"Empress, what does the Empress mean by this?"
Emperor Liu Xie’s eyes narrowed. He hadn’t understood, or perhaps, he refused to understand.
Had the glorious Han Empire truly… fallen to the point of relying on a woman for protection?
Empress Fu Shou slowly stood up. "Your Majesty, in the current situation, Yuan Shao has been defeated and perished. Lu Yu has gathered sufficient grain and fodder. It is only a matter of time before Cao Cao pacifies the northern regions!"
"This has reached a point where the survival of the Han dynasty is in jeopardy. Your Majesty cannot afford further hesitation. If we retreat and endure painstakingly, there will always be hope. But… if we completely fall out with Cao Cao, then…"
Empress Fu Shou did not finish her sentence, but her meaning was all too clear.
The current Han court was like an ant, how could it possibly be Cao Cao’s match?
Concession, and in exchange for concessions from Cao Cao and Lu Yu, was the only choice.
Admittedly, the position of Chancellor might achieve a temporary truce!
But… it offered no future!
Only by marrying the Eldest Princess… marrying the Eldest Princess to Lu Yu, might the Han dynasty retain a sliver of hope.
"Your Majesty…"
Empress Fu Shou's words became increasingly earnest. "Lu Yu marrying Xiahou Yuan, undoubtedly… this signifies a closer relationship between Lu Yu and the Cao and Xiahou clans. This is like adding wings to a tiger…"
"If things continue like this, the Han dynasty, the Han dynasty will inevitably, inevitably not escape the fate of annihilation. But… but if Your Majesty issues an edict for the Eldest Princess to marry Lu Yu, then at least in name, Lu Yu will be Your Majesty's brother-in-law. Even to silence the gossip of the world, Lu Yu would not allow Cao Cao to trample on the dignity of the Han dynasty, nor to destroy the foundation of the Han dynasty… Moreover…"
Empress Fu Shou spoke a great deal, but in the end, she fell silent.
Liu Xie understood. What she was implying in the end was the Fu family…
It was the Fu clan!
It was the lives of all 217 members of the Fu clan!
Han officials had already sent news that Cao Cao had secretly instructed the School of Investigation to arrest members of the Fu family.
And yet… as the Son of Heaven, and the Empress, knowing this matter clearly, they… they could not resist! They didn't even have a chance to escape!
Humility, the Han dynasty and its officials were all too humble!
And the only chance…
Was only… only to grant the position of Chancellor to Cao Cao and marry the Eldest Princess to Lu Yu, in exchange for this immense concession, a temporary reconciliation between the Han court and the Cao faction, and for Cao Cao to make the greatest retreat!
Fu Shou had always placed great importance on her family…
For the sake of her family, she would go through fire and water!
"The Eldest Princess of Han… Liu Xue, Liu Xue, is that right?"
Emperor Liu Xie’s expression was ashen. He pondered for a moment and then murmured, "I never imagined that the one to ultimately protect the Han dynasty would be… would be my elder sister!"
"I only regret, I only regret that I cannot… I regret that I cannot give birth to a daughter to marry Lu Yu and continue the dynasty…"
As he said this, Liu Xie was already weeping profusely, like a weeping figure.
The "Liu Xue" he mentioned was the eldest daughter of the late Emperor, the beloved Princess Wannian…
She was born to Empress Song!
In the past, the witchcraft case involving Empress Song had caused significant repercussions, and even the then-powerful Cao family had almost fallen into ruin!
But… precisely because Emperor Ling favored Princess Wannian, she was spared!
In these years, as the Eldest Princess of Han, she had followed Liu Xie from Chang’an back to Luoyang, enduring hardship and humiliation…
The only thing she silently protected was the last bloodline of the Han court!
Liu Xie truly did not wish for his beloved elder sister to be entangled in this conflict unless it was absolutely necessary.
Of course, when Liu Xie mentioned "cannot," he specifically looked deeply at Fu Shou!
When a man says he "cannot"…
The deep meaning here… was profound!
And Fu Shou understood it best. Who knew that all these years… she, nominally the Empress of Han, was in reality… living like a widow.
She had no one to confide in about such matters…
For her, every day in this deep palace was an ordeal.
And yet, she had to bear the burden of her family, she had to… had to stand strong, to hold her head high like an Empress!
"Your Majesty, do not overthink. Your Majesty is just too tired. Perhaps one day, when Your Majesty can cast aside these inner demons… then perhaps, you will be able to…"
Fu Shou did not believe these words herself, but she had to say them…
The Fu family was wholeheartedly devoted to the Han dynasty, and the Emperor of the Han dynasty must be strong! He might be impotent in certain aspects, but… he must never be impotent in terms of imperial power!
