Chapter 789: Underlying Currents
Chapter 789: Underlying Currents
September 25th, 2017
In the imperial palace of Luoyang, Emperor Ling of Han sat on the dragon bed, his face slightly pale, gazing at the ceiling with a hint of distraction. His expression was grave, deep in thought about something unknown.
In reality, the Emperor Ling of Han at this moment was not the same person as the one in the history books. Their experiences differed, leading to significant discrepancies in their actions, especially in the past few years.
Unlike the historically infamous Emperor Ling of Han, known for his excessive debauchery, his physical condition was far worse than his historical counterpart, particularly in recent years. He had been in a state of weakness, making it impossible for him to indulge in such debauchery even if he wanted to.
As a result, during these years, Emperor Ling of Han often found himself daydreaming, thinking about irrelevant matters, or reminiscing about something.
Especially after learning of his impending death, he increasingly recalled the face of a gentle and beautiful woman.
He was familiar with that face, and there was a time when he adored her, but for some reason, the memory of her face was now hazy.
He gradually forgot what she looked like, and sometimes he would call his youngest son over, staring at his face in a daze, trying to piece together her features from his son's contours, but always failing.
In the end, all that remained of her in his heart were traces, and the most profound memory was the turmoil in his heart when she died.
At some point, he began to feel a sense of indebtedness to that woman. So, when he realized his life was coming to an end, he made a decision: he wanted Liu Xie to become the emperor.
This was a rather whimsical idea, but after having this thought, he suddenly felt a sense of purpose, a goal he desperately wanted to achieve in his lifetime.
This was a rare occurrence for him, the last time being when that young general declared that wherever the sun shone was the territory of the Han Empire.
It was truly exhilarating, and even now, the memory still stirred excitement.
But that was too far-fetched, and his body wouldn't last until that day. Gradually, he forgot about it, but this current goal was different—it was something he genuinely wanted to accomplish.
Therefore, in the remaining time he had, all his actions and thoughts revolved around this one goal.
With his own planning and Zhang Rang's suggestions, he devised a comprehensive plan, which he believed to be perfect.
Once Lu Hai Kong arrived, he would hand over the imperial guards of Luoyang to him, allowing Lu Hai Kong to govern the city. Simultaneously, he would announce the removal of Crown Prince Liu Bian and the appointment of Liu Xie as the new crown prince, while also bringing Empress Dowager Dong out of retirement to govern behind the scenes and appointing He Jin as the chancellor.
If Lu Hai Kong heard this plan, he would undoubtedly be stunned.
Emperor Ling of Han's idea was indeed good. He wanted Lu Hai Kong, He Jin, Empress Dowager Dong, and Zhang Rang to balance and restrain each other, creating a stable political landscape. It was a sweet idea but ultimately too naive, with no possibility of success.
If he directly eliminated Empress He and He Jin, there might have been a chance, but only if Dong Zhuo didn't enter the capital.
But was that possible? Dong Zhuo's entry into the capital was the final act; the system wouldn't allow it to be halted. In reality, all of Emperor Ling of Han's thoughts were futile.
This man's life was filled with sorrow, having only one chance in his life to do something he truly wanted, but it was an impossible dream.
Unaware of this, Emperor Ling of Han waited for Lu Hai Kong, and while he waited, Zhang Rang burst in with a message, his face beaming with joy.
Seeing Zhang Rang's joyful expression, Emperor Ling of Han suddenly understood, and a smile appeared on his lips.
He took pride in his insight, feeling that Lu Hai Kong was indeed worthy of his trust.
But what he didn't know was that Lu Hai Kong had no intention of helping him...
...
In the General's Mansion of Luoyang, a loud slap echoed through the study as He Jin's desk suffered another brutal kick.
He Jin's furious expression revealed that he was aware of what had transpired.
This wasn't surprising, as He Jin was the General, wielding immense power in Luoyang and having connections everywhere. He played a crucial role in Dong Zhuo's entry into the capital, and various individuals with peculiar motives would intentionally approach him.
Perhaps not many genuinely wanted to help him, but the news he needed to know would still reach him swiftly.
So, shortly after Emperor Ling of Han sent the imperial edict to Lu Hai Kong, He Jin had already received the news.
Although He Jin couldn't quite understand the message he received, he was puzzled as to why Emperor Ling of Han summoned Lu Hai Kong at this time. However, he had wise advisors by his side who immediately grasped the hidden meaning behind the Emperor's actions.
