Chapter 209 God-granted divine object, the emperor respects himself [Subscribe]

Onozawa is full of life.

The study on the boat has a long-range view and an unobstructed view of the lake.

Cao Cao asked Guo Jia and Xi Zhicai, along with other civil officials, to sort out the civil and military ranks in Yanzhou in order to clarify the path for promotion.

What Guo Jia brought was a preliminary compilation of job ranks and grades.

There are a total of forty-one job levels, which are extremely detailed.

Of course, this rank is a military merit system, not that there are so many actual official positions.

Cao Cao, who has already governed four states, dominates the 41st level and tops the list.

"Provincial governors, generals, and ministers of works are all official positions, so they must be included in the evaluation of promotion paths."

Guo Jia lowered his voice and said: "If the governor of a state is above ten thousand people in the future, he will naturally not be included in the evaluation."

It was no secret among the high-ranking officials in Yanzhou that Cao Cao wanted to become the only king in the world.

"With more than forty grades, it's a bit bloated," said Cao Cao.

“In fact, there are only twenty-three ranks. When the Han Dynasty was first established, we continued to use the twenty-rank military merit system passed down from the Qin Dynasty, with some minor improvements during that time.

We've improved it again a little bit to make it more clear.

Above level 23, it will not be announced to the public, only internally reaching a certain level will be used as a reference for subsequent promotions. "

Cao Cao understood what Guo Jia meant.

The job levels are clearly defined, and there is mutual checks and balances at each level, so there is always hope for promotion.

Clearly defining job levels can better encourage combat and form a stable internal structure.

The titles of nobility in the Han Dynasty mainly inherited the Qin Dynasty's "Twenty Levels of Nobility" system, and added the title of king on its basis.

From the first-rank Gongshi to the twentieth-rank Chehou.

Each level has corresponding treatment.

The title not only represents honor, but is also the lifelong pursuit of civil and military officials and a symbol of achievement.

In general, the system of titles has important significance throughout the thousand-year history.

In particular, it played an important role in motivating military actions and enhancing national combat effectiveness.

It was for this purpose that Cao Cao asked Guo Jia to subdivide and formulate the promotion levels of Cao's camp, and to add more levels later.

Only the first twenty-two levels are announced to the public.

After level 23, one will be in real control of a region and hold a position of great power.

Doing so would also help Cao Cao to follow the rules and reward meritorious service.

After discussing with Guo Jia, Cao Cao turned to Jia Xu and asked, "Wenhe, how is your responsibility going?"

“You’ll see results in two or three days.”

Jia Xu was referring to creating auspicious signs and pushing Yuan Shu to become emperor!
"Yuan Shu himself also thought that only when there was an auspicious sign to help him become emperor would he be justified."

"He is traveling under the pretext of hunting, and his subordinates have made some arrangements. There will be strange phenomena, paving the way for him to become emperor. I have also had someone secretly help them."

Jia Xu said sternly: "After this incident, he should feel that he is acting according to the will of heaven."

In August of the Han Dynasty, two events occurred that shook the thirteen states of the world.

One was that when Yuan Shu was hunting in the Jianghuai area, he passed by a river and the celestial phenomena suddenly changed.

Waves of black mist rose above the lake.

A yellow-brown dragon slowly rose from the river and roared like a dragon.

According to reports that came out later, people within a hundred miles around heard the dragon's roar.

At that time, on the river surface which was hundreds of feet wide, the dragon's head was as big as a mountain. The waves it raised submerged both banks, and the momentum was extremely terrifying.

Even the accompanying soldiers knelt down in fear, but Yuan Shu was the only one who was extremely miraculous. He drew his bow and shot two arrows, hitting the dragon's eyes.

The dragon tumbled in the water, screaming loudly, then opened its mouth and spit out a breath of five-colored auspicious light, which fell into the hands of Yuan Shu on the shore.

When Yuan Shu took a look, he saw that the auspicious light was the imperial seal!
Finally, the dragon sank to the bottom of the lake, and a large amount of scarlet blood flowed on the water surface.

