C127. Emperor System Awakens.
After passing through Hulao Pass, Luoyang was not far away.
Several days later, Yuan Li led his troops to Luoyang.
Upon arriving in Luoyang, Yuan Li was quite surprised.
Because there was already another army stationed in Luoyang, and from the flags, it appeared to be Prince Chen's army.
Upon reaching the palace, Zheng Rong, Wu Kai, and others remained outside the palace. Yuan Li and Lu He, along with Yang Zhong and several other official imperial officials, entered the palace to pay respects to the Emperor.
The court eunuch leading the way tried to please them, whispering and explaining recent events in Luoyang.
It turned out that when Yuan Li was attacking Yan Hui, Prince Chen took advantage of Li Li's lack of troops in his rear and made his way to Luoyang. When Li Li fled, he initially planned to escape with the Emperor, but upon learning of Prince Chen's arrival, he abandoned the Emperor and fled alone.
Prince Chen brought the Emperor back to the palace and accompanied him day and night. After Li Li fled, the Emperor's uncles, Qin Pei and Qin Meng, also entered the palace, but the Emperor had grown very trusting of Prince Chen, causing some estrangement towards the two uncles.
Lu He was quite angry, saying sarcastically, "It seems that Prince Chen has the same idea as Li Li. Without exerting much effort, he wants to steal the credit for rescuing the Emperor? By deceiving the Emperor to depend on him, he probably intends to take the Emperor back to the South."
The court eunuch trembled with fear, not daring to say a word.
Yuan Li furrowed his brow.
No wonder he had not seen Prince Chen this whole time. Prince Chen had directly abandoned the opportunity to kill Li Li in favor of gaining the Emperor's favor.
Before leaving Youzhou, Liu Jixin and Guo Mao had proposed a strategy to Yuan Li.
This strategy involved using the Emperor as a bargaining chip, just like Li Li did.
By killing Li Li and winning the battle, Yuan Li and Chu Hechao would gain the admiration and praise of the people, and as loyal subjects, they would welcome the Emperor to Youzhou, using the Emperor's name to pacify the chaos in the world.
Li Li's personal experience had already shown the various feudal lords that this method was extremely effective.
Especially if they killed the usurper and won the battles, their reputation for loyalty and righteousness would spread across the world. No one would dare to accuse them of being rebels even if they controlled the Emperor like Li Li did.
Currently, this was the best strategy for Yuan Li and Chu Hechao.
Yuan Li understood the effectiveness of this method, but he was not eager to welcome the Emperor back to Youzhou. Having the Emperor around made things easier, but having a nominal Emperor on his territory, even just in name, made Yuan Li uncomfortable.
Particularly, his official title, "One Generation Great Official," weighed heavily on Yuan Li like a mountain.
With experiences from two lifetimes and an extraordinary system, Yuan Li had been determined since childhood to learn martial arts, seizing every opportunity to survive and make a mark in chaotic times.
He wanted to avoid becoming a powerless pawn easily crushed by those in power.
Yuan Li still remembered his father's humble attempts to pave a way for him, as well as his mother, Madam Chen's desperate pleas with their maternal clan on his behalf.
Since arriving in Youzhou, Yuan Li had not slackened. Recognizing his inferior background and awkward ties to the Prince Chu Mansion, he worked tirelessly. He enriched Youzhou, turned barren fields fertile, ensured his soldiers were well-fed and clothed, and kept the horses strong and healthy.
But was all this just to be another man's servant?
Yuan Li felt a sense of confusion.
He reminded himself that being the "One Generation Great Official" was the pinnacle. If that wasn't enough, what more did he want?
Every dynasty produced countless talents, and achieving such heights from humble beginnings was already legendary. Yuan Li, why can't you be content?
So, who should he serve?
The young emperor who had recently turned fifteen, or Chu Hechao, or the renowned Prince Chen?
Or perhaps other feudal lords?
If he did welcome the Emperor back to Youzhou and used the Emperor's name to pacify the chaos, wouldn't he fulfill the system's definition of a "One Generation Great Official"...
But...
