In the backyard of the Imperial Palace, Weiyang Palace, Jiaofang Hall.
After the incident of the imperial sash decree, the atmosphere in the entire harem was extremely tense.
Empress Fu Shou, with her cold and beautiful features, who was always adorned in a phoenix robe, today… wore a set of exceptionally simple clothing. At this moment, she was wiping the tears from Liu Xie’s cheeks.
Even though a long time had passed since the imperial sash decree.
The Son of Heaven, Liu Xie, had still not emerged from the haze of that day.
Every time after the morning court, he would come to Jiaofang Hall, his eyes filled with sorrowful tears, trembling as he repeatedly asked:
"They… they executed the Dong clan, I… even if I die, how can I explain to the Empress Dowager!"
"The five routes… the five routes of troops… are also no match for him, Cao Cao?"
"Empress, you say… has the fate of the Han dynasty come to an end? Is there no hope left for the Han?"
More than twenty years ago, after Consort Wang gave birth to Liu Xie, she was poisoned and killed by Empress He.
To protect this royal bloodline of the Han dynasty, Liu Xie was raised by Empress Dowager Dong from a young age. Liu Xie and the Dong family had been close since then!
Dong Cheng was the nephew of Empress Dowager Dong. Following the incident of the imperial sash decree, his entire clan was implicated, and almost the entire lineage of Empress Dowager Dong perished!
And because of this…
Liu Xie's first nightmare was the guilt towards his "grandmother."
"Your Majesty… you must pull yourself together," Fu Shou repeatedly advised. "Without the Dong family, there is still our Fu family, and there are millions of loyal subjects and soldiers to the Han dynasty! Your Majesty must pull yourself together!"
Pull yourself together?
Hearing these two words, Liu Xie laughed. He seemed to have heard the most ridiculous joke in the world, and he shook his head ceaselessly.
"Pull myself together? I… what do I have to pull myself together with?"
"I heard that Xu Shu, Xu Yuanzhi, has also defected to Cao Ying. The five-route campaign against Cao he personally planned and deployed was ultimately brought to ruin by his own hands. Cao Cao… Cao Cao and Lu Yu clearly knew that these five-route campaigns against Cao were related to me, related to the Han court, so why did they remain inactive? Are they tormenting me? Letting me struggle in an abyss of blood and darkness?"
Reaching this point, Liu Xie paused, then grabbed Fu Shou's arm and shook it desperately.
Countless tears poured from his eyes once again.
"In the eyes of Cao Cao and Lu Yu, I am merely an ant. Why do they still tie me to this position? Why can't they just let me go! Empress… why don't I abdicate? I'll give the empire to Cao Cao. If he doesn't want it, I'll give it to him… I'll exchange it for a lifetime of peace? Is that not possible?"
Fu Shou, also crying, replied, "Your Majesty… such words cannot be spoken, cannot be spoken!"
Empress Fu Shou wiped the tears from her eyes.
It seemed… she felt she needed to be stronger, for His Majesty, and even more so for her family.
"Your Majesty…"
Fu Shou's tone became serious. "Now, there is a heaven-sent opportunity. Yuan Shao is marching south. Precisely at this crucial moment, Cao Cao is suffering from a severe headache, in unbearable pain… even Zhang Zhongjing in the Imperial Medical Office is at a loss."
"Lord Xun has posted a public notice, searching for renowned physicians. Whoever can cure Cao Cao will be rewarded with a thousand pieces of gold and enfeoffed as a Marquis of ten thousand households… I have already… I have already arranged for a trusted physician. He will claim the reward. As long as the needle is quenched with potent poison, Cao Cao will surely die!"
Fu Shou's words reached this point, her eyes fixed, as if expressing her determination.
"Ji Ping? Is it Ji Ping?"
The Son of Heaven, Liu Xie, raised his head and murmured the name "Ji Ping."
Empress Fu Shou nodded. "Indeed. During the incident of the imperial sash decree, Ji Ping cleared himself of suspicion. No one knew he was involved. Moreover, his qualifications in the Imperial Medical Office are quite high now, and he is trusted by Zhang Zhongjing. If he goes… Cao Cao will not be suspicious. As soon as Cao Cao dies, then… Yuan Shao's army will surely win a great victory, and soon… they will capture this city of Xuchang!"
