Chapter 127
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After passing through the Hulao Pass, they were not far from Luoyang.
Several days later, Yuan Li led his army to Luoyang.
Upon arriving in Luoyang, Yuan Li was somewhat surprised.
This was because another army had already stationed in Luoyang, and judging from the banners, it belonged to Chen Wang
After reaching the imperial palace, Zheng Rong, Wu Kai, and the others stayed outside the palace. Yuan Li, together with Lu He, Yang Zhongfa, and several other high-ranking officials officially appointed by the court, went inside the palace to pay respects to the emperor.
The eunuch leading the way tried to please them, whispering the recent events in Luoyang one by one.
As it turned out, when Yuan Li’s army attacked, Chen Wang took advantage of Li Li’s absence and arrived in Luoyang. Li Li had planned to escape with the emperor, but upon learning that Chen Wang had come, he could only abandon the emperor and flee alone.
Chen Wang brought the emperor back to the palace and stayed by his side day and night. After Li Li escaped, the two uncles of the emperor, Qin Pei and Qin Meng, also entered the palace. However, the emperor had already developed a strong trust in Chen Wang and felt somewhat distant from the two uncles.
Lu He was quite angered by this development and said with a sarcastic tone, “It seems that Chen Wang is playing the same trick as Li Li. He didn’t do anything, yet he wants to take credit for saving the emperor? He even managed to make the emperor rely on him so much; I’m afraid he plans to take the emperor back to the south.”
The little eunuch leading the way trembled with fear and didn’t dare to say a word.
Yuan Li furrowed his brows.
No wonder he had never seen Chen Wang all this time. It turned out Chen Wang had given up the opportunity to kill Li Li and had instead decided to gain favor with the emperor.
Before leaving Youzhou, Liu Jixin and Guo Mao had presented a plan to Yuan Li.
The plan was to take advantage of the emperor, just like Li Li had done, to command the other feudal lords.
After killing Li Li and winning a decisive victory, Yuan Li and Chu Hechao would earn the admiration and praise of the world. Then, as loyal subjects, they would welcome the emperor to Youzhou in the name of the emperor and pacify the war-torn world.
Li Li’s own experience had proven that this method was highly effective.
Especially if Yuan Li and Chu Hechao were to subjugate the emperor like Li Li, no one would dare to call them rebels, as their loyalty and righteousness would be widely recognized throughout the world.
Currently, this was the best option for Yuan Li and Chu Hechao.
Yuan Li understood the effectiveness of this method, but he wasn’t eager to welcome the emperor back to Youzhou.
Having the emperor around made things convenient in many ways, but just having the emperor, even if only in name, on his own territory, made Yuan Li uncomfortable.
Especially with the name of his system being “Chancellor of the First Generation.”
These words weighed heavily on Yuan Li’s shoulders like a mountain.
He had two lifetimes of experience and an extraordinary system. This lifetime, from a young age, he had resolutely practiced martial arts, not letting go of any opportunity to stand out and wanting to survive and achieve something in this chaotic era.
To become a small ant that couldn’t be crushed by those with greater power at will.
Yuan Li still remembered the appearance of his father bowing and scraping to find a way out for him, and the appearance of his mother, Lady Chen, desperately begging her clan for help.
Since coming to Youzhou, Yuan Li had not been the least bit slack. He knew his humble background and the awkward relationship with Chu Wang mansion, so he worked tirelessly. He made Youzhou prosperous, turned barren lands fertile, ensured that the soldiers were well-fed and clothed, and fed the horses to be strong and mighty.
But was all of this just to be someone else’s servant?
Yuan Li felt a little lost.
He had always told himself, trying to persuade himself, “Chancellor of the First Generation” was already the pinnacle. If this wasn’t enough, what else did he want to achieve?
Countless talents appeared in each dynasty, and being able to achieve such heights from a humble background was already legendary. Yuan Li, you should be content.
Then, who should he be a servant to?
Should it be the current fifteen-year-old emperor, or Chu Hechao, or the renowned Chen Wang? Or perhaps other Marquis?
If they were to really welcome the emperor back to Youzhou and use the emperor’s name to pacify the chaos of the world, it seemed to fulfill the system’s requirement of becoming a “Chancellor of the First Generation”…
But…
Yuan Li paused, suppressing the slight annoyance. He sighed silently in his heart and thought, let’s first see what kind of person the emperor is.
