binnovel Chapter 223: Two Generals Confronted in the Court
Chapter 223: Two Generals Confronted in the Court
Since their alliance, Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan had been at odds over the leadership of the alliance. Now that the emperor had taken Gongsun Zan's daughter as his concubine, his intention was clear: to leverage Gongsun Zan's power against Yuan Shao. Upon hearing this, Yuan Shao's face instantly revealed extreme displeasure. His gloomy expression seemed to drip with water, and his hands unconsciously clenched into fists, secretly angered by the emperor's decision.
Upon seeing this, Han Fu immediately spoke up, "Your Majesty, why are you marrying the daughter of Gongsun Zan? She's the daughter of a frontier general, from a remote region. How could she possibly be worthy of the Emperor?" As soon as these words were spoken, all the civil and military officials understood Yuan Shao's intention, and the atmosphere suddenly shifted. Everyone began to discuss the situation, expressing their disapproval of the move.
"Yes, Your Majesty, this is against etiquette and goes against royal decorum." An old minister said tremblingly.
"A girl from the frontier is rude and disrespectful. How can she enter the palace as a concubine?" Another minister echoed.
Gongsun Zan gnashed his teeth in anger, his eyes bulging with rage as if they were about to spit fire. He was about to charge forward to argue with these important ministers. But the emperor stood up and said sternly, "How can this be unreasonable? The Han Dynasty has never had many strict rules regarding the marriage of a Han man. Consider that my mother's family was once only butchers, yet she was still made empress. Moreover, she has not yet been appointed empress, but only married as a concubine. My ministers, please do not react so strongly."
Yuan Shao narrowed his eyes and stared at the emperor, his gaze penetrating him. The emperor initially appeared a bit timid, his eyes flickering, afraid to meet Yuan Shao's gaze. But then, as if making up his mind, he pursed his lips, mustered the courage to meet Yuan Shao's gaze, a look of increased determination in his eyes.
Yuan Shao thought to himself: It seems that I have underestimated this emperor. I thought he was just a puppet at the mercy of others, but I didn't expect him to be so courageous. I need to be more wary of him in the future.
The emperor hadn't wanted to show off his power, but while Gongsun Zan was skilled in military affairs, he wasn't adept at the intrigues and manipulations of the court. If the emperor didn't step forward to defend him, the situation would likely deteriorate, to no one's advantage.
The court meeting reached a deadlock amidst this tense atmosphere. All the ministers were hushed, afraid to speak any further. Gongsun Zan, suppressing his rage, stood still, his chest heaving violently.
After a moment, the emperor spoke again, "This matter has been decided. There is no need for further discussion. My will is made. You should prioritize the stability of the country and not let personal grudges derail the greater good."
Yuan Shao was so angry that he could no longer hold back. He stepped out personally and said, "Now the emperor has returned to Chang'an, and the Han Dynasty seems to be thriving. However, the remnants of Dong Zhuo are still there and have not been completely wiped out. I wonder what arrangements the emperor has made? Before the war was over, you rewarded the princes and ordered them to return to their territories. Now, what should be done with the remaining remnants of Dong's army?" Yuan Shao spoke fiercely, staring at the emperor, completely disregarding the etiquette between the monarch and his subjects.
At this time, Lu Zhi was unwilling to let the emperor and Yuan Shao have a head-on conflict, so he quickly stepped forward and said, "Benchu, the princes have made great efforts in this campaign against Dong, and the generals have all made great contributions. The emperor has also rewarded them, and each family has been promoted. Now only the remnants of Dong Zhuo are left, which is nothing more than a minor matter. The emperor has ordered Gongsun Zan to wipe out the remaining remnants of Dong Zhuo. The princes should return to their states and counties to protect their territory and people. This is the right thing to do." As Lu Zhi spoke, he winked at Yuan Shao, hoping that he would stop.
Yuan Shao, however, was unimpressed. He snorted coldly and said, "Lord Lu, although the remnants of Dong Zhuo may appear weak, if left unchecked, they will become a serious threat in the future. Gongsun Zan alone may not be able to completely eliminate them."
Lu Zhi frowned slightly and responded, "Yuan Benchu, please don't be so aggressive. The emperor will make his own decisions. How can you be so presumptuous as to speculate?"
The atmosphere in the court became increasingly tense. All the ministers kept their heads down and remained silent, not daring to express their opinions easily.
Yuan Shu on the side continued, "Oh? I wonder what Lord Lu meant by the emperor? This time, our Yuan family has Yuan Benchu as the leader of the coalition forces, charging at the front line. It was a bloody battle and his contribution was very great. And I, Yuan Gonglu, also served as the grain officer, coordinating the efforts, going through countless hardships and dangers, and encountering many difficulties. Now that we have just won, you want to despise the achievements of our Yuan family?" Yuan Shu frowned, his eyes widened, waving his arms, and spoke loudly and excitedly.