He was also a cowardly dragon who was severely injured by a weakling like Yuan Shu.

It was a folk festival in the Jianghuai region at the time, and many people were praying by the river and happened to see this scene.

The news spread quickly.

It is said that after the incident, the surface of the river was covered with blood which lasted for several days and strange omens appeared one after another.

In fact, Yuan Shu on the shore was also confused and asked around:
"Isn't it said that there will be a fake dragon covered with cowhide at the bottom of the river? I will shoot an arrow from a distance and pierce the cowhide. The dragon will sink into the river, but why is there a cry and blood? Where did the five-colored auspicious light come from?"

The counselor who was questioned was also confused.

The dragon roar, the blood, and the five-colored auspicious light wrapped around the jade seal were so real.

Who arranged this and is so good at making trouble?

Arranged by Jia Xu.

After receiving the news, Cao Cao laughed and said, "This is a bit exaggerated. Can Yuan Shu draw his strong bow and shoot the fake dragon on the lake?"

"Where does the dragon's blood come from?"

"I covered a bag of cow's blood with cowhide and asked someone to dive into the lake and sprinkle it on the surface."

"Where is the five-colored auspicious light?"

"It is created by using shiny objects to refract sunlight and illuminate the lake surface."

"Many people spread the rumor, and as it spread, everyone believed it. People who had never seen it also said they saw it."

Related news spread like wildfire everywhere, that there was a dragon in the Huai River, which came out and spit out a national seal!

Yuan Shu of Jianghuai was given the mandate by heaven!
Yuan Shu himself almost believed it.

At this point, everything is ready for becoming emperor.

Yuan Shu was somewhat confused and had many guesses in secret.

But by this time, he had already been driven to the position of emperor, so he set an auspicious day and made preparations for ascending the throne!
The second thing that happened in August was the relocation of the capital.

The emperor moved from Chang'an to Luoyang. The troops of Yanzhou marched into Chang'an, led by Zhang Liao himself.

It was a foggy morning in late August in Chang'an.

Looking out from the top of the city wall, after the Yanzhou army approached Chang'an, they were barely visible in the fog. Only the sound of horses' hooves could be heard, but the full picture of the troops could not be seen.

But with the arrival of the Yanzhou army, a surge of military force was felt, and a murderous aura filled the air.

The city of Chang'an was garrisoned by Yang Feng's troops at this time.

The soldiers under his command all felt an invisible murderous aura approaching them, as if they had fallen into a deep pool, with a chill all over their bodies.

After the joining of the Xianzhen Camp under Zhang Liao's command, the army became the ace army of Yanzhou.

Only three thousand people came to Chang'an.

But the fighting power made Yang Feng, who was standing on the top of the city at that time, terrified.

Next to Yang Feng was Xu Huang.

The man has a thin waist and broad shoulders, a loud voice and great strength, a majestic look and bright eyes.

"Are you still hesitating, General?"

Xu Huang is a standard baritone, saying:
"Cao's army is good at fighting. Even Li Jue, Guo Si, Fan Chou and others from Liangzhou were no match for them. They were chased all the way back to Liangzhou, let alone the general!"

Xu Huang had previously advised Yang Feng to surrender to Cao.

But Yang Feng had not made up his mind until Cao's army was at the gate of the city.

Yang Feng knew the truth very well. He was just greedy for power and had a lucky mentality.

"If Yanzhou really wants to deal with us, they only need to cut off the supply from the periphery. If the troops don't come, we will have trouble dealing with it in Chang'an."

Xu Huang said: "If someone else opens the city gate first and welcomes the Yanzhou army into the city, the general's situation will be even more difficult!"

Yang Feng was silent for a moment, then said dejectedly, "Open the city gate quickly. Gongming, follow me and welcome the Yanzhou army into Chang'an."

Zhang Liao entered the city on horseback, and when he saw Yang Feng coming out to greet him, he did not even dismount.

It was not Zhang Liao who was arrogant, but the military order given to him by Cao Cao.

If Yang Feng disobeys in the slightest, he will be executed immediately.

