Volume 1: Kyoto Winds and Clouds Chapter 21: The Hegemon of the Capital Makes His Move

  After resting for a few days, Liu Zhang resumed his studies. During this time, Cai Yong came to visit him and saw that Liu Zhang's face was radiant with joy, not looking like someone who had just been frightened at all. He scolded him and told him to return to class early. As the master had ordered, Liu Zhang did not dare disobey. However, after entering the palace, Emperor Liu Hong felt somewhat embarrassed when he saw Liu Zhang. After all, Liu Zhang's life had been threatened, and as both the emperor and his elder brother, Liu Hong was unable to help him, feeling a bit guilty towards him.

  Liu Zhang understood the emperor's mind, and he also understood the emperor's situation. So he said to Liu Hong: "A gentleman takes revenge, ten years is not too late! Now my brother and I do not have the power to touch the Yuan family, but in ten years, we will definitely make the Yuan family miserable. You know, my brother is only 17 years old, and I am only 5 years old. Even if we compare our lifespan, those two old men, Yuan Feng and Yuan Wei, cannot surpass us. As long as my brother continues to suppress the Yuan family, when Yuan Feng and Yuan Wei die, won't the Yuan family be at our mercy?"

  Liu Hong saw Liu Zhang being so reasonable and loved him even more, while He Lingsi heard that Liu Zhang had entered the palace and rushed over. Originally, after Liu Zhang was ambushed, she wanted to visit him. However, as a concubine, she wasn't as free as a palace maid, and since Liu Hong told her Liu Zhang was fine, she sent a small eunuch to visit instead. Now that Liu Zhang had entered the palace, how could she not come? Seeing He Lingsi's maternal face embracing Liu Zhang, Liu Hong suddenly wanted to have a son!

  Liu Zhang was fine, but the Yuan family started to have bad luck. The emperor suppressed the Yuan family, and even if Yuan Feng and Yuan Wei had opinions, they couldn't express them. Liu Zhang became more and more arrogant in the capital. Every large family has one or two spoiled brats who like to bully men and women, and oppress kind people - these are the usual things they do. However, since Liu Zhang clashed with the Yuan family, he often took Huang Zhong and Shi Aluo out on the streets to have fun. Whenever he saw a young master from a large family behaving badly, he would go up and teach them a lesson or two. If the other person dared to talk back, they would get a good beating! Some young masters from large families tried to intimidate Liu Zhang with their father's name and official position, but if they were eunuchs' sons, Liu Zhang wouldn't be too harsh on them. However, if they were from families closely related to the Yuan family, even a severe beating was considered light.

  Liu Zhang's "evil deeds" were so severe that the elders of those aristocratic families who had been beaten up would naturally come forward to protest. However, Emperor Xian surprisingly summoned Zhou Yi, the newly appointed governor of Luoyang, to the imperial court. Through Zhou Yi's explanation, everyone discovered that Liu Zhang's actions had unexpectedly brought peace and stability to the capital city, leaving all the outraged officials speechless. Nevertheless, Liu Zhang's behavior was not entirely proper, as he was not a government official, and his street brawl had compromised the dignity of the imperial court.

  The officials could not attack Liu Zhang's behavior, but they used his identity to make a fuss. Emperor Ling smiled and said: "My brother is a member of the Han imperial family, you say he has no right to manage affairs! Since that's the case, I'll give him the right! Come on! Declare the edict!" Emperor Ling had long wanted to give Liu Zhang an identity, after all, Liu Zhang was Liu Yan's youngest son. In the future, whoever succeeded Liu Yan's title would absolutely not be him, unless Liu Zhang's three older brothers all died without any descendants, which was a very small possibility.

  "A eunuch read out a decree: 'The Emperor of Great Han decrees that Liu Zhong, son of the Minister of Rites Liu Yan and younger brother of the Emperor, is intelligent by nature. He is hereby appointed as a Gentleman of the Feathered Forest Guard to attend on Us personally. Let this be obeyed!'"

  The imperial edict was issued, and the civil and military officials of the court were in an uproar. The Lang of Youlin is one of the seven subordinates under the Guanglu Xun, governed by the General of Youlin, with a total of 128 Langs under its jurisdiction. They are the imperial guards and attendants, usually selected from the six counties and three auxiliary areas of good citizens, as well as the descendants of meritorious officials who have made military achievements or died in battle. Liu Zhang became a Lang of Youlin, representing that he had military power! Of course, even the most powerful Lang of Youlin could only command a few hundred people, but the significance it contained was extraordinary - it was the emperor's favor!

  Yuan Feng and Yuan Wei originally wanted to object, but Liu Hong and Cao Jie's gaze was fixed on them, they didn't dare move, not even a glance. Although Liu Hong looked like a puppet emperor, Yuan Feng and Yuan Wei knew that Cao Jie was slowly giving power back to him. If at this time Liu Hong let Cao Jie deal with the Yuan family, then the Yuan family would be doomed. The Yuan family did not react, and other officials also pretended to be ostriches. Of course, there were people who were dissatisfied, but they didn't dare to go against Liu Hong's orders. It was clear that the emperor's intention was Cao Jie's consent, opposing the emperor was nothing, but opposing Cao Jie would affect their lives and property!

  After dispersing the court, Liu Yan didn't stay in the palace for long and returned to the Zhongzheng Mansion. His four sons are now three officials in the imperial court, so he doesn't worry about them anymore. However, this way, only his third son has no official title, and he is thinking in his heart whether to ask Liu Zhang to help his third brother get a position, not seeking high office or wealth, but just a familiar face!

