My name is Huang Tian, ​​what the hell is this "Heaven is dead" nonsense?

Chapter 27 Emperor Xiao, Liu Hong

However, these troops were far inferior to the Five Schools of the Northern Army and the cavalry of Sanhe.

Deng Sheng didn't say it aloud, but everyone understood.

Liu Yan spoke up at the opportune moment: "The Eight Passes are treacherous, and Luoyang is also a city with high walls and thick walls, easy to defend and difficult to attack. Even if the soldiers are not elite enough, there should still be no problem in defending the city."

In fact, Luoyang was not easy to defend. As early as when the Western Han Dynasty was choosing its capital, Zhang Liang had said:

"Although Luoyang has this strategic advantage, it is small, only a few hundred miles in size, with poor soil and surrounded by enemies on all sides. This is not a country suitable for military operations..."

The strategic advantage of Luoyang lies not in Luoyang itself, but in the strategic passes of Hulao Pass, Huanyuan Pass, Hangu Pass, Longmen Pass, and Mengjin Pass. If these passes are secured, Luoyang will be as secure as Mount Tai; if they are lost, Luoyang will be as precarious as a pile of eggs.

In other words, if the Yellow Turbans of Jizhou captured Mengjin and other passes, Luoyang would almost certainly fall.

However, there was no need to say these things to Liu Hong, lest he become fearful and overthink things.

Sure enough, upon hearing Liu Yan's words, Liu Hong felt much more at ease. He instructed Deng Sheng, He Jin, Zhang Wen, and others to continue discussing the matter of transferring troops from various prefectures to Luoyang, and then summoned Liu Yan to a side hall.

"What brings Your Majesty to summon me?"

Liu Yan was puzzled. He was a Zongzheng (a high-ranking official in charge of the imperial clan), but he was not in charge of mobilizing troops and had no troops under his command. Why did the emperor summon him alone?
But Liu Hong lowered his voice and said, "Uncle, you are the Imperial Clan Minister of the dynasty. Do you know anything about the legends of Emperor Taizu Gao?"

Liu Yan was taken aback. "Emperor Taizu Gao?"

"Isn't it the legendary Emperor Gaozu who was the reincarnation of the Red Emperor's son?" Liu Hong asked anxiously. "Now that there is a false god named Huang Taiyi descending to earth, is it possible that Emperor Gaozu will descend to earth again? Or perhaps he will send a celestial being to save our Han Dynasty?"

Liu Yan was dumbfounded. "Your Majesty, this...this...the so-called reincarnation of the Red Emperor's son is just a fabricated tale of gods and ghosts, not the truth."

The stories of the Red Emperor's son and the slaying of the white snake were merely meant to add to Liu Bang's mystique, making it easier for him to deceive and rule over the people.

Anyone who has read a few books would not believe such nonsense. How come you, the emperor, are asking me about this?

Liu Yan was speechless, unsure how to describe the absurdity he felt.

Liu Hong frowned and then asked, "What about Emperor Shizu? It is said that he summoned a meteorite and defeated the enemy army. Wasn't he a reincarnation of a god?"

Liu Yan said with a blank face, "Your Majesty, do not harbor any delusions. There have never been any immortals, gods, ghosts, or monsters in this world."

Liu Hong stared wide-eyed. "What did the Yellow God who protected the moth thieves say? Cao Cao and Dong Zhuo fled back to Luoyang and claimed that Huang Taiyi, a false god, scatters beans to create soldiers and summons fifteen earth giants to rampage through our army, which is how we were defeated. Otherwise, the outcome would have been uncertain."

Liu Yan remained silent.

Yes, if there are no gods or immortals in the world, then what is the Yellow Heaven God?

Liu Yan had personally witnessed the fear and lingering apprehension on the faces of Cao Cao and Dong Zhuo; such expressions could not be faked.

If the Yellow Heaven God is real, then Emperor Taizu and Emperor Shizu might also be reincarnations of deities.

Liu Yan also began to have doubts, "Could Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Shizu also be immortals and gods?"

Liu Hong looked at him expectantly. Liu Yan thought it over and over again, and finally shook his head: "I really don't know if our ancestors are gods. Your Majesty, you ask me, and I dare not speak presumptuously."