After understanding the implications of the Emperor's edict, He Jin broke out in a cold sweat, feeling as if a great calamity was about to befall him.
He was well aware of the source of his current power; it wasn't due to his own capabilities, but entirely because of his sister, who was the Empress, and his nephew, who was destined to become the next Emperor.
Once Emperor Ling of Han deposed Liu Bian as the Crown Prince and passed the throne to Liu Xie, not only would He Jin be in trouble, but even his sister, the Empress, would suffer!
He Jin was well aware that Liu Xie's birth mother had been killed by his sister, and he had played a role in that matter. If Liu Xie became Emperor, He Jin's current power would be the least of his concerns; his very survival would be in question.
Even if He Jin didn't know the Emperor's intentions now, if he were to find out that the Emperor wanted him to be the Chancellor, he still wouldn't be pleased.
However, Emperor Ling's current idea was just that, an idea. Even if it were put into action, it wouldn't be a significant issue. With the power he currently held, he could handle it. His only concern was Lu Hai Kong.
If Lu Hai Kong actually came, it would be a huge problem for him.
But as he feared, Lu Hai Kong brought him news, and it was only then that he kicked over the table in front of him.
In the 1619th chapter, a book was flipped open and read without error!
After kicking over the desk and stomping on it a few times, He Jin finally took a deep breath and suppressed the rage in his heart, asking, "Is the news accurate?"
As He Jin spoke, a figure emerged from the shadows: "It's quite accurate. Lu Hai Kong is already on his way, leading only three thousand cavalry. Given their marching speed, they'll reach Luoyang City in no more than ten days!"
"This bandit is truly His Majesty's loyal dog. His Majesty ordered him three days ago, and he immediately set out. He's rushing here to claim the Merit of Following the Dragon!" He Jin mocked.
"He was promoted by His Majesty and is His Majesty's son-in-law. When His Majesty issues an edict, he won't dare to delay. But with him coming here, many of our plans will be difficult to carry out!" The figure, still shrouded in a black robe, spoke with a voice that sounded deliberately altered.
His words were full of provocation.
"What else can we do? Can we stop him from coming?" He Jin seemed helpless at this moment, his anger turning into powerlessness.
"Stop him from coming? That's an idea too." The man in the black robe smiled strangely.
"An idea? What idea? A bad idea or a stupid idea? Although Lu Hai Kong only brought three thousand cavalry, these three thousand are the elite of the elite. In the past, he could kill a hundred thousand troops with less than two thousand cavalry. Now, with three thousand cavalry, how can I stop him from coming?" Although He Jin, despite looking down on Lu Hai Kong, was well aware of this man who had repeatedly ruined his plans.
Therefore, he immediately rejected the man in the black robe's suggestion, knowing that the difficulty was too high, almost impossible to execute.
However, the man in the black robe's next words made He Jin's eyes light up.
"Why stop his three thousand troops? We only need to prevent Lu Hai Kong from coming alone. Don't forget the teacher of the Crown Prince."
Upon hearing this, He Jin's eyes lit up. He was familiar with the Taoist priest who had raised Liu Bian and knew that he was quite capable. If they could persuade him to take action, killing Lu Hai Kong might be possible. But he hesitated: "After all, he was summoned by His Majesty. Wouldn't it be inappropriate for us to do this?"
Hearing this, the man in the black robe couldn't help but show a hint of disdain in his eyes.
In his heart, he thought that He Jin was truly a fool. At this time, he was still hesitating and overthinking. However, instead of saying anything, he spoke coldly: "If you don't want to do this, I have another idea."
"Oh? What idea?"
"As far as I know, Lu Hai Kong has deep feelings for Princess San. If you can capture her, even if Lu Hai Kong enters Luoyang, you won't have to worry about him. Perhaps you can even make him your loyal dog, helping you." The man in the black robe smiled sinisterly.
Upon hearing this, He Jin's brows furrowed even deeper than before. Although he knew there was a way to make this work, if he were to do it, he might as well directly kill Lu Hai Kong.
"General, I have some matters to attend to. I've given my suggestion, and it's up to you to handle this matter."
Watching He Jin deep in thought, the man in the black robe revealed a smile in the shadows. He had planted the seed, and it was up to He Jin to decide how to proceed.
Without waiting for He Jin's response, the man turned and left...
(End of Chapter)
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