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

The scroll on the table had just been closed, the row of new names in front of him hadn't even cooled down yet, and Liu Bian's thought, "I want all the heroes of this world to be Han ministers," was still echoing in his mind when someone from the palace arrived.

It's neither a reward nor a punishment.

It was just a casual verbal order—

"His Majesty decrees: Crown Prince, you shall accompany the Emperor tomorrow to attend the court assembly."

Liu Bian paused, then rose to receive the decree:

"Your subject obeys."

Court meeting.

What is a morning assembly?

It is the list of diseases in the world.

It was also the sharpest knife in the palace.

Xun Shuang looked at Liu Bian and knew that he was thinking about the court assembly.

He didn't ask, "Is Your Highness afraid?" He simply said, "Tomorrow, stand to the side of the hall and don't interrupt. Listen to three things first—disaster, taxes, and war. Once you understand them, we can discuss other matters."

Xun Yu added from the side, his voice even lower: "There is a fourth thing—the human heart."

Liu Bian raised his eyes and looked at Wen Ruo.

He knew why Wenruo added that sentence.

Because when people's hearts are in turmoil, armies will spring up everywhere on their own.

And those soldiers—three years later they will be called "Yellow Turbans".

-

Before dawn the next day, the palace road was already as cold as iron.

Zhao Changshi stood at the palace gate, his face as gloomy as if he hadn't slept all night.

He wanted to stop them, but dared not do so openly.

Who would dare to contradict the emperor when he made a decision in a moment of high spirits?

So he could only laugh, a laugh that looked like he was grinding his teeth to powder: "Your Highness is young, and should be careful with your words and actions when you enter the Deyang Palace."

Liu Bian laughed and said, "Don't worry, Attendant, I will just listen and not interfere."

-

In the Deyang Palace, officials stood in orderly ranks.

Crimson robes like clouds, jade pendants like rain.

The emperor sat high on his throne, still holding that little dog in his arms—like he was holding onto something he wouldn't let go of.

Liu Bian stood to the side of the hall, following the posture Xun Shuang had taught him, with his hands tucked into his sleeves and his back straight.

He tried to make himself look like a "prince" rather than a "time traveler who knows too much".

When the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat presented his report, the first minister stepped forward.

He doesn't talk about merits or joys; he only speaks of drastic changes.

"In June, hailstorms as large as chicken eggs rained down, damaging crops; in the ninth month of autumn, a solar eclipse occurred; and disaster struck the Northern Palace and the Yongxiang Palace again. Heaven's warnings are clear; may Your Majesty cultivate virtue and exercise caution in using power and favor."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

This statement, though seemingly about the heavens, actually refers to people.

Who are you referring to?

Attendants and eunuchs.

Zhao Changshi remained unfazed, pretending not to hear.

Emperor Ling of Han, however, seemed to be watching a play, his brow furrowing slightly before relaxing: "Matters of celestial phenomena are for the Grand Master of Ceremonies to decide. Let's get down to business and talk about practical matters."

The second minister immediately followed, as if it had been pre-arranged:

"In recent years, horses have been requisitioned from prefectures and kingdoms, with stable masters in charge of receiving them. However, powerful and wealthy families have been monopolizing the trade, causing horse prices to soar to as high as two million per horse. The people are full of complaints, and it has become even more difficult to collect taxes and corvée labor."

The words "two million" sent a jolt through Liu Bian's heart.

He wasn't amazed by the numbers—he was amazed by the logic.

Expensive horses lead to expensive military spending; expensive military spending leads to heavy taxes and corvée labor; heavy taxes and corvée labor cause the people's hearts to break.

In the end, someone will hold up a talisman and say, "I'm here to save you."

The third minister then spoke of famine and refugees, mentioning the earthquakes that struck Jiuquan in the northwest, the relocation of the city, and the displacement of the people. He then changed the subject:

"If we do not provide relief after a disaster, bandits will inevitably emerge; once bandits rise, counties and prefectures will fall; if counties and prefectures fall, the border troops will not receive supplies, and chaos will ensue."

Liu Bian felt a chill run down his spine.

He suddenly realized—

It's not that no one in the court understands.

Those who understand, however, simply leave it at that after they've finished speaking.

Because the power is not in their hands.

Finally, it was the "soldier's" turn.

A voice, hard as a knife:

"The unrest in Liangzhou continues unabated, and the levies imposed on the entire country are endless. I believe... Liangzhou should be abandoned."

An uproar erupted inside the hall.

Liu Bian's eyelids twitched.

He had seen the phrase "abandoning Liangzhou" in historical records in his previous life.

This is not fiction; it's a real debate.

Some agreed: "If one state rebels, it will drag the whole country down. It's better to cut our losses and save ourselves."

Some objected: "Liangzhou is a strategic location. If we abandon it, the enemy will occupy the land, with strong armor and a powerful army, which will become a great threat to the world."

At the height of the dispute, a councilor stepped forward.

He wasn't tall, but he stood as straight as a nail.

His first words seemed to shatter the hall:

"Execute the Minister of Works, and the world will be at peace!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Bian's memories were instantly awakened.

Fu Xie!

This is someone who dares to use the truth as a weapon.

The Minister rebuked him: "This is an insult to a high-ranking official!"

Emperor Ling of Han finally raised his eyes, narrowed them, and asked, "Who is speaking?"

"Your subject is Fu Xie."

"Why was Situ executed?"