Hoo…
Hearing this, the Son of Heaven, Liu Xie, let out a breath, his brows raised… as if seeing a glimmer of hope.
However… soon, his gaze dimmed again.
"Heh…"
"Hehehe…"
He stood up, walked to the window, and let out a cold laugh. "Ridiculous, ridiculous… Cao Cao is a treacherous official, but… is Yuan Shao a loyal subject? If he were loyal, why were his troops absent when the Han court was in turmoil in Luoyang… He… he is no better than Cao Cao! I… have I not experienced enough of 'leaving the wolf's den only to enter the tiger's cave'?"
This…
Liu Xie's words made Empress Fu Shou pause. She pondered for a moment and then comforted him, "At least, at least the Yuan family is of four generations of dukes and ministers, at least… at least they have received imperial favor for generations!"
"Yes…" Liu Xie nodded. "Four generations of dukes and ministers, receiving imperial favor for generations… but no matter how powerful he is, he is still just a 'Duke.' Yuan Shu dared to declare himself emperor in Shouchun? Would Yuan Shao not dare to depose the emperor in Xuchang? The old Yuan family really wants an emperor to emerge!"
Hearing this, Fu Shou's brows furrowed even tighter. On her cold and beautiful face, a hint of helplessness and bewilderment was added.
For the sake of her family… for the sake of the Fu clan, she… she had to be even stronger.
"Your Majesty is too pessimistic. Regardless, we should at least fight for it! Is there a situation more tragic than this?"
Thinking of this…
Fu Shou gritted her teeth, biting her red lip, as if wanting to re-ignite the hope in the Han Son of Heaven's heart with her own strength.
Who would have thought…
Liu Xie simply waved his hand.
"As Your Majesty wishes. I am tired… Please return, Empress. Call Leng Shouguang in for me."
He disliked being served by women.
Compared to women, this Son of Heaven preferred to be served by this eunuch who was neither male nor female.
And this…
Seemed to have a traceable origin. The successive Sons of Heaven of the Eastern Han dynasty always favored eunuchs!
It was like a cycle. The emperors of the Eastern Han were always controlled by powerful ministers, then they would bide their time, using the power of eunuchs to overthrow the powerful ministers, and then foster a large group of eunuchs even more detestable than the powerful ministers. Then, they would be overthrown by another group of "powerful ministers," and everything would return to the starting point, entering a brand new cycle.
…
…
In Xuchang City, the Situ's Mansion.
In the main hall, Lu Yu was explaining the common knowledge of a "newspaper agency" to Cai Zhaoji.
"As I just explained, the establishment of a newspaper agency requires three components. First, papermaking, through the steps of 'raw material separation,' 'pulping,' 'sheet formation,' and 'drying,' wet paper is dried under the sun or air-dried, peeled off, and becomes paper! The cost is very low! And it can replace bamboo slips!"
"The second is printing. Using clay, we make uniform blank molds. On one end, we carve a reversed single character. The height of the raised strokes is like the thickness of the edge of a copper coin. After firing it hard, it becomes a single clay movable type! For each commonly used character, several, or even dozens, should be prepared. This is clay movable type! Afterwards, these clay movable types are arranged according to an article, and then imprinted on paper. This is printing!"
"The third is the newspaper. We print articles and events using clay movable types on paper, making it convenient for people to read. The text on it must be easy to understand and comprehensible to the common people. It is even more important to mobilize scholars from all over the country to read it to the common people. In this way… the newspaper agency and newspapers will be fully formed. Once newspapers are promoted, the public opinion of the entire Han dynasty will be controlled by our Imperial Academy."
Lu Yu explained "papermaking," "printing," "newspaper agency," and "newspaper" to Cai Zhaoji as simply as possible…
Giving the impression that… he intended to make the Imperial Academy the "official media" through these newspapers and newspaper agencies!
