Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

After Emperor Ling's funeral, officials gave him a posthumous title. The title, "Emperor Xiaoling," described him as "rebellious but not harmed," and characterized him as an ignorant, fearless, and willful ruler.

From this, we can see that the aristocratic families were very disgusted with Emperor Lingdi who wanted to touch their interests. At the same time, this also reflects the powerful power of the aristocratic families in the government.

During the reign of Emperor Ling, aristocratic families had firmly established control over the power of local officials, and their disciples spread throughout the country, posing a significant threat to imperial authority. To weaken the power of the aristocratic families, Emperor Ling implemented a series of measures, such as selling official positions and establishing the Hongdumen School. However, these measures did not fundamentally change the situation in which the aristocratic families controlled the government.

In general, Emperor Ling of Han was a controversial emperor. Although some of his measures had profound meanings, there were also some problems in the implementation process, which eventually led to political corruption and social unrest in the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Time flies. More than half a month has passed since the thrilling palace coup, and Liu Bian has ascended the throne. However, despite his status as emperor, he is struggling among various forces and has difficulty making substantial progress.

Young Emperor Liu Bian, filled with gratitude, wished to reward the heroic efforts of Lu Zhi, Ma Chao, Sun Ce, and other officials who had fought bravely during the coup with official titles and promotions. However, his decrees proved difficult to convey. Within the court, the aristocratic families continued to clash and scramble, completely disregarding the interests and future of the nation, solely focused on their own family's power and status, displaying their unwavering dominance.

Within the palace, the eunuch clique was in control. They flattered Empress He with utmost gusto, often coaxing her into submission. Empress He, however, was a short-sighted woman, devoid of foresight and vision, only seeking momentary pleasure in the eunuch clique's sweet talk, unconcerned with state affairs. The eunuch clique acted with impunity and arrogance within the palace, forming cliques for personal gain and excluding dissidents, bringing the court to a state of chaos and turmoil.

Liu Bian watched all this, his heart filled with helplessness and resentment, yet he was powerless to change this heartbreaking situation. He knew that although he was the emperor, he was like a lonely traveler in this complex court, struggling to move forward and unable to realize his ambitions and ideals.

Meanwhile, He Jin, brimming with ambition, revealed himself to be completely clueless and incompetent. Beguiled by the flattery of the aristocratic families, he believed himself in control, but in reality, he was being manipulated like a puppet by their superficial flattery. The aristocratic families exploited his weaknesses, fawning over him in public while secretly chuckling at him, toying with him. He Jin remained oblivious, still basking in his own illusory glory, oblivious to the national crisis, becoming a complete idiot.

Lu Zhi had fought tooth and nail that night, but he was already exhausted. Witnessing the ugly actions of various factions and the reality of being excluded, he was filled with resentment and helplessness.

--split line--

That night, the dust settled. Lu Zhi, Sun Ce, Ma Chao, Dian Wei, Pang De, and other heroes returned to the mansion covered in blood. Their appearance frightened Madam Lu and Lu Wan.

After Lu Zhi was safely settled, Lu Wan approached Ma Chao with a distressed look on her face and offered to remove his armor. Ma Chao quickly explained that the blood wasn't his and that he wasn't injured. However, Lu Wan stubbornly insisted on removing his armor. Once the armor was removed, everyone was shocked to see the bruises and bloodstains on Ma Chao's back. Only then did they realize the humiliation and torture Ma Chao had endured that day in order to move his troops.

Seeing the bruises and bloodstains on Ma Chao's body, Lu Wan was filled with heartache and anger. Her tears flowed uncontrollably, her eyes full of concern and pain.

She caressed Ma Chao's wound with heartache and asked softly, "Junior brother, what happened to you? Why are you so badly injured?" Ma Chao forced a smile and comforted him, "Wan'er, don't cry. I'm fine. These are just minor injuries." Lu Wan felt even more heartbroken after hearing this. She knew that Ma Chao was fighting for his father at all costs.