The emperor was already waiting in the grand hall. As soon as he saw Yuan Li and the others enter, before they finished their greetings, the emperor nervously said, “Please rise, distinguished generals, there’s no need for excessive formalities.”
Everyone stood up as a result, and Yuan Li saw the emperor’s appearance.
The emperor’s name was Qin Wen. His appearance was still somewhat youthful, but that wasn’t the important part. What was significant was that upon seeing them, the emperor visibly shrank back, as if he was frightened.
Yuan Li couldn’t help but feel disappointed.
Is this the person I am supposed to support as the ruler?
In the grand hall, there were not only the emperor but also Chen Wang, as well as the two imperial relatives, Qin Pei and Qin Meng.
At this moment, Qin Pei and Qin Meng stood on the right side of the hall with dark and grim expressions, while Chen Wang stood on the left side. Chen Wang was a middle-aged man in his forties, slim and upright. He had thin eyes and a long beard, with a warm smile on his face.
Seeing the emperor shrinking in fear, he gently reassured, “Your Majesty, these are the great meritorious officials who have achieved glory for you. They are your loyal subjects. You don’t need to be afraid; you should reward them.”
The emperor hurriedly nodded, “Reward, of course, we should reward them!”
Chen Wang continued, “Your Majesty, why don’t you grant seats to these meritorious officials first?”
The emperor obediently nodded, “Quick, give seats to these gentlemen.”
Qin Pei snorted coldly, “Chen Wang, His Majesty knows what to do in his heart; there is no need for your guidance or interference.”
As soon as the emperor and Chen Wang confronted each other, the emperor’s eyes avoided the tension, and he subconsciously glanced at Chen Wang.
Yang Zhongfa furrowed his brow and couldn’t help shaking his head.
In the eyes of the various vassals, such an emperor was like a fat sheep. Not to mention stabilizing the entire kingdom, it was considered a stroke of good luck for him to simply stay alive.
Forced to ascend the throne at the age of twelve and under Li Li’s control for three years, it was evident that the emperor had been mistreated by Li Li, resulting in his timid and fearful appearance, and even making the emperor trust an unrelated official more than his own uncles.
It was clear that both Qin Pei and Qin Meng were angered and pained by this, but the more they pressed, the more magnanimous Chen Wang appeared, and the more the emperor leaned towards him.
A ruler like this would probably be devoured by Chen Wang sooner or later if he went with him to the south.
Yuan Li stood up and smiled in response, “The Grand General heard that Li Li fled from Luoyang, so he led the troops to pursue him. After capturing Li Li, the Grand General will hurry back to Luoyang.”
His smile was warm and easily disarmed people’s defenses. The emperor looked at him and felt some goodwill, and the fear on his face lessened slightly. He nodded cautiously and said, “The Grand General has worked hard, and I am very relieved.”
“To save the emperor from danger, we have not worked hard at all,” Yuan Li sincerely said, “It is our fault and incompetence to allow the emperor to suffer from Li Li’s harm for so many years. Your Majesty’s forgiveness is already our greatest gratitude.”
Upon hearing this, the emperor was moved and his eyes became moist, “Governor Yuan…”
Qin Pei snorted coldly, “Although the Grand General is not here, Yuan Li can still be in charge of Youzhou. Now that everyone is present, let’s discuss important matters. Luoyang has suffered from war for a long time, and the city walls and fields are in ruins. The emperor and the officials naturally cannot stay in Luoyang any longer. Let’s talk about where to take the emperor.”
Chen Wang touched his beard and said kindly, “Where the emperor should go cannot be decided by you and me. It should be up to the emperor to decide.”
“The emperor is still young and might be deceived by treacherous officials. It is best for us to discuss it together,” Qin Meng said coldly, “My brother Pei and I are both uncles of the emperor. Yuzhou and Yizhou are the most suitable places for the emperor to stay. If the emperor is in one of our two provinces, we can rest assured.”
“That’s right,” Qin Pei nodded, looking hopefully at the emperor, “Is the emperor willing to go to one of these two provinces?”
