0p0 Chapter 227 Jealousy
Chapter 227 Jealousy
Chapter 227 Jealousy
Hearing Xi Zhicai's words, Xun Yu looked strange and asked, "Is it the same as the Huangmen Beisi Prison?"
As the Huangmen Beisi Prison did more and more things, they were gradually exposed to the court and the public.
Compared with the newly established Imperial City Palace, the Huangmen Beisi Prison was originally a prison in the palace. There was nothing much to say about it. At most, people would just complain in their hearts that it was not in line with the ancestral system.
On the other hand, the Imperial City was secretive and low-key, so almost no one in the court or the country knew about it.
Xun You nodded and said, "The Imperial City Mansion has a close relationship with the Grand Marshal's Mansion, and they are mainly used to spy on military intelligence."
Xun Yu understood and said, "I want to find a suitable opportunity to call the governors of each state to the capital to coordinate actions. What do you think?"
Xi Zhicai listened, suddenly sat up straight, and said: "This is a good idea, it's best to do it this year. The northern states are relatively calm now. If they can move in unison, many things will go much more smoothly."
Xun You thought about it carefully for a while and said, "I think it's feasible. It would be best if it's done in the name of the Shangshutai."
Xun Yu said: "I will go to see the Prime Minister tomorrow."
Xun You looked at him and said, "Mr. Bian is not easy to talk to."
The person who succeeded Cai Yong as the Minister of Rites was Bian Rang. As the Minister of Rites, he was in charge of Taixue, Hongdumenxue, etc.
The court now fills vacancies basically by selecting from the Imperial College and Hongdumen School, so the Taichangqing is a very critical position.
Xun Yu said, "I'll find time to visit. The matter of 'reducing redundant officials' has been passed down to the Ministry of Personnel and the Imperial Censorate. What are your plans?"
Xun You said: "I have discussed it carefully with Fu Zhongcheng, and we plan to proceed step by step. We should not be too hasty and should focus on stability."
Xi Zhicai answered and said: "I also think it should be like this. In the past, the imperial court was too hasty. Now all kinds of problems are partly caused by this reason."
Xun You glanced at him and didn't say anything.
The "urgent" here does not refer to the court, but the palace.
"Shangshu,"
At this time, a minor official came in hurriedly and said, "There is news from the palace that your majesty intends to inspect Bingzhou after the spring."
Xun Yu, Xun You, and Xi Zhicai looked at each other, sent the clerk away, and all three of them had gloomy faces.
Xun You took a deep breath and said, "Your Majesty, you still have to see it with your own eyes."
Xun Yu and Xi Zhicai nodded silently.
In the past, emperors of the Han Dynasty rarely left the palace.
But their Majesty was different. He was always leaving the palace and the city, revealing his distrust of the court officials everywhere.
……
On the other hand, Cao Cao took over the arrangements for He Xian's funeral and became busy throughout the entire Luoyang city.
He Xian had no reputation at first, but his father was famous. Most of the people in the court were once officials of the General's Mansion, including Xun You, Cao Cao and others.
Cao Cao wanted to make the event more lively, but not many people were willing to join in and they all kept their distance.
The end of "General He Jin" was a relatively covert way. He "asked for leave" after entering the palace, and then "retired", and there was no further news after that.
Many people still don’t know that He Jin is dead.
However, under the leadership of Wang Yun, the reckoning of He Jin, He Miao and others implicated countless people.
Nowadays, few people in the government and the opposition are willing to be associated with the great generals of the past.
For three consecutive days, the He Mansion was deserted with guests; even Empress Dowager He and Liu Bian from the palace did not attend.
There was no movement in the palace, so even if someone wanted to go, they naturally wouldn't dare to go.
"A great general has come to an end."
Guo Jia drank some wine, stood beside Cao Cao, and talked to himself.
Cao Cao recalled the past in the General's Mansion. A cold look flashed across his narrow eyes. He said, "Fengxiao, if I die, will it be the same as before?"
Guo Jia laughed and said, "General, how can you talk about life and death when you haven't accomplished anything yet?"
Cao Cao looked at Yin who was hesitant not far away, and suddenly laughed out loud, saying, "Feng Xiao is right! I, Cao Cao, will definitely achieve great things!"
Guo Jia drank his wine and said, "Since His Majesty has allowed the general to preside over He Xian's funeral, it means that he has no suspicion. The general can rest assured."
Cao Cao glanced around and saw no one. He looked a little indifferent and said, "Recently, there have been many voices from the Grand Marshal's Mansion, the Secretariat, the Censorate, and the Six Ministries, wanting to keep me in Luoyang and not let me leave the capital."
Guo Jia was not surprised at all and asked, "General, have you not met His Majesty yet?"
Cao Cao nodded and said, "The palace has not summoned me."
Guo Jia slowly put down the wine pot and said, "Now, there are only two possibilities. One is that His Majesty wants to use the general, so he deliberately left him alone, using force first and then kindness. The second is that the pressure from the court is too great, and His Majesty wants to keep the general in the capital."
