Chapter 4, Where Did the Emperor Go
The He family is the foremost noble clan in Nanyang. Ever since Empress He was established as the primary consort a few years ago, the entire He family has soared to prominence. When Emperor Ling passed away and the young Emperor ascended the throne, Empress He was honored as the Empress Dowager and began to participate in state affairs. In the name of the Emperor, she granted her elder brother He Jin the title of Grand General and her younger brother He Miao the title of General of Chariots and Cavalry. In a short period, the He family's power became overwhelming, and the He family of Nanyang emerged as a prominent clan in the realm.
After weighing the options, it is clear that Liu Yao, who operates on a small scale, is the safest choice. This individual possesses average ambition, average ability, and average influence, and lacks capable talents at his disposal. It is precisely because he is unremarkable in all aspects that he would not take actions to leverage the emperor's authority to command the feudal lords
The Imperial Guard, led by the valiant Captain Mu Guiying, has come to rescue the emperor; those who surrender will be spared from death
Since it is not possible to go to Beiping, one can only seek refuge with the remaining three warlords. One is the newly appointed Governor of Jingzhou, Liu Biao; another is the Governor of Yizhou, Liu Yan; and the last one is Liu Yao, the Inspector of Yangzhou in Jianye
The desolate autumn wind, the fallen leaves, the golden afterglow, and the vast wilderness together create a beautiful painting
The only course of action now is to head south and seek refuge with the Han royal family. Liu Bian took the reins of a white horse from Mu Guiying and murmured to himself.
To shoot a person, one must first shoot the horse; to capture a thief, one must first capture the king. The commanding officer was shot dead, and the remaining soldiers immediately fell into chaos, unaware of how many hidden enemies lay in the grass. Some timid individuals even turned their horses to flee towards Luoyang.
Moreover, the leaders of the Guandong Army, Yuan Shao and Cao Cao, are both extraordinary heroes of their time, with ambitions for the world, and would never willingly assist someone like myself. If I were to seek their support, the outcome would likely resemble that of the historical Emperor Xian, who was "used by someone to command the feudal lords," becoming a puppet for life and ultimately meeting a tragic end
Ding dong... The system spirit prompts that the host's various attributes can also be queried, and can be enhanced using pleasure points and hatred points, with every 5 points redeemable for any attribute point. The host's current attributes are as follows: Strength 21, Intelligence 76 (upgraded, original Intelligence 32), Command 35, Politics 48, Monarch Charisma 30. As the host ages and gains experience, all attributes will naturally increase, and how far they can develop depends on the host's own efforts.
After much contemplation, Liu Bian felt that he could seek refuge with the Han royal relatives who were also descendants of Emperor Gaozu. After all, they shared the same lineage, and even if these individuals were not willing to wholeheartedly assist him, they likely would not be as ruthless as Cao Cao
Twilight. Slanting sun. Post road
You two go check in the bushes, why hasn't this young prince come out yet? Don't let a wild beast carry him away, or we will be in trouble...
"My lord, the enemy soldiers have all been defeated, please come out from the bushes quickly." After defeating the official troops, Mu Guiying seized several horses and called out loudly for Liu Bian to reveal himself
After listening to Liu Bian's explanation, Empress He and Lady Tang finally calmed down, collectively letting out a sigh of relief, "We thought we had encountered bandits or assassins sent by Dong Zhuo, but it turns out to be loyal ministers of the Han Dynasty here to protect us. We truly thank the spirits of our ancestors in heaven!"
Currently, the entire Sizhou is under the control of Dong Zhuo, and it is certainly no longer tenable to remain here. To the west, all the way to Chang'an and the Yongliang region, is entirely Dong Zhuo's territory; heading west would be akin to walking into a trap. To the east, beyond Hulao Pass, there are indeed eighteen lords rallying to protect the king, but these individuals each have their own ulterior motives and cannot form any significant force
In today's world, there are a total of four feudal lords who are related to the Han dynasty. One of them is Liu Yu of Beiping, a man who is unwaveringly loyal to the Han dynasty. His subordinates have repeatedly attempted to support him as emperor, but he has firmly rejected their proposals. However, Beiping is located north of the Yellow River, and under the circumstances of the Xiliang army's rampant searches, it is impossible to reach Beiping unless one could sprout wings and fly across the Yellow River.
Certainly, if you wish to take a detour through Qingzhou, that is another matter. However, in this chaotic time, with bandits roaming and the Yellow Turbans rising everywhere, taking such a long route to Beiping is almost tantamount to seeking one's own death. Moreover, the Yellow Turban army in Qingzhou is particularly fierce; if they were to learn that the court's deposed emperor and the empress dowager were passing through, even with ten Mu Guiyings by one's side, it would be unlikely to ensure a safe passage.