Thinking of this, Fu Shou continued, "Princess Wannian must be twenty-five this year, right? She has been through so much hardship, and no consort has been chosen for her yet! Speaking of which, she is only three years older than Lu Yu, right? Perfect!"
The term "consort" in the Han dynasty primarily referred to "Consort Commandant," one of the Emperor's close attendant officials.
When the Emperor went on an imperial tour, to prevent assassins, in addition to the main carriage, there were several secondary carriages accompanying him.
The attendant official in charge of the main carriage was called "Chariot Commandant," and the attendant official in charge of the secondary carriages was called "Consort Commandant."
Of course, in the Han dynasty, officials who could be near the Emperor naturally had extraordinary identities and backgrounds. Many Consort Commandants in the Han dynasty also married princesses, and over time, the Emperor used this official title to refer to the husband of a princess.
"But…" Emperor Liu Xie still frowned. "Didn't the Empress just mention that Cao Cao requested an imperial decree to marry the noblewoman Xiahou Yuan of the Xiahou clan to Lu Yu as his main wife? Our Eldest Princess, the Princess Wannian of Han, would she become a concubine? This is not… this is not…"
What Emperor Liu Xie wanted to say next was "Is this not an insult to the Han dynasty?"
The words were on his lips, but they ultimately did not escape. Was the Han dynasty not being insulted every day?
What difference did it make whether it was insulted a little more or a little less?
"Rules are made by people… and rites are also made by people!" Empress Fu Shou continued to explain. "Your Majesty's father-in-law, Cai Yong, the Director of the Imperial Academy, once wrote in 'Duanduan' that 'officials and great scholars have one wife and two concubines,' and 'upon achieving merit and being enfeoffed, they are permitted eight concubines.' Since he is a person of merit, it is not impossible for Your Majesty to decree eight concubines! In the past, King Qi took a consort, and one king had three consorts… Your Majesty, as the Son of Heaven, the Emperor's marriage decree is paramount. Could Marquis Baima not take two main wives?"
Speaking of this, Empress Fu Shou continued, "Once Your Majesty speaks of this matter, with all the officials of the court as witnesses, it will be a great favor to Lu Yu. Even if Cao Cao sees through Your Majesty's intentions, he would not dare… nor would he refuse Your Majesty's spoken decree!"
"A Marquis's mansion with two consorts… in Cao Cao's eyes, this is not Your Majesty's reconciliation with him, it is the Han court's concession, it is the Cao faction's retreat, it is both sides facing outward together, putting aside past grievances, and focusing their attention on unifying the realm and ending this chaotic world. On this point, Cao Cao still needs Your Majesty's support! This is also the greatest sincerity Your Majesty can show now!"
Her words were filled with earnest advice.
Of course, these words were not her own invention. How would she know about "Duanduan" or the stories of King Qi taking a consort? These were all told to her by her father, Fu Wan, who instructed her to persuade the Son of Heaven to act this way.
It is important to know…
In ancient times, there were strict rules regarding taking wives and concubines.
The "Chun Qiu Gong Yang Zhuan" stated, "A marquis only marries nine women," meaning a marquis could only marry nine women, and even taking one extra concubine was not tolerated by the world!
In the Han dynasty, unless one had special contributions, one could marry up to eight concubines, as stated, "Upon achieving merit and being enfeoffed, they are permitted eight concubines";
Ordinary officials could marry at most three wives and concubines, which is why Fu Shou mentioned Cai Yong's words, "officials and great scholars have one wife and two concubines."
Of course, if it were commoners, they were not even allowed to take a concubine, as stated, "commoners have one husband and one wife," and could only live with one woman.
According to this, did ancient men have three wives and four concubines, or large harems? It was not that simple; there were strict limitations!
But… rules are rules!
The "Book of Rites: Wedding Customs" also stated, "In ancient times, the Son of Heaven had six palaces, three ladies of the court, nine imperial consorts, twenty-seven attendants of the wives, and eighty-one imperial wives."
Simply put, the number of concubines an ancient emperor could take had a standard configuration and could not exceed this rule.
However, how many emperors ignored this?
The Three Cardinal Guides and Five Constant Virtues had some deterrent power, but… in the eyes of the Son of Heaven, breaking the rules was just a matter of a single word!
*Huuu…*
Liu Xie exhaled a long breath. He remained silent.
He was carefully contemplating all the implications… Finally, he opened his eyes, and a brilliant, dazzling light shone from them.
"Empress, then let us do as you say…"
"I grant him the Chancellorship, and I grant my elder sister, Princess Wannian, the position of Grand Censor! I only hope… I only hope Cao Cao can understand my difficult situation, focus on the realm, and cease troubling the Han court, and give these 'Han officials' a glimmer of hope to survive!"