  Liu Zhang hasn't gone home yet, and he's now lying in He Lingsi's arms, feeling extremely awkward. In fact, he didn't want to, but the emperor had caught him and thrown him into He Lingsi's arms. Being treated like a kitten by the emperor and given to a beauty as a plaything, Liu Zhang could only lie in He Lingsi's arms helplessly, enjoying the warmth and softness that only the emperor was supposed to enjoy.

  "Imperial brother, I have already appointed you as a Lang of the Feathered Forest at court earlier. You can select some people to form the Feathered Forest Army! However, it's best not to exceed a hundred men!"

  "Brother, apart from the people you gave me, I only have three men under my command: Huang Zhong, Yan Yan and Shi E!" Liu Zhang added in his heart: "Two great generals, one special forces soldier!"

  Nothing to worry about, first put the people I gave you into it, and then I will allocate 50 more people to you! Liu Hong was very generous in giving away people and official positions, which made Liu Zhang feel a bit embarrassed.

  "Your Majesty, I'm truly sorry to have troubled you with my brother's affair!"

  "You are my brother, I don't take care of you, who will take care of you?" Liu Hong's face was gloomy, but he smiled again: "If I didn't have difficulties myself, why would I give you a small title like Wei Lin Lang?"

  "Imperial brother, I see you look unhappy, it seems someone has offended you! Let me avenge you!" Liu Hong was indeed not wrong to Liu Zhang, and Liu Hong would at least still have ten or twenty more years before he would die. During this time, Liu Zhang planned to be a loyal minister.

  "It's actually nothing!" Liu Hong said gloomily: "Hebei Province is in a severe drought, I have already sent Cao Qing to deal with it, but the Minister of Finance told me that the national treasury has no money!"

  "It turns out that it's a matter of lacking money! If you're talking about long-term ways to make money, I don't have any, but if you need something to alleviate your immediate financial difficulties, then I do have some ideas!"

  "Oh? Does the imperial brother have an idea? Quickly tell me and let me hear it!"

  "Big brother, we don't have money, but those aristocratic families do! Just ask them for it!"

  "How can they bear to give?"

  "Whether to give or not is up to them!" Liu Zhang said with a sinister tone.

  Liu Hong and He Lingsi exchanged a glance, pointing at Liu Zhang and scolding with a smile: "You little devil are too evil!"

  Liu Zhang returned home and told Liu Yan about the discussion he had with Liu Hong. After listening carefully, Liu Yan realized that his youngest son was planning to take down the Yuan family again. However, since the Yuan family was being so arrogant, Liu Yan wasn't pleased either, so he fully supported Liu Zhang's plan. Moreover, this was for the Emperor's sake, and regardless of success or failure, there would be no consequences! Besides, Liu Zhang was only five years old, and the Emperor wouldn't possibly hold a grudge against a child that young!

  Under Liu Zhang's intention, Liu Yan began to pay attention to the movements of the Yuan family's children and those ministers and aristocratic children who had a relationship with the Yuan family. For several days in a row, Liu Zhang's guards were exhausted like dead dogs, and finally figured out the daily routines of Yuan Shao, Yuan Wu, and others. During this period, the emperor had already called the new prefect of Luoyang to the palace for a private conversation.

  Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu had always been at odds, but they both represented the interests of the Yuan family, so in front of outsiders, they were always on good terms. Every time, whether it was a banquet or a gathering with others, as long as Yuan Shao was there, Yuan Shu would definitely appear. On this day, Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao once again gathered everyone for a banquet at the high-end wine tower, Mengyuelou in Luoyang. However, they did not invite Liu Zhang, but Liu Zhang had planned to be an uninvited guest! Just as the Yuan brothers and their invited guests were chatting happily, Liu Zhang arrived with Huang Zhong, Yan Yan, and Shi E.

  "Liu Zhang?!" Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao were shocked, they asked in unison: "What are you doing here?"

  "Isn't this Moonlit Building owned by the Yuan family?" Liu Zhang smiled and asked, "Coming to a wine building is naturally for drinking and eating. Can't Brother Gong be just passing by?"

  "Today we have already booked the Mengyuelou!" Through intelligence, Liu Zhang knew that this young man who looked very similar to Yuan Shu was actually the famous Yuan Shao, also known as Yuan Benchu.

  "Has the deal been made? Ha! Go and call the shopkeeper, I'll buy it at three times the price that Young Master Yuan paid!" Liu Zhang said carelessly while playing with a jade pendant: "If Young Master Yuan makes a fuss later, let him go report to the authorities. If the Prefect of Luoyang and the Imperial Censor can't help him, then let him go find Grand Secretary Cao, and tell him it was I who said so!"

  "Liu Zhang! You're not here to pick a fight, are you!" Yuan Shu didn't have the same level of self-control as his brother Yuan Shao. As soon as he saw Liu Zhang, his anger flared up, and old and new grievances intertwined, causing Yuan Shu's eyes to redden!

  Liu Zhang took the teacup handed over by Yan Yan, took a sip, and then slammed it to the ground: "I'm here to pick a fight! I see how you can deal with me! Yuan Gonglu, since you dare to send someone to assassinate me, you should know my vengeful personality! I tell you, from today on, I have a vendetta against you, and we won't stop until one of us dies!"

  "Lord Liu!" Yuan Shao held back Yuan Shu, for he knew the ferocity of Huang Zhong, Yan Yan, and Shi E by Liu Zhang's side. Not even a hundred elite soldiers could withstand them, let alone those present, who were truly powerless. Yuan Shao did not want to resort to arms, thinking that Liu Zhang was just a young child, easy to deceive. So he smiled and said: "Regarding the assassination attempt on Lord Liu, my family is also deeply disturbed. You see, my family is large and influential, and we have many enemies. Perhaps your attempted assassination was the doing of one of our enemies, aiming to frame us and reap the benefits for themselves. Please, Lord Liu, think carefully!"