My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 212 Encountering the Emperor in Hedong

Zhang Chao had just escaped with his life, while Jian Yong was now facing the second greatest opportunity in his life, second only to meeting Liu Bei.

He unexpectedly encountered the current emperor on the banks of the Yellow River.

However, the emperor was in a rather disheveled state at this time, with only Empress Fu, Consort Song, two palace maids named Guo and Zhao, and several dozen people including Grand Commandant Yang Biao, Imperial Clan Minister Liu Ai, and General Dong Cheng of the Imperial Guard.

Jian Yong was unaware at first, but when he heard someone shout that this was the emperor's carriage, he was startled to realize it.

Under Chen Dao's protection, Jian Yong personally led fifty armored soldiers forward and, guided by General Dong Cheng, was able to pay homage to the emperor.

After confirming that the young man before him was indeed the current emperor, Jian Yong suppressed his inner elation, respectfully paid homage to the emperor, and presented gifts.

When they learned that Jian Yong was actually an envoy sent by Liu Bei, the governor of Xuzhou, from Xuzhou, who had traveled a long distance to Guanzhong to meet the emperor.

Everyone present burst into tears, and even the emperor was moved to tears.

Grand Commandant Yang Biao immediately bowed deeply to the Emperor and congratulated him, saying, "Congratulations, Your Majesty! The world today is not all filled with treacherous officials and villains. There are also loyal ministers like Liu Bei. The Han Dynasty has hope, and the world is within reach."

It can only be said that Jian Yong's arrival was extremely coincidental.

Emperor Xian's journey back east was fraught with difficulties and dangers. Even within his own team, infighting raged, with conflicts reaching a point of life and death.

With internal conflicts and pursuers on the outside, how could they possibly fight a war?

When the imperial carriage returned east, it encountered a major defeat in Caoyang County, resulting in the deaths of more than ten high-ranking officials of the central government with salaries of two thousand shi or above. As a result, Emperor Xian of Han was forced to risk crossing the Yellow River.

The group was both frightened and terrified, and they were starving when they encountered Jian Yong, a loyal minister who had traveled a great distance to pay homage to the emperor. How could the emperor and his loyal ministers not be moved to tears of gratitude?

Jian Yong may have been slightly less politically capable, but his emotional intelligence and social skills were top-notch.

He immediately ordered Chen Dao to stop the convoy, set up tents, and let the emperor and many important officials take shelter from the cold inside. At the same time, he sent people to gather firewood, start fires, boil water, and cook.

At the same time, he ordered two hundred soldiers to immediately don armor and prepare for defense in case they encountered the enemy.

Under Jian Yong's direction, the camp was quickly set up, and the emperor and his entourage finally had a place to shelter from the wind and cold. They were quite satisfied with Jian Yong's quick thinking. This satisfaction reached its peak when Jian Yong served them sweet water.

"What is Mr. Jian's current position? Does he hold any official title or honor?"

In the Eastern Han Dynasty, the titles and honors were not the same as those obtained through the imperial examinations. They referred to those who were filial and incorruptible or outstanding talents, but the general meaning was the same: having a title or honor was always a sign of high regard, even a hundredfold.

The person asking the question was Zhong Ji, a court attendant.

This person is quite capable, but it's difficult to distinguish between loyalty and treachery.

After Dong Zhuo moved the capital to Chang'an, he became the public enemy of scholars all over the world, who wished they could eat his flesh raw and sleep on his skin.

Xun You once plotted to assassinate Dong Zhuo, and Zhong Ji was among those who participated.

At that time, in addition to Xun You and Zhong Ji, there were also Zheng Tai, the Imperial Secretary; He Yong, the Chief Clerk; and Wu Qiong, the Commandant of the Yue Cavalry. Zhong Ji was then a Chamberlain, while Xun You was a Gentleman Attendant at the Palace Gate. Judging from their positions, they were almost all talents who would become the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers in the future, which was equivalent to being a reserve of officials with a salary of two thousand piculs.