Yuan Li paused, suppressing his slight restlessness. Silently sighing, he decided to first observe the Emperor's behavior.
The Emperor was already waiting in the hall. As Yuan Li and his companions entered, the nervous Emperor hastily said, "Please rise, esteemed officials, there is no need for excessive formality."
They stood up accordingly, and Yuan Li finally got a glimpse of the Emperor.
Named Qin Shen, his appearance was somewhat young and innocent, but that was not important. What mattered was the visible apprehension in the Emperor when he saw them – he seemed to shrink back, appearing fearful.
Yuan Li couldn't help but feel disappointed.
Is this the person I am supposed to serve as my lord?
The grand hall was not only occupied by the Emperor but also by Prince Chen and the imperial relatives Qin Pei and Qin Meng.
At this moment, Qin Pei and Qin Meng stood with grim expressions on the right side of the hall, while Prince Chen stood on the left. Prince Chen, a man in his forties, was lean, dignified, with narrow eyes and a genial smile on his face.
Seeing the Emperor's timid demeanor, Prince Chen reassured him gently, "Your Majesty, these are your loyal officials who have achieved great feats for you. You need not fear; you should reward them."
The Emperor nodded hastily, "Reward, of course, they should be rewarded!"
Prince Chen added, "Your Majesty, why not grant the honored officials seats first?"
The compliant Emperor nodded and said, "Quickly give seats to our esteemed officials."
Qin Pei snorted disdainfully, "Prince Chen, Your Majesty's decisions are clear, you need not interfere."
Seeing the confrontation between the imperial uncle and Primce Chen, the Emperor's eyes dodged, subconsciously casting a glance towards Prince Chen.
Yang Zhongfa furrowed his brows, shaking his head inwardly.
In the eyes of the various feudal lords, such a weak Emperor was like a fat lamb. It was a stroke of luck for him to just survive, let alone stabilize the realm.
Forced onto the throne at twelve, controlled by Li Li for three years, the Emperor was obviously mistreated, resulting in his timid appearance and favoritism towards an unrelated Prince amidst the imperial uncles.
Qin Pei and Qin Meng were clearly anguished by this situation, but the more they pressured, the more magnanimous Prince Chen appeared, and the more the Emperor leaned towards him.
With a Emperor like this, if he truly returned to the south with Prince Chen, he might end up with nothing but bones left to him.
Once seated, the Emperor looked around, dryly inquiring about where Chu Hechao had gone.
Yuan Li stood up, smiling as he replied, "General Chu heard of Li Li's escape from Luoyang and took the troops to pursue him. Once General Chu captures Li Li, he will return to Luoyang as soon as possible."
His warm smile easily disarmed people, and the Emperor's favor towards him increased upon their first meeting. The fear on the Emperor's face diminished slightly as he nodded cautiously, "General Chu, his efforts are greatly appreciated."
"To save the Emperor from danger is not a hard task for us," Yuan Li sincerely said, "Allowing Your Majesty to suffer under Li Li's tyranny for so long was our failure. Your Majesty's forgiveness is more than we could ask for."
Moved, the Emperor's eyes welled up, "Governor Yuan..."
Qin Pei snorted coldly once more, "Even without General Chu, Governor Yuan can manage Youzhou. Now that we are all here, let's discuss important matters. Luoyang has been in turmoil for a long time, with the city walls and fields in ruins. The Emperor and officials can no longer remain in Luoyang. Let's have a discussion on where to relocate the Emperor."
Prince Chen stroked his beard, speaking kindly, "The Emperor's destination should not be decided by us. It should be the Emperor's choice."
"The Emperor is still young, lest he be deceived by treacherous officials, it's best for us to discuss," Qin Meng interjected sternly, "As both the Emperor's uncles, Yuzhou and Yizhou are naturally the most suitable for the Emperor's presence. If the Emperor stays in our two provinces, we can rest assured."
"Indeed," Qin Pei nodded, looking hopefully at the Emperor, "Are you willing to visit these two provinces, Your Majesty?"