"Have you forgotten that for the sake of the Han Dynasty, more than 200 members of my Yuan family were killed by the thief Dong! This blood feud is irreconcilable. Now you don't let us avenge this blood feud, I wonder what on earth you want to do?" Yuan Shu's face was full of grief and indignation, his voice was almost a roar, and his body was shaking slightly, as if he wanted to erupt all the anger in his heart.
As soon as these words were spoken, the civil and military officials in the court looked at each other in bewilderment. Some lowered their heads in fear, while others knitted their brows in deep thought. The allied princes also wore nervous expressions, clasping their hands. Seeing the tense atmosphere, they all chimed in, "Your Majesty, please reconsider." Some leaned forward, expressions earnest; others looked away, as if observing the situation. For a moment, the cries of "Your Majesty, please reconsider" echoed throughout the court. Everyone's expressions were solemn, their gazes fixed on the emperor. A tense and oppressive atmosphere permeated the court.
Gongsun Zan was furious, his eyes almost spitting fire. He suddenly drew the sword from the waist of the guard standing beside him, pointed the sword at the Yuan brothers, and shouted: "Yuan Benchu, Yuan Gonglu, I see that you two are so rampant! The thief Dong has just been defeated by us, and you two are forcing the emperor like this. Do you two want to be the thief Dong?" The veins on Gongsun Zan's forehead bulged, and the hand holding the sword trembled slightly with anger.
These words were met with shock and a gasp of relief. Cao Cao, alarmed, stepped forward hastily, arms outstretched, attempting to dissuade the enemy, saying, "General Gongsun, please don't act rashly. We can talk it over." Tao Qian, also filled with anxiety, bowed and said, "Peace is the most important thing. We must not resort to violence." Kong Jun, Kong Rong, and others also gathered around to try to mediate, offering words of persuasion. Liu Bei, clutching Gongsun Zan's coat from behind, anxiously said, "Brother Gongsun, calm down. Don't act rashly."
Seeing that the court was turning into a farce, the emperor turned pale and left the throne in panic. He quickly went down to the court in two steps at a time. Facing Gongsun Zan and the Yuan brothers, he bent his waist very low, almost bowing to the ground, and said in a trembling voice, very sincerely and humbly: "My dear ministers, please calm down quickly, don't be like this! I am terrified. Everything is due to my lack of consideration, which has made you dear ministers dissatisfied. I hope that you will give me a favor, put the overall situation first, and don't hurt the harmony." However, everyone was still deadlocked.
The leaders of the coalition all wore expressions of helplessness, their brows furrowed as they exchanged worried glances. They wondered if they were allowed to continue this stalemate, and who knew when they would achieve their goal and return to their respective prefectures.
Seeing this, the emperor said in a negotiating tone, "How about you, General Yuan, continue to lead the troops to defeat the remnants of Dong Zhuo?" Upon hearing this, Gongsun Zan struggled and roared, "Absolutely not! This man is full of wicked ambition." Liu Bei hurriedly advised, "Brother, brother, please don't say such things. If you say so, Leader Yuan is, after all, a meritorious minister." Gongsun Zan's eyes widened as he declared, "No matter what, he and I can't go, and neither can he."
The emperor's face was filled with deep thought, his expression solemn and his brow furrowed. He paced back and forth like an ant on a hot pan. Then, he suddenly stopped and said, "How about this, my dear ministers? Each of you retain a portion of your troops, and I will arrange for your uncle, Liu Bei and his three brothers to defeat the remaining remnants. I will loan you the soldiers temporarily, but I will return them to you when the battle is over. What do you think?" Gongsun Zan had already promised the emperor and immediately said, "I am willing to leave half of the troops with you, Your Majesty, and I will leave it to you to decide."
However, Yuan Shao was deeply reluctant, thinking to himself: Leaving it to the Emperor would be like throwing meat buns at a dog. He'd never return, so how could he possibly be willing to do that? In the stalemate, Yuan Shao's face darkened. He surveyed the court officials and princes, angrily exclaiming, "My Yuan family has dedicated money and effort to the Han Dynasty, even risking the blood of over 200 of our members. And this is how you treat such meritorious officials?" Yuan Shao swept away, snorting angrily as he walked away, "Hmph! I will not let you go." Behind him, Yuan Shu, also furious, followed suit.
Yuan Shao and his brother stormed off, their angry figures carrying a boundless resentment. The other princes also looked at each other helplessly, unsure of what to do. But looking at the emperor, they could only say, "Well, since General Gongsun is willing to leave half of his troops to fight the remaining rebels, then General Gongsun should return as soon as possible so that he can rest and return to Youzhou. The other nobles can also return to their fiefdoms."
The emperor's face was solemn, and he spoke solemnly, "The Yuan family is full of loyal and valiant men who paid a heavy price for the Han Dynasty. I will erect a solemn and respectful altar in the suburbs and personally pay my respects to comfort the spirits of the more than 200 members of the Yuan family and offer them reassurance in heaven."
All the princes responded in unison: "Your Majesty is wise." Then, each of them with mixed feelings, slowly left the court.