“Can strategists not ascend to the throne?”
Chapter 382: Retreat from Huayin
At the moment Liu Yu fell, what was going through his mind?
Was he pondering the increasingly precarious dignity of the Han Dynasty after this shocking change, or was he thinking about Qiao Yan, the one he suspected the most might have thoughts of undermining the Han? At least on the surface, her every move was aimed at preserving the Han rule, while those he believed were loyal subjects, like Wang Yun and Liu Bei, laid all the power struggles of Chang’an bare for everyone to see, tainting the Han Dynasty’s reputation completely.
He couldn’t prevent Qiao Yan from stepping forward, which was a sign of his inability as an emperor.
He couldn’t control the ambitions sprouting within his son, which was a failure as a father.
And if he couldn’t restrain the actions of Wang Yun and the others, that couldn’t just be called incompetence; it should be labeled pitiful!
What face did such a pitiful incompetent have to be the master of the world? What face did he have to sit in Chang’an and live in this world?
All the despair surged in an instant, exacerbating his illness and weakness, causing his face to go as pale as gold paper the moment he fell.
Instinctively, Zhang Zhongjing, the physician beside him, rushed forward to catch him.
“Hurry! Get His Majesty settled down, then bring me my medical kit!”
Don’t be deceived—just two days ago, Liu Yu was still spirited, but today’s sudden chaos had completely knocked him down.
The human body is the most complex existence; it’s truly difficult to estimate how severe the escalation of an illness can be.
Worst case, this fall could cause him greater irreparable damage than when Liu Yang had made him sick with worry before.
This wasn’t just the fall of a gravely ill emperor of the Han.
Qiao Yan watched Liu Yu being carried away, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.
But when she let Liu Yang and others successfully join forces, and when she used Chang Yan as her first counterattack, there was no turning back for her.
Feeling pity for Liu Yu at this moment was fine, but—
Who could show any pity to the common people suffering in these catastrophic times, amidst rampant land grabs?
Qiao Yan said, “Please take care of His Majesty, Dr. Zhongjing and General Huangfu. I’ll go clean up the chaos in Chang’an.”
Even though Wang Yun had set this ambush within the palace walls, first Qiao Yan had Zhao Yun lure the Huayin garrison here, then she ignited the explosives in a last-ditch effort, and now with Si Sun Rui leading troops to support Chang’an, the common folk in the city, who might have been unsure at first, certainly understood now!
This was the Grand Marshal being targeted by the united forces of the Han prince and ministers, intending to have him killed!
Even with the previous rampant rumors, the citizens of Chang’an would never have imagined such a plot unfolding.
The rumors swirling through the purple palace were perhaps sparked by the envy of a few individuals toward the Grand Marshal’s position, or perhaps by Yuan Shao in Ye City and another emperor who couldn’t effectively stop the Grand Marshal’s advance, forcing them to resort to such measures to save themselves.
But today was different!
This was a bona fide internal strife laid out before them!
What had the Grand Marshal done to deserve this targeting?
When the shocking news, akin to the earthquake in Chang’an in the second year of Jian’an, broke, most people’s minds flickered with this very question.
Without the Grand Marshal, the Chang’an court would never have been established; years of calamities had already turned them into victims of the times.
The most direct evidence was the deep wells they relied upon to survive the drought, all constructed under Qiao Yan’s arrangement, making them see her as their benefactor, their lifeline.
But look at what they were hearing now!
They say the Grand Marshal is a traitor, intending to lure her into the palace walls under the guise of the emperor, and then kill her with the momentum!
This was obviously not mere hearsay from those with malicious intent.
Those closest to the palace clearly heard Wang Yun’s dying struggle above the palace, saw him ignite the explosives, and they witnessed Liu Yang’s unbecoming disgrace, along with his persistent accusation against the Grand Marshal despite the urgent situation.
Even if other scenes were blocked behind palace walls, they didn’t know Liu Bei and the others had also joined in the encirclement against the Grand Marshal. But one was the sole prince and the other the second most powerful man after the Grand Marshal—
If these two could make such a plan, what about the others?
Most importantly, what did the Son of Heaven think?
Especially the latter; this was what everyone hearing the news was anxious to find out.
The common people could only listen to the unavoidable rumors spreading through the streets, while the officials in the Chang’an court were met with even more astonished expressions as they received the news, and one by one they hurried toward the palace.
Upon hearing Liu Yu had directly spat blood and fainted, they could only suppress their inner anxiety and gather in the Ginkgo Palace and Zichun Hall, the meeting place of the court.
“What does Minister Wang think!” someone in the crowd blurted out first.
For most people, Wang Yun’s actions seemed utterly insane.
Anyone holding a position within the court could hardly be blind; unless someone was thick-headed, they ought to see Liu Yang was just not cut out to be a candidate for the Chang’an court!
They should also be able to see just how untouchable the Grand Marshal was as the one holding all the power.
Supporting Liu Yang was one thing, but attempting to assassinate the Grand Marshal so ruthlessly and even imprisoning the emperor was essentially diving headfirst into a deep water grave, leaving no escape route.
The impact of his actions led people to feel uneasy.
