Volume 1: Kyoto Winds and Clouds Chapter 17: The Empress Dowager Intervenes in Trivial Matters

  After Liu Zhang's account, things became clear! A five-year-old child and a fourteen or fifteen-year-old young master accused each other of forcibly taking the civilian woman, and everyone naturally believed the five-year-old child. After all, at the age of 14 or 15 in ancient times, many young masters from wealthy families began to harm women from the age of 12 or 13, but no one had heard of anyone who understood men and women's affairs at the age of 5. Of course, Liu Zhang doesn't count!

  Yuan Feng and Yuan Wei looked at each other, Yuan Feng was already heartbroken when he saw Yuan Shu's pig head, while Yuan Wei, although cunning, had his mind set on using this to strike Liu Yan. Neither of them expected that Yuan Shu would be beaten into a pig head by a five-year-old child! In their hearts, Yuan Feng and Yuan Wei secretly thought: "This is a great loss of face!"

  Looking at Yuan Feng and Yuan Wei blushing and not speaking, Liu Hong and Cao Jie exchanged a smile. Normally, these aristocratic sons were too arrogant, sometimes they didn't even buy the emperor's account, but the emperor couldn't afford to argue with them, and the eunuchs suffered countless grievances and insults at their hands. However, the power of the aristocratic families was too strong, even if they held power, the eunuchs did not dare to touch them easily! Now that Liu Zhang let the Yuan family, one of the largest aristocratic families in Luoyang, lose face, Liu Hong and Cao Jie were naturally very happy. If it weren't for being in the Golden Temple, Liu Hong would have even opened his mouth to praise him.

  Abducting a commoner's daughter is nothing in the eyes of young masters from aristocratic families, and it's also nothing in the eyes of Liu Hong and Cao Jie. What they care about is that the Yuan family has been humiliated! However, although the Yuan family has been humiliated, Liu Hong can only watch as a joke, he absolutely cannot use this matter to attack the Yuan family, otherwise his throne will be unstable.

  Now that things have been clarified, Liu Hong defined the matter as a dispute between young masters from noble families. However, anyone with discerning eyes could see that Liu Hong was biased towards Liu Zhang. Although Liu Zhang was only five years old, he had beaten up children from other families and caused a commotion in the Golden Hall, and at the very least, he should have received some punishment. But the Emperor simply glossed over the matter. Everyone understood the Emperor's intention, and Yuan Feng could only swallow his anger and drop the matter. He couldn't possibly force the Emperor to punish a five-year-old child, as that would make him appear too lacking in magnanimity!

  After the dispersal, Liu Zhang was left behind by Emperor Wu of Han, while Yuan Feng and Yuan Wei arrived at the residence of the Minister over the Masses. The unlucky Yuan Shu was waiting for his father to avenge him, but instead he received scolding from both his father and uncle! Not even being able to defeat a five-year-old child really made Yuan Feng lose face. Poor Yuan Shu was put under house arrest by Yuan Feng and Yuan Wei, if he couldn't master the martial arts, then don't think about going out again! Otherwise, Yuan Feng and Yuan Wei would send him back to their hometown in Junan, so as not to lose the face of the Yuan family in the capital.

  Yuan Shu heard that Yuan Shao would soon arrive in Luoyang. Although Yuan Shao was the illegitimate son of Yuan Feng, he had been adopted by Yuan Feng's older brother Yuan Cheng at a young age and thus could be considered the eldest legitimate son from Yuan Cheng's household. If Yuan Shu were to be driven out at this time, it would be no different from losing his right to inherit the position of head of the Yuan family. With no other choice, Yuan Shu began diligently practicing martial arts, but in his heart he hated Liu Zhang to the bone!

  The Imperial Palace, the Royal Garden.

  "Imperial brother, how did you think of repairing Yuan Shu's?" Liu Hong laughed loudly; "These two old men from the Yuan family, I've been stifled by them many times, but this time you've taken care of it. I'm delighted!"

  "Brother Huang, I didn't know he was Yuan Shu!" Liu Zhang smiled and said: "I only found out after I fixed him. However, even if I had known earlier, I would still have fixed him! This kind of bully who oppresses the common people, I'll take care of him every time I see him!"

  "Is the young master not afraid of offending the Yuan family?" Cao Jie said from the side, "The Yuan family has had four generations of high-ranking officials, with countless protégés and former subordinates all over the world, so it's better to be careful!"

  "Is this Cao Jie, the great Cao?" Liu Zhang smiled and said: "I dare to ask, Cao sir, is the Han dynasty's rivers and mountains yours, the Yuan family's, or mine, the Liu family's? As long as my imperial brother doesn't let go, I don't believe the Yuan family can do anything to me! I am a relative of the Han royal family, the emperor's younger brother. As long as it's not treason, even if I kill a few people, it's just going to the Imperial Clan Court for a visit. What's the difference between that and going to my own home?"

  "The Emperor's brother is right!" Liu Hong was overjoyed, he felt the authority of the emperor for the first time, and it gave him boundless confidence, and he loved Liu Zhang even more!

  Cao Jie looked at Liu Zhang with a surprised expression. He had heard that Zong Zheng's young master was exceptionally intelligent, but he didn't quite believe it. In this day and age, even famous scholars could be hyped up, let alone a child prodigy! But what he saw today in the Golden Hall was not like a child at all, but rather an old hand. Cao Jie couldn't help but sigh: "The world is full of talented people, I'm getting old!" Looking at Cao Jie's face with wrinkles like a steamed bun, Liu Zhang felt extremely disdainful in his heart. At over 60 years old, compared to a five-year-old child, how could he not be old? In terms of age, Cao Jie was old enough to be Liu Zhang's grandfather!