Cao Cao naturally didn't want to waste time in the capital, so he said solemnly, "Fengxiao, do you still think the first possibility is more likely?"
Guo Jia nodded, looked to the far south, and said: "Now in the northern states, only the Sanqiang and the Black Mountain Army are left. These two places are not urgent. The attention of the imperial court and His Majesty is probably going to the south?"
When Cao Cao heard this, he was greatly cheered up and his eyes were shining brightly.
The achievements of Han men have always been on the battlefield.
Taizu made a covenant that only those with military merit could be granted the title of marquis, and the title of marquis obtained through unorthodox means would only be despised.
Cao Cao's heart was filled with excitement. He had already imagined the scene of him leading an army of 100,000 south to quell the rebellions of Yuan Shu, Dong Zhuo and others, and returning with a great victory.
At that time, His Majesty would personally go out of the city to welcome him, and the Grand Marshal and the General would be within his reach!
Snapped
"Let go!"
Suddenly, a loud shout woke Cao Cao from his sweet dream.
Not far away, a young man was seen arguing with Yin, and the loud shouting came from Yin.
The funeral was almost over, and there were only a few people left in the He Mansion. Seeing this situation, Cao Cao's eyes suddenly turned cold and he strode over.
The young man looked at Yin with sincerity and said, "I have been in love with you for a long time. Now that He Xian is dead, what should you do as an orphan and a widow? Why don't you become my concubine? I will ensure that you and your son will have no worries about food and clothing for the rest of your life..."
Yin's charming face was filled with shame and anger, and she shouted angrily, "Get out of here!"
The young man looked at Yin's pretty face, his expression becoming more serious, and said, "Do I need any proof of my love for you? I've been running around for you for so many days, and my belt has even loosened. Don't you see anything?"
Seeing Cao Cao approaching, Yin became even more angry and shouted, "Get out of here!"
Cao Cao had heard a lot and scolded her, "Her husband's body is still warm and you are openly flirting with him under the mourning hall. You are a person of corrupt character and shameless!"
The young man knew Cao Cao, but he was not afraid. He sneered and said, "Don't think I don't know, you don't look at her right! Cao Mengde, she is your friend's wife. Could it be that you can do it too?"
Yin's body trembled when she heard this, and she couldn't help but step back.
Cao Cao narrowed his eyes and said, "I see that you are young and full of energy, so you are so shameless. You lack experience, and my army is in need of people."
The young man showed no fear at all, and with his neck tilted high, he said, "You think I'm a commoner on the street, and you can arrest me whenever you want. I'm telling you, my last name is Ma!"
Double surnames like Sima and Huangfu are relatively rare, but whenever one pops up, it is easy to associate it with family background.
And Cao Cao immediately thought of a person: Ma Riti.
This man was the Grand Marshal in the sixth year of Zhongping, but was dismissed due to the Yellow Turban Rebellion. However, as he was a descendant of Ma Rong, his prestige was high, and the court and the public showed special courtesy to the Ma family.
Cao Cao's eyes flashed with disdain, and he said, "I'll capture you, and I'll have to apologize to General Ma later. Come on, capture you!"
Cao Cao presided over the funeral, and he assigned a lot of people to the He Mansion. Immediately, six servants were ready to pounce on the young man.
"presumptuous!"
The young man was held down and shouted anxiously: "I'm telling you, I'm a student of the Imperial College, and my master is the Minister of Rites. Cao Mengde, how dare you arrest me?!"
Guo Jia came over at this moment, stood behind Cao Cao, and coughed softly.
Cao Cao was filled with hatred, but he also knew that since it involved Taixuesheng and Bian Rang, he could not easily drag this bastard into the army.
Cao Cao glanced at the trembling Yin, his eyes flashed coldly, and he said: "Even if you are a disciple of the Minister of Rites, you cannot rape the widow of He Xian. Today, Cao Cao will definitely catch you!"
As he spoke, Cao Cao waved his hand violently.
Several servants knocked the young man to the ground and tied him up tightly.
The young man's face turned pale and he roared, "Cao Aman, she is just a woman. Is it worth it for you to offend me like this?"
Cao Cao stood proudly and said, "Stop his mouth and drag him out."
"Cao Aman, I won't give up... Woo woo..." The young man struggled violently, but was still dragged out.
Yin, who was not far away, looked at Cao Cao's back, her eyes red and she bit her lips lightly.
Guo Jia seemed to be thinking about something, judging the consequences of Cao Cao's actions.
Cao Cao's situation was not good. Both the government and the public were very wary of him. Some people kept digging up old scores and wanted to send Cao Cao to jail.
"What happened!?"
Suddenly, a group of people appeared at the door, and a cold snort was heard.
When Cao Cao saw this, his face changed slightly, and he quickly stepped forward to greet her, saying, "Your Highness, Cao Cao, greets the Queen Mother."
Seeing this, Yin's face turned pale with fright, and she hurried over and said, "I have seen the Queen Mother."
The young man, who was tied up and pouting, was being lifted up by several big men, freezing in place.
