Interlude: Loyal Han Servant 2
- Location
- In front of monitor
The plaza was filled with screams, pleadings and cries of men, women, old and children as one after the other, they were taken to the execution stand and cut down. The sight was blood-chilling, yet I couldn't take my eyes off it.
"Finally, after two decades of tyranny, the usurpers and their allies lay defeated." Emperor Huan of Han smiled, as he looked at the carnage. "A pity, that Grand Marshall Liang Ji and that temptress wife of his Sun Shou, took their lives to escape punishment." There was disappointment in the Emperor's voice.
I shivered at the sound of the voice. I could only guess what his Highness planned to do with the pair, but I had no doubt it would be painful and bloody.
Part of me couldn't help but be thankful that Liang Ji's wife took her life with her husband. The history was full of stories of women who used their charms to tempt the rulers, the story of Da Ji chief among them.
It was better, that way.
My brush stopped for a moment, as the flame of the candles flickered.
"How is the situation?" I asked as I resumed writing the document. Orders to governors, and officials. The cleaning up after that mess will take months of work. We will have to replace the majority of administration with loyal servants to squash any sign of rebellion.
"Seventh, Eighth, Fifth, Third and First Camps are all but wiped out. I have sent the Fourth camp to occupy the Hulao pass. The Sixth Camp was, as you ordered, send to Nanyang Commandery. The Second camp and remnants of First, Third and Fifth camps continue to serve as capital's garrison while hunting down He clan loyalists." The adviser reported.
I sighted.
We have underestimated Yuan and He clans. We thought that the purpose of the Yuan clan in the notion of creating the Emperor's army was an acknowledgement of Liu Bian. The choices they made while creating the Army of Western Garden weren't suspicious, so we mostly ignored the army. As we took over the command of the Six Camps loyal to the Emperor, we found nothing that would be out of ordinary. We suspected nothing, especially since it was so easy to buy the loyalty of the officers and soldiers of six camps. Gold, fine silks, foods, women and wine.
We planned to take over the last two camps loyal to the prince, after his death. Even if we failed to take them over, with a numerical advantage, it should have been easy to crash Seventh and Eight camps.
It was... a great miscalculation.
The men that were recruited to Liu Bian's camps, were veterans of Yellow Turban Rebellion... soldiers who hated Eunuch faction. The leaders of those Camps were not interested in any negotiations. Thankfully, we did manage to assassinate Xia Mou and throw Eight Camp into chaos. Only the arrival of Chunyu Qiong saved it from annihilation.
I gritted my teeth.
Colonel of Seventh Camp, despite the disadvantage, has managed to all but annihilate First, Third and Fifth Camps of Army of Western Garden.
To think we would owe victory to a stray arrow, killing Chunyu Qiong.
It was luck- no.
It was the will of Heaven.
I put down my brush and got up. I stepped to the gallery and turned into the direction of Liu Hong's tomb.
A smile slowly crawled on my face.
Despite the losses, we did it. Just like with Liang and Dou clans before, we have brought down the He clan.
The He clan wasn't the first that had tried to usurp the power of the Han. But I would be dammed if I allowed another Xin dynasty to rise to power. The He clan were self-serving fools who brought ruin to the Empire at the pretence of trying to stabilize it, to make things better. But in reality, they were no different than any other usurpers – power-hungry beasts who would destroy the established order for their own personal gain.
Fools.
No, what held the Empire together, was the Liu clan's splendour and people's belief in the divinity of the imperial clan. That perception of Liu family started with legendary deeds of the Great Ancestor, who forged the Empire. That and the peace he brought, made people venerate him and his family.
Two hundred years later, a skilled scholar wanted to make things 'better'. His reforms all but ruined the Empire and his creation of Xin dynasty has plunged the Empire into civil war. And it was again, the Liu clan who united the empire and started the second golden age of the Han empire.
The moment I heard that scoundrel He Jin gave support to the traitor Liu Yan's petition and tricked the Emperor into giving governors more rights, I realized that the Empire entered the crisis that wasn't seen in hundredths of years. For I understood, that his actions weren't about securing the Han Dynasty, but rather, they were all about buying the loyalty of local governors and weakening the authority of the Liu clan' authority.
In the hindsight it was obvious. It was not enough for the He clan to control the Emperor, they wanted to go as far as to create their own dynasty... just like Wang Mang did.
No, with giving governors power, the damn He Jin has all but created them, kings. In that situation, he could all but declare new order and few would oppose him! That was the true danger the He clan created. That is why I decided to exterminate the usurpers.