Cai Zhaoji, with her sharp intellect, found it not difficult to understand…
Moreover, regarding papermaking, Cai Lun had already laid the groundwork, so she had some understanding.
The "clay movable type" in printing was somewhat similar to… the knives used by scribes. Both were used to duplicate ancient texts and articles, but one was manual, and the other was a tool.
As for "newspaper agency" and "newspaper," Cai Zhaoji only understood the general idea.
"You mean? If sister were to write an article? Through a newspaper… it could spread quickly throughout the entire Han dynasty?"
Cai Zhaoji asked curiously…
Lu Yu nodded. "Theoretically, yes. This is actually… similar to the current proclamations. When Duke Cao marched against Dong Zhuo, the proclamation against Dong was copied by a group of scribes!"
"Today… 'clay movable type' replaces the scribes, and the bamboo slips passed through the postal stations will become many sheets of newspapers… Although not many common people can read, when they see a newspaper, they will ask about it, and scholars will answer them for them… In this way, if newspapers are successfully promoted, not to mention anything else, at least… an article by Sister Zhaoji can be seen throughout the Central Plains within ten days!"
Oh…
Cai Zhaoji nodded, half understanding, half not.
In short… after the improvement of papermaking, paper became less valuable.
Duplicating also became more convenient… Similarly, because the paper became lighter, transportation also became more convenient. Therefore… it could easily spread throughout the Central Plains.
This…
Although she still had a thousand doubts, Cai Zhaoji did not question further. Brother Yu's mind was always quick. Even if he came up with ten times stranger inventions, Cai Zhaoji would not be surprised at all!
"Brother Yu, just do what you want. Let me know if you need my help…" Cai Zhaoji patted Brother Yu's head…
Just like when she was a child…
Although Brother Yu had grown up now, become handsome, and even… more attractive, in her eyes, he was still that brother who depended on her for survival, and that would never change.
"Okay…"
Lu Yu nodded and was about to discuss it further with Sister Zhaoji.
Just then.
"Tell Situ Lu, *hu*… just say… just say… Sima Zhongda… urgent report from Jizhou…"
A panting female voice sounded outside the Situ's mansion.
Because the tone was quite distinctive, and Lu Yu's ears were exceptionally sharp, he heard some of it.
Isn't this…
Sima Zhongda's wife, Zhang Chunhua's voice?
Didn't this couple go to… Ye City in Jizhou? How did… Zhang Chunhua return?
With such questions.
Lu Yu looked up towards the window…
And the footsteps of the Long Xiao Camp's armored soldiers could be heard: Big Wind Novels.
"Report…"
"Bring her in directly…" Before Long Xiao's armored soldiers could reply, Lu Yu immediately ordered.
Not long after…
Zhang Chunhua entered the hall. She looked extremely tired, her face pale as paper, her complexion full of exhaustion. She had galloped for two days, killing three horses. She had not closed her eyes at all, and had rushed back with urgency.
Lu Yu subconsciously furrowed his brows, worried that something major had happened.
But… he couldn't figure it out.
Weren't Yuan Shao and Yan Liang both campaigning from Ye City? What else could be a major event? It couldn't be…
"Get a cup of tea for Miss Zhang."
Lu Yu ordered…
Zhang Chunhua, however, waved her hand and then took a bamboo slip from her back and handed it to Lu Yu. "Zhongda… asked… me to give this proclamation to Chief Director Lu. He said… this proclamation… this proclamation can be equivalent to ten thousand troops. Chief Director Lu needs to be prepared."
Hmm…
Proclamation?
Chen Lin's proclamation against rebels?
Lu Yu's eyes darted, and he instinctively thought of this.
He took the bamboo slip from Zhang Chunhua, then slowly unfurled it. The first line of text sprang into view – "If there are extraordinary people, then there will be extraordinary deeds. If there are extraordinary deeds, then extraordinary merits will be established."
Seeing this…
Lu Yu couldn't help but smack his lips…
Such an inspired proclamation is not common, is it?
Besides that of "Chen Lin, the great scholar, whose 'writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone are all weapons'," could it be anything else?