If Yuan Li were the emperor, he would definitely choose either Qin Pei or Qin Meng among the people present. After all, these two were of the Qin imperial family and were uncles to the emperor. In both sentiment and reason, they would be more devoted, and even if they had ambitions, they wouldn’t harm the emperor.
But the emperor hesitated and finally said reluctantly, “Please, uncles, allow me some time to consider…”
Qin Pei and Qin Meng’s faces showed disappointment. The emperor avoided their gaze and added, “I am a little tired…”
Chen Wang considerately stood up and said, “Since the emperor is tired, we shall take our leave.”
Everyone saluted and left, but Yuan Li remained motionless. “I have something to report to the emperor. Please allow me a few moments, Your Majesty.”
After a moment’s hesitation, the emperor nodded.
Chen Wang glanced at Yuan Li and walked slowly out of the hall. Yuan Li turned to Yang Zhongfa and nodded, signaling him to leave with Lu He and the others.
Soon, only Yuan Li and the emperor were left in the grand hall.
The emperor cleared his throat and asked with some effort, “What does Governor Yuan want to discuss with me?”
Yuan Li calmly summarized the process of their attack on Li Li.
The emperor listened with the excitement of hearing a story and became more and more excited. When he heard about Yan Hui’s tragic death, he even blushed and exclaimed, “Excellent!”
Yuan Li, however, inwardly forced a bitter smile.
The emperor was still just a half-grown child. Even though Yuan Li deliberately mentioned many cases of common people suffering and being forcibly drafted into the army as cannon fodder, the emperor didn’t care. He was completely immersed in the joy of victory.
Yuan Li’s tone then changed as he began to talk about the changes in Youzhou in recent years. Finally, he bowed and smiled, saying, “Youzhou has undergone tremendous changes. If Your Majesty is willing to come to Youzhou, we will certainly be overjoyed.”
The emperor liked this Governor Yuan very much, but after hearing Yuan Li’s words, he showed some hesitation. “This…”
“Does Your Majesty already have a place in mind?” Yuan Li said, “If you have a place in mind, I will naturally not stop you. However, I’m worried about the safety of this place. If Your Majesty is willing, could you secretly inform me of the location? I swear I won’t say a word to anyone else.”
The emperor was swayed by Yuan Li’s words and glanced around before discreetly gesturing for Yuan Li to come closer. He beckoned him with a guilty conscience and whispered, “Governor Yuan, come closer.”
Yuan Li quickly stepped forward and bent down, pretending to listen to the emperor’s “whispered words.”
In a lowered voice, the emperor said, “I want to go to the territory of Chen Wang.”
With an unchanged expression, Yuan Li asked, “Why?”
“Chen Wang said that the territory of Yangzhou is very prosperous,” the emperor’s tone was full of longing and regret, “Governor Yuan, it’s not that I don’t like you and the two imperial uncles, but Yangzhou and Yizhou are much more prosperous than Youzhou… and Youzhou is too remote and desolate…”
Hearing this reason, Yuan Li’s smile on his face froze for a moment, and then slowly faded away.
The emperor’s voice became even lower, tinged with a hint of unease. “Governor Yuan, did I say something wrong?”
It was somewhat ridiculous for the emperor to choose Yangzhou because of its prosperity.
Rationally, Yuan Li understood that as a fifteen-year-old young man, there was nothing wrong with wanting to live in a wealthier southern region or desiring the bustling life. But emotionally, Yuan Li felt a bit ironic.
His disappointment in the emperor had hit rock bottom.
Yuan Li put on another smile, but there was no joy in his eyes. “Your Majesty hasn’t said anything wrong. Yangzhou is indeed a prosperous place.”
The emperor nodded repeatedly, delighted. “Governor Yuan also thinks that I didn’t make the wrong choice, right?”
Yuan Li forced a smile and nodded.
He no longer cared where the emperor wanted to go. After a few more words with the emperor, he bid farewell and withdrew from the hall.
The emperor seemed reluctant to part with him. “During these days in Luoyang, Governor Yuan, please come and talk to me often.”
Yuan Li promised and finally left the grand hall.
Outside the hall, Yang Zhongfa, Lu He, and others were still waiting for him.
Yuan Li walked step by step towards them, his gaze sweeping across the magnificent Luoyang palace.
Magnificent and grand.
