Chapter 042 Request for Execution
Some of the attendants advised the empress to go to Luoyang, which was not very far but not too close either.
Especially in this era, traveling far away is actually a very dangerous thing. Many people died while walking. Thieves, diseases, wild animals, anything can happen. And the young master is so young, what if something happens to him?
Empress Lu just replied coldly: This guy is in good health, it's okay.
For Liu Chang, how did happiness disappear?
He originally thought that once his mother left, he could completely let himself go, but he never expected that his mother would actually take him with her. Maybe she was worried that the palace would have been demolished by Liu Chang when he returned.
However, thinking from another perspective, this is his first time traveling far away, and perhaps he will see a lot of interesting things. This is the only way Liu Chang can comfort himself.
The Empress's trip was just as grand as the Emperor's. Thousands of people left Chang'an City in a mighty procession. Liu Chang didn't even have time to say goodbye to his brothers before he was dragged away by Empress Lu.
Liu Chang happily jumped into his mother's car and looked at the scene outside through the curtain.
There were indeed civilians in Chang'an City.
When the carriage slowly left the palace and entered the main street, passers-by who were stopped by the accompanying warriors could be seen from afar. Most of these people were carrying farm tools, and they seemed to have just gone out to farm. They were almost the same as the craftsmen Liu Chang had seen at the beginning.
The same ragged clothes, the same dullness, the same skinny, after seeing the frame, he knelt down in fear and buried his head.
Of course, you can occasionally see wealthy people. They are much calmer. Although they are also kneeling, you can still see their tall crowns.
Liu Chang suddenly felt bored. The people of Chang'an City were all the same. There was no difference at all.
After the carriage left Chang'an, the road became even more desolate. Most of the time, all Liu Chang could see were endless trees and wilderness, not to mention pedestrians. Sometimes, Liu Chang would get excited for a long time when he saw a small thing.
This trip was somewhat different from what Liu Chang had imagined.
This father's ability to govern the country is too poor. The roads are bad, and there are no pedestrians or merchants. The common people he sees are not human and are so poor that it is shocking... Liu Chang secretly complained in his heart.
Compared to him, Empress Lu just closed her eyes and rested. Only when she arrived at some counties would she open her eyes and call the local officials. Sometimes she would reward them, sometimes she would scold them, and sometimes she would simply arrest them.
When they passed a county town, Liu Chang didn't know what it was called, but it was a county town with low city walls. Almost all the people here came out to welcome Empress Lu. It was extremely lively, and people could be seen holding all kinds of things in their hands, with food and drink, to welcome the royal army.
Liu Chang was very excited as he could finally see the lively scene, but Empress Lu's face became quite ugly.
She immediately gave orders to arrest the county magistrate who led the way to greet her, put him in a prison cart, and dismiss the local people.
"It's only February, and it's not the busy farming season. He means well, so why would mother do this?"
Liu Chang widened his eyes in confusion, and Lu Hou just shook her head and said nothing.
…
Peng Yue never thought that this day would come.
The Han envoy who had left came back, and with him came the missing steward.
The Han envoy brought thousands of elite troops and rushed into the capital when Peng Yue was completely unprepared. They first took control of the Liang army in the capital, and then went to capture Hu Zhe who was discussing going to war with the ministers. After hearing the Han envoy read out their crimes, Hu Zhe became furious, refused to surrender, and resisted violently.
After knocking down six soldiers, Hu Zhe was shot dead.
When the Han envoy threw Huo Ze's head in front of Peng Yue, the elderly King of Liang trembled all over, stared at the head on the ground, and burst into tears.
Peng Yue went from being shocked and confused at the beginning to now being filled with only sadness and pain.
However, the Han envoy did not give him time to mourn. The soldiers put him in a prison cart, put him in chains, and drove him out of the capital. As the prison cart drove away quickly, the people of the capital looked at their own king in astonishment.
Most people were afraid. Not knowing what was happening, they fled and dared not go out again. However, there were exceptions.
Those soldiers who were dismissed by Peng Yue and started farming again, after seeing Peng Yue in the prison car, roared, raised the farm tools in their hands, and charged at the soldiers in front of them.