Instinctively, Lu Yu thought of two lines of dialogue from Chen Lin in "Sanguosha."
"The general is both virtuous and talented, a pillar of the Han Dynasty!"
"You are a treacherous villain who usurped the country, and everyone is entitled to slay you!"
This fellow, when he scolds someone, can make them infamous and worse than pigs and dogs. When he praises someone, he can also make them renowned throughout the land!
Hoo…
Lu Yu let out a light breath…
He roughly scanned through it…
This "Proclamation Against Rebels" had some minor changes compared to the one in his memory.
Among them… the most exaggerated was that Old Cao held Zhaoji hostage and forced her into marriage, thereby… forcing Lu Yu to serve him. This point was very outlandish…
If Old Cao really dared to do something like this, Lu Yu would oppose it himself, not to mention others.
"Sister Zhaoji, take a look…" Lu Yu directly handed the proclamation to Cai Zhaoji. "Zhongda said that this 'Proclamation Against Rebels' by Chen Lin is equivalent to ten thousand troops. Sister Zhaoji might as well appraise it!"
Hmm…
Cai Zhaoji was slightly startled, then took it. A trace of doubt naturally arose in her heart. Could mere brushstrokes be equivalent to ten thousand troops?
With such curiosity…
Cai Zhaoji quickly unfurled it. It was better not to unfurl it… but upon unfurling it, even the usually calm Cai Zhaoji's eyes widened, and her pearly teeth parted slightly, appearing astonished!
The layman watches the excitement, the insider sees the skill.
The writings of a great talent like Chen Lin in this era, the sharpness of his wording, the hidden killing intent, only the number one talented woman in the world, Cai Zhaoji, could understand and fully comprehend.
"Heavens…"
Cai Zhaoji exclaimed first, then shook her head incessantly. "Clearly it is false, it is twisting facts, but under such ornate rhetoric, every word is like a knife. It contains truth within falsehood, and falsehood within truth. To outsiders… how can they distinguish between true and false? It is all true!"
Cai Zhaoji swallowed with a gulp.
Very few articles could catch her eye, but this time… this "Proclamation Against Rebels" not only caught her eye.
It even made her afraid, made her tremble, and the thought of… this proclamation spreading throughout the thirteen provinces of the Han dynasty made her lose her color and shudder with fear!
Cai Zhaoji did not understand military strategy, and therefore… could not judge how many formidable troops this "Proclamation Against Rebels" could match!
But… without exception, every word in this proclamation was sharper than a spear.
"Sister Zhaoji, if this proclamation spreads throughout the world, the damage to public opinion caused here would be equivalent to ten thousand formidable troops, wouldn't it?" Lu Yu reminded her.
However, in contrast to Cai Zhaoji's terrified expression, Lu Yu appeared much calmer.
"Miss Zhang, please rest first… I will handle this proclamation!"
Lu Yu first gave instructions.
Then he turned to look at Cai Zhaoji again. "Sister Zhaoji, you see how powerful a proclamation can be? How powerful guiding 'public opinion' can be? From this perspective, our newspaper agency is also imperative!"
In fact…
Lu Yu had an idea. If the newspaper agency were established, one of the chief editors would naturally be the venerable Zheng Xuan. His reputation would be equivalent to a living advertisement for the newspaper agency!
However, Lu Yu pondered that he still needed a chief editor with a critical stance… someone he felt embarrassed to criticize, and he would let this chief editor do the criticizing, making it known to the world, making people indignant!
In this regard, Chen Lin, whether short or tall, seemed just right.
Thinking of this, Lu Yu nodded and muttered to himself – "Chen Lin, he is a talent, and I, young master, appreciate you very much!"
Just then…
"Thump thump thump…"
Consecutive footsteps sounded. An armored soldier from the Long Xiao Camp rushed into the main hall and immediately reported.
"Reporting to Situ Lu, Duke Cao's headache has recurred, and he has fainted. Previously, Lord Xun blocked the news and did not allow it to be told to Situ Lu… But now, the entire Imperial Medical Office, including the divine physician Zhongjing, is at a loss."