…
"Will I be a good Emperor?" I turned to look at the young boy.
"Whether you will be good Emperor or bad, doesn't matter." I answered gently, as I put my hand on boy's arm. "The work of Emperor is to keep the Empire together, for he is a symbol of unity. The problems start the moment you allow someone outside of the imperial clan to wield power. It happened before, and if we are not careful, it will happen again. You being on the throne – that is enough. You don't have to be extraordinary-" I hesitated, seeing the boy's fear. "Don't worry, I will be there to help you and serve with advice should you need it."
Young Liu Hong hugged me. The twelve years old boy seemed so fragile, lost, malleable… an ideal person for Empress Dou to control.
"You promise?" He asked, his eyes wide.
"Of course." I smiled and patted his head. "I will be there for you." and I shall take care of Dou clan, should they aim too high.
He hid his face in my robes.
"Thanks, papa."
I froze.
I never thought of having a family – how could I, being a eunuch?
I slowly reached for his head.
But maybe… I could have one… if not a son of the flesh, then at least a son of heart?
…
The sun started rising over Emperor Ling's tomb. I put my hands together in a salute and bowed.
Your wish was granted, my son.
Your favourite son, Liu Xie has been made Emperor.
The He clan was slaughtered and only a few loose troublemakers were left to deal with.
The regiments of Western garden army that rebelled against your true heir and were all but wiped out.
The usurper He Jin and his brother He Miao, the fox He-Shi and her puppet son Liu Bian, along with the rest of their clan were executed.
All of the He clans supporters were slaughtered in the capital.
The only major He Jin's supporter that stayed a real threat, was Yuan clan. In the capital, all of their members were slaughtered.
Yuan Shao was reported dead.
Yuan Shu was in Nanyang Commandery as administrator. Troops were already dispatched to deal with him.
Yuan Tan was missing. The little worm would be dealt with as soon as he resurfaced.
Yuan Xi was too far away to be dealt with directly, so I send a message to an assassin loyal to Han. The whelp would die.
The widow after Yuan Shao, the princess of the Imperial clan has already kowtowed with her son before Emperor Xian. Her son, young Yuan Shang would continue as governor of Runan, as a reward for his loyal service.
A smile crept on my face. Yes, with the capital back in our hands, we would deal with the governors and retake the Empire. The Han would-
"Ugh!" I coughed, the metallic taste of blood quickly filling my mouth.
"There is one thing left to do. You see, someone has to take the fall for assassinating of young and skilled Emperor Shao, for the destruction of popular He clan and decimation of noble Yuan clan." The adviser asked.
"Y-u-" I couldn't move. I couldn't even speak.
"The young Emperor Xian, to raise his authority, needs to show some deeds, to calm the people. And what better way to do that, then putting down a rebellion? And who would play the role of rebels better, then hated corrupt Eunuchs – the men who all but committed regicide, exterminated the loyal He clan, and purged Yuan clan. The very people who but a few months ago have saved the Empire from the Yellow Scarves?" The adviser stood beside me and looked at me. "It's for the future of Han." I choked as his assassin twisted the sword.
That wretch!
I looked at Emperor Ling's tomb.
…
"Times change… people raise against us… even in court, the rebels start raising..." I grabbed my dying's son's hand. "Promise me..." He choked with pain. "Promise me… you will preserve… the Han…"
"I promise my son." I gave my word, tears streaming down my eyes. "I will take care of everything… so..." I choked. "You… can rest… now..."
Tears were flowing down my face as I looked at Liu Hong, closing his eyes for the last time.
...
'Ugh! Forgive me, my son. I have failed to enforce the world you sought.'
...
The assassin ripped the blade from my back. My legs failed me, and I fell on my knees, my hand still hanging from the railing.
I cursed the injustice of Heavens.
More time. All I need is some more time to remake the laws and undo the privileges of governors. Please, give me some more time and I will preserve the Han!
Something hit my back.
At the begging of 187 the 'Ten Attendants' and their faction, raised in a coup. They assassinated Emperor Shao and slaughtered He clan and their allies, purged the long supporters of the imperial clan – the Yuan clan. In retaliation, the Han loyalists under the command of Minister Wang Yun purged the treacherous eunuch faction, restoring the peace and order in the capital. In the wake of chaos in the capital, Prince Xie was made Emperor Xian with Empress Dowager Dong as his regent.
