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In the darkness of the night, the carriage struggled to advance at the foot of Mount Ji. Flickering flames illuminated the valley, and shouts echoed through the air. "Halt the carriage! Li Jue and Guo Si are lying in ambush here!"
Inside the carriage, Han Xian Di's face turned pale upon hearing this voice. He lifted the curtain and looked into the distance, fear evident in his eyes. "Could it be that Li Jue and Guo Si have caught up with us?"
Yang Feng let out a cold laugh, gripping his spear as he turned back to reassure him. "Your Majesty need not panic; this man is neither Li Jue nor Guo Si, but Li Le! He intends to impersonate them and seize the carriage amidst the chaos!"
He then shouted to his troops, "Where is Xu Huang?"
Xu Huang immediately rode forward, wielding a massive axe, and responded in a deep voice, "This subordinate is here!"
Yang Feng pointed toward the flames ahead. "Li Le dares to disrupt our formation; go and capture him at once!"
Xu Huang replied loudly, "As you command!" With that, he spurred his horse into the enemy ranks.
Li Le stood at the front line, holding a long knife with a wolf-like gaze. As he watched Xu Huang's figure draw closer, he sneered, "Yang Feng actually sends a junior officer to face me? He truly seeks death!"
The two horses charged at each other, their weapons clashing in midair, sparks flying. Before Li Le could react, Xu Huang swung his axe down with a swift motion; in a flash of cold light, Li Le fell to the ground along with his horse.
Seeing their commander slain, the enemy's morale plummeted, and chaos ensued. Xu Huang brandished his axe and shouted, "Those who capture thieves will live; those who resist will die!" The escort soldiers seized the opportunity to pursue as Li Le's troops scattered in disarray, cries echoing throughout the valley.
***
After the battle was quelled, Yang Feng led his troops to escort the carriage through Ji Pass. As they passed through the tracks, He Nei Governor Zhang Yang came forward with soldiers to greet them. He had prepared grain and silk and personally knelt by the roadside, sincerely addressing Han Xian Di. "I have heard that Your Majesty's journey has been fraught with difficulties; I am deeply worried and anxious. This humble gift is prepared for you; I hope Your Majesty will accept it!"
Han Xian Di gratefully helped him up, his tone filled with deep appreciation. "Governor Zhang's loyalty to the country is commendable; I am truly grateful. I hereby appoint you as Grand Marshal to assist in state affairs!"
Zhang Yang bowed in thanks, his eyes filled with emotion.
Not long after, Yang Feng requested to resign from Han Xian Di, saying, "Your Majesty, the Bandit Army has not been defeated. I wish to station troops in Ye Wang to eliminate the remaining threats for you!"
Han Xian Di looked at Yang Feng's resolute face and nodded in agreement. "I will not forget your loyalty." Yang Feng then led his troops away, and the soldiers escorting him watched as his figure gradually disappeared into the distance.
The carriage slowly entered Luoyang City. Han Xian Di lifted the curtain of the carriage, and the sight before him sent a shock through his heart. The once prosperous imperial city was now overgrown with weeds and in ruins. The tall palace walls had collapsed, the halls were reduced to charred remains, and the streets were empty, echoing only with the mournful cries of crows in the cold wind.
He stepped out of the carriage and walked into the dilapidated palace courtyard, where rubble and dead leaves lay underfoot, and a gust of wind stirred up clouds of dust. Consort Fu followed behind him, her eyes glazed over as she murmured, "Is this... is this Luoyang? Is this the foundation of the Han Family?"
Han Xian Di helplessly let his hands fall, his gaze sweeping over the crumbling walls and broken structures as he spoke in a low tone, "Once upon a time, this was a place where nations came to pay their respects; now it has become a wasteland..."
Before long, Yang Feng was ordered to assist in constructing temporary accommodations. He hurried from his station to report to Han Xian Di, bowing and saying, "Your Majesty, we can only manage to build a small palace for your temporary residence. I hope you will graciously accept it."
Emperor Xian nodded silently. "Let it be done as you say."
***
When the officials came to pay their respects, they had to traverse streets filled with thorns and debris. Many struggled to avoid the sharp branches, their clothes torn and their arms and legs marked with bloodstains. The ministers stood scattered among the overgrown grass, lacking the vitality they once had.
Emperor Xian sat high upon the hastily constructed throne, suppressing his inner sorrow as he trembled slightly while issuing an edict: "Change Xingping to Jian'an; I wish to revive the great Han with this."
However, as soon as he finished speaking, there was a profound silence in the court; everyone lowered their heads as if they had lost all confidence in the future.
That year also saw great famine. The people of Luoyang had dwindled significantly; those who barely survived were often ragged and emaciated. Each day they left the city to forage for bark and roots in the wild to stave off hunger. Many trees had been stripped bare of their bark, leaving behind nothing but scars on their trunks; even the underbrush was dug up so thoroughly that not a single root remained.
Officials below the rank of Minister were similarly unable to escape disaster. They shed their former elegance and carried firewood and burlap sacks like ordinary citizens, venturing outside the city to gather wood and forage for grass. Some collapsed along the way from starvation; others lost their way among the ruins and ultimately perished trapped within them.
Consort Fu witnessed all this with a heart-wrenching pain. She turned to Han Xian Di and said, "Your Majesty, there is no food left in the city; both commoners and officials are surviving on wild vegetables. If this continues, I fear no one will be able to survive..."
Emperor Xian turned to look out the window, tears welling in his eyes. His hand clenched gently into a fist, his voice filled with deep despair: "The common people die for me, and the court is powerless to help... Is the Han Dynasty truly destined to perish at my hands?"
