31, Sharing the World with You

After the banquet, He Jin changed his clothes with the help of his maids and washed his face with warm water before heading toward the imperial palace under the protection of a hundred armored guards.

In the past, he never traveled with so many guards; a dozen or so were sufficient. After all, Luoyang was the capital of the world. While it might be an exaggeration to say that people didn't pocket lost items or lock their doors at night, it was true that very few dared to commit crimes.

However, now that Emperor Liu Hong had ordered the elite troops from all provinces and commanderies to be drafted into Luoyang for its defense, the tens of thousands of guest troops had been dazzled by the city's splendor. Coupled with lax military discipline, many soldiers formed gangs to plunder the wealth of the rich. If anyone dared to resist, they were killed on the spot, and their heads were piled into small mounds to intimidate others.

The barbarian mercenaries from the borderlands were particularly lawless, frequently killing people in the streets for their wealth and abducting women.

Some ministers, unable to bear it, petitioned the Emperor to restore order. Liu Hong tasked He Jin and Deng Sheng with handling the matter, but the two had no effective solutions. They were currently relying on these guest troops; if they were to suppress the unruly soldiers with force, it would only unsettle the various armies and make it impossible to defend the city in unison.

After some discussion, He Jin and Deng Sheng could only arrest and behead dozens of the most rampant barbarian soldiers, hanging their bloodied heads in front of the various military camps. This at least forced the troops to maintain a veneer of discipline and refrain from further wanton acts.

Yet, while they dared not act openly, they still did so in the shadows. Some soldiers would break into civilian homes at night to kill and pillage, leaving the populace in a state of terror.

He Jin was powerless against this situation. Firstly, it was impossible to catch the perpetrators, and secondly, rumors had begun to circulate in the city that He Jin intended to slaughter all the guest troops. The soldiers whispered that it would be better to unite and kill He Jin and other high-ranking officials first, then share the prosperity of Luoyang among themselves.

This rumor terrified He Jin. He immediately abandoned his plans to rectify military discipline and stopped going out, fearing he would be murdered in the street. Even when he did venture out, he insisted on being accompanied by a hundred fully armed guards.

Sitting in his carriage, He Jin surveyed the streets on either side. There were few pedestrians and all businesses were shuttered; clearly, the city's inhabitants were terrified by the unruly soldiers and remained huddled in their homes.

He Jin sighed softly as his carriage entered the palace, where a eunuch guided him to a side hall.

Inside, Liu Hong was drinking wine with a troubled expression, flanked by the Clan Elder Liu Yan and a heroic-looking youth with long, powerful arms.

"Minister He has arrived. Take a seat," Liu Hong said, lifting his eyes.

He Jin took his place and said, "Your Majesty, I have come to request permission for battle. Sun Jian wishes to lead five thousand troops out of the city to engage the Moth Bandits and probe their strength."

Liu Hong shook his head. "Denied."

He Jin was stunned, and Liu Yan, sitting beside him, offered a helpless smile. "I, too, have come to request battle from Your Majesty."

He pointed to the heroic youth. "This is Liu Bei, courtesy name Xuande, a descendant of Prince Jing of Zhongshan and a member of the Han imperial clan. He was a disciple of Lu and currently serves under Gongsun Zan."

He Jin studied Liu Bei. He was young, only in his twenties, but his expression was resolute and his eyes steady, leaving a favorable impression.

Liu Yan turned to Liu Hong. "Your Majesty, one cannot merely hold the city; we must occasionally sally forth to engage the enemy. Otherwise, the morale within the city will continue to plummet, and it will be difficult to secure Luoyang. Xuande is brave and skilled in war; let him lead a force to fight and boost our morale."

Liu Hong still shook his head.

It was precisely because Liu Bei was brave that he was unwilling to let him fight. It was rare enough to find a talented commander surnamed Liu; would it not be a tragedy if he died at the hands of the Yellow Turban Army?

He was counting on Liu Bei to protect him during his escape once the city fell!

"The false god among the Moth Bandits possesses sorcery that no human can withstand; sending our troops out is merely sending them to their deaths," Liu Hong said. "It is better to hold the city firmly. Luoyang's walls are high and thick; even with the false god's terrifying sorcery, they may not be able to breach the city."

Liu Yan sighed helplessly. "But in doing so, morale will inevitably decline..."

"And would it not decline if we sallied forth and were defeated?" Liu Hong retorted, clearly displeased. "It would likely decline even further, making the defense of the city even harder."

Liu Yan and He Jin looked at each other, speechless.

It was true. If they sent a strong force out to engage the Yellow Turban Army only to suffer defeat, would the remaining troops still have the confidence to defend the city?

"Then..."

Liu Yan hesitated, thinking to himself, If we cannot fight outside, and holding the city saps our morale, and there are no reinforcements coming, are we simply waiting for death in Luoyang?

Liu Hong had reached the same conclusion. He downed two cups of wine in frustration, stood up, and paced the hall with his hands behind his back. He Jin and Liu Yan could only sigh, while Liu Bei remained deep in thought, his brow furrowed.

Suddenly, Liu Hong stopped, his eyes brightening as he clapped his hands. "I have it!"

The three men were startled and looked up at the suddenly excited Liu Hong. Liu Hong exclaimed, "Minister He, Clan Elder, why don't we seek peace with the Moth Bandits?"

The three were stunned.

Seek peace?

To seek peace when the enemy was already at the gates—was this not a joke?

Liu Hong insisted, "Luoyang's walls are high and thick, and we have tens of thousands of soldiers loyal to the Han defending them. Even if the Moth Bandits could take the city, they would likely suffer heavy casualties; they may not be willing to force the issue.

My initiative to seek peace might just align with their wishes. Furthermore, if the Moth Bandits agree to withdraw their troops back to Ji, I am willing to split the empire with that false god!"

He grew more animated as he spoke, his eyes gleaming. "I can cede Ji, Yan, Qing, Xu, You, and Yang to them, allowing them to establish their so-called Great Peace Yellow Heaven!

If that is not enough, I can even give them Yu Province! The eastern half of the empire, with more than half the population—it is all theirs to enjoy!"

As his words faded, He Jin felt a flicker of interest.

With such generous terms, which could be obtained without losing a single soldier, there was a significant chance the Moth Bandits would accept.

The only problem was that once the Moth Bandits gained the wealthiest provinces, their strength would increase, and they would eventually march on the Han Court again, leading to the dynasty's inevitable collapse.

However, surviving for even a little longer was better than having Luoyang breached now and dying at the hands of the enemy.

Liu Yan, however, kept a wooden expression. "Your Majesty, you must not! This is an act that would destroy the nation! The court ministers will never agree to your proposal."

Liu Hong walked over to Liu Yan, grabbed his arm, and said earnestly, "Clan Elder! Uncle! I am truly at my wit's end! Besides, this talk of ceding the east to the Moth Bandits is merely empty words. Once the Moth Bandits withdraw, we can order the various provinces to resist their incursions.

The urgent priority is to hold Luoyang. If Luoyang is lost, everything else is meaningless."

Liu Yan did not think much of Liu Hong's "strategy." How could the Moth Bandits be so foolish as to withdraw based on empty promises? Yet, looking at the plea in Liu Hong's eyes, Liu Yan's heart softened. He sighed, "I am willing to enter the enemy camp on Your Majesty's behalf to negotiate this matter."

As the Clan Elder, he held high status and power, and as the person the Emperor trusted most, he was the most suitable choice for an envoy.

"Then I leave everything to you, Uncle!"