Chapter 753 This time, it probably won’t be Emperor Zhaolie
"As the saying goes, the emperor will always trust the people he single-handedly promoted. In the eyes of the new emperor, the old officials and other officials are more or less obstacles and need to be removed. However, if such people are just courtiers, they will still be trusted."
Easy to deal with.
The problem is that such people are not only courtiers, but also the army. The people who maintain the prestige of the Han Dynasty and the existence of the Han Dynasty are mainly this army. The existence of this army is a crucial matter.
And if this army cannot gain the trust of the emperor, the result will be a disaster. What I can be sure of is that if the emperor personally governs, it will be difficult for this army to gain the trust of the emperor.
If they cannot gain the emperor's trust, they will inevitably be restricted by various constraints from the emperor, either from relatives or eunuchs. The emperor will restrain their hands and feet, and they will be resentful.
It's okay if this situation lasts for a short time. If it lasts for a long time, a big conflict will inevitably occur. By then, whether the emperor wins or the army wins, such a result will be the worst for the Han Dynasty. Of course, I think that the army will win.
The possibility of winning is very high, then Xie may not be able to save his own life."
Liu Bei organized the most high-sounding words and said them to the old lady, hoping that the old lady could understand.
But the old lady just opened her mouth and looked at Liu Bei blankly, as if she didn't understand.
So Liu Bei sighed.
"The Empress Dowager, I have a thousand words to say. As an emperor, I can stabilize the throne, stabilize the Han Dynasty, and stabilize the world. Of course, I can also preserve the bloodline of the late emperor. After Xie abdicates, I will not have to worry about food or clothing.
A lifetime of enjoyment and boundless joy.
But if I don’t become the emperor, he will not be able to control the court, control the army, and serve the people. If he is not careful, it will be difficult to even save his life, and the great Han Dynasty will surely collapse. You tell me, at this point, what should I choose?
?”
The old lady didn't speak for a while. She seemed to have forgotten even the pain she was suffering from. She didn't say a word and just stood there in a daze.
After a while, the old lady closed her mouth.
",Are you kidding? Are you serious?"
"The Empress Dowager, how can I make a joke now that things have come to this point? No matter how unwilling I am, I must accept the reality."
Liu Bei shook his head and said: "The late emperor's kindness to me is as great as a mountain. It is precisely because of this that I want to preserve the flesh and blood of the late emperor. If not for this, I would not be willing to do such a thing that would cause future generations to question it. The Empress Dowager, I
I’m really helpless.”
"But...this...this you...ah...this..."
The old lady's thinking seemed to be in chaos and she couldn't extricate herself. There were many things that the old lady seemed unable to accept. Her body began to shake unconsciously, and she tried to sit up with support on her upper body.
Liu Bei stepped forward, helped the old lady up, and let the old lady lean in his arms.
The old lady thought for a while and seemed to have thought of something.
So she asked Liu Bei.
"Don't you want to be emperor yourself?"
Liu Bei shook his head repeatedly.
"The late emperor showed great kindness to me. Previously, I did not intend to be the emperor, but was thinking of using other methods to stabilize the Han Dynasty. However, due to Zheng Tai's stupid behavior, everything was advanced and I had no time to make arrangements."
Liu Bei sighed: "The most difficult thing in the world to grasp is the human heart. People's minds change, and the situation is strange. I feel like burning in flames. I don't know what it means. If God's will is like this, for me, for the late emperor, and for you."
, it’s all too cruel.”
After hearing this, the old lady was silent for a while. She looked up at Liu Bei and thought about it. She always felt that these things were too hard to accept.
"Ah, this old woman can't believe it when you call me."
"The Empress Dowager, now that things have happened, what else can you say whether you believe it or not?"
"Are you really just trying to preserve the late Emperor's flesh and blood?"
The old lady turned her head and looked at Liu Bei: "Are you really not selfish at all? Or, is there really no other way?"
"What do you think can be done?"
