Chapter 28 7. Heroes take advantage of the chaos

Emperor Ling discovered that General He Jin's power continued to expand at an extraordinary speed, and the list of officials recommended by the general became longer and longer.In addition to Yuan Shao, Wu Fu, Xun You, Wang Yun, Zheng Tai, He and others introduced earlier, Xun Shuang, Chen, Hua Xin, Kong Rong, Shen Tupan, Wang Qian, Lu Zhi, Liu Biao, Wang Kuang, Bao Xin, Zhang Miao, Liu Dai, Han Fu, Kuai Yue, Chen Lin, Zheng Xuan, Feng Ji, Bian Rang, etc. There are also political activists like Xu You, and young generals who hold military power, such as He Miao, Yuan Shu, Cao Cao, Bao Hong, Zhao Rong, Feng Fang, Xia Mou, and Chun Yuqiong.

Xun Shuang, Chen, Hua Xin, Zheng Xuan, and Bian Rang were all well-known scribes and very influential.Wang Qian came from the famous Wang family in Shanyang County. Not many people know him, but if you talk about his father Wang Chang and son Wang Can, they are both well-known. This family later produced a more outstanding young man, His name is Wang Bi.He Jin admired the great name of the Wang family for a long time, and got Wang Qian to be the secretary-general (Chang Shi). He Jin also wanted to make the relationship closer, so he asked Wang Qian to get married.The good things that others were looking forward to were rejected by Secretary-General Wang without giving the leader any face.

Lu Zhi has already introduced that a scholar and military strategist made great contributions in suppressing the Yellow Turban Army, but was framed by eunuchs, and was pardoned by luck. . Liu Biao, named Jingsheng, was thirteen years older than Cao Cao. He was from Gaoping County, a different county from Wang Qian. He used to worship Wang Chang as his teacher. The two families had a close relationship, so Wang Can later went to Jingzhou to join him.He Jin recruited him and served as the chief (掾) in the General's Mansion, and later he was entrusted with an important task as the joint chief of staff of the Fifth Battalion of the Northern Army (Zhonghou of the Northern Army).

There are not many historical materials left by Wang Kuang. We only know that when he was young, he was very close to the great celebrity Cai Yong.Bao Xin, courtesy name Yuncheng, was born in Pingyang County, Taishan County, Yanzhou Governor's Department, and belonged to the local tyrants.Liu Dai may be a relative of Yuan Shao, related to Yuan Shao's wife Liu.These few people are similar to Zhang Miao, they are chivalrous, easy to make friends, and they can enjoy both black and white. Han Fuzi Wenjie, a native of Yingchuan County, Yuzhou Governor's Department, was an "old official of the Yuan family", and was recruited by Yuan Shaola, and at this time served as the imperial censor Zhongcheng.Kuaiyue, with different characters, was born in Nanjun, Jingzhou Governor's Department. Kuai's family was one of the best in Jingzhou. He Jin hired him as the director (掾).Because he worked together with Liu Biao, he had a certain relationship with each other. Later, when Liu Biao went to Jingzhou to develop, Kuai Yue took the initiative to support his old colleague and was Liu Biao's diehard.

Chen Lin, whose name is Kong Zhang, is one year younger than Cao Cao. He is a native of Hongyi County, Guangling County, Xuzhou Governor's Department. He is a famous writer, poet and Fu writer. ). Feng Ji Zi Yuan Tu, Yuan Shao's fellow countryman, probably met when Yuan Shao was keeping his filial piety in his hometown, and has been following Yuan Shao ever since. He is one of Yuan Shao's early followers and is good at making suggestions. Some of the above-mentioned people were recruited by He Jin to decorate their appearance, such as Zheng Xuan, Chen, Hua Xin, Shen Tupan, Xun Shuang, Bian Rang; some were practical talents, such as Wang Qian, Chen Lin, Feng Ji, Xu You, Kuai Yue Some are He Jin's reserve military cadres, such as Wang Kuang, Bao Xin, Liu Dai, Han Fu, and Zhang Miao.