As he said this, Liu Xie paused and slowly rose, walking to the window.
"How I wish this realm did not belong to Cao, nor to anyone else… but solely to you and me!"
*Hiss…*
Empress Fu Shou's heart was slightly touched. No one knew the bitterness within the Emperor, who had lived like a bird in a cage all these years!
This bitterness was so profound that it prevented him from becoming a man!
"Your Majesty… one day in the future, this realm will belong to Your Majesty!"
"I hope so…" Emperor Liu Xie nodded heavily. He took a deep breath. "As for Wannian… it will be up to the Empress to speak to her!"
"Your Majesty, rest assured… rest assured!" Empress Fu Shou nodded heavily. She felt the burden on her shoulders grow even heavier!
Whether it was the Empress, or His Majesty, or even Princess Wannian…
Perhaps this was the helplessness of royal children!
…
…
At the foot of Mount Tai in Yan Province.
Outside a long pavilion, by the mountain road, stood an ordinary tavern.
It was named "You Jian" (You Jian means "if there is" or "a bit").
Although it was called a tavern, it was neither the largest nor the smallest in Mount Tai Commandery. It was the kind that, when placed among other taverns, would not attract a second glance.
However…
Besides being a common tavern, the "You Jian" tavern had another identity.
It was a place where Yang Xiu had specifically dispatched righteous individuals from Bing Province to open a tavern in Mount Tai Commandery to gather intelligence on Yuan Shao's army!
Speaking of which…
Mount Tai separated Yan Province from Ji Province. Passing Mount Tai meant entering Ji Province territory, making this location extremely sensitive.
And Yang Xiu and the Bing Province righteous individuals led by Lu Bu often could not obtain intelligence on Yuan Shao's army in a timely manner…
It was difficult for Cao's faction to transmit intelligence from the Sili region…
For this very reason, Yang Xiu specifically established a tavern in Mount Tai Commandery to gather intelligence himself. This place was far from the battlefield… and the defenses were more relaxed, allowing intelligence on Yuan Shao's movements to be sent to Yanmen in Bing Province immediately.
Logically speaking, the "You Jian" tavern should have remained low-key…
But, precisely on this day, two soldiers from Mount Tai specifically came to visit. If it were just a casual visit, it would be fine, but this time… they brought a bamboo slip, or rather, three lines of poetry!
"With feathered arrows and a curved bow, remembering eagles calling from ancient ramparts, slicing tigers on the open plains;"
"If you have ears, do not wash them in Yingchuan water; if you have a mouth, do not eat the bracken of Shouyang;"
"It is hard to force a smile remembering Little Du; this year the geese have not flown south!"
*Hiss…*
The proprietor of the "You Jian" tavern was Yan Rou, a former commander of the Wuhuan, extremely adept at gathering intelligence, and someone highly trusted by Yang Xiu and Lu Bu in Yanmen Commandery!
At this moment, his eyes narrowed…
Having been captured by the Wuhuan and Xianbei since childhood, and finally gaining their trust through his own abilities, and infiltrating them…
Yan Rou was truly skilled, and similarly, he was extremely sensitive…
These three lines of poetry, if placed in ordinary circumstances, would be nothing. But precisely… these two soldiers from Mount Tai brought them and requested to purchase wine brewed by the Imperial Academy at a discounted price.
This…
"Proprietor? You’ve been looking at it for so long? Do you have any wine or not?"
The two soldiers from Mount Tai asked…
Yan Rou's eyes rolled, and after pondering for a moment, he finally said, "There is, but… as you know, our Imperial Academy wine is currently in high demand but short supply. Forget selling it at a discount, even at ten times the price, it would be snapped up immediately. We dare not casually offer it!"
Saying this…
Yan Rou paused, his eyes fixed, and he raised his gaze to continue, "Two esteemed sirs, allow me to ask a question. Where did you two obtain these three lines of poetry?"
Yan Rou asked very cautiously, his eyes constantly fixed on the expressions of the two soldiers from Mount Tai.
Coming to buy wine from the Imperial Academy here was clearly a signal!
What were they trying to convey?
Yan Rou had to ask clearly about these matters.
Of course…
In the eyes of the two soldiers from Mount Tai, this tavern proprietor seemed a bit like "a rabbit won't scatter unless it sees a hawk!"
"Haha…"
One of them laughed heartily. "Proprietor, I won't hide it from you. These poems were written by a student of the Imperial Academy. We understand your rules. Students of the Imperial Academy buying wine from the Imperial Academy not only have stock but also get a discount, right? Ah… haha!"