"Your Majesty, what should we do now?" Mu Guiying led the warhorse to Liu Bian and inquired
When Liu Biao first arrived in Jingxiang, whether he was willing to assist himself was one matter; the real giants of Jingzhou were the Cai and Kuai families standing behind him, and Liu Bian was reluctant to take risks. After Liu Yan of Yizhou entered Chengdu, he dispatched his general Zhang Lu to occupy Hanzhong, blocking the roads and severing communication with the Central Plains. It was evident that he intended to become a local tyrant, far removed from imperial authority, and he had already revealed his disloyal intentions. Among the four, he was the most dangerous.
The unpredictability of the world is such that no one anticipated that He Jin, barely settled into the position of General, would plummet from the pinnacle of power into the depths of hell, ambushed and killed by the Ten Eunuchs. His brother, He Miao, was similarly implicated and met an untimely death. With the demise of the He brothers, the glory of the He family from Nanyang also turned to fleeting smoke.
With a "puff," it pierced through the throat of the lieutenant. In that instant, he did not even have time to let out a scream before he fell to the ground.
Before the words of the officer could finish, suddenly there was a sound of "whoosh," and a feathered arrow came flying towards him, swift as the wind and quick as lightning
"Martial power 21? This is simply the strength of someone who can't even tie up a chicken!" Liu Bian remarked, sticking out his tongue in disdain
Liu Bian thought to himself that this was a general he had summoned, and what did it have to do with the ancestors of the Liu family? However, he was too lazy to explain. Now, the entire Sizhou was under Dong Zhuo's control. It was easy to imagine that after the scattered officials reported back, it would not be long before Dong Zhuo sent a large army to hunt down him and his mother. It was better to escape as soon as possible.
However, a dead camel is still larger than a horse. In the past few years, the He family has indeed prospered, and they still possess some wealth. Liu Bian suddenly felt that he should pay a visit to the He family. In order to recruit his own army, he must have financial support, and it would be advantageous to leverage the influence of the He family. Moreover, Nanyang is conveniently located on the way to Yangzhou, so visiting the He family would not delay his journey.
The glow of the setting sun cast a golden sheen upon the officer, as if he were coated in a layer of golden light, yet no one knew that this was the summons of the Grim Reaper
Liu Bian saw Mu Guiying displaying her extraordinary prowess among the reeds, and instantly felt a surge of excitement, secretly applauding and exclaiming: "How impressive! The martial prowess of 95 is truly remarkable. I wonder what my own martial strength is? If only I could possess such skills as well"
Mu Guiying slung her bow over her shoulder, and with a loud shout, she brandished the goose-feathered saber and charged into the ranks of the soldiers, like a tiger entering a flock of sheep. Wherever she went, the enemy fell before her; heads rolled, and blood and flesh flew in all directions. In a moment, there were two or three dozen corpses lying on the ground, and the remaining soldiers were so terrified that their souls seemed to leave their bodies, instantly scattering in a panic like birds and beasts.
Empress Dowager He wore a worried expression: "It is a long journey of a thousand miles from Luoyang to Yangzhou. Can we, as a mother and her orphaned child, really make it there? Mother, I still think it would be safer to return to our hometown in Nanyang."
"This is bad, someone is hijacking a car, quickly protect the vehicle!"
After Liu Bian made up his mind, he bowed to Empress He and said: "Mother, it is fine to go to Nanyang, but we can only stay for a short while. The distance from Luoyang to Nanyang is merely three to four hundred li. If Dong Zhuo learns that we mother and son have escaped to Nanyang, he will surely send a large army to capture us. We can only truly escape from the clutches of the traitor Dong by fleeing far away to Yangzhou on the south bank of the Yangtze River."
However, besides Mu Guiying, Liu Bian currently has no soldiers at his side. Hiding like this is not a solution; he must find a lord to rely on, to take refuge under their protection and gradually develop his own power. In this chaotic world, who does not wish to achieve greatness? Who among the lords in this realm can treat him well?
Liu Bian quickly collected his thoughts, jumped out from the thicket of mugwort, and hurriedly ran to the front of the carriage, pulling the terrified Empress He and Lady Tang down from the carriage: "Mother, beloved sister, do not be afraid, this general is my trusted and beloved Mu Guiying, who has come specifically to protect us upon hearing that we were driven away by the traitor Dong."
At this moment, Empress He was already in a state of panic and confusion, and she could not think about what to do in the future; she only thought about temporarily escaping back to her maternal home. The four of them then divided into two mounts: Mu Guiying rode with Empress He, while Liu Bian rode with Tang Ji. They sent away four palace maids and swiftly headed south.
These deserters have likely gone back to Luoyang to report, and it is not advisable to stay here for long. We should hasten southward, cross the Yangtze River, and seek refuge with Liu Yao, the governor of Yangzhou, in Qu'a. Liu Bian hesitated for a moment but then made a decisive decision