"Junior brother, you've suffered," Lu Wan said, tears streaming down her face. She turned to look at Lu Zhi, a flicker of anger in her eyes. She knew these injuries were caused by He Jin's indiscriminate beating. She bit her lip and vowed to seek justice for Ma Chao.

"Father, my junior brother was injured for the sake of our family. You must stand up for him!" Lu Wan said to Lu Zhi.

Lu Zhi recalled everything that had happened recently, his heart filled with bitterness and helplessness. He looked at Lu Wan, forced a smile, and said vaguely, "Wan'er, don't worry. I will definitely seek justice for Chao'er."

Yet, deep down, he was deeply troubled by what to do. He understood that Ma Chao had risked his life for his country, only to suffer such humiliation, which pained him deeply. He worried that Ma Chao would become disillusioned with his country because of these experiences, or even be blinded by hatred.

Lu Zhi knew that to comfort Ma Chao's heart and help him regain his faith and passion for the country, he had to come up with a proper solution that would not only give Ma Chao the respect and compensation he deserved, but also make him understand the country's righteousness and responsibility, so that he would not lose hope for the future because of a temporary grievance.

Madam Lu noticed the fatigue and helplessness in Lu Zhi's eyes. She sighed softly and gently interrupted, "Okay, Wan'er, everyone is tired. Your father needs to rest too. Let them rest first."

Her voice was full of concern and thoughtfulness, as if she wanted to use her tenderness to ease the tense atmosphere. Mrs. Lu walked to Lu Zhi and gently held his hand, giving him silent support and comfort.

After hearing Mrs. Lu's words, everyone realized Lu Zhi's fatigue, nodded silently, and left with mixed feelings. Although Lu Wan was still worried and unwilling, she obeyed her mother's words and supported Ma Chao as they left.

Lu Zhi had fought tooth and nail that night, but he was already exhausted. Witnessing the ugly actions of various factions and the reality of being excluded, he was filled with resentment and helplessness.

Lu Zhi slept for a day and a night, with a fever in between. This hero, who had been strong and courageous all his life, was hurt all over by reality and fell ill.

Even so, after waking up, Lu Zhi was still worried, fearing that Ma Chao, young and mentally weak, would be blinded by hatred and unfair treatment. Despite his sick body, Lu Zhi, looking pale, called Ma Chao to him. He looked at Ma Chao with eyes full of worry and expectation.

Lu Zhi said slowly, "Chao'er, the Han Dynasty has existed for over four hundred years. Deep-rooted problems have accumulated, and the power of the aristocratic families is deeply entrenched. This cannot be changed overnight. Look at Emperor Ling. He dedicated his entire life to changing all this, working tirelessly for his country and his family, yet in the end, he bore such a bad reputation. As your teacher, I have also worked hard all my life for this country, wanting to make it a better place."

He paused, then continued, "We all know that without sustained change from generation to generation, this country will sooner or later fall apart, and the people will be plunged into devastation. Mengqi, your master hopes that you can cheer up and not be blinded by momentary hatred. Don't forget your original aspirations and continue to serve your country."

Ma Chao listened quietly to Lu Zhi's words, his grief and confusion gradually dissipating. He understood Lu Zhi's earnest intentions and was fully aware of the responsibility he shouldered. He nodded solemnly and said, "Master, rest assured. I will not let you down. I will not let a momentary grudge cause me to lose sight of the greater good of our country. I will continue to fight for our country and live up to your expectations."

When news of Emperor Ling's posthumous title and the fabricated accusations of his crimes spread, Lu Zhi was overcome with grief and indignation, vomiting blood on the spot. His already frail health was further exacerbated. Lying on his sickbed, he was consumed by anxiety for the Han dynasty, grief at the aristocratic families' manipulation of right and wrong, and resentment at the endless internal strife among the various factions. He knew the situation was becoming increasingly difficult, and he was powerless to reverse it.