Liu Bei supported the old lady and asked her.
The old lady was stunned for a moment, then shook her head.
"You are the only one in the world who can think of a way. If you can't think of it, or if you don't want to think of it, then the old woman will definitely not be able to think of it either."
"Before, I had ideas and preparations, so I made the General's Mansion so perfect. I thought that if possible, it might really be possible for the Han Dynasty to be a family forever and avoid the pain of changing dynasties."
Liu Bei said softly: "But now, it's no longer possible. The doubts of the people in the world, especially those of my subordinates, have been aroused. If there is no result in this matter, no result that suits their ideas, they may even force
The ministers ascended the throne and became the emperor, so that they could feel at ease.
Such people are not one or two, not even ten or twenty thousand, they are hundreds of thousands, millions, the hearts of one person, the hearts of tens of millions of people, the hearts of tens of millions of people, are also the hearts of one person, the Grand Empress Dowager,
At this point, it is irreversible."
The old lady didn't speak for a while.
There was a long silence in the palace that was full of medicinal smell, and then there was a long sigh.
The old lady sighed heavily.
"Dong Chong came to me before and told me that he wanted me to make a promise from you, saying that you would always assist the Association, so that I could feel completely at ease. I thought at the time that this was unnecessary, because you, Liu, are absolutely reliable, but now I see
Come on, there is really no need for this anymore, the most reliable person is gone."
Liu Bei blinked and smiled slightly.
"The Great Empress Dowager, I am incompetent and cannot continue to assist the late emperor's flesh and blood. However, I can always protect the late emperor's flesh and blood and let the late emperor's bloodline survive. This, I can swear."
"real?"
"real."
"If you can't even swear this, if you really intend to go against Xie, I will risk my life to kill you right here."
Empress Dowager Dong glanced at Liu Bei, waved her hand, and threw out a hairpin with a sharp tip.
The hairpin fell to the ground, made a crisp sound, rolled around a few times, and landed in Liu Bei's eyes.
This hairpin was held in her hand at some point, and Liu Bei didn't notice it at all. If this thing really inserted someone into his neck, his life would be dead.
So Liu Bei's heartbeat accelerated for a moment.
After so many years of fighting and facing many enemies who wanted his life, he had never been so worried, because he always had personal guards around him, and he wore the strictest armor. His survival rate was the highest in the entire army.
However, this time it was different. He had nothing to wear and nothing to prepare. He was slacking off, completely slacking off on this terminally ill old lady.
And at that moment, the old lady had the power to kill him.
As long as the hairpin is inserted into his neck, he will become a tragic figure and be laughed at by future generations. Shura survived the battlefield and died at the hands of a terminally ill old lady.
But soon, he stabilized his emotions.
He smiled.
"You will not do this, because you know better than anyone else that except for me, no one can stabilize the Han Dynasty, and no one can protect the flesh and blood of the late emperor. If not, why would you be so dissatisfied with Dong Chong?
You told me what Dong Zhong had done twice, once through the mouth of Liu Yu. Just now, you told me once yourself, as if you were afraid that I would not notice. Dong Chong is your nephew.
ah."
The old lady said "Ouch" for a while and stroked her chest, looking very uncomfortable.
"My nephew cannot be as close as my own son or grandson. The old woman is incompetent and cannot save her son's life. This is a lifelong regret. No matter what, she must save her grandson's life, right?"
Otherwise, when I see Hong after I die, and Hong asks me how Xie is doing, how should I answer him? Do you want me to tell Hong personally that I am useless as a aunt and can't protect him and let him be bullied by you?
"
As she said that, the old lady glanced at Liu Bei.
"If you become emperor and meet Hong after your death, and Hong asks you why you want to be emperor and why you bully Xie, how should you answer him?"
Liu Bei thought for a while.
"I... should not be able to see the late emperor. When a person dies, he is dead. When a person dies, his soul is extinguished, and the body will soon rot. There will no longer be any trace left in the world. It will completely disappear and never be seen again.
