27, Emperor Xiao of Han · Liu Hong

It was just that these troops were far inferior to the Five Schools of the Northern Army and the Sanhe Cavalry.

Deng Sheng did not voice this, but everyone understood it in their hearts.

Liu Yan spoke at the opportune moment: "The Eight Passes are steep and treacherous, and Luoyang has high walls and thick ramparts; it is easy to defend and difficult to attack. Even if the soldiers are not elite, defending the city should still be no problem."

In reality, Luoyang was not easy to defend. As early as when the Western Han Dynasty chose its capital, Zhang Liang had once said:

"Although Luoyang has such natural defenses, its interior is small, spanning no more than a few hundred li. The soil is thin, and it is surrounded by enemies on all sides; this is not a land from which to command the world..."

The strategic importance of Luoyang did not lie in Luoyang itself, but in the key points of Hulao, Huanyuan, Hangu, Longmen, and Mengjin. If these were held, Luoyang would be as secure as Mount Tai; if they were lost, Luoyang would be as precarious as a pile of eggs.

In other words, if the Yellow Turbans of Ji Province captured passes like Mengjin, Luoyang would almost certainly fall.

However, there was no need to say these things to Liu Hong, lest he become fearful and let his imagination run wild.

Sure enough, upon hearing Liu Yan say this, Liu Hong felt much more at ease. He instructed Deng Sheng, He Jin, Zhang Wen, and the others to continue discussing the mobilization of troops from various provinces into Luoyang, then called Liu Yan to a side hall.

"I wonder for what matter Your Majesty has summoned me?"

Liu Yan was very puzzled. As a Clan Elder, he was not responsible for mobilizing troops or generals, nor did he have any soldiers under his command; why would the Emperor summon him alone?

He saw Liu Hong lower his voice and say: "Clan Uncle, you are the Clan Elder of our dynasty. I wonder if you have any understanding of the legends regarding the Grand Progenitor High Emperor?"

Liu Yan was stunned. "The Grand Progenitor High Emperor?"

"It is said that the High Emperor was the reincarnation of the Son of the Red Emperor, is it not?" Liu Hong asked eagerly. "In the world today, the false god Sovereign Yellow Absolute has descended. Could it be that the High Emperor might descend to the mortal realm once more? Or perhaps send an immortal deity to save our Flame Han?"

Liu Yan was dumbfounded. "Your Majesty, this, this... the so-called reincarnation of the Son of the Red Emperor is merely a story crafted for supernatural effect; it is not the truth."

What Son of the Red Emperor, what slaying of the white serpent—these were merely to add an air of mystery to Liu Bang, making it easier to deceive and rule over the subjects of the world.

Anyone who had read a few books would not believe such ghost stories. How could the dignified Emperor be asking him about this?

Liu Yan was utterly speechless, not knowing how to describe the sense of absurdity in his heart.

Liu Hong frowned and then asked: "Then what of Emperor Shizu? It is rumored that he summoned a falling star to crush the enemy army; was he not a reincarnation of an immortal deity?"

Liu Yan kept a wooden expression. "Your Majesty, do not harbor delusions. There have never been immortals, deities, or ghosts in this world."

Liu Hong stared. "Then what of the Yellow Heaven God who protects the Moth Bandits? Cao Cao and Dong Zhuo fled back to Luoyang in desperation, claiming that the false god Sovereign Yellow Absolute scattered beans to create soldiers and summoned fifteen Earth Giants to rampage through our battle lines, which was the only reason our army was routed. Otherwise, the outcome would have been uncertain."

Liu Yan was silent.

Indeed, if there were no immortals or deities in the world, what was the deal with the Yellow Heaven God?

Liu Yan had seen with his own eyes the fear and lingering trauma on the faces of Cao Cao and Dong Zhuo; that kind of expression could not be faked.

And if the Yellow Heaven God was real, then perhaps the Grand Progenitor High Emperor and Emperor Shizu were indeed reincarnations of deities.

Liu Yan began to harbor doubts himself. "Could the High Emperor and Shizu also be immortals?"

Liu Hong looked at him expectantly. Liu Yan pondered for a long time before finally shaking his head: "This Humble One truly does not know whether our ancestors were deities. Since Your Majesty asks, I dare not speak recklessly."

Liu Hong sighed. "Very well, if Clan Uncle does not know, then so be it. I shall go to the ancestral temple myself to offer sacrifices to our ancestors and pray for their protection."

