Chapter 1350

After the court session, Cui Lie looked as if a close relative had died at home.

Coupled with the exclusion by Xun Shuang and others, when Cui Lie walked out of Sima Gate, he looked completely withered.

Yuan Kui, after returning to his residence, was helped by his attendants to the large and spacious study.

Yuan Ji, wearing a white robe and a Jinxian crown, had been waiting for a long time, kneeling in the study.

Seeing Yuan Kui return, he immediately saluted: "Uncle."

Yuan Kui nodded gently and returned to sit behind the desk.

After the attendant served tea, he quietly retreated and closed the door of the study.

This time, the crushing defeat at Hangu Pass led to Huangfu Song, Zhang Wen, and all the remaining generals being held accountable.

Zhang Wen and Huangfu Song, who fled back from Hangu Pass, were directly thrown into prison and sentenced to a penalty one degree less than death.

As for Zhu Jun, since he was already dead, there was naturally nothing more to pursue.

Although Yuan Ji also had guilt as a supervisor, it was not the main responsibility, so he was only sentenced to be stripped of his position as Grand Servant, one of the Nine Ministers.

But whether it was Zhang Wen, Huangfu Song, or Yuan Ji, although this sentence seemed serious, everyone knew that Zhang Wen and Huangfu Song could not be kept in prison forever.

Now that the imperial court was in need of people, Zhang Wen and Huangfu Song would sooner or later be released.

As for Yuan Ji, it went without saying.

He would sooner or later rise again.

Yuan Ji, who returned to Luoyang last night, did not have time to see Yuan Kui, and since Yuan Kui had to go to court to discuss politics early this morning, Yuan Ji had been waiting in Yuan Kui's study early.

"Uncle, nephew has disappointed you."

Yuan Ji lowered his head, his face full of guilt.

After taking a deep breath, Yuan Kui waved his hand and said, "This matter cannot be blamed on you. Even I did not expect that Yang Biao would actually defect to Duan Yu."

"Before the Empress Dowager sent someone to issue the imperial decree to Yang Biao to recruit grain and fodder, I felt it was inappropriate. After Jian Shuo's nephew gained power, he became arrogant, and after returning, he reported some bad things about Yang Biao to the Empress Dowager. I felt it was inappropriate at the time, but I just didn't expect Yang Biao to do things so thoroughly."

"It seems... when Yang Ci was seriously ill, the seeds of disaster had already been sown."

"Yang Ci must have seen that Duan Yu occupied Liangzhou and intimidated the Sili Colonel's department, and sooner or later he might extend his reach to the Sili Colonel's department. Otherwise, Yang Ci would not have been ambiguous about Duan Yu's problem, which led to Yang Biao speaking for Duan Yu last time."

"Now it seems that when Duan Yu entered Luoyang last time, the clues had already appeared. It was my carelessness; I cannot blame you."

Yuan Kui's words made Yuan Ji feel much more comfortable.

Yuan Ji originally thought that recruiting Yang Feng was a great achievement, but he didn't expect Yang Feng to become the cause of the crushing defeat before Hangu Pass.

The Hongnong Yang Clan defected to Duan Yu; Yuan Ji naturally understood what kind of shock this would bring.

The Hongnong Yang Clan and the Runan Yuan Clan were on par, with intertwined students, former subordinates, and relationships.

Now, the Guanzhong scholar-official clans would definitely stand with Duan Yu under the leadership of the Yang Clan.

The Chang'an court's momentum was already established.

"Uncle, how is the imperial court planning to deal with Duan Yu now?" Yuan Ji raised his head and looked at Yuan Kui.

Yuan Kui sighed and shook his head, saying, "An incompetent general exhausts three armies; a commander without strategy frustrates ten thousand soldiers."

"It must be that Jian Shuo and others suggested to the Empress Dowager to negotiate peace with Duan Yu and grant him the title of king."

"Ah?" Yuan Ji's expression stiffened: "Peace talks?"

"Hmph, hmph..." Yuan Kui let out a disdainful snort and said, "It's simply nonsense."

"In this way, isn't it fueling Duan Yu's arrogance? I think if this continues, the Great Han is afraid..."

Yuan Kui did not say the rest, but Yuan Ji had already understood.

"The Yingchuan Xun clan and the Yingchuan Guo clan have already prepared their retreat early, and now it is our turn..." Yuan Kui said with a gloomy look: "I have been an enemy of Duan Yu for so long, and Duan Yu naturally harbors resentment in his heart. Plus, Gonglu killed Duan Yu's subordinate general, so it is already difficult to end well. But even so, we must leave a way out for the Yuan clan."

As soon as Yuan Kui mentioned leaving a way out, the shadow of a person appeared in Yuan Ji's mind.

Yuan Shao.