A cold wind blew outside, carrying distant cries and the barking of dogs. In that moment, the once-great majesty of the Han had vanished in the desolation of Luoyang City.
Inside the dilapidated Luoyang Palace, Grand Commandant Yang Biao knelt before Han Xian Di, his face etched with worry as he advised, "Your Majesty, I previously received your decree summoning Cao Cao to court, but since the Edict was issued, no one has been sent. Now Cao Cao controls Shandong, with a strong army at his command. He claims loyalty to the Han Dynasty; if we can summon him to assist us, it may alleviate our urgent crisis."
Han Xian Di paused for a moment, then spoke with a hint of impatience: "I have already issued the decree; why must you bring it up again? If that is the case, then send someone immediately."
Yang Biao accepted the order and selected an envoy that very night to carry the Edict, hastening towards Shandong.
***
At this time, Cao Cao was sitting in his camp in Shandong, surrounded by his advisors and generals. Upon hearing that the Emperor had returned to Luoyang, a glimmer of contemplation crossed his face before he smiled and said, "The Son of Heaven has returned; this may be an opportunity for me, Cao Cao."
His strategist Xun Yu stood up and clasped his hands in respect as he spoke: "General, this is indeed a moment ordained by heaven. In ancient times, Duke Wen of Jin welcomed King Xiang of Zhou and gained the allegiance of the feudal lords; Emperor Gaozu of Han received mourning for Emperor Yi and won over the world. All this was due to following heaven's will and seizing the moment. Now that the Emperor is in distress and the court is weak, if you can raise the Righteous Army at this time to support the Emperor and stabilize the realm, not only will you achieve great things but also secure your name for eternity."
A spark of determination flashed in Cao Cao's eyes as he nodded repeatedly: "Xun Yu speaks rightly! If I do not seize this opportunity, others will surely act before me."
Just as he was about to issue orders to gather troops, a personal guard rushed in to report: "An envoy approaches with an Edict."
Cao Cao was taken aback but then burst into laughter: "Such is heaven's will; it truly is heaven's will!"
He rose to adjust his attire and quickly walked out of the main tent to greet the envoy. From afar, he saw the messenger standing in the wind holding the Edict. Cao Cao respectfully took the Edict from him, unfolded it for a closer look, then knelt down and bowed deeply, proclaiming loudly: "I, Cao Cao, receive this decree and am willing to mobilize troops immediately to escort His Majesty back to court and restore the Han Dynasty!"
His voice echoed throughout the camp as advisors and generals alike knelt in response: "We are willing to follow our Lord and support His Majesty's command over all under heaven!"
Cao Cao tightly grasped the Edict, his gaze resolute. He turned to Xun Yu and others saying: "Send word down; within three days all troops must be assembled. I will march to the capital with utmost speed! From this moment on, heaven's mandate is in my hands!"
In the palace of Luoyang, Emperor Xian sat on a simple couch, his expression filled with worry. A cold wind blew in from outside, and the crumbling city walls were visible in the distance, unable to conceal the overall decay of the city. A palace attendant hurried into the hall, kneeling to report, "Your Majesty, scouts have come with news that the armies of Li Jue and Guo Si are approaching Luoyang, less than a hundred miles away."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Xian's face turned pale as he repeatedly asked, "Li Jue and Guo Si's forces have actually reached Luoyang? They are relentless in pursuing me... What should I do?"
The atmosphere in the hall instantly grew tense; the ministers bowed their heads in silence. Yang Feng and Han Xian exchanged glances and knelt in unison, declaring, "Your Majesty need not panic. We are willing to fight to the death against Li Jue and Guo Si, vowing to protect Your Majesty at all costs!"
Emperor Xian raised his head, his gaze slightly hopeful, just as he was about to agree when Dong Cheng stepped forward with a grave expression and said, "Your Majesty, the city is in ruins; many sections of the walls have collapsed, and our defensive capabilities are nearly nonexistent. Moreover, we lack sufficient troops. If we engage in battle and are defeated, where will Your Majesty go?"
"What should I do according to your words?" Emperor Xian asked urgently.
Dong Cheng lowered his head in thought for a moment before looking up decisively and saying, "I believe Shandong still has loyal ministers and is relatively far from Li Jue and Guo Si's forces. If Your Majesty can retreat to Shandong first and then devise a plan, perhaps we can still preserve the Han Dynasty."
The hall fell silent as all eyes turned to Emperor Xian. He gazed at the dilapidated palace, clenched his fists, and murmured, "Very well. I cannot let my mistakes cause suffering for my officials and the common people any longer. Immediately issue an edict to set out for Shandong."
The next morning, the imperial carriage left the city. Emperor Xian and Consort Fu rode in a dilapidated horse-drawn carriage heading slowly eastward while the accompanying officials had no horses to ride and could only follow on foot. Their clothes were tattered, faces weary; each step felt like walking on the edge of an abyss.
The wind carried sand that stung their faces; all that could be heard were footsteps and quiet sighs. Emperor Xian lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked back at the officials following behind him, feeling both pain and regret in his heart. He whispered to Consort Fu, "I have put them in such dire straits... What face do I have left to show the world?"
Consort Fu gently pressed her hand against his, her tone sorrowful yet firm. "Your Majesty, what matters now is not regret but how to survive. As long as the road to Shandong remains open, we will always have a glimmer of hope."
The wheels creaked as the officials continued forward with their heads bowed. In the distance, Luoyang City gradually faded into the dust storm behind them. This beleaguered group trudged toward an uncertain future, shadows of darkness seemingly closing in behind them step by step.
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