Their conspiracy was actually synchronized with Wang Yun's conspiracy, but neither side knew about the other's plan.

The outcome was quite interesting, as the plan was leaked before it could be accomplished, and the fates of these individuals were quite different.

Xun You and He Yong were both imprisoned and questioned. He Yong couldn't withstand the pressure and committed suicide. If he hadn't committed suicide, he would have lived until after Dong Zhuo's death and been released from prison as a hero, just like Xun You.

Zheng Tai fled Chang'an and headed southeast to join Yuan Shu, who was then in Luyang. He was immediately appointed governor of Yangzhou by Yuan Shu, but died of illness on his way to take office.

Wu Qiong, the Commandant of the Yue Cavalry, was killed along with Zhou Bi by Dong Zhuo, who had become suspicious of him, when they tried to dissuade Dong Zhuo from moving the capital to Chang'an.

Only Xun You and Zhong Ji truly survived, and although Xun You was resourceful, he was actually lucky to escape death.

Only Zhong Ji disappeared without a trace after the incident, but reappeared after Dong Zhuo's death and became a confidant of Dong Zhuo's former subordinates Dong Cheng, Yang Ding, and Yang Feng.

This inevitably makes one wonder if he was the one who was concealed by Dong Chengren and others back then.

Although Zhong Ji was dressed in rags and his hair was disheveled, he still looked quite pathetic.

Jian Yong, however, dared not show the slightest disrespect and respectfully replied, "Reporting to Your Excellency, I have no official rank or title. I am currently serving as an aide under Lord Liu."

Zhong Ji smiled and nodded in a friendly manner, praising, "The emperor said to Ba, 'All those who followed me in Yingchuan have left, but you alone remain. This proves that a strong wind reveals the strength of the grass.'"

"Now that Prefect Liu has traveled a great distance to pay homage, and Attendant Jian has braved hardships and dangers to fulfill his duty to the state, it is evident that our Great Han still has loyal ministers. I congratulate the Emperor!"

Upon hearing Zhong Ji's words, the emperor's complexion, which had just finished drinking the sweet soup, became much rosier.

Although Jian Yong seemed to lack manners, the emperor liked him very much, feeling that Jian Yong was genuine and did not know how to avoid flattery.

Next, Jian Yong brought out the gift list and presented it. Liu Bei had spared no expense for this trip.

Among them were one stone of sugar, five stones of salt, ten bushels of fur, silk, and pearls, ten ginseng roots, one hundred catties of paraffin wax, and twenty cartloads of various precious tributes.

Such a generous gift list would move even the emperor.

You should know that the young emperor has been terribly bullied by Li Jue and Guo Si in Guanzhong all these years.

Even if Liu Biao had paid tribute, the benefits had already been taken by Li Jue, Guo Si and others. Moreover, as the two became more and more arrogant and rampant, they even dared to openly embezzle the court's property.

In the beginning, Liu Xie was at least able to open granaries to provide relief to the people.

But once Li Jue and Guo Si turned against each other and began attacking one another, Liu Xie could no longer even guarantee his own safety.

For more than a year, Liu Xie didn't know how he got through it. The young emperor was naturally intelligent and had a gentle but firm personality. During the day, he could put on a brave face, but at night, he would cry so much that he would soak his pillow.

After Jian Yong finished reading the gift list, he respectfully handed it to a palace servant and then presented it to Liu Xie. At that moment, an elderly man with white hair and a dignified demeanor winked at a middle-aged official opposite him.

The old man who gave this wink was none other than Yang Biao, the Grand Commandant, the head of the direct line of the Hongnong Yang clan, a member of the Ji family of the Han dynasty, who had served as a high-ranking official for three generations and was one of the three highest officials in the current dynasty.

The middle-aged official opposite him was Feng Shuo, the Minister of the Imperial Court.

During the Eastern Han Dynasty, the position of Shangshu (尚书) was extremely prestigious, almost equivalent to that of a prime minister.

Feng Shuo politely inquired about Jian Yong's situation in Xuzhou.

Jian Yong was secretly delighted and quickly replied.

