Liu Bian at the start, so you're called Dong Zhuo, right?

Chapter 122 The Incident at Zhangde Hall

Liu Bian slowly sat up straight.

If someone around Yuan Shao was indeed devising such unconventional plans for him, who would it be?

As soon as this thought arose, he subconsciously went through all the people in his past life who were related to Yuan Shao.

Xu Youxian floated to the surface.

This person is talented and has a broad vision. His greatest strength is that when the overall situation is uncertain, he can immediately see which side is more profitable.

However, this person is restless, greedy for credit and profit, and while he may offer ingenious schemes, he may not have the patience for them.

These past few days, a late-night memorial, a grain register, a whisper of news from the borderlands, a hint of unrest within the imperial clan—the details are as subtle as needles pricking into bones—this is unlike Xu You.

Xu Youruo's move was more like a swift knife, targeting the most crucial point and aiming directly at victory or defeat, rather than grinding people down silently like this.

Further down the list are people like Guo Tu and Feng Ji.

Guo Tu was good at arguing, good at using words, and good at manipulating people's hearts in front of his lord; Feng Ji was even more cunning and ruthless. However, their ruthlessness was mostly out in the open. They liked to use their power to suppress others and use others to fight against others, so that you would know who was forcing you and who was taking you away.

They can stir things up, but they might not be able to do it so subtly and calmly, so calmly that it's as if nothing happened. By the time you come to your senses, you realize that your energy has been gradually drained away.

Such a cunning and ruthless scheme—whose style is it really?

and many more!

Liu Bian's eyes lit up.

If one were to choose from among the strategists of the past, Jia Xu would be the one most like a venomous snake.

The moment this name entered my mind, even the lights in Chengde Hall seemed to grow colder for no apparent reason.

In his previous life, Liu Bian's impression of Jia Xu could never be summarized by the word "strategist".

This man is not the kind who stands in the limelight, maneuvering and eloquently intimidating his ministers, nor is he the kind who, in a fit of rage, slams his fist on the table and devises ingenious schemes to seize credit and fame. He is more like a snake hidden in the shadows of the grass, unassuming in ordinary times, and even making people feel that he is not dangerous.

But when he actually opens his mouth, he often doesn't bite your hardest spot, but rather your softest and most dangerous spot.

His behavior these past few days is so much like his.

They used the emperor's illness, the court's busy schedule, Dong Zhuo's victory, and the chaos in Changle Palace to subtly stab the scheme into the heart of the matter.

You know there's a problem, but you can't pinpoint where to address it first; you try to fix it piece by piece, but it just keeps leaking; the more you try to stabilize it, the more exhausted you become.

Yuan Shao was good at leveraging power, suppressing others, and cultivating prestige.

The one who could manipulate his power so subtly and continuously, without revealing it, was most likely not Yuan Shao himself.

It was the snake beside him that actually flicked its tongue.

Xun Huo noticed Liu Bian's reaction, slowly raised his head, and whispered, "Whom did Your Highness think of?"

Liu Bian also raised his eyes and looked at Xun Huo.

"Sir, have you ever heard of Jia Xu?"

"When I was young, I heard some of this person's reputation while I was away from home."

"However, this person is not well-known."

"Your Highness suspects him, but is there any certainty?"

Liu Bian shook his head, then smiled.

"Sir, just take my intuition as the truth."

Seeing this, Xun did not ask any further questions.

Silence fell over the hall once again.

"Then we won't defend it," Liu Bian suddenly said.

Xun looked at him.

The weariness in Liu Bian's eyes gradually faded, replaced by a colder decisiveness.

"Since he likes to take things apart one by one, we shouldn't follow suit and pull them out one by one."

"Cut it off at the source."

"Those who submit reports on the reforms at night without prior verification by two different authorities are not permitted to proceed directly to the Zhangde Hall at night; the deputy secretaries of the Imperial Clan Court, the Ministry of Personnel, and the Imperial Secretariat must first pass through the Chengde Hall; the post station in the south of the city, the courier station at the north gate, and the night duty station of the Ministry of Personnel must all be replaced with a new batch of personnel."

"Since he wants to use Father Emperor's anger to drag us down, then I'll protect that anger for now."

After listening, Xun Huo's eyes finally showed a genuine glimmer of light.

Because this is no longer a simple matter of patching up leaks.

This is how they regained control of the entire rhythm with a counter-attack.

He cupped his hands and said, "Your subject understands."

"And what about Jia Xu?"

Liu Bian slowly got up and walked to the window.

The night outside was deep and dark, and the palace lanterns reflected on the long steps like a row of silent fires.

"Jia Xu is not Yuan Shao."

"Yuan Shao wanted to win."

"Jia Xu only wanted to ruin the situation first."

"Then let him know first—"

'

Liu Bian turned around, his voice so soft it was almost inaudible, yet chilling enough to send a shiver down one's spine.