  "Little lord, you can't be careless!" Cao Jie seemed to have thought of something and smiled: "You made the Yuan family lose face today, the Yuan family will not let it go easily. Although they won't take your life, secretly laying in wait and crippling your hands and feet is quite normal."

  "Or else, I'll assign a few more guards to you?" Liu Hong heard Cao Jie say this and suddenly thought of the tyranny of the Yuan family. He liked Liu Zhang very much and didn't want him to be in danger!

  "Hmm! Hmm!" Liu Zhang also felt that his guards were too few, just Huang Zhong and Shi Aluo. Once they encountered a big event, they would be busy. Hearing Liu Hong's words, Liu Zhang quickly flattered: "Why not let the emperor give me another team of Imperial Guards, so I can learn from the crabs in Luoyang!"

  "Crab?!" Liu Hong and Cao Jie looked at each other in confusion, what did this have to do with a crab?

  Liu Zhang raised his hands in a pincer-like shape and took several steps sideways, saying: "Walk horizontally!"

  Liu Hong and Cao Jie couldn't help but smile wryly, but the Imperial Guard was not given to Liu Zhang. After all, the army is a heavy instrument of the country, even if the Imperial Guard is no longer as elite as it was during Emperor Wu's time, it is still the emperor's personal guard. If it were given to Liu Zhang, the opposition from the aristocratic families would be even greater!

  "I thank you for your great kindness, Master Liu!" A clear and melodious female voice suddenly rang out, causing Liu Hong to furrow his brow in surprise, while Cao Jie felt even more annoyed at this bold servant girl.

  "Huh?" It was obviously directed at Liu Zhang. At the very least, among the three people here, only he could be called Master Liu. Liu Zhang took a closer look and found that the girl looked somewhat familiar, so he couldn't help but ask: "Miss, who are you?"

  "My benefactor saved me just yesterday, have you forgotten today?" The woman said with some shyness: "Am I really not worthy of your attention, sir?"

  Cao Jie saw that the woman knew Liu Zhang, and he also noticed that the relationship between the woman and Liu Zhang was not ordinary, so he thought they were very familiar. It would be strange if acquaintances didn't greet each other when meeting, and it wasn't a serious occasion now, so Cao Jie didn't make a move. In fact, the woman was also betting, but she wasn't betting on whether Liu Zhang recognized her or not, but rather on whether her appearance could enter the emperor's eyes.

  In general, when a palace maid wants to become a concubine, it's either because she has been favored by the emperor or because the emperor is drunk and lustful. Both of these situations are rare and hard to come by. Moreover, in the entire imperial palace, there are nearly 10,000 young and beautiful women, but how many can actually catch the emperor's eye? Women know that if they want to advance their position, they have to fight for it with their lives! If it were an ordinary time, a woman would be afraid of being teased by others, but now that Liu Zhang has won against the Yuan family in court, this woman has started to harbor thoughts. Of course, before Liu Zhang was summoned, she was still worried about him.

  "Is that you!" Liu Zhang thought for a while before he remembered who the woman was. She was actually Jiao Hua, whom he had rescued from Yuan Xiao Pao's clutches yesterday. To be honest, although Liu Zhang had saved her, he hadn't taken a good look at her face. Liu Zhang smiled and said: "So you're a palace maid, no wonder you're so beautiful, even Yuan Xiao Pao couldn't help himself! Brother Huang..."

  Just as Liu Xiang was about to say something to Liu Hong, he noticed that he was staring at the young girl. To be honest, this little girl is really beautiful. At least, Liu Xiang has been studying in the palace for more than a month, and there are basically no such beauties like her. As for Empress Song, she is not even on the same level! Perhaps Liu Hong didn't notice before, but today, through Liu Xiang, this woman entered Liu Hong's eyes.

  "What's your name?" Liu Hong was only seventeen or eighteen years old, and at that age, he would naturally not let go of a beautiful woman. Cao Jie also saw through Liu Hong's thoughts and immediately had someone bring over the palace maid's information!

  "I, a humble servant, have seen Your Majesty!" The woman bowed and said: "Yesterday, the young master beat up Yuan Tu to help me. If not for that, I would have been..."

  As soon as the woman mentioned what had happened to her yesterday, tears came streaming down. Men can't bear to see women cry, especially beautiful ones. Liu Hong was at a loss for words and said: "Don't cry, I've already scolded that Yuan family, they won't dare again in the future!"

  "Your humble servant thanks Your Majesty!" As for what really happened, He Ling thought she knew. However, her wealth and glory still depended on the Emperor, so naturally she had to give him face!

  Tears like the sea onion with initial rain, smile like peony in the wind, this is exactly Liu Hong's evaluation of He Lingsi in his heart. Once a man sets his eyes on a woman, especially an emperor, he will not pursue her gently. Cao Jie also understood Liu Hong's intention and quickly pulled Liu Zhang away. The next day, news came from the imperial palace that Liu Hong had made He Lingsi a concubine.

  The emperor was very satisfied with Cao Jie, but in fact, Cao Jie was getting older and felt that he was not as energetic as before, so he began to promote the people around him. People like Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong were Cao Jie's right-hand men, but he didn't have anyone outside the palace. The power of the aristocratic families was too great, and Cao Jie had no choice but to cultivate his own influence, otherwise, he would be killed! If Liu Shao weren't so young, Cao Jie would definitely cultivate him. Now that He Lingyi has entered the emperor's heart, Cao Jie naturally wants to promote He Lingyi's family members. However, this promotion made Liu Shao extremely shocked. It turned out that He Lingyi had only one older brother named He Jin, also known as Suigao, who was a butcher on the streets of Luoyang! Of course, although He Jin was a butcher, he could still be considered a powerful figure in Luoyang. The strength and skills he developed from slaughtering pigs and selling meat were not inferior to those of ordinary generals!