novelSusiti Chapter 164 The Imperial Guards of the Great Han Dynasty are handed over to Empress Dowager Dong.
Chapter 164 The Imperial Guards of the Great Han Dynasty are handed over to Empress Dowager Dong.
Chapter 166 The Imperial Guards of the Great Han Dynasty are handed over to Empress Dowager Dong.
Although Liu Biao of Jingzhou, Liu Yu of Gan Xiangguo, and other members of the Han imperial family from Lu Chu were on their way to the imperial city of Luoyang, they had not yet arrived. Moreover, even if they did arrive, they probably wouldn't have any interest in participating in the struggle for imperial power.
Most of them, being members of the Han imperial family, did not have such great ambitions, much less the power to wield.
For example, Liu Biao of Jingzhou had previously intended to marry his daughter to Zhao Yun, and now both sides are seriously discussing the matter.
As for Prime Minister Liu Yu, he was originally the governor of Youzhou. Now that Liu Hong has taken the position of Grand General, the title of governor of Youzhou has been returned to Liu Yu. Liu Yu is so grateful that he would never take the initiative to cause trouble for Liu Hong. This is also a huge joke.
Apart from these, other members of the Han imperial family had even less of a competitive edge.
As for the relationship between Empress Dowager Dong and Liu Hong within the royal family, it is well known that whoever can control the other's lifeline is none other than Liu Xie, the Prince of Chenliu.
This old lady Dong is now quite old, and with her life hanging in the balance, it's unknown how many more years she has left. How could she possibly continue to wade into these muddy waters and do such an unwise thing?
"The rest is Empress Dowager He."
Lu Zhi blurted it out.
As for Emperor Liu Bian, he is still just a young child. To pledge allegiance to him would be a huge joke. Perhaps the Empress Dowager, who is ambitious in the court and among the people, would be another candidate.
But after blurting it out, Lu Zhi subconsciously shook his head and denied his answer.
Empress Dowager He was indeed a suitable candidate, but unfortunately, she was completely ignorant of politics. In addition, the original Grand General He Jin had already been beheaded. The remaining Imperial Uncle He Miao, although now one of the Western Garden Commandants, was still not as prestigious as the Grand General.
In the past, the prestige and influence of the He family in the army were all concentrated on He Jin alone. Even though He Miao and He Jin were brothers, there were some things that no one else could replace.
"So it couldn't be Lord Zongzheng."
At this moment, Lu Zhi cast a surprised glance at Zhu Jun, who couldn't help but burst into smug laughter upon hearing this. "Hahaha, not at all! If we hand it over to this Minister of the Imperial Clan, what difference would it make if we handed it over to that General?"
Zhu Jun then began to recount the true story: "The person who handed it over was Empress Dowager Dong."
Why?
Lu Zhi immediately asked a question, his brows furrowed.
Zhu Jun stroked his slightly long, beautiful beard, a strange sense of pride showing on his face. In his opinion, if Lu Zhi in front of him could not see through his thoughts, then even the Grand Tutor Yuan Wei and the Grand Commandant Yang Biao in the court might not be able to guess them. This was truly a happy thing for him.
"Firstly, because Empress Dowager Dong is also a member of the royal family, and secondly, because Empress Dowager Dong is a trustworthy person. Moreover, compared to Empress Dowager He, Empress Dowager Dong has a great deal of knowledge about the court. In addition, she also has a member of the royal family raised under her care. All these factors make her the most suitable person in the current imperial city of Luoyang. In particular, her status is such that even the Grand General of Weining Palace would probably have to show her some respect."
After Zhu Reng said this, Lu Zhi's gaze towards him became subtly hostile. Holding the scripture scroll, Lu Zhi's earlier interest in solving riddles vanished completely.
"I originally thought that you, General Zhu, intended to continue being enemies with this General, which is why you were fooling around with me here. But now it seems that I was wrong. It seems that you want to make peace with the General directly, but you also want to hand over the Han Imperial Guard to him."
Lu Zhi gave a final summary.
Upon hearing this, Zhu Jun winked and, with a thick skin, leaned in to join the conversation.
He rubbed his hands together and said, "I had no choice, did I?"
"I did consider being his enemy, but the General's methods are simply too powerful, permeating the entire imperial city of Luoyang. I couldn't find any allies. Even if I found them in the palace and contacted Empress Dowager Dong, do you know what she said?"
"They said she could be a conciliator, but she would never be an enemy of Liu Hong. They also said that as a member of the Liu family, she would have to consider the Liu family in every way. As a result, my last hope died in the womb. If I don't seek refuge with them, my entire Zhu family will be truly finished."
Zhu Jun looked helpless.
Lu Zhi smiled and gently patted his shoulder, saying, "This is a good thing. You won't get anything good by being an enemy of the General. It's not bad that you've managed to relinquish the power you hold."
Zhu Jun nodded in a muffled voice: "I know, but even so, the thought of handing over the power in my hands to someone else makes me somewhat unwilling, which is why I brought Lu Zhi here today."
Inside the Zhu family's inner residence.
In the study where the two grown men were, Zhu Jun remained silent, but his burning gaze became even more conspicuous.
Lu Zhi didn't realize it at first, but gradually...
He realized what was happening: "Don't tell me you're plotting against me again."
Lu Zhi's pupils contracted, and the whites of his eyes almost rolled back.
Zhu Jun chuckled, the implication of which was self-evident.
"Won't?"
Lu Zhi's eyes widened instantly. He shook his head and chuckled, "Now that I'm a cripple, how much can I help you? I should be content to have a place in the current court. I can't take over the Han Imperial Guards, otherwise the ministers in the court will not agree."
"Just them."
Zhu Jun waved his hand dismissively, "The court has now become a one-man show by the Grand General. As for Empress Dowager He, her title of ruling from behind the curtain is probably useless. You can easily fool her with a few words and it will all be accepted."
So, considering your relationship with the Liu family, and your previous rank of General of the Household, wouldn't this be a perfect opportunity for you to lead the Imperial Guards of the Han Dynasty?
I have just heard that there is a hidden rebellion in the area where Chancellor Gan Liu Yu is located. It is said that the foreign tribes want to take advantage of the uncertainty of the power of our Han court to invade the surrounding areas. How can such a thing be allowed?
Isn't this the perfect opportunity for you, a newly appointed lieutenant general, to redeem yourself through meritorious service?
"Lu Zhi, General of the Household, I wonder if you are willing to take on such a heavy responsibility? Do not fail the court's expectations of you."