Liu Hong sighed, "Fine, since my uncle doesn't know, I'll leave it at that. I will personally go to the ancestral temple to offer sacrifices to our ancestors and pray for their protection." Liu Yan nodded, "That's how it should be."

Even if Emperor Taizu and Emperor Shizu were not deities, it was still the proper thing for the emperor to offer sacrifices and prayers when the dynasty faced great calamities.

After Liu Yan withdrew, Liu Hong waved his hand, and a pale-faced, beardless eunuch walked in with a fawning smile.

"Father, is that thing ready?"

It is quite surprising that Liu Hong addressed a eunuch as "Father," but it would not be so strange if one knew that the man's name was Zhang Rang.

“Zhang Changshi is my father, and Zhao Changshi is my mother,” this was a phrase that Liu Hong often said to his favorite ministers.

Zhang Rang looked around and, like a thief, pulled a small wooden puppet from his sleeve. It had the four characters "Zhonghuang Taiyi" written on it, and he also wrote the first day of the legendary Yellow Heaven God's descent into the mortal world as his birth date. He then stuck sharp silver needles all over the puppet's body.

If the ministers of the outer court were to see this wooden puppet, they would probably change color immediately, because they are too familiar with it and too infamous.

Cursed witchcraft!

The evil arts that brought immense suffering to the Han Dynasty.

During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, Empress Chen Ajiao fell out of favor and made small dolls to curse Wei Zifu. When Emperor Wu discovered this, he deposed her. "More than 300 people, including the sorceress Chu Fu and palace women, were implicated and executed."

This was still a minor incident with limited impact. What truly terrified the people was the witchcraft calamity that occurred in November of the first year of the Zhenghe era.

The witchcraft saga lasted for several years, implicating and killing the Crown Prince, the Empress, the two Chancellors Gongsun He and Liu Quli, the two Princesses Zhuyi and Yangshi, and the three imperial grandsons. It also involved many high-ranking officials and important figures, with tens of thousands of deaths!
This great calamity caused the people to tremble at the mere mention of witchcraft and sorcery. And yet, today, in the heart of the world, in the Luoyang Imperial Palace, wooden puppets have once again appeared.

Zhang Rang carefully handed the wooden puppet to Liu Hong: "Your Majesty, it has been made. However, in order to cast the spell, this object must be buried in or near the residence of the person being cursed in order to capture their soul. But that false god is far away in Jizhou. How can we curse him?"

Liu Hong was also a little worried. He paced around the hall with the wooden puppet in his hand, when suddenly an idea came to him: "I just happen to be going to the ancestral temple to worship my ancestors, so I will take this with me and ask the Emperor Gao to use it to curse the false god to death from afar!"

Zhang Rang was startled by the emperor's sudden idea and said repeatedly, "The ancestral temple is a sacred place. How can we bring unclean things in?"

Using a witchcraft doll to worship ancestors is far too "filial." If it were discovered, Liu Hong might not necessarily do anything, but his father, the emperor, would definitely die!
Even the emperor couldn't protect him!
Liu Hong waved his hand, "Hey, don't panic, I will be careful and not let anyone find out."

Zhang Rang wanted to persuade him further, but Liu Hong stopped him with a stern look.

Immediately afterwards, Liu Hong, accompanied by the puppet, traveled lightly to the Gao Temple, which was located southeast of the palace and not far away. They arrived there in no time.

Liu Hong walked through the main gate and central courtyard of the Gao Temple, then waved away the temple eunuchs who followed him, and knelt down alone in front of the jade ancestral tablet of Emperor Taizu Gao.

He took the wooden puppet from his arms, placed it in front of him, and whispered, "This unworthy descendant Hong begs the Great Ancestor to manifest his power and descend from the heavens with great magic to remotely curse and kill the false god Zhonghuang Taiyi, and restore peace to my Great Han!!"

After speaking, he bowed deeply and repeatedly, with utmost sincerity.

Inside the Guangzong County government office, Huang Tian, ​​seeing this scene, had a strange expression and couldn't help but laugh loudly. His laughter was clear and cheerful, which aroused the curiosity of the maids standing outside the door.

"Could it be that the Holy Venerable One, while traveling in the heavens, saw some laughable people and things?"

(End of this chapter)