A glimmer of possibility.
The Empress Dowager, I don’t believe that people have souls after death. Even if the body is dead, keeping the soul is purely a more painful thing. It is better to destroy them together, disappear forever, and never exist again. Isn’t that beautiful?”
"You don't believe that people have souls after death?"
The old lady was surprised and said: "This is a strange thing. Everyone is busy setting up memorial tablets for their ancestors and begging their ancestors to have spirits in heaven to protect their descendants. You don't believe it?"
"The funniest thing in the world is to ask the dead to protect the living."
Liu Bei chuckled and said: "If the dead can protect the living, how can there be dead people? Everyone will die. This is a natural principle. It will not be changed for any reason. Everyone will experience it. The late emperor did it, and so do I.
, If you are dead, you are dead, why should you care so much?"
"No wonder, if you believe this, you probably won't dare to do this."
The old lady sighed with emotion: "But no matter what, if you become the emperor, some people will always say that you are usurping the throne, or usurping the throne of a child. Isn't this unpleasant to say?"
"Isn't abdication considered usurping the throne?"
Liu Bei shook his head and smiled and said: "No matter how you say it, I am a clan member of the Han Dynasty and a descendant of the great ancestor. It should be regarded as a concession between clan members, rather than a usurpation of the throne by a different surname. However, if someone insists on saying that this is a usurpation of the throne, I have nothing to do.
On this matter, everyone has different ideas. Ministers govern heaven and earth, and they have no control over what people say. You can say whatever you like. As long as the great man can maintain it, as long as peace and stability can be maintained, whether we usurp the throne or not, it doesn’t matter.
important."
"You really don't want to be the emperor for yourself?"
The old lady observed Liu Bei's expression and found that when talking about the throne, there was always a hint of resistance and dissatisfaction on his face.
"I didn't want to take this path, but I was forced to do it. How can I say it was for myself?"
Liu Bei smiled bitterly and said, "When I become emperor, the people below will benefit the most, those who will get higher status and greater power, not myself. This is obviously for others and for everyone."
, but if it’s not for my own sake, it would be strange to be happy.”
The old lady stopped talking, thought about it, and just sighed.
Then, she reached out and touched her chest.
"I started to feel uncomfortable again. I called the doctor. I feel very uncomfortable."
"only."
Liu Bei asked the old lady to lie down and got up to go find the doctor.
After walking a few steps, the old lady's voice sounded.
"When do you plan to become emperor?"
Liu Bei stopped.
"It's better to be sooner rather than later, and it's better to be fast rather than slow. It's best to prevent those who have done stupid things from reacting. Then, use the emperor's status to sentence them to death, and use the emperor's status to kill them all.
, in this way, it is more justified.”
"Are you going to kill people as soon as you take over?"
The old lady sighed: "But if you go too fast, the old lady will not die by then. How are you going to arrange the old lady?"
"Of course I hope you get better."
Liu Bei smiled and said: "The change of emperor requires your cooperation. Your decree is the most justifiable. Therefore, you will always be the Empress Dowager of the Han Dynasty."
"You want to torture me, an old woman, before you die?"
The old lady smiled bitterly: "Are you going to ask me, this old lady, to help you before she dies? Help you explain why you want to be the emperor? You let the old lady do this, how can the old lady deal with Hong?
?”
"The Empress Dowager, since I ascended the throne, I have sent you the best treasures and the most gorgeous objects all the time. I have served you with all my heart. There is no merit but hard work. After so many years, I want you to do me one last favor. Thank you very much.
Appropriate, isn't it?"
Liu Bei looked at the old lady with a smile.
The old lady stared at Liu Bei for a while, then slowly nodded.
"Without you, the old woman might have been killed by the He family a long time ago. It's not impossible to do you a favor, but this matter is a matter for the entire Liu family. The old woman is not Liu after all. You have to convince the clans all over the world.
If so, no matter what, you need someone who can speak to you in the clan to help you, right?"