It can be said that Yuan Shao spared no effort to recruit these people for He Jin. In fact, he did not suffer any disadvantages. On the surface, these people were all in the pocket of the general. In fact, he built his own small kingdom on other people's territory.Most of these people bought He Jin's account, also bought Yuan Shao's account, and even bought Yuan Shao's account at critical times. In the near future, He Jin will have troubles that he can't tell. Emperor Ling was able to detect everything that happened outside without using the secret intelligence organization. He Jin blatantly expanded his power, which not only threatened the eunuchs who opposed the He family, but also made Emperor Ling restless.

Jian Shuo, who had just served as a lieutenant in the military academy, saw Lingdi's distress.Regardless of Jian Shuo's appearance, he is really good at using his brain at critical moments. He gave Emperor Ling an idea: to send a general to march west on the grounds that the war in the Western Qiang was tight. This trick is poisonous and powerful enough.Because if He Jin obeys the order and leads the army to march westward, it will not be an errand that can be completed in three or two months. , It’s almost like electrifying rebellion.When the imperial edict was officially issued, He Jin unexpectedly lost his mind, couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, and was in a hurry.

Yuan Shao came over, smiled slightly, and said why is this difficult?He gave General He Jin an idea, and immediately resolved the crisis gently with the strength of four or two thousand gold. Yuan Shao asked He Jin to present a memorial, saying that he would immediately start preparations for the Western Expedition in compliance with the imperial edict, but at present there is not enough troops, and he needs to recruit troops from the prefectures and counties around the capital, which will take a certain amount of time.Once the men and horses are ready, set off immediately. After hearing this, He Jin suddenly became enlightened, and most of the gloom in his heart dissipated immediately.He followed suit one by one, and sent Wang Kuang, Bao Xin, Zhang Miao, Liu Dai and others to Taishan, Bingzhou, Danyang, Chenliu and other places to recruit people.

Yuan Shaozheng was worried that he would not have a chance to expand his strength, so he took advantage of He Jin to solve the problem and sent his own people down to catch the team. He Jin was used again. As soon as these passers-by spread out, there was no news. In order to fool Emperor Ling, He Jin sent Yuan Shao to bring some soldiers to Xuzhou and Yanzhou for activities, claiming to fight against the Yellow Turban Army. , the purpose is to delay time. Wang Kuang and others acted very quickly after arriving in various places, and the recruitment work was also very effective, but they were not in a hurry to report back to Luoyang, and everything was subject to the arrangements of He Jin and Yuan Shao.

Hearing that the imperial court wanted to expand the army, some places began to participate in an organized way, and Ding Yuan, governor of Bingzhou, was an activist.Some went directly to Luoyang to join the army in groups, such as Liu Bei and others. Ding Yuan, styled Jianyang, was 12 years older than Cao Cao. He was a member of Yizhou Governor's Department.He recruited more than a thousand people and sent Zhang Yang and Zhang Liao to report to Luoyang. Zhang Yang, whose name is Uncle Zhi, is a native of Yunzhong County, Bingzhou Governor's Department, and he is a fierce general.Zhang Liao, courtesy name Wenyuan, was a native of Yanmen County, Bingzhou Governor's Department. He used to be a county official.Ding Yuan was very fierce, and his subordinates were even fiercer. Besides Zhang Yang and Zhang Liao, there was also a man named Lu Bu who served as the director of the office (master book).

