If Zhang Rang was still hesitant before, now that Liu Bei has confessed to him, of course he will no longer have any hesitation.
For the sake of his life and future wealth, Zhang Rang decided to give it a go.
"Is one serving enough?"
Zhang Rang whispered: "Isn't it enough just to let Prince Xie ascend the throne? Should He's position as queen be retained? If retained, He will be Prince Xie's aunt. Is this acceptable?"
"That's true, but after being abolished...does it have a big impact?"
Dong Chong worriedly said: "I'm worried that people in the world will talk about it, which will cause people to panic and the court will not end well."
"He did not practice virtue. Although she was the mother of the country, she never had a good reputation. Even if she was deposed, no one would feel sorry for her."
Zhang Rang despised Dong Chong's fierce look in his heart, and said slowly: "Since we want Prince Xie to ascend the throne, we should eradicate all the influence of the He family and uproot the He family. There should not be any omissions, what do you think?"
Dong Zhong lowered his head and thought about it, and felt that it made sense.
"No matter what the situation is, first get the rightful name. As long as the emperor's edict is in hand, the rightful name is in hand. I am not afraid that the He family can turn the world upside down!"
"exactly."
"In this case, the only problem now is Liu's side..."
"Is it just Liu? Jian Shuo has decided to support the Prince Association?"
Zhang Rang was a little surprised: "I haven't heard anything before."
"Jian Shuo agreed."
Dong Zhong nodded: "Jian Shuo was used by the emperor to fight against He Jin. He has been on the same side for a long time. He did not support the princes' association. Jian Shuo could not even save his life. He naturally agreed, but Liu, the Queen Mother said that his attitude was just not
Opposition is not support. Without his support, it would be difficult for us to succeed."
"Leave this to me and I'll convince him."
Zhang Rang nodded and said: "Let's get rid of the edict and persuading the emperor first. With these, I don't worry about not being able to persuade Liu."
"you?"
Dong Chong asked doubtfully: "Can you persuade Liu?"
"I had some friendship with him in the past, and you were able to persuade him, so it's okay if I add a little bit in the end, right?"
Zhang Rang patted his chest and said, "Leave it to me. Let's find a way to persuade the emperor first."
"Okay, let's try it first while the emperor wakes up."
Zhang Rang then returned to the dormitory with Dong Zhong. As soon as they entered, they saw Empress Dowager Dong earnestly persuading Liu Hong to establish Liu Xie instead.
But Liu Hong's meaning seems to have not changed.
"Mother, please stop talking. Xie is too young to be emperor."
"Then if you are gone, how can I keep the association? Don't you love your son? Don't you want your son to live?"
"Of course I want to, so I arranged a lot of people to protect him."
Liu Xie saw Zhang Rang and Dong Chong walking in.
"Dong Zhong controls the soldiers and horses in Luoyang City, which can protect Xie's safety. Zhang Rang has Dongyuan spies, who can spy on any news that is unfavorable to Xie. Jian Shuo has 30,000 Xiyuan troops, which are used to protect Xie.
, and... He can definitely protect Xie."
"You can't guarantee any of this!"
Empress Dowager Dong sighed: "When Bian becomes emperor, no matter He Jin is still there or not, He is the empress dowager and Bian's mother. She has always been vicious and hates Xie. Even if Bian is willing to protect Xie, how can she protect him?"
Aren't you afraid that Empress Lu's poisoning of Liu Ruyi will happen again?
Besides, the people you left behind, if they can protect themselves, you are no longer here, Bian is the emperor, the He family and the Yuan family are ruthless and hold the title of righteousness. How do you want these people of yours to protect Xie? They might be killed.
Eradicate them one by one!
In the end, I was the only old woman left. I cried to the sky and to the ground. I ran out of tears and broke my throat. How could I keep Xie? They must kill Xie. I could only stand in front of Xie before they could.
Besides dying, what else can I do?"
Empress Dowager Dong wiped her tears one by one.
"I think you child is so cruel that you won't worry about watching your mother and young son go to death! When the time comes when our grandson and grandson meet underground, how are you going to face me and your little son?
son?"
Liu Hong looked extremely ugly when he heard this.
Then there was another violent cough. Zhang Rang and others hurriedly tried to calm him down, and finally calmed him down. Liu Hong was once again in a state of being out of breath.
Zhang Rang saw that the heat was almost done, and quickly knelt down in front of Liu Hong.
"Your Majesty, I didn't say anything before, but now I can't stand it anymore. Although I am stupid, I can still see that if you choose Prince Bian to inherit the throne, and the He family is in power, Prince Xie will definitely die.
If you choose Prince Xie to succeed you, and the He family loses power, Prince Bian will definitely be preserved!"
Liu Hong's expression changed.
"What do you mean?"
"Your Majesty, the matter has come to this, can't you still see through it?"