Liu Bei smiled.
"Situ Gong Liu Yu is willing to help me."
The old lady looked shocked.
"Ah? Liu Yu...he promised to help you? Did he acknowledge you? He cares so much about orthodoxy, but he actually acknowledged you?"
"Yes."
Liu Bei opened his eyes and told lies: "Situ Gong is already old. He just wants to be Situ and take care of himself in peace. He will help whoever can do it. In this regard, he is very similar to you."
“You’ve come to this point and you’re still teasing me, an old woman, ouch…”
Empress Dowager Dong nodded, then closed her eyes and sighed.
"That's it, that's it. Liu Yu has already helped you, what else can I say? You can do whatever you want. I don't care about it anymore. I can't control the affairs of your old Liu family. Go ahead, go ahead.
.”
The old lady sighed resignedly, waved her hand, and stopped talking to Liu Bei.
Liu Bei slowly walked out of the palace, looked at the clear sky, and breathed a sigh of relief.
"In the end, we have reached this point, time? Fate?"
Then Liu Bei walked a few more steps, and when he was about to reach the entrance of the palace store, he suddenly stopped.
"This time, I guess it won't be Emperor Zhaolie, but this posthumous title is quite good. It suits Uncle Liu Huang very well, but it doesn't suit me very well."
Liu Bei smiled and shook his head, then took another step and continued walking forward.
We have come this far, where can we stop?
For the big man, for the subordinates, for the illusory dreams, and for... those little thoughts.
It's time to make preparations before and after becoming emperor.
After leaving the palace, Liu Bei came to Situ's Mansion and visited Liu Yu in person.
Liu Yu quickly received Liu Bei and asked about the exchange between Liu Bei and Empress Dowager Dong.
Liu Bei didn't beat around the bush, he went straight to the point and told Liu Yu his plan and the old lady's intention.
Liu Yu was so shocked that he could no longer hold the cup in his hand and splashed water all over him.
"...you...you are...this is..."
"Mr. Situ, our surname is Liu. We are all clansmen of the Han Dynasty and descendants of the great ancestor. It cannot be regarded as a usurpation of the throne. It can only be regarded as a transfer of the throne between different branches. It should be more appropriately regarded as a Zen throne."
Liu Bei emphasized the background of this matter and said with a smile: "Moreover, the Queen Mother has agreed and is willing to issue an order to cooperate with me. What else can you say?"
"The Empress Dowager... did she really agree? You... you didn't force her, right?"
Liu Yu looked at Liu Bei with doubt on his face: "Is there really no other solution to this matter? Isn't it appropriate for you to do this?"
"Then what other solutions do you think?"
Liu Bei looked at Liu Yu with a smile: "If you can find a suitable way to deal with it, I am willing to use it. I just couldn't find a suitable way so I chose this path. This is not a good thing for me.
How much criticism do I have to bear from the world for this?"
"this……"
Liu Yu looked at Liu Bei, and for a moment he really didn't know what to say about this matter.
If this kind of major issue involving people's hearts was really easy to solve, Liu Bei would not have to take such exciting solutions. Liu Yu couldn't come to a conclusion after thinking about it.
In the end, he could only look at Liu Bei worriedly.
"Did the Empress Dowager really agree?"
"How could I force her to stay? Is that necessary?"
Liu Bei said helplessly: "In this case, if I want to preserve the flesh and blood of the late emperor, what other way do I have besides ascending the throne as emperor? The Empress Dowager also knows that this is the only way to preserve the flesh and blood of the late emperor. Only I can
To subdue those arrogant and powerful generals, the Empress Dowager understands the righteousness very well!"
Liu Yu swallowed and sat there holding his head and frowning in silence for a long time.
"I never expected that I would encounter such a thing alive..."
"You should live a long life, Mr. Situ."
Liu Bei smiled and said: "By the way, the Empress Dowager wants you to preside over the emperor's abdication ceremony."