Indeed, it was magnificent and grand, with a majestic and imposing aura.
The dusky evening sun bathed the palace, making it look like glittering gold.
But it was precisely this golden light that had nurtured so many worms and fueled the ambitions of so many people.
The setting sun in Yuan Li’s eyes flickered, burning brightly, and eventually sank into the shadows. He walked up to Yang Zhongfa and the others, and with a faint smile, he said, “Let’s go.”
On the way, Lu He tentatively asked what Yuan Li had talked to the emperor about and whether the emperor was planning to move to Youzhou. Yuan Li didn’t answer and brushed it off with a few words.
When they left the palace gates, they saw many vassals from Henei County had rushed over. Upon seeing Yuan Li and Lu He, they dismounted and walked over with enthusiasm, constantly congratulating them on their victory.
Yuan Li asked with feigned curiosity, “Why did all of you come to Luoyang?”
Several vassals showed some embarrassment. They couldn’t say they came to have a share of the spoils; they could only say things like “thinking of the emperor” or “worried that you wouldn’t have enough troops to deal with Li Li, so we specially brought troops to help.”
They spoke with such righteousness that Lu He couldn’t help but sneer, “You’re talking so nicely now, but when I asked you to raise provisions, you were all reluctant.”
“General Lu, that’s not our grain, and there isn’t much of it either,” someone laughed and said, “But in the end, we still supported you with provisions. You can’t say anything about that, right?”
Lu He snorted coldly and couldn’t retort.
These vassals also wanted to have an audience with the emperor, but when they heard that the emperor was tired, they could only regretfully give up the idea of entering the palace to meet him and dispersed in small groups.
Yuan Li wanted to take a look around Luoyang City and invited Lu He to join him, “General Lu has long resided in Liangzhou and may not have been to Luoyang. How about taking this opportunity to wander around with me?”
Lu He thought the same way, thinking it’s rare to come to Luoyang, how can he not take a look? So he gladly walked together with him.
On the way, Lu He was cursing the other feudal lords along with Yuan Li, “These people are nothing more than fame seekers. They talk nicely, but in reality, they haven’t done anything. I get angry when I see them rushing over here to claim credit. Li Li and Yan Hui were killed by you, General, and me, with the efforts of the soldiers from Youzhou and Liangzhou. What does it have to do with them?!”
Yuan Li sighed and advised, “After all, they helped us gather food and provisions.”
“Hmph,” Lu He sneered twice, disdainfully saying, “Lord Yuan, do you really think these provisions were earnestly gathered by those people?”
Yuan Li frowned, “What do you mean?”
Lu He continued, “Lord Yuan, you don’t know. That group of people arrived half a month earlier than you. When they were in Jiyin County, they didn’t dare to confront Li Li, so they just indulged in feasting and revelry. However, the provisions they brought couldn’t withstand such indulgence. Therefore, the provisions they consume during their leisure are all forcibly collected from the people of the surrounding counties.”
Yuan Li stopped in his tracks, his pupils dilated, unable to believe what he heard, “What are you saying?!”
Lu He sneered, “I don’t even need to think, I know they wouldn’t willingly give us their provisions. The provisions we use during battles must have been forcibly seized from the people of Henei County.”
Yuan Li felt his breathing becoming heavier. The setting sun slowly sank, casting shadows over the houses, enveloping Yuan Li entirely.
A cold sensation swept through him from head to toe, and his voice trembled, “Is it really like that…? Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
Lu He shrugged indifferently, “Why bother talking about such trivial matters? As long as we have provisions to eat, it doesn’t matter where they came from. Lord Yuan, don’t you agree with this reasoning?”
Yuan Li clenched his fist slowly without saying a word.
Zheng Rong furrowed his brow, “But won’t the people who had their provisions taken starve to death?”
Lu He replied coldly, “If they starve to death, so be it. In the current world, are there not many people dying of hunger?”
Zheng Rong had no retort because he knew Lu He’s words were true.
Having stayed in Youzhou for a long time in a peaceful environment, he had forgotten how chaotic it was beyond Youzhou.
Even in times of peace, people still starved to death, let alone in turbulent times.
Yang Zhongfa walked up to Yuan Li’s side, expressing his concern, “Yuan Li?”