Fu Xie refused to back down: "The chaos in Liangzhou is due to the disharmony between the governors and the misjudgment of the court in appointing officials. Instead of devising a strategy to quell the chaos, the prime minister is considering ceding thousands of miles of territory. If he is unaware of this, he is being blinded; if he knows it but speaks out, he is being disloyal."

This statement is tantamount to publicly contradicting the proposal to "abandon Liangzhou".

It's like nailing "whoever is in power is responsible" to the wall.

Emperor Ling of Han remained silent for a moment, then chuckled, "Well done, Fu Xie."

He laughed as if he had seen a talking sparrow—

I might like it, but I might not know how to use it.

Just then, someone seized the opportunity to steer the conversation toward "who exactly to use".

"The Qiang and Hu peoples live together in Liangzhou, and only those who are familiar with their customs can control them. I have heard that there is a man in Longxi who once traveled among the Qiang people in his youth, befriended the chieftains, and knows their customs. He is also brave and willing to fight and kill. He could be given a chance to be a border commander."

He paused here.

It's like waiting for a name to be finalized.

Then, he uttered two words:

"Dong Zhuo".

Liu Bian's back tensed instantly.

At that moment, what flashed through his mind wasn't the current "Bian Shuai," but the future fire—

The fire in Luoyang.

The blood of the young emperor.

The knife that was abolished and established.

He almost instinctively wanted to turn back and look for Xun Yu, but he forced himself to hold back.

Dong Zhuo...

Dong Zhongying...

This was the final blow that killed Emperor Shao of Han in history.

A new rule immediately came to mind:

From now on, whenever someone accuses Dong Zhuo, the Crown Prince's Palace must prepare a "file" for record-keeping, countersignature, and accountability.

He needed to figure out the wolf's teeth first.

Before the debate in the hall had even ended, someone brought up the "common people" again.

"In recent years, epidemics have been frequent, and people have nowhere to seek medical treatment. Between Hebei and Henan, there are Taoist priests who perform rituals with talismanic water and distribute medicinal porridge, claiming to be living in peace. Their followers often wear yellow turbans around their heads and assist the government in providing relief, thus pacifying displaced people. Such practices... can be used, and can also be prevented."

Upon hearing the words "Yellow Turbans," Liu Bian's vision went black.

The slogan exploded in his mind like a thunderclap—

The blue sky is dead; the yellow sky shall rise.

He knew that they were still "distributing medicinal porridge and providing relief."

But he also knew that in three years—

This net will suddenly tighten, forming an army capable of tearing the world apart.

This was a greater crisis than Dong Zhuo's.

Emperor Ling of Han grew annoyed and waved his hand, saying, "All that talk is nice, but who can give me a 'law that can be implemented'?"

Silence fell over the hall.

The methods that can be implemented often require the exercise of power.

When power is exercised, it is directed at certain individuals.

In the silence, Liu Bian suddenly took half a step forward.

Xun Shuang's gaze pierced me like needles: Don't interrupt.

But Liu Bian still cupped his hands in greeting, his voice low but clear:

"Father."

"Your subject is young and dares not discuss important matters. But what you gentlemen have said today boils down to three things: food, labor service, and military affairs."

"Your subject is willing to offer a plan, but only asks for one sentence: First establish rules and regulations, then bestow favors."

Someone in the hall frowned—another set of rules?

Emperor Ling of Han, knowing what Liu Bian had been doing these past few days, immediately became interested: "Tell me."

Liu Bian had already prepared his speech, and began to say:

"Firstly, three registers should be established after the disaster: a register of disaster victims, a register of refugees, and a register of relief loans. Names should be recorded first, and vouchers should be issued first, so that there is a basis for distributing grain."

"Secondly, counties and prefectures set up 'charitable granaries' and conducted 'random inspections': the granaries were kept in records, and the records were checked against each other; if any powerful or wealthy people were found to have misappropriated grain to gain favors, the person in charge would be severely punished."

"Thirdly, the supply routes for the border troops should be established with 'official accounts': the supply routes should have their own accounts, and no single person should be allowed to manage them all. In this way, even if the taxes and corvée are heavy, they will not cause chaos."

Emperor Ling stared at him for a few moments, then suddenly laughed: "You child... why is your mind filled with nothing but 'books' and 'vouchers'?"

He laughed, but he didn't deny it.

He just casually tossed out a sentence:

"allow."

"These three points shall be submitted to the Ministry of Personnel for discussion. Crown Prince—return to the Eastern Palace, draft the regulations, and present them to me."

-

After the court session ended, the wind grew even colder.

Liu Bian stepped down from the steps, his palms sweaty.

Xun Shuang followed, his voice extremely low: "Your Highness was just... in a very dangerous situation."

Liu Bian grunted in acknowledgment, but his eyes shone like knife blades.

"Risky, but worth it."

"Sir," he stopped at the corner of the palace road and turned to look at Xun Shuang.

"From today onwards, a separate household will be established in the Eastern Palace."

It is named: Room for Preparing for Chaos.

"All border troops, all civilian religious groups, and all suspected gatherings of people—must have records, signatures, and documentation."

"Three things happened in court today—Liangzhou, Dong Zhuo, and the Yellow Turbans. These should also be noted down."

He looked up at the sky, his heart filled with mixed emotions:

"I won't wait three years."

"I want to say that phrase, 'Heaven is dead'—"

"Suppress it before it can even utter a word."