"No... Go back! Everyone, go back!"
Peng Yue roared.
"Charge! Save the general!"
Those old and dying souls seemed to have returned to the original battlefield at that moment. They bravely rushed towards the fully armed soldiers in front of them with the attitude of charging towards the Chu army. The army that came to escort King Liang suddenly became chaotic.
The soldiers fought against those people. Along the way, Liang's soldiers and officials did not resist. The only ones who resisted were an unknown general and a group of peasants who had put down their swords.
Perhaps these peasants were once famous warriors who had made the King of Chu helpless. However, they were also old, without weapons in their hands and strong armor on their bodies. They fell one by one, but no one retreated. More and more former soldiers who learned about this began to go to war, bringing their servants and their families to fight against the Han army.
The Han envoy felt that he could not delay any longer, so he took a group of people to fight back and asked others to quickly send Peng Yue out of the city.
When the prison car left the royal capital, Peng Yue was in the car with tears streaming down his face. He could no longer speak and could only cry softly. Watching his innocent brothers die tragically one after another, his heart seemed to be cut by a sharp blade.
The Grand Coachman was riding a horse following Peng Yue at this moment, and his face also looked very uneasy.
"This is all your fault, my king... Why did you rebel? If you didn't rebel, how would they die?"
"Although I am fighting alongside you, we are all subjects of the Han Dynasty. I am doing this for the greater good... I can't say that I have done anything wrong..."
"If I wait until you raise your army, I don't know how many more people will die. I'm saving lives..."
The Imperial Household Manager spoke in panic, over and over again.
But Peng Yue didn't even look at him, and didn't even make any excuses. He was crying, looking dazed, and silent, as if he didn't see the Taifu at all.
Peng Yue was imprisoned in Luoyang. At the same time, Liu Bang put down what he was doing and came to Luoyang to try the former King of Liang.
"Are you rebelling?"
King Liang was covered in chains, kneeling on the ground, and facing the interrogation of the chief officer without saying a word.
"Did your subordinate Hu Zhe persuade you to start a rebellion?"
King Liang still did not answer.
"Your Majesty still has the opportunity to appeal. Are you ready to plead guilty?"
Peng Yue slowly raised his head and said with tears in his eyes: "I am innocent... My subordinates are innocent..."
After three or four days of interrogation by the officials, it was finally determined that King Peng Yue of Liang had the intention of treason. His subordinates had repeatedly persuaded him to start an uprising. At the same time, King Peng Yue had recently recruited soldiers on a large scale and stockpiled food and grass, which was suspected of treason. During the arrest process, he even instigated the people of Liang to attack the soldiers. The Liang Taifu could testify that there was complete evidence and witnesses. According to the laws of the Han Dynasty, his clan and the clans of those involved should be executed for treason.
Liu Bang came very low-key, and almost no people knew that the emperor had arrived here.
He hurried into the prison and looked at Peng Yue, who was covered in chains.
For some reason, there was no trace of joy on his face.
"Why do you want to rebel?"
"I...have never plotted rebellion...have never plotted rebellion..."
Peng Yue, who was already ill, looked even more miserable at this moment, with disheveled hair and a dazed look. There was no trace of the brave King Liang anymore.
"The ministers ask me to execute you."
Liu Bang said.
Peng Yue slowly raised his head, his eyes numb, staring into Liu Bang's eyes.
Liu Bang looked at him, his hands sometimes clenched and sometimes unclenched, his expression changing from gloomy to bright, his lips trembling slightly, and his pupils seemed to be shaking.
After a long silence, Liu Bang finally spoke.
"I pardon the death penalty for King Liang and his clan, demote King Liang to a commoner, remove his shackles, and exile him to Shu, so that he can spend his old age in peace."
"Your Majesty! No !"
Imperial Censor Zhao Yao was shocked. He shouted, "When the King of Chu rebelled, you didn't kill him, so there are so many rebellious princes in the world. Now you want to pardon the King of Liang. Do you want all the princes in the world to rebel?!"
"I have made up my mind! No need to say more!"
Liu Bang turned around and left in a domineering manner.
