About Cao Cao's reincarnation as the emperor's uncle

Chapter 7: Unshackled by the Zhuolong Pond

Liu Fang was slightly surprised when he heard this.

He lowered his eyes to look at the shadows of the palace lanterns swaying in the water and was about to answer.

Suddenly, one hears Liu Hong's fingertips tapping on the stone railing. The clear sound mixed with the sound of koi fish wagging their tails creates ripples on the water.

"Is there something bothering you? Tell me about it."

Zhang Rang had already quietly retreated ten steps away.

The light and shadow of the glass lamp in his hand flowed across his face, but he always had that perfect smile on his face.

The time has come.

Liu Fang lowered his eyes and said in a deep voice:
"I don't know whether I should say this or not..."

Before he finished speaking, Liu Hong's fingertips brushed across Liu Fang's forehead.

With the coolness of the midnight wind and dew, it feels like the intimacy of childhood play.

"Should I tell you this? Even if I wanted the throne, I would give it to you."

The water's surface reflected the overlapping figures of the two people.

Liu Fang's heart was filled with ripples. He deliberately curled his lips and lowered his eyes slightly:

"Why do I want the throne? My brother is tired, but don't I feel tired too?"

The corners of his lips were slightly raised, and his tone was tinged with a hint of boyish mischief.

Liu Hong suddenly clapped his hands and laughed, pressing his shoulders hard with both hands:

"I still like you like this..."

"Like! Exactly the same as before, that's how it should be. Don't act so condescending in front of me."

The palm force came through the clothes, carrying with it an unmistakable warmth.

Liu Fang lowered his head slightly, letting Liu Hong hold his shoulders, and sighed softly:
"I can't help it, brother. There are so few moments of relaxation like tonight."

Liu Hong's smile faded slightly, and he tapped the stone railing with his fingertips:

"Tell me what's on your mind."

Liu Fang lowered his eyes, avoiding Liu Hong's burning gaze:

"Those dormant aristocratic families are still a major concern. There are also remnants of the Communist Party. Despite two purges, they are still secretly accumulating strength."

Liu Hong raised his eyebrows and smiled, then turned around and called out:

"Father, let's come closer and discuss this together."

Zhang Rang stepped forward quietly and responded:
"I should discuss the matter I discussed with Your Majesty yesterday with you in detail, Lord Ma."

Liu Fang's heart trembled.

When he returned to this world, the secret letter about "Cao Cao" on his desk was from Zhang Rang.

The plan against Cao Cao was also discussed mainly with Zhang Rang.

Now it seems that there have been new changes.

When Zhang Rang raised his eyes, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were filled with smiles:
"This time, it's all thanks to Lord Ma's planning..."

Seeing his smile deepened, his voice was as mellow as wine:
"The bigger the commotion Cao Cao makes, the easier it will be for us to exploit it, and the more weighty the evidence we'll have against his followers."

When he mentioned the word "Cao Cao", he raised his eyes slightly and happened to meet Liu Fang's eyes.

"If Jian Tu had died at the hands of Cao Cao, who came from a family of officials, he would have been useful but would have been limited. Now that everyone knows that he died at the hands of a member of an aristocratic family, he has more room to maneuver."

"The plan that would have taken two or three years to complete was not only completed ahead of schedule, but also leveraged the evidence from within the Yuan family..."

Zhang Rang lowered his voice very low, and the koi in the pond suddenly swung its tail, splashing water and wetting the toe of his shoes.

"It will temporarily keep the Yuan family busy, making it easier for us to act. This plan to cut off the wings of the aristocratic families may be accomplished within a year."

The fingertips in Liu Fang's sleeves trembled slightly.

Suddenly remembered.

During the reign of Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty, the first Party Imprisonment took place, and the case of Li Ying's party implicated the entire nation.

In the second year of Jianning reign of Emperor Ling, Dou Wu and Chen Fan were executed for the second time.

However, they did not know that in their previous life, three years later, the "Party Ban" would be revived.

It actually started with the incident where the Northern Commander of Luoyang was beaten to death by Jian Tu!

In other words, the former "Cao Cao" was the initiator of the third Party Persecution?

Liu Hong saw that his mind was wandering, and suddenly called out:
"Brother and father have already made their plan. What is your plan?"

Liu Fang straightened his clothes, bowed, and took a half step forward:
"I think we need to lure the snake out of its hole."

Zhang Rang stood by with his head bowed, his eyes shining with brilliance when he heard this.

Liu Hong leaned forward, the tassels of his jade crown swaying slightly:
"Elaborate!"