*Oh…*
Yan Rou slapped his forehead. "Oh… yes, yes… so it's students from the Imperial Academy!"
He was extremely sharp and understood immediately…
A student of the Imperial Academy, who knew about this tavern? Besides Yang Xiu, who was captured by Tong Yuan a few months ago? Who else could it be?
This was… this was Yang Xiu's signal for help!
Wait…
Just as he thought of this, Yan Rou's gaze swept across the bamboo slip, "Feathered arrows and a curved bow," "If you have ears, do not wash them in Yingchuan water," "It is hard to force a smile remembering Little Du!"
Er… "Yu," "You," "Nan!
This was an acrostic poem…
—Lu Yu is in trouble!
—Commander Lu is in trouble!
Although Yan Rou had never met Lu Yu, Lu Yu's name had been mentioned countless times by Yang Xiu and General Ying. Therefore, even the single character "Yu" was extremely sensitive!
In an instant, Yan Rou's expression changed drastically, and cold sweat dripped down his back…
However, in just a moment, his expression calmed down.
Having spent many years in the frontier, Yan Rou naturally understood that this matter was of great consequence…
Firstly, it concerned Yang Xiu;
Secondly, it concerned Lu Yu!
The calm Yan Rou's mind was spinning rapidly… his eyes widened slightly, and a pleased smile appeared on his lips. "One of us, one of us…"
"Stop the nonsense, where's the wine? Is there any wine left?" the two soldiers from Mount Tai eagerly asked.
"Yes… yes!" Yan Rou immediately instructed the waiter to bring two jars of wine brewed by the Imperial Academy… "Since we are all on the same side, esteemed sirs, please drink first. As for the price, it will be half the market price… Oh, right, our new batch of fine wine is on its way. I heard this is the last batch of wine moved from the cellar by the Imperial Academy before the alcohol ban, and it is very fragrant. It will arrive in Mount Tai Commandery in ten days… perhaps you esteemed sirs could come and collect it then!"
Heh…
As these words left his mouth, the two soldiers from Mount Tai smiled.
As Yang Xiu had said, the golden signboard of the Imperial Academy was indeed very useful!
Who would have thought that the highly sought-after Imperial Academy wine would be sold by the proprietor at half price for two jars, and there would be more later? For those who loved wine, this was incredibly joyful.
"No problem, no problem…" The two soldiers from Mount Tai smiled at Yan Rou. "Then we will come back in ten days. Please prepare a few more jars then. Such heavenly nectar is not enough to drink! Haha…"
Saying this, the two of them walked out of the tavern laughing.
Yan Rou quickly winked at the waiter…
Those who came to Mount Tai to gather intelligence were all clever individuals among the Yanmen righteous, so they naturally understood the meaning and followed suit.
Less than half a day later…
They returned to the "You Jian" tavern, where Yan Rou was already waiting…
"It's from the Mount Tai army…"
No further words were needed; these four words were enough.
Yan Rou nodded and softly murmured, "I didn't expect that the young master Yang, who was captured by Tong Yuan, would… would be in the mountains of Mount Tai!"
*Huuu…*
Mentioning this, Yan Rou let out a sigh and quickly prepared writing materials, rapidly writing something on the bamboo slip.
He had not met Lu Yu…
Nor did he know how to contact the Dragon Xiao Camp, nor did he dare to leak this information for fear of it being leaked to spies in the Mount Tai army.
He quickly wrote two identical letters and skillfully tied them to the legs of two carrier pigeons, ensuring that the pigeons would have a smooth journey to Yanmen!
Of course, along the way, there would be his own people's taverns that would collect the letters from the pigeon legs and send them out again… until they reached Yanmen!
—Yang Xiu is in Mount Tai…
—Lu Yu is in trouble!
This matter was too significant… All Yan Rou could do was to inform General Ying of this news!
Let him… let him take charge of the overall situation!
Watching the pigeons fly away slowly.
Yan Rou's emotions were turbulent and surged intensely…
He softly murmured.
"Young Master Yang, Young Master Yang… you have gone through great pains. General Ying… will definitely… definitely find a way to save you, and will definitely convey your intentions to Commander Lu! He definitely will!"
Saying this, Yan Rou's eyes narrowed, appearing extremely anxious.
He even wondered…
—Tong Yuan, Yang Xiu, Lu Yu… Mount Tai…
What did these unrelated pieces of information connect to… what did they represent?
"General Ying, what will you do? What will you do?"
Yan Rou murmured…
However, he had no idea that "General Ying's" actions would be brutal…
After all, it concerned the safety of his son-in-law!
Even his beloved daughter was secondary!
Speaking of which… it was only four words—too brutal!
…
…