In the first month of the third year of Zhongping (186 AD), Taiwei Zhang Wen, General He Jin, and Taifu Yuan Kui jointly signed a letter, knelt in front of the dragon couch, and said bitterly: "Your Majesty has been in peace since the imperial pole. However, the position of the East Palace should not be empty for a long time, please set up a prince. ”

Seeing that Liu Hong was deeply ill and depressed, the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty were as if they had lost their backbone, and they were in a daze.

Therefore, these three people bluntly asked Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty to appoint the crown prince to stabilize the society.

Liu Hong's eyes were blank, and he said indifferently: "The prince is young, so he can't be too much. ”

Liu Hong has been frail and sickly since childhood, and only gave birth to two sons, Liu Wei and Liu Xie.

Liu Wei was born to Empress He, and Liu Xie was the son of Wang Meiren, but Wang Meiren was poisoned to death by Empress He after giving birth to Liu Xie, and Liu Xie has been raised by Empress Dowager Dong.

Over the years, Queen He has relied on her elder brother He Jin, relying on her relatives outside, controlling the harem inside, and dominating the backyard.

However, Empress He knows that all this is temporary, as long as her son is not made a prince for a day and becomes a real prince, it is not reliable.

On more than one occasion, Empress He blew the wind on Liu Hong's pillow, wanting him to make his son the crown prince as soon as possible, but as soon as Liu Hong arrived, he was perfunctory.

Liu Hong doted on Liu Xie's mother Wang Meiren in his early years, and naturally loved Liu Xie more than Liu Wei, but because of Queen He's jealousy, he poisoned Wang Meiren and made Liu Xie motherless, so he was secretly angry with Queen He in his heart.

But Queen He has nothing to do outside, and she is in charge of the harem inside, and the power has been completed, and Liu Hong is helpless, in the emperor's house, everything can't help it.

Liu Hong also thought about setting up Liu Bian, but when he thought of Queen He's heart, he was afraid that Liu Xie would not tolerate Empress He after Liu Bian ascended the throne in the future, and he would be murdered.

Seeing that Liu Hong was about to go west, the position of the crown prince had been hanging in the air, and He Jin was more anxious than anyone else.

The general He Jin knelt down and said: "Your Majesty, the position of the crown prince has been hanging for a long time, and it is not the blessing of the country, please make the prince as soon as possible." ”

"What the general said is very true, Your Majesty should set up a prince as soon as possible?"

Taiwei Zhang Wen echoed.

"Please make the crown prince early."

After Zhang Wenwan, Taifu Yuan Kui also asked the prince to be established.

Liu Hong looked at the three people in front of the dragon couch, and really wanted to cut off their heads with a sword, I haven't died yet, and you are about to force the palace. If I die, you won't be able to go up!

In normal times, Liu Hong naturally wanted to fool the past again, but now, seeing the three elders of the dynasty coming together, he knew that it was not a way to drag it all the time, so he had to ask: "I already know the meaning of the king, but who can be the prince?" ”

"Your Majesty, the prince has been smart and clever since he was a child, and he can be the prince."

Seeing that Liu Hong finally let go, He Jin immediately spoke.

The prince argues?

Liu Hong coughed a few times and said weakly: "General, there is a loss in virtue and morality, and it still needs to be sharpened, I'm afraid it will be difficult to convince the public!" ”

As soon as Liu Hong's words fell, another voice came: "What Your Majesty said is very true, the prince is benevolent and filial, and he can stand!" ”

As soon as this person was born, He Jin immediately lowered his head and turned around to see who was so ignorant of what to do and dared to disobey himself.

"Father, you're here!"

Liu Hong saw that it was Zhang Rang who came over, his face was happy, and he was a little more energetic.

Zhang Rang saluted first, and then said loudly: "I heard that someone is disturbing His Majesty's cultivation, let's take a look, who is so short-sighted, it turns out to be General He!" ”

"Zhang Rang, what do we have to do with you, a eunuch, to discuss the establishment of the prince?"

Zhang Rang snorted coldly: "General He, whether our family can discuss the matter of the prince in court is not up to you, our family only listens to Your Majesty, if Your Majesty does not let the old slave advise, the old slave will withdraw!" ”

"Father must stay today, mercy is a big deal, Father is not here, it is really difficult for me to decide!"