"Benchu was once like a brother to Duan Yu and Cao Cao. Fortunately, there is still some friendship left. It seems that this retreat must fall on Benchu," Yuan Kui said.

Yuan Ji, with his head lowered, suddenly clenched his fist in his sleeve, and his brow furrowed involuntarily.

"So, you prepare first." Yuan Kui looked at Yuan Ji and said, "Now that you have no official position, you can be relaxed. In these few days, you will go to Jizhou to see Benchu and convey my meaning to Benchu. Let's wait and see how things change."

Yuan Ji, with his head lowered, nodded slightly, and after bowing to Yuan Kui, he exited the study.

Yuan Ji, who left the study, walked toward the outside of the Grand Tutor's residence.

His face was full of worry.

The Yuan clan's retreat, the hope lies in Yuan Shao.

And not on him, the future head of the Yuan clan...

Yuan Ji gritted his teeth.

In other words, if Duan Yu really occupies Luoyang and gains the upper hand in the future, then their Yuan clan lineage will all take Yuan Shao as their leader.

After all, in the entire Yuan clan, only Yuan Shao has the best relationship with Duan Yu and is most likely to integrate into Duan Yu's forces.

After boarding the carriage waiting in front of the Grand Tutor's residence, the dim light inside the carriage seemed to swallow Yuan Ji in an instant.

Only the faint light passing through the carriage hit Yuan Ji's side profile.

Family, rise and fall, honor and disgrace, prosperity, decline, hope, discarded pawn...

Countless words that his uncle Yuan Kui had said to him echoed in Yuan Ji's mind.

And the scene of Yuan Shu's miserable death.

As the legitimate son of the Yuan family, Yuan Shu's death seemed so insignificant in the eyes of his uncle Yuan Kui.

Yuan Shu was stupid, but no matter how stupid he was, he was still the legitimate son of the Yuan family.

Although there were internal struggles for power and resources among the Yuan family's descendants, all of this was solved internally.

On Hangu Pass, Yuan Shu was cut into thousands of pieces and tortured to death by Duan Yu.

But until now, his uncle Yuan Kui hadn't even mentioned a word about it.

Who will be the next person to be sacrificed?

For a long time, since Duan Yu's rise, he had always been standing in opposition to Duan Yu.

Planning and running around.

But now the hope of the Yuan clan is to be placed on Yuan Shao, the son of a concubine.

If that day really comes, where should he go?

Become like Yuan Shu, a tool for Duan Yu to vent his anger?

"Uncle... is this what you said, that everything must be for the interests of the Yuan clan family first?"

"Anyone can be sacrificed?"

"But I am the future head of the Yuan clan, I am the legitimate son of the Yuan clan..."

The next morning, when the gates of Luoyangcheng opened, two teams of people went out of Luoyang in two directions.

After Yuan Ji's carriage left Luoyangcheng, it headed north toward Yanjin Ferry.

And the other team, with Cui Lie carrying Empress Dowager Dong's imperial decree, headed west.

Chang'an.

Late autumn had arrived, and the frost of the night condensed into dew under the morning sun, dripping from the increasingly yellowing leaves in the garden.

In Dong Yi's courtyard, Dong Yi, who had risen early, was helping Duan Yu put on his official robes with the assistance of two maids.

The well-tailored official robes worn on Duan Yu added even more nobility to him.

"Husband, there is something I want to tell you." Dong Yi said while helping Duan Yu tidy up his official robes: "Mu'er has been with Lady Ding for a while, and with Qing'er accompanying him, Mu'er doesn't even want to live with me, his mother, anymore."

Duan Yu looked at himself and Dong Yi in the bronze mirror, and roughly guessed what Dong Yi wanted to say.

Duan Yu, smiling, did not interrupt Dong Yi.

"Husband, Mu'er is almost four years old, and Qing'er is the same age as Mu'er. I think the two children are a very good match."

"Husband and Meng De are sworn friends through life and death. Now the Cao family members are also serving under Husband's command, and Husband has also adopted Meng De's son as a foster son, making the two families even closer. I want to have Mu'er and Qing'er engaged to bind the two families together, so that the Cao clan and the Xia Houyuan clan can feel more at ease serving under Husband's command."

Dong Yi's words did not exceed Duan Yu's expectations.

"Is it a bit too early to get engaged now?" Duan Yu said with a smile.

Dong Yi shook her head: "It's not early. I think that child Qing'er is very good, she must be a good match for Mu'er."

"Alright." Duan Yu did not object: "Since you think it's good, then it's good. Does Lady Ding agree too?"

Seeing Duan Yu nod in agreement, Dong Yi immediately smiled and leaned into Duan Yu's arms and said: "Sister Ding is naturally satisfied with our Mu'er."

Duan Yu tidied up the belt at his waist, then picked up the tablet used for court from the tray on the side. ===== CHAPTER 1352 =====