'Hundred Years of Turmoil' – historical work about the 'end of the Han dynasty' and an era that followed.
AN:
Beta-reader: NathanHale
"Finally, after two decades of tyranny, the usurpers and their allies lay defeated." Emperor Huan of Han smiled, as he looked at the carnage. "A pity, that Grand Marshall Liang Ji and that temptress wife of his Sun Shou, took their lives to escape punishment." There was disappointment in the Emperor's voice.
I shivered at the sound of the voice. I could only guess what his Highness planned to do with the pair, but I had no doubt it would be painful and bloody.
Part of me couldn't help but be thankful that Liang Ji's wife took her life with her husband. The history was full of stories of women who used their charms to tempt the rulers, the story of Da Ji chief among them.
It was better, that way.
* * *
My brush stopped for a moment, as the flame of the candles flickered.
"How is the situation?" I asked as I resumed writing the document. Orders to governors, and officials. The cleaning up after that mess will take months of work. We will have to replace the majority of administration with loyal servants to squash any sign of rebellion.
"Seventh, Eighth, Fifth, Third and First Camps are all but wiped out. I have sent the Fourth camp to occupy the Hulao pass. The Sixth Camp was, as you ordered, send to Nanyang Commandery. The Second camp and remnants of First, Third and Fifth camps continue to serve as capital's garrison while hunting down He clan loyalists." The adviser reported.
I sighted.
We have underestimated Yuan and He clans. We thought that the purpose of the Yuan clan in the notion of creating the Emperor's army was an acknowledgement of Liu Bian. The choices they made while creating the Army of Western Garden weren't suspicious, so we mostly ignored the army. As we took over the command of the Six Camps loyal to the Emperor, we found nothing that would be out of ordinary. We suspected nothing, especially since it was so easy to buy the loyalty of the officers and soldiers of six camps. Gold, fine silks, foods, women and wine.
We planned to take over the last two camps loyal to the prince, after his death. Even if we failed to take them over, with a numerical advantage, it should have been easy to crash Seventh and Eight camps.
It was... a great miscalculation.
The men that were recruited to Liu Bian's camps, were veterans of Yellow Turban Rebellion... soldiers who hated Eunuch faction. The leaders of those Camps were not interested in any negotiations. Thankfully, we did manage to assassinate Xia Mou and throw Eight Camp into chaos. Only the arrival of Chunyu Qiong saved it from annihilation.
I gritted my teeth.
Colonel of Seventh Camp, despite the disadvantage, has managed to all but annihilate First, Third and Fifth Camps of Army of Western Garden.
To think we would owe victory to a stray arrow, killing Chunyu Qiong.
It was luck- no.
It was the will of Heaven.
I put down my brush and got up. I stepped to the gallery and turned into the direction of Liu Hong's tomb.
A smile slowly crawled on my face.
Despite the losses, we did it. Just like with Liang and Dou clans before, we have brought down the He clan.
The He clan wasn't the first that had tried to usurp the power of the Han. But I would be dammed if I allowed another Xin dynasty to rise to power. The He clan were self-serving fools who brought ruin to the Empire at the pretence of trying to stabilize it, to make things better. But in reality, they were no different than any other usurpers – power-hungry beasts who would destroy the established order for their own personal gain.
Fools.
No, what held the Empire together, was the Liu clan's splendour and people's belief in the divinity of the imperial clan. That perception of Liu family started with legendary deeds of the Great Ancestor, who forged the Empire. That and the peace he brought, made people venerate him and his family.
Two hundred years later, a skilled scholar wanted to make things 'better'. His reforms all but ruined the Empire and his creation of Xin dynasty has plunged the Empire into civil war. And it was again, the Liu clan who united the empire and started the second golden age of the Han empire.
The moment I heard that scoundrel He Jin gave support to the traitor Liu Yan's petition and tricked the Emperor into giving governors more rights, I realized that the Empire entered the crisis that wasn't seen in hundredths of years. For I understood, that his actions weren't about securing the Han Dynasty, but rather, they were all about buying the loyalty of local governors and weakening the authority of the Liu clan' authority.
In the hindsight it was obvious. It was not enough for the He clan to control the Emperor, they wanted to go as far as to create their own dynasty... just like Wang Mang did.
No, with giving governors power, the damn He Jin has all but created them, kings. In that situation, he could all but declare new order and few would oppose him! That was the true danger the He clan created. That is why I decided to exterminate the usurpers.
* * *
…
"Will I be a good Emperor?" I turned to look at the young boy.
