board the boats with any ease!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Though the river has not frozen, that is only because the current is swift — the water itself is extremely cold. One absolutely must not enter the water lightly, or else one might well lose one's life!\" Yang Qi, disregarding his advanced age, personally went to test the sandbar, but shook his head repeatedly. \"Not to mention the sky is so utterly dark, and His Majesty absolutely must not rashly court danger!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The party had no words to reply, yet grew increasingly despairing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several of the womenfolk simply burst into tears, only to be silenced by Yang Qi's sharp reprimand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What about that boat?\" In the midst of despair, Jing Ze raised a torch and carefully surveyed the scene, then suddenly spotted an opportunity. \"It seems we could suspend a rope from the cliff above down to the boat. Then, once someone is aboard, we could easily bind His Majesty with silk gauze and lower him down.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the others all turned to look, but then assumed the posture they had adopted most often on this journey — a momentary silence, wordless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no helping it. This was a classic expression of helplessness in the face of utter desperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, what Jing Ze said was correct. That boat was caught against the bank, directly beneath an overhanging cliff. Judging the distance, it was only about three to five zhang in height — it could indeed be done that way. However, only one other boat was near this one, and both were far downstream, too far separated from the other boats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the pitch-black night, in what was practically a flight, with no one skilled in water, once they entered this boat, the terrain would be cramped, and it would be difficult to risk turning back to retrieve the other boats. At that point, they would have no choice but to travel on with only these two small boats... With so many people, it was likely not all could go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the time came, who would go and who would not? How much of the goods should they take?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In theory, naturally, the Son of Heaven, the two beauties, the ministers, and the ministers' families would board the boats, taking only a few of the court's most precious treasures, while the servants and armored soldiers would remain behind. In that case, the latter could divide up some of the wealth and goods and calmly scatter in a swarm — that even seemed acceptable... But in reality, no one knew exactly how many people these two boats could hold. Moreover, this journey was of grave importance — the more hands they could bring, the better. At the same time, with so many court treasures, it would be a pity to abandon any of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, after the silence came a round of heated argument.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet after all the arguing back and forth, the conclusion was still to get the Son of Heaven and the ministers aboard the boats as much as possible, and leave reliable men to cover the rear, with the plan of escorting the supplies and remaining personnel by land through Wuguan. However, the question of who would risk staying behind to cover the rear would require yet another discussion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I will cover the rear!\" Amid the debate, Jing Ze, one arm still bound, suddenly raised his voice to address the Son of Heaven. \"The armored soldiers are heavy — it is inherently difficult to get them down into the boats. I will take my own unit of armored soldiers to cover the rear on the bank, then escort the remaining people and carts along the main road to Nanyang and reunite with Your Majesty.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others were just about to marvel at Jing Ze's loyalty, and even the Son of Heaven, after this period of time, had grown increasingly trusting of Jing Ze, and was preparing to offer words of encouragement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at that very moment, Palace Attendant Yang Qi suddenly spoke up: \"Your Majesty, your servant has a word to say!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Son of Heaven, who had been kept in the dark about Liu Yu's death, naturally composed his expression to listen: \"Palace Attendant, please speak.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In the affairs of the realm, people are the foundation — all else is not worth fretting over! And among people, there are further distinctions. His Majesty, whose person concerns the greater situation of all under Heaven, is naturally of the utmost value and must take precedence in all matters. Therefore, this minister believes... the boats should first take the Son of Heaven, the two beauties, and the various ministers. And in chaotic times, soldiers and armor are the most important, so the armored soldiers should follow next. As for the palace treasures, the ministers' womenfolk, and goods and wealth — these must be placed further back!\" Yang Qi spoke with head held high. \"Thus, the General of the Gentlemen of the Palace Rapid as Tigers should descend to the boat first, then receive the Son of Heaven, the two beauties, and the various ministers. After that, the armored soldiers should remove their armor and be lowered down separately, and then we must set out immediately... I am willing, together with my younger cousin Yang Zhong, to remain behind and escort the womenfolk and wealth by land through Wuguan!