Liu Yan nodded. "That is only right."

Even if the Grand Progenitor High Emperor and Emperor Shizu were not deities, it was the proper course of action for the Son of Heaven to offer sacrifices and prayers when the dynasty faced a great calamity.

After Liu Yan withdrew, Liu Hong waved his hand, and a beardless, fair-faced eunuch walked in with a fawning smile.

"Foster Father, has that thing been prepared?"

That Liu Hong addressed a eunuch as "Foster Father" was truly shocking, but if one knew this man was named Zhang Rang, it would not be strange at all.

"Attendant Zhang is my father, Attendant Zhao is my mother"—these were words Liu Hong often said to his favored ministers.

Zhang Rang looked around, and like a thief, pulled a small paulownia wood puppet from his sleeve. On it were written the four characters "Sovereign Yellow Absolute," and he had inscribed the birth date and time of the Yellow Heaven God's first day of descent, piercing the entire puppet with sharp silver needles.

If the ministers of the outer court were to see this puppet, they would likely turn pale instantly, for they were all too familiar with this thing—it was notoriously infamous.

The art of witchcraft and hexing!

An evil art that had brought immense pain to the Han Dynasty.

During the Yuanguang era of Emperor Wu of Han, Empress Chen Ajiao lost favor and crafted small puppets to curse Wei Zifu. When the Emperor discovered this, he deposed her, and "the witch Chu Fu and those implicated among the palace servants, numbering over three hundred, were executed."

That was merely a minor incident with limited reach. What truly terrified the subjects was the Witchcraft Calamity of the first year of Zhenghe.

The Witchcraft Calamity lasted for several years, involving the execution of the Crown Prince, the Empress, the two Chancellors Gongsun He and Liu Quli, the two Princesses Zhuyi and Yangshi, and three Imperial Grandchildren. It also implicated many high-ranking officials and important figures, with tens of thousands dead!

This great calamity made future generations tremble at the mere mention of witchcraft and hexing. Yet today, at the very center of the world, in the Luoyang Imperial Palace, a paulownia wood puppet had appeared once again.

Zhang Rang carefully handed the puppet to Liu Hong: "Your Majesty, it is finished. However, for the art of hexing to take effect, one must bury this object at the residence or near the person being cursed to capture their soul. But that false god is far away in Ji Province; how are we to curse him?"

Liu Hong was also troubled. He paced the hall with the puppet in hand, then suddenly had an idea: "I am just about to go to the ancestral temple to offer sacrifices to our ancestors. I shall take it with me and ask the High Emperor to use this object to curse the false god from afar!"

Zhang Rang was terrified by the Emperor's sudden idea and said repeatedly: "The ancestral temple is a sacred place; how can one bring such an unclean object inside?"

To offer sacrifices to the ancestors while holding a witchcraft puppet was truly "filial" in the most twisted sense. If discovered, Liu Hong might not suffer, but he, the Emperor's "Foster Father," would certainly be executed!

Even the Emperor could not save him!

Liu Hong waved his hand. "Eh, do not panic. I will be careful and ensure no one discovers it."

Zhang Rang wanted to persuade him further, but was stopped by Liu Hong's stern gaze.

Immediately following this, Liu Hong took the Puppet and, traveling light with a small retinue, headed toward the Gao Temple. The Gao Temple was located to the southeast of the imperial palace; it was not far, and they arrived before long.

Liu Hong walked through the main gate of the Gao Temple and across the central courtyard, then waved his hand to dismiss the eunuchs following him, coming alone before the jade spirit tablet of the Grand Progenitor High Emperor to kneel.

He took the Puppet from his robes, placed it before him, and whispered, "Your unworthy descendant, Hong, begs the Grand Progenitor to manifest your spirit, to descend with great divine power from the heavenly realm, and to curse and slay the false god Sovereign Yellow Absolute from afar, restoring peace to Our Great Han!!"

Having said this, he bowed his head earnestly again and again, with utmost piety.

Inside the county office of Guangzong City, the Sovereign Yellow Absolute, seeing this scene, wore a strange expression and could not help but burst into loud laughter. The laughter was hearty and clear, stirring curiosity in the maidservants standing guard outside the door.

"Could it be that the Holy Venerable has been wandering beyond the heavens and witnessed some laughable person or event?"