If Yuan Li were the Emperor, he would definitely choose between Qin Pei and Qin Meng among the crowd. After all, these two were members of the Qin imperial family, the Emperor's own uncles, and it was only natural for them to have his best interests at heart.
Even if they harbored ambitions, they would not harm the Emperor.
But the Emperor hesitated, finally saying reluctantly, "Please, uncles, allow me some time to consider..."
The expressions of disappointment on the faces of Qin Pei and Qin Meng couldn't be concealed.
The Emperor, avoiding eye contact, added, "I'm feeling a bit tired..."
Prince Chen, considerately, stood up and said, "Since the Emperor is tired, let us take our leave."
As the others bowed and left, Yuan Li remained motionless, "There are still some matters I need to report to the Emperor. Would Your Majesty please spare me a moment?"
After a moment of hesitation, the Emperor nodded.
Glancing at Yuan Li with his peripheral vision, Prince Chen slowly walked out of the hall.
Yuan Li turned to Yang Zhongfa, nodding to signal him to leave, and followed by Lü He and others.
Soon, only Yuan Li and the Emperor were left in the grand hall.
Clearing his throat, the Emperor forced himself to ask, "Governor Yuan, what did you wish to discuss with me?"
Yuan Li recounted the process of attacking Yan Hui in a few words, and the Emperor listened with increasing excitement, until, upon hearing the gruesome end of Yan Hui, he exclaimed with a flushed face, "Excellent!"
Yuan Li inwardly chuckled.
The Emperor was still a child at heart, even though he mentioned the suffering of the common people forced into battle as human shields, the Emperor paid no heed, fully immersed in the joy of victory.
Yuan Li changed the subject, speaking about the changes in Youzhou over the years. Finally, he bowed and smiled, "Youzhou has undergone significant transformations. If Your Majesty were to visit Youzhou, it would bring us great joy."
The Emperor liked Governor Yuan, but upon hearing his words, a hint of doubt crept onto his face, "This..."
"Does Your Majesty have a preferred location?" Yuan Li asked, "If so, I will not stand in your way. However, I have concerns about the stability of that place. If Your Majesty is willing, could you secretly inform me? I swear I will not breathe a word to anyone."
Moved by his words, the Emperor glanced around, discreetly beckoning Yuan Li closer, his demeanor sneaky, "Governor Yuan, come closer."
Yuan Li briskly walked forward, bending down to listen to the Emperor's whispered words.
The Emperor lowered his voice and said, "I wish to visit Prince Chen's territory."
Yuan Li, maintaining his composure, asked, "Why?"
"The Prince of Chen mentioned that the land of Yangzhou is very prosperous," the Emperor's tone was full of longing and regret, "Governor Yuan, it's not that I don't like you and my two uncles, it's just that Yuzhou and Yizhou are not as prosperous as Yangzhou... and Youzhou is remote and desolate."
Upon hearing this reason, the smile on Yuan Li's face froze momentarily before slowly fading away.
The Emperor's voice became increasingly uncertain as he asked, "Governor Yuan, did I say something wrong?"
The Emperor chose Yangzhou because of its wealth and prosperity, a somewhat amusing reason for the Emperor.
While Yuan Li understood rationally that a fifteen-year-old boy wanting to live in the more affluent south and enjoying prosperity was not wrong, emotionally, he felt a sense of irony.
His disappointment in the Emperor had reached its lowest point.
Yuan Li forced a smile, devoid of any real amusement in his eyes, "Your Majesty did not say anything wrong. Yangzhou is indeed a prosperous place."
The Emperor nodded enthusiastically, "Governor Yuan, you think I made the right choice, don't you?"
Yuan Li forced a smile and nodded in agreement.
The emperor was still a little reluctant to let him go, "In the next few days in Luoyang, Governor Yuan, please come and talk to me more often."
At this point, it no longer mattered to Yuan Li where the Emperor chose to go. After exchanging a few more words, Yuan Li took his leave and exited the hall.
Outside the grand hall, Yang Zhongfa, Lü He, and others were still waiting for him.
Step by step, Yuan Li walked towards them, casting his eyes around the magnificent and majestic Imperial Palace in Luoyang.
