Chapter 1333

Duan Yu's Liangzhou troops would inevitably occupy Hongnong Commandery and Hedong Commandery immediately.

And between the Yang family and Hangu Pass lay Hu County.

The news of Duan Yu recruiting Guanzhong noble clans in Chang'an had already reached Hongnong Commandery.

Coupled with Duan Yu's destruction of the Wei and Fan clans in Hedong Commandery previously, the Guanzhong noble clans were now in a state of panic.

And as the head of the Guanzhong noble clans, if Duan Yu broke through Hangu Pass, the Yang clan would bear the brunt of it.

Now, the question before him was where to go and what to do.

Yang Biao now wished more than anything that his father were still alive.

At the very least, he could have led the Yang clan to choose the right path at this time.

"Sigh..."

Yang Biao shook his head and sighed, then prepared to stand up.

However, before Yang Biao could stand up, the sound of knocking on the door came from outside the study again.

"Head of the family, an envoy from the imperial court has arrived."

Hearing the voice outside the study, Yang Biao was stunned.

The imperial court sent someone?

Why would the court send someone at this time?

Yang Biao pushed open the study door and saw the butler standing outside.

"Where is the person?" Yang Biao asked.

The butler, dressed in gray robes, bowed and said, "The person is outside, saying they want the head of the family to come and welcome them."

Yang Biao frowned.

Welcome?

What kind of big shot would require him to welcome them personally?

When had the Yang clan fallen to this point?

In the past, even when someone came to read an imperial decree, they would say 'please'. Now, they actually wanted him to welcome them?

However, although he was unhappy, Yang Biao still walked toward the front courtyard.

Not long after, led by the butler, Yang Biao arrived at the mansion gate.

Outside the gate, a carriage was parked, surrounded by a dozen cavalry guards.

When Yang Biao walked out of the mansion gate, the carriage curtain was finally lifted, and a young man of about twenty stepped out.

The young man was dressed in brocade clothes, his chin held high, looking at Yang Biao with an arrogant expression.

"This official is Jian Ling, Gentleman of the Huangmen. I have been ordered to convey an imperial decree. Marquis of Linjin, Yang Biao, receive the decree."

Jian Ling?

Yang Biao looked at Jian Ling, who called himself a Gentleman of the Huangmen.

Wasn't this Jian Shuo's nephew?

Truly, when one person gains power, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven.

Relying on Jian Shuo's current power, even a nephew of Jian Shuo had become a Gentleman of the Huangmen.

This was no longer the Jian family that Cao Cao could have beaten to death with a five-colored staff.

But upon hearing 'imperial decree', Yang Biao did not dare to be negligent. He immediately straightened his attire and bowed, saying, "Marquis of Linjin, Yang Biao, receives the decree."

Jian Ling pulled the imperial decree from his sleeve.

First, he read a bunch of useless things.

Things about how the court cared about the Yang clan, how it cared about Yang Biao, and so on.

After a few simple pleasantries, he finally got to the point.

"The Yang clan has received the grace of the state for generations. Now, the Liangzhou rebels have betrayed the country. In this time of national crisis, the imperial court's two hundred thousand troops are suppressing the rebellion, consuming countless money and grain every day. The court is unable to cope and hopes you can assist by raising one hundred thousand shi of grain."

"The imperial court will certainly remember your patriotic feelings and loyalty to the monarch, and there will surely be a generous reward."

After finishing, Jian Ling closed the imperial decree in his hand.

"Marquis of Linjin, accept the decree," Jian Ling said, his chin held high and his expression arrogant. "The Empress Dowager still remembers the Yang clan. The Marquis of Linjin should perform well and not let the Empress Dowager down."

Yang Biao, with his head lowered, almost cursed.

Good!

When the positions of Minister of Works and Minister of Education were vacant, they didn't think of his Yang clan.

They promoted Ma Ridi and Cui Lie.

Now that they were in trouble, they thought of his Yang clan?

One hundred thousand shi of grain.

That was easy to say.

Indeed, the Yang clan had it, and they weren't short of this one hundred thousand shi of grain.

But to just donate one hundred thousand shi of grain for no reason, without any explanation?

Yang Biao raised his head and looked at Jian Ling.

"What are you still standing there for? Why don't you accept the decree?" Jian Ling urged impatiently.

Yang Biao took a deep breath and accepted the decree with extreme reluctance: "Yang Biao, receives the decree..."

The moment he held the imperial decree, Yang Biao felt extremely bitter in his heart.

However, things did not end there.

After delivering the decree, Jian Ling stood with his hands behind his back, looking at Yang Biao.

Yang Biao also looked at Jian Ling.

"Marquis of Linjin... do you have nothing to say to this official?" Jian Ling asked, looking at Yang Biao. "This official has traveled thousands of miles from Luoyang to read you the imperial decree. If there is no merit, there is at least hard work. You aren't planning to let this official make the trip for nothing, are you?"

Yang Biao was stunned.

This Jian Ling was actually soliciting a bribe from him?

This Jian Ling was actually soliciting a bribe from him?

That's right, there was a tradition that when an imperial envoy came to read an imperial decree, one should give some benefits.

But the decree being read had to be favorable to the recipient.

Who had ever seen someone come with an imperial decree that was going to get them beheaded, and still expect the recipient to give benefits to the envoy delivering it?

Although this decree was not for the beheading of the Yang clan, demanding one hundred thousand shi of grain was also cutting flesh from the Yang clan.

If it were in the past, who would dare to be so arrogant as to solicit a bribe from the Yang clan?

A small Gentleman of the Huangmen.

A subordinate official under the Minister of the Imperial Household, one of the Nine Ministers.

In the past, he wouldn't even have had the qualifications to speak to him, and now he was actually relying on Jian Shuo's power to solicit a bribe from the Yang clan!

"What?" Jian Ling seemed to see Yang Biao's displeasure and said indifferently, "If the Marquis of Linjin finds it difficult, then forget it. This official will leave now."

As he said this, Jian Ling immediately turned around and prepared to board the carriage.

However, before getting into the carriage, Jian Ling gave Yang Biao a sinister smile and said, "The Marquis of Linjin has not been in Luoyang for a long time, so I fear you don't know the current situation in the imperial court. It seems the Marquis of Linjin has indeed stayed at home for a bit too long."

After saying this, Jian Ling didn't wait for Yang Biao to say anything else, flicked the carriage curtain, and boarded the carriage.

It wasn't until the carriage Jian Ling was riding in had gone far away that Yang Biao reacted with shame and anger.

"This is too much!"

"This is too much!"

"Since when could such filthy trash bully the Yang clan!"

Yang Biao clutched the imperial decree tightly in one hand while looking at Jian Ling's carriage in the distance.

Yang Biao could guess without thinking that once Jian Ling returned to Luoyang, he would definitely speak ill of their Yang family to the Empress Dowager Dong.

Wasn't this a common tactic used by eunuchs in the palace?

"Fine, fine, fine. If you are heartless, don't blame me, Yang Biao, for being ruthless!"

"Someone, come here! Someone, come here!"

Yang Biao clutched the imperial decree in his hand and walked toward the study.

Following Yang Biao's summons, two death-sworn warriors arrived at Yang Biao's study. ===== CHAPTER 1335 =====