This palace coup-like event—what consequences would it stir? No one could provide a clear answer.
Humans have tempers, and young people like Qiao Yan are no exception.
If anyone had worked tirelessly for four years for this court—and if we count from when she had been appointed Prefect of Bingzhou, that’s eight and a half years—only to be caught in this trap and ambush at this moment, they would feel utterly heartbroken.
Had she been just a scholar, like Cai Yong, she might have only been exiled to a distant land, or perhaps taken refuge under a friendly noble family, powerless to counter the state and political situation, at most writing a few essays or poems.
But when it came to Qiao Yan, it was a completely different story!
Let’s not even mention the states and counties she had reclaimed; the generals stationed under her command were practically all cultivated by her, broadening her influence across the nine regions. Just consider the city of Chang’an; besides the soldiers controlled by Wang Yun and Liu Yang, the rest was all Qiao Yan’s people.
Since the last emperor was supported by her, and she was not closely related to Liu Yu, having already gained favor from the Han Ling Emperor, she could easily act before Cao Cao and Yuan Shao could react to the turmoil here, and simply carry out a plan to depose the emperor!
Didn’t the former Huo Guang do just that?
When the Duke of Haihun conspired against Huo Guang after being summoned to the capital, it was hasty measures like these that led to the overthrow of the crown prince, sending him back to his fief.
The Han royal family surely had more than just Liu Yu capable of holding the title of emperor!
Thinking of this, some instinctively turned their gaze to Liu Qi, the Minister of the Imperial Horse.
Not to mention, Liu Qi’s father, Liu Biao, seemed like a fitting candidate.
Like Liu Yu before becoming emperor, he was already in the position of a governor.
Based on Liu Biao’s cooperation in the Xu-Yang campaign, it was evident that he would work well with Qiao Yan.
When Zhang Jin invaded Jing Province, although Liu Biao had retreated momentarily due to that elephant army, his subsequent counterattack was commendable, at least far superior to Liu Yu’s reliance on Qiao Yan for assistance back then.
More importantly…
Though we can’t comment on what Liu Biao’s other sons were like, Liu Qi clearly wasn’t the type to rile up a rebellion like Liu Yang!
But whether Qiao Yan would carry out such an act of deposing to ensure she wouldn’t get stabbed in the back during an enemy confrontation was uncertain. However, one thing was certain—
This shocking change would not be easily brushed aside; otherwise, it wouldn’t just be Qiao Yan who would suffer, but also the Han Dynasty’s dignity!
The storm over Chang’an… was bound to unleash chaos.
“Their status is surely about to face a wild upheaval.”
Here stood Huang Wan, the only one of the Three Dukes present, who chose not to utter a word but instead cast a calm gaze toward the empty seat of the Son of Heaven.
Wang Yun had developed a close friendship with him over the past few years, and due to the turmoil in Chang’an in the third year of Guangxi, their bond had deepened further.
Just like Wang Yun and Liu Yang had pointed out while analyzing their advantages, Huang Wan was initially included in their plans.
But maybe it was Liu Yang’s premature action against Xianyu Fu that pushed Wang Yun to hastily initiate this operation, which inadvertently made him miss the chance to persuade Huangfu Song, while also ensuring that Huang Wan’s involvement remained under wraps to prevent any leaks.
So here was Huang Wan, still standing in the grand hall, awaiting a resolution to the situation rather than being shot down atop the walls of Chang’an or imprisoned in a cell.
When he first received the news, Huang Wan was puzzled as to why Wang Yun would make such a foolish decision. But as he stared at the vacant throne, he seemed to grasp the reasoning behind it.
Wang Yun, Xianyu Yin, Chunyu Jia, and others clearly had a coherent logic driving their actions, and they had interests that compelled them to fight from their perspective. Faced with the choice of being boiled like frogs or attacking the pot’s edge, they resolutely chose the latter, opting for the most pragmatic path available to them.
Yet, not every frog might want to jump out of that warm water.
After the Yellow Turban Rebellion in the seventh year of Guangxi, Huang Wan was recommended by Yang Ci, freeing himself from the grip of the Prohibition of Factionalists and rising to the position of Provincial Governor. Even without military power, his vision far exceeded that of most officials.
He figured that the current unrest might not last much longer.
As that thought blossomed in his mind, Huang Wan couldn’t help but shut his eyes.
In the darkness lit only by faint light, he seemed to glimpse a future that was hard to resist.
Whether the Han Dynasty was failing the Grand Marshal was no longer so important; or rather, for the common people, this was never a fact requiring further contemplation.
All they needed to know was whom to follow to survive, or simply put, to live with enough dignity like a real person.
In this unstoppable trend, those choosing to oppose Qiao Yan might still be seen as supporters of the previous era, but by opting for a reckless and self-serving way to achieve their goals, they could only end up disgraced and abandoned in this transitional chaos.
Wang Yun had already met his demise beneath the palace walls of Chang’an; how much longer could Chunyu Jia and Shi Sunrui hang on?
Probably not much longer.
When they raised their arms from the Huai tree in Youfufeng, they felt that their future was bright.