Liu Bei also rushed to Luoyang at this time.He once fought against the Yellow Turban Army with Mr. Lu in Jizhou, and was appointed as the deputy magistrate and head of the county public security bureau (Anxiwei) of Anxi County, Zhongshan State because of his meritorious service. The position of county lieutenant seems to be a very tough job. Cao Cao was a lieutenant in the north of Luoyang, Liu Bei was a lieutenant in Anxi, and Sun Jian was even more powerful.The founders of the three major separatist forces in the Three Kingdoms era all started from the grassroots post of county lieutenant. But Liu Bei did not have the patience of Sun Jian, and the county lieutenant did not do well.Once, the Minister of Zhongshan sent an inspection team to the county to inspect the work. Liu Bei ran to the guest house and wanted to report to the leader of the inspection team (the post supervisor). Beat up the postmaster.This kind of behavior is so serious that Liu Bei had to take Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, two sworn brothers, to abandon their official positions and run away. Liu, Guan, and Zhang were wandering around. When they heard that the imperial court was recruiting troops, they thought it was an opportunity, so they came to Luoyang.According to the "Heroes" written by Wang Can, Liu Bei and others joined the army and were compiled under a man named Wu Qiuyi. At this chaotic time, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei were still inconspicuous little characters. In the chaos, they made some contributions with their superiors, and Liu Bei successively served as Xia Mi Cheng, Gao Tang Wei, Gao Tang Ling and other low-level official positions.Liu Bei really developed after he took refuge in his old classmate Gongsun Zan. Yuan Shao and others were still wandering outside. Luoyang was full of people who came to sign up to join the army. The current situation was confusing and changing rapidly.The general's side, Emperor Ling, and Jian Shuo's side are all stepping up their plans. From the harem to the ruling and opposition parties, there is a murderous aura everywhere. Everyone knows that the first move can take the initiative, but no one dares to do it first, because no one has a complete chance of winning.At this time when the tension was suffocating, a major event happened in the empire, which made the tense atmosphere lose its direction. On April 11th in the sixth year of Zhongping (189), Lingdi Liu Hong died in the Jiade Hall of Nangong, Luoyang at the age of 34. Liu Hong is a legendary emperor and a young man with great personality. He is one year younger than Cao Cao. He was originally a Tinghou who was in decline, but he became emperor by chance. Since Emperor Ling took the throne, he has seen all the vicious fights between party members, relatives and eunuchs. During this period, the second "disaster of party imprisonment" occurred, so he has a very bad image in the hearts of party members.In fact, the "disaster of the party's imprisonment" was basically handled by the eunuchs, and he was only used as a tool.In the meantime, he also tried to work hard to get rid of social and official abuses, but he felt powerless before he could do it.From then on, he became disheartened, addicted to pleasure, and ignorant of government affairs. He had profound attainments in literature and art, and at the same time had a special liking for inventions and creations. A group of inventors invented the "Tianlu Toad" similar to a fountain and the artificial sprinkler "Tianlu thirsty bird".On the other hand, it is said that he also built indulgence venues such as naked swimming halls to relieve the endless depression in his heart. Long-term depression and unrestrained indulgence made the emperor in his thirties weaker and weaker.Since the beginning of the sixth year of Zhongping, Emperor Ling has been ill. He knows that the days to come are numbered, and he is most worried about his next son Liu Xie.Emperor Ling called Jian Shuo to the sick bed and entrusted him to take good care of his beloved son Liu Xie, and Jian Shuo agreed with tears. Emperor Ling died, and the era of Huanling was over. Zhuge Liang later recalled in an article that he often chatted with the first emperor Liu Bei, and every time he talked about Emperor Huan and Emperor Ling, "everyone hates it."Zhuge Liang believed that the reason for the decline of the Later Han Dynasty was mainly due to the fact that Emperor Huan and Emperor Ling were "pro-villains and distant virtuous ministers". The Huan Ling era was indeed not a bright era. In this era, eunuchs were in power, treacherous officials blocked the way, justice was not upheld, and the people were in dire straits.In this era, ethnic conflicts are sharp, land annexation is serious, people change frequently, and the country is precarious. In short, it was a dark age, a terrifying age, but it was also an age that gave birth to a new age. As the most important symbols of this era, Emperor Huan Liu Zhi and Emperor Ling Liu Hong are indeed not competent. They did not lead the country to rejuvenation, did not promote justice, but trusted the villain again and again and suppressed the virtuous.They themselves live extravagantly, build up palaces, and enjoy themselves. In order to amass wealth, they not only increase taxes, but also implement the system of selling officials, which completely collapses the administration of officials. However, their hearts were filled with too much helplessness.From the moment they ascended the throne, they began to be manipulated by others. They had no relatives, no real cronies, and lived in the palace without family affection and security all day long. They were always on guard against eunuchs and relatives. Party members did not understand. The people complained. In the struggle for power, they have only learned one skill: balance.They carefully balance the forces among the factions, using one faction to fight another faction. There are no eternal alliances, only ever-growing enemies. Living under enormous psychological pressure, they all left this world in their thirties. Now, that era is finally over!