Magnificent.
Truly magnificent and grandiose, exuding an aura of grandeur.
The golden light of the setting sun reflected off the palace, shimmering like sparkling gold.
Yet, this golden splendor had nurtured so many parasites and fueled the ambitions of many.
As the sun set in his eyes, burning and finally sinking into the shadows, Yuan Li approached Yang Zhongfa and the others, and calmly said, "Let's go."
On the way, Lü He cautiously inquired about what Yuan Li had discussed with the Emperor and if the Emperor was considering moving to Youzhou. Yuan Li remained noncommittal, offering brief, evasive responses.
Upon exiting the palace gates, they were met by several vassals from Honan Commandery, who had come to congratulate Yuan Li and Lü He on their victorious battle.
Yuan Li asked with feigned ignorance, "Why have you all come to Luoyang?"
Some of the vassals showed a hint of embarrassment. It was unthinkable to mention that they had come to benefit themselves, so they offered excuses like "thinking of the Emperor" or "just in case you needed help with the attack on Li Li, we came to assist."
The conversation was filled with lofty ideals, and Lü He sarcastically remarked, "You speak so eloquently now, but you were not willing to help provide provisions in the beginning."
"This is not entirely our provisions, isn't that right?" someone laughed, "But in the end, we did provide support with provisions, so you can't say anything about it, can you?"
Lü He snorted coldly, unable to come up with a response.
The vassals still wanted an audience with the Emperor, but upon learning that the Emperor was tired, they reluctantly gave up on the idea of meeting him in the palace and dispersed in small groups.
Yuan Li wanted to take a look at Luoyang City and invited Lü He along, saying, "Mister Lü, you have been in Liangzhou for a long time and probably haven't visited Luoyang. Why not take this opportunity to explore the city with me?"
Lü He thought it over and agreed, as it was a rare chance to see Luoyang.
On the way, Lü He vented to Yuan Li about the other vassals, "These people are just seeking fame and reputation, talking beautifully but not really doing anything. It makes me angry to see them rushing over to claim credit. It was you, General, and me who killed Li Li and Yan Hui. It was the soldiers from Youzhou and Liangzhou who did the work. What business do they have claiming credit?!"
Yuan Li sighed and advised, "After all, they did help us with the provisions."
Lü He sneered, "Governor Yuan, do you really think those provisions were painstakingly collected by them?"
Furrowing his brow, Yuan Li asked, "What do you mean?"
"Lü He shook his head and explained, "Those people arrived half a month before us and, while in Jiyin Commandery, they didn't dare attack Li Li. They just indulged in feasting and merrymaking. The provisions they brought couldn't withstand such treatment, so they forcibly confiscated provisions from the neighboring counties during their revelry."
Yuan Li abruptly stopped in his tracks, his pupils dilating, unable to believe, "What are you saying?!"
Lü He grimly continued, "It's obvious they wouldn't give up their own provisions for us. The provisions we used during the war must have been forcibly seized from the surrounding counties in Henan Commandery."
Becoming increasingly breathless, Yuan Li watched the sun slowly sink, casting shadows over him.
The chilling realization hit him hard, "Is it really true... why didn't you tell me earlier?" he questioned Lü He.
Lü He shrugged indifferently, "It's a minor issue. As long as we have provisions to eat, it doesn't matter where they were collected from. Governor Yuan, don't you agree?"
Yuan Li clenched his fist slowly, but remained silent.
Zheng Rong furrowed his brow and asked, "But won't the people from whom the provisions were taken starve to death?"
"So be it," Lü He replied indifferently, "In today's world, are there not plenty of people starving to death?"
Zheng Rong had no rebuttal, as he knew Lü He's words held truth.
Having spent a long time in the peaceful environment of Youzhou, he had forgotten how chaotic it was beyond Youzhou's borders.
In times of peace and prosperity, there were still people starving to death, let alone in times of turmoil.
Yang Zhongfa stepped to Yuan Li's side, expressing concern, "Governor Yuan?"
Yuan Li remained silent.
After a while, he mocked himself, shook his head, and took a step forward.