Liu Bei entered Xuzhou at the end of last year. Due to Cao Cao's massacre, Xuzhou was filled with starving corpses and ruins.

Liu Bei practiced frugality and resourcefulness, diligently working to restore the local economy, encouraging agriculture and sericulture, and educating the people. His achievements include suppressing rebellious officials, repelling Yuan Shu's invasion, and protecting the governors of Yangzhou and Yuzhou.

In particular, the defeat of Yuan Shu pleased the current emperor greatly, and he increasingly felt that Liu Bei was a loyal subject.

There was no way around it; Yuan Shu was, in effect, the leader of the rebels in the eyes of the current emperor and the central court. The emperor's hatred for Yuan Shu was no less than that for Li Jue and Guo Si.

If Emperor Xian of Han were to choose the three people he hated most, even a public enemy like Dong Zhuo wouldn't make the list. The only difference would be who would be number one among Li Jue, Guo Si, and Yuan Shu.

I heard that Liu Bei not only repelled Yuan Shu's invasion, but also protected the governor of Yangzhou appointed by the court.

Emperor Liu Xie praised him with delight, saying, "I never expected that there would be such a talented person as Minister Liu among the imperial clan. Minister Liu will need to work harder in the future. The Han dynasty needs important ministers like Minister Liu to maintain stability."

Jian Yong naturally kowtowed to the emperor on behalf of Liu Bei, and expressed Liu Bei's and the people of Xuzhou's loyalty and respect.

Yang Biao then realized that the emperor was looking at him and suddenly understood.

This young emperor of ours has been exceptionally intelligent since childhood. If it were a peaceful time, he might very well be a wise and capable ruler. It's just a pity that the world is now in chaos.

Yang Biao said, "The Emperor and we are well aware of Lord Liu's loyalty and ability. There is a matter that requires Lord Liu's assistance."

Upon hearing this, Jian Yong's heart skipped a beat, but he could not show any hesitation on the surface. He immediately stated, "Before coming from the west, my lord had already instructed his subjects that whatever the emperor commanded, my lord would obey without question."

"good!"

"Great!"

The first "good deed" was said by Yang Biao, while the second "great good deed" was uttered by the emperor in a moment of excitement.

Yang Biao glanced at the Emperor and then made his request: "The Emperor is now returning east, with the rebels of Xiliang relentlessly pursuing him. He urgently needs loyal ministers to protect him. Moreover, when he returns to the capital, Henan will be in turmoil, and the Emperor will need soldiers to protect him. I wonder if Governor Liu can send troops to escort the Emperor's carriage back to Luoyang?"

Yang Biao had just silently calculated in his mind that, based on what Jian Yong had said, Liu Bei had at least 40,000 soldiers in Xuzhou, of which at least half were brave and elite warriors.

If Liu Bei were willing to spare 5,000 elite troops, plus 5,000 auxiliary soldiers, with these 10,000 troops in command, along with the troops of generals such as Yang Ding, Dong Cheng, Yang Feng, and Li Le, it would be enough to resist the pursuing Xiliang troops.

Moreover, Yang Biao was no ordinary pedant. His good family background was an important reason for his official position, but that doesn't mean he lacked talent. In fact, Yang Biao was quite capable, even though Xuzhou seemed to be far away on the coast of the East China Sea, thousands of miles away from Hedong.

In reality, if troops were to be dispatched from Tancheng and marched by water, they could reach Hedong within a month, provided there were no obstacles along the way.

Because the waterways were so easily accessible.

Based on Yang Biao's experience, the emperor's carriages, horses, and men are all damaged and scattered. If he doesn't recuperate in Hedong for a period of time, he probably won't even be able to gather his scattered followers.

As long as Liu Bei is willing to send troops, there will definitely be enough time.

Judging from Jian Yong's itinerary, Liu Bei was indeed a model of loyalty to the emperor. Otherwise, it would be inexplicable that he had only been in charge of Xuzhou for less than a year, with many things in need of being done, refugees inside and enemies outside, yet he managed to gather so much stuff to rush to see the emperor.