"In recent years, many leading scholars have passed away one after another. Guo Tai and Li Ying have become nothing more than dry bones."

When Liu Fang raised his eyes, he met the interest surging in Liu Hong's eyes.

"Although the scattering of scholars is in line with our wishes, they are now leaderless, each relying on a few major families. This is too scattered..."

"If we could find someone to bring them together again..."

Liu Hong showed an understanding, stroked his chin and said:

"Xu Shao? He's suitable in terms of family background and reputation, but he's too young and inexperienced to convince the public."

"Brother, what you said is not wrong, but how can we easily control such an old and respected person?"

Liu Fang paused, glanced at Liu Hong's expression, and continued:

"We need to find someone whose identity alone is enough to make him the leader, such as..."

At that moment, Zhang Rang's deep voice sounded from the side:
"The emperor's younger brother."

The four words were like a stone dropped into a pond, startling the frogs in the pond.

Liu Hong raised the corners of his lips slightly, and when he looked at Zhang Rang, there was a flash of sharpness in the eyes of both of them.

……

Liu Fang looked up.

Seeing Liu Hong's half-smile, he caught a glimpse of the meaningful curve at the corner of Zhang Rang's mouth.

The dew stained my clothes at night, and I suddenly felt cold all over my body.

"His Majesty!"

Liu Fang suddenly stood up.

The gravel beside me rolled into the pool, and the sound of "splash" broke the silence of the night, and thousands of ripples spread out.

"minister……"

The ripples in the pool spread, breaking the moon's shadow into millions of pieces.

Zhang Rang suddenly coughed lightly and took over the conversation:

"Master Ma, please be at ease. Your Majesty and I have been discussing this matter for over half a year..."

He took half a step forward, wrinkles clearly visible at the corners of his eyes.

"To eradicate this threat, we must lure it in and wait for it to fall into our trap. Only someone of your stature can achieve this."

Liu Hong waved his hand, the crown tassel swayed slightly, his eyes burning like torches:

"Father, please step back a little and let me and my brother talk in private."

After Zhang Rang retreated three steps, he slowly spoke:
"Brother, do you still remember that after the Dou family was executed, you wanted me to be an idle wanderer, but I said that the world was not yet settled, so how could I be idle?"

The night wind swept across the surface of the pond, making the glazed bells hanging on the four corners of the pavilion tinkle.

"Last year, my brother wanted to clear my name, but I said 'Ma Yuanyi' would be more convenient for me to do things."

He suddenly grasped Liu Fang's wrist, and the warmth of his palm came through his sleeve:

"But there may be tens of millions of Ma Yuanyi in this world, but I only have one brother, Liu Fang."

The night wind swept across the surface of the pond, and Liu Fang was suddenly stunned.

Liu Hong loosened his hand and took out a roll of yellow silk from his sleeve.

When the yellow silk was unfolded, the words "Hongdi...Wang Liufang" written in red ink came into view, and the blank space in the middle was clearly visible.

"Brother, you know what I'm afraid of..."

"Afraid of repeating Liang Ji's mistakes? Afraid of becoming another Dou Wu?"

Liu Hong held his shoulders and suddenly chuckled:
"But don't forget, my brother, we are brothers and sisters."

After saying that, Liu Hong stuffed the yellow silk into Liu Fang's hands:

"The decree has been drafted, and the title is up to you to choose."

He looked at the red brush on the yellow silk and suddenly remembered his previous life as the King of Wei.

On the day of receiving the Nine Gifts Ceremony, it was also bright yellow satin, embroidered with the same coiled dragon pattern.

And the emperor was also so generous and happy.

But... all I hope for is for him to die sooner.

The koi in the pond suddenly swung its tail, shattering the starlight in the pond.

Liu Fang fell to his knees, his knees pressing on the blue bricks, and a chill ran straight to his heart.

"Thank you... Your Majesty for your grace."

"Alright! Tomorrow, have Mr. Zhang draft an edict and announce it to the world—"

"No!"

Two voices sounded at the same time.

One came from Liu Fang.

The other one is Zhang Rang?
……

The night dew soaked his clothes, and the lotus petals in the pond, bathed in moonlight, looked like broken jade floating on the blue waves. Liu Fang looked up in astonishment and saw that Liu Hong also had a look of surprise in his eyes.

Zhang Rang silently stepped back half a step, signaling Liu Fang to speak first. The smile in the corner of his eyes was as deep as an ancient pond, difficult to discern.

