CH 137

There was chaos in Anfeng, the common people were in misery, and the minor officials embezzled money unscrupulously. But they themselves could not enjoy the money they embezzled. They had to offer it to their superiors, and the superiors would offer it to their superiors, and as result they had to extend their hands to the common people once again in a never ending circle.

The common people suddenly discovered that though the imperial court was gone and had been changed to a new master, life was not getting better at all.

The original peaceful life was shattered, and they now had to go back to the days of selling their children, even their wives.

Older people died more often, and some of them had intentionally left to wait for death on their own so as not to drag down their children.

Some were forced to die by their own children.

In the face of survival, everyone tore off that layer of human skin.

Wives were not wives, husbands were not husbands, sons were not sons.

Anfeng was so chaotic that everyone was caught off guard. When Han Lin’er learn the news that the people were no longer able to make a living, it was already too late.

“How could this happen?” Han Lin’er stood in front of Hong Xiu, his face flushed, and his speech even a little unclear from his anger. “It’s just a small matter of the court! Why are those below thrown into chaos as well! Zhen pay them a salary, yet they can’t even govern the common people?! What’s the point of being an official then!”

Han Lin’er wanted to become a sage ruler, and even if he couldn’t, he did not want to become an incapable ruler or a tyrannical ruler.

That was why he was fighting for power, to have the ability to control political power.

He was a little at a loss, and he didn’t know what he had done wrong.

Was it wrong to promote Liu Liu? But Liu Futong was so powerful that he could practically cover the sky with his hands. If he didn’t suppress the other, he didn’t know what else Liu Futong would do.

Shouldn’t the power between civil officials and military officials be balanced?

Han Lin’er closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. He was at a loss and didn’t know where he was wrong.

At this time, he could only confide in Hong Xiu.

He couldn’t even go to the empress, he couldn’t let the women in the harem see his weakness.

The women in the harem were all backed by Liu Futong. They were all selected by Liu Futong, who they must first please, rather than Han Lin’er.

Han Lin’er’s wives, officials, and servants were all selected by Liu Futong.

Liu Futong controlled everything about him, and he also put on the air of his elder. He had put Han Lin’er on the throne, and believed that his merits were the highest. His arrogance, pride and obsessive desire to control everything caused Han Lin’er to live in fear all the time.

He was afraid that once Liu Futong realized that he could gain more power by overthrowing him, would Liu Futong immediately raise his butcher knife?

Liu Futong was too capable, he was so capable that Han Lin’er was terrified.

Moreover, his capability manifested in too many ways. Only his voice was heard in the imperial court, and the generals also listened to him. It seemed that everyone knew Liu Futong, but no one knew Han Lin’er.

If Han Lin’er was not the emperor, maybe this was nothing. If he was an incapable emperor, maybe this was nothing.

But he just happened to be the emperor, and he wanted to be a sage emperor.

Therefore, Liu Futong’s “consideration” was a blatant “overstepping of power”.

Hong Xiu hugged Han Lin’er from behind and whispered: “The officials have the places of officials, the emperor has the place of the emperor, and the imperial concubine has the place of the imperial concubine. No one should cross the line, isn’t that the best? When everyone has found their own place, the world will be peaceful, and the common people will be able to live a good life.”

Han Lin’er’s forehead popped with blue veins: “You understand the truth, but they don’t understand it!”

“They just want to get more benefits from Zhen’s hands! It’s not enough to be conferred an official position! Small officials want to be big officials, and big officials want to be the emperor, and after being the emperor they want to be the Taishang Huang!”

“They press harder and harder, yet they say that Zhen is cruel, and behind Zhen’s back they say that Zhen is an incapable ruler!”

Han Lin’er seemed to have collapsed completely. He didn’t indulge in women or in material enjoyment. He slept with imperial concubines only because he wanted to leave behind an heir and complete the “task” that an emperor should complete. He wanted to appoint upright officials, and he wanted his citizens to live a good life. He also wanted his name to have a place in history, and later when he died, and met his father in heaven, he could also tell his father that he lived up to his expectations.

Looking at the current situation, his father’s expectations were destined to be disappointed.

Hong Xiu’s voice was so gentle it could drip water: “Your Majesty, don’t waste your anger on them, the ruler is weak the official is strong, the ruler is strong the official is weak. This slave heard a truth when listening to theater, when the emperor stands up, they can only listen to the emperor. Your Majesty has great righteousness on your side and is a wise ruler, they will understand Your Majesty.”

Han Lin’er didn’t move, he looked down and pondered.

That’s right, he handed over the power to Liu Liu, hoping to use Liu Liu’s hand to suppress Liu Futong.

But this just caused them to fight harder, and the whole court was harmed.

And he is the emperor, he naturally occupied a higher position, and had more reason on his side.

His purpose was never to make civilian officials and military commanders fight each other, nor to turn the court into a battlefield.

He wanted to take back his imperial power, and then pass the imperial power to his heir smoothly and steadily.

“You are right.” Han Lin’er turned around and embraced Hong Xiu. He kissed Hong Xius forehead, “Xiu’er is my flower that understands my sorrows. Without Xiu’er, Zhen really don’t know what to do.”