"General Xiahou even invited Hua Tuo, but because he proposed trepanation with an axe, Duke Cao imprisoned him and intends to interrogate him severely…"
"Lord Xun has posted a notice, searching for folk divine physicians to treat Duke Cao, offering a reward of five thousand gold. It is heard that… a medical official who once served in the Imperial Medical Office, named Ji Ping, has taken the notice and is going to treat Duke Cao with acupuncture!"
Three consecutive reports…
Wait.
Lu Yu frowned. The amount of information was too great, and he couldn't react!
Duke Cao's headache recurred, and he fainted? Xun Ling's action of blocking the news was not wrong, but why… did he not allow it to be told to Lu Yu?
Could it be…
Worried that he, Lu Yu, might not be able to cure it and affect his status in the "medical community"?
Uh…
Considering his friendship with Lord Xun, Lu Yu felt that Lord Xun might indeed do this.
Second… Hua Tuo?
Why was Hua Tuo in Xuchang City for no reason?
Why was he going to treat Old Cao's headache for no reason? How could he be so inconsiderate… This was clearly looking for trouble…
Even immortals can't save him!
No…
Lu Yu's heart trembled!
Even immortals can't save him, but they must be saved!
Previously, Lu Yu had specifically asked Cao Song, the old master, about Cao Cao's headache. Cao Song also tried to recall.
It seemed that because Cao Cao was short in his childhood, Yuan Shu called him "half a person." Then Cao Song used a folk remedy. Every night, he and the butler would help Cao Cao stretch his body. But in the end… his body didn't grow longer, but his head was damaged!
Cao Cao's headache was related to not sleeping well in those days, high mental stress, and the stretching of his head…
Of course, these were not important.
What was important was…
Cao Cao's headache, even in the twenty-first century, might not be curable, let alone now!
Lu Yu did not think he had the ability to save Old Cao…
Hua Tuo's method of trepanation with an axe sounded horrifying, but… besides this method, there was no other way!
Therefore, Hua Tuo must be saved!
"Gulp…"
Lu Yu swallowed.
Precisely…
Just then, he realized the third sentence reported by the Long Xiao Camp's armored soldier.
– Lord Xun ordered people to post a notice, searching for famous physicians.
– Ji Ping… Ji Ping accepted the reward?
Damn it…
Lu Yu was completely stunned…
How was Ji Ping still alive?
Was he not implicated in the incident of the imperial sash decree?
Because of the previous incident of the imperial sash decree, Cao Cao ruthlessly killed many people, and many names were hidden and they were secretly killed.
Lu Yu subconsciously thought… that everyone who should and should not have been killed had been killed, so he didn't pay much attention.
Damn it… there was still a fish that slipped through the net!
– Ji Ping!
This old Ji is not treating Old Cao's headache, he is trying to take Old Cao's life, it's over!
"Where is Duke Cao?" Lu Yu suddenly stood up and asked urgently…
"Situ… Situ's Mansion!" the Long Xiao Camp's armored soldier replied truthfully.
This was the first time he felt Situ Lu become so nervous!
However, how could he know…
Lu Yu was more than just nervous; cold sweat was pouring down his back. If Old Cao was finished, where would he, Lu Yu, find such a powerful patron! Could he and Sister Zhaoji still live a good life?
"Thump thump thump…"
Footsteps sounded abruptly. Lu Yu couldn't even greet Cai Zhaoji and ran towards the Situ's Mansion as fast as he could.
While running… he ordered the accompanying Dian Wei.
– "Commander Dian, send people to seal off Ji Ping's mansion!"
– "Furthermore, find two people from his mansion…"
Ah…
Two people?
At first glance, Dian Wei felt that the scope was too broad! At least, tell him their names!
However, Lu Yu couldn't remember the names of so many minor characters.
He just knew that there was a pair of man and woman in Ji Ping's mansion!
– "You send people, one is Ji Ping's concubine, and the other is Ji Ping's household slave. Go directly to the firewood shed in the back hall to catch them in adultery!"
– "Catch them in the act!"
…
…