"Whether you will be good Emperor or bad, doesn't matter." I answered gently, as I put my hand on boy's arm. "The work of Emperor is to keep the Empire together, for he is a symbol of unity. The problems start the moment you allow someone outside of the imperial clan to wield power. It happened before, and if we are not careful, it will happen again. You being on the throne – that is enough. You don't have to be extraordinary-" I hesitated, seeing the boy's fear. "Don't worry, I will be there to help you and serve with advice should you need it."
Young Liu Hong hugged me. The twelve years old boy seemed so fragile, lost, malleable… an ideal person for Empress Dou to control.
"You promise?" He asked, his eyes wide.
"Of course." I smiled and patted his head. "I will be there for you." and I shall take care of Dou clan, should they aim too high.
He hid his face in my robes.
"Thanks, papa."
I froze.
I never thought of having a family – how could I, being a eunuch?
I slowly reached for his head.
But maybe… I could have one… if not a son of the flesh, then at least a son of heart?
…
* * *
The sun started rising over Emperor Ling's tomb. I put my hands together in a salute and bowed.
Your wish was granted, my son.
Your favourite son, Liu Xie has been made Emperor.
The He clan was slaughtered and only a few loose troublemakers were left to deal with.
The regiments of Western garden army that rebelled against your true heir and were all but wiped out.
The usurper He Jin and his brother He Miao, the fox He-Shi and her puppet son Liu Bian, along with the rest of their clan were executed.
All of the He clans supporters were slaughtered in the capital.
The only major He Jin's supporter that stayed a real threat, was Yuan clan. In the capital, all of their members were slaughtered.
Yuan Shao was reported dead.
Yuan Shu was in Nanyang Commandery as administrator. Troops were already dispatched to deal with him.
Yuan Tan was missing. The little worm would be dealt with as soon as he resurfaced.
Yuan Xi was too far away to be dealt with directly, so I send a message to an assassin loyal to Han. The whelp would die.
The widow after Yuan Shao, the princess of the Imperial clan has already kowtowed with her son before Emperor Xian. Her son, young Yuan Shang would continue as governor of Runan, as a reward for his loyal service.
A smile crept on my face. Yes, with the capital back in our hands, we would deal with the governors and retake the Empire. The Han would-
"Ugh!" I coughed, the metallic taste of blood quickly filling my mouth.
"There is one thing left to do. You see, someone has to take the fall for assassinating of young and skilled Emperor Shao, for the destruction of popular He clan and decimation of noble Yuan clan." The adviser asked.
"Y-u-" I couldn't move. I couldn't even speak.
"The young Emperor Xian, to raise his authority, needs to show some deeds, to calm the people. And what better way to do that, then putting down a rebellion? And who would play the role of rebels better, then hated corrupt Eunuchs – the men who all but committed regicide, exterminated the loyal He clan, and purged Yuan clan. The very people who but a few months ago have saved the Empire from the Yellow Scarves?" The adviser stood beside me and looked at me. "It's for the future of Han." I choked as his assassin twisted the sword.
That wretch!
I looked at Emperor Ling's tomb.
* * *
…
"Times change… people raise against us… even in court, the rebels start raising..." I grabbed my dying's son's hand. "Promise me..." He choked with pain. "Promise me… you will preserve… the Han…"
"I promise my son." I gave my word, tears streaming down my eyes. "I will take care of everything… so..." I choked. "You… can rest… now..."
Tears were flowing down my face as I looked at Liu Hong, closing his eyes for the last time.
...
* * *
'Ugh! Forgive me, my son. I have failed to enforce the world you sought.'
...
The assassin ripped the blade from my back. My legs failed me, and I fell on my knees, my hand still hanging from the railing.
I cursed the injustice of Heavens.
More time. All I need is some more time to remake the laws and undo the privileges of governors. Please, give me some more time and I will preserve the Han!
Something hit my back.
* * *
At the begging of 187 the 'Ten Attendants' and their faction, raised in a coup. They assassinated Emperor Shao and slaughtered He clan and their allies, purged the long supporters of the imperial clan – the Yuan clan. In retaliation, the Han loyalists under the command of Minister Wang Yun purged the treacherous eunuch faction, restoring the peace and order in the capital. In the wake of chaos in the capital, Prince Xie was made Emperor Xian with Empress Dowager Dong as his regent.
'Hundred Years of Turmoil' – historical work about the 'end of the Han dynasty' and an era that followed.
AN:
Beta-reader: NathanHale
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