SFS Chapter 549 The Mature and Savvy Huang Chengyan
Chapter 549 The Mature and Savvy Huang Chengyan
After Liu Bei fainted and was carried away, he finally calmed down, but Jiangling City became completely lively.
The news of Cao Pi's ascension to the throne was like a depth charge dropped into a lake, instantly creating a huge uproar in the court. Every official and gentry member in the city, upon receiving the news, issued strong condemnations against Cao Pi, some shouting and cursing, some smashing things, and some even overturning tables on the spot.
Most of these people were genuinely angry. After all, they were all Han officials who had lived under the banner of the Han Dynasty for half their lives or even several generations. Now that the Han Dynasty was gone, they felt as if their parents had suddenly died, and they were very disoriented. Therefore, they harbored deep hatred for Cao Pi.
My ancestors have lived on the land of the Han Dynasty for generations. The Han Dynasty has always been my motherland. Now you are telling me that my motherland is gone. Who can bear this?
However, some people were just pretending to be angry. At this time, they had to stand on the same side as Liu Bei to condemn Cao Pi in order to ensure political correctness. Otherwise, people would die. They knew that the consequences of choosing the wrong side were very serious. If they were to take the wrong side at this time, even the greatest merits would be wiped out instantly or even become crimes. Therefore, they had to criticize Cao Pi.
As soon as the news spread, a wave of condemnation against Cao Pi swept through Jiangling City, with the insults being extremely harsh.
While condemning the actions, some people harbored other intentions. After all, condemnation was merely an expression of attitude; the ultimate goal was to use the guise of condemnation to persuade Liu Bei to declare himself emperor.
These shrewd officials all understood that with Cao Pi's usurpation of the throne, Liu Bei's ascension to the throne was almost a foregone conclusion, because no one wanted to see the Han Dynasty perish, and besides Liu Bei, no one else in the world could carry the banner of restoring the Han Dynasty.
As for Liu Bei's talk of a northern expedition, screw that northern expedition! Anyone with a normal brain knows that it was just a slogan Liu Bei shouted. Even if he wanted to launch a northern expedition, it would have to be after he became emperor, not now.
Therefore, some people began to actively urge him to take the throne, hoping to gain merit by following the emperor. The first to have such thoughts was that old fox, Huang Chengyan.
Huang Chengyan had already chosen the wrong side twice, and knew this was his last chance. If he didn't work hard, his Huang family would really be sidelined. So, after receiving the news that Cao Pi had declared himself emperor, he, like Liu Bei, began to curse and weep in his tent. He cried until he fainted and was then revived by Cheng Li.
There were many people in the city who fainted from crying, just like Huang Chengyan, so Cheng Li was particularly busy today. He had just revived Huang Chengyan and was then asked to go and rescue Lü Dai.
Cheng Li thus became a witness, personally witnessing the loyalty of these important officials to the Han Dynasty and how unpopular Cao Pi's ascension to the throne was.
Having spent some time navigating the officialdom, Cheng Li had also transformed into a shrewd and calculating individual. After diagnosing a patient, he decisively spread the news of the patient's fainting spell. The patients who had fainted were quite satisfied with this, and Cheng Li thus earned countless favors.
After being revived by Cheng Li, Huang Chengyan did not rest, but instead ordered his men to carry him to Guan Xing's tent.
Huang Chengyan wanted to gain merit by supporting Liu Bei's ascension to the throne but was at a loss for how to do so. He was too embarrassed to ask his son-in-law Zhuge Liang for help, so he thought of Guan Xing, who had an inhuman way of thinking. He wanted to ask Guan Xing for a suggestion. Even if Guan Xing was unwilling to help, he could still use Guan Xing to spread the news that he supported Liu Bei's ascension to the throne.
There are some things that are inconvenient for you to say yourself, so you can only say them through someone else.
So when Huang Chengyan arrived, he was carried to Guan Xing's tent and found Guan Xing lying pale-faced on a grand chair outside the tent, basking in the sun.
Huang Chengyan knew that Guan Xing was so weak because of poisoning, but he pretended not to know and sighed, advising, "Anguo, although Cao Pi's usurpation is outrageous, don't get too angry. If you ruin your health because of this, who will lead the army to the north for the king?"
Guan Xing: "..."