Yuan Li still didn’t speak.
After a long time, he sighed self-mockingly, taking a step forward.
These feudal lords claimed to rise up for the sake of the world, yet they only holed up to seize provisions for themselves, not caring about the life and death of the people. They were like a rebellious army, caring only for their indulgence and ignoring the plight of the people.
They claimed to be righteous, but they acted like the mob of common bandits.
Ignoring the life and death of the people, only indulging in their own reckless dreams. That’s the reality, and those were the feudal lords who received admiration.
And him, Yuan Li, was he supposed to be a vassal to such people?
Yuan Li couldn’t help but think sarcastically.
Why should he serve as a vassal to these people?
“Chancellor of the First Generation,” who should he become a vassal to?
There was no sound to be heard in Luoyang city.
In a short period of just four years since Yuan Li left Luoyang, this city underwent a great change. The once bustling and prosperous city of Luoyang had turned into a ruined city.
Crumbled walls, broken ruins, and the main roads filled with debris and decaying corpses, but not a living soul in sight.
The flames of war had rendered this ancient city half-dead, with signs of damage and burning everywhere. The air was filled with a putrid stench, and thick smoke billowed from many corners.
In just four short years, the pitiful state of Luoyang shocked everyone, leaving them in disbelief.
“This is Luoyang, the imperial capital,” Zheng Rong murmured as he looked at the horrifying scene before him. “How did it become like this…”
Ruined and desolate, like withered and decaying wood, it was hard to imagine that this was the capital city of Northern Zhou, which had stood for three hundred years.
Lu He was equally shocked and furious, “How did my imperial capital of Northern Zhou turn into this state!”
Yuan Li, on the other hand, remained strangely calm, even unnaturally composed. He took in the devastation, from left to right, his expression becoming colder, and his gaze growing more obscure.
The turmoil in his heart was becoming increasingly difficult to suppress.
As they walked through the broken tiles and ruins, the once towering city walls now stood desolate and decrepit, and the once bustling streets were devoid of any trace of life. The houses were dark with no one inside, and the doors were left wide open.
Luoyang, which once housed a million people, was now either abandoned, destroyed, or its inhabitants had been conscripted into Li Li’s army. At a glance, there were only a few tens of thousands of people left.
From a million people to just tens of thousands, what a terrifying and cruel contrast.
The smell of burnt and putrid flesh lingered around Yuan Li, assaulting his senses. Sewage, corpses, dismembered limbs… one by one, they struck at his heart.
Wu Kai had also lived in Luoyang for a period of time, and his eyes were red.
As they walked, they heard a commotion. Yuan Li snapped back to his senses and quickened his pace. When he turned a corner, he saw two soldiers forcibly dragging a woman, uttering obscenities.
The woman cried and wailed, her face covered in black ashes, but her delicate features were still evident.
Her husband had died at the door of their house, leaving behind a small child tightly clinging to the doorframe, tears streaming down as he looked at his mother, “Mom…”
As if it were the last straw that broke the camel’s back, Yuan Li felt a surge of anger, burning like nothing he had experienced before, scorching his internal organs with pain. He stared fixedly at the two soldiers, the fire in his eyes breaking through the solemnity, and he said, enunciating each word, “Wu Kai, go and kill those two soldiers.”
Wu Kai immediately responded and brandished his large knife to move forward. Lu He quickly stopped him, looking at Yuan Li in bewilderment, “Lord Yuan, can’t you tell whose army this is?”
“I can tell,” Yuan Li’s expression was icy, “besides the troops of Chen Wang, who else could it be in this Luoyang city?”
“Since you know, why do this?” Lu He was truly puzzled, even finding it absurd. “You shouldn’t start a conflict with Chen Wang over such a trivial matter.”
Yuan Li chuckled briefly, “Trivial matter?”
Lu He realized and tried to reason, “True, you’ve never led troops before, so you wouldn’t know the rules of the military. After months of marching, the soldiers must have an outlet for their emotions, not just with gold, silver, and treasures, but also with women. These are all spoils that can keep them disciplined. Only when they’ve vented their desires can they remain stable.”
He lowered his voice and added, “Otherwise, mutinies can occur.”
A heavy pressure weighed on Yuan Li’s heart, and he exhaled a burning breath. He asked with a tinge of mockery, “So, both you and Chen Wang’s troops do the same?”