If this isn't loyalty, then what is?!
Now that they acknowledged Liu Bei's loyalty to the emperor, both the emperor and Yang Biao and others hoped that Liu Bei would quickly send troops westward to welcome them.

Jian Yong did not hesitate and immediately replied, "If it is the Emperor's will, your humble servant will not refuse and will certainly convey the decree back to the Governor."

Whether or not to provide aid will ultimately be up to Liu Bei to decide upon their return.

But Jian Yong couldn't afford to hesitate or waver at this moment, otherwise he would be ruining his reputation as a loyal minister.

As expected, Jian Yong's prompt acceptance pleased the emperor and Yang Biao greatly.

At this moment, Chen Dao brought in hot food from outside the tent.

With the emperor's permission, Jian Yong had food brought into the main tent.

The Emperor, Yang Biao, and the others were already starving, but even so, the Emperor still asked first, "Has the Empress eaten? Have the officials and soldiers who are attending to her had a meal?"

Jian Yong sighed inwardly. This emperor didn't seem like a bad person at all; he seemed to have a kind heart.

It's just bad luck that I encountered this kind of world.

"Your Majesty, the food and supplies have been distributed."

Jian Yong said this, but the food offered to the emperor and the three dukes and nine ministers was obviously not the same as the food eaten by the people below.

But the emperor was unaware of this and happily began to eat.

They found only three or four dishes on the road, and even the emperor's plate contained only a piece of dried meat, a salted fish, some white cabbage, and two pieces of frosting sugar.

The emperor was so hungry that he devoured all the food and still seemed somewhat unsatisfied.

Jian Yong was astonished. He had prepared an excessive amount of food for the emperor, enough to fill a large man to the brim, but he hadn't expected that it still wasn't enough.

Jian Yong hurriedly tried to add more food to the emperor's plate, but the emperor stopped him.

"No need, I'm full."

Liu Xie licked his lips and indicated that he was full.

Jian Yong couldn't understand why the young emperor was being hypocritical. He was clearly not full, but he insisted on saying he was. However, given his emotional intelligence, he certainly wouldn't expose the other party.

Liu Xie suddenly asked, "Minister Jian, is this frosting sugar truly as white and translucent as frost and snow? Is it also a specialty of Xuzhou? Why have I never seen it in the palace before?"

Liu Xie was once very wealthy. When his father, Emperor Ling, was alive, the Han Dynasty was on the verge of collapse, but it was still a unified dynasty. Every year, various prefectures and counties would send tributes of delicacies to the palace.

This frosting is so delicious and looks so appealing, yet Liu Xie has no memory of it at all, so he couldn't help but ask about it out of curiosity.

Jian Yong replied, "This item was made by the eldest son of the governor. It was just completed this year and was never sent to the palace in previous years."

"It is so."

Liu Xie was somewhat surprised. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, Confucianism was highly regarded. Although scholars had a wide range of interests, it was surprising that the son of a regional governor would go and study food. This seemed like a waste of time and a sign of laziness.

Liu Xie wanted to ask something more, but suddenly saw Yang Biao give him a wink. So he deliberately yawned and said, "Traveling all night, I am truly exhausted."

Upon seeing this, Jian Yong immediately took his leave, requesting that the emperor rest in his tent before proceeding to the nearest county.

Meanwhile, all the other officials took their leave, but Yang Biao was kept behind by the emperor.

After Jian Yong and many other ministers left, Liu Xie was indeed sleepy.

After a chaotic night, I was already exhausted. Now that I was full and in the warm tent, my curiosity had just kept me going, but now that curiosity was gone, sleepiness immediately washed over me.

Despite his drowsiness, Liu Xie asked Yang Biao, "Grand Commandant, you just gave me a meaningful look. Is there something important you need me for?"

"I do have important matters to report to Your Majesty."

Yang Biao put down his plate, straightened up, and bowed to the emperor, saying, "The Liangzhou bandits are now relentlessly pursuing you, forcing Your Majesty into a state of treason. Generals Dong Cheng and Yang Ding have suffered repeated defeats, their armies have collapsed and scattered, and they are no longer reliable."