Liu Hong said suddenly, and He Jin, who was kneeling on the ground, was almost half angry.

Since the "abolition of history and pasture", the court has been divided into four major factions, one faction is the eunuch force headed by Zhang Rang and Jian Shuo, the other faction is the foreign relatives force headed by He Jin and He Miao, the other faction is the scholar clan force headed by Yuan Kui and Yuan Feng, and the other faction is the clan force headed by Liu Yan and Liu Yu.

Although the ten permanent servants are quite trusted by Liu Hong, they can only influence the emperor in private, and make false accusations at will, and they do not have much right to speak in the court, otherwise they will be attacked by the whole country.

Zhang Rang cleared his throat and arched his hand: "Establishing the prince is an important matter of the country, and who is the crown prince is a family matter of His Majesty, and it is all up to His Majesty to decide with one word, and outsiders are not allowed to interfere!." ”

Zhang Rang, the old fox, is really cunning, and no one supports him on the surface, but in fact, he wants to contradict He Jin and Yuan Kui.

"Your Majesty, the prince can argue."

Looking at Zhang Rang's coy attitude, He Jin could only continue to admonish cheekily.

"Your Majesty, if the prince can stand up, then the prince association should be the prince."

In front of the dragon couch, Zhang Rang and He Jin began to quarrel, not letting each other go, and making noise.

"Okay, what kind of system is the noisy and noisy, let me think about this matter again, I'm sleepy, you three retire!"

Liu Hong waved his hand weakly.

He Jin saw that there was no desired result today, so he resolutely said: "Your Majesty, don't let this eunuch influence the matter of the crown prince!" ”

He Jin was a eunuch, which did not make Zhang Rang angry, but made Liu Hong even more disgusted with him, Zhang Rang was his father, and when He Jin scolded Zhang Rang, he was not also scolding him!

"I'm tired, you can't hear or you're deaf!"

He Jin and the three of them had no choice but to bow and leave, so that Zhang Rang on the side was leisurely and happy.

"Father, who should you appoint as the crown prince?"

After the three of them left, Liu Hong asked Zhang Rang.

"This is Your Majesty's family matter, the old slave doesn't dare to talk much, but the prince has many types of saints."

Although this is a royal matter, but the ten permanent servants and He Jin are in a situation, once Liu Wei ascends the throne, He Jin's power will be even more overwhelming, without Liu Hong's protection, is there still a way for the ten permanent servants to live?

Therefore, the Ten Standing Servants fully supported Liu Xie, because once Liu Xie ascended the throne, they would have to rely on them to check and balance He Jin.

Zhang Rang Liu Xie has many types of Liu Hong, which means that Liu Xie is very similar to Liu Hong, which is profound, and it is more appropriate than directly Liu Xie to establish the prince, and it is precisely because of the conversation that Zhang Rang has always been favored by Liu Hong.

"Father, I want to follow Gaozu to seal the king of Zhao, set up the prince as the crown prince, let Xie'er go to the country as soon as possible, and choose a minister to protect him."

Liu Hong's face was happy, but then he was a little sad, he knew that He Jin was now a general, and there were many people under him who were attached, and he would definitely not accept Liu Xie as the prince, and now he could only make Liu Wei the prince.

Zhang Rang was shocked when he heard Liu Hong's words, and cold sweat flowed on his back, could it be that Liu Xie had already compromised, after Liu argued that he was the prince, he and the others would definitely die without a corpse!

Zhang Rang has never read a book, but he also knows the story of Gaozu Feng Zhao Wang.

In the early years of the Han Dynasty, Gaozu Liu Bang favored Qi Ji and liked their son Liu Ruyi, and repeatedly wanted to make Liu Ruyi the crown prince, but because Empress Lu and the ministers were opposed, they gave up.

But later Qi Ji cried to Liu Bang, afraid of revenge from Empress Lu in the future, so Liu Bang named Liu Ruyi as the king of Zhao, and then let the minister Zhou Chang be the minister of Zhao, Zhou Chang is a famous minister, and he can protect them after his death.

However, what Liu Bang didn't expect was that after his death, Empress Lu transferred Zhou Chang, recruited King Zhao into Beijing, and poisoned him by taking advantage of Emperor Hui to go hunting.