Zhang Liao deliberately embarrassed Yang Feng to see if he would really surrender. If he had any ulterior motives, he would kill him on the spot.

Zhang Liao was quite polite to Xu Huang because he received news that Cao Cao had sent Man Chong to act as a lobbyist to persuade Xu Huang to join Cao's camp.

Half an hour later, Zhang Liao entered the palace to see the emperor. He walked with resounding steps, bowed to the emperor in the hall, and said solemnly:

"Your Majesty, please get up. My Yanzhou troops will escort Your Majesty eastward to Luoyang."

The emperor was well prepared and set out for Luoyang two days later.

On the road.

Emperor Liu Xie, sitting in the imperial carriage, would occasionally lift the curtain and look at the Yanzhou army guarding on both sides.

The emperor was envious of the elite troops under Zhang Liao and the awe-inspiring power they brought.

He thought about it and sent someone to convey the imperial edict, conferring the rank of General Pingxi on Zhang Liao in the name of his meritorious service in protecting the emperor, in order to win him over.

But Zhang Liao's men did not come and returned the emperor's edict intact.

He also sent a message back to the emperor: "Zhang Liao is not a subject of the imperial family and does not accept imperial edicts. He only obeys the orders of Cao Mengde, the governor of Yanzhou, and will not meet the emperor in private. Please respect yourself, emperor."

The emperor was shocked and angry, but helpless.

This is blatant disloyalty.

The third day after the capital was moved.

The three men who were pulling the plow to plant the fields came back to report to the emperor.

"Your Majesty, the governor of Yanzhou is extremely arrogant. We went to announce the decree and replaced your Majesty, but he made us plow the land and do hard labor."

Wu Shuo, Zhong Ji knelt down and said:

"We have worked for a day and a night, and it is worse than hard labor. We eat bran cakes. My shoulders are so bloody from the plow ropes I have been hanging on. If I slack off for a moment, the whip behind me will whip me."

"When the governor of Yanzhou received the order, he showed no respect and took it with one hand.

His disrespect is visible to everyone.”

The emperor was sitting in an inn along the way. There was no strange expression on his face, but a thought flashed through his mind: Another Dong Zhuo... another Dong Zhuo, they all want to hold me hostage and commit treason.

On the emperor's left and right were Dong Cheng and his daughter.

Dong Cheng was the emperor's father-in-law.

He is tall, with a slightly yellow complexion and a square face.

His daughter, Concubine Dong, was fair-skinned and pretty, wearing a brocade robe and with a pointed chin. She spoke softly:
"What my father said before has really come true. After a little test, the governor of Yanzhou revealed his true colors."

"Your Majesty, why don't you follow the advice given by your father?"

The emperor said: "Yanzhou has hundreds of thousands of soldiers and dominates the north and south. Your strategy is too risky."

Dong Cheng stepped forward and said, “I am not taking any risks, nor am I rushing into anything.

Your Majesty only needs to write an imperial edict, and I will personally run around outside and secretly contact all parties to consolidate the imperial power."

"If your majesty hesitates any longer, by the time the victory of Jizhou and Yanzhou is decided, the situation will be irreversible. No matter which side wins, it will be too late to make amends."

The emperor thought about it and said nothing.

In early September, after many days of rapid travel, the emperor moved smoothly from Chang'an to Luoyang, moved into the old palace, and temporarily settled down.

The next day the emperor issued an edict to Cao Cao.

He moved the capital to Luoyang, and wanted to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth and his ancestors. He invited Cao Cao to Luoyang to preside over the sacrificial ceremony to inform heaven and earth.

Onozawa.

Cao Cao received the emperor's edict.

"The little emperor has been a little impatient lately. He wants to do something before the outcome of the battle between Yanzhou and Jizhou is decided."

Guo Jia was also there, "The people around the emperor are jumping around a lot, it's time to cut their hair, otherwise he won't be at peace."

Ps: Corrected a typo. The last chapter said Xu Shu, but it was Xu Huang. I have changed it. Please vote~
(End of this chapter)