Hong Xiu leaned on Han Lin’er’s shoulder and closed her eyes, “As long as Your Majesty is well, this slave is well, Your Majesty must take care of your health.”

Han Lin’er: “Zhen knows.”

Han Lin’er began to intervene in government affairs, but he soon discovered that Liu Futong was the only one who prevented him from gaining power in the past, but now there was also a Liu Liu.

He understood the reason for all this.

Both Liu Liu and Liu Futong regarded him as a signboard, and both of them were fighting each other for this signboard.

But at this time, the signboard suddenly said that he wanted to be in power, and he was no longer willing to be hung on the wall anymore, so naturally they wanted to quiet down the signboard first.

No one listened to him.

Clearly their power came from him.

But they regarded him as nothing.

Han Lin’er finally couldn’t restrain himself anymore. He invited Liu Futong to the study, and the two had a long conversation all night.

Han Lin’er called him as he once did as a child: “Uncle, why?”

Liu Futong also looked at Han Lin’er. It was obvious that they had been together for so long, but at this time they both felt like strangers to each other.

“Uncle, I’m not a child anymore.” Han Lin’er looked directly into Liu Futong’s eyes. It was true that he had feelings for Liu Futong, but this feeling was very complicated. He once thought that Liu Futong was a mountain, indestructible and safe. Now he felt that Liu Futong was the cliff blocking in front of him. He was afraid of his strength and eager to cross over him.

Han Lin’er: “I am the emperor, uncle, why can’t I have what belongs to me?”

“You are still the Imperial Tutor, the Taibao, and the court still respects you.” When Han Lin’er said this, he clenched his fist. He felt humiliated. As an emperor, he actually had to ask his official to return the power to himself in this way.

This humiliation would be deeply imprinted in his bones and would never fade away.

However, Liu Futong said: “Your Majesty, you have to call yourself Zhen. What you just said I don’t understand.”

“Don’t understand?” Han Lin’er was angry, “It’s the Imperial Tutor who doesn’t want to understand! Do you see what Anfeng is like today? Do you see what the common people are like now? The people don’t have a living, and there is misery everywhere! The people sell their sons and daughters, the merchants are fleeing elsewhere, is this Anfeng still Anfeng? Is Zhen’s empire still the empire?!”

“The Imperial Tutor has presided over the court for a long time! It seems you have forgotten what the Yuan court did to the people?”

Han Lin’er: “The way Zhen sees it, in a few months, Zhen don’t know if Zhen’s empire will still even exist in this world!”

Liu Futong’s voice was very calm: “Then what does Your Majesty want to do? Have this official take a step back and have that small villian take power? Your Majesty, this official has been loyal to the Han family since the first emperor, but how did Your Majesty repay this official? That Du Zundao was full of the words of the sages, but his actions were that of a traitorous official and did whatever he wanted in the military barracks. What? The people are Your Majesty’s people, and the soldiers are not Your Majesty’s soldiers?”

“If I retire at this time, can Your Majesty still suppress Liu Liu?”

“At that time, Liu Liu will be in control of the court and military power. Who else will oppose him?”

“Zhen!” Han Lin’er said loudly, “You all forgot one thing, Zhen is the emperor!”

“Zhen is the master of the court and the military. You all don’t remember this. You all forget that your power relies on Zhen!”

Han Lin’er suddenly closed his eyes: “Zhen…..also almost forgot, uncle, if you don’t want Zhen to be in power, then you shouldn’t have put Zhen on the throne back then.”

“Since you let Zhen become the emperor, you shouldn’t have taken Zhen’s power instead.”

Han Lin’er had his sufferings. He lived under Liu Futong’s supervision. He was an emperor but had no imperial power.

At this time, Liu Futong finally looked squarely at the young man in front of him.

He had grown up, his posture was tall and straight, and although his face was still childish, a kind of kingly air could be faintly seen on him.

Although young, he already understood that power represented everything.

“Your Majesty, when this official has retired, how do you know that Liu Liu will be willing to retreat as well?” Liu Futong grinned, his smile was full of ridicule, “At this point, who can even retreat? Everyone is already involved, if the loser or winner is not decided, if we don’t fight to the death, no one will be able to stop. If we stop now, all the previous efforts will be wasted.”

“Those officials, those minor officials, those eunuchs and concubines who collude with the court, who would be willing to retreat?”

“Your Majesty, sometimes just because you started something, doesn’t mean you can control it your way.”

When it was almost dawn, Liu Futong left the study.

Only Han Lin’er was sitting on the chair alone, his eyes not focusing on anything in particular, his lips tightly pressed, and his body immobile.

At this moment, he no longer knew who to hate and who to blame.

People would pursue self-interest, no matter when, where, or in any position they were in.

He couldn’t control people’s hearts.

Han Lin’er lay on the desk and buried his head in his arms.

The morning sunlight creeped in from outside the window and spilled on his thin shoulders.

His body trembled slightly, and a low whimper reverberated in the study.

What should he do?

His officials were busy fighting, his citizens were miserable, and it was difficult to control the situation outside.

It seemed that the heavens were against him.

Han Lin’er raised his head and looked out the window, tears still on his face.

Father, if it were you, what would you do?

You are looking down from the sky, do you think your son is incompetent?

But your son…..has no other way.

Han Lin’er stood up and walked outside the door.