These vassals proclaimed rising up for the world, yet they huddled in a corner, seizing provisions from the people just to indulge in feasting and revelry.
Calling themselves righteous rebels, they resembled nothing more than a band of marauders.
Neglecting the lives of the common people, they only cared about their own pleasure and luxury. This was reality, the kind of vassals who were idolized.
And as for him, Yuan Li wondered sarcastically, must he serve as a vassal to such people?
On what basis did he have to serve as a vassal to them?
"The great statesman," to whom would he ultimately become a vassal?
There was a lack of human voices in Luoyang City.
In total, Yuan Li had only been away from Luoyang for four years. He had left at eighteen and returned at twenty-two. Yet, Luoyang City had changed drastically.
The bustling city had turned into a desolate wasteland.
With crumbling walls and roads strewn with rubble and decaying corpses, not a living soul could be seen.
The ravages of war had left the ancient city half-dead, with signs of destruction and burning everywhere, a foul stench lingering, and smoke rising from many corners.
In just four short years, the harrowing sight of Luoyang City shocked everyone, leaving them incredulous.
"This is Luoyang, the capital," Zheng Rong observed the devastating scene, murmuring, "How did it come to this..."
Dilapidated, broken, like withered and rotting wood.
It was hard to imagine that this was the imperial capital of Northern Zhou, a city that had stood for three hundred years.
Lü He was both shocked and angry, "How could my Northern Zhou capital end up like this!"
Yuan Li, however, remained calm, unnaturally so. He scanned the scene from left to right, taking in all the devastation.
The more he looked, the colder his expression became, his gaze darkening.
Despite his outward calmness, the turmoil within him grew increasingly difficult to contain.
They walked through the ruins and rubble, the once towering city walls now desolate and dilapidated, the bustling streets now devoid of any trace of life. The darkened houses along the road stood empty, with no sounds and doors wide open.
Luoyang, once home to a million people, had seen its inhabitants flee, die, or be conscripted into Li Li's army... At a glance, only a few tens of thousands of people remained.
A population of a million reduced to a few tens of thousands - it was a terrifying and cruel contrast.
Various odors of burnt, putrid, and foul scents lingered around Yuan Li's nose, sewage, corpses, limbs... each assaulting his heart with a heaviness.
Wu Kai had also lived in Luoyang for a period of time, his eyes were red.
As they walked, they heard a commotion. Yuan Li snapped out of his daze, quickening his pace and rounding a corner to see two soldiers forcibly dragging a woman while spewing foul language.
The woman cried out, her face smudged with soot, but her delicate features were still visible.
Her husband lay dead next to the door, leaving behind a small child clinging to the door frame, tears streaming down his face as he called out to his mother, "Mom..."
As if the final straw that broke the camel's back, Yuan Li felt an unprecedented surge of anger burning through him, searing his internal organs with intense heat. He fixed his gaze on the two soldiers, his eyes ablaze with fury as he commanded in a firm tone, "Wu Kai, go and kill those two soldiers."
Wu Kai immediately complied, brandishing his sword to approach. Lü He hurriedly intervened, casting an incredulous look at Yuan Li, "Governor Yuan, don't you recognize which army these soldiers belong to?"
"I do," Yuan Li's expression turned icy, "Besides Prince Chen's army, who else's army could be in Luoyang City?"
"If you know that, why must you act this way?" Lü He was genuinely puzzled, even finding it absurd, "You wouldn't start a conflict with Prince Chen over such a minor incident."
Yuan Li chuckled briefly, "Minor incident?"
Lü He suddenly realized and advised, "Indeed, you've never led troops before, you don't understand the customs of the military. After months of marching, soldiers must have outlets for their pent-up emotions, not just gold and silver, but women too - these are the spoils that keep them disciplined. They need to vent before they can find peace."
He added in a hushed tone, "Otherwise, mutiny could happen."
A dark weight pressed upon Yuan Li's heart as he exhaled a searing breath, casting a mocking grin as he retorted, "Are you saying that your army and the Prince Chen's army behaves in the same way?"