Liu Xie, who was just sleepy and his eyelids were drooping, was no longer sleepy. He clenched his fists in his wide sleeves, his nails digging deeply into his palms.

Li Jue and Guo Si would definitely rank among the top three on Liu Xie's list of most hated people.

These two are the epitome of being both stupid and wicked. They practically stripped the Han emperor bare, trampled on his dignity, and even threatened his life.

The emperor gritted his teeth in hatred, but helplessly said, "The Grand Commandant is right, but now I only have a few dozen officials and concubines left by my side. What should I do?"

Yang Biao said, "It is precisely because the emperor has no help by his side that we need to summon loyal people to protect him as soon as possible."

The emperor suddenly realized: "Grand Commandant, are you referring to Liu Bei?"

"Exactly!"

Yang Biao continued, "Although the journey from Xuzhou to Hedong is long, the waterways are open. It will take at least three months, and as little as two months, for the Xuzhou army to reach Hedong."

"The Grand Commandant is absolutely right!"

Emperor Liu Xie was immediately invigorated. In his view, Liu Bei's current performance was indeed quite loyal and cautious. There was really no other governor as obedient as Liu Bei.

Even Liu Biao, Cao Cao, and Tao Qian, who had all paid tribute to the central government, secretly maintained close relationships with Li Jue and Guo Si. Ultimately, they rose to the positions of governor and general thanks to these two traitors.

However, Liu Bei was loyal only to the emperor and did not associate with the two traitors, Li Jue and Guo Si, which made Emperor Liu Xie particularly satisfied.

Liu Xie could tell that Yang Biao had a plan, so he took the initiative to ask, "What are the Grand Commandant's thoughts?"

Yang Biao replied, "I am considering whether we could bestow a general title upon Liu Bei to demonstrate his loyalty and obedience, and to urge him to send troops westward as soon as possible. Moreover, the Henan province is currently a barren wasteland. After Your Majesty returns to the capital, let alone palaces and buildings, you will likely lack even a place to stay. At that time, a large amount of money, grain, and labor will be needed to repair the capital, and Liu Bei's assistance will be required."

By this point in Yang Biao's explanation, Emperor Liu Xie had fully understood.

After careful consideration, the Emperor found Yang Biao's words to be very reasonable, so he nodded and continued to ask, "The Grand Commandant's words are wise and experienced. We may bestow upon him the title of General Jianzhong. What do you think, Minister Yang?"

In the Eastern Han Dynasty, the title of general naturally started with the Grand General, who ranked above the Three Dukes, and all officials below the rank of Minister were subject to his title.

Secondly, there were the three generals: the General of the Flying Cavalry, the General of the Chariots and Cavalry, and the General of the Guards, whose ranks were comparable to the Three Dukes.

These four general titles belong to the top three, each with the power to establish its own government, making them top-tier general titles.

The next level is the heavy-ranking general, consisting of four generals: front, back, left, and right, known as the Four Directions Generals.

During the Eastern Han Dynasty, the four generals were truly of equal rank, with no distinction in order of seniority, but the title of Left General was quite special.

The first Left General during the late Han Dynasty was the famous Yuan Shu, also known as the Honey Water Emperor.

The second Left General was still Lü Bu, a filial son renowned throughout the land.

The third Left General, whose reputation was even more illustrious, was Emperor Zhaolie, Liu Bei.

At this point, the title of General of the Left could practically be renamed Cao Cao's mortal enemy; any warlord holding this position was Cao Cao's irreconcilable foe.

Below the four generals, there are all generals with miscellaneous titles.

This miscellaneous name actually means more unconventional or unusual.

Important generals are permanent generals, while generals with miscellaneous titles are non-permanent generals.

It is currently the second year of Zhongping (195 AD), and the title of general with miscellaneous titles is still very prestigious, unlike the Jian'an period when generals were everywhere, especially after the tenth year of Jian'an.

(End of this chapter)