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Son of Heaven, hearing this, was momentarily bewildered, unsure whether he should agree. Jing Ze and Yang Biao both simultaneously moved to speak, clearly in disagreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Say no more!\" Seeing this, Yang Qi directly drew the sword at his waist and spoke with stern severity. \"Is this the time for debate? What meaning is there in arguing back and forth? Here, I am the eldest. Today, I will make a single, arbitrary decision — I shall cover the rear, and the General of the Gentlemen of the Palace Rapid as Tigers shall go first. Anyone who speaks otherwise is surely harboring treacherous intentions! They shall be killed!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd was momentarily cowed, and the Son of Heaven could only nod. Yang Qi's eldest son, Yang Liang, who was also a subordinate officer of one of the Three Excellencies and was among the party, had the mind to speak, but was silenced by a single furious glare from Yang Qi, too frightened to say more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that someone had made a decision, the party immediately sprang into action... They opened the chests and crates they had brought, sought out ropes and silk gauze, and bound them into cords. And Jing Ze, though unwilling, could only be the first to descend by rope into the boat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately after, the Son of Heaven, the two beauties Consort Fu and Consort Dong, and ministers Yang Mi, Zhou Zhong, Li Shao, and others also descended to the boat one after another. Yang Biao, though hesitating, also descended by silk cord under Yang Qi's compelling gaze. Then, after a few pieces of the court's most precious treasures — not particularly heavy — were tossed down into the boat, they began continuously sending down the Rapid as Tigers armored soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later, after all several dozen armored soldiers were aboard, they discovered the two boats could still barely hold a few more people. So Yang Biao's wife, who was also Yuan Shu's elder sister, was bound and lowered down. For the rest, it stopped there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It must be said, with torches lit on both the bank and the boats, each side was clearly visible to the other. And just as the two boats began to move, and those aboard cupped their hands in farewell, bidding Yang Qi and Yang Zhong to take care — the Palace Attendant, the eldest son of the Yang clan's main line born of a concubine, Yang Qi, suddenly made an utterly unexpected gesture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your servant is ashamed! To have committed such a grave error, and even more ashamed to have caused the Son of Heaven to suffer such a great transgression!\" Beneath the torchlight, Yang Qi held his sword horizontally before him, and directly on the cliff's edge, he prostrated himself in a grand bow. \"I can only pray that Your Majesty, upon reaching the Southern Capital, with the Imperial Hometown at your back and enjoying the blessing of Emperor Guangwu, will surely rouse yourself and rebuild the House of Han!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Son of Heaven was baffled, but Yang Biao and Jing Ze understood in their hearts — only, they were already powerless to do anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boats drifted eastward without stopping. Yang Qi rose to his feet, murmured a low instruction to his equally bewildered younger cousin Yang Zhong at his side, then turned his head back to look at the Son of Heaven on the boat, and called out one last time from afar: \"The General of the Gentlemen of the Palace Rapid as Tigers has risked his life without regard for himself, begrudging no hardship — he can be put to great use! May Your Majesty heed him and trust him!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, Jing Ze and Yang Biao both felt their hearts turn to ice. But Yang Qi, without the slightest hesitation, directly reversed his grip and cut his own throat there upon the cliff's edge, then tumbled with a splash into the Dan River!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So swift was it that even after the spray of water had splashed up, the Son of Heaven and Yang Zhong remained in a daze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—————I am the dividing line of splashing water—————\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When the Han Emperor reached Wuguan, the Commandant of Wuguan, Han Xian, secretly aided his passage with two boats. The boats could not hold everyone, so Palace Attendant Yang Zhong was ordered to escort the ministers' womenfolk and the Son of Heaven's heavy treasures by land through Wuguan. Han Xian, finding this strange, captured them again. The next day, the Governor of Yongzhou, Zhong Yao, arrived in pursuit with troops. Han Xian, greatly terrified, fled Wuguan alone on horseback to join the Han Emperor. Yao then executed Zhong, pardoned all the womenfolk, and sent an escort to return them to Nanyang. When the Emperor learned of the womenfolk's fate and understood what Han Xian had done, he also ordered the General of the Gentlemen of the Palace Rapid as Tigers, Jing Ze, to kill Han Xian by the roadside. When the Great Ancestor of our dynasty heard of this, he said: 'Yao has the bearing of a great minister — he is worthy of respect. Xian is a petty man of private gain — he is laughable.'\" — A New Account of the Tales of the World, Chapter on Magnanimity\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Happy Birthday, Auntie! (listlessly) Also, thanks to Big Brother, the letter-party member 20180416202156056, and everyone else for the tips for Auntie!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",5423,"2026-06-04T19:42:52.587Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","33a22e72f1283573a0e9d269530f39df5e26b2eca3eedef6216c4ffef7de7209","overthrowing-han-chapter-464","overthrowing-han-chapter-462",548,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Foverthrowing-han-cover.jpg"]