Though Shi Sunrui’s rapid mobilization of troops back to Chang’an under the pretext of drills was a bit hasty, he believed that by the time he reached Chang’an, Liu Yang must have handled Qiao Yan, making it so that even if the soldiers didn’t heed his commands, they would follow the Emperor’s and the Prince’s orders to stabilize the situation.
Thus, even if they didn’t participate in the encirclement of Qiao Yan, they could still gain some semblance of responsibility.
After all, whatever little contributions they could secure, they would still count as contributions to the cause!
Qiao Yan managed to support Liu Yu to the throne today and became so impressive; couldn’t they also seek more benefits because of Liu Yang’s shortcomings?
They were indeed maintaining the Han authority, but in a way more beneficial to themselves in the grand scheme of things.
But before Shi Sunrui and Chunyu Jia even reached Chang’an, they encountered an army sent by Qiao Yan to intercept them.
As the Hua Yin garrison emerged under Zhao Yun’s command, Chunyu Jia realized a terrifying fact almost instantly—
The conspiracy back in Chang’an had inevitably failed!
Qiao Yan even had the presence of mind to send Zhao Yun and a substantial force to stop them, clearly indicating that she had already eliminated all the enemies within Chang’an!
This was a sign of the inevitable decline!
Once publicly humiliated by Ni Heng, Chunyu Jia was not in the best shape, yet driven by survival instinct, he skillfully mounted his horse to flee.
Yet, he didn’t realize that the garrison soldiers had instinctively halted their actions the moment they laid eyes on Zhao Yun due to years of training; this made Chunyu Jia’s attempt to turn and escape glaringly obvious amidst the still crowd!
Seeing this change from the Zhao Yun’s ranks, Lü Lingju wasted no time shooting an arrow at the fleeing man.
Though young, she was surprisingly strong.
Years of training as a general, along with Tai Shici’s coaching from years ago, had given her a longbow that far surpassed that of ordinary soldiers.
At that moment, her arrow flew like a shooting star and pierced through the warhorse Chunyu Jia was riding.
What was already a galloping horse immediately collapsed, throwing off Chunyu Jia who was sitting atop it.
But he didn’t react as swiftly as Li Ru did years ago; he hadn’t even the slightest idea of self-rescue in that sudden fall, and all he heard was a bone-cracking sound before a mouthful of blood surged in his chest, plunging him into unconsciousness.
By the time Shi Sunrui was captured and both squads fell under Zhao Yun’s command, this esteemed Grand Knight had already breathed his last.
Lü Lingju couldn’t help but scratch her head and asked, “Should this be considered an unintentional accident of resisting arrest, right?”
Surely that couldn’t be claimed as her unprovoked assassination of an official… right?
“Of course it doesn’t mean you did anything wrong,” Zhao Yun replied, glancing at the confused soldiers who were utterly unaware of what had just happened. His usually gentle expression now bore clear signs of anger as he re-assigned his subordinates back into ranks toward Youfufeng. “They initiated troop adjustments without orders; by military rules, that’s a death penalty!”
If those sent to intercept had not been him, or if those soldiers had made an irreversible move while pressed on their sides with swords at the gates, who could claim them innocent once captured? Those soldiers who were treated as tools would undoubtedly face repercussions.
Shi Sunrui and Chunyu Jia clearly disregarded the lives of these soldiers; they deserved what they got!
If the Son of Heaven decided to hold Lü Lingju accountable for the killing of Chunyu Jia, they’d have all the justification needed to topple the Han Dynasty!
However, they still had to maintain some rationality, a rationality that was unwise to overstep in the current turmoil.
Zhao Yun was aware of Qiao Yan’s ambitions; she didn’t seek to rise through military might but rather wanted the chaotic situation spurred by Liu Yang and Wang Yun’s actions to evolve toward stabilization.
What they wanted was not slaughter in Chang’an but…
But it was to leverage the rising tide of public sentiment in Chang’an to bring about a monumental change!
After stopping this squad heading for Chang’an, he made no unnecessary moves, merely halting his regiment at the outskirts of Chang’an, then met up with Qiao Yan, who was suppressing the public opinion inside the city.
“What are your plans for now, Your Grace?” Zhao Yun asked, noticing Qiao Yan staring outside at the flowing waters and distant walls, revealing a hint of melancholy.
With a sigh, Qiao Yan replied, “Let’s hold off for now and wait for the Emperor to regain consciousness.”
The more actions taken, the more mistakes made, so—
She put more faith in the power of public will.
Liu Yu remained unconscious for nearly two days.
When he finally awoke, all he saw were swaying shadows, and it took a good while before he recognized who was before him.
It was none other than Grand Commandant Huangfu Song.
Liu Yu quickly asked, “What about Ye Shu?”
Before he collapsed, he had heard the news of Shi Sunrui and Chunyu Jia raising arms from Youfufeng; even if Qiao Yan was calming the rebellion, that would be reasonable. But upon seeing Huangfu Song’s expression, he felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding.
Qiao Yan wasn’t here, which didn’t seem like a result of suppressing the rebellion.
Huangfu Song offered a bitter smile and said, “Ye Shu has retreated with the troops to Huayin.”