Lu He said matter-of-factly, “Who among the armies in the world doesn’t do the same?”
Yuan Li burst into laughter.
He could use strict military laws and generous treatment to restrain his soldiers’ behavior, preventing them from plundering the people or trampling the farmland. But clearly, others would not spend as much effort and resources to discipline their troops.
They didn’t care what their soldiers wanted to do or would do. They brought disasters to the land, and their soldiers fought only for looting, for spoils.
They talked about serving the country and the people, about righteousness for the sake of the world, about the life and death of the common people, but in the end, they were more greedy than locusts. And the people, they were all killed by them.
The emperor didn’t care about the common people; he only wanted to live in a prosperous place.
The officials didn’t care about the common people; they only cared about their reputation and the power in their hands.
And what about these feudal lords? The esteemed scholars? The renowned figures in the world?
Their benevolence and righteousness were merely superficial, for they were ambitious politicians, but not a single one was a philanthropist.
In turbulent times, philanthropists could not survive.
The common people were nothing more than tools in their mouths. They always spoke of the people and the world, but in reality, they trod upon the bones of the people, using their greedy desires to seize everything they could for themselves.
Rulers could not empathize with the common people.
No one was willing to lower their heads and bend their backs to truly see the ants crawling on the ground, to see how arduous life was for the people in such chaotic times.
Scholars were like this, powerful families were like this, and even the emperor was like this.
The examination system monopolized the opportunities for ordinary people to become officials, monopolized knowledge, and the common people were forever common people, and the descendants of ants would always be ants, without a chance to rise.
Who could give them a chance to rise?
No one was willing to do so.
In this era, no one was willing to break this monopoly. No scholar was willing to pour resources from the top down.
The fire in Yuan Li’s heart burned more and more fiercely.
Suddenly, he stopped laughing, coldly staring at those soldiers who were tormenting the woman, “Wu Kai, kill them.”
Wu Kai pushed Lu He aside and approached with his big knife. The two soldiers, who were dragging the woman, were startled when they saw the cold light reflecting off the blade. They cried out fearfully, “Who are you? What do you want to do! We are soldiers of Chen Wang!”
Wu Kai didn’t say a word and directly beheaded the two soldiers.
Their heads rolled on the ground, blood spurting out, and the terrified cries of the woman pierced the sky.
The child was also frightened and cried loudly. The woman, with trembling legs, crawled to the wall and hugged her child, looking at Wu Kai with fear.
Yuan Li walked over, and the woman turned her fearful gaze towards him.
Yuan Li subconsciously smiled and reached out to touch the child’s hair.
But the woman protected the child, clutching him tightly to her chest, looking at Yuan Li with dread, repelling his hand from coming near.
The look she gave Yuan Li was no different from the one she gave to the two soldiers who had tried to harm her.
Fear, dread, and despair.
She didn’t want Yuan Li to get close at all.
Yuan Li stopped his hand.
The bloodstains on the ground slowly snaked up to his shoes.
He withdrew his hand and straightened up slowly.
The remnants of the sunset had completely disappeared from the horizon.
Dark clouds shrouded the entire Luoyang city, casting a gray shadow over everyone.
Yuan Li raised his head to look at the sky.
The flames in his eyes flickered and swayed, vigorously burning in the wind until they blazed fiercely.
A thought that had appeared deep in his heart long ago resurfaced, this time clearer than ever before.
The emperor couldn’t do it, nor could the other feudal lords.
Chu Mingfeng couldn’t do it.
Chen Wang couldn’t do it either.
But I can do it.
I, who went from being the son of a county official to becoming the governor of two provinces, made Youzhou a paradise in this chaotic world.
Only I can do it.
If I can…
If I can have more power.
If I can lead a rebel army.
If I can have a say.
If, if I can…
If I can become the emperor.
…Can I become the emperor?
I can become the emperor.
[Chancellor of the First Generation System has been activated.]
[The system is now updating, progress at 1%, 5%, 80%… Update complete.]
[Chancellor of the First Generation System has been updated to the Emperor Development System.]
[The Emperor Development System has been activated.]
[Reward: Peace throughout the world, tranquility in the rivers and lakes.]
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