Chapter 52: Died in Vain

  Liu Bian knew that no matter what he did, Yuan Shao would always find a reason to start a rebellion. Even if there was no reason, as long as someone supported him, he could still start a rebellion, and as long as he won in the end, there would be no need for a reason, and those Confucian scholars would also find a reason for him. Maybe they could even come up with a bunch of auspicious omens.

  The lesson of Yin Jizhong is not far away, thinking about Wang Mang will understand.

  However, despite this, he does not intend to cooperate with the Yuan family. Even if the Yuan family is a rough and unrefined Ox King, he will still be a gadfly, biting him twice before speaking. Whether it's useful or not, let's put that aside for now, making him uncomfortable is also good.

  Moreover, he is now the Emperor, holding great power and prestige. If he wants to make things difficult for the Yuan family, that would be a piece of cake.

  Liu Bian summoned Cai Yong and had him write a decree to be sent to all the provinces and counties. The main content of the decree was divided into two parts: one part accepted suggestions, declaring that it would widely recruit talents and reform the imperial court; the other part condemned some aristocratic families for seeking fame and fortune by relying on powerful officials, colluding with eunuchs, controlling the imperial court, and doing evil. They usurped the power of the royal family, exceeded their authority, and acted arbitrarily.

  The crimes of the Yuan family don't need to be fabricated at all, they are real and substantial one by one.

  As for Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu, forget about rewards. Liu Bian had them burn down the imperial palace, slaughter people at will, bully the empress dowager and the emperor, and listed their crimes one by one to be announced throughout the country, and issued a wanted order, offering a nationwide reward for their capture.

  Liu Bian knew that it was impossible for anyone to really capture Yuan Shao and bring him before his face, and he even suspected whether his edict could be delivered to the various states and counties. But he just wanted to spit in the face of the Yuan family first and tear off their hypocritical masks. As for whether or not it would infuriate the Yuan family, he didn't worry about it at all. Now he just wanted to pretend to be a good boy, but the Yuan family wouldn't accept him anyway. Since that was the case, why bother pretending?

  Cai Yong's writing is unparalleled, with phrases that flow like a brocade, words that are elegant and refined, allusions that are precise, and insights that pierce the heart - these are all comments made by Princess Wan, not Liu Bian himself, who doesn't have this level of understanding.

  The imperial edict was issued, and all the officials were shocked.

  ……

  Yuan Wei wore a suit of reddish-brown clothes, his dignity was in no way diminished, and he stepped into the great hall step by step.

  Liu Bian stood in front of the steps, bowing his hands to greet him. Cai Yong bowed his hands and stood aside, silent and expressionless. He knew why Yuan Wei had come today, and he also knew what Liu Bian meant by letting him stand aside. Today, as a historical witness and writer, he wanted to leave behind first-hand materials, preserve the Dongguan, and prepare for future historians.

  If Liu Biao won in the end, his writings would nail Yuan Shao to a pillar of shame. If Yuan Shao won in the end, it was not only Liu Biao who was nailed to the pillar of shame, but also Cai Yong.

  As a scholar, he didn't like such a situation. But he couldn't refuse.

  Yuan Wei walked up to Liu Bian and bowed his head: "Guilty subject Wei, paying respects to Your Majesty."

  "Does Taifu know his crime?" Liu Bian's mouth corners slightly raised, seemingly smiling but not quite.

  Yuan Wei said in a deep voice, "Teaching has no boundaries, I am ashamed to face the former emperor, this old minister is guilty."

  "Tai Fu is too modest." Liu Bian remained expressionless. In terms of learning, he might not even be able to touch the hem of Yuan Wei's robe, but when it came to verbal sparring and cursing, he was actually not inferior to Yuan Wei. He was very clear that Yuan Wei wanted face, but he didn't want face, and he had a natural advantage. Last time, he had scolded Yuan Wei until he spat blood, which had already proven this point.

  Scholarship has nothing to do with verbal sparring; a university student is not necessarily better at it than a street vendor.

  "I may not be a clever person, I don't read well and I'm not good at speaking, but I'm not uncarvable rotten wood either." Liu Bian continued: "As for insight, I still have some."