Empress Dowager He glanced at him and said expressionlessly, "What's going on?"
For a moment, Cao Cao didn't know how to answer.
Yin was even more afraid. She lowered her head, her lips moving, but without making any sound.
The young man, on the other hand, kept making whining sounds.
Seeing that no one spoke, Empress Dowager He looked a little unfriendly. She pointed at a familiar maid and said, "Come here."
Most of the people in the He Mansion were arranged by Empress Dowager He. When the maid saw them, she hurried forward.
But he didn't dare speak loudly, so he came to Empress Dowager He and started talking in a low voice.
As Empress Dowager He listened, her body trembled with anger and she stared at Cao Cao with cold, even fierce eyes.
Cao Cao's heart sank, but his expression remained unchanged. He raised his hand and said, "Your Majesty, the thief who molested Yin has been captured by me."
"It's too late." Guo Jia, who was standing by, sighed as he looked at Empress Dowager He's expression.
"Someone, capture him for me!"
Sure enough, Empress Dowager He was furious and pointed at Cao Cao and shouted.
The imperial guards who followed captured Cao Cao directly.
Cao Cao also knew it was too late, so he hurriedly explained: "Empress Dowager, I did not..."
Having said this, Cao Cao could not continue.
To make excuses at this time is actually a form of admission.
Empress Dowager He didn't want to listen to his explanation at all. She said coldly: "Take them all into the palace!"
"Yes." The guards responded and took Cao Cao and the tied young man away.
Empress Dowager He ignored Guo Jia, snorted coldly at Yin, flicked her sleeves and turned away.
She came today to see He Xian off for the last time, but she never expected to encounter such a thing.
Yin's delicate body trembled with fear, she felt aggrieved but couldn't utter a word.
When Empress Dowager He returned to the palace angrily, Cao Cao was in the Shizhong Palace.
As soon as I entered an ordinary room, I saw the Minister of Rites, Bian Rang, teaching, and sitting there were half-grown boys like Lu Yu and Sima Yi.
Bian Rang was a serious person who never smiled and taught in a very strict manner, with a serious look on his face.
Liu Bian observed quietly for a while and then left quietly.
After taking a few steps, Pan Yin whispered, "Your Majesty, the leader of the Black Mountain Army, Zhang Yan, has written a letter to apologize."
Liu Bian waved his hand and said, "Leave it to the Shangshutai to handle."
The Black Mountain Army was defeated in Jizhou last year. Zhang Yan's prestige was damaged, and many of his men left. The Black Mountain Army is already showing signs of falling apart.
In addition, they have to survive the harsh winter, wait for the summer harvest, and lack clothing and food. On the surface, they write a letter to plead guilty, but in fact they still want the court to give them money and food.
Liu Bian would never pamper the Black Mountain Army like his cheap father, even though they were bandits in reality.
Pan Yin responded and took back the memorial that was handed to him.
After leaving the Palace of the Imperial Attendants and returning to the Chongde Hall, Liu Bian thought for a moment and said, "Look for young people in the capital who have potential. They can all be sent to the palace. When they are of the right age, they can be enrolled in the Imperial Academy."
"I understand." Pan Yin said.
Liu Bian hummed, paced back and forth, thinking about the affairs of the court, and said, "Lord Lu is not in good health, so we need to keep an eye on the Imperial Guards camp. Zhao Yun is there, and Cao Cao... Let's put him there for a month to train the soldiers and settle down..."
"His Majesty,"
Before Liu Bian finished speaking, Xu Yan came running over and said in a hurry, "Your Majesty, Cao Cao has been tied up and brought into the palace by the Queen Mother."
Liu Bian's face changed slightly, and he asked, "Why? Did Cao Cao offend my mother?"
Xu Yan hesitated, but still said, "Which one, Cao Cao presided over He Yan's funeral. On the last day, he and Ma Zheng, for..."
Seeing Xu Yan hesitating, Liu Bian frowned and said, "Why? Tell me!"
Xu Yan's face was stiff, and he said, "Because of He Xian's widow, he got into a fight with Ma Zheng because of jealousy, and was caught by the Empress Dowager."
The empty palace road was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
Liu Bian's frown slowly relaxed and his expression gradually became expressionless.
When Pan Yin saw this, he quickly lowered his head and dared not breathe.
He still remembered that last year when Cao Cao went on an expedition to Qingzhou, His Majesty had personally taught Cao Cao not to be foolish with women.
Now, He Xian had just died, and Cao Cao had already been fighting with others for his widow, and had even been caught red-handed by the Queen Mother.
Pan Yin could no longer imagine how angry the emperor before him was.
Liu Bian's face twitched again and again, his eyes were full of anger, he raised his foot and said calmly: "Let's go to Yongle Palace."
Pan Yin and others did not dare to respond. In silence, they followed Liu Bian to Yongle Palace.
When Liu Bian arrived, he saw that Empress Dowager He's face was as pale as ice and her eyes were as sharp as knives.
In front of her, Cao Cao, Ma Zheng and Yin were kneeling on the ground. Even Yin was tied up tightly.