When did I get angry? Where did you get the idea that I was so angry with Cao Pi?
These old guys are really too shrewd; they can lie through their teeth without even blushing.
Guan Xing was naturally not foolish enough to expose him on the spot. He angrily cursed, "I understand the reasoning, but that damned Cao Pi is too hateful. He dared to kill the emperor as a subject. He is a despicable person. I really can't help but be angry."
Cao Pi did not murder Emperor Liu Xie, but instead enfeoffed him as the Duke of Shanyang so that he could continue to enjoy the emperor's privileges. However, this news was only known to a few people, such as Zhuge Liang and Guan Xing, and others were unaware of the emperor's specific situation.
As a time traveler, Guan Xing knew that Liu Xie was enfeoffed as the Duke of Shanyang, and he also knew that Liu Bei had announced Liu Xie's death when he received news of Cao Pi's usurpation, and even agreed on a posthumous title for Liu Xie. Under these circumstances, Guan Xing would naturally not be foolish enough to reveal the truth about Liu Xie.
With the help of his personal guards, Huang Chengyan struggled to his feet, walked to Guan Xing, sat down on the ground, leaned against Guan Xing's armchair, and patted Guan Xing's wrist, sighing, "It's too late for insults now. No matter how harshly you insult someone, can you kill Cao Pi? In my opinion, the most important thing right now... let's go inside and talk..."
There were too many strangers outside, and some things were inconvenient to say because of the eavesdropping, so they had to invite Guan Xing into the tent.
One of them was still recovering from alcohol poisoning, and the other, over sixty years old, had just fainted from crying and was equally weak. The two seriously ill patients helped each other into the tent. After Huang Chengyan looked around to make sure it was safe, he continued the previous topic and said, "In my opinion, the most important thing right now is not to condemn Cao Pi, but to raise the banner of the Han Dynasty again. The Han Dynasty cannot perish."
Guan Xing's eyes lit up and he quickly chimed in, "Please enlighten me, Elder Huang."
Seeing that he was so cooperative and proactive, Huang Chengyan said, "There is only one way, which is to ask Your Majesty to follow the example of Emperor Guangwu and ascend the throne. Only in this way can the Han dynasty be continued. You should go and make this suggestion, young master."
Guan Xing sneered inwardly. I should offer my advice, but it's not your place to remind me. You old codger wouldn't be kind enough to remind me; you must have some other purpose.
Guan Xing shook his head and refused, saying, "That's only right, but I'm just a junior, and no one will listen to me when I speak. In my opinion, someone as respected as Elder Huang should take the lead in this matter."
Huang Chengyan meant just that, but he hesitated and pretended to be coy, sighing, "I strongly support Your Majesty's ascension to the throne, but I am just an idle person without any official position. How can I do such a great thing?"
Guan Xing reminded him, "It's precisely because you have no official position that you must charge forward! You, a commoner, support His Majesty's ascension to the throne, which shows what? It shows that His Majesty is deeply loved by the people! Even ordinary people like you support His Majesty, so what about the others... right..."
Upon hearing this, Huang Chengyan was overjoyed and quickly asked, "Please teach me, Anguo, what should I do?"
The fox's tail was finally revealed, but Guan Xing started to put on airs, rubbing his hands together and sighing as if he were having trouble: "I've never done this before. You've eaten more salt than I've eaten rice, you should have more experience than me, right?"
Huang Chengyan rolled his eyes. "If I had experience, why would I need to come to you?"
Knowing that this kid wouldn't work for nothing, Huang Chengyan decisively took out a wooden box from his pocket, handed it to him, and said with a smile, "This is an iron mine I own in Songzi Town. You must accept it."
Guan Xing skillfully tucked the item into his pocket and said with a smile, "I can't accept this, you're too kind."
Huang Chengyan inwardly grumbled, but on the surface he smiled with satisfaction and said, "Then let's talk about serious matters?"
Guan Xing's smile vanished, replaced by a solemn expression. "Putting aside emotions, this matter is actually quite unfavorable for Your Majesty. Cao Pi obtained the throne through abdication, following the proper procedures. Your Majesty has no right to abdicate, so you can only rely on other methods, such as popular support or divine intervention..."
"Does Master Huang still remember what Chen Sheng and Wu Guang did before they rose up against the Qin Dynasty?"