“Yellow Sky”: Crisis for the Han Dynasty sample (Act I) -- T. P. M. Thorne
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“My daughter would never let them do that,” Dou Wu insisted. “We will never be better placed than now… but I must do this in the proper way, so that the eunuchs cannot cite ‘abuse of power’ on my part. They must be seen to be brought to justice by due process… and they will be.”
“Aiee… well, you’d better be right,” Chen Fan muttered.
“It has never been so right!” Dou Wu said with optimism. “I am Commander-in-Chief, you are Grand Tutor, our friends and allies are holding many of the most influential powers, and soon, those who owe the wicked ones will be completely purged. His Majesty is young and open-minded, and my daughter provides us with a protection that none have enjoyed before us. Further to that, we are in the process of pardoning the ‘partisans’ that were so terribly wronged, and hence have the support of the intellectuals.”
Chen Fan pondered that point silently for a moment and then said, “The Liangs enjoyed command of the army, positions as Empress and Empress Dowager, and support of the intellectual class, but they were still ousted.”
“Ah, yes, but they were corrupt, and they disrespected the former majesty, who was therefore compelled to place trust in the eunuchs in order to oust the traitors,” Dou Wu countered. “We, however, adhere to Confucian values, put state before personal whim, and do what we do in order to restore the country, not suck it dry like a flea, as the Liangs did. We have the will of Heaven on our side, surely, Mister Chen!”
Chen Fan shook his head slowly and said, “I can only hope so, Mister Dou.”
But it would not be long before history repeated itself yet again.
*************
6
Commander-in-Chief Dou Wu entered the imperial court with his head held high. Emperor Ling was conspicuously timid, as he was now very aware that his ‘stepmother’, the Regent Dowager, was still the true power in the land; she was sat behind a screen that was directly behind the boy monarch, periodically leaning sideways and peeking at the assembled officials with little respect as two maids fanned her without pause. Few knew that Dou Wu’s intention was to read a damning statement to the assembly, and there were muted gasps when that became clear. The eunuchs - who were stood in a group at the back of the room, near the emperor - started to whine pathetically and fidget in an attempt to gain sympathy from the increasingly irritated Dowager.
“So I conclude,” Dou Wu said, “by repeating myself, for I fear that is what I must do: we must not repeat the oldest mistakes. The eunuchs that I have spoken of intend no good for His Majesty… they would poison His Majesty’s mind with the allure of expensive self-indulgence, and steal from His Majesty’s coffers, and all the while indulge themselves and their relatives, and award public offices to talentless men that flatter them. They must be extirpated, in order to preserve the throne. Your servant, Dou Wu, humbly submits these words for your consideration.”
The Dowager’s response was almost immediate.
“I cannot agree to this.”
Dou Wu was dumbstruck; Chen Fan was quietly disappointed, but not surprised; Dou Wu and Chen Fan’s supporters were silently wondering what the repercussions might be and stole glances at the offending eunuchs, who were struggling to contain their delight that they were winning once again.