Lü He replied matter-of-factly, "Whose army in this world doesn't?"
Yuan Li burst into laughter.
While Yuan Li could enforce strict military laws and provide generous rewards and pay to control the soldiers' behavior, preventing them from plundering the people or trampling farmland, it was clear that others did not put in as much effort and resources into controlling their armies.
They didn't care about what the soldiers wanted to do or would do. It was these people who caused devastation, with their soldiers fighting only for pillage and spoils.
They would talk about serving the country, the people, upholding righteousness for the world, for the life and death of the common folk, but in the end, they were more greedy than locusts, causing the death of the people.
The emperor didn't care about the people, they just wanted to live in a wealthy place.
The officials didn't care about the people, they only cared about the honor of scholars and the power in their hands.
And what about these vassals?
Scholars?
Those renowned throughout the world?
Their benevolence and righteousness were only skin-deep, they were ambitious and politically savvy, but none of them were philanthropists.
Philanthropists couldn't survive in times of chaos.
The common people were just tools in their mouths, they spoke of the common people and the world, yet all they did was tread on the bones of the people, using their greedy desires to seize everything they could for themselves.
The rulers do not have empathy for the common people.
No one is willing to lower their head, bend their waist, and truly look at the ants crawling on the ground, to see how difficult the people in turmoil are.
The scholars are like this, the powerful families are like this, and even the emperor is like this.
The examination system monopolizes the chances for common people to become officials, monopolizes education, and ensures that the people will always remain as commoners, and descendants of ants will always be ants, with no chance of rising up.
Who can give them a chance to rise up?
No one is willing to.
People of this era are not willing to break this monopoly. Scholars are not willing to redistribute resources from the top down.
The fire in Yuan Li's heart burns fiercer and fiercer.
Suddenly, he stops smiling and coldly looks at the soldiers who are mistreating women, "Wu Kai, kill them."
Wu Kai pushes aside Lu He, draws his sword, and moves forward. The two soldiers who were holding the women are stabbed in the eyes by the cold blade, and they look over in shock, "Who are you? What do you want! We are soldiers of the Prince Chen!"
Wu Kai does not say a word, he directly cuts off the heads of the two men.
The heads roll on the ground, blood spurts out, and the terrified screams of the woman pierce the sky.
The children are also scared and cry loudly, the trembling woman with weak legs crawls along the wall to hold the child, looking at Wu Kai with fear and trepidation.
Yuan Li walks over, and the woman turns to look at him in fear.
Yuan Li instinctively smiles, extends his hand to touch the child's hair.
But the woman protects the child, tightly pressing the child's head to her chest, staring at Yuan Li with fear, rejecting his hand that approaches.
The way she looks at Yuan Li is no different from how she looked at the two soldiers who tried to assault her just now.
Fear, dread, collapse.
She does not want Yuan Li to come near her at all.
Yuan Li stops his hand.
The blood stains on the ground slowly wind their way to his shoes.
He withdraws his hand, slowly stands up.
The residual glow in the sky completely disappears.
Dark clouds shroud the entire Luoyang city, casting a gloom over everyone.
Yuan Li looks up at the sky.
The fire in his eyes flickers, swayed violently by the wind, eventually burning fiercely.
The thoughts that appeared deep in his heart a long time ago resurface once again.
This time, they are clearer than ever before.
The emperor cannot do it, nor can the other princes.
Chu Mingfeng cannot do it.
The Prince Chen cannot do it.
But I can do it.
I went from being the son of a county official to the governor of two provinces, making Youzhou a paradise in troubled times.
Only I can do it.
If I can...
If I can have more power.
If I can lead a rebellion army.
If I can have a say.
If, if I can...
- If I can become the emperor.
...Can I become the emperor?
I can become the emperor.
[The system of a famous minister of a generation has been activated.]
[The system has been updated, updating progress 1%, 5%, 80%... update completed.]
[The system of a famous minister has been updated to the Emperor Development System.]
[The Emperor Development System has been activated.]
[Reward: Peace in the world, and prosperity in the land.]
By unlocking the Emperor Development System, Yuan Li believed he could make a difference.