"In this game, he wasn't the only one who would resort to unconventional tactics."

Suddenly, hurried footsteps came from outside the hall.

A palace attendant rushed in, knelt down, and urgently reported, "Your Highness!"

"Another night summons arrived from Zhangde Palace, but His Majesty coughed up blood before he even reached the halfway point!"

As soon as these words were spoken, even Xun Huo's expression changed.

"Did Yuanhua go?"

"We've already sent someone to inform Doctor Hua. Judging by his pace, he should have arrived at Zhangde Hall by now."

Liu Bian nodded, then looked at Xun Huo.

"Sir, let's go over there too. There's something strange about Father's illness."

Outside the Zhangde Hall, the lights were bright.

Even from afar, one could hear the chaos inside, with eunuchs running back and forth. The smells of medicine, blood, and an indescribable oppressive heat all lingered at the palace entrance, making one's chest tighten.

Liu Bian walked very fast, with Xun Yu close behind. As soon as the two reached the foot of the steps, they saw Zhang Rang coming out to greet them, wearing an outer robe, his face pale and his forehead covered in sweat.

"Your Highness—"

Liu Bian didn't stop at all, only asking one question: "Where are they?"

"The original transformation is already within it."

Liu Bian strode into the hall.

Inside the inner palace, Emperor Ling of Han leaned against a couch, his lips still tinged with blood, and two handkerchiefs stained red were pressed on the table.

Hua Tuo was standing beside the bed, instructing the palace servants to remove the incense burner in the hall while personally examining the bloodstains that had just been vomited.

Emperor Ling of Han was ashen-faced, but his breathing was more rapid and disordered than it had been in Deyang Palace. When Liu Bian entered, he even tried to raise his hand to say "It's alright," but as soon as he moved, he coughed again.

"Father!"

Liu Bian took two steps forward, forcefully suppressing his anger, and looked at Hua Tuo first.

"how?"

This time, Hua Tuo was not as composed as he had been during the day.

He had just put down the blood-stained handkerchief in his hand, his brows furrowed tightly. When he saw Liu Bian arrive, he immediately whispered, "It's not just a recurrence of an old illness."

"Your Majesty was already easily angered tonight, first by anger and then by mental strain. But this time your anger came out too suddenly, as if someone had given you a push."

The moment those words were spoken, everyone in the hall changed their expressions.

Zhang Rang's legs went weak, and he almost knelt down.

A sudden chill ran through Liu Bian's eyes.

"How did you push it?"

Hua Tuo raised his hand, pointing to the incense burner that he had ordered to be moved aside, and then to the half-finished cup of medicine on the table.

"The medicine wasn't entirely wrong."

"Fang is still the same old Fang."

"But there are two ingredients in the medicine that shouldn't be used tonight, and there's also something pungent in the incense burner. If it were just one of them, it might not have caused an immediate reaction; but His Majesty is already tired, irritable, and hot-tempered today. With the medicine and incense combined, it forced out the pent-up frustration that had been building up."

After listening, Liu Bian turned around without pausing for a moment.

"Sealing the Palace."

As soon as the two words were spoken, the air in the hall seemed to tighten.

Zhang Rang suddenly looked up.

"Your Highness?"

"From this moment forward, no one is to leave the Zhangde Hall, inside or out." Liu Bian's voice was not loud, but it was icy cold. "Anyone who touched medicine, incense, the nightly audience, or His Majesty's food tonight—leave them all behind."

He turned to look outside the door.

"Someone come here!"

As soon as the armor plates rustled outside, the guards of the West Garden quickly entered.

Xun Huo stood to the side, his gaze steady, and immediately continued, "Divide into three routes."

"First, investigate the Imperial Pharmacy. Who brewed the medicine tonight, who delivered it, and who handled the dregs—arrest them all to the side hall."

"Secondly, investigate the incense table in Zhangde Hall. Detain all those who lit the lamps, changed the incense, and moved the incense burner tonight."

"Third route, report tonight. All memorials, messages, and eunuchs delivered to the Zhangde Hall tonight must first be sent to the Chengde Hall for verification."

Emperor Ling of Han leaned against the couch, his complexion was poor, but his mind was still clear. He watched Liu Bian and Xun Yu stand one in front of the other, silencing the Zhangde Hall, and a very faint strange light flashed in his eyes.

It's not that I'm unhappy.

This was the first time he had truly seen the Crown Prince remain so composed while drawing his knife beside his own bed.

"Bian'er—" His throat was bloody, his voice extremely hoarse, "Don't—make a scene—"

"Father, rest assured." Liu Bian turned around, lowering his voice, "It's not about making a big fuss, it's just about clearing things up."

"Since someone dares to reach into the Zhangde Hall tonight, I must chop off that hand for Father Emperor."

Emperor Ling of Han looked at him and ultimately did not stop him.