  "Your Majesty's scholarship may not be good, but you are very confident." Yuan Wei sarcastically said in a slow and steady tone: "The old minister is indeed delighted."

  For this level of sarcasm, Liu Bei didn't care at all, not even enough to scratch an itch. He smiled and said on his own: "Taifu, are you here today to ask me to pardon Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu, or do you want to die for your words? If it's because you feel guilty and want to surrender yourself to the court, then forget it. I... pardon you."

  Yuan Yi was speechless for a moment. He had prepared a bellyful of grandiose words, puffed up with righteous indignation, wanting to speak with great justice and righteousness, but facing Liu Bian's flurry of wild punches, he didn't know how to respond.

  Pardon, do I need a pardon? I came wearing prison garb, parading through the streets, just to let all under heaven see my loyalty.

  Yuan Wei looked at the brand new prisoner's uniform and was speechless for a moment.

  "Alas, Taifu, why don't you let Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu come back? At least one of them. Look at you, you've become as thin as a skeleton. What if one day you accidentally fall and hit your head, there won't even be anyone to send you off on your final journey, how desolate would that be?"

  Yuan Yi's chest felt suffocated, and his throat was a little sweet. He suppressed the urge to spit blood, bowed deeply: "The old minister's late life is not comparable to the safety of the great Han dynasty. The old minister thanks your majesty for your concern, but hopes that your majesty will still focus on the state, do not disappoint the expectations of the former emperor, and do not disappoint the people of the world."

  Yuan Wei forcibly took back the initiative of the conversation and began to remonstrate incessantly. As he spoke, he became increasingly agitated, his beard and hair trembling with rage, his whole demeanor one of righteous indignation, as if he was willing to die for the country.

  Liu Bian watched silently, a playful smile on his face, as Yuan Wei performed. Until Yuan Wei finished speaking with a long and eloquent speech, panting heavily, he smiled slightly: "Taifu, are you done?"

  "Your humble servant... I have finished speaking, my foolish and ignorant opinion, a sincere heart, I hope Your Majesty will accept one or two points." Yuan Wei said habitually. As soon as the words came out of his mouth, he regretted it and hated to slap himself in the face. Just now, he had spoken too smoothly, and these humble words had naturally flowed out.

  "In the end, what Taifu is worried about is that I am too young to calm the people, and someone will have a lucky heart and cause chaos in the world." Liu Bian's hands were clasped in his sleeves, looking at Yuan Wei with a calm expression: "If it's really like this, then Taifu should live well and see how I deal with these rebellious officials. Taifu, these days, I haven't been idle. The eight gatekeepers of Luoyang, I've all replaced them, do you know?"

  Yuan Shao coughed dryly and suppressed the urge to spit blood. He knew all this, of course - Liu Bei was not only exchanging insults with him from a distance, but also putting his defenses in order, absorbing not only the Southern and Northern Armies and the Eight Schools of Xizhou, but also replacing the eight gate generals of Luoyang. It was precisely because of this that he could no longer wait. The more time dragged on, the less advantageous it would be for the Yuan family. Yuan Shao had already made sufficient preparations, now all he needed was a reason to issue an edict to the world.

  This argument is not for those who support Yuan's family, but for those who are neutral and watching.

  Yuan Yi, with his last breath, sternly rebuked: "Your Majesty should have a broad view of the world, how can you be concerned about the trivial Luoyang? Is the land of Shandong not part of the Great Han's territory? Are the people of Shandong not Your Majesty's subjects?"

  "Who knows?" Liu Bian smiled slyly: "However, I can tell you one thing for sure, Taifu. Whether Shandong is part of the Han or not, it will never be yours, the Yuan family's Shandong. If you want to die in vain, and find an excuse for Yuan Shao to start a war, perhaps you'll end up being a sacrifice for others, and even death would be in vain."

  "Hmph!" Yuan Wei couldn't help but let out a mouthful of old blood, spitting it out generously and vigorously, with great passion and intensity.

  The second update, seeking recommendations, seeking collections!

  P.S: There will be another update later today.