Zhang Rang wiped away tears: "With the queen's ruthlessness, she was able to poison Wang Meiren back then. Once you are gone in the future, you will definitely find ways to kill the prince's association and eliminate all future troubles. By then, whether I am a minister or Liu Qiaoqi,
Well, both General Dong and Colonel Jian are a thorn in He's side, and there will definitely be another dispute!
If I lose, I will definitely die, and so will Prince Xie. Is this what Your Majesty is willing to see? If I win, how should Prince Bian deal with himself? If the He family falls, what should Prince Bian do?
How about securing the throne? Is this the outcome His Majesty wants to see?"
After hearing this, Liu Hong lay on the hospital bed and stared, silent for a long time.
Dong Zhong wanted to say something else, but Zhang Rang stopped him and signaled him not to say anything with his eyes.
Empress Dowager Dong looked at Zhang Rang but said nothing.
Liu Hong thought quietly for a while, and finally let out a long sigh.
"Grandpa, when I wanted to abolish the He family, you were the one who stopped me... If you didn't stop me back then... how could I be today? How could there be so much trouble?"
When Zhang Rang heard this, he burst into tears and kowtowed to the ground in front of Liu Hong.
"Your Majesty should know that the reason why He was favored by His Majesty was because he spent a lot of money. I was so blinded by money that I begged Your Majesty not to deprive He of the throne.
Every time I think about it, I feel ashamed of Your Majesty’s kindness!
The current situation is all the fault of the ministers. It was the ministers who betrayed His Majesty's trust and committed such a scandal. The ministers hated themselves for who they were back then, and also hated the He family to the core. As long as His Majesty gives the order, the ministers will do it.
I am willing to use my life to make up for my mistakes back then!"
Empress Dowager Dong and Dong Zhong both looked at Zhang Rang with surprised eyes, who was kneeling on the ground crying and talking at the same time.
Good guy, you said all these things in front of Liu Hong, you Zhang Rang are indeed a man without eggs.
Liu Hong also turned his head hard because he was too surprised and looked at Zhang Rang intently.
"Are you serious when you say these words?"
"Your Majesty, the matter has come to this, how can I not be serious?"
Zhang Rang said with tears streaming down his face: "I have received great kindness from Your Majesty, but I was blinded by greed and mistakenly believed in a treacherous villain, which caused Your Majesty to suffer such suffering. Every time I think about it, I wish I could do anything with my hands, He Miao,
I will commit suicide again to thank Your Majesty!"
Liu Hong looked at Zhang Rang for a while, sighed again, and then stretched out his hand.
"Mother."
"Why."
Empress Dowager Dong held Liu Hong's hand.
"Am I dying?"
"ah?"
Empress Dowager Dong was stunned on the spot.
Zhang Rang and Dong Zhong were also stunned on the spot because they were too surprised.
Who leaked the news?
They didn't know who could leak the news under their noses. If the news could leak out, they might as well commit suicide collectively.
"Mother, I know my body well. I can feel that I may... not be able to recover..."
Liu Hong blinked his eyes and said slowly: "It's useless for you to lie to me. The body belongs to me. How could I not be clear about it? Grandpa, what you said means that even if a person is about to die, he can still speak kindly."
Oh, hehehehe..."
The sound of Liu Hong's laughter was like the sound coming from an old bellows, which was extremely difficult to hear.
Zhang Rang was shocked and burst into tears again.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Your Majesty! I am guilty! I am guilty!!!"
While crying, he hit his head hard on the ground, making muffled sounds.
"OK OK."
Liu Hong waved his hand feebly: "It's meaningless to say this now. The deal is done. What else is there to say? Grandpa, do you think that if I let Bian inherit the throne, Xie will definitely die, don't you?"
Zhang Rang rolled his eyes.
"I only know that the Queen will try every means to kill the Prince's Association, and I will do my best to protect the Prince's Association. No matter what, I will die before the Prince's Association. In this way, I will live up to Your Majesty's kindness!"
Dong Chong didn't know where his quick wit came from, and he knelt down with Zhang Rang.
"Your Majesty, I will also protect the Prince Association with my life. If they harm the Prince Association, I will definitely die before the Prince Association! I will never let the Prince Association be harmed before I wait!"
Empress Dowager Dong looked at this situation and instantly realized what she should do.
"Both of them will die before Xie, so what can I, a lonely old woman, say? Emperor, don't worry, I am the last person to protect Xie, and I will definitely die before Xie. You
Just don’t worry.”
After saying this, Empress Dowager Dong began to sob.
Facing such a situation, Liu Hong felt an extremely sad emotion impacting his soul, making him extremely uncomfortable.
"You... alas..."
After sighing for a long time, Liu Hong spoke.
"Even if I can promise you, how can the courtiers promise you? After all, Xie is a concubine, not a legitimate son, and he is still very young. Which of the courtiers who care about the eldest son will promise you? How will Xie be able to secure his position then?