"Your Majesty arranges the Prince's Association according to the affairs of the ancestors, which is indeed safe, but it is ......"

Zhang Rangsheng said.

"But what? Father, what are your concerns? ”

"Your Majesty!"

Zhang Rang looked up at Liu Hong and whispered: "Although King Zhao has Zhou Chang's guard, he can't always be by his side, Wang Meiren is still ...... in the palace at the beginning, and when the time comes, the prince Xieyuan will be in the country, and he can't protect his own safety." ”

Zhang Rang's meaning is obvious, Liu Xie's mother Wang Meiren had the protection of Emperor Ling in the palace, but she was still poisoned by Queen He, if they want to kill Liu Xie in the future, it will not be easier.

When Liu Hong heard Wang Meirao's matter, he was also very angry in his heart, and then thought that Liu Xie had no protection from himself, and it was estimated that he would be the next King Zhao.

"But the general's power has been formed, so what can I do?"

"Your Majesty, although He Jin is a general, he is just a gift from His Majesty, and now His Majesty is under his control, no matter who is the emperor in the future, he will be subject to his elbows, Your Majesty has forgotten General Bahu, why not take the opportunity to cut his power."

As soon as he heard the general, Emperor Ling's face also showed an angry face, when his relative Liang Ji, relying on his relatives, poisoned the emperor, specialized in court politics, formed a party for personal gain, and sealed the Liang family as a marquis.

Although he was later removed, but this matter is not far from now, if He Jin is really so powerful that no one can control it, it is really possible, now there are ministers in the court who oppose him and there are a group of old ministers loyal to the Han family, if once the wings are full, it is not impossible for Liang Ji to appear.

"But He Jin is already fledgling, what should I do?"

Zhang Rang knew that Liu Hong had scruples about He Jin, otherwise he wouldn't have asked what to do, as long as he had scruples, he could find a way to clean up He Jin.

"Your Majesty, the person He Jin relies on is just holding the military power of Gyeonggi, and Your Majesty can issue an order to use Dong Zhong as the hussar general to restrain He Jin."

This Dong Zhong is the nephew of the Empress Dowager Dong, and Liu Hong is a cousin, so he can naturally be trusted.

Liu Hong nodded and said: "It is reasonable, my father can draw up a decree for me, and tomorrow in the early dynasty, in front of hundreds of civil and military officials, I will announce it." ”

……

In February of the third year of Zhongping, Liu Hong was critically ill.

"Your Majesty, you have to take care of your health!"

In the inner hall of the imperial city, Liu Hong vomited blood, and Zhang Rang and the others were also very anxious, not knowing what to do.

After Liu Hong vomited blood, he woke up slowly, took Zhang Rang and Jian Shuo's hands, and said weakly: "I want to set up the prince Liu Xie as the emperor, but if I don't remove He Jin, Liu Xie's throne is not stable, I know that the limit has come, and I hope that Aiqing and others will have a love affair with me for 20 years, and after my death, I will kill He Jin, and set up the prince Liu Xie as the emperor, and I will be able to see it under the nine springs!" ”

"Your Majesty, rest assured, the old slave has a breath of air, and he will definitely help the prince to ascend to the throne."

Jian Shuo immediately bowed to Liu Hong three times and swore an oath.

"If so, I'm blind! Why can't I drink joy with Aiqing and others......"

At the end, Liu Hong's arm hung down, and Zhang Rang stepped forward to probe and found that Liu Hong was out of breath at the age of Chinese New Year's Eve.

Jian Shuo, Zhang Rang and others were crying and crying, and after a while, Jian Shuo stopped his tears and said to Zhang Rang and others: "The old slave is favored by His Majesty, His Majesty has a word on his deathbed, kill He Jin, help the prince Liu Xie ascend the throne, you block the news of His Majesty's death in the inner court, and I will do it to kill He Jin." ”

So Jian Shuo invited He into the harem in the name of his son, but He Jin had just entered the harem from the outer court, and Jian Shuo's Sima Pan Yin was He Jin's old acquaintance, walked towards He Jin, and hinted at He Jin with his eyes, He Jin was shocked, and hurriedly withdrew, returned to the barracks from the sidewalk, and then lied that he was sick and could not enter the palace, and Jian Shuo's plan failed.