Liu Fang temporarily put aside his confusion about Zhang Rang's move and pondered Liu Hong's intention for a moment.

His brother is a little too impatient...

If an imperial edict is issued from the Golden Palace tomorrow, he, the chess piece hidden in the dark, will be suddenly pushed to the front.

It is like putting a candle in a wind hole. It seems to be glorious, but in fact it is difficult to move forward.

……

The breeze blew across my face, bringing the fragrance of lotus flowers into my arms, but it couldn't dispel the chill in my heart.

He faked his death and escaped from the world in the past.

He disguised himself as a eunuch to plan for the palace, and dressed up as a Taoist priest to travel around the prefectures and counties, weaving thousands of secret networks.

Those generals hiding in the prefectures and counties, those spies hiding in the government offices...

If my identity is exposed and the powerful families can track me down, wouldn’t all my efforts be wasted?
How should the heroes in the opposition and the secret agents in the government treat him?

Who could not be suspicious of those who interacted with him as "Ma Yuanyi"?
If he makes any unusual movement, he will be setting himself on fire.

Worse still, the grand plan will fail.

The aristocratic families will certainly accuse him of "plotting treason and disrupting the country."

By then, you will be criticized by thousands of people and condemned in history.

The crime must be three times more serious than the "Han traitor" in the previous life.

Even if you have a hundred mouths, it is difficult to argue with a single word.

What if it works?

The day of success.

The running dog is cooked and the good bow is hidden.

That was the time of his death.

Despite their brotherly love, they could not escape the emperor's power.

He is acting, and so is Liu Hong.
……

The night wind gradually rose, making the gauze curtains around the water pavilion rustle.

Liu Hong's crown tassel trembled slightly, and a hint of frost settled between his brows.

"Why? Do you think the fief is too little? Tomorrow I will add another 5,000 households and grant you another..."

Liu Fang raised his eyes and saw a slight ripple in Liu Hong's eyes, knowing that his mind was moved.

"No, why would I seek honor and position for my clan members?"

"If I were to appear in the world as the emperor's younger brother, it would be like placing a jade disk in the market court; it would inevitably attract a pack of wolves."

Liu Fang straightened his clothes and bowed:

"However, the Taiping Dao movement now involves eight states and its influence is growing. I am afraid it will become a target of public criticism."

"I want to make another hidden move, originally driven by my brother, but if I suddenly enter the court..."

"The aristocratic families have eyes and ears all over the world. If they know that I am the emperor's brother, they will surely be suspicious and attack me, which will only damage the emperor's virtue."

Liu Hong tapped the stone railing with his fingertips, and the tassels of his jade crown trembled:
"My brother's consideration of this matter shows his deep consideration."

The night wind blew with the fragrance of lotus, and Liu Hong smiled with relief:
"Brother, don't you know that a tall tree attracts the wind? It's just that I can't bear to see you wandering for so many years."

Zhang Rang stepped forward at the right moment, his beard and eyebrows all green in the reflection of the glass lamp:

"Lord Ma is a man of foresight, and Your Majesty loves your brother deeply. However, the ancestral temple and the country are of paramount importance, so the rectification of the name should be taken slowly."

Liu Fang glanced at Zhang Rang and saw a glint in his eyes, knowing that there was something fishy in his words.

Then he bowed and said:

"Father, you are absolutely right. I know your sincere heart, but the matter of making me king will be discussed later."

Liu Hongmian's beads jingled as he leaned forward and asked:
"In this case, what identity do you want to take in the world?"

Liu Fang looked at the moon in the pond and suddenly remembered the time when he was drinking green plum wine:

"I would like to claim the title of descendant of King Jing of Zhongshan."

"Prince Jing of Zhongshan?"

Liu Hong raised his eyebrows in surprise:

"Liu Sheng, son of Emperor Jing?"

"Exactly."

Liu Fang nodded and continued:

"Prince Jing of Zhongshan had 120 sons, whose branches spread far and wide. It is difficult to examine their descendants in detail, so this name can help avoid the spotlight."

While Liu Hong was lost in thought, Zhang Rang suddenly coughed lightly:
"The lineage of Prince Jing of Zhongshan is ultimately a side branch—"

Before Zhang Rang could finish his words, Liu Hong swung his long sleeves violently on the stone railing.

"The descendants of the side branch are absolutely undesirable!"

He suddenly realized his impropriety and lowered his voice slightly:
"A branch of the family is of little reputation and power, how can it possibly win over the scholars of the world? Even if it has a thousand advantages, it will ultimately fall behind."

Liu Fang's expression was calm, with a slight ripple in his eyes.

Zhang Rang's deliberate reminder must have a deeper meaning behind his words.

But he couldn't figure out the reason for a moment.

He lowered his head in thought, and suddenly remembered the lineage of Liu Yu, King Gong of Lu.

His descendants Liu Yan and Liu Biao were both heroes of the time, and they controlled Yizhou and Jingzhou respectively.

In the previous life, if these two had not died, the fate of the world would be unpredictable.

If this name is used, it may be possible to form a horn with these two people in the future.

Thinking of this, he bowed and said:

"What happened after King Gong of Lu?"

After Liu Hong heard this, the tassels of his crown swayed slightly, and the tassels of his jade crown brushed past his eyes:

"Prince Gong of Lu is the son of Emperor Jing, but he is ultimately a side branch."

He paused, his gaze falling on the Panlong Pillar of the Chixin Pavilion:
"In my opinion, it is better to use the name of the Hejian King's descendant. The orthodox clan has a clear bloodline, and everything is suitable."

"Brother, not to mention that the identity of the heir to the Hejian King would arouse the suspicion of the aristocratic families..."

Liu Fang frowned slightly:

"The kings of Hejian are all powerful. If I suddenly claim to be their descendant, I will inevitably arouse their suspicion."

Liu Hong pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled and said:
"No matter what identity I assume, I will arouse suspicion."

"As for the kings..."

"That's all right! As long as we have Liu Li, the Prince of Hejian, Liu Xu, the Prince of Anping, Liu Kui, the Prince of Bohai, and Liu Shuo, the Prince of Pingyuan, as guarantors, there's no need to worry about whether the name is legitimate or not."

Suddenly, there was a loud "splash" in the pond, and a golden-scaled koi jumped out of the water, its tail fin shattering the moonlight in the pond.

When Liu Fang heard about this, he took advantage of Liu Hong admiring the carp by the pond and pondered in his heart.

Liu Li was the Prince of Hejian. He had met him several times in the marquis's mansion when he was young, but he had never met the other two, Liu Xu, the Prince of Anping, and Liu Shuo, the Prince of Pingyuan.

Only the name of Liu Kui, King of Bohai, is like a stone thrown into a cold pond, causing a thousand ripples.

This man died in prison last year, and everyone in the world knows about it.

Who is King Liu Kui of Bohai?
He was the younger brother of Emperor Heng Liu Zhi. Rumors said that he was cruel and oppressed the people in his hometown.

When Emperor Heng was in power, he had the intention of rebellion.

However, Emperor Heng, thinking of their shared mother, softened his heart and did not pursue the matter too much.

When Liu Hong ascended the throne, rumors spread among the people that he was angry about the throne falling into someone else's hands and even wanted to snatch the imperial edict to welcome him.

The year before last, the plot of rebellion by Liu Kui, the King of Bohai, was exposed. He was framed by Wang Fu and thrown into prison and tortured.

Last year, Liu Kui died in prison due to torture. His wife and more than a hundred children also died in prison. This is known to the world.

Wang Fu had always been at odds with him, and after personally examining the body, he concluded that there was no way he could have survived.

However, Liu Hong's mention of this person was definitely not a slip of the tongue, there must be something fishy going on.

The night wind blew across the corridor pillars, bringing with it the clear sound of copper bells.

Zhang Rang suddenly covered his mouth with his sleeve, his voice like a trickle of water soaking through stone:

"Your Majesty, King Bohai has died in prison..."

Meeting Liu Hong's suddenly cold gaze, she lowered her head and kept silent, gently shaking the glass lamp in her hand.

Liu Hong's expression froze slightly, but then returned to normal. He raised his hand and flicked the crown tassel:
"I've been so busy lately that I forgot about this."

He looked at the gradually calming water in the pool, a faint smile on his face:
"No problem, Liu Li, Liu Xu, and Liu Shuo are enough."

Liu Fang muttered tentatively:

"The King of Bohai..."

"Don't take it too seriously, brother. I just mentioned it casually."

Liu Hong flicked his sleeves, and his expression was completely expressionless.

"Tomorrow, have the Zongzheng Temple compile a jade book and record your brother as a descendant of the Hejian King, Liu Fang, with the courtesy name Yuanyi. How do you do that?"

Liu Fang bowed deeply to the ground, his wide sleeves brushing against the blue bricks.

"Everything is up to your majesty to decide."

Liu Hong raised his hand to support her, with a bitter look on his face:
"Still acting so respectful, get up—"

(End of this chapter)