“Yellow Sky”: Crisis for the Han Dynasty sample (Act I) -- T. P. M. Thorne

“With their destruction, nothing else,” Cao Cao suggested.
“…I agree, but we are helpless at present,” Yuan Shao said regretfully. “No status - not even that of a prince of the realm - can serve to resist them now.”
Cao Cao sighed and said, “It’s true, I hear, that His Majesty calls two of them ‘Mother’ and ‘Father’.”
“Zhao Zhong and Zhang Rang,” Yuan Shao scoffed. “That adds to an already long list of influential, untouchable eunuchs… when Hou Lan died, it seemed that there would be one less of them… now two more are elevated. Oh, and that’s on top of Jian Shuo, who will no doubt be named ‘Regent’, or ‘Uncle’, or something. It worsens, and… and I despair.”
“Perhaps they will start to turn on each other,” Cao Cao suggested. “After all, such power eventually becomes too desirable to share for such types, and they’ll want to reduce the number that gets to enjoy it. Perhaps Hou Lan was the first to discover that.”
“Oh, I hope so, Mengde, because right now, the only foil to the eunuchs is the eunuchs themselves,” Yuan Shao replied.

The Prince of Bohai received word that he had been successfully slandered and committed suicide. His family would not be spared; his wife, Lady Song, and many other members of Prince Liu Kui’s household were put to death as well, to limit the likelihood of a successful reprisal. However, the eunuchs quickly realised that their latest scheme could also backfire once it was noted that Empress Song was visibly moved by her aunt’s demise. The fearful attendants began an aggressive campaign of slander against the Empress which was aided by two factors: jealous concubines were already trying to oust and supplant her with cruel rumours, and Emperor Ling was not as romantically attached to her as he might have been. But despite the nature of the accusations, Emperor Ling was surprisingly resistant to the unyielding campaign, and refused to depose his Empress.

Cao Cao met with Yuan Shao and Zhang Miao at the former’s home to discuss the latest woe to beset the imperial court.
“Witchcraft…?” Yuan Shao chortled.
Cao Cao nodded slowly.
“Witchcraft; there is no end to their vindictiveness,” Zhang Miao said. “When he inevitably yields, she’ll not just die: the Empress will suffer a terrible, undeserved-”
“For once, I cannot find even a shred of humour or optimism,” Cao Cao admitted. “I am scared… for this may ruin me… or, perhaps, the entire Cao clan.”
“The family connection is slight,” Yuan Shao suggested. “You’ll see, Mengde… in a few months, you’ll see. You’ll be spared.”

“We cannot believe that our Empress is a witch, Mother and Father,” Emperor Ling said to an increasingly desperate Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong. “She is unappealing at times, perhaps, and not a woman that I care to spend much time with… but a witch? We are enjoying enough favour from Heaven these days!”
“Merely a calm before a storm, Your Majesty!” Zhao Zhong pleaded.
“Since your brave and courageous actions destroyed the wicked Dou family and their allies, we have known peace,” Emperor Ling suggested. “We have heard of no unrest, we are wanting for nothing, our people are satisfied… we cannot see that as being anything but a continuing calm, as our officials have suggested.”